I will probably play more Twisted Metal 2 than any other 2023 game. Unlimited replayability.
Agreed. The PS5 system is hideous in stock form. I have the dark plates and it looks passable now.
If we are on a 4-6 year loop, that means you might only be able to expect one game from each studio for the generation. Sounds very Xbox.
"Introducing the World's Most Powerful Console! World Premiere Exclusive!"
Agree that the Series S was a short-sighted decision to try to get a "leg-up" on early console sales. Even today, we don't know the breakout of X vs S console sales, which does and will play a role in decisions being made. While the chip shortages of 2021 ravaged sales for the Series X and PS5, MS was able to ride along with continuous availability of Series S. But in the end, we now have a technically fragmented generational pool right from the start.
The real question, like some have eluded to, is if Starfield is the mass-market game that aligns with the Xbox demographics. I enjoy the Fallout series, but I don’t think it appeals to all gamers.
Reference Konami and Kojima - exactly... he kept going overbudget and the cost of AAA games continued to skyrocket. There was more nuance to the situation, but the cost and overbudget part was starting to squeeze Konami's financials.
It's not rocket science to understand that if you have more staff on your team, the cost will rise linearly. Salaries = the largest cost driver of development.
PS1 and earlier titles could have a dozen developers or...
PC games don't have to pay the MS, Sony, and Nintendo licensing fees.
And of course they are testing that market. Any businessman worth their salt will test things before taking the full plunge. It doesn't mean that there won't come a day when prices need to rise to keep up with rising costs and falling dollar/currency values.
So how big were the development teams back in the 80s? 90s? 2000s even? You do know that the cost of people (salaries, benefits, etc) is the largest expense by far in most industries, right? Game developers and publishers have been taking a much smaller cut of the profits every generation, made up in some part by volume (if the game sells well), or DLC/MTC (if applicable).
Why do you think Konami bowed out of Kojima Production titles after MGS V? Because they didn't l...
Technically they're probably still cheaper than 2010s.... see post above.
https://www.cnn.com/interac...
Gross wages have grown, but game prices have remained, at, or less than they were before. Buying power is virtually unchanged in the last 30 years. By and large, we are paying far less for games, like for like, than we did in the 90s... or 2000s, or 2010s...
Inflation makes it relevant. Wages may have stagnated relative to inflation, but that's the consequence of increasing wage rates.... the cost of goods increases relative to the increased "buying power" of wages.
Hence, $70 in 1993 is $146 today.
On the other hand, $70 today was $33 in 1993.
And according to the inflation calculator, that $80 in 1993 is worth $167 in today's dollars.
Imagine the conversation today on this board if games cost $150 at retail!!!
Cost of Materials Sold is minimal compared to the enormous development costs today. Games of old were made by teams of 5-10 people..... today we're talking hundreds.
What about Bubsy 3D, their first game?
To be able to play them day 1, or within the first two years of their existence.
“Unplayable”. How dramatic…. Good for you.
The weapon durability plays into the entire system mechanics in the game. While I do think some weapons break all too quickly, I can respect the fact that it forces me to keep trying new weapons and utilize the Fuse mechanic. It also makes it genuinely exciting to find a new weapon and KNOW that I will use it, even if its specs are a little lower than my best weapon. It also adde to the resource management aspect of the game which I enjoy as a whole.
So this article harps on the negative impacts of the screen upgrade, but the writer didn't even review/test the device... nice speculation piece.
I think we've forever entered the era of blended generations. Games cost too much to produce now, and releasing next-gen exclusive games early on when the installed base is low is a recipe for disaster. The majority of game sales are made at or near release date.
The next-gen exclusive stuff will come into play the 2nd half of the generation, before repeating again.
The other factor is that of diminishing returns. There really are no giant leaps in ...