Why next gen can wait: six cashcows that are genuinely innovating

OXM UK writes: "Publishers might be holding their best tricks back for the next round of console hardware, but the latest sequels are stuffed full of surprises. You don't have to be new IP to push the boundaries/envelope/boat out. Indeed, it's usually safer otherwise."

[Gorilla_Killa_X]

Innovative? Ehh, tbd. Refreshing change to each series? Definitely!

[calibann]

Resident Evil 6. Crosshair. CROSSHAIR.

[spicelicka]

plz dont mention call of duty plz plzplz

.......o f***

[mewhy32]

Well I don't see Call of Duty as innovative by any means. However, there's no denying that it's a money maker. It sells millions and millions on first day and continues to sell strongly right up to the release of the next game. I'd like to see an engine refresh but beyond some lighting tweaks that's unlikely. Why would they spend money on a new engine when the old engine continues to make them a mint from the initial investment? They have a winning formula and everyone is playing catch up. This is good for us, non-Call of Duty fanatics, because it drives the other developers to better their games in an effort to dethrone Call of Duty. Don't get me wrong. I play Call of Duty but I don't run out and purchase EVERY new release. Heck I'd be buying it every year LOL! Let them keep selling the hide off this thing and the other guys will make better and better games for the rest of us.

[spicelicka]

I agree with everything you said, i play call of duty as well but i don't buy it every year. I mostly borrow COD games from friends. The fact that they turned one of my favourite franchises (during cod4 era) into a repetitive cow left a bitter taste in my mouth.

While that's a good point that other games try to innovate to dethrone cod, it also works the other way around cuz most other games just try to imitate cod so they can cash in, when they realize they can't beat it.

I mean the unbalanced perks/unlocks progression system is in every shooter these days which i would say is un-innovative now. It is hit or miss situation though, because if you look at halo 4, that's one of the games totally innovating itself while featuring a few good things similar to cod. A lot of other games, however, have just given in to the standard.

[joab777]

Fable:Journey is the reasoning along with BO2? Why can't next Gen continue innovation? It can. It is time despite some of the great games that r coming, including all that Sony and ubisoft have going on. It is time.

[Sharingan_no_Kakashi]

horrible list.

[Tachyon_Nova]

The gaming market is imploding at the moment because there is a lack of new content and its more or less at saturation point. If new consoles don't come out soon and give people a reason to spend some cash on home consoles rather than on other tech, then the market will crash big time. You only have to look at the figures coming out of America this year, this gen has run its course and overstayed its welcome for my money.

[Soldierone]

They need to tell developers to not be so stale next generation. You can blame it on the generation ending, but almost all the major publishers spent all their money on the same franchises or similar genres (how many military Fps' games do we need?) the entire generation. We had like 2 years of innovation and seeing what this generation could offer, then COD took over and it all went downhill.

We need a new generation so the "its the end of the generation, so we can't release a new IP" excuse can go to hell. You can talk about how certain franchises are supposedly changing, but we could write a book about games that are not.

[noctrnl13]

Once call of duty was mentioned in this list it was become beyond ridiculous. It was laughable before (I mean why wouldn't next-gen continue the innovation) but that just put the nail in the coffin. Also I guess you could call fable innovating if holding hands in game is innovation.

[dirigiblebill]

Thanks to everybody who commented for being utterly, totally predictable. All we need now is a Halol.

[Intentions]

Or better yet, these games can just be released and the sequels (if any) will be a lot better next gen. Derp.

[Filthcardia]

Jesus, if you want "innovation", don't look to the horribly stagnated console industry. Look at indie or mobile.

[Hanuman]

And while we are all waiting our bodies are backward-innovating so get on with it already!! I need at least 5 or 6 next gen's before I leave this earth!!

[D3mons0ul]

Bad list, all mainstream games, all games that are expected to be "goty material" anyway...

Man, xbox owners really don't know shit about video games. Or maybe it's these publications that are misrepresenting you.

Jesus Christ man...and this is from your official magazine. And read the comments below from some of these creeps.

Somebody calls them out and says Halo is the furthest thing from innovative...and here comes a Halo fanboy out of the woodwork with...

"Because your much vaunted JRPGs are cutting edge aren't they with game play that has remained unchanged since the late '80s?

Why hasn't this guy been banned yet?"

The guy didn't even mention JRPGs...

And think, there are many others like this shining example of a shithead too. Not saying all xbox users are dumb like this...but a glaring majority seems to be from my observation.

[Honest_gamer]

sadly shooter fans really do thing rpg's use the same battle system from the 80's i was arguingwith my best friend about ff13-2 and how he was claiming the battle system is the same as ff7 :/ because "you attack then he attacks" i was like but thats because im wanting my gauge to go full i can attack at any time :/ and showed him i could and he said but its still you attack then he attack as he doesnt attack at the same time i was like hows that diffrent from when you shoot someone on a game who isnt looking at you? he isnt attacking you lol some people are doh balls when it comes to rpg's because they never give then a chance (he even thinks skyrim and fallout are you attack they attack because theres a slight pause between attacks as you regain your stanima lol thats if u use a blunt weapon or really anything other than swords :/ )

[Honest_gamer]

i read
"Why next gen can wait: six cashcows that are genuinely innovating"
with a pic of black ops 2, stopped right there, anyone who thinks this list will be good is just ummmmmmmmmmmmmm weird? idk the word, they could have used portal, LBP, mod nation racers, heavy rain but they go for black ops 2 :/

[spicelicka]

It's annoying how mucher lower some people's standard for innovation is nowdays, specially when it comes to COD.

I don't think this guy realizes that "competitive zombies" is just an innovation of the game mode itself, not the whole game. If that's considered innovative, we've already lost the meaning of the word.

Even if it is, there's no way it means "next generation can wait", that's a bunch of stupidity.

[DEATHxTHExKIDx]

LOL at COD. How did that even make it on the list.

[esemce]

AAA games cost so much to make that devs/publishers are scared to take risks with left field ideas, so we get stuck with sequels, indie devs are the only ones that can afford to take chances with innovation, sad but true.