Are The New Consoles Going To Succeed?
At last, as everyone expected, the new console generation is finally on the horizon. Release dates, although not yet confirmed, are set to be at the end of 2020, in time for Christmas. Excitement is already bubbling to a fever pitch, with eager gamers anticipating a new wave of mind-blowing console technology.
But are the new generation consoles even capable of blowing minds, or is it possible that the new hardware is going to leave excited gamers disappointed? After all, we are reaching the plateau point for the video game industry. Which is to say; there isn’t really much that can be done in the world of games that will still be capable of blowing minds anymore.
Graphics Are Not That Impressive
The aspect of the industry that many gamers are not appreciating is that the new generation, although more powerful than the one that came before it, is not going to introduce anything especially new and innovative. The graphics capability will indeed be more, but the core of games is not going to change significantly at all.
The biggest, most impressive games of the current generation did not benefit from newer technology. They benefited from more experienced developers, bigger budgets, and more focused development time. The console technology itself was only marginally better, and although unlocking some new development doorways, was hardly the reason for the best games seeing success.
So what exactly will the new generation allow? Will gamers be disappointed, and instead seek their entertainment at an online gambling casino in NZ?
Faster, But The Same
Sony and Microsoft have already given some indication of what hardware the new consoles will operate on. As is expected, the hardware is faster than current console specifications, but with no real, revolutionary leaps. The most significant addition will be standard solid state drives, but these have already been available as accessories for the current generation.
SSDs drastically reduce loading times, due to the transfer of information being significantly faster. But although this tech improves the overall gameplay experience, it does not unlock tech that is not already widely available.
In a nutshell; the new console generation will largely be the same, but for small, mostly negligible improvements.
The Brick Wall of Gaming
In order for the video game industry to survive, there must be a forward momentum of technology. New hardware must be released in increments, ushering new wave after new wave of games, and overall improving the experience. Else; why would gamers bother to buy new consoles?
As it stands, this cycle of development is what keeps companies like Microsoft and Sony in the gaming industry. It is the sale of their hardware and exclusive games that makes the prospect viable. So what will happen when it is no longer necessary to buy new hardware? What will happen when no gamer is interested in investing a ton of money into a new video game generation?
Many have made the false assumption that there will always be a new wave of hardware, but this isn’t true. Where will the industry go after the ceiling has been reached?