News of the next PlayStation console gets more enticing the more we hear about it. This time, in talking about backward compatibility, Sony’s looking to bridge the gap between the PS4 and the PS5, possibly allowing owners of each to play PlayStation 4 titles together.

As part of a recent investors meeting (where the PS5’s impressive load times were showcased), Sony discussed both backwards compatibility and the prospect of PS4 and PS5 players being able to play certain games together. “Backwards compatibility, in a networked era, becomes something that is incredibly powerful,” newly appointed Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO and president Jim Ryan said (via GamesRadar). “Because the gaming community is somewhat tribal in its nature, backwards compatibility gives us the opportunity to migrate that community from PlayStation 4 to next-gen using the ability to play the PS4 games they have on their next-generation console. We think it’s incredibly important.”

As for cross-platform multiplayer between the two consoles, SIE deputy president John Kodera noted: “Cross-generation the community can enjoy the games together.” Given the vagueness of the quote, it remains to be seen exactly how this will function.

Sony wants you to buy a PS5, sure, but the company seems to be taking steps to ensure the PS5 isn’t just another PlayStation console. Instead, Sony’s assuring that at least some of your PS4 games will play without a hitch and that you’ll be able to play with your friends who have yet to upgrade, all while supplying faster load times.

There have been numerous rumors circulating since Sony first unveiled details about the PS5. There’s no word on a release date, but if former SIE boss John Kodera’s “three years away” quote from 2018 is to be believed, we may not see the next-gen PlayStation console until 2021. As of right now, though, we do know the PS5 will use solid-state drives and will support PSVR. As far as price goes, Sony’s lead architect Mark Cerny told Wired writer Peter Rubin that the PS5 will have an “appealing” price point: “I believe that we will be able to release it at an SRP [suggested retail price] that will be appealing to gamers in light of its advanced feature set.”

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-and-ps5-cross-gen-multiplayer-teased-alongside/1100-6467124/

Diminished as its role in the industry might have become, the Electronic Entertainment Expo–better known as E3–remains a major showcase for the games industry. It’s undeniably in a state of upheaval, as an increasing number of companies either have distanced themselves from it (such as Electronic Arts, which opts to hold its EA Play event nearby in the days leading up to E3 proper) or removed themselves entirely (such as Sony, which will seemingly go without any kind of big event or press conference this June). Nevertheless, E3 2019 will still have a number of major press conferences from companies like Microsoft and Bethesda, and the show floor remains home to many major publishers. But how did we get to this point?

In the ’90s, gaming was without a major event of its own; in place of such a thing, developers had a presence at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). But May 1995 saw the debut of gaming’s own industry trade show in the form of E3. It was held at the Los Angeles Convention Center, a site that has served as the home for the vast majority of the show’s existence. Until recent years, E3 has been closed completely to the public, serving instead as a meeting place for members of the industry and press, along with retailers. That distinction was reflected in its attendance: Even at its peak, E3 paled in comparison to the sheer size of something like Germany’s Gamescom, which is open to the public.

Press conferences held in the days prior to E3 have long served as the preeminent place for making announcements and revealing games. E3 has been home to the unveiling of major games and hardware over the past two decades. Despite the existence of other major events, like Gamescom and the Tokyo Game Show, it’s traditionally been E3 that publishers save their biggest news for.

But the last decade-plus has proven to be challenging, as the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), the industry’s trade association that organizes E3, tries to figure out exactly what the show should be. From 2007-2008, it downsized the event significantly to what was known as the E3 Media and Business Summit. 2009 saw the event revert back to something closer to its former self, and more recent years have seen an increasing amount of access granted to members of the public, who had previously been unable to attend. To some degree, it’s muddled the purpose of the show; E3 is in something of an awkward middle ground now where it’s expected to simultaneously fulfill its prior role and serve as a fan event. Whereas a show like Gamescom has a day open only to industry members and the press, E3 does not. Instead, it has a few hours during the first two of its three days where the doors are not open to the public. Meanwhile, for members of the public that do attend, the reality often amounts to standing in very long lines and watching the press conferences online like those at home. It’s not really ideal for anyone.

Further complicating the purpose of E3 have been various shifts in how the industry works. Free-to-play games, games as a service, and longer console generations, combined with companies’ ability to showcase their wares through events like PlayStation Experience and Nintendo Direct, have called into question whether an event like E3, conceived during a much different era of video games, continues to be the best use of resources.

Case in point: Sony, which has typically had one of the largest presences at E3 and was responsible for one of its most significant press conferences, has opted out of E3 2019 entirely. This move comes after Sony’s atypical 2018 showing, which was criticized by some for the fact that it focused almost exclusively on four upcoming PS4 games, rather than the much wider slate we’d usually see.

Explaining the rationale behind its decision not to attend E3 2019, Sony told GameSpot last year, “As the industry evolves, Sony Interactive Entertainment continues to look for inventive opportunities to engage the community. PlayStation fans mean the world to us and we always want to innovate, think differently and experiment with new ways to delight gamers. As a result, we have decided not to participate in E3 in 2019. We are exploring new and familiar ways to engage our community in 2019 and can’t wait to share our plans with you.”

Subsequently, Sony Worldwide Studios head Shawn Layden expanded even further on the diminished role E3 serves. “Now we have an event in February called Destination PlayStation, where we bring all retailers and third-party partners to come hear the story for the year,” he said. “They’re making purchasing discussions in February. June, now, is just too late to have a Christmas holiday discussion with retailers. So retail has really dropped off. And journalists now, with the internet and the fact that 24/7 there is game news, it’s lost its impact around that.”

“So the trade show became a trade show without a lot of trade activity. The world has changed, but E3 hasn’t necessarily changed with it,” he added.

It remains to be seen what Sony’s plans for “new and familiar ways to engage” fans will look like. While it’s unusual for one of the three console manufacturers to not be at E3, some of the industry’s major publishers already sit it out. Rockstar doesn’t attend E3 in a public capacity, only having a presence during Microsoft or Sony press conferences when it has a game to showcase. Activision has already pulled out of E3 2019, though we do know that this year’s Call of Duty game will be discussed at the E3 Coliseum. This is a series of panels and discussions hosted by Geoff Keighley that anyone at E3 can attend. While it’s by no means equivalent to the various publishers’ press conferences, the Coliseum is home to some reveals and–as it’s open to fans at the show–feels like E3 continuing to try to figure out what it is in the modern day.

It’s not as if all of the major players have dropped out, however. Microsoft has pledged to “go big” at E3 2019. Nintendo will also be in there in a similar capacity to recent years, although it continues to use pre-recorded Nintendo Direct events rather than the live press conference it held in the past. Microsoft continues to go the live route, while EA has exited E3 and launched an event that takes place in the days prior. Other companies–including Bethesda and Square Enix–have stepped in to fill that gap with their own E3 briefings, alongside smaller publishers like Devolver. There’s also the possibility for Google, which is entering the industry with Stadia, to have an EA Play-style showcase around the time of E3, although it doesn’t appear that will come during E3 proper.

We don’t yet know what the future of E3 looks like. The ESA has faced its own issues, as detailed in a recent Variety report. Since that story was published, the group has named a new CEO, Stanley Pierre-Louis, who has spoken enthusiastically about E3. But he’ll be faced with addressing questions of whether the group that lobbies on behalf of the games industry in Washington should also be in charge of organizing a continually evolving trade show.

E3 could have been facing a significant change as soon as next year; E3 2019 had been the last show confirmed for the LACC, but that deal has since been extended to 2023, so we won’t see it moving to a different venue or city for at least a few more years. In the meantime, more companies could decide to drop out, as they decide the cost and trouble isn’t worth it–keep in mind, it’s not cheap to put on an E3 show, not to mention the impact it has on development as studios are forced to divert resources toward creating demos, trailers, and so on. And there are now more options than ever for sharing news, including the annual PSX and The Game Awards; Sony and Microsoft testing the waters with their own Nintendo Direct-style broadcasts throughout the year; and a new show in August from The Game Awards organizers called Gamescom: Opening Night Live. As a result, companies have more flexibility than ever to showcase their games when they’re ready to do so, rather than forcing an E3 demo or trailer out the door in June, regardless of when it would make the most sense to do so.

Only time will tell what future E3s will look like or how long it will continue to exist, but in the meantime, stick around GameSpot for in-depth coverage of whatever this year’s show brings, and check out the video above for a deep dive into the history of E3.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/why-e3-2019-will-be-different-from-past-years-and-/1100-6467123/

Join GameSpot as we celebrate gaming history and give recognition to the most influential games of the 21st century. These aren’t the best games, and they aren’t necessarily games that you need to rush out and play today, but there’s no question that they left an indelible impact on game developers, players, and in some cases, society at large.

In 2007, the newly annual Call of Duty series–while incredibly popular–had a lot of competition. It was a landmark year in games, particularly for shooters; BioShock, Team Fortress 2, and Halo 3 all arrived that year, as did Mass Effect, Assassin’s Creed, and Portal. These days, you might not expect the yearly Call of Duty entry to capture lasting attention among a sea of inventive new franchises. But in 2007, the fourth Call of Duty game, Modern Warfare, was a standout in its own right. Modern Warfare not only marked a shift for the series–it also fundamentally altered multiplayer shooters for over a decade to come.

In the 10 years or so leading up to Modern Warfare, first-person shooters had undergone rapid changes. In the mid-’90s, PC shooters were evolving thanks to technical advancements, and 1998’s Half-Life helped set a new standard for storytelling in the genre and in games generally. Both local and online multiplayer improved on a technical level, especially with regard to matchmaking and console multiplayer–thanks, in large part, to Halo 2 and Xbox Live. And then there were Medal of Honor and Call of Duty, which kicked off the World War II game boom of the early 2000s.

Modern Warfare owes a lot to these foundations. Its moment-to-moment gameplay, especially in the campaign, didn’t exactly reinvent the wheel. If you looked past the waves of enemies and incredible set piece moments, the campaign was still a rather linear series of checkpoints and, as then-GameSpot reviewer Jeff Gerstmann noted, it was “almost shockingly short.” But shock was kind of the point. It was all too easy to get swept up in its larger-than-life action and its fictional-but-still-plausible modern-day narrative. Gerstmann summed up the now-infamous mission All Ghillied Up, in which you crawl through the grass as tanks rumble over you, as “a breathtaking moment in a campaign filled with breathtaking moments.”

In many ways, Modern Warfare tread new ground. It was the first Call of Duty game not set during World War II, breaking from the series’ origins as a Medal of Honor competitor. And it wasn’t a total power fantasy like those WWII games, either. Gerstmann said it perfectly in 2007: “In a world filled with war games in which the good guys come out unscathed and the world is left at total peace, Call of Duty 4 will wake you up like a face full of ice water.” That’s illustrated best by the mission Shock and Awe, in which you have to work to evacuate your AI squadmates before a nuke detonates, all set to a countdown timer. No matter how fast you operate, you will fail, and that nuke will go off–and everyone, including you, will die.

The single-player campaign received widespread praise among critics and fans, and so too did the multiplayer. Modern Warfare introduced a number of series mainstays, including Hardcore game modes (where your health is much lower and there’s no HUD, among other changes) and Killstreaks, which later branched out into different kinds of streak rewards. But it was Modern Warfare’s class-based progression system that would end up having the biggest impact.

In Modern Warfare’s multiplayer, you started off with a choice of three classes (five total, after you leveled up a bit and unlocked the rest) with different specializations and loadouts. What set it apart was the new perks system, in which each class had preset, distinct perks that you’d unlock as you played that class. That meant that, by playing a specific way, you’d be rewarded with further ways to improve that playstyle–and once you unlocked the ability to create a custom class, you could combine perks from each class you’d been playing and leveling up.

It was a system that gave you solid incentives to keep playing, outside the general fun of competition, and that’s the kind of thing that creates dedicated players who stick with a game for months and years. Many shooters adapted this in the years following. Once a strong competitor, 2010’s Medal of Honor emulated Modern Warfare’s progression system and Killstreaks (and was followed up by one final entry in 2012 before the series was shuttered). Battlefield: Bad Company 2 in 2010 also had similar class-specific rewards, a shift from previous Battlefield games’ broader unlock system. Even Halo: Reach, a decidedly very different kind of shooter, brought classes and customizable loadouts to the Halo series’ multiplayer.

In recent years, as team-based shooters and battle royale games grow in popularity, this exact kind of progression system is becoming less and less common. Today’s Call of Duty games take inspiration from these games, not the other way around; 2018’s Black Ops 4 included a battle royale mode, and progression in battle royale games is by design not gameplay-related. But Modern Warfare set the stage for the modern concept of multiplayer shooters, games that players keep coming back to for tangible reasons–whether those reasons are gameplay-specific rewards or a randomized loot box full of cosmetics.

Call of Duty is among the most successful video game series of all time, all but synonymous with gaming in general. It is a powerhouse, even when a yearly installment fails to impress. There have been 11 Call of Duty games since Modern Warfare, some of them more sensational, perhaps–Modern Warfare 2 caused quite the stir–and some of them outstanding in their own right. Some things that have since become almost essential to the Call of Duty experience, like Zombies, came after Modern Warfare. It speaks volumes that, over 10 years later, Modern Warfare is not only one of the most important Call of Duty games, but also one of the most notable games to come out of one of the best years in gaming in the 21st century.

For a look at the rest of our features in this series, head over to our Most Influential Games Of The 21st Century hub.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-most-influential-games-of-the-21st-century-cal/1100-6466819/

A new report from Australia’s Interactive Games & Entertainment Association shows that that Australian game industry is growing. The organisation announced today that consumer spending on video games reached $4.029 billion in 2018; that’s up by 25 percent over 2017’s spending.

By comparison, the United States video game industry generated $43.4 billion in 2018.

Digital sales stood at $2.851 billion with physical retail sales amounting to $1.179 billion. Digital sales specifically jumped by a very healthy 39 percent, which is reflective of the industry’s overall trending toward digital games. Physical retail sales jumped by only 0.2 percent. This is all further evidence that digital sales are taking up more and more of the pie.

Here are some further insights from the IGEA’s report:

• In-game digital purchases jumped by 190 percent year-over-year.
• Digital full game sales rose 71 percent year-over-year.
• Mobile gaming remains huge, with 11 percent year-over-year growth in revenue.
• Console accessory sales jumped 18.7 percent and helped improve overall retail sales.
• Of the $2.851 billion in digital sales, in-game microtransactions, season passes, and expansions–this category jumped by 190 percent year-over-year.
  • Fortnite‘s massive success contributed to this uptick in revenue.
• Full-game digital sales revenue rose by 71 percent year-over-year.
• Subscription revenue rose by 31 percent compared to last year.

“The excitement for video games is continuing to grow, with phenomenal consumer sales in 2018,” IGEA CEO Ron Curry said in a statement. “Australia continues to experience video games sales growth, in line with trends similarly experienced by other countries, including the USA and the UK.”

Curry went on to say that he hopes the Federal Government will recognise that the Australian gaming industry is an “integral part of the overall screen industry, thereby allowing the sector to access screen support programs available such as refundable tax offsets.

Curry added: “It is imperative that these innovative and creative Australian-based tech companies can compete on a level playing field globally with many other jurisdictions offering support. Australian games developers should be able to take advantage, culturally and economically, of the global growth of this wildly popular entertainment medium.”

The video game industry’s next major worldwide event is E3 2019 in June. We are expecting a lot of big news from the show, so keep checking back with GameSpot soon for lots more.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/australian-game-industry-generates-4-billion-in-20/1100-6467114/