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Two years deep, Why are there so few next gen exclusive games?

Because console makers continue to design consoles for developers to figure out and built for, instead of consoles makers making consoles FOR the developers.

This is why the costs for developing games keeps going up with with better technology, tools, and support.

Developers haven't made a console FOR developers since the Jaguar it's misguided ambitions aside. Even before that the last console was the LYNX and the Neo-Geo, the SNES and Genesis were not made FOR developers either.

The only thing that has happened is that one hardware might be easier to make games for or to create solution for, or to work out tricks for and utilize tools for, than another consoles. But none of the consoles are actually made to make game development sustainable, more efficient, or cheaper.

Every story you hear about game development for years has been developer making an engine, or developer trying to work around something, or developer needing to make their own tools or enhance existing tools themselves, to needing to work with other companies to produce this cutscene with a third-party tool, or to improve the frame rate or lighting on a game.

The console should have had improvements in all these areas out the box from the previous ones outside making the lowest possible effort, that way developers can make great experiences without the headache, and if they want to try and push the hardware beyond its limits, than all that extra stuff would be necessary and OPTIONAL. The fact that even a basic current gen game costs an arm and a leg because of what I said above is stupid.

The only thing being done is incremental improvement on technology and tools in the dev environment, and stronger hardware to run the output on. Nothing is actually being done for the developer to make games better and without major expenses and workarounds.

There is a reason many developers moved toward independence and once they did so they went right to digital PC or mobile Even major companies know that on both there's a high chance of profit for low cost compared to astronomical investment on AAA PC and console for a high risk of loss. Issue is mobile isn't built for games so the costs still end up rising and developers try to push the phones hardware, but it's still for now much less than on console.

It's also why several games aren't trying as hard on console and are sacrificing quality for sales units.
 
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Dr_Salt

Member
I have heard they are mainly AO or strategy which I don’t care for. Anything else outside of those that are noteworthy?
There are alot of very interesting indie games with cool concepts. If you are mostly into new AAA games that are not strategy then I would say no.
 

Ansphn

Member
Because of the pandemic. The slowed down Playstation 5 console sales so Sony is trying to make as much money as they can on the huge PS4 base + the small PS5 base.

Xbox usually don't release too many exclusives besides Halo, Gears and Forza so if Playstation don't release the exclusive, it leaves a huge hole within the gaming industry.
 

The_Mike

I cry about SonyGaf from my chair in Redmond, WA
Games as a service and game pass services will be gaming's end.

These services will have 1 or 2 good games over a generation and hundreds if not thousands of filler trash.
I hope you are wrong.

Would suck if game pass turned into that.
 

AmuroChan

Member
By 2015, the ps4 and xbox one had developed a healthy library of big titles only availible on those consoles. Bloodborne, until dawn, the witcher 3, halo 5, forza 6, batman arkham knight, dying light, mkx, the order 1886, plus many more. Now we are two years into this console cycle, and i can only think of 5 releases this year that are exclusive to next gen. The callisto protocol, gotham knights, and that destroy all humans remake, and skull and bones

Callisto Protocol is not next-gen only.

There are other next-gen only releases this year:

Ghostwire Tokyo
Crusader Kings III
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodhunt
The Last of Us Part 1
Steelrising
Goat Simulator 3
 

Roni

Gold Member
I think that by the time this generation is over, we'll have a handful of games at most that will actually require a PS5-level SSD, and they'll all be first party Sony exclusives.
Cyberpunk is a game which is night and day different when you play using an SSD.
 

ReBurn

Gold Member
Diminishing returns and no stomach for risk. Nobody has ideas for games that can only be done on the new systems and even if they did they're too afraid of failure.
 

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Callisto Protocol is not next-gen only.

There are other next-gen only releases this year:

Ghostwire Tokyo
Crusader Kings III
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodhunt
The Last of Us Part 1
Steelrising
Goat Simulator 3

A couple more later this year that are new-gen only.

Gotham Knights
Scorn
A Plague Tale: Requiem
 

Jennings

Member
This gen isn't about generational exclusives, it's about playing anything anywhere, and if it actually matters to a player, getting the best game performance from the newest hardware available at any given time.
 
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Kataploom

Gold Member
Games cost money, we have the tech but companies don't have infinite resources just because "of progress" or whatever a company shouldn't care about. Yes, we can have fast loading times, tons of polis and whatever, but that just means more cost added to already expensive products just to show more details most won't care about and just to make more complex things when most people are ok with how they are already, so companies rather keep their investments in check by selling to a bigger audience on previous consoles.

I don't care, I'm ok with game graphics as they're today and if games keep getting bigger and more complex, I'll just start to skip them and look for something else to play... This gen AA has been great for me, much more than bloated AAA, which tend to overwhelm me more often than not with so many stuff for sake of quantity... I'll like some pretty graphics though, but not caring a lot, tbh, I'm more of an art style type of person.

Industry should take a pill from Nintendo and how they vary their budgets and are not afraid of selling smaller games, with less expected ROI but much less risky... I mean, they should invest smarter, instead of acting dumb by pursuing the next cash grab multi-billion GaaS that is putting Ubisoft and Square between a rock and a hard place
 
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Cyberpunk is a game which is night and day different when you play using an SSD.
That’s why I specifically said PS5-level SSD. Cyberpunk will load faster on an SSD, but the exact type barely matters. Even a cheapo SATA model will load the game nearly as fast as the best NVME drive on the market.

Compared to a mechanical drive, the PS5 SSD only cuts loading times in half, despite being dozens of times faster on paper:

 

Perrott

Gold Member
By 2015, the ps4 and xbox one had developed a healthy library of big titles only availible on those consoles. Bloodborne, until dawn, the witcher 3, halo 5, forza 6, batman arkham knight, dying light, mkx, the order 1886, plus many more. Now we are two years into this console cycle, and i can only think of 5 releases this year that are exclusive to next gen. The callisto protocol, gotham knights, and that destroy all humans remake, and skull and bones
Dying Light and Mortal Kombat X were cross-gen games that just happened to have their old-gen versions canned because the developers didn't want to spend the time and money optimizing them for PS3/360 would have required. Until Dawn didn't release on PS3 (a platform on which it was pretty much in a 1:1 alpha state compared to the finished PS4 title) because shipping a console exclusive game on both generations was an unthinkable idea given the disparity of the PS3 and PS4 architectures.

Dark Souls II literally shipped on PS3 a year before Bloodborne, no reason beyond the Cell why it wouldn't have been possible to ship it on both platforms, given the game's conceptual and technological scope (very limited compared to its predecessors).

You see the pattern?
 

Perrott

Gold Member
That’s why I specifically said PS5-level SSD. Cyberpunk will load faster on an SSD, but the exact type barely matters. Even a cheapo SATA model will load the game nearly as fast as the best NVME drive on the market.

Compared to a mechanical drive, the PS5 SSD only cuts loading times in half, despite being dozens of times faster on paper:


Check your video's upload date. What you're presenting here is the PS5's SSD running the non-optimized PS4 code through backward compatibility. That isn't the native PS5 version of Cyberpunk, hence why the point you're trying to make utilizing this as evidence doesn't hold any weight.
 

Hoddi

Member
I don't really think there's any great mystery behind it. The new consoles simply aren't powerful enough to push both next-gen visuals and higher resolutions at the same time.

The small increase in memory doesn't help either. Even the Wii U had a bigger memory increase over the PS360 than these new consoles do. I never expected 'next-gen consoles' to release with such a small memory increase and I think we're seeing the effects of it now.
 

SlimySnake

Flashless at the Golden Globes
Next year is looking a lot better in terms of next gen exclusives: Re4 Remake, Forspoken, FFXVI, Starfield, Suicide Squad, Jedi Survivor, Spiderman, etc
Yeah, but most of those are fake exclusives. They are cross gen games like TLOU remake, Gotham Knights and Godfall that are next gen exclusive just for the sake of it. Re4, Redfall, FF16, FF7 Rebirth, Suicide Squad all look last gen as fuck. Rebirth is actually using the same character models as the first game lmao.

32e222ff-da95-4690-bfc2-b1ce1c2d955e_text.gif


Starfield's vistas and scale are probably next gen worthy, but the interiors look pretty last gen. On par with cross gen games like Calisto Protocol.

They are also targeting native 4k 30 fps on the 12 tflops XSX which means a 3 tflops console should be able to run it at 1080p. That is the baseline unlike the Matrix which used the 12 tflops XSX as the 1080p 30 fps baseline.

Spiderman 2 is also doing the same thing. Targeting native 4k 30 fps for some bizarre reason. Which again means a 2.5 tflops GPU should be able to run it at 1080p.

Forspoken got a massive downgrade from the reveal trailer which makes no sense considering its next gen only. At least the hair on the character model is next gen. vistas not so much.

NONE of these games are pushing physics, destruction and CPU based simulations you mentioned. They are last gen in design AND in visuals.

Avatar is one game that could be next gen, but the delay and lack of footage after the first trailer has completely deflated any hype i had for it before E3.

I think real next gen wont arrive until late 2024-2025. And those are all games that havent even been announced yet. We literally dont know when next gen will start. Microsoft literally punted this E3 with Starfield being their only true next gen title on display. So we wont see any evidence of next gen visuals or gameplay from them until E3 2023. Sony has a chance to show us the future in their September Conference, but after last year's conference where their best showing was a CG trailer and so called ingame teaser, im not hopeful.
 
By 2015, the ps4 and xbox one had developed a healthy library of big titles only availible on those consoles. Bloodborne, until dawn, the witcher 3, halo 5, forza 6, batman arkham knight, dying light, mkx, the order 1886, plus many more. Now we are two years into this console cycle, and i can only think of 5 releases this year that are exclusive to next gen. The callisto protocol, gotham knights, and that destroy all humans remake, and skull and bones
Gamers forgot the main goal for video games companies isn’t to make a amazing game its to make money.

Chip shortage = less new consoles can be created to be sold so the install base is too small for publishers to want to make their games next gen only at the moment.

It looks like this is starting to change though. I would be surprised to see a new cross gen game launch by the end of next year
 

Hoddi

Member
Gamers forgot the main goal for video games companies isn’t to make a amazing game its to make money.

Chip shortage = less new consoles can be created to be sold so the install base is too small for publishers to want to make their games next gen only at the moment.

It looks like this is starting to change though. I would be surprised to see a new cross gen game launch by the end of next year
All of these consoles are selling like gangbusters. A game that started development four years ago isn't going to change just because the consoles missed 500k shipments in the last quarter.
 

Marvel14

Banned
By 2015, the ps4 and xbox one had developed a healthy library of big titles only availible on those consoles. Bloodborne, until dawn, the witcher 3, halo 5, forza 6, batman arkham knight, dying light, mkx, the order 1886, plus many more. Now we are two years into this console cycle, and i can only think of 5 releases this year that are exclusive to next gen. The callisto protocol, gotham knights, and that destroy all humans remake, and skull and bones
Diminishing graphics returns
 

ACESHIGH

Banned
Tbh I love it. Devs have to prove they can make a true next gen gaming experience first. We used to get those at release date on consoles, hell even the much maligned Xbox one had dead rising 3 and Ryse. A 360 would melt running those games.

I can continue gaming in my old ass gaming rig in the meantime. The games I am looking forward the most are system shock, Bayonetta 3 and BOTW 2. Those should run on a toaster.
 

Fbh

Member
Yeah, but most of those are fake exclusives. They are cross gen games like TLOU remake, Gotham Knights and Godfall that are next gen exclusive just for the sake of it. Re4, Redfall, FF16, FF7 Rebirth, Suicide Squad all look last gen as fuck. Rebirth is actually using the same character models as the first game lmao.

32e222ff-da95-4690-bfc2-b1ce1c2d955e_text.gif


Starfield's vistas and scale are probably next gen worthy, but the interiors look pretty last gen. On par with cross gen games like Calisto Protocol.

They are also targeting native 4k 30 fps on the 12 tflops XSX which means a 3 tflops console should be able to run it at 1080p. That is the baseline unlike the Matrix which used the 12 tflops XSX as the 1080p 30 fps baseline.

Spiderman 2 is also doing the same thing. Targeting native 4k 30 fps for some bizarre reason. Which again means a 2.5 tflops GPU should be able to run it at 1080p.

Forspoken got a massive downgrade from the reveal trailer which makes no sense considering its next gen only. At least the hair on the character model is next gen. vistas not so much.

NONE of these games are pushing physics, destruction and CPU based simulations you mentioned. They are last gen in design AND in visuals.

Avatar is one game that could be next gen, but the delay and lack of footage after the first trailer has completely deflated any hype i had for it before E3.

I think real next gen wont arrive until late 2024-2025. And those are all games that havent even been announced yet. We literally dont know when next gen will start. Microsoft literally punted this E3 with Starfield being their only true next gen title on display. So we wont see any evidence of next gen visuals or gameplay from them until E3 2023. Sony has a chance to show us the future in their September Conference, but after last year's conference where their best showing was a CG trailer and so called ingame teaser, im not hopeful.


I agree, that's what I was talking about in the second half of my post:
But I also think diminishing returns are a real thing. Game design hasn't evolved a whole lot since the Ps3/360 era and if the only thing your new game is bringing is some refinement and nicer graphics then it will probably scale down decently to Ps4/Xb1. Stuff like Re4 Remake is probably a next gen exclusive because Capcom has seen most of their sales are coming from PC and next gen consoles and not because it's going to have some "next gen" features that wouldn't be possible on Ps4/Xb1.

But I think it has more to do with the gaming industry as a whole than this gen specifically. As I said, IMO games have really stagnated in design since the Ps3 era, and these past 15 years have been more about refinement than any sort of true evolution. Last gen was no different, aside from graphics very few games felt like they were doing anything that truly wasn't achievable on Ps3/360. Hell if anything it's hard to find something on Ps4 with the sort of fun physics based gameplay of Red Faction Guerilla. Even something like The Witcher 3 runs on Switch, because aside from nice visuals, good writing and a staggering amount of content there wasn't anything truly "next gen" about it.

Maybe we'll get stuff doing the impressive physics, destruction and CPU based simulations you are talking about. But if I had to guess the "real" next gen will just be the same sort of games we've been playing these past 2 console gens, just with nicer graphics and a few gameplay refinements. Eventually we'll probably get some open world games with Matrix Demo style visuals pushing next gen consoles to 1080p 30fps....and they'll probably just be the same old Ubisoft formula open worlds with shinier graphics.
 

SlimySnake

Flashless at the Golden Globes
I agree, that's what I was talking about in the second half of my post:


But I think it has more to do with the gaming industry as a whole than this gen specifically. As I said, IMO games have really stagnated in design since the Ps3 era, and these past 15 years have been more about refinement than any sort of true evolution. Last gen was no different, aside from graphics very few games felt like they were doing anything that truly wasn't achievable on Ps3/360. Hell if anything it's hard to find something on Ps4 with the sort of fun physics based gameplay of Red Faction Guerilla. Even something like The Witcher 3 runs on Switch, because aside from nice visuals, good writing and a staggering amount of content there wasn't anything truly "next gen" about it.

Maybe we'll get stuff doing the impressive physics, destruction and CPU based simulations you are talking about. But if I had to guess the "real" next gen will just be the same sort of games we've been playing these past 2 console gens, just with nicer graphics and a few gameplay refinements. Eventually we'll probably get some open world games with Matrix Demo style visuals pushing next gen consoles to 1080p 30fps....and they'll probably just be the same old Ubisoft formula open worlds with shinier graphics.
Yeah, current gen game design needs a well, ground up redesign. I thought Control was excellent with its metroidvania style level design, Max Payne style shooting mechanics and impressive destruction, but it still felt very limited despite all the fancy destruction. TBH, i dont know what that next gen level design is, but I just want the games to feel more 'alive'.

When I think of next gen, I am thinking AI simulations like what the Avatar devs pointed out. They are using enhanced AI simulations to trigger stampedes in animals when they sense something is wrong like say you start a firefight near them. And their destruction system would then trigger broken trees and new paths being made by the stampede. It's not just destruction for the sake of destruction, it creates a 'system' that makes the world feel not just alive but like a sandbox where you can spend hours just messing with NPCs and physics systems and create your own. Much like when GTA3 first came out. I never did the story mission. I just messed with the NPC AIs, went on murderous rampages, killed hookers, all to trigger those cops, FBI and eventually Army tanks showing up. I actually loved creating traffic jams in the Matrix. They can go for miles. It's incredible to see.

I dont know if Avatar will have all that but I want to play the game without being limited by devs who give me a powerful bomb but wont let me break through wooden doors and walls. Who give me fire motolovs but wont let me start a fire with them in the woods. Who give me flying but limit the speed of flying to 20 mph to reduce pop-in. Avatar is hyping up faster traversal while flying and that is the kind of stuff that I am looking forward to and should be possible at least in open world games without devs hand holding us through setpiece after setpiece.
 
“Next Gen” Games are usually in the realm of AAA games. Companies are corporations first now and heavily focus test on the lowest common denominator. Simple, shallow gameplay systems, large open worlds, GAAS - whatever they can make with the prettiest graphics with very little substance - that is their MO at this point in time. When something else hits it big, they will chase after those trends.

If you want innovation, high quality story telling, amazing gameplay, and unique concepts - you have to go Indie, A, and AA. You aren’t going to find those in AAA aside from the *very* rare occasion.
 
I don't really think there's any great mystery behind it. The new consoles simply aren't powerful enough to push both next-gen visuals and higher resolutions at the same time.

The small increase in memory doesn't help either. Even the Wii U had a bigger memory increase over the PS360 than these new consoles do. I never expected 'next-gen consoles' to release with such a small memory increase and I think we're seeing the effects of it now.
I've said it for a while now that I fear this is the real answer. I'm not the most knowledgeable about the intricacies of the tech but I realized this early on after the 4th or 5th "ps5 upgrade" of a game came out and none of them could do better than 1440p/60 on ps5 without even getting ultra settings. Keep in mind these are last gen games that now have access to all of the ps5's power and time after time they are topping out at 1440p/60 or 4k/30.

Even recent Uncgarted 4 remaster is only 1440/60. Or a game on my Series X like Forza Horizon 5 which was hyped like crazy and we KNOW had a lot of work pit into it is only dynamic 4k/60 or 4k/30 and guess what? The performance mode on that game is last gen as fuxk compared to the fidelity mode. If you want to see that game looking great you have to play at 30 .. the textures are massively improved going from performance to fidelity.

This isn't going to get better either. The systems will be able to utilize better engines eventually but they will struggle in their own ways.

Name a game that got a next gen upgrade and I'll tell you how disappointing it is ..I've bought them all. Only Metro Exodus, death stranding, and gears 5 have "punched above" what I expected and even those have some limitations (gears 5 drops res a lot on series x and metro had to remove tesselation)
 
Every week a new thread with the same topic with different presentation.
It's just simple:
1. The games started production 3-5 years before this gen. The dev had a idea what this thing is capable but having an idea and having it in your hand to tinker is not the same.

2. All the games despite what the dev and the fanboys say are possible to be played with the old hardware. So there are no new game that can't be run on the old gen because of technical limitations.

3. Neither Microsoft one of the biggest companies in the world( maybe for some is difficult to grasp the word WORLD, and that is not just Amerika) or Sony one of the biggest electronic manufacturer cares about your shit thread Posts or funboy derangement syndromes. Their primal target is to make money and as much as possible. Of course they try to convey that they are your friendly neighborhood dealer that cares about you.

4. If the companies followed your whishes about only next gen games, next year we would have only mobile free bullshit games because the companies that produce the quality games would be bankrupt because there is not enough volume of consoles to generate money for the dev cycle. (120m+ ps4 on the street and we celebrate when a game pass the 10m mark, imagine how many games would they sell with just 15-20m consoles)

5. There is a global Crisis with multiple burning points, some bigger some smaller ( corona pandemic, Ukrainian war, Taiwan regional problems with China and production issues) and no your neighborhood that is still without any issue is not the center of the world.

So when the production will be smooth and there will be enough consoles on the customer hand that will generate enough money for the companies to operate then you will have your next gen games, until then you have to make threads pretending not to understand why.
 

I_D

Member
Whether it's true or not, the perception is that consoles are in short-supply.
Because of COVID, and the chip-shortage, and scalping, and the economy sucks, and people are living paycheck-to-paycheck, and etc., consoles simply aren't in the limelight.

Even though basically all of the consoles are matching/out-selling their previous iterations, the perception just isn't good.
As such, developers aren't entirely satisfied by their sales; and, therefore, developers are still making games for older systems as a way to maximize sales.
 
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Jesus fucking Christ the cynicism, pessimism and dour tone here is enough to make Bill Maher, Ricky Gervis and Chris Hitchens all clutch their pearls. For a gaming enthusiasm board you guys are negative as fuck about gaming.

Here's the answer, the chip shortage and covid set things back a year or so, we're already seeing a nice pace of next gen only from 2023 on, Wolverine, Spider-Man 2, Forza 8, Hellblade 2, Starfield. These games look fucking incredible and will be awesome. When you play them, you'll see why you upgraded from last gen to this gen. This isn't even discussing all numerous unannounced projects we'll get from both playstation and xbox first parties. PS Studios in particular are really gonna be blowing minds all gen. After GoW Ragnorok its alllll next gen only from them until the late 2020s when the gen ends. Also I suspect Gears 6 will be "holy shit is that cgi?" levels of pretty.

And that's not even getting into the third party stuff. Wonder Woman, GTA 6, Alan Wake 2, all I'm sure are poised to impress graphically when revealed fully. Stay positive, this gen is gonna be awesome, gaming ain't down for the count, there's just be a lot of extrinsic factors that this gen had to deal with that literally no other generation before has.
 
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Kikorin

Member
Because this gen jump right now is pretty much higher resolution, FPS and ray-tracing in some cases. If you lower the res, cut in half your FPS and turn off ray-tracing, is not that much of a problem have the games working even on a Switch.

We are at a point where "power" of the hardware is no more the only thing important to have insane looking games, now you need higher budget than a blockbuster movie and not much studios can afford/risk that much on a game that after years could fail.
 
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Utherellus

Member
This topic always gets me thinking:

Each of next-gen hardware is more and more powerful to the point where major bottlenecks are removed and optimized for logical steps forward.

So.... What possible game can studios create in feasible dev cycle that PS5 or Series X can't handle? Those consoles are so powerful that can you imagine the length of cross-gen after them?

Xbox One/ PS4 were weak. But their hardware is STILL relevant today as devs figure out ways to make cross-gen work.

SeriesX/PS5 cross-gen into next generation will be very long...
 
OP, sorry to burst your bubble, but there are no next gen games. Even one.

They should be impossible on last gen. That's what I call next gen. Apart from 60/120 fps and loading times, next gen features are not being used.

I guess next gen engines are taking too long and need a ton of optimisation for ray tracing and stuff.
 

Codes 208

Member
Days of “console” proprietary architecures are over. This the second gen to build onto a fairly universal PC-based x86 architecture. Asking why theres hardly any exclusives is like asking why arent there games on pc that exclusively require the RTX 3000 line
 

tommib

Member
Everyone’s crying. Wasn’t the narrative before that having the same games running at 60 fps was next-gen enough? “I just want the games to look the same and run at 60 fps”. It’s exactly what we’re getting. #stopthecrying
 
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