Though it’s often been maintained that a console is capable of outputting stellar visuals even when it’s years past obsolescence, previous generation devices released a time when they were still considered cutting edge. When the Xbox One and PS4 launched, they were already considered outdated next to the latest and greatest gaming PCs.
But does that mean either console’s GPU is actually outdated? GamingBolt spoke to Digital Extremes senior programmer Ron Janzen, who has worked on Warframe (available on both consoles), about the same. Given that AMD and Nvidia have long since released GPUs better than those found in the Xbox One and PS4, does Janzen believe either console’s graphics processing unit will become outdated further into the next console cycle?
Janzen stated that, as with the PS3 and Xbox 360 (and even the generation before those), “This has been the case with every console cycle. Even though the GPUs in the PS4 and XB1 will fall behind in raw power to the most current PC GPUs, it is offset by the fact that the consoles are a static target and it gives developers time to extract the maximum performance possible.
This is pretty similar to the current conundrum facing smartphones. Though plenty of Android devices feature octa-core chipsets and several gigs of RAM, the sheer range of devices makes it difficult for app developers to extract the best performance or build the best looking game. Better optimization means better performance and a static range of devices helps achieve that.
“Static architecture allows us as a developer to focus on performance improvements thus benefiting the end user. So with every update, they get better and better. Imagine what Warframe will look like 3 years from now on the same system? We’ll have unlocked most of the tech magic by then.”
It’s been seen time and time again. The Last of Us: Remastered may look great but it doesn’t compare to what we’ve seen of Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End till now. Likewise, as impressive as Forza Motorsport 5 was, Forza Horizon 2 already looks more impressive despite releasing a year later on the Xbox One. What are your thoughts on all of this? Let us know in the comments.