Why Sony's Focus On Generations Is Making PS5 Worse | Screen Rant
The concept of console generations has become murky, and as Sony has made the leap from the PS4 to PS5, some of the problem with PlayStation's distinct generations and how they affect backward compatibility has become apparent. The move from PS4 to PS5 or the Xbox One to a Series S/X console is more akin to a PC upgrade than ever. Both Sony and Microsoft’s current-gen systems are backward compatible with the prior gen, and both make use of the superior loading times of solid-state drives instead of mechanical hard drives. By attempting to artificially impose the concept of “generations” on PlayStation 5, Sony makes it harder to be a PlayStation fan, and gamers gain nothing in return.
The backward compatibility of the PS5 is currently limited to PS4 games, though patents hint at further prior-gen backward compatibility for the PS5 in the future. In these earlier generations there were more significant differences in the capabilities of Sony’s consoles and the kinds of games they could support. The leaps in storage capacity from the CD-based PS1 to the DVD-based PS2 were noteworthy. The PS3 continued this with its Blu Ray-based games, as well as its built-in hard drive, something only offered as an optional expansion for the PS2. Going further back, the Super Nintendo could not handle the polygonal games of the Nintendo 64, and the original NES could not support the color palette of Super NES titles. Each generation has seen improvements in graphics and sound, but with the current generation and its predecessor, consoles have become more PC-like than ever.
When president and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment Jim Ryan said, “We believe in generations,” in an interview with Gameindustry.biz, the statement was meant to be a positive note for PlayStation fans. Ryan elaborated that a next generation console “should include features and benefits the previous generation does not include,” but most have taken this statement in the context of current-gen exclusive game titles.
It is reasonable to view both the Xbox Series S/X and the PlayStation 5 as gaming-optimized mini-PCs locked into a particular ecosystem – the Xbox Store and the PlayStation Store, respectively. The current-gen PlayStation 5 continues to struggle with scarcity issues, making it harder to buy a PS5 than a PC for many gamers, and Sony has continued its production of PS4s as a result. The PC-style architecture and functionality of the current PlayStation and Xbox consoles is beneficial to gamers. Those who play primarily on PC do not need to concern themselves with "generations," only whether their machine has the specs to support a newer game. Upgrading a PC component, whether it is an improved graphics card or switching from a hard drive to an SSD, can improve the performance of a gamer’s entire PC library, potentially, not just those titles released within a certain time frame.
Sony’s focus on generations, therefore, seems to be tied in with its push towards the concept of “exclusives.” Having games that can only be played on the PS5 adds the perception of value to the hardware, as the company frequently touts the biggest PlayStation exclusives releasing each year. The PlayStation store points gamers to titles that are “only on PlayStation” as a reminder of Sony's exclusive content. Quality first-party titles are absolutely a hallmark of the PlayStation brand, but the myopic focus on exclusivity for its own sake does no favors for the consumer. With the ongoing scarcity of PS5 systems, games releasing prior generation versions is beneficial to all gamers. There is no disservice to PS5 owners, as the current-gen version will always look and play better, particularly in terms of load times.
Microsoft has also increased their focus on the exclusive game arms race this generation, and the company’s recent acquisition of Activision has led to questions as to whether Activision games will become Xbox exclusive. Xbox games are commonly also released for PC, however, obviously due largely to the Microsoft's flagship product, the Windows operating system. Cross-gen releases, along with underrated quality of life features like Smart Delivery, Quick Resume, and backward compatibility with Xbox One controllers, mean more than exclusives, however, given that the overwhelming majority of titles are third-party, multi-platform releases.
Xbox Series S/X games routinely release for the prior gen Xbox One as well, and offer Smart Delivery, wherein a gamer purchases a “game” within the Xbox ecosystem, rather than a specific “generation” of that game. Xbox Smart Delivery installs the optimal version of the game on whatever hardware the gamer is using, whether it is a launch model Xbox One or the vastly more powerful Series X. There are several titles emerging that are not available for the prior gen Xbox, like Microsoft Flight Simulator, but these appear to be cases where the older hardware simply could not support the game. Sony’s approach to generations comes across as less about making games that could not run on PS4, and more about creating the perception of value for the PS5.
Gaming services are as much a consideration in a console purchase today as the system’s specs or its library of exclusive titles. Game Pass is the current industry leader in subscription-based gaming plans, though Sony’s PlayStation Now service is a worthy competitor, far improved from its days as a streaming-only service. Some of the limitations of PlayStation Now further evidence the artificial divide of generations imposed on PlayStation gamers, however. When a game is added to Game Pass, Smart Delivery offers the best version available, whether it is for Xbox One or Series S/X. The downloadable PS4 games on PlayStation Now are always limited to the PS4 version, even when a PS5 version also exists. The upcoming rebranding of Project Spartacus will likely change this, but there is no -sound reason PlayStation Now should have forgone including PS5 versions of games in the first place.
Many gamers still view exclusivity through the antiquated paradigm of older console generations. When Sony began releasing some prior exclusive games for PC, this offered a new group of gamers access to quality experiences like Days Gone and Horizon Zero Dawn. Some gamers track the PS4 exclusives that still aren't on PC. Having more ways to access games is to the benefit of the consumer, and this does not take away from the value of a Sony console in any way. There is some merit to the notion of “generations” in the new experiences they offer. The haptic feedback of the PS5 controller provides a unique feel to many games. Not every PS5 game takes advantage of the new controller, however, yet every PS5 game requires a PS5 controller to play, when a PS4 controller could work just as well in many cases. This is just another example of the many ways, big and small, that Sony’s push for generations makes it harder to enjoy the PS5.
There is still hope that the PS5 can become a more consumer-friendly piece of hardware. Announcements of various colored PS5 faceplates are a fine novelty, but a more reasonable approach to games would be more meaningful. Backward compatible original Xbox and Xbox 360 games purchased as far as two generations ago are available to play on current gen hardware through an Xbox account. PS1 classics purchased for the PS3 or Vita should similarly be playable on a PS4 or PS5, given the ease of PS1 emulation. When a gamer purchases a game within the PlayStation ecosystem, whether digitally or through buying a physical validation disc, they should be entitled to the best version of the game on whatever hardware they are playing it on, like Xbox Smart Delivery. PS5 games that do not require haptic feedback should work with PS4 controllers. PlayStation Now should offer PS5 versions of its games for download, when available. Most importantly, given the ongoing chip shortages and console scarcity, if a game is going to be PS5 exclusive, whether original or a remake, it should be for a good reason – because the game simply could not work on a PS4 – not just to add the perception of value to the PlayStation 5.
Source: Gameindustry.biz