When will we see Optimal ‘Next-Gen’ Graphics on the PS4 & Xbox One?

Every generation of consoles has had it's highs and lows when it comes to graphics. Right from the good old PlayStation and Sega Dreamcast to the PS2 and Xbox, and the PS3 and Xbox 360. Every subsequent game that releases on the consoles, feature better graphics. Lets leave game-play aside for a moment, because sometimes the biggest question that's there on everyone's mind is "Has the console peaked in terms of graphics?"

[TheEnigma313]

I think it will start with Infamous SS. That game looks sweet.

[mdluffy]

Killzone:sf graphics looks better than what I've seen from infamous, so no.
But infamous is open world, so that is something.

this article seems to forget about killzone 3, that was the top from ps3.

[b163o1]

MGS Zero?

[static5245]

Witcher 3

[DeathOfTheFanBoy]

Ryse.

[ZeoN]

No just....no

[JeffGUNZ]

What do you mean "no", the game looks beautiful.

[rafaman]

There is nothing like ryse out there, but I guess this year this is gonna change

[Army_of_Darkness]

KZ: shadow fall---> followed by the Order and so on..

[DialgaMarine]

God of War 3 looks just as good as Ryse, and is still running 1080p/ 30 - 60 FPS.

[ProjectVulcan]

Approx 1 year after the console is launched do we see the general level of visuals we should expect as 'high end'.

E.g Gears of War, 12 months after 360 launched

Uncharted, 12 months after PS3 launched

Super Mario Galaxy, 12 months after Wii launched

I think these 3 games were the first visual landmarks for their platforms, amazingly all appeared at around the same time after the machine launched.

We see games that surpass these visually on the platform, but not hugely. Generally they are the start of the graphics 'plateau' IMO for their platform

It might be faster with PS4/Xbox One for various reasons, but it wouldn't surprise me if the real stunners appear end of this year.

[ZeoN]

xbox force mad?

[moujahed]

All of these games are on par with how "Motor Storm" was when the PS3 first came out. It showed next-gen graphics but not too much. Now we are seeing deeper draw distance, smoother play with a lot more going on with a tad bit graphical increase... Give it a few years and we will be seeing something truly amazing with FF15

[RioKing]

^This.

[DialgaMarine]

All one really has to do is compare Killzone: Shadow Fall to Resistance 1, and it's pretty easy to figure that we'll see a significant bump down the road.

[raresteak]

I'm guessing when we see footage of Uncharted 4.

Not to undermine how good looking some games already are. The Division and Infamous come to my mind.

[KentBlake]

And The Witcher 3!

[JohnnyTower]

It may be the life cycle of the console before we see Optimized graphics. GTA5 and TLOU are good examples. Developers seem to get better with time.

[Milruka]

Have you actually looked the stills for both those games?

they look worse than 2005 titles on PC....And neither console has a title yet that even competes with the poorly optimized Crisis...

[JohnnyTower]

Easy baby, we are still talking consoles here. PC is totally different. There are so many options with pc that it is hard to optimize for all systems. Whereas console games are pretty standard for what devs have to work with.
I'm a pc gamer, steam is god, but anyone can look at gta4 and gta5 and see massive differences on either console. Even without ice enhancer.

[BlackTar187]

love dem PC boys. I'm going to put the title below and i want you to read it out loud.

"When will we see Optimal ‘Next-Gen’ Graphics on the PS4 & Xbox One?"

[Milruka]

Your guys definition of "optimized" is gained 5fps and not having random pop-ins..

It hardly worth the name.

[ShinMaster]

2005 PC titles don't look anywhere near as good as end cycle PS3/360 games. Get your head out of your ass.

The best looking PC games by 2005 were Far Cry, BF2, HL2, Oblivion and Doom 3.

Do you really think PS3 games like this...
http://youtu.be/PRAxzNKFkTw...
Look worse than PC games like this?
http://www.oyunpesinde.com/...

[CrossingEden]

Games look much better in motion than in still. Talk about strawman.

[truefan1]

All I'm going to say is Infamous is 30 fps, and for the last month all we have been hearing about is how wack 30 fps is for next gen. So are ps4 fans going to admit 30 fps for a 1st party title is a failure. You can't continue to bash XB1 gamers about fps, when a staple 1st party game is running at 30fps.

[urwifeminder]

Yeah that 30fps is weak but sony does 30fps way better than anyone out there lets face it.

[LexHazard79]

Huh?

[Master-H]

30 fps is whack when you pay a hundred more for your console and get a 30 fps game while the cheaper console gets the SAME game with better visuals and 60 fps. Because every game is different obviously some have more AA , better textures etc, it is a developer choice to go with 30 or 60 fps, for instance they chose to go for 60 for Tomb Raider but the bone wasn't able to handle that so they settle for 30.
Now when they release a bone version of Infamous Second Son with the same resolution and fps as the PS4 version, then your argument would be valid.

[JeffGUNZ]

No, you're paying $100 extra for Kinect. How hard is it for people to understand that. Almost all people, especially in open world and non-twitch shooters will hardly know the difference between 30 to 60 FPS. It's just hilarious that everyone this site who happens to be bias to Sony has outstanding perception and eyes to pick up the minimal difference in games other than shooters.

[georgeenoob]

I didn't pay $100 more to rely on resolution, I paid that much because of the AMAZING games.

DR3, Titanfall, Halo, Gears Quantum Break, the list goes on and on and on. I personally don't even spot a difference between 720p and 1080p, so I don't care for that at ALL. Even if I did find a noticeable difference I'd still decide to choose the console with better games than resolution. Cause all Sony has at this point is Infamous, Driveclub, and The Order.

[ShinMaster]

You're missing the point.

Infamous is not on XB1, so you don't know how much lower the frame rate would be on XB1 than on PS4.

People are talking about the SAME exact games on both consoles being 60fps on PS4 and 30fps on XB1.
30fps isn't bad. But it shows that the Xbox One is worse than the PS4. That's the point they're trying to make.

[xTheMercenary_]

weaker in graphical capabilities, that doesn't make it worse

[ShinMaster]

@ xTheMercenary_

Weaker is worse.

What you meant to say is that it doesn't make it a bad system. And you'd be right.
But technically performance wise, one is better than the other, even if only a little.

[rafaman]

Ryse is already next gen

[mcstorm]

I think ryse looks the best of the next gen games but it all depends on what you think looks good. KZSF looks good too and so dose Mario 3d world. Would not say any of these games are near the max each console can do but a nice start by all 3 for me.

[rafaman]

Yes, its the best looking. A lot of magazines agrees too

[BlackTar187]

I disagree that ryse is the best looking. Now really good looking yes but it shows this move in other areas.

[Ghosts]

Uncharted 4 it is!

[majiebeast]

Infamous second son and The Order 1886.

[stragomccloud]

This might be the first time we don't get a huge jump(like Uncharted to Uncharted 2) during a console generation because developers are already familiar with the x86 architecture of these systems. I'm guessing Uncharted 4 will pretty much be its peak.

[hkgamer]

we probably get alot more effects as the years go by. Think the trick would be using the RAM efficently as well as taking advantage of all cores so that it could push the processing power to the max.

[stragomccloud]

To those that disagreed. The reason there was such a huge jump from Uncharted 2 to Uncharted 3 is because the cell architecture was so painfully difficult to understand that it took nearly 2 years for developers to start learning how to get the hang of it(optimizing programming for the SPUs to properly to take over post processing). Right off the bat, programmers know the tricks. So there will definitely not be the same kind of jump. This is the first generation of what we see now is pretty much what we'll get. There's actually only one system this gen that'll follow the old rules.

[BlackCarrot]

I absolutely agree, and it's because of this familiar architecture that PC devs are finding it easier to port their PC games to console and vice versa. For games, everyone's a winner, and I'm going PC this gen.

However, there are other areas where consoles could be, in a sense, "optimised." Programmers will be learning how to make the most out of eight weak cores. Right now, in building a gaming system, people often recommend a quad core Intel - it's powerful and most games do not require any more than four cores. However, games like Watch Dogs are beginning to recommend eight cores (or a quad core with hyperthreading).

There's also another matter to consider, HSA. HSA is in the PS4 APU. The idea is that the processor and the graphics share the same compute units, speak to each other etc etc. A lot of it seems marketing hype right now, but it has the potential to be a game changer.

Funnily enough, AMD, who make the hardware for all next gen consoles, are also releasing this APU for PC and are pushing their multiple core CPUs. Everyone's a winner? AMD certainly is.

[stragomccloud]

Exactly, this will make console gaming and PC gaming better~ Although I think PC will benefit the most from this. I've always been a PC gamer first, console gamer second.

For now I have a PC that I've been very pleased with over the years, and a Wii U. Though I actually own all of the last gen consoles too because of the exclusives that might miss my PC. That said, I can't wait to see PCs get the optimization they deserve!

Game on.

[mhunterjr]

Optimal? We won't see that until just before the next generation. As is always the case.

[Meltic]

i Think we will see a '' good optimal'' next gen graphic when ps5 is near lol. Just like ps3. The last of us showed great graphic Engine in the last of the ps3 games. If u look at thief gameplay. It lacks so much. The textures looks like ps3 Engine. I dont like the graphic that they have choise to the game. They had the time to do it better. Lets just enjoy this year with good games on our next gen consoles and play happy. good luck and good gaming guys.

[hkgamer]

good optimal graphics? I think Uncharted 2 reached it.

[Meltic]

lol no. I meant a metro last light graphic Engine. Thats a good optimal graphic.

[hkgamer]

never really played the metro games, so can't comment on the engine.

All I could do is presume, so if I am wrong then feel free to just say I am wrong.

Metro was one of those games that was designed for PC and was pushing it, so for them to port it to PS3, I am guessng they had to deuce alot of effects and framerate must have been shoddy. Therefore I wouldn't really call it optimal graphics/engine for the PS3 anyway. Where as something like uncharted was running efficient.

I think 3-4 years would be when we would see some amazing games with crazy particle effects and physics.

[hkgamer]

depends what the article classes as optimum.

It mentions PS2 waited til God of war 2 to reach its optimum, but thats just not right. God of War 2 may have been one of the best looking games but many games before that looked brilliant and was probably pushing the PS2 to its limits.

MGS2/3, ZOE2, Shadow of the collosus, FFX-2, FFXII, GT3/4, KH2, DQVIII, Rogue Galaxy, SH3/4.

Can't think of anything else at the moment.

[KakashiHotake]

So far the only next gen games I've seen that even comes close to matching the performance of my PC is KillZone and the previews of Infamous. Xbox one can't even manage a consistent 60fps/ 1080p so I can't really count it as next gen. It's more like slightly above the Wii U performance wise. Maybe in a couple years down the road it will reach a respectable level, but by then the bar will be set even higher.

Edit: People disagree with me because it's not what they want to hear but I'm only speaking the truth as I know it. PS4 really is that much more powerful than Xbox One, and my PC really has been slightly above PS4 level for over 2 years now.

[hkgamer]

what resolution and fps were the xbone exclusives running on?

Killzone does look impressive, but theres something about the looks of Infamous that makes it look better. Maybe its just all the neon glint thats tricking me into thinking it looks better.

[stragomccloud]

Been drinking the Koolaid son? Xbox One and Wii U are both next gen. In fact by your definition, Wii U is more next gen than PS4(Which it isn't) since it has the most games running at 1080p/60fps.

[JeffGUNZ]

No, people are disagreeing with you because you're saying X1 and Wii U are not next gen, consoles. Ryse looks absolutely beautiful, how you don't consider that impressive is laughable at best. I think KZ and Ryse are the best looking next gen. games and am eager to see what MS and Sony have in store for us this generation.

[KakashiHotake]

I forget about Ryse, and yes it does look good. Not saying Xbox one isn't next gen but was only going along with the article and I agree it will take some time before games are where they should be. PS4 is getting there but even they still have much work to do. I've never been one to judge a console based off launch performance so I understand that eventually both PS4 and Xbox One will both be great eventually but right now they are both incomplete consoles. For the record I do not consider the Wii U next Gen for the same reasons I've never considered the Wii current gen.

[JeffGUNZ]

@ Itachi83

You might have miss spoke in your previous comment then because you said " Xbox one can't even manage a consistent 60fps/ 1080p so I can't really count it as next gen." and then you post a reply saying "Not saying Xbox one isn't next gen."

Which one is it ?

[theXtReMe1]

Games like Killzone already showcase great visuals and fluid movement. Tomb Raider is just another that shows the same. Its only going to get better over time, to the point we will be playing a game that looks like Tomb Raider, in an open world, with even better visuals and effects at 60fps. The beauty of it all, is that we are already seeing spectacular things at the beginning of the PS4s life, which means 3 or 4 years down the road... we are still going to be as shocked as we were at launch. Almost as if we are getting new hardware, month after month, year after year.

The design of the PS4 is as such, that developers will still be discovering tricks up to and after year 5. While the power is easier to get to, the untapped potential lies in the development tools and Sonys total understanding of the hardware that lies beneath them.

Welcome to next gen, my friends. Its only going to get better from here on out.

[Milruka]

I'm sorry but dropping into the 20fps range is not a "great visual and fluid movement" of any kind.

[ape007]

The first true next-gen game I see is inFAMOUS: SS, then watch dogs, the division and Quantum Break.

Killzone: sf is semi next-gen with few places like level 4 and the trains level, and others feel like enhanced current-gen, the same goes for Ryse: son of rome too.

Edit: Lolol at the disagrees, so many kids\'new age gamers' think that their 1080p Tomb Raider and other "enhanced current-gen games" are next gen....brain washed masses...

[PersonMan]

Agreed. Tomb Raider looks good (always has), but it doesn't look anywhere NEAR next-gen quality.

I also agree about Killzone Shadow Fall. Some levels looked spectacular, while other levels looked rather plain and boring.

So far, Battlefield 4 looks the best right now.

[danny818]

at the end of the generation? the last of us was spectacular and it was a game that was released at the end of the generation

[classic19]

games are subjective ppl, for instinct kz do look beautiful but it's a fps, you main opposition would be graphics. now a game like infamous ss and the division are in my opinion where we will see that graphics move, simply put fps games should look good, its getting them open world games to look good..

[PersonMan]

Infamous Second Son will be the first title that actually looks massively next-gen.

Also, The Division looks to be the best game engine ever made.

[KingDadXVI]

The Division and Quantum Break for 2014 with what we have seen so far.

Ryse and Killzone were really good for launch games.

[joeymp]

2015: The division, The Order, uncharted 4, Fallout 4

[kingduqc]

By next gen they mean what we had in 2010?