The Last Console Generation?

With the recent unveiling of the Wii U, and internet chatter talking about PlayStation 4 and Xbox 720 being unveiled (if not released) next year, it looks like we will be ushering in a new generation of consoles in the very near future. But do we actually need another generation of hardware, and what do we hope for from the next generation?

The current HD consoles are very capable pieces of kit, and some games still look impressive graphically. Do we need even higher resolution textures, and more detail? Well I would say that if they can’t achieve photorealism with the next round of consoles, then they shouldn’t bother with new hardware. The graphics achieved at the moment are good enough, and as the recent PlayStation 3 Battlefield 3 footage has shown, it comes fairly close to the quality of the PC version that everyone has been raving about. There is also the impressive tech employed in LA Noire to capture an actor’s performance, which adds greatly to the emotional attachment to characters. If they can achieve the Holy Grail of photorealism, then that might just make the hardware graphics race a thing of the past, and leave developers to concentrate on the games, which is no bad thing. But until that is achievable they should try and push current hardware as hard as they can. Adding a few extra polygons or extra characters on screen just isn’t enough these days. What about improving the AI you say? Well a lot of games these days concentrate more on online multiplayer anyway, and singleplayer games like Killzone 2 and 3 show what can be achieved with the AI, using current generation hardware.

At the moment games cost millions to produce, and with the next generation, development costs will rise yet again. Will companies be willing to take as many risks with new franchises? I very much doubt companies would take a chance on niche games like Heavy Rain if they are going to have to fork out extra millions in development costs, and marketing, in the hope that the game is a major hit. It might also make small developers switch their focus to smaller handheld games like iOS, where there is less risk involved. Leaving the big boys to duke it out with the likes of Modern Warfare 4 and Battlefield 4. This would lessen creativity with developers sticking to tried and tested franchises, and gamers subjected to a diet of sequels and remakes.

This current generation of consoles has seen a rise in the amount of downloadable content, and games themselves. It’s been said that publishers want to get away from the High Street shop environment, and sell games direct to consumers. Apple have already shown how well this can be achieved with the App Store, with even games selling for 59p making millions in revenue on the iPhone and iPad. If Apple were to move into the home console market with App Store prices, it would turn the industry on its head. Indeed the smartphone might one day become your home console as well. But as it stands Games on Demand and PSN (with titles priced at £49.99+) to download, when you can buy them in the shops for £25, just won’t encourage much uptake for a download only future. I also feel any new console that tries to push download only, by not having a physical drive, will be dead in the water; and the next generation consoles should have a Blu-Ray/DVD drive as well. I use my PS3 as a media-hub as well as a games machine, and if they took away that facility from PS4 I would have reservations about buying it, as my Blu-Ray and DVD movie collection would be unplayable, along with my PS3 games, and it would force me to buy a dedicated Blu-Ray player.

Online multiplayer has become increasingly important with this generation, and I have built up a good friends list on my PS3, with regular games of FIFA or Battlefield Bad Company 2 a feature throughout the week. I think that friends lists should carry over to any new generation of console, and that the PS4 or Xbox 720 should have backwards compatibilty with PS3 or 360 games. I would hate to upgrade my console, and lose all my friends, as they wait to upgrade to the next generation. The ability to still contact and chat with your friends, as well as play the last generation of console games online, is a must-have feature to help encourage me to upgrade. If that is not possible I might have to wait a while before I upgrade, and I’m sure a lot of people will feel the same way.

The Wii U controller is a great idea, but you should be able to take your home console games out and about with you, as well as just around the house. If, for instance, you could use your PlayStation Vita to continue to play Uncharted 3 while you are away on holiday, and then return home with your progress saved on your home console, that would be revolutionary, and would blur the lines between home and mobile gaming. Cross platform play between the Vita and the PS3 has been talked about, and it would be a fantastic feature, especially with friends lists crossing over onto the Vita. The Wii U gives you the option to play without the need for a TV, but going even further than that, would be the return of Virtual Reality goggles. Imagine a 3D enabled headset, that reacts to where you turn your head? It would also negate the need for a TV, which will stop angry exchanges with spouses desperate to see the latest episode of EastEnders! Sony recently unveiled a prototype VR headset called Headman which gives users virtual surround sound, along with 3D visuals to add to the immersion. Imagine using Move controllers or Kinect with that set-up?

Finally do we really need new hardware anyway? With OnLive and Gaikai apparently offering games streamed to your TV or mobile device, the graphics race would be obsolete, and for example, PC Battlefield 3 visuals could be streamed to your iPad, TV or even smartphone. If Sony or MS embraced this technology and implemented it in the PS3 or Xbox 360, then they wouldn’t need to invest billions in new hardware. Surely that would make more sense than trying to get people to upgrade their hardware yet again in these financially testing times? These are my hopes and fears for the next generation of consoles, so are you happy to go next gen again?