Games released on multi-gen platforms.

[Simsy]

Maybe it's a way of trying to get as many games sold as possible, but there seems to be a new trend in gaming: simultaneous releases of the same game on both next-gen and current-gen platforms. Obvious examples include Gun, King King, and now chatter of Twilight Princess. While I don't think it's a bad thing to let gamers hold on to their older consoles a little while longer, I'm concerned it might mean the videogame indsutry seems to be slowing down its progress in the console market.

Remeber when the N64 came out? Everyone knew, and it was damned clear, that there was no way in hell SM64 could have run on the SNES. Not even if you toned down the graphics, not even if you replaced all the music... any simile of the game would have been unplayable on the SNES.

The same was true for the jump from N64 to GameCube (I'm using Nintendo mainly because it's what I know best, though there are similar examples in the other consoles). Remember the way Rogue Leader could put like a billion things on screen, all with their own AI? There was no way the N64 could have handled that. It wasn't even considered.

But now the same games are being released for both current and next-gen platforms, which makes me wonder: aside from graphical updates, how much more innovation potential are these consoles bringing? Are we really going to be shelling out $500 every few years for a graphics update?

Discuss.

 

[Dark_Legacy]

Tomb Raider Legend. I wanna rent this game btw.

I think it has to do with what I've said before. So many bugs. Not only does it market to those who can't afford the next gen, it is more reliable to produce on the back systems at this point, because only one next gen has been released.

It's probably aimed more toward money making, but I'm willing to bet it has to do with the reliablity of the rushed consoles we're seeing.

 

[Tyrranis]

I hate 'next & current gen' games.

I first noticed this when the PS2 was launched. There was a PS1 and PS2 version of one of the Tony Hawk Pro Skater games. I'm pretty sure it was THPS4.

 

[Rekkie7]

Based on what I've seen the Wii version of Twilight Princess will play very differently because of the Wii-mote, and in that regard there is a huge amount of innovation potential.

But your right, we will make bigger and bigger leaps technology wise, but yet the games will only show smaller and smaller leaps in progress....at least graphically. It's fairly hard to make such a big leap as from 2D to 3D....but that's what Nintendo has been aiming for with the Wii-mote....it's a step towards VR which is really gonna have to be the next big thing.