We’ve seen a small glimpse of what the next-gen consoles will be offering, thanks to Sony’s Playstation 4 blowout; and we’ll soon be getting a taste of what Microsoft’s console will offer when they finally show it off later this month. And while pretty graphics aren’t the only thing that’ll sell the next generation, they will “blow your mind,” says Ubisoft.
It all comes down to the power afforded by the next gen systems, which are closer to PC architecture than consoles have ever been before.
"I think that amount of power gives a lot of freedom to our creators," Ubisoft’s CEO Yannis Mallat said in an interview with Game Informer (via Nowgamer), "and then it’s up to them to tailor and tame that power to what suits the game the best."
"It’s really on a game-by-game basis," he added.
And while it’s the graphics that might get people taking notice, it’s not the eyecandy that’ll keep players engaged.
"I think minds will be blown by the graphics as a hook, as an entry door," said Mallat. "To me, what’s lying beneath that or beyond that will keep our players involved. When you think about that, even on current generation systems it always takes some time for developers to tame the machine – especially the PlayStation 3."
Instead, it’s everything else – especially the social and connected elements that will make next-gen, well, next-gen. Thankfully, the similarity to PC tech means developers will spend less time on fiddling with graphics, and more time making good games.
"This time we may see creating amazing games on the visual side of things very quickly," said Mallat, "but to me the social complement and connected thing will be the next-gen experience compared to the current generation system.
"That being said, you’ll be blown away by graphics."
Last Updated: May 9, 2013
Admiral Chief Combat Engineer
May 9, 2013 at 13:33
I hope to be blown away by game-play and story before graphics
Nick de Bruyne
May 9, 2013 at 13:38
Well I do think that with that combo of great graphics as the hook and then less time needed to be spent on making the graphics work well or look good – this could work out very well for everyone.
Admiral Chief Combat Engineer
May 9, 2013 at 13:48
Agreed, less troubleshooting, more shooting troubles
Nick de Bruyne
May 9, 2013 at 14:07
Haha! Yeah
FoxOneZA - X-Therminator
May 9, 2013 at 14:00
Says the man with the monster GPU 😛
Admiral Chief Combat Engineer
May 9, 2013 at 14:02
Who, me?
Sageville
May 9, 2013 at 13:37
I am mentally prepared.
Now take my money and bring forth the said mind blowage already!
Slade Boender
May 9, 2013 at 13:43
Fuck the stupid social aspect of gaming guy. Jeez. Im all for excellent jaw dropping physics and graphics abound, just please oh please make this whole social bloody debacle an addition to the experience not a focus. I have a good feeling nextbox will fail at this horribly. THIS IS NOT WHY WE GAME. Tweeting high scores, facebook photo albums of headshots?? Nee man.
AndriyP
May 9, 2013 at 13:43
LIES
Otherwise PC gamers would all be headless by now
Admiral Chief Combat Engineer
May 9, 2013 at 13:48
XDXDXD
Oh no he didn’t!
Trevor Davies
May 9, 2013 at 14:04
Not all, some use Nvidia trollol
Jarred Holmes
May 9, 2013 at 13:46
That header…brilliant:-)
Sir Rants-a-Lot Llew
May 9, 2013 at 13:46
“but to me the social complement and connected thing will be the next-gen experience compared to the current generation system.”
Wait…. what!?!?!?! Since waneer!? I am so kwaad now I am mixing my languages!
No no no no no no no no no!!!!!
Proper games! Give us proper games! Not more SimCity and DiabloIII mistakes! Please!
Gustav Willem Diedericks
May 9, 2013 at 13:54
I’m with you on this one!
FoxOneZA - X-Therminator
May 9, 2013 at 13:54
Graphics? Next-gen graphics? The MASTER RACE have been having IT already!
Trevor Davies
May 9, 2013 at 14:03
Shut up about social features in games. If it’s not some kind of multiplayer game then I don’t want it. YOU want it because YOU want gamers to be little puppets on a string. Think I have to buy your game? Guess again surrender monkey.
Sarelseemonster
May 9, 2013 at 14:14
Oh, so NOW graphics is important….
Oculus Rift haters! 😛
/PC Rant
Tbone187
May 9, 2013 at 14:19
I think Captain Obvious escaped from Injustice…
Paul Fouche
May 9, 2013 at 14:25
i just want to be blown away…
Carlyle Fife
May 9, 2013 at 15:46
I could Swear Some Chop was Implying Console Gaming was better Than PC gaming……. Na…… impossible…. no one’s that Dumb…
Gerard Matthews
May 9, 2013 at 18:35
Marketing bullsh#t! Shut up! STFU! Funny how being different from PC architecture was previously a good thing. Can anyone reccomend a nice stable place to sit down… the spin doctor is making me dizzy!
Willem Swanepoel
May 9, 2013 at 20:15
oohhhh, so the SHARE button on the PS4 is the next gen part… damn I didnt know that ….
Jason Johnson
May 9, 2013 at 21:30
Next gen graphics already exist. It’s called PC gaming.