January 8th 2024.
How long will we have to wait? With Sony's new trailer and hints of Silent Hill 2 and Metal Gear Solid Delta, gamers everywhere are eager to find out when the first State of Play of the year will be.
Glass Half Full
I'm going to be optimistic and predict that this year's State of Play will be at least as soon as it was last year on February 23rd. The new PlayStation boss might want to wait until after they start in April to make any big reveals, which could make us wait a few months for news, but hopefully that won't be the case.
Gorf
Some Disappointment
Sony is paying the price for gamers being spoiled with games. We expect multiple Spider-Man 2s every year, but that's impossible. The sacrifice of quality over quantity is understandable, but spending too much time remastering games isn't. The Last of Us Part 2 doesn't need a remaster, so why are they doing it?
Drew
Contrasting Achievements
The 13 year old gaming phenomenon that beat Tetris was met with disappointment from Sky News presenter Jayne Secker. On the other hand, Sky Sports had nothing but praise for the 16 year old dart player who missed out on a World Final match. It's like calling the kettle black, as both of these achievements are impressive in their own right.
JAH
The Franchise Rights Alone
I recently played a Ghostbusters VR game and it made me think - why don't we have a business strategy game for Ghostbusters? It could be built around the original movie's business concept and still be funny and scary. I'm surprised there's not an unofficial indie equivalent, as the franchise rights alone should make this a possibility.
Goodhunter
All That Matters
My worry is for the gaming studios and cost of making games. Without them, consoles are just lumps of plastic. I hope that Sony and Xbox don't forget that multiplayer is an important way for gamers to get their fix, as it seems to be decreasing as an add-on for a game.
TWO MACKS
Missing Home
I really hope the Elden Ring DLC comes out this year, as I loved the game and feel almost homesick for it. It's the best game of the current and last generation and I don't think it'll be surpassed until the next generation. I'm curious to learn more about The Lands Between - is it between life and death, dreams and reality, or just different dimensions? I don't remember any lore describing it, unless a reader can correct me?
Lemmy
How long will we have to wait? That's the big question on everyone's minds and we may have some answers soon. It's only a few days into 2024 and already there have been some exciting trailers and announcements. Sony and Microsoft have both been tight-lipped about their plans, but there are rumours of an Xbox Direct this month and Nintendo are always pretty regular with their Directs.
I'm hoping that the trailer is an indication that Sony is going to be much more open this year. Last year the first State of Play was on February 23, so I'm predicting it will be at least that soon. The only problem is the new PlayStation boss, who might want to leave any big reveals until after they start in April, which would be disappointing.
Gamers are used to getting a lot of games and they're understandably frustrated that Sony isn't releasing as many. The fact is, all the new games take much longer to make and are more expensive. Xbox and Nintendo are making games all the time, but none of Xbox's games really make much of an impact. Starfield was hyped for years and when it released, it was a glitchy mess. And while Nintendo's games are good, their console is much less technically demanding to make games for.
The only problem right now is that too much time is being spent on remasters. The Last Of Us Part 2 does not need a remaster. There's practically no visual difference and the only new features are No Return and adaptive triggers.
At the same time, it's hard to ignore the contrast in achievements. A 13-year-old boy is the only known person to ever beat the game Tetris, yet Sky News responded with ‘I'm a mother go outside and get some fresh air, beating Tetris is not a goal’. Meanwhile, Luke Littler the 16-year-old dart player received nothing but praise for his dedication to the sport, despite him also playing Xbox.
On the topic of Xbox, I recently played the new Ghostbusters VR game and it was… okay. Like everything else Ghostbusters related it seems to completely miss the point of the original film, as it's neither funny or scary. It made me think, why don't we have a Jurassic World Evolution 2-style game but for Ghostbusters? The original movie was all about setting up a business and a lot of the jokes come from that, which could easily be worked into a strategy game. The franchise rights alone might be enough to make it happen.
Ultimately, all that matters is the games. Without the games, a console is just a lump of expensive plastic and I worry many studios will go bust. It's not exactly bursting at the seams with new game releases this year, so multiplayer has never been more important as a way for gamers to get their gaming fix. Here's hoping the Elden Ring DLC does come out this year, as I feel almost homesick at having run out of excuses to return there. I'd also love to see some explanations for The Lands Between and what it's made up of.
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