Next-Generation Gaming Consoles

Our topic concerns innovative technologically. More specifically, we will cover technology that has yet to be released. I am going to focus on Microsoft’s Xbox One, Sony’s PlayStation 4, and their upcoming games. The article that I have read is titled “For PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, Best Games May Have to Wait” by Chris Suellentrop. He started off the piece by saying that the best games for a console come much after its launch. This makes sense because games (and technology in general) get better over time and after its mass public exposure. Suellentrop mentioned a few examples to prove this point: “Xbox gamers waited four months for their system’s first great game, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion…likewise, a full 12 months went by before PlayStation 3 players were able to get their hands on that system’s first noteworthy exclusive, Unchartered: Drake’s Fortune.” Suellentrop predicted that a similar event would occur for the next generation consoles. But he remained optimistic and acknowledged great initial titles.

A big leap will be made but there is still a heavy emphasis on current consoles. Some unreleased titles will still be available for current consoles. One new title, Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto V, will not come out for the new consoles. This is most likely because it was developed too early to be compatible with next generation consoles. There may also be a marketing factor involved.

Both consoles are coming out at around the same time and this will lead to an “unpredictable video-game autumn.” It will pit gamers from various backgrounds in console wars.

The “Wii U” by Nintendo is already out but is relatively new. Nintendo, for a while, has “broken the rule of thumb” that new consoles do not ship with their best games. Many of the popular Mario games come included in various Nintendo consoles. Other companies do this, too, but it is usually less popular titles or games that have lowered in price. But new games nowadays sometimes can be purchased in bundles. For example, both Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II and II were released as bundles.

Suellentrop is somewhat worried whether upcoming games will live up to the expectation. Their trailers, he claimed, looked enticing, but one cannot be completely certain based on a small sample. Some titles might be pushed back because of a number of reasons.

 

***Suelllentrop, Chris. For PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, Best Games May Have to Wait. New York Times. The New York Times Company.9/6/2013. Web. 10/16/13

– George Kobakhidze