Why the PS4 will dominate the next generation - and bring a second 'PS2-style' era

[Scarlett.]

1. PS3 didn't sell due to the price, which was caused by blu-ray, if it was affordable, the majority would have bought the PS3.

2. Next generation, the blu-ray will be much cheaper, making the PS4 more affordable, furthermore, the jump in tech wont really be so much different from what we have now, it wont be a PS2-PS3 size jump.

3. Xbox have two choices, stick with DVD or move to blu-ray, the second is the only way the next Xbox can compete with the PS4.

4. Sony own the rights to blu-ray, if Microsoft want the blu-ray, they're going to be putting money in Sony's pocket, however, the only way Microsoft can avoid this is if we move away from the disc format.

5. Developers prefer Sony, they give developers more freedom and don't tie them down, therefore if the PS4 truely does become the lead console, we can enjoy another Console boom like the PS2 era, with the PS4 having all the games.

[Samuel.]

Only if it comes out around the same time as the next Xbox. People are dying for a new generation, whatever comes out first will have a huge advantage.

They'd do well to position it as a video games console as well, seeing as how the next Xbox will most likely be positioned as a home entertainment system rather than being a games console primarily. "Hardcore" gamers would much rather have a dedicated video game console.

360 really should just make the jump to all downloadable content and not have to worry about the blu-ray situation. I don't know how people would react to it, but it's inevitable that the generation after next that buying physical copies of games will be a thing of the past.

[lostalex]

If they have new Kingdom Hearts for Ps4 then i'll buy it. The only reason i bought PS2 was for Kingdom hearts.

It's all about the games., Kingdom Hearts and GTA. The same way i only buy Nintendo to play zelda and mario.

[Scarlett.]

Only if it comes out around the same time as the next Xbox. People are dying for a new generation, whatever comes out first will have a huge advantage.

They'd do well to position it as a video games console as well, seeing as how the next Xbox will most likely be positioned as a home entertainment system rather than being a games console primarily. "Hardcore" gamers would much rather have a dedicated video game console.

360 really should just make the jump to all downloadable content and not have to worry about the blu-ray situation. I don't know how people would react to it, but it's inevitable that the generation after next that buying physical copies of games will be a thing of the past.

This is true, I hope the PS4 does dominate, when you look at the quality of games on the PS3 this generation, you get the feeling that you get when looking back at the PS2. That's true about the next Xbox, not sure how that would be recieved though.

[Tom4784]

It's gonna be a while until the next generation I think, at least a year I think with the exception of the Wii U. I don't think we'll see the PS4/Xbox 720 until 2014 or christmas 2013.

I doubt Sony could afford a new launch at the moment with the Vita struggling, they need to squeeze more life out of the PS3 first.

[Niall]

I'd rather Sony be the lead console next time. I don't like Nintendo anymore. They're such a lazy company.

I don't really want to move to DLC only gaming though. You'd have to start worrying about storage space and everything on your console. Unless they let you store all you games in the cloud that is, which is the only situation in which I'd like it.

[Scarlett.]

I agree, it's going to be at least Christmas 2013 before they release

[Tom4784]

I think the PS4 will definitely take the lead though, their exclusives have grown so strong this generation while Xbox's commitment to casual gaming's gonna cost them in the long run.

[Samuel.]

I'd rather Sony be the lead console next time. I don't like Nintendo anymore. They're such a lazy company.

I don't really want to move to DLC only gaming though. You'd have to start worrying about storage space and everything on your console. Unless they let you store all you games in the cloud that is, which is the only situation in which I'd like it.

Considering that the standard PS3 is already 160GB, and the 320GB only being like £40 more, and games currently only taking up less than 10GB's, storage space shouldn't be a worry unless you want a ridiculous amount of games all downloaded on the console at once.

[Scarlett.]

I think the PS4 will definitely take the lead though, their exclusives have grown so strong this generation while Xbox's commitment to casual gaming's gonna cost them in the long run.

Yep, Xbox can only dream of big hitters like Metal Gear Solid 4, Uncharted, The Last of Us, Rachet & Clank, Little Big Planet and Heavy Rain. Those series are diamond class games. There's only very few games in Xbox's favour.

[Tom4784]

I don't think major consoles will abandon discs any time soon, spending pocket change on arcade games is all well and good but I can't see many people dropping £40 for a download. If I remember right the downloadable retail games in the marketplace don't tend to sell well.

Downloads only really work if they are cheap.

[Samuel.]

Tbf, 360 is killing it this year. Fez, Trials Evolution, The Witcher 2 and Minecraft ports... and then Halo 4 later this year.

A part from Journey and The Last of Us, can't really think of any significant PS3 exclusives this year.

[Tom4784]

Tbf, 360 is killing it this year. Fez, Trials Evolution, The Witcher 2 and Minecraft ports... and then Halo 4 later this year.

A part from Journey and The Last of Us, can't really think of any significant PS3 exclusives this year.

Oh I meant games like Arkham City don't sell well as downloads, arcade games are doing the business but the downloadable retail games are lagging if I remember right.

[Samuel.]

Oh I meant games like Arkham City don't sell well as downloads, arcade games are doing the business but the downloadable retail games are lagging if I remember right.

I wasn't talking download-wise, just exclusives in general, that 360 seems to be doing a lot better on that front this year.

[BBfanUSA]

I got a strange feeling that Nintendo's going to win the next generation. Nintendo finally got their act together and if they manage to find their own "Halo" kind of breakout game. They'll attract hardcore gamers again. I mean most people are used to motion gaming now and there's supposed to be decent hardcore games. Like Assassin's Creed, Battlefield, Darksiders, and I'll not be surprised if COD:BO2 is announced for the Wii U.

[Samuel.]

Nintendo really won't, the WiiU is going to be on the same level as the PS3 and 360. Their tech is a generation behind.

[Scarlett.]

I got a strange feeling that Nintendo's going to win the next generation. Nintendo finally got their act together and if they manage to find their own "Halo" kind of breakout game. They'll attract hardcore gamers again. I mean most people are used to motion gaming now and there's supposed to be decent hardcore games. Like Assassin's Creed, Battlefield, Darksiders, and I'll not be surprised if COD:BO2 is announced for the Wii U.

Thing is that the Wii U is more like a console for this generation, it's only as powerful as the 360 and PS3, not more powerful, so when the jump to the next gen comes, Nintendo will be lagging behind
http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2012/03/vigil_games_wii_u_on_par_with_current_gen_consoles

[Stu]

I mean most people are used to motion gaming now.
Yeah and it turns out they hate it and would rather just sit down and play with a controller.

Anyway my thoughts :

PS3 didn't bomb just because of the price. The Xbox got a years head start and by 2007 was delivering triple A titles on a monthly basis whilst it took the PlayStation literally years to hit the same stride. Long after the price was cut down dramatically anyway.

Developers didn't seem to prefer the PS3. The tech was a nightmare to program. Every third party title going was developed on the Xbox from the ground up then ported over to the PS3.

I don't think Blu-Ray is as integral as you're making it out to be. From a movie standpoint streaming is eradicating the format already at an incredibly fast rate. As far as the games go how many times realistically did Blu Ray actually matter this generation? Most developers just used the large storage capacity as impetus to utilize poor compression techniques with the software leading to shoddy content streaming [most evident on third party games].

Okay so maybe Final Fantasy XVI will come on four discs but ... so? Blu-Ray would be nice but in no way is it a necessity.

I don't think the PS4 will come anywhere near to having the same market share dominance the PS2 had. No console will. Sony and Microsoft went neck and neck this generation and I think that will continue. The Wii U will not have the same massive sales edge as the Wii. Casual gaming essentially boomed half a decade ago. People came and saw. It's not going to boom again.

People will be slow to adopt to a new generation. Personally I don't even want one anywhere on the horizon yet. I still get great usage out of the PS3 and 360. Every analyst worth their salt is saying people will be slow to adapt.

[Scarlett.]

Quite good points there, I suppose Xbox could still go into the next generation using DVDs as they are now, but just package more of them. The PS3 does seem to have more classic games than the Xbox though, I'd like to see another platformer boom next generation, I think we will see the decline of the FPS starting with Black Ops 2.

Total Biscuit (A Youtube games commentator) did say we will probably see games releasing on two generations when the new consoles come out, like we saw with games like Spliter Cell Double Agent in the first few years of the console, while Sony and Microsoft throw out their big hitters.

[Ramsay]

no need for next generation consoles yet at all

[Samuel.]

Couldn't disagree more. It's been long overdue.

A new generation brings new IP's. I'm bored to death of sequels. Every game is becoming less and less impressive. And I've had enough of ugly textures everywhere. We're talking about 7 year old tech. Time to upgrade.

[BBfanUSA]

actually it's bascially impossible for Sony and Microsoft to update the graphics. I think the graphics department is stuck in a rut right now. It cannot break the next barrier of graphics unless they find a way for video games to look like real life, which is impossible.

[Scarlett.]

I agree with Samuel, we've reached the point of saturation. Graphics and engines wont get any better this generation, look at the difference between Skyrim Xbox and PC, on the Xbox you find that if you can see into the distance there is textures repeating like this

http://images.eurogamer.net/2011/articles//a/1/4/2/0/9/8/5/360_013.bmp.jpg

Then look at the PC
http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/649875346843218808/73EC809793BF9E8D74462879621CDF3821255EBE/

[Samuel.]

actually it's bascially impossible for Sony and Microsoft to update the graphics. I think the graphics department is stuck in a rut right now. It cannot break the next barrier of graphics unless they find a way for video games to look like real life, which is impossible.

Not true at all. PC games look quite a bit better at this point, and really even that platform is being held back by the long console generation, as just about every game with a budget big enough leads on the consoles.

And textures can look a lot better... even a huge budget game like Mass Effect 3, so many ugly textures. That's where the next generation will shine graphically I think.

[Scarlett.]

Yep, there's plenty of room to improve - Textures, draw distances, physics, RAM, game sizes. It's about so much more than the overall term of "graphics"