Despite its increased emphasis on connectivity, Sony won't be going all-in with a digitally distributed future.
Insider Gaming has learned that the ongoing price increases in RAM due to the rise in AI could delay the next generation of console releases.
What is even the incentive of upgrading to the next-gen after this console generation we've had? Graphics are plateauing, prices at an all time high, studios skipping entire generations or simply releasing just one game for it...
Its a mess
How do you gauge each generation? There has been a lot of really good games this gen. I only care about the games. First party hasn’t been the best but the generation isn’t over yet
jznrpg,
Thing is, every generation before this one has had something that defined console identity. Very little beyond bigger/more detailed games and performance modes are really there.
I feel the last generation that cared very much was gen 7; Capcom's darkest era, but I have to give them props for being really experimental at the time. We saw plenty of new games that still tried to do something new. Outside of Metaphor and Clair Obscur, this gen has been pretty forgettable if you ask me. I'm sure a lot of it is the corporatization of the industry and the creative talent has to keep making sequels and spiritual successors because the cost of development is out of control. But even then, plenty of these experiences are experiences we've had already. And the thing is. Switch 2 and PSVR2 could really be doing incredible things, but it's just not there. Xbox I just don't see the value or point anymore but that's just me.
Why has is been the worst? I've been gaming all my life and this gen. has been one of the best.
Not to mention that just like this generation, the next one will also be shared between the current and next gen console at least for a couple of years. So the few titles that it will had, just like this one, will run on the console you already have.
I think people have to remember the pandemic at start of this gen and how it effected game development. This next gen we will see the PS4 etc support dropped and truly see the full utilisation of SSD's improvements to ray and path tracing and the impact of AI upscaling etc will be where the biggest improvements will come from.
My sentiments exactly, next gen has got to prove it's worth before i buy into it this time. This has been the weakest generation in my 30yrs of gaming. From the drawn out cross gen garbage, to so many games getting stuck in development hell or canceled, to the ABSURD levels of trend chasing to the point of self destruction, this gen just wasn't worth it
I'm pretty sure I've already read a story that said Playstation is only halfway through this console's generation and that PS6 is a way off.
Im good with next gen being pushed back to 27/28. It feels like this gen has only just begun.
Covid-19 held back everything at least 2 years worth. Although many people disliked, i think only UE5 can generally distinguish this gen from the previous one.
UE5 is definitely impressive, but I would also give the nod to the current version of Decima, at least the way it looks for Death Stranding 2.
That's normal how you think. Time goes faster when you're older and i bought my PS5 since day 1 release and now it's 5 years old. I don't mind a year delay to release PS6 in holiday 2028.
Regardless of RAM price increases, I strongly believe there’s still a lot of potential left for the current gen. I’d be fine with at least 3 more years.
Whenever it comes out is fine with me. I still have backlog for the next year at least
This is interesting and unexpected news as Sony and Bad Robot Games are partnering.
I just thought since Back 4 Blood didn’t set the world on fire and died pretty quickly support wise he might have done something a little different.
@Foxtrot The creator of L4D, Mike Booth, didn't have anything to do with Back for Blood, and that's probably why it didn't set the world on fire. This new project just might be the successor we've been waiting for.
Gosh it would be so nice to have a true successor to L4D 2. Back 4 Blood introduced nearly every annoying, unnecessary aspect of multiplayer game design from the last ten-ish years, while simultaneously making the gameplay and world less interesting than L4D. Ironically I think it didn't actually have MTs, despite feeling like it was designed to sell them.
Sadly, I just can't see a true successor coming out now. I'd happily be wrong, but I bet this will have a hub world, multiple progression systems, multiple currency systems, skins, heros/operators/specialists, and battle passes, and the speed of the game will be toned down from L4D2, just like B4B was.
I shall keep an eye on this. Expecially if Mike booth is involved Left for dead 1 & 2 was amazing on pc.
Should be left for dead 3
More enemies and boss battles
More maps and missions
Also bring back like the witch and tank and other nasty top dogs
The "PC" feel is one of the key reasons B4B doesn't match up to L4D. L4D is clearly designed for mouse and keyboard, and the speed of the game reflects that (this is why it never felt quite right on 360 and the devs had to add in that "quick turn" feature to compensate). Meanwhile B4B is slowed down to better suit playing with controllers. Unfortunately this game will likely be the same, given the PS5 version.
And yes you are right the specials were so lame in B4B compared to L4D.
That's because the 360 didnt support mouse and keyboard. Now we're in that era ps5 or ps6 and magnus should easily support mouse and keyboard to play with pc players
@Whitey2k
Technically consoles support m/k now, but practically speaking most console users still just play with a controller, so this game is likely to be designed primarily with controller players in mind. I'd be happy to be proven wrong, but I doubt I will be.
During Sony’s quarterly financial conference call CFO Lin Tao provided relevant information on the performance of the PlayStation business.
Kinda figured the lifecycle for this gen and for Sony in particular will be longer, stronger hardware with better graphical enhancements is not going to show immediate jump in quality for games anymore like in the 90's, graphics have since plateaued and what they should be pushing for is art design, physics handling and locking down framerates to 60fps as the absolute minimum required. Sony will always have their 1st party with their heavy hitters but i would also personally want to see them invest more into AA, bring in younger talents, incorporate more experimental ideas to game design and prototyping like the early days with PS and PS2, maybe instead of investing 200-300+ million in bombastic cinematic experiences, invest atleast half of that into creating new teams for other genres you're currently lacking in to diversify your portfolio such as platfomers, jrpgs, horror, rythm, arcade racer, FPS, hell, maybe even a strategy game or two.
What I've learned from this generation is that smaller studios are where I'm finding the best games.
The big boys just aren't cutting it.
This is great news for PS owners.
But what's the advantage to new hardware anymore? It's like cell phones. There's noting new or innovative. All the future tech isn't arriving any time soon: quantum computers and internet.
What I've learnt from this gen is to go retro until you get those big games like GTA Vi
People seem to complain whenever Sony does something different. If it's not the cinematic story driven games then most don't seem to care.
I forgot what game it was but We remember when Shawn Layden said some game didn't sell all that well but it was ok because they wanted to take chances with new types of games. That was a different times different generation now. What applies then certainly doesn't apply now.
Not necessarily. Ps5 could still be supported for years after ps6 release. I still would expect ps6 around 2027
As long as proper physical games keep coming out for PS5, I'll keep supporting it
At this point, going back and seeing just how incredible and soawling the PS4 library is, its nice to see that the PS5 will wind up just as good with continued physical support into the next decade and the full PS4 physical catalog as well.
New hardware is meant to expand possibilities for developers when their ambitions are constrained.
Looking at Death Stranding 2 and Yotei, and anticipating GTA6 and Wolverine will also blow away graphics expectations, I don’t think devs are constrained by the ps5 yet.
The longer they wait to release the ps6, the stronger it will be. People can wait. Just let Kojima finish Physint as a ps6 launch title. That should take at least another 4 years. That would be the lifecycle at 9 years, which would be the longest lifecycle yet, but not by much.
So I totally see what you are saying but I suspect that one of the effects of introducing stronger hardware is the older generations are then maxed by necessity.
But thats just my opinion. The real reason why Sony won't wait to release a next Gen console is because they are seeking to directly influence the next Gen of graphics hardware on an industry wide scale.. To them, they are making developers lives easier if they are developing for hardware that ubiquitous support features across platforms including PC.
This would literally lift everyone up at the same time. And for this reason the Next Playstation will debut as part of UDNAs debut. PS5 will continue to be optimized and supported for another 5 at least.
If I’m following you, you are saying introducing a ps6 would be a way to immediately hit the PS5’s hardware ceiling. That would make sense, but I hope they force Xbox to release their console first, and they then counter with a slightly stronger ps6 a year later. I don’t expect Xbox to launch with a strong initial exclusives roster that would necessitate Sony being first to market.
Sony: PS5 Is “Only in the Middle of Its Journey;”
Nice to know. I wouldn't worry about PS6 for another 5-6 years, I guess.
I wouldnt count on that. A console life cycle doesn't end with the announcement and release of a new gen.
We'll see a PS6 announcement in 2027 and release in 2028. I could bet on it
It could come out in 2027 and thats fine. It is quite common for people to upgrade their TV, phone or PC within that time period. As long as it is backwards compatible it makes total sense to upgrade and its justified on its merit alone. There is no reason why this can apply to consoles too.
I doubt it will be that long until PS6. My guess is around 2028 but who knows. Could be as early as holiday 27’ and as late as 29 but I can’t see it being any farther than that. I somewhat doubt as late as 29. Half way through PS5 life can also mean crossgen titles for a year or 2 into PS6
The rumor is 2027. Cerny said it's only a few years away. Possibly of 2028 but it definitely won't be 5, 6 years away.
With this statement, while Mark Cerby us teasing the basis of the next gen tech, it sounds like we're probably going to have another dragged out cross gen overlap 😒 ugh. I miss the days when launch ganes marked the starting line of new beginnings, games built from the ground up to take full advantage of whats new and exciting, instead of just upresed/remastered last gen games
It would be interesting to see a Gaikai-only model for something like what, 99 bucks?
"The one area in which the PS4 may fall short however is digital distribution, a field the industry is supposed to be inching closer to every day."
It is pushing digital distribution and with the purchase of Gaikai, i assume its going to be pushed heavily....
On another not, I like having the disk option. I don't like the idea of all digital because I love the physical product. I swear all these websites are just clutching at straws for hits on a current topic.
I live in Canada which may as well be a 3rd world country in terms of bandwidth caps and internet pricing so I welcome physical media, without it I'd use of my monthly allowance downloading a single game.
Why do people say 'stuck with discs' as if that is a bad thing?
Why would people want digital only? it wont make game cheaper ,we will have to pay more for oder games , DRM, You wont own anything just a digital file that your are basically just renting (Diablo 3) I hope games dont go Digital only