June 19th 2023.
Has PlayStation Tripped Up?
The Monday letters page has been filled with discussions about the PlayStation and Xbox showcases, and it's clear that the Xbox one was very well received. However, the PlayStation one has been a major disappointment. Everyone is wondering what Sony is playing at and why the showcase didn't follow their own gameplan.
The fact that Microsoft had such a positive reception has immediately done a world of good for their position and, as the Reader's Feature pointed out, it was largely because of their focus on single-player games. This begs the question: why didn't Sony do the same? Are they playing the long game? If so, they may have missed their chance at success.
I've been worrying about Sony's attitude for the past year and I'm concerned that they're in an increasingly irreversible decline. Microsoft has so many games announced for 2024 while Sony has yet to match this plan. Even then, half or more of their games are likely to be live service games. It's a strange situation and not one that I can make sense of.
Evolving Nostalgia
I can't help but feel that something has been lost in the Diablo games as they've evolved over time. The dread of venturing into a monster labyrinth with just one spell and one weapon was terrifying, but doing it a million times isn't quite the same. Even the simple joy of having to save up to buy a good weapon has been lost in the sequels.
Losing Everything
I'm sure there's a good reason why always-online is so hated, and it's that not everyone has a 100% reliable connection. If the connection cuts out for even a second, significant progress can be lost. This could be catastrophic for a game like Diablo 4, where hundreds of hours of progress could be lost.
It's Okay
I wonder if the Fable defence this week is the fantasy role-playing equivalent of Shenmue. There's a small but loud support for more games, while the rest of us couldn't care less. I've played through Fable 2 and 3, but never thought about them again. It's clear that Fable doesn't have the same zealous support as Shenmue.
Talk is Cheap
I'm afraid that some of Starfield's initial reception will be determined by the focus on day one bugs that many gaming sites are talking about. Bethesda and Microsoft have given their word that the game will be polished when it launches, and they've thrown huge resources behind it. But I fear that any bugs that are found will be blown out of proportion just because it's a clickbait market. Time will tell how bad they really are.
Has PlayStation tripped up? It's a question on the minds of many gamers after the recent Xbox showcase that demonstrated an impressive lineup of games. This then begs the question - why was the PlayStation showcase such a letdown? People have tried to come up with theories, both sensible and absurd, but the truth is that no one really knows. What is clear is that the positive reception of the Xbox showcase has been a huge boost for Microsoft, and it could be argued that this is largely due to the focus on single-player games.
So why didn't Sony follow their own gameplan and focus on single-player games? It's a good question and one that has no clear answer. With Microsoft now having many more games announced for 2024, Sony is in danger of being left behind. Their attitude towards games has been worrying for some time and it's beginning to look like they are in an irreversible decline.
One area of debate that has been simmering away is the evolution of the Diablo series, with one reader questioning why always-online is so hated. There's no denying that sequels need to evolve, but at what cost? I remember playing Diablo 1 and feeling a real sense of dread when entering the dark labyrinth, and this has been lost in more recent iterations. I understand the need for an online population, but I can't help but miss the simple days of the original game.
Finally, there is some concern as to how Starfield will be received. It's clear that Bethesda Game Studios have a reputation for bugs and glitches, so it's understandable why people would be worried. However, Microsoft and Bethesda have been straightforward when it comes to releasing the game, delaying it an extra year and employing more engineers to focus on the bugs. Ultimately, only time will tell how bad the bugs really are.
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