Next-Gen Consoles
Next-Gen Games Consoles Launch: Will it just be the same as the last one?
If there’s one thing that seems pertinent about next-generation
consoles, it’s this; the more everything changes, the more it stays the same.
Here
are some of the biggest changes (and similarities) between then and now.
Downloadable
games and content – not so similar
Easily
one of the most noticeable changes between the generations, a huge range of
games (including every PS4 release) is downloadable right from the off this
holiday season. Back in the days of the Xbox 360, such choice wasn’t available;
the most you could pull on to your paltry 20GB hard-drive were arcade games or
new skins for the likes of Kameo: Elements of Power. Now we can play AAA
releases while they’re downloading. We’ve come an awful long way in the
intervening eight years.
DLC is
an equally notable addition over the 360/PS3 generation, even if add-on packs
had existed for some time on PC. While the mid 2000s had us scoffing at horse
armour for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, it’s now part of the furniture for
many gamers. It may not be perfect or cheap in all cases, but it’s nice to know
that our favourite games don’t have to end when we reach the credits.
Cross-gen
games – an old habit
We
often like to complain about how publishers care more about their bottom line
than us, but you could never argue that they’re strong-arming consumers into
the next generation. Many big-name franchises are straddling the line this
year, though this isn’t as unusual an occurrence as it looks. A quick
examination of the Xbox 360 or PS3’s launch will reveal that many of their
games were also available on prior machines, so finding the last half-decade’s
biggest names appearing on both sides of the fence this time is fairly normal.
A lot of us have said that there’s no reason to invest yet due to that factor,
but it’s refreshing to learn that this isn’t the conservative cop-out it may
appear to be.
Mass
appeal – the dirty words
Whereas
the Xbox 360 and PS3 made waves primarily with gamers when they hit stores half
a decade ago, the explosive success of the Wii, DS and Kinect have changed the
way this industry works forever. Now console launches are aiming at a far
broader audience, as evidenced by Microsoft’s untiring celebration of its TV
features and ‘casual’ (I hate that word) audiences.
Even if
the gaming community was nonplussed at this approach, it sends a hugely
positive message about gaming’s popularity when a major outfit casts the net so
wide. What will the next generation’s launch look like if this continues?
Did you
pick up an Xbox 360 or PS3 at launch? If so, what are your memories of the last
generation? Let me know in the comments below or on Twitter @Gadgetechnews
