Tag: Microsoft

E3 2018: The Elders Scrolls VI and Cyberpunk 2077

Electronic Arts, Microsoft and Bethesda have already held their press conferences at the 2018 edition of the E3 video game focused event, with a relatively high number of interesting announcements delivered by the three companies and some interesting choices when it comes to short versus long term planning of reveals .

In an industry that has recently focused on quickly delivering announced titles to gamers, preferably in less than 9 months after the official announcement, both Cyberpunk 2077 and The Elder Scrolls VI are bucking the trend and yet both were the most commented on and appreciated games at their press events. Is this a sign that we, as gamers and humans, are more attracted to things that exist in the future, because they offer more possibilities and the potential for more excitement down the line, or that players want to see entirely new mechanics and that is only possible with video games that will probably only arrive on an entirely new hardware generation?

Cyberpunk 2077 was first revealed to the public way back in 2012 and a first trailer arrived in 2013. It only took until E3 2018 for the team at CD Projekt RED to deliver a full trailer, with some hints of gameplay but still mostly cinematic driven, but there was no hint of a release date. There are plenty of rumors about the title, including that it underwent a soft reboot around two years ago, and there are also hints that Microsoft, which used its press event to debut the trailer, has a deal to make it a showcase for its coming hardware, yet announced but widely rumored to be 3 to 4 years away.

For The Elder Scrolls VI Bethesda has delivered a very short teaser that reveals nothing but still closed down their press conference. The company has explicitly talked about next gen in relation to the game, although it is unclear whether they are talking about hardware or only about the engine they are planning to use. Except to see more details before the end of the year, possibly via leaks, and maybe a full trailer at next year’s E3 press conference.

The fact that this two titles are currently getting a lot of attention could be linked entirely history, franchise loyalty or developer renown. My personal take is that The Elder Scrolls VI and Cyberpunk 2077 are currently so popular because they embody the hopes of their fans (and some unaffiliated gamers) that video games can deliver something very different. We have an industry, as seen during the initial three press events, that’s segmented between big budged sameness and low budget surprise (there are exceptions) and love for big titles that are far from their launch date is a way to project that this situation can change and we might get something that’s both high quality and innovative.

Lack of Clarity from Microsoft Will Hurt New Offensive Language Policy for Xbox One

Microsoft has revealed, buried inside a longer statement about updates to its terms of service, that the company actively prohibiting the use of offensive terms when it comes to Xbox based services on both the One console and the PC. Those who violate the new terms can be suspended and banned from their accounts and can lose access to licenses and devices.

The section of the wider update that’s most relevant for gamers reads: “In the Code of Conduct section, we’ve clarified that use of offensive language and fraudulent activity is prohibited. We’ve also clarified that violation of the Code of Conduct through Xbox Services may result in suspensions or bans from participation in Xbox Services, including forfeiture of content licences, Xbox Gold Membership time and Microsoft account balances associated with the account.”

It is commendable that Microsoft is working to limit the impact of offensive language on the gaming platforms that it manages but the company is doing a very poor job communicating about its efforts. The above statement is vague enough that the community has taken it both to mean that bans and moderation will be increased and to say that nothing will change in the actual policy and that the company is only updating the terms to make them clearer for those who might have misinterpreted before.

Toxicity, mostly related to voice and text chat and the deluge of offensive terms that some use, is a major issue for the gaming industry and many gamers claim that multiplayer experiences cannot improve it moderation, including suspensions and bans, is not improved significantly.

But before it can act Microsoft needs to become much better at communicating with those who bought and use the Xbox One or associated services on the PC. This means offering clear statements about their intentions, a list of terms that can trigger moderation and a clear goal that it wants to reach when it comes to creating a welcoming platforms for gamers to express themselves without offending others.

PS4 Goes Pro, Sony and Microsoft Struggle to Move to Smartphone Model

Sony might be leading the current console generation sales race with the PlayStation 4 but the company is uninterested in resting on its laurels and is launching a two pronged effort to keep its advantage in the face of a resurgent Xbox One.

Wednesday, September 7th was supposed to be all about the new Slim version of the home console and the coming virtual reality solution for it but instead Andrew House, the leader of the gaming division, chose to focus on the newly revealed Pro version, which is an incremental upgrade aimed at both those who already own a PS4 and those who have not bought into the current generation of devices.

Sony is aiming to get the PlayStation 4 in its Pro form on the market on November 10, just in time to take advantage of the coming holiday shopping season, for the price of 399 dollars in the United States and, presumably, somewhere around 399 Euro in European countries.

Not too many reasons to get a Pro or, for that matter, a Xbox One S
PS4 is going Pro in November

The main selling points for the new device are support for 4K resolution and HDR for gaming, which are designed to deliver an improved visual experience for those who have the necessary television sets, and smoother frame rates created by more powerful CPU and GPU.

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, one of the most popular games for the PS4, is getting a special patch that will arrive when the Pro is on the market and improved performance is also promised for big fall titles that include: Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, Horizon: Zero Dawn and Mass Effect: Andromeda.

Sony is very clear that it has no plans to introduce game features that are exclusive to the PlayStation 4 Pro and that both versions of its home console will be offering full support for the PlayStation VR headset when it arrives in November.

Clear data about UHD and 4K display devices is relatively hard to come by but most estimates put it under 10% in both Europe and the United States, which means that a relatively small subset of gamers will potentially benefit from the arrival of the Pro.

Sony is clearly interested in future proofing its home console, given that it will continue to sell the Pro for at least 3 years and probably more and 4K presence in the home is expected to grow to 30 or even 40 percent by 2019.

For those who use the PlayStation 4 as a media machine Sony is saying that partnerships with Netflix for a new 4K app and YouTube is apparently working on something similar, with Amazon rumored to also be interested in delivering its content in higher resolution.

Interestingly there’s no support for Blu-ray for 4K action in the new console and it’s unclear whether there are plans to introduce it later via software update.

The Slim version of the PS4 is set to be offered later in the month for 299 dollars and it still represents the best way to get into the current home console generation, with Sony clearly aiming to make it as attractive as possible from both a financial and a technology standpoint.

HDR for video games and support for 4K when it comes to video are already offered by the Xbox One S, which Microsoft recently introduced to the market, and the new device also has a smaller form factor and an integrated power source.

The coming Pro and the S are the two versions which will be involved in sales competition associated with the Christmas season and Microsoft is planning to deliver a more powerful Xbox One, codenamed Scorpio, at some point in late 2017.

Despite the improvements delivered by the new consoles from both Sony and Microsoft it is unclear whether those who already own a launch version will be tempted to upgrade, especially if they do not own one of the new television sets that support 4K or HDR.

Basically both companies are moving towards a model that treats the gaming market like big smartphone manufacturers have been doing for years with their own and it is unclear whether veteran gamers are interested or able to invest 300 or 400 dollars or Euro every few years for relatively minor improvements.

The new Pro version of the PlayStation 4 might not be a revolution but it will be interesting to see what it can deliver in conjunction with the coming VR solution from Sony and how long it will take for the Slim to disappear completely and to be replaced by the new version.