There’s also questions around the game industry as a whole. I think the recent layoffs at major companies aren’t just another cycle, but systemic. The market no longer bears production of giant games with crazy graphics that cost $70 and have a bunch of DLC and gambling mechanics attached.
Games won’t go away, but they’ll play fine on something like the Steam Deck, Switch 2, or modest gaming PC. What would high end console hardware bring to the table anymore?
Graphics are no longer a major selling point in most cases. Most people would be fine with a good game that works and isn’t saddle with microtransactions, even if it means it will look somewhat worse.
I wouldn’t say graphics have zero bearing for sales but the scales have definitely tipped towards gameplay over the last several years. Minecraft added rtx graphics and the mass majority of people, even with rtx capable cards, just yawned.
Digital game sales, outside of sports titles, are pushed by streaming engagement and riding coat tails of previous games. Look at the recent history and it’s pretty obvious.
There’s also questions around the game industry as a whole. I think the recent layoffs at major companies aren’t just another cycle, but systemic. The market no longer bears production of giant games with crazy graphics that cost $70 and have a bunch of DLC and gambling mechanics attached.
Games won’t go away, but they’ll play fine on something like the Steam Deck, Switch 2, or modest gaming PC. What would high end console hardware bring to the table anymore?
Graphics are no longer a major selling point in most cases. Most people would be fine with a good game that works and isn’t saddle with microtransactions, even if it means it will look somewhat worse.
I wouldn’t say graphics have zero bearing for sales but the scales have definitely tipped towards gameplay over the last several years. Minecraft added rtx graphics and the mass majority of people, even with rtx capable cards, just yawned.
Digital game sales, outside of sports titles, are pushed by streaming engagement and riding coat tails of previous games. Look at the recent history and it’s pretty obvious.