There Is Nothing Wrong With Sony's Cross-Gen Approach – But Hopefully People Stop Buying New Consoles On Promises Now

Last year, Sony promised that unlike rival Microsoft, who were going to soften the full reset necessitated by hard generation transitions, they were going to maintain and respect the traditional generational model, and push for the purported innovations in game design that that brings with it to the table. "We believe in generations," PlayStation head Jim Ryan said, in no uncertain terms, also then explaining that trying to maintain parity with older consoles would hold back game design and innovation – echoing a sentiment that lead PS5 architect Mark Cerny had expressed in the tech unveil of Sony's new console.

I honestly have never really had any issues with the cross-gen model. I had zero issues with it when Microsoft was doing it. I have zero issues with it now that Sony is doing it. I don't buy that cross-gen games hold anything back either. Game design or quality is not contingent on the tech available to it. The best games ever made through the four decade history of this medium have been designed under heavy technical constraints, and games that are regularly considered among the very best of all time were designed for technology far more primitive than even the PS4. So no, I honestly don't think that cross-gen holds back game design. I don't think that new technology automatically makes games better. I think it allows for new, powerful, and sophisticated tools that make developers' lives easier, and make it easier and more cost-effective for them to realize their vision than having to work around the technical constraints of weaker consoles would. But I don't think that any game will be the best ever purely because of the magical SSD in the PS5.

But even though I don't have any issues with cross-gen games, I absolutely do have issues with how Sony has handled its messaging around this topic in the last year or so. There has been a deliberate and consistent attempt to mislead and obfuscate at all times. Though Jim Ryan's words leave enough wiggle room for interpretation when viewed in isolation, in context of the broader discourse at the time – they were specifically said in response to Microsoft's cross-gen strategy, and the backlash that provoked, as well as off the tail of Mark Cerny's repeated emphasis that the PS5 would enable games that wouldn't be possible on the PS4 – it is very clear that Sony misled. And the proof of that is in the pudding, because if Sony had no intention of misleading, why, exactly, were every single one of the ultimately cross-gen games revealed as PS5 exclusive? Spider-Man Miles Morales, Horizon: Forbidden West, Gran Turismo 7, God of War Ragnarok, every single one of these games was either explicitly or implicitly supposed to be a PS5-only game, with PS4 versions only being announced much later.

horizon forbidden west

No, the "pandemic shortages" which fans often like to point at as an excuse for why these games are cross-gen have nothing to do with this strategy, either. Unlike what fans would like to believe, these games weren't meant to be PS5 exclusives initially and then only turned into cross-gen titles once the shortages that COVID-19 would cause became clear. Not only does game development not work that way – you have to scope out the technical budget and framework of your project ahead of time, and adding a system late in development can derail things significantly – but if that was true, then it would by definition nullify Mark Cerny's entire sales pitch that PS5 games wouldn't be possible on the PS4. If that was the case, how was it possible to turn PS5 games into also-PS4 ones late into their development cycle? If they were designed around the PS5, which enables experiences that cannot be achieved on old tech, how did that even happen?

But honestly, we have substantial proof, including from the developers, that this was never the case and that these games were developed for the PS4 from the get go. For instance, Guerrilla Games confirmed in an interview with Game Informer that the game had primarily been developed on the PS4, and that even playtesting of the title was being done on the PS4. If anything, the PS5 version is the one that came later, it appears. A report by VGC also seems to confirm that this is true for all of these cross-gen games – God of War, Sackboy, Spider-Man, Horizon were all in development for the PS4 from the get-go, with Gran Turismo 7 being the lone exception in being originally intended as a PS5 exclusive, and then being back ported to the PS4.

So no, Sony had always, always planned on these games being on the PS4 – they just heavily implied (or explicitly stated) that they would be exclusive to the PS5, presumably to generate hype, presumably to get people to buy the PS5 in a frenzy, maybe for some other reason. But the fact of the matter is, Sony did mislead and lie here. There is no getting around that, and honestly, it's such an unnecessary move on their part as well. The PS5 is selling extremely well right now – better than any other console has in history, actually – and it is doing that in spite of its high price, the shortages, the controversy surrounding its game prices, and loads of bad press Sony seems to have a habit of generating these days. It's selling well because it's an amazing product, and because Sony makes amazing games. It was always going to sell well on those merits – Sony didn't need to lie to artificially generate hype, particularly since the blowback with every single announcement for a game by them that will also come to the PS4 just ends up being egg on their face now as a result.

God of War 2

The blowback actually appears to come most from those people who bought the PS5 on the promise of exclusive next gen showcases for the console. I get that sentiment. The PS5 is not cheap – it's $500 and it's extremely hard to find, and it's all that in the middle of the worst economic slowdown the world has seen in a hundred years. People who bought the system on the promise of a next generation God of War or Gran Turismo (two of Sony's biggest franchises) only to now be told they aren't actually getting that, that the games they are getting will be prettier versions of PS4 titles in those franchises, have a lot of reason to feel jilted (even if I personally don't think that the game design will suffer from being on the PS4 like so many seem to). I mean, sure, the PS5 has had exclusive titles from Sony – but none from Sony's biggest and most popular franchises. Spider-Man, Horizon, Gran Turismo, God of War, all seem to be opting for cross-gen, rather than committing to delivering next-gen exclusive experiences.

For people who spent the $500 on the console on the promise of those experiences, I do feel bad. However, ultimately, I feel that this is just vindication of an age-old refrain I have held – do not buy a console until you actually need to. Definitely do not buy it on a promise.

Consoles are expensive purchases. You should really only buy them once there is enough already available that justifies the hundreds of dollars you will be spending on it. This can be anything – it can be one showcase game that you feel is worth springing that money for, it can be new entries in your favourite franchises for that console, or it can be a specific number of games that finally makes you comfortable enough to pull the trigger. But you should only do it once those games are actually out. Buying consoles on promises is always a short-sighted decision. Because you have two options – either you buy a PS5 now because a God of War game for it has been promised, or you wait till God of War for the PS5 is already out and buy it then. The latter is always the better option because it is a more informed purchase. You're waiting till a) the game is out b) you are aware of its quality and c) you know what it entails (I.e. you are not buying a system on the promise of a next-gen only experience that doesn't exist; at that point, if you are choosing to buy a PS5 for God of War, you are doing so knowing it has a PS4 version as well). You can't possibly feel misled or like you wasted your money then, because you know what you spent your money on – rather than having spent your money on something that is never delivered in the form it was promised to begin with.

Breath of the Wild

To be clear, I don't think this is exclusive to Sony either. I think this applies to all consoles. Consider the Wii U – it sold pitiful amounts, but how many of the people who bought it bought it on the promise of that great new open world Zelda game for it? That game was eventually delivered, sure, and it was amazing, but it was also inferior on the Wii U (and would go on to become the signature game for its successor). So if you spent $300 on the Wii U to play Breath of the Wild, you could either resign yourself to playing an inferior version after a years-long wait, or you could spend another $300 to play it in the best form possible. This, of course, could have been avoided if you'd waited to spend the money on the Wii U until the game you were buying it for – Zelda in this case – was actually out.

Ultimately, of course, everyone will decide how they want to spend their money. And spending money foolishly doesn't absolve companies like Sony lying and misleading like they did with regards to the cross-gen situation for the PS5. But I do feel that there is something to be said for customers exercising some judgment before they spend hundreds of dollars on shiny new toys. Sony may have misled, but people who feel jilted at the money they spent wouldn't have had they just… not spent the money until they had more information and concrete reasons to buy the product, rather than just empty promises.

So in an ideal world, I could hope that Sony, and Nintendo, and Microsoft, stop misleading their customers and are honest and upfront. But in this same ideal world, I'd also hope that customers actually start waiting before committing to expensive purchases – at the very least wait for the game you want to buy the console for to be out before you buy it. And, well, if the point was never the game, and it was just the console itself? Then you really shouldn't feel that let down if a game or two isn't what was promised. There are still plenty of next-gen experiences on the PS5 right now, and there will be more. Even a new PS5 only God of War and Horizon will eventually come. Unless the point wasn't next gen games, but specific next gen games, the PS5 is delivering well enough that you don't really have much to complain about in that case right now.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

God of War Director Calls Out Abuse Following Delay and Cross-Gen Announcement

It was recently announced that the upcoming God of War sequel had been delayed from its 2021 launch window into 2022, and that it would be launching as a cross-gen game rather than as a PS5 exclusive (which was apparently a decision that was made long before this announcement). While there was some discontent amongst audiences about the game being cross-gen, where its delay is concerned, the vast majority of people reacted with support and encouragement for the developer. There are always a few bad seeds out there, however, who react in the most reprehensible way possible.

Former journalist Alanah Pearce, now part of the writing team on God of War: Ragnarok (or whatever it ends up being called), recently took to Twitter to share a screencap of messages sent to her by an angry player, using vile and abusive language while reacting to the recent God of War announcements. Cory Barlog, the game's director, called out the abuse, while defending the development team. The message in question that was sent to Pearce is quite explicit, but if you want, you can take a look at it and Barlog's response through here.

This should go without saying, but reactions like these where anybody is concerned are far, far from okay, especially when the thing that's provoking such a reaction is a video game.

Yuji Naka Seems to Have Left Square Enix After Balan Wonderworld's Disappointing Reception

Balan Wonderworld was something of a disappointment both critically and commercially, and it appears that disappointment has caused director Yuji Naka to leave Square Enix. Naka is probably best known for his time at Sega, where he was one of the co-creators of Sonic the Hedgehog and served as a programmer and producer on several games.

The news of his departure comes via Naka's LinkedIn and Facebook pages, which were recently updated to show that he had departed Square Enix on April 30th. The updates were first spotted and translated by VGChronicle. Square Enix has not officially confirmed Naka's departure.

Naka formed Balan Company, an internal studio at Square Enix composed of several veteran developers including Naoto Ohshima, the artist who created the original designs for Sonic the Hedgehog, to develop the game. It is not clear what Naka's departure would mean for the studio or any of its staff members.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade Will Get Previously Exclusive PS4 DLC for Free

Final Fantasy 7 Remake got a new update yesterday. The update, version 1.02, does exactly one thing: allows PS4 users to transfer their save data to the PS5 version, Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade, which releases next week. But save data isn't the only thing coming over from the PS4 version of the game.

Square Enix also announced that five accessories, the Chocobo Chick, Cactuar, and Carbuncle summons would all be coming to Intergrade as a single DLC pack, all for free. All of these were previously exclusive items that were only obtainable via pre-order, in the deluxe version of the original release, or via special promotions.

Now, however, all of these items will be available for free to everyone, whether they previously owned them or not. Players will previously owned the DLC will still have to download it again on PS5 to access it. This isn't the first time Square has made exclusive DLC from the PS4 version of the game free. The company also made the promotional Butterfinger items (yes, you read that correctly) and Tifa theme free last year.

No More Heroes and No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle Are Releasing on PC on June 9th

Publisher Xseed games and developer Grasshopper Manufacture have announced that they're bringing No More Heroes and No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle to PC on June 9th. The titles will release on Steam and retail for $19.99 / £17.99 / €19.99 each. Both games will be on sale at a 10% discount for the first week after launch, according to the publisher.

This isn't exactly surprising news as the games were previously rated for PC by the ESRB, but it is surprising how quickly Xseed and Grasshopper are going from announcing the ports to releasing them. No More Heroes and No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle were originally released on the Wii in 2007 and 2010, respectively. Both games were re-released on the Switch last year.

The PC versions of the games will feature support for HD resolutions, 60 frames per second gameplay, and additional features including Steam Cloud support. A third game in the series, No More Heroes 3, will launch for Switch on August 27th.

Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers Can't Currently Be Purchased on the Switch eShop

Ultra Street Fighter 2: The Final Challengers can't currently be purchased on the Nintendo Switch eShop, at least in the US. The game is still available in the Canadian eShop, as well as in the EU and Japanese eShop, so it doesn't necessarily mean the game is being delisted, but it has been unavailable for more than 24 hours.

The news comes courtesy of Nintendo Switch subreddit user IvyBoi64, who spotted the change will browsing the Nintendo eShop. While the listing for Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers is still up, there is currently no way to digitally purchase the game in the US.

"Idk, if i'm only one who have seen this, but Ultra Street Fighter 2: The Final Challengers has been delisted from the eShop," IvyBoi64 wrote. "It seems to just be the only in US, as it's still available on the EU and JP eShop. It's only letting you buy the physical version. It may be temporary, but it's been like that since yesterday morning."

While Capcom has delisted games without warning before, it seems unlikely that that's the case here given that the company doesn't share the Street Fighter rights with anyone else. Hopefully, whatever the reason for the game's delisting is, it's solved soon.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade Still Has a Huge File Size on PS5

Aside from its absurdly fast loading speeds, one of the major things benefits of the PlayStation 5 is its proprietary SSD's ability to reduce the file size of games installed on it. Perhaps the most dramatic example is Subnautica. While the original game clocked in at 14 GB on PS4, the PS5 version is only 3.5 GB. That's a file size reduction of 70%.

Anyone hoping for a similar file size reduction for Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade, the PS5 version of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, is in for a bit of disappointment, however. According to PlayStation Game Size, the game weighs in at 81.3 GB on PS5, and that's without any patches that may or may not be coming. For comparison, the original PS4 will eat up 86 GB of your hard drive space. So it's an improvement, but not much of one.

It's also unknown if that 81.3 GB includes INTERMission, the upcoming Yuffie DLC expansion, or just the base game. If it doesn't, that file size could get quite a bit bigger. As long as it fixes the game's door textures, however, that's probably okay with most people.

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered is Coming to Xbox Game Pass and EA Play

Need for Speed's had a rough go of it lately, with several of the series' older games, namely Need for Speed Carbon, Need for Speed Undercover, Need for Speed Shift, Need for Speed Shift 2: Unleashed, and Need for Speed The Run delisted from digital storefronts in late May.

But it's not all bad news. Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered will be coming to Xbox Game Pass and EA Play on June 24th. The title, a remaster of Criterion's 2010 Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, features cross-platform multiplayer on all platforms. It released in December of last year.

The game was remastered by Stellar Entertainment, who also did the remaster for Criterion's excellent Burnout Paradise. The remaster includes all of the game's DLC and added new car colors, quality of life improvements, an updated photo mode, and more. We thought it was pretty good, so it's worth checking out if you have a racing itch.

Avowed is No Longer on the E3 2021 Docket – Rumor

As E3 2021 rounds the corner, rumors of which games may or may not be appearing continue to run rampant. Obsidian Entertainment's Avowed has been an interesting title to follow in this respect. GamesBeat's Jeff Grubb said that it would not be at the Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase on June 13th. Verified insider sponger would then state that based on the information they had, Avowed would have a trailer and that the game "is almost fully on schedule."

Now another insider Nate Drake is claiming that it's no longer on the E3 2021 docket. On ResetEra, he said that he "Did more digging and it does appear Jeff Grubb's info was more up to date as Avowed no longer appears to be on the E3 docket. It was definitely considered for E3 but hopefully its removal means we see it sooner rather than later at another Microsoft event."

So it's possible that previous rumors of the game's appearance were either outdated or changed at the last minute. In any case, with so many big games in development at Xbox Game Studios and Bethesda, like Starfield, Psychonauts 2 and the rumored Project Typhoon, Avowed could have been left off to make room. As such, you should take all of this with a grain of salt until the show takes places.

Avowed is currently in development for Xbox Series X/S and PC with a rumored release in late 2022/early 2023. Stay tuned for more details in the meantime.

Scarlet Nexus Trailer Explains the Setting, OSF, Protagonists and Much More

Scarlet Nexus is out later this month with a demo being live on Xbox and PlayStation platforms. But for those who are wondering just what the heck is going on, Bandai Namco has released a new trailer that outlines the world, its setting and more. Check it out below.

Set in the brain punk future of New Himuka, Scarlet Nexus sees humanity discovering a psionic hormone in the human brain that grants extra-sensory powers. When the Others invade, it's up to the Other Suppression Force to push them back. However, it's clear that the futuristic utopia has some cracks. All of the citizens are linked to Psynet and seemingly under constant surveillance.

Furthermore, one of the protagonists Yuito Sumeragi comes from a prestigious family with his father leading the current government and his brother Kaito commanding the OSF. We'll have to wait and see what strange mysteries await in New Himuka and powerful Others like the Court Mourt ensure the journey won't be easy. Scarlet Nexus is out on June 25th for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and PC.