The Monday Inbox thinks the Xbox Series X will suffer the same fate as the Xbox 360, as one reader hopes for the Fire Emblem anniversary edition in the UK.
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Silver lining
Okay, so we’re just weeks away from the next gen starting up and I realise there’s a lot to be worried and sceptical about but I’m starting to get a real case of the excitements now. I took a chance and pre-ordered the PlayStation 5, even though I agree with the Reader’s Feature at the weekend, that the game prices are ridiculous. I completely understand drawing the line there but for me I’m going to go for it and pick up Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Demon’s Souls at launch.
There’s no point in doing these things half-hearted though, so I’ve also taken from 19 November off work so I can have a four-day weekend to play the games and get a feel for the new console. And I wondered if I was the only one? I can’t imagine I am but sometimes it feels like I’m the only getting excited about all this stuff.
It’s been such a weird, bad year that I just want to try and make the most out of one of the good bits. So while some may scoff, to me it seems like making the most of a rare highlight. I know Sony and Microsoft would’ve done things differently if it wasn’t for the coronavirus but with the second wave now in full effect, and the nights closing in, playing a brand new console seems like a pretty good silver lining to me.
Gorn
Everything but the games
I think the truth about the next gen this year is it’s going to be impossible to tell how things are going. Both consoles (all four, technically) are going to be sold out the whole time and there’ll basically be no comparison you can make, especially as I doubt either company gives proper numbers.
But I do feel that Xbox Series X/S will be the long-term winner. Or, rather, I think it will prove that Game Pass is the way forward for the industry. My prediction is that it’ll be a situation like Xbox 360 where Microsoft will drive all the innovation at the beginning of the generation, leaving Sony looking a bit lost. Then Sony will realise their mistake and start to copy Microsoft’s best ideas and eventually win anyway.
I do feel they should’ve copied Game Pass already and that their stubbornness is just down to arrogance, but the problem is that Microsoft hasn’t solved any of the problems that saw the Xbox 360 eventually lose out: they’re still not big anywhere but the US and UK, their games still aren’t varied or iconic enough. Microsoft basically do everything but the games well and in the short term at least I don’t see any sign of that changing.
Magus
Zelda Impact
Good Reader’s Feature about Genshin Impact at the weekend. I became aware of the game a week or so ago and like many was just expecting a shameless clone with horrible microtransactions and it kind of is both those things. But it’s also a really well-made game and I’ve been enjoying it a lot.
It’s like if someone took Zelda: Breath Of The Wild and turned it into a slightly more generic Japanese role-playing. Well, actually, it’s not like that, it is that. That’s exactly what it is.
But for anyone that would’ve ignored it out of hand for its weird name, non-descript artwork, and free-to-play implications I would definitely give it a go. I only wish the developer had put more emphasis on originality rather than microtransactions, but I guess that’s the reality of the games market in China. I’d be super interested to see what they do next though.
Schmitt
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Only in America
You guys published this article and now I am keen to get the collectors release, but cannot seem to find out here it is being sold in the UK. Any way you guys can help? Here is where I have read it.
Belton
GC: It was never mentioned by Nintendo UK, in the press release they sent us. We’ve since asked them to clarify if it’ll be available here but it’s already looking unlikely. Which means your only option is probably going to be eBay.
Expensive extra
Why so negative about a media remote GC?
These are multimedia boxes and often used as main movie players. Navigating menus and movies, etc. in the dark with a controller is not intuitive and irritating when the controller is set to switch off after a certain amount of time.
The PlayStation 3 remote was excellent and it was extremely irritating that there was no remote for the PlayStation 4 at launch. I bought the Xbox One S primarily as a 4K UHD Blu-ray player, the fact it played games was a bonus. The media remote is excellent again, it would really annoy me if I had to use the gamepad.
Having a remote available day one isn’t remotely the same thing as the reason there was a backlash against the Xbox One.
thewearehere (PSN ID)
GC: It’s £25. £25! But if you find it useful don’t let us stop you.
Fight the hype
After reading PLM’s feature on cancelling his PlayStation 5 order because they thought the prices of games are bad, or that Microsoft are trying to suck in the Xbox users for their streaming/subscription game services, I’d like to say to them, don’t worry about it as you’re not losing interest – you’re losing the desire to be pulled into the hype.
When the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One were released I steadfastly refused to buy them and instead waited until there was a lovely catalogue of games that I could buy that were reasonably priced and, for me, single-player.
With that in mind, I ended up buying a Wii U instead (yes, I know, worst console Nintendo have made, but some fabulous games) to complement my PlayStation 3 and played out my backlog of games until last year when, finally, the PS4 Pro had a bargain deal and I’ve hoovered up all the great games with no stress of buying a dud.
Now, I’ve got enough to last me another couple of years and can make a more informed future purchase when I see the state of play. Hopefully, smaller machines and a good idea of which is best supported, including whether the whole Game Pass thing works out or if Microsoft start raising the price once they’ve got a big enough audience.
So, I would say they’ve matured the decision-making process and are trying to make sure they back the winner. I’ve already said in the past that Microsoft are trying to buy the market now but, secretly, I hope that doesn’t come to pass and we still end up with a great choice of games to play now and in the future.
Interestingly enough, I also agree with PLM on waiting on a Switch purchase too. I’m gagging to get one but I’m not going to be stung with an inferior model that might not play everything, or they might fix the Joy-Con drift issue on. Either way, going forward, the one company that won’t fall by the wayside is Nintendo!
ZiPPi
Ray of hope
I just saw the recent article about Devil May Cry 5 and noticed on the developer’s website that only PlayStation 5 will have ray-tracing at launch, while Xbox Series X would get ray-tracing as a patch later on.
Have the developers clarified if that’s still the case or will ray-tracing be available for both platforms at launch? I’m quoting information from the official website which says, ‘Ray-tracing features will be available upon release for the PlayStation 5 version and will be added to the Xbox Series X version in a downloadable patch post release.’
Dominique
GC: There was nothing else about it in the comments from the marketing guy. We’d imagine it’ll come down to the wire and whether they can get it into a day one patch.
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Two years in one
Thanks to lockdown, and between Game Pass, Animal Crossing, and even my old DS (discovering Advance Wars), I’ve played more games in the last six months than ever before. Game Pass went from an interesting idea to a concept I’m now sold on, letting me play gems such as Ori and The Outer Wilds, as well as Final Fantasy’s past with 7 and 9 (which pleasantly surprised me with how much enjoyment they gave me). However, the biggest time sink was definitely Animal Crossing: New Horizons – the type of laidback game that I didn’t really have.
I remember people thinking everyone would be bored of games by October and in May I couldn’t disagree more strongly. But now, it feels like I’m the only one waning off them. Universities starting (giving a sense of normality) helped, but my interest had already been waning (not to mention the constant annoyance of drift slowing my Animal Crossing – they’d fix one, then the other would drift!).
In stark contrast to just a month ago, I only play for around an hour a week right now, and mainly multiplayer games like Mario Kart and Smash Bros. That’s well below my pandemic and pre-pandemic average and the only other game I’m interested in playing is an exercise game (although that’s more because of the uncertain status of gyms).
So that’s my gaming in 2020, a roller-coaster which probably has two years of games in one – but compared to 2020 as a whole barely a blip.
ChemBrine
Inbox also-rans
What’s the difference in quality between 60Hz and 120Hz on a TV? Is that going to be as noticeable as 30fps and 60fps or am I seeing this from the wrong angle?
Nick The Greek
GC: There’s no perceptible difference unless you’re running games at higher than 60fps, which looks like it will be a rare option in the next gen. If the game is above 60fps though the 120Hz refresh rate will help the game to appear smoother. However, a game running at 120fps does have less input lag whatever your TV, so there is a benefit to it outside of needing a 120fps TV or monitor – although the difference is still mild.
What is the latest on Uplay+ coming to consoles? Big fan of many Ubisoft games. Would be lovely for Microsoft to continue their spending spree and add it to GamePass eventually too.
Jez
GC: Now you mention it, we don’t think they’ve said anything about it yet. Not even after the Ubisoft Connect announcement.
RE: Kehaar and Deus Ex. It’s not a remake or remaster but the very first game is available to download on PlayStation 3 as a PlayStation 2 classic if you want to play it.
LastYearsModel
Is it just me or have the recent Reader’s Features been relentlessly negative? ‘Why Sony/Microsoft/Nintendo have failed’, ‘Why I’m not excited about the next gen’, ‘Why I’m giving up gaming altogether’. Is the state of gaming in 2020 really that bad?
Multi
GC: The reader with the Oculus Quest 2 headset seemed pretty happy. But it’s common for people to be worried about such a big purchase, especially this year.
This week’s Hot Topic
Since it’s Halloween this week the topic for this weekend’s Inbox asks what is your favourite horror game of all time?
Although they’re not as common as they used to be horror games are still being made today, but which is your favourite and which do you think is the scariest – whether that’s the same game or not.
The next gen already has a number of horror games announced – including Resident Evil Village, The Medium, and Scorn – so what are you hoping for from them and the genre in general on the new consoles?
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The small print
New Inbox updates appear every weekday morning, with special Hot Topic Inboxes at the weekend. Readers’ letters are used on merit and may be edited for length.
You can also submit your own 500 to 600-word Reader’s Feature at any time, which if used will be shown in the next available weekend slot.
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