Earlier this week, Fallout fans were ecstatic when Bethesda revealed the next title in the series, Fallout 4, which is set to come out on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Hearing those systems on reveals and trailers for new games has become pretty normal, but some people still become upset that they won’t be able to enjoy their favorite series on their PS3 or Xbox 360 – this can be as a result of not being able to upgrade to next-gen systems, or simply just not wishing to part ways with a system they’ve put so much time and effort into playing. I won’t lie, I haven’t been able to get that PS4 I’ve been wanting yet due to college expenses, so seeing games coming out for next-gen systems acts as a constant reminder to save money. But don’t get me wrong, I’m glad game developers are making games only for next-gen.
While it didn’t seem like it when they first launched, the next generation of video game consoles is actually better than the previous generation (I know the PS4 and Xbox One are technically current-gen, but like I said, I’m a bit behind on upgrading). To put it simply, the PS4 and Xbox One are more powerful and efficient than the PS3 and Xbox 360, allowing for developers to design more interactive and engaging video games. When making a game, developers have to design the game to work efficiently on the lowest-grade system that it’ll be released on – this is so the the system won’t struggle to run the game. This might not sound that bad, but here’s the thing: it can stifle a game’s potential.
Imagine if a game like Fallout 4 were designed for the PS3 and Xbox 360 alongside the PS4 and Xbox One: Bethesda would have to design the game to work properly on the PS3 and 360, then enhance the features and graphics of the game for the PS4 and Xbone (so it would look and feel totally next-gen, yo). A lot of the time, game developers have to cut features from the game in order to make it work on each console they want to release it on. That holds the potential of a game back – heck, maybe that’s why Destiny didn’t exactly live up to its hype (it could also be a variety of other reasons, but I’ll leave that topic for another day). Either way you put it, no one wants a game that has a lot of potential, then falls a bit short of expectations.
This goes way past Fallout 4, too: Uncharted 4, Call of Duty: Black Ops III, and other titles are making the move to next-gen only. The new consoles are pretty hefty in price, but the new technology allows game developers to make better games. The PS3 and Xbox 360 are still great systems, but developers have reached their technological limits for the most part. As the potential for new technology increases, developers and engineers learn to use it in more beneficial ways. The PS4 and Xbox One offer more possibilities to create awesome games, and their potential is only just being discovered.
If you’d like more information about Bethesda’s reveal of Fallout 4, check out this article from earlier this week. Remember to keep it here on Gamespresso for more gaming news and features!