There’s a mid-generation console upgrade cycle coming – and it’s left many consumers feeling dejected and frustrated. Others (like me!) are actually rather keen on the upgraded hardware, as it’ll bring consoles even closer to higher-end PC gaming.
It seems some of the industry’s biggest publishers are pretty keen on the new consoles too. Speaking to Gamesindustry, EA, Ubisoft and Take 2 all had very nice things to say about the new consoles.
“I actually see it more as an incredibly positive evolution of the business strategy for players and for our industry and definitely for EA,” said EA global publishing chief Laura Miele. “The idea that we would potentially not have an end of cycle and a beginning of cycle I think is a positive place for our industry to be and for all of the commercial partners as well as players.”
Ubisoft’s head of EMEA Alain Corre doesn’t believe, as many consumers do, that the new consoles will tear their user bases asunder.
“I think with the evolution of technology it’s better than what we had to do before, doing a game for next-gen and a different game from scratch for the former hardware,” he said. “Now we can take the best of the next console but still have super good quality for the current console, without breaking the community up.”
Most interestingly, Take Two boss Strauss Zelnick makes a pretty compelling argument about how, with each platform running on X86 architecture and being like a Pc, that it’ll let developers focus on creating games.
“The ecosystems aren’t shifting as much. We essentially have a common development architecture now that’s essentially a PC architecture,” he said. Adding that the upgrade cycle “would be very good for us obviously. To have a landscape…where you put a game out and you don’t worry about it,” in “the same way that when you make a television show you don’t ask yourself ‘what monitor is this going to play on?’ It could play on a 1964 color television or it could play on a brand-new 4K television, but you’re still going to make a good television show.
“And sure, constantly more powerful hardware gives us an opportunity but it would be great to get to a place where we don’t have a sine curve anymore, and I do see the sine curve flattening but I’m not sure I agree it’s going away yet,” he said. “That doesn’t change any of our activities; we still have to make the very best products in the market and we have to push technology to its absolute limit to do so.”
Last Updated: June 28, 2016
Admiral Chief Maximum Effort
June 28, 2016 at 10:35
SO, what is the total cost of ownership for say, a three year console gamer now? Provided you follow the (incorrect) thought pattern of ‘YOU NEED TO CONSTANTLY UPGRADE’
Adding in the cost of games
Which is the more expensive option now?
Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0
June 28, 2016 at 10:54
Still PC, because these consoles are optional
Admiral Chief Maximum Effort
June 28, 2016 at 10:55
Upgrading PC is also optional, so?
Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0
June 28, 2016 at 11:00
Sure, if you don’t mind the drop in resolution
Alien Emperor Trevor
June 28, 2016 at 11:12
What drop in resolution? All our games are pixel graphics anyway. 😀
Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0
June 28, 2016 at 11:21
XD
The Order of the Banana
June 28, 2016 at 14:28
Batman!
Greylingad[He Charges!]
June 28, 2016 at 10:43
The x86 architecture gives way to a good workflow, but whatever these consoles will cost will be a major contributing factor as to how many will be sold
Alien Emperor Trevor
June 28, 2016 at 10:44
“as it’ll bring consoles even closer to higher-end PC gaming” That’s what they promised last time, and they lied.
Greylingad[He Charges!]
June 28, 2016 at 10:46
They did bring them closer, but had no intention of keeping up…
Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0
June 28, 2016 at 10:54
Through their teeth
Admiral Chief Maximum Effort
June 28, 2016 at 10:56
https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2014-05/enhanced/webdr05/16/10/anigif_enhanced-27676-1400250826-9.gif
Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0
June 28, 2016 at 10:54
But Sony hasn’t unveiled in detail the specs of the PS4 Neo…
Ir0nseraph
June 28, 2016 at 10:57
Unless they pull a rabbit out of there arses, the mid gen update power race will belong to Xbox, and I still need to get a UHD TV before I can partake.
Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0
June 28, 2016 at 11:01
LOL not even the Master race needs UHD TV yet……. I think
Greylingad[He Charges!]
June 28, 2016 at 11:03
Don’t joke about it yet, please! I found myself staring at a 4k monitor the other day, not because it was beautiful, but because I couldn’t make out what the hell the text on the screen was, everything literally turned into squiggles…
Ir0nseraph
June 28, 2016 at 11:04
I also stare at the UHD TV , then I see the price and exit left.
Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0
June 28, 2016 at 11:08
I got pepper sprayed for getting too close to one
Ir0nseraph
June 28, 2016 at 11:10
XD
Ir0nseraph
June 28, 2016 at 11:06
Probably not, they need something better off course 😛
Fox1 - Retro
June 28, 2016 at 12:12
There’s a cheapo QHD monitor for R4600 at Loot. Should be half that price >.<