jawa asks... how far down the road are we with this console generation?

>>> ...how far down the road are we with this console generation? <<<

The PS4 and XBO consoles are now approaching their fourth birthdays. How are you feeling about them? Were you on board from Day One or did you leave it a while before jumping in? Maybe the consoles still feel new to you... or perhaps you’re eager to move to the next generation? How do you feel about the Pro and X upgrades?

Please join the chat and share your thoughts :-)

.

- - - - - - - - - -

Personally, this gen still seems pretty fresh to me even though I picked up a PS4 at launch. I have hugely enjoyed using the system and, for me, I love the large range of diverse titles available. I have played games online far more than in the last gen and I have grown to like the ability to download games. I would definitely rate the PS4 as being one of my all-time favourite consoles and, with having been fortunate to upgrade to a Pro version, I do feel that there is a lot of potential in the machines for the next few years. I feel quite happy to continue enjoying the system for quite a while yet; at the moment I don’t feel a desire for a new set of consoles to arrive.

Probably only just half way, or maybe less than half way through the life of these current ones.

We likely have another world wide recession on the way so people will be spending less in the near future, not a good time to be developing and releasing new consoles.

The thing that could bring forward a new release of hardware is VR (depending on it's uptake in the next 3-4 years)

Hopefully there's many years left - it'll probably be next year until I get a Switch and I don't want the next console to be along shortly after.

I don’t get much spare time to game but the generation still seems quite new to me.

I’d expect next gen announcements (Sony and Microsoft) in 2020 for a 2021 release, so I think we’re halfway.

I think we'll see the PS5 in November 2020, with an announcement at E3 2019. Slimmed down PS4 Pro for 2018.

Guys, I like your assessments that we’re only half-way into the journey; perhaps developers will have learnt enough about the systems to really show off their capabilities over the next few years. It’s great that, with the consoles having sold pretty well, we could potentially see a wide type of games arriving, too. Despite some concerns about publishers moving to really drive up monetisation in gaming, at the moment it - to me - feels like we could be in a decent phase for good games.

I don't even think we're half way through the cycle at least it feels like that to me. I feel like developers are only now hitting their stride with producing blockbuster games for PS4 / XBOX, in recent times I can only think of two games were I've thought wow they look good, Forza Horizon 3 and Horizon: Zero Dawn, which I don't even feel qualified to judge graphics properly as I don't own a 4K TV.

The thing that narks me this generation is the updates and the bloated file sizes, the last one I recall was Everybody's Golf. I thought I'll have a quick game before bed, queue a 7.5gb update and a near 3 hour wait :fp:

. I haven't even touched Gears of War 4 yet (owned since release) and I'm sure the total file size is something like 150gb!

If you think about it we are still waiting for some of the big developers to release their first new game of the generation.

But yeah I think half way is probably about right. We are well into this generation, in the last couple of years the promise of this generation of games has pretty much been shown off I think.

jawafour wrote:Guys, I like your assessments that we’re only half-way into the journey;

GRcade is always wrong though so expect the next gento launch either January 2018 or at some point in 2029.

I've just started Resident Evil 7 on the PS4 (well, 6 hours into it) and graphically, think it is quite impressive. Based on this, I would be happy with a few more years of games at this graphical level. I'm sure that the console manufacturers have various designs in place so they can pull the trigger on a new announcement when either the market is saturated or they are not getting the sales they need. I don't think we'll see any kind of definitive announcement until 2019 or 2020, MS and Sony have room for quite a few cuts to create new demand.

I have to admit this generation feels flat for me. Generally my Xbox One sits pretty lonely waiting for the odd blast on Forza Horizon 3 or some backwards compatible stuff. The PS4 has been a genuinely decent bit of kit but no games that I'd consider must have.

It feels like we are only half way through the generation, I don't know if the Pro and Scorpio will really stretch the generation or are just a nice tick in the box exercise for pushing 4K a bit. Even with the 4K capability, there isn't anything I have seen that has really wowed me this generation. I have only felt impressed by more technically impressive feats like seeing the size of Hyrule in BOTW, or seeing GTA 5 in first person for the first time.

I haven't been gaming as much this gen compared to last gen either, it feels a bit uninspiring to me. Liking the Switch so far though!

I'd guess 2020 for the next PlayStation.

I held back until early 2015 before getting the PS4 and X1. I now have the Pro and an Xbox 1X on preorder.I've really enjoyed the indie titles this gen and less and less of the AAA's appeal to me. I still use my PS3 and 360 and still marvel at what they can do well over a decade old.I think we will see new machines Xmas 2020 but I hope we see a decent gain in CPU power so game design and experiences can evolve.The current gen have always been a little underpowered to me despite the longevity of the last gen.Really hope the new Xbox delivers some much needed power into it's game library.

I think we're over the half way mark with PS4 pro slim being announced some time next year and PS5 being released Christmas 2019.

Part of me hopes they opt for a Christmas 2020 launch so they can get a larger hardware jump on the Xbox One X but I don't think they will. The X will benefit the Pro though as more developers actually bother making an effort with Pro and X support as the install base makes it worthwhile. I'd also be interested to see these VR sets being released now get Xbox support.

Gemini73 · Last edited by Gemini73 on Sun Oct 15, 2017 5:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Bought a PS4 around 18 months after launch. Shortly after, (having grown bored of the games available for consoles) I invested in a custom built gaming PC. Barely touched the PS4 after that having discovered the joys of modding Skyrim and the Steam sale where I began collecting a library of PC classics I'd never had the chance to play before, or play at their absolute optimum settings.

Sold the PS4 a few months later. Seeing some quality games eventually make their way to PS4, games that were not available for PC, I did eventually buy another one.

Bought an X1S last Christmas and sold it 3 months later as I never used it. However, having grown tired of Windows Store being an unreliable mess I recently bought another X1S.

I've no interest in the X1X.

Consoles and their games just aren't as big a deal as they have been in the past and while I do use them regularly, (have certainly had come cracking games with friends online and enjoyed some PS4 exclusives), they play second fiddle to my PC. Given the choice I'd much rather be playing a modded version of S.T.A.L.K.E.R, than Horizon Zero Dawn.

Will I invest in a PS5? No idea. Depends on what it can do (I'd like to see more focus on CPU than just more GPU power) and, of course, what games we can expect to see.

Interesting points Gemini. My PC is more than a match for my PS4 and probably as good as a PS4 pro. It probably sounds stupid to some, but I prefer trophies over Steam achievements but what the PC has in its favour is the cheapness of the games. If consoles can't start matching PC prices next gen then I'm quite prepared to be PC only.

I think the next Xbox and PS will be fully backwards compatible, slightly nullifying the idea of console "generations". I can see games being released on "Xbox" and consumers having to check whether their machine is recent enough to play it. I can see another Xbox and PS in 2019/2020, keeping up the 3-4 year iteration established with the Pro / X.

In terms of my enjoyment, I've found that I've spent more and feel like I've played less, but I'm still excited by what's being made. With the previous gen, the 360 was my home and I didn't spend that much on PS3 / Wii / Wii U. There's so much choice at the moment, I feel a little overwhelmed. If I wasn't a sucker for the hype train, I'm sure I wouldn't need to spend any money for a few years as I have amassed such a vast collection of games I've barely played (helped by Games with Gold and PS Plus). I also find games involve more of an investment of time from the player and I can find I feel a little like I'm missing something if I don't invest those hours (which is something I find a little bothersome).

The big thing for me this generation has been the quality of the online multiplayer aspect of the experience. At the start of the 360 generation, it still felt a little niche. There's so much choice, the connections are great and the player base is massive, and games increasingly allow a greater number of players to participate in a given game, which is cool.

Death's Head wrote:Interesting points Gemini. My PC is more than a match for my PS4 and probably as good as a PS4 pro. It probably sounds stupid to some, but I prefer trophies over Steam achievements but what the PC has in its favour is the cheapness of the games. If consoles can't start matching PC prices next gen then I'm quite prepared to be PC only.

I dipped into PC games this gen. I felt (at least initially) that the new generation wasn't a massive leap over previous generations and wanted to see what PC could do. However, I'm back onto console playing exclusively now. I miss the metagame of Xbox achievements and the simplicity of playing on a console, not to mention playing from a couch on a large TV. I've invested in 4k screen and the image quality is amazing.

Jordan UK wrote:
Death's Head wrote:Interesting points Gemini. My PC is more than a match for my PS4 and probably as good as a PS4 pro. It probably sounds stupid to some, but I prefer trophies over Steam achievements but what the PC has in its favour is the cheapness of the games. If consoles can't start matching PC prices next gen then I'm quite prepared to be PC only.

I dipped into PC games this gen. I felt (at least initially) that the new generation wasn't a massive leap over previous generations and wanted to see what PC could do. However, I'm back onto console playing exclusively now. I miss the metagame of Xbox achievements and the simplicity of playing on a console, not to mention playing from a couch on a large TV. I've invested in 4k screen and the image quality is amazing.

You can do a that on the PC if you want. I use my PS4 controller and have a 5 metre HDMI cable to my 42" screen.

Gemini73

Jordan UK wrote:
Death's Head wrote:Interesting points Gemini. My PC is more than a match for my PS4 and probably as good as a PS4 pro. It probably sounds stupid to some, but I prefer trophies over Steam achievements but what the PC has in its favour is the cheapness of the games. If consoles can't start matching PC prices next gen then I'm quite prepared to be PC only.

I dipped into PC games this gen. I felt (at least initially) that the new generation wasn't a massive leap over previous generations and wanted to see what PC could do. However, I'm back onto console playing exclusively now. I miss the metagame of Xbox achievements and the simplicity of playing on a console, not to mention playing from a couch on a large TV. I've invested in 4k screen and the image quality is amazing.

I do enjoy gaming from the comfort of my sofa in the family living room, it's a major bonus of console gaming. That said while I do play a lot of my PC games using m&k,(and have a very comfy chair to sit on at my desk), my games room where said PC is situated is also home to a nice sofa where I also PC game through a Panasonic 32" HDTV when using a control pad. (I also use this set up for the PS3 and 360).

jawa asks... how far down the road are we with this console generation?

Who is online

Affiliates