Support NeoGAF

[analog_future]

I could argue that there is some going back- many modern games look worse than their 2010s counterparts, like need for speed, arkham, battlefield, forza, and others. Not to mention how TAA royally fucked up game IQ in the latter half of the decade. Games in many ways look worse than older titles yet they still sell on graphics

None of those games look better than their modern counterparts.

 

[cash_longfellow]

The only chance this would work is if a new company joined the console fray. The big three already established a baseline for the big three. It would need new branding to work.

To add, I would eat that shit up. I would gladly trade graphics that we have now for actual good games, which are few and far between nowadays.

 

[cash_longfellow]

Edit - accidentally double posted

 

[64bitmodels]

None of those games look better than their modern counterparts.

Need for Speed 2015 BTFOs unbound and any of the recent titles in visual splendor
Arkham Knight vs Gotham Knights is not a competition in graphics
Battlefield 1 and Battlefield 5 smoke Battlefield 2042 too
Forza Horizon 4 & 5 look better than FM7 and FM2023

 

[iamvin22]

Switch is a hybrid handheld and their handhelds always sell. If Switch was a console only system like Wii U it'd do the fraction of sales.

I dont think MS or Sony can go back and dumb down consoles.

This is all that needs to be said. But people will still call the switch a console when it's clearly not.

 

[analog_future]

Need for Speed 2015 BTFOs unbound and any of the recent titles in visual splendor
Arkham Knight vs Gotham Knights is not a competition in graphics
Battlefield 1 and Battlefield 5 smoke Battlefield 2042 too
Forza Horizon 4 & 5 look better than FM7 and FM2023

Your memory is playing tricks on you.


Arkham Knight and Gotham Knights are different developers, but I just played through Arkham Knight and Suicide Squad, both from Rocksteady, and it's a generational leap.

Couple of my shots:

Suicide Squad:

Arkham Knight:

Arkham Knight looked great for it's time, but lets not kid ourselves.


Hell, even Gotham Knights usually looks way better, even though I thought the game sucked. Here's a shot I took of that earlier this year:

• Forza Horizon and Forza Motorsport are two different franchises from two different developers. But rest assured that FH5 looks better than FH4 and FM2023 looks better than FM7.

• I didn't play Battlefield 2042, but going by your judgement of these other games, I'm sure that looks better than it's predecessors as well.

 

[Sid Of Bee]

The real issue isn't power, it's the cost of production to fully utilize these machines and make money. That's why we don't have the creativity in major game releases that we seemed to have even in the PS2 and early 360 eras... It's too risky. The irony is that we get a bunch of also-ran games delivered to picky and spoiled gamers.... And then most of these games fail.

Hopefully AI assisting in development will lower costs, increase production values across the board, and allow developers to take more chances and deliver more unique experiences.

An Ouya design misses the point.... It's not the hardware economics that's the problem, it's the software economics.

 

[SHA]

Outside of corporations owning game publishing and the direction of said games, the other issue is game development is just too damn expensive. We have heard the figure heads time and time again say that the cost of games are just out of control. This means fewer developers and fewer chances to see originality outside of the smaller indie releases.

Nintendo Switch seems to be doing it right. Despite the aging hardware, the games are still releasing at a consistent basis and they still look appealing to the eye. Nintendo does not spend what Sony or Microsoft does on a game but they gain much more profit per release in general.

What would it take to scale games back to deflate the cost of game development? The advantages if the cost could be scaled down would be many more releases and many more chances for smaller companies to succeed with original ideas. I know indies feel that void but many get lost in an ocean of poor marketing or just lack of exposure.

Would you be willing to make that Sacrifice? Would you be willing to play with games with lesser resolution/scale/etc if it meant more consistent game releases and more choices? Just because a game looks better or has a bigger open world does not make it a better experience. I saw a poll done recently that found 8 out of the top 10 most games played last year were older titles. To be blunt, most older titles were just more fun.

No man's sky, but more complex, generating random levels and plots with clear defined way of doing that to distinguish game X from y and z.

 

[Angry_Megalodon]

The obvious question that pops up is "Why release a new console, then?" If there's no generational leap, they shouldn't make a new one.

Anyway, this premise is based on the fallacious logic of the "ever growing development costs", that includes marketing, DEI and shit that has nothing to do with actual development.

So, the answer is no.

 

[Oof85]

This is all that needs to be said. But people will still call the switch a console when it's clearly not.

What about the many that never used the Switch undocked?

Do we not count?

It's a hybrid, ie literally both simultaneously.

 

[PeteBull]

What about the many that never used the Switch undocked?

Do we not count?

It's a hybrid, ie literally both simultaneously.

Switch archi was designed for very low powerdraw aka handheld, stationary consoles last gen were around 150W powerdraw, this gen over 200W, thats why every describes switch as a handheld that can be docked, and not console that has handheld mode.
Nothing wrong with that aproach ofc, but gotta name spade a spade here, switch was 1/3rd of xbox one(that was very weak itself at launch already, back in november 2013) in docked mode, even tho it launched 3,5years after ps4/xbone, those would be awful specs for a console, even tho they were great for handheld device.

 

[BlackTron]

Switch archi was designed for very low powerdraw aka handheld, stationary consoles last gen were around 150W powerdraw, this gen over 200W, thats why every describes switch as a handheld that can be docked, and not console that has handheld mode.
Nothing wrong with that aproach ofc, but gotta name spade a spade here, switch was 1/3rd of xbox one(that was very weak itself at launch already, back in november 2013) in docked mode, even tho it launched 3,5years after ps4/xbone, those would be awful specs for a console, even tho they were great for handheld device.

This gets murky though with diminishing returns. The degree of marginal extra game you can do by adding 2000% watts is much smaller than the difference even a little while ago. There is still a difference, but it's beginning to get samey enough to challenge "is this how we differentiate a console and a handheld?"

For many, I think a console is defined by a game system with a couch UI that includes a controller and everything needed to connect it to your TV. This excludes devices like a phone which take a bluetooth controller and connect to TV by happenstance as a generic feature and not their primary role and would include Ouya even though it was weak enough to be a handheld.

 

[PeteBull]

Lets see how switch succesor in 2025 will look like, leaks suggesting ps4pr0 power docked and ps4 power in handheld mode.
By then we will have ps5pr0 so can directly compare games/power of hardware

 

[cireza]

Lets see how switch succesor in 2025 will look like, leaks suggesting ps4pr0 power docked and ps4 power in handheld mode.
By then we will have ps5pr0 so can directly compare games/power of hardware

PS4 power in handheld mode at 300 bucks as it targets kids. Definitely going to happen.

I can already see how complicated it must have been for Nintendo to find a way to create a visual gap between current Switch and their next console. They cornered themselves in terms of visuals. Then again, there was no gap between Wii U and Switch, so they could do this again.

 

[PeteBull]

deep dive there, tons of technical stuff, fair warning but if u guys are enthusiasts i definitely recommend it

 

[thicc_girls_are_teh_best]

Your memory is playing tricks on you.


Arkham Knight and Gotham Knights are different developers, but I just played through Arkham Knight and Suicide Squad, both from Rocksteady, and it's a generational leap.

Couple of my shots:

Suicide Squad:

Arkham Knight:

Arkham Knight looked great for it's time, but lets not kid ourselves.


Hell, even Gotham Knights usually looks way better, even though I thought the game sucked. Here's a shot I took of that earlier this year:

I rest my case.

 

[Banjo64]

deep dive there, tons of technical stuff, fair warning but if u guys are enthusiasts i definitely recommend it

This one too

 

[Paasei]

I never asked for multibillion dollar games. I just want games that are fun to PLAY. It really is that simple. You can save on fancy storylines by making a game an actual game again.

Stories are fine, sometimes great even, but don't let that take over the fact that a game is meant to be played.

 

[Go_Ly_Dow]

Make the PS6 a 15 year generation.

 

[RoboFu]

Like a Wii or a Nintendo switch?

Naaahhh....

 

[Perrott]

Keep things as they are. We don't need more games.

 

[iamvin22]

What about the many that never used the Switch undocked?

Do we not count?

It's a hybrid, ie literally both simultaneously.

Of course they count.

Then it should be labeled a hybrid then. It's only a console now because it's close to ps2 lifetime sales.

 

[Dorfdad]

No scaled back isn’t the way forward. Open the damn things up! Full mouse / keyboard support and a real browser would be the best thing ever for consoles.

You still have your closed system to a degree. This would allow more pc centric gaming experiences, MMO, RTS, etc so many great pc games which could work on consoles if they just adopted the control schemes.

 

[Codes 208]

You just described the xbox series s

 

[Jesb]

I think it would be great for there to be an alternate videogame industry where it’s only low budget games. A system for only low budget indie and AA games. I’d support it.

 

[{insert code here}]

I would be all in for it but, the question is, how would you make it appealing for the majority of gamers?

You mean how do you make something like the Switch appealing?

 

[Oof85]

Of course they count.

Then it should be labeled a hybrid then. It's only a console now because it's close to ps2 lifetime sales.

??

It's a hybrid console. Both handheld/stationary console inputs.

 

[Wonko_C]

"Freeze" this generation for a decade at least. Let game development catch up with current technology until they are as easy and cost-effective as making games for a Nintendo Switch. If they really need to sell a new console, just repackage the same tech but do something new with it, like the Wii did. Bundle it with a VR headset or something for new/innovative gameplay experiences.

 

[Felessan]

"we want to play indies but jealous other people playing blockbuster AAA, so let deny their access to top tech" - it never gonna work.

 

[Dorfdad]

"Freeze" this generation for a decade at least. Let game development catch up with current technology until they are as easy and cost-effective as making games for a Nintendo Switch. If they really need to sell a new console, just repackage the same tech but do something new with it, like the Wii did. Bundle it with a VR headset or something for new/innovative gameplay experiences.

I agree but that’s next gen. 4k/120fps and let that cook for 7 years. No realy benefit from 8k TV’s or pushing more currently