The console war this generation has been more marked by the technical aspects of gaming than in any generation before. Previous generations often saw people arguing over games– I mean, yes, the technological aspects were still argued (’16-bits’, ‘blast processing’, ‘Mode-7′, ’64 bits’, ‘CD-ROMs’, ‘The Cell’), but that was always second fiddle to the argument about games.
And yet, this generation, probably because the PS4 and Xbox One share most of their lineup, it looks like the discussion is no longer about the games, but about the dots and lines each system can output to the screen. That’s not about to change either, given the release of the PS4 Pro and the impending release of the Xbox Scorpio.
What do game developers think of this relentless march towards an emphasis on the technology of gaming? When we got a chance to speak to Jamie Fisher of Climax Studios, the folks behind the Surf World Series, we asked him that question.
“Games as a medium are tied to the technology they run on in a way that, I’d argue, no other medium really is,” Fisher said. “So that progress towards more powerful platforms is always exciting; in that it moves the medium forward. On the competition between platform holders. I think it’s a net positive for everyone. Developers have more resources to play with and players have a vibrant, competitive landscape to choose from.”
Thoughts on his comments? Let us know your thoughts below and stay tuned for our full interview with Jamie in the coming days.