Sony and Microsoft are rethinking the importance of their launch lineup

I’m trying to enter what is likely to be the weirdest transition to a next-generation console I’ve never seen. A few months after the fragmented online speculation of the COVID-19 era, we finally have an idea of ​​what to expect from the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X / S releases and their respective launch lineups. .. On the surface, the console has all the traditional traps of new video game hardware. Faster performance, more detailed graphics, and a bigger and better game. Sony and Microsoft maintain a positive approach to encapsulating the promises of the next generation. However, the difference between the upcoming launches of both consoles is that Sony and Microsoft are actively reviewing their expectations for the new hardware launch window.

For this new generation, the refreshing and less stressful thing is that we know that there are plenty of games to play, as we still have access to existing games from current and past generations. Historically, the new console was like a reboot for existing fans, but it was also a new start for new entrants. Entering the next generation, it’s essentially a new era, with dedicated games, new infrastructure, and console features and innovations that take each console a few steps ahead of its predecessor. This change is expected on newer hardware, and due to these gaps, we tend to keep the old console closer in case we want to play games that are inaccessible on the new hardware.

This disparity can often be determined by looking forward to the console, especially in the early days of new hardware. To be honest, when I first bought the PS4, I regretted it a bit. In the months immediately following its launch, the only games I was absorbed in were the infamous games Second Son and Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes. So far, based on messages from both Sony and Microsoft, new hardware launches address this issue, which can often result from early adoption of new hardware. It seems. Instead of anticipating the usual anxieties and anxieties of having a new console that you can’t play much at launch, I think you’re keen to buy a new console sooner than you expected.

What we’ve seen on the PlayStation 5 and the next Xbox console is that we’re putting in a much larger inventory to allow players to retain access to the past. In this current generation, mostly digital libraries, away from physical media is becoming more important, so players need to have access to purchased games. Of course, backward compatibility is not new. The original 60 GB PS3 was fully backward compatible with PS1 and PS2 disks. This feature has been reduced in the new model. The Nintendo Wii has received great acclaim for its backward compatibility with GameCube and its provision of a way to play classic games from ancient times through the virtual console store. But what will change the next era is the focus on including legacy games in the next-generation launch lineup.

By actively using new hardware and actively pushing the importance of accessing old and new games, the emptiness of owning new hardware and what you really want is still You can get rid of the mood that is one generation behind or in the distant future. .. In an interview with The Washington Post, PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan said: “99%” Five of the PlayStation 4 games can be played on PS5. In contrast, the Xbox Series X continues its fundamental and more comprehensive approach of having access to different generations of Xbox games, reassuring the next generation. It’s more like a trade-off to me, rather than feeling like an investment in a console that ultimately gets a larger library of games.

If anything, the best comparison I can make is that it’s like an Apple-style approach to the iPhone and iPad lineup. Instead of feeling like throwing away years of games and experience, you’re getting a better, more efficient way to play some of your previous favorites. I’ve spent hours on Bloodborne and God of War, but the idea of ​​playing on the PS5’s faster processor and solid state drive is very exciting, and in some respects older games. It is expected to improve the experience. It’s available at launch, so you won’t feel like you’re crazy about the middle of the second generation, and you’ll have the latest hardware to keep playing the game from both existing ones. Library and latest games.

In the case of Microsoft, the company is working on accessibility to games and existing libraries in several ways. For starters, it leverages a very successful game pass program that is itself like a killer app for Xbox One and PC users. With a hand-picked list of games to play from a standalone subscription service, this is a great way to revisit some old favorites as well as play games that you’ve missed over the years. You can then use the smart delivery feature to play new games such as Dirt 5, Assassin’s Creed Valhara, and other major releases on both Xbox One and Series X / S. While there is a shortage of important limited editions during the launch of the Xbox Series X, the wide range of games released on the first day offers an attractive upgrade method. We also do a lot to offset the disappointment of Halo Infinite, which was pushed back in 2021.

Sony’s approach is relatively inclusive. However, it still has a huge library of games that players can access. In addition to the backward compatibility with the majority of PS4 games mentioned above, the company recently announced a new PlayStation Plus Collection program. PS5 owners using PS Plus will also play other titles such as Batman: Arkham Knight, Persona 5, Uncharted 4, in addition to the carefully selected games including “God of War” and “Bloodborn” mentioned above. I can do it. It’s really cool to be available on the PS5 as an added PS Plus perk, and it would be great to see where the service can go in the future. Jim Ryan PS5 is not backward compatible with consoles prior to PS3., The curated list of PlayStation Plus games is still likely to grow in unexpected ways.

The PS5 feels like it needs to catch up with Microsoft’s library, but there’s a solid lineup of games to play on the PlayStation Plus collection, and some that existing players bring from the PS4 library. One of the sources of concern is how PS4 games work on PS5. This is almost vague by Sony. It seems to be a case-by-case basis to buy a PS4 game and get a PS5 release right away, which is different from the more simplified Smart Delivery initiative. The PS5 seems to be compatible with the PS4 Pro version of the current game, but there is no specific information on what extensions are available at this time. In contrast, Microsoft states that early Xbox games will receive extensions to existing Game Pass games with a rich lineup of games from the 360 ​​and Xbox One era.

Both the Xbox Series X / S and PlayStation 5 are closer to past libraries. This restructuring of what the launch lineup should be is a great attitude from both Sony and Microsoft’s perspective. Not only will the value of jumping into new hardware increase, but the respect for the existing player base, which has made significant investments in the platform of choice. We are in a strange new generation, but I have to feel that it is already a more welcoming generation.

For more information on the features that come with the PS5 and Xbox Series X / S Generation Next HubFocuses on all the latest news, features and videos focused on the new era of games.