Multiplat Are games getting worse?

[BEaston]

It's the same with most entertanment these days... music, movies. The big corps just push out money spinners for the masses with little care for quality or depth (re-skins of the same games, never ending sequels, buy-in into "Universes"). Most mainstream stuff is trash. There are still nuggets to be found in the indie scenes though.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

The hardware gap puts game devs in a weird position atm. Something that only time can fix.
We all are aware of the shortages that are affecting Sony/Microsoft (as well as graphics and CPU manufacturers).

So atm with a good % of regular gamers still on old gen consoles or old spec PC builds, and for a lot that is not by choice, but by the inability to nab one of the limited supply drops before they are sold out within seconds.

So AAA games atm need to try and push the envelope for the next gen consoles to make them look unbelievable while maintaining a good frame rate on high settings, all so that those that have grabbed a PS5/XboxX feel as though it the game performance experience has made their investment worthwhile. All the while having to make the game merely work on lower settings on old gen console, which for a lot of gaming consumers is now 7-8 year old hardware. Something that is not currently being done too well at all.

The other problem is the 'get it out' philosophy. Get it certified and ship it out. Then worry about the months of bug fixing patches after the fact. Which is an unacceptable gaming industry only problem. Cars don't arrive 60% built and you'll get the rest in 3 months. I do feel for developers operating under major game studios, they have no control over the deadline for release, and covid-19 has seen an increase in employees WFH which can only reduce the capacity of QA.

Money matters unfortunately and game publishers only listen to their shareholders, and shareholders don't care too much about how good a game is or how much better it can be in 3 months. They care about their stock price and their dividends.

 

[Taylor Moss]

Recently downloaded Madden 22 to the PS5. Now I’m an old man I don’t play anywhere near the amount I used to and tried playing it today for the first time.

I used to buy Madden every year on PS1 &
2 when it came out. I can’t even figure out how to just play a season with the Titans.

It’s all face of the franchise and yard ball options but no just Season play.

Pretty bloody shit.

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

I miss the 80's and 90's where owning a video game console felt unique and you were one of the cool kids in school.

Now every body has some type of video game console they play and that cool/uniquesness of owning a system is now gone.

 

[Scotland]

I grew up in the 90s and a SNES, Mega Drive, 64, Playstation all took turns as the hottest ticket in town but I didn't feel unique owning one. Cool definitely, but you can thank the Hypercolor t-shirt for that.