Is This the Peak of Gaming?

Is This the Peak of Gaming - Stephen Brooks, special contributor to VGCultureHQ, looks at whether or not this is the peak of gaming as we know it.

[O-D-C]

Interesting idea. There definitely feels like there's been a lot less innovation this gen than last.

[nintendoswitchfan]

Nintendo is showing that innovation trumps graphical prowess and power. It's really quite awesome to see in action. Instead of LAN parties people I know are having switch parties now. that's awesome.

[_-EDMIX-_]

Except that's not really an either-or there multiple Publishers that are innovating while still able to have advanced graphical techniques

[Protagonist]

please stop the hyperbole, there is nothing innovating about the switch....

[Belinker300]

@ Protagonist
Microsoft want there games on PS4 and Switch, probably hoping they return the favour due to lack of decent games on Xbox
http://www.nintendolife.com...

[danny818]

Feels dull. Although a lot of people will say other whys because of console sales it my opinion it feels that way

[_-EDMIX-_]

Not really I would say there's just as much Innovation as the previous generation you have peripherals that release that change how we play games just like we had the previous generation you also have lots of the same developers that created unique games still creating unique games.

So you have VR taking over for motion

you have dreams taking over from LittleBigPlanet

you kind of have lots of the same individuals pushing boundaries still

[TheCommentator]

Besides new peripherals to play with, there's practically nothing in terms of gameplay that couldn't also have been done on a last gen console. IMO, graphics look better but that's about it. Gameplay innovations will happen again as physics moves into the spotlight though and again as self-aware AI with speech synthesis becomes feasible.

[_-EDMIX-_]

TheComm- you have games like Arkham Knight that are actually physically impossible to have actually been created the previous generation.

http://nintendotoday.com/wi...

So you have to understand that is simply just one example also keep in mind that that was the reason why it wasn't on the Wii U in that had one gig of RAM so how was it going to exist on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 being significantly weaker than even Wii U?

So the actual technical functionality of some of these games could not actually exist on the previous generation

so no.

You would basically be asking for it to be a completely different game in order to exist which kind of destroys the point being made.

[Imalwaysright]

I would say 99% less innovation this gen compared to last gen.

[emiyaxtousaka]

I thiknk that Nintendo's success with the switch will force the other major console developers to re-think their strategy for next gen. Power does matter, but so does innovation. There has to be a balance. I think Sony is beginning to find that and Microsoft will find it as well. Nintendo always pushes the industry forward and this is a great sign of things to come. A win for Nintendo and what they are doing is a win for every major gaming company. It's going to be awesome to watch, especially this year's E3.

[_-EDMIX-_]

Except it's not an either-or at the end of the day Powers was allowing Microsoft and Sony to get the majority third-party support.

It's also allowing both of those companies to have more advanced options to allow games to do stuff functionally that is impossible to do on a weaker Hardware take something like Arkham Knight for example it was completely impossible to do that on 1 gig of RAM there for the Wii u missed out so it is not their fault Rocksteady is not going to make a lesser game just to make it work on the weaker Hardware so even Innovation is going to need to be paired with the technological advancement.

You also have to understand that that has very little to do with developers creating Innovative games look at something like dreams look at something like PlayStation VR look at something like Xbox One Kinect I'm sorry but having Advanced Hardware it doesn't mean that it development team cannot create something that's Innovative or different.

We actually got tons of that this generation on all platforms. Also take into consideration that the Nintendo switch is the one that's actually missing the majority of the third party games so I would say it's not the best trade-off because they could have still made an extremely powerful system got all the third-party support on top of still making their same games that's not suddenly going to stop a developer....

I mean can you even tell me why a more powerful switch would suddenly not make breath of the wild work? Or their labo game?

Last time I remember it was the PlayStation 4 that is out selling that system by an absolutely massive degree

[Belinker300]

You know there are technical limitations with hardware especially with portable devices and battery life as to why they will never deliver performance on par with a ps4/xbox.Even the One X and Pro struggle to deliver 4k and 60fps and the developer's vision and will never match a spec'd out pc. If your waiting to play Witcher 3 in 4k on a portable gaming device for example,you will be waiting quite some time

[_-EDMIX-_]

belinker - but that's a moot point at the end of the day they still chose to have a portable device knowing of the limitations that we're going to come with it which actually means by default their choosing to be less Innovative in regards to hardware.

Something like a hi-spec a gaming PC is only going to give better resolution or frame rate for the most part PC is not even supported so much so in regards to Advanced Hardware that you're getting multiple games that can only exist on PC because of a functional reason I would say Star Citizen might be one of the few and even that is questionable as their comments regarding it not being able to be made on Console was actually when PlayStation 3 in 360 were out.

So at the end of the day on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One they're likely still going to get those PC games there's simply not going to be running 8K or a thousand frames or anything like that but clearly they're still going to actually be able to exist where on the Nintendo switch its Hardware so limiting multiple games cannot even exist even slightly on the hardware because the limitation is stopping the complete functionality of the content itself ie Arkham Knight not appearing on the Wii U

That wasn't simply a game releasing with a lesser resolution or something that was the game cannot even function without low amount of RAM.

I don't know too many games that are releasing on PC that cannot release on PlayStation 4 or Xbox one because of the reason I just stated to you but clearly I know tons that are not coming on the switch because of that reason.

So in that respect the Nintendo switch is limited by games because of functionality the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One are not limited because
Gaming PCs for the most part only allow for a better resolution and frame-rate they're not really coming up with games that cannot function on PlayStation 4 or Xbox One.

Because if that's the case I would definitely love to hear about a game that exists like that on PC right now besides Star Citizen lol

[Belinker300]

Your point is moot, people buy the Switch mostly for Nintendo's exclusives and portability.What your implying us that they release a console only device ala' PS4 Pro just so you can play third party games and Zelda in upscaled 4k? It's not in direct competition with these consoles,it is in it's own class and that's why we love it.I have a Pro and most people I know game on multiple devices,that is where I play third party games

[_-EDMIX-_]

"What your implying us that they release a console only device ala' PS4 Pro just so you can play third party games and Zelda in upscaled 4k?"

nope.

What I'm suggesting is that a more powerful system can allow them to do other things with having 8 gigs of RAM that cannot be done with 4. Just like Arkham Knight could only exist with the 8 gigs of RAM and it could not exist with 1 gig of RAM on the Wii U. I'm pretty positive there's something that Nintendo can create on a more powerful system using that Ram that functionally will be impossible to do on other platforms that did not have those specs.

I mean you owning a PlayStation 4 kind of proves the need for this type of Hardware if this is where you're going to play some of your games so do you not understand that owning of that Hardware to play those games kind of proves that clearly systems like that also need to exist with that type of Hardware so you could have that game exist in the first place?

Keep in mind that my point is simply that those technical limitations are not simply just about resolution or frame rate a lot of it is about functionality it is a literally saying there is a feature that is necessary for those eight gigs that cannot be done with something lesser.

So as a PlayStation 4 owner myself I'm completely fine knowing that a game can exist in 8k or 16 K or anything crazy like that on PC because it doesn't stop me from playing it in 4k with 1080p on my PlayStation 4 but at least it actually exist on my PlayStation 4 in the first place you also have to take into consideration that most games are actually being made for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in mine and simply enhanced on PC which means that we're not really missing much are you getting Far Cry 5 on the switch? How about Battlefront? How about Assassin's Creed?

So trust me resolution limitations is not that big of a deal because there are many people who even own gaming PCs that are not running 4K or 8K setups... at least on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One those games actually exist where on the switch they cannot exist and it is not simply based on resolution or graphical feature it is based on the game cannot even function with those specifications.

Trust me resolution and frame-rate is the least of that install bases worries they're literally missing entire series because it cannot work on the system at all.

So trust me I'm completely fine not playing a game at a hundred frames or 8K or anything like that at least I'm actually playing the game at all lol

So if you ever want to try to debate how important Hardware is in regards to Innovation consider that only the Nintendo switch is missing a lot of these games because it does not have the hardware for them to exist in the first place....sooooo yea

[Belinker300]

Microsoft released Minecraft to other platforms and are wanting to go platform agnostic http://www.nintendolife.com...

[PhoenixUp]

Gaming always finds a way to outdo itself and to take steps backwards

[darthv72]

sometimes you have to go back, course correct, and then go forward again to go in the right direction.

[TheSuperiorGamer]

It's interesting because in a way Nintendo has done that. They've released the SNES Classic and NES Classic, and the Switch is...well a totally different direction than the rest of the industry. Sony kinda banked on VR but I don't think it's really taken off like people thought. My eyes suck so personally I can't do it.

[_-EDMIX-_]

agreed. Sometimes you have to go back to basics.

[Derceto]

Peak? More like the gutter of gaming.

[TheSuperiorGamer]

I don't think it's a gutter, I think that innovation is lacking but with the Switch's success other companies may re-think their stragegies. I hope so. The PS4 has had some great stuff come out lately though.

[FinalFantasyFanatic]

Well at least Sony had a pretty great gen so far with a games library rivaling the great times we had during the PS2 gen.

[Belinker300]

I think Nintendo should be applauded for thinking outside the xbox

[Rude-ro]

How? They either evolved with a handheld or stayed stagnant with a home console.
What is the innovation?
I mean, even the games are the same.

[Belinker300]

Games are the same,like Xbox? Forza,gears, Halo...only game that I've been remotely interested in on Xbox is Forza Horizon,which is reaching it's 4th entry this year.I have a ps4 Pro for home use and a Switch for on the go and couch co-op multiplayer with friends.Phil Spencer himself said he wanted Microsoft exclusives playable on all systems including switch and PS4,well I guess that would be innovative

[_-EDMIX-_]

agreed.

Belinker- I have no idea what you're talking about and I don't ever really remember Phil Spencer saying he wanted their games running on PlayStation 4 in switch , it's not even saying it didn't happen simply that just sounds very far-fetched do you have a link to this information?

And I don't believe Nintendo was thinking outside the box in fact just the opposite I believe Nintendo was thinking very very very traditional and very conservative by simply making a portable that can plug into the TV keep in mind that this is not Innovative in any way shape or form because it would not be the first time that a device was able to actually do this.

My telephone could do this...

The PSP could do this.

So it's pretty difficult to try to call something Innovative that many many many devices have been able to do for well over 10 years that would be like trying to say 10 years later if the PlayStation did this that Sony would claim its innovative

Are you seriously telling me you would believe that even after everything happening right now at the switch?

[Belinker300]

@EDDIX
No one from memory has produced a game like Zelda BOTW on a portable hybrid that I can think of.Battery life and hardware limitations aside the Switch does a better job than any other portable device to date including Vita

[FinalFantasyFanatic]

I agree Nintendo should be applauded, they tend to take alot of risk to be different from the crowd with varying degrees of success, personally I think the Switch is a pretty great idea, having the ability to switch between a home console and a handheld as desired (I imagine this will eventually replace the 3DS at some point).

@Rude-ro,

Mario Oddessy changed things up a bit, I kinda want to get it despite not having played a Mario game in a long time.

As for Zelda, I lump it in the same category as Horizon Zero Dawn, it just does what been done before really well.

[Protagonist]

stop the hyperbole, nintendo did not do something amazing compared to microsoft

[Belinker300]

That wouldn't be difficult

[lifeistranger]

I think the best is yet to come. This generation isn't as bad as some would like to believe. Microsoft just really needs some awesome exclusives this year. If they do that when announcing at E3 people will stop complaining, because PS4 and Switch are doing great.

[darkmoondruid]

Yep. I like to stay hopeful. Agree about Microsoft too, I can't shake the feeling they don't have enough eye catching exclusives. Sea of Thieves is a good start, they need to keep going though

[paintedgamer1984]

Not if you ask Nintendo or Sony. They both have amazing highly anticipated games launching this year and next. Its great to be a multi-console gamer.

[madpuppy]

I think everybody gives Nintendo way too much credit, Nintendo throws ideas against a wall and whatever doesn't stick (work, EG: the WiiU) gets abandoned and they simply try again.
Nintendo relies on it's core fans to take on the financial burden of it's failures with a glassy eyed smile and accept failures like the WiiU, all the while happily swallowing up the next experimental console they hail mary out the door. hoping for another Wii success. As for game "Innovation" All I see is a lot of the same, and that is understandable, the "core" Nintendo gamer is content with nostalgia. as for everyone else, not so much.

[Pantz]

I understand the thought behind this with how good the Xbox One X is, it could seem like the Peak. The X2 will blow everything out of the water though.

[blawren4]

The only way it peaks is if there is no competition. Competition breeds innovation.

[Cmv38]

Ps4 has been amazing. Switch has innovated by being a handheld console. I've had a great time this generation. But I'm also not one of those people who needs fanfare and bells and whistles for me to appreciate gaming.

[_-EDMIX-_]

Yeah I don't know if I could say all that because this would not be the first time we had a handheld console....

[Kiwi66]

Sure hope not

[LordCheezus]

Could very well be, to be honest I see the future where we are playing god of war 59 and halo 102, not a nice idea really. As the industry gets increasingly cash orientated expect less and less inovation and more safe bets i.e sequels of sequels etc and remasters, and battle royale implemented into just about every game imaginable which is pretty much happening already.

[darkmoondruid]

Yeah can see what you mean. Like if half of all releases were infinite sequels, reboots, remakes and what not, I think people would start losing interest and begin craving an original IP. Same goes for battle royale - PUBG and Fortnite are killing it right now, so I expect more developers to focus on this genre. But like everything (platformers, proc gen, open world, survival etc) it will lose its appeal eventually. Lol god of war 59? Please no hahaha

[_-EDMIX-_]

no

[DivineAssault]

graphics i dont see evolving too much right now but multitasking/network features will surely be touted next gen..

[darkmoondruid]

Thanks, interesting piece. I liked it.

"At no point has either company really tried to innovate or change the way people play video games"

> I think there is some innovation eg dualshock 4 touch pad, Switch being both a portable and home system. Xbox One /X hasn't innovated in the same dimension. But it's got the best processing power/graphics from my understanding

"I feel we are hitting that peak where the power of the consoles will become irrelevant"

> Idk. There will always be fanboys because brand power. Even if every game becomes multi-platform (Crash N Sane), you've still got different hardware that affects experience, which leads to preferences. But maybe people who aren't completely loyal to one system are thinking like this

"That’s what this industry needs, innovation and focus on gameplay, not higher res and the same old stuff time and time again"

> I have to agree. Not dissing people who love graphics improvements, that's important too. Uncanny valley though, how good do we want graphics to get? Also is VR the absolute peak of all this? The top of the foodchain? VR (and AR) have a lot of innovative ideas. Don't think they've caught on 100% though

[narsaku]

Lol... Peak of gaming... My holy gawd. 100 years from now if som1 read what u just said they'd either laugh hard enough to lose balance or just shake their head.

Reprint this article when we have the matrix. Then we'll talk about whether or not it's the peak of gaming.

[darkmoondruid]

True. There are many peaks in gaming evolution, it's always fascinating to watch videos of older consoles with their MB memory cards and read reviews praising graphics that are outdated by today's standards. We can't narrow it down to a single peak, there are multiple peaks for sure. Are we in a peak right now? Nintendo is. I think Sony and Microsoft will hit their next peak with PS5 and XB2

[michellelynn0976]

I think this is an exciting time for games. Indie games are coming into their own and we are getting a lot of cool new franchises like Horizon.

[shingojacky]

I don't care if it is the peak of gaming.
All I care is if I'm having fun with my games. And luckily, I am, with my Nintendo Switch and Playstation 4.

[FinalFantasyFanatic]

Well we had the Switch and VR this gen, there's only so many ways you can design a console, I'm more worried about the innovation in games, with titles costing the small as a small hollywood movie to make, developers are playing it too safe with only a few trying to break out of the norm.

[NickAwesome]

I liked the previous generation more, but this gen is good too!

[Imalwaysright]

The nemesis system in shadow of mordor is the only revolutionary mechanic in AAA gaming this gen. This says a lot about how stagnant this industry is becoming. Way too much focus on crap that doesn't really matter like graphics and not enough focus on things that could take gameplay to the next level like AI which imo is a area that needs a vast improvement in gaming. If console manufacturers deliver crappy cpus next gen like they did this gen, then I'm afraid that we'll have more of the same. Games with prettier graphics but gameplay that is essentially from the PS3/360 era.