As usual, with any and all apologies to the real Captain Obvious. Wherever you are...
Yeah, just some musing and conclusion - predictions? - on recent events and subjects.
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PS4 Preview: Ain't Seen Nothing Yet
Overall Sony hit it out of the park with the PS4's announcement. It wasn't perfect however largely because third party devs such as Square Enix presented nothing new during their presentation. Blizzard showing up with Diablo 3 while hinting at some empty Sony-only alliance, offhandedly commenting it was coming to the PS3 as well, might have been the major disappoint to others, but I have to go with those I formally felt trust towards.
The failed appearance of the console itself is both an empty and real concern. On one hand its just the automatic response of fanboys and scandal-revenue sites trying to crowbar in controversy for their own goals, while on the other with around eleven months until release such a trivial detail - which was likely held back for a more in-depth E3 reveal - could just as well result in another Red Ring of Death escapade. Something caused from a production delay because the marketing department held up the outside design until the last minute with little or no time for engineering to confirm how such would effect its insides.
Again my bet is on a full E3 showing, but if there's one thing a self-honest and reasonable person should be aware of, its that the gaming industry is prone to cutting corners, rushing things out and hoping for the best.
What should be of real concern, more so than backwards compatibility, since despite everything being able to play PS1/PS2/PS3 games on the PS4 is more a privilege than right, is Gaikai and game streaming. This is likely how PS+ will be given more value, make the PS4 itself more appealing to newcomers with an instant subscription-based library, but also how Sony plans on weaning used games from their system, controlling piracy, and giving off-line consoles more reason to go and stay online. Always.
On semi-final note in regards to the PS4 for PS3 users intent on keeping the older system for all of their PSN purchases, keep in mind that at some point your console will breakdown. That while it'll likely be replaceable if not repairable, the servers which hold your backup data will be shut down at some point.
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The Next Xbox: The Next Cable Box(es)
Given what little and more is coming from Microsoft, there will likely be two different Xboxes. One a full system with physical media and all else, and another which will be a glorified cable box that only plays downloable and streaming media. MS will make both available though cable providers as replacements for cable boxes while the full, standalone, console will still be available through normal retail, but you'll be able to lease either at different prices. Plus XBL Gold. Plus a required internet connection that will come with special packaged deals. And the cable box Xbox will have to always be "on" and online.
This will be an enormous and likely automatic win for Microsoft. Any current or future plans Sony have for the PS4 would become trivial. The Next Boxes wouldn't even need to match or surpass the PS4's specs as the systems practically will sell themselves thanks to a joint ad blitz from MS and any and all cable/internet providers they can bring aboard.
There's more I could - and should - say here, but given the community there's no real point. But I do have more to say.
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The WiiU: One Thing
Whether the Nintendo faithful wish to admit it or not, the WiiU is in a query. Currently facing current generation systems and apparently not doing too well, its the next console cycle it needs to be concerned with. Especially when its not particularly flying off then shelves like its predecessor.
All that said I will buy a WiiU. I will buy one for Monolith's "X" project which is likely a Xeno title and features world exploration, giant monsters as well as robots. Transforming giant robots.
Look at my friggin avatar. Web search my name minus the "290". Do not speak to me of the WiiU until that wet anime dream is announced for the U.S..
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To sum up, in edit:
Personally my current next generation console of choice is the WiiU provided it gets a certain title in English. Like what I saw with the PS4, but what was shown honestly is really nothing new or all that exciting. Expecting that the Tokyo Game Show more than E3 will change that. Most of its media features are on the PS3, not overly fond of the social one much less its Kinect-clone camera.
Likewise the next Xbox is still a worrisome question mark, but if suspicions are true then its coming general market success will make the brand's fan base ecstatic where such applies. Many others will be S-O-L.
When the PS5 and the Xbox Series X/S first launched all the way back in 2020, console sales were not what either platform manufacturer wanted them to be. The pandemic slowed things down more than ever before, even though in the case of each next-gen console, all the units that were manufactured, sold.
Of course that didn’t last, and soon manufacturing limitations on the consoles were a thing of the past, and sales started to leap forward. For one next-gen console platform, at least.
I can see why Microsoft is putting their games on PlayStation with these numbers
Imagine how many copies of future games like Elder Scrolls VI, Blade, Indiana Jones and more they could sell if they went fully multiplatform.
while I see your point, i'm one of those people that dont really want to see a M$ logo, when I boot up, however good the game is, unless truly exceptional, I've got enough games from Sony and enough coming down the pipeline, plus the 2 free smaller games on ps+, why do I need to give Microsoft anymore money,
I usually play just GT7 and cod, you've got Gran Theft Auto coming, its over for microsoft, they shot themselves in the foot, and now have to hobble away, to the losers corner, sit there, and repent.,!!! hahaha
@Purple101 At this point, Microsoft just wants to be the American Tencent, but also just happen to have a console available for those who want it.
I hate what they're doing to the industry, but I would play the next Elder Scrolls on PS5 or PS6 even if I had to look at a MS logo at the beginning. At this point, I'm just invested in the series. I didn't feel this way about Starfield, which is why I've skipped it. Worst case scenario, I'd pick Elder Scrolls up on PC if it didn't come to PS, but I've stayed true to my word - I have not, and will not buy another Microsoft console after 3 red ringed 360s. They've killed my console support for life. They showed how scummy they can be by knowingly rushing out a product before it was ready, just to try and capture a 1 year headstart.
If a MS logo shows up at the beginning of the next Elder Scrolls on a Playstation console, so what? That means Sony won and MS is just another publisher. Many of the large publishers are quite dirty, so it fits them well. I wouldn't mind seeing their console die off though and them solely take up this publisher role.
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Sucker Punch’s massive samurai adventure Ghost of Tsushima has come under fire because of the PSN requirement. However, unlike Helldivers 2, things are a lot different and more logical this time.
"Sony has made it clear long before its release that the PSN requirement is strictly for the online multi-player Legends mode in Ghost of Tsushima and the PlayStation overlay. Online connection or PSN is not applied to the single-player campaign, which is honestly what the game is all about."
Legends clearly was based around using the pan they hardly want to have to design a whole new account structure just to play it, that's alot of effort and work. Ultimately people kicked up a fuss despite there being workarounds in most of those territories that people with a ps console have used over there for literally like 15/16 years. This is the consequence of that, be careful what you wish for or demand because you don't necessarily get to pick the method by which you get it.
CG writes: In this video we take a look at the full game of HAMMER95’s Mullet MadJack on PC in 4K. This is a rather cool rogue-like first-person shooter where you have to survive for 10 seconds by increasing your timer for each kill. Not the most original of ideas, but works wonders in context of the 80/90s aesthetic. Game releases May 15th.
Pretty good overview. Not too much to disagree with here.
I'd like to make a point about the Wii U. It's $100 more than the Wii and has no games coming out right now literally its current lineup after three months is its launch library. So a lack of sales since then is fairly obvious to see. Compare its third month to the first two where it managed to sell over three million units however. When it gets more must-have games, it will probably start to sell better, especially as more expensive consoles come out and the older, cheaper predecessors become less relevant.
thanks for sharing your opinion, interesting read.
Happy Gaming
-Ichi
Out of the three new consoles my first purchase and the only one that has me super excited is the WiiU. That is because it has games that get me hyped like SMT x Fire Emblem and Xenoblade 2. Those are two games that are guaranteed to be beloved amazing games that become über rare. I gauge every system by its games rather than anything else. Snes was chrono, ff, Zelda, and super Mario world. N64 was Mario 64, star fox, Zelda oot, and goldeneye. Psx was MGS, ff, xenogears, and twisted metal. GameCube was wind waker, Metroid prime, twin snakes, Symphonia, fire emblem, baten kaitos, and others. Wii was Xenoblade, The last story, zelda, metroid, fire emblem, new dk, Mario galaxy and more. What makes a system is good games period. Right now the 3ds has my fav titles despite being fairly weak compared to home consoles and even the vita. Hell the vita is clearly superior hardware wise but the 3ds stomps it out due to a killer library. I'm sure il get a ps4 and next Xbox but only when the games I want come. If they keep on the path of better graphics same shooters il skip both.
I also do love miiverse.feature like that and all the social stuff ps4/Xbox will have rock as do the graphics but they're not a selling feature. As much as I love the tablet controller on WiiU its just a nice bonus. Games sell systems.