So it's come to our attention lately that--gasp!--the next-gen consoles aren't going to match the performance or visuals we saw in the carefully curated marketing materials to date. You know, the ones running on PC graphics solutions worth $1000? Or the ones that were "in-engine" smoke and mirror nonsense that comes nowhere near representing actual gameplay footage? Yeah, apparently you still can't get the same results out of $400-500 boxes using laptop-friendly parts, that are designed to minimize heat and electricity use as much as possible.
Shocking.
I can't say I'm surprised people are mad that games like Battlefield, Titanfall or Killer Instinct aren't going to be running at 1080p and 60 frames per second. After all, we've heard all sorts of marketing quaffle from both companies overselling the power of the current gen consoles. Sony has been especially bad about this, spinning a mid-range graphics solution and a low-power 8 core CPU as a magical box of fairies and rainbows. However, Mark Cerny saying the device is "supercharged" and has "years of potential" doesn't magically make the system the Philosopher's Stone. There's a reason Forza is the only big release 100% confirmed to run at both 1080p/60fps with only two months to go until launch.
Apparently, the generation has gone on so long that people forgot how such exaggeration--and even blatant dishonesty--are commonplace during every next-gen rollout. We were promised a lot of things with last gen consoles, as well; to this day, we still see games that sputter at resolutions below 720p even when 30 frames per second is the target. And while the X86 architecture makes it a lot easier on developers, it will likely mean that the PS4 and Xone won't rise as far above the sum of their parts as the current gen consoles did.
Then there's the fact that we're talking about launch titles, which have to meet a hard deadline while devs work with performance targets that are amourphous and malleable until late into development. And there are certain types of games--particularly fighting games and shooters--where framerate and stability are a lot more important to the experience than eye candy is.
So I'm not worried. I'm sure that the games will get better as time goes on, even if it's not the night and day difference between, say, Kameo and Halo 4 or Resistance 1 and The Last of Us. People just need to stop and take a deep breath. It will be okay. :p
At launch? No. I don't expect much of a leap at all tbh. When devs work out the kinks it will look awesome though. However, I'd rather 60 FPS over 1080p. I mean frame rate directly improves gameplay. 1080p just makes it look better. 60 fps for fighting games and first person shooters would be ideal.
Agreed. I would have no problem with resolution below 1080p if it meant better effects/textures/etc. and 60FPS in exchange.
This is exactly why im going to wait on a next gen system not only does the software companys have to figure out the new hardware and what it can and cant do the new consoles will have bugs and will have issues at launch like just about all systems do and it will take a while for the game library will be diverse enough for me to be interested.
There really aren't any must-buys for me coming out until next year as it is. Can't blame you.
Say what!?
That's it...
I'm getting my pitchfork and torch.
lol
BREAKING: PS4 AND XONE PRE-ORDERS PLUMMET UPON REVELATION THAT TARGET RENDERS AREN'T ACTUAL GAMEPLAY
MORE AT 11
:p
That is why I am staying current and retro gen.
What about PC? Or handhelds? :(
only the Vita and 3DS. I really have not been a big pc gamer since the mid 80's.
Thankfully I am not expecting much of anything different for the next gen. All I ever really wanted was more of the same, only prettier. That is part of the reason that I found the PS4 so appealing. Frankly, I think there are more important things anyways, like is the game any fun? High framerates and 1080p are great and all, but if I am not having any fun is it really worth it?
I've long maintained that the next generation is just going to be what we were promised this generation, and that the era of huge quantum leaps between console generations is over. It'll be interesting seeing how the industry navigates things.
I don't really see anything interesting to get me to jump on the next gen, plus there are still games I haven't tried from the current gen systems. Also I have a Wii U and that will hold my attention till there is one exclusive from another console I need to try. I really don't care about the graphics, they can do whatever they want as long as the gameplay is fun that it doesn't get stale and as long as the game is fun.
The PS4 and Xone are far more interesting on paper than in practice right now. That'll change within a year, though.
Graphical power never bothered me. Graphics from last gen are still fine with me.
LOL not me. I couldn't stand current-gen graphics, and ended up going to PC instead. Yet the new consoles with their promise of far better visuals still don't really jump out at me right now.
On a PC or not, Titanfall is starting to gain momentum. People are lining up for 6hrs at Gamescon to play it and for several hours at Pax.
I'll definitely be looking into getting the PC version myself. Not really enthused about the prospect of no genuine single-player though.
I was listening to the Major Nelson podcast. They are live at PAX this week and they did some Q and A with the PR person for Titanfall. She said something about announcing single player options in the future.
Oh, good. Thanks for the heads up. :)
I'm rockin on meh psp with Growlanser WOT and on my 360 with Borderlands 2! Wut? 
Still have my PSP, too, even though I have a Vita. Haven't touched it in a while, though... :p
Yeah, whatever. Graphics aren't really all that big a deal for me anyway. Not to mention that I really doubt whether I will bother with nextgen systems for a very long time if at all.
If at all!? o_0
What would change your mind? Just curious.
I've known ot keep my expectations low when it comes to this kind of talk. There is so much more to do just to even get as far as things are at the moment. I'm waiting to see if the system can do the game download features they say they can do. It takes forever for an XBox 360 title to DL onto my system and the PS3's DL system takes even longer.