The PlayStation 4 will rekindle the diversity of games last seen during the PSone era, Sony has said.

During his keynote presentation at the Develop Conference in Brighton this morning, PS4 chief architect Mark Cerny predicted a “renaissance of gaming”, fuelled by indie titles, that will echo the early years of PlayStation.

“With PSone there was no way to make an indie title,” he said. “The hardware didn’t support digital downloads and all games were distributed on CD-ROMS. There was no way for creators to directly reach their audience.

“But triple-A game development was very different than it was today. Crash Bandicoot, which sold six million units, was created by just seven people. A typical individual would contribute broadly in the creation of a game.

“Due to small team sizes the barriers to creating new types of experiences were quite low, and consequently the diversity of games available at retail was quite high. As a result, there was a certain fun factor that was an intrinsic part of the PlayStation DNA in those years.

“Concept-driven titles like PaRappa the Rapper, Devil Dice and Intelligent Cube were well received by the game playing audience and each went on to sell over a million units.”

This diversity was lost on PlayStation 2, Cerny explained, because development teams had to get bigger to realise the power of the console. And the problem only accelerated with the arrival of PlayStation 3.

Now, after breaking down a number of barriers to indie development on PlayStation, Sony has made steps to help the sector thrive.

It’s streamlined its processes, made game development easier on its raft of platforms and boosted the discoverability of indie titles to ensure they can be found on the PlayStation Store.

“The console audience has woken up to the potential of indie games,” Cerny said, pointing to the success of Telltale Games’ The Walking Dead series.

“With the release of PlayStation 4, we understand we have an opportunity to fundamentally alter the landscape of gaming.”

The PS4′s PC-like architecture makes it easier to develop original titles directly on the platform, he said. “Even if the games use simpler graphics engines, the increased system memory means it’s trivial to support larger animation sets or more detailed virtual worlds.

“On PS4, I believe the indie paradigm will have the hardware as enabler, not as the central player, which is to say that Octodad isn’t about the triangle count, it’s about keeping your cephalopod nature a secret from your human family.”

Cerny praised Sony Computer Entertainment’s publisher and relations specialist Adam Boyes for spearheading the company’s drive to increase the number of indie titles on PlayStation.

“On the business side, we’ve had a bit of an epiphany,” Cerny said. “Since Adam Boyes joined SCE, pretty much the whole process has been overturned. He wanted us to look at the day in the life of an indie developer, and challenged us to explain whether our processes were helping or hindering the creation of the diverse titles we were looking for.

“We ended up radically simplifying concept approval. We fully support self-publishing across all platforms, so it’s now possible for developers to maintain complete creative and financial control. We now pretty much support any business model, whether it be buy-to-play, free-to-play, episodic or micro-transactions. And we’re doing what we can to support indie development financially as well, whether that be through loaner dev kits or our incubation program or direct support from the Pub Fund.

“We also understand that accessibility is paramount. So we’ve gone from putting our process out front to putting people out front, which is to say your indie journey on PS4 as a developer begins by tweeting Shahid Ahmad, not by filling out a form.”

And with PS4, expected to launch this November, improvements to the user interface should help, too. Cerny noted the Share button, which will allow gamers to “easily elevate” the experiences they enjoy, before revealing digital distribution is getting increased prominence, with buying games on the PlayStation Store “radically simplified”.

“So, as a result of these technical, business and platform factors, we believe that a renaissance of gaming is coming on PS4,” Cerny concluded. “Heavy content will thrive on the platform, but in many ways we will also be returning to the creative freedom and broad content that made the early years of PlayStation so unforgettable.”

The studio first peaked our interest through a tweet:

Ninja Theory are hiring! Have you got what it takes to be our next Ninja? Check our career page for details http://t.co/lcf1iqm923 #gamejobs

— NinjaTheory (@NinjaTheory) July 3, 2013

Now, all one has to do is visit Ninja Theory’s Ninja Theory Career Page, Senior Designer, Technical Director and Lead Character Artist pages to confirm that the new game is quietly being developed by the studio.

It’s anyone’s guess what game, new IP or sequel, Ninja Theory is working on, but this revelation is quite exciting. Oh, and don’t worry about my header image, it’s just a pipe dream.

Thanks, AGB.

Ubisoft believes people everywhere want to express themselves in increasingly unique ways, and games should be an avenue by which said expressions are relayed. Current gen consoles don’t have the prowess for such expansion, and it’s one of the reasons why the new systems need to be released sooner rather than later.

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot said all this in a prepared statement today, courtesy Gamespot:

We live in a world of self-expression. Everywhere, everyone is creative and wants to add value. Customization, or curating, is a huge growth area across all services and that holds true for games. People want to play in their own way, they want to define their own experience and they want to share the way they’re playing.

So do you agree? Are you starved for a PS4 or the next Xbox? Let’s talk. Do it here: The Official Games Thirst GDDR5.

With each passing day, new information regarding PS4 and the next Xbox leaks, and it seems as if every week a new game for said consoles is being unveiled. The writing’s on the wall, then, the seventh generation of gaming is almost out the window, as the industry transition’s itself for the eighth. Speaking of numbers…

The number 8 stands for new beginnings, and nowhere is it magnified them most than in the games industry, as we’ve seen big disruptions in recent years.

Mobile gaming’s changed the landscape, social gaming has had its effect, and the free-to-play model is looking to take a foothold. PC gaming has also seen an insurrection of sorts, after the platform laid dormant or, more pointedly, quiet for many years.

But as the next Xbox and PS4 are ushered in, there are new realities that will also take hold. Fresh opportunties will be realized and new ways to play will be introduced. Soon you’ll be able to share an indescribable moment of gaming with all your friends. Soon you’ll be able to start a game on your console and continue it on your smartphone or tablet and, in Sony’s case, PS Vita. Visuals will blow us away, new integrations will wow us. It’s time to make that transition, folks. Time to get excited about what’s looking to be the most interesting generation of gaming to date. It might also be the last generation where hard copies will be available, so I say let’s ready our bodies for the most awesome years of gaming yet.

By the way, it’s the weekend, what are you up to? Share it, and have a blessed one!

Speaking at the Game Horizon conference today, Rein said:

The next-gen consoles are going to be fully embracing the free-to-play and these IAP-type business models. So in case you don’t know that I’m putting that out there. Sony and Microsoft are both going heavily in that area.

When pressed on the matter, with Sony and Microsoft giving little examples of how they’ve embraced the model, Rein added:

Well, I’m telling you. I’m telling you what they’re telling developers.

I guess we’ll learn more at E3. Thanks JoyStiq.

Big Games Come Early

Do you realize that every big game that’s already been announced will be released in the first half of 2013? Have a look at this IGN list and you’ll notice something very strange. Why is it that Bioshock Infinite, God of War: Ascension, Tomb Raider, Metro: Last Light, Gears of War: Judgement and other big titles are releasing in or around March, 2013? It’s almost insanity, and it’s something publishers would otherwise stay away from. The thing is they simply can’t; because once mid-May hits, all the talk will be about Sony and Microsoft’s new consoles. Alas, that’s all people seems to be talking about these days.

Xbox 720 – “And It’s On”

It’s no secret, folks. 2013 is the year Microsoft lets loose its next big thing: the next Xbox. It’s not even a rumor any longer, as the firm itself has already sent live a countdown clock leading up to E3, with a quote that reads: “And it’s on”.

Developers are already hard at work on new titles for the platform and they’ll want to showcase these games by midyear to build enough hype… And once E3 2013 rolls around, no one will be talking about PS3 and Xbox 360 and the games they offer, doesn’t matter how good said games may be. It’ll be Xbox 720 and…

PS4 

Sony isn’t about to allow Microsoft to get the edge again by releasing PS4 in 2014. In fact numerous rumors have pinned down the console to be released even before Microsoft’s Xbox 720, as Sony tries to regain its dominance in the industry. On it’s behalf, major first-party developers have been forging games, we believe, like Killzone 4, Uncharted 4, inFamous 3, a new LittleBigPlanet title, and other major titles for the platform.

Again, nobody will be talking about PS3 then.

Steam Box

Valve confirmed to Kotaku at the VGAs that they too are readying hardware to make PC gaming more accessible through Televisions, a venture that sure has Microsoft and Sony thinking.

Imagine playing PC games, in all their glory, easily on your TV. That, in essence, is what Valve’s Steam Box is.

Ouya

Ouya will be available before any of the consoles, and while it doesn’t represent a threat to Sony and Microsoft , it’ll be interesting to see how it all plays out. and who will be buying the Android-based console. If its Kickstarter success is anything to go by, Ouya just might be a winner.

But you can expect the year to become even more exciting once next-gen titles start showing up. As of now, we know about…

Star Wars 1313

Watch Dogs

Star Wars 1313 and Watch Dogs are just two titles we already know, and have seen, that are surely next-gen offerings. But you can bet your bottom dollar that all major developers are working on PS4/Xbox 720 games.

Here Are The Obvious Ones

Battlefield 4

New Call of Duty

Uncharted 4

Killzone 4

Assassin’s Creed Next Gen

Gran Turismo 6

New Forza

New Gears of War

New Final Fantasy

New Crysis

New Halo (Halo Infinity?)

Oh yeah, and that Game From Respawn.

Expect most of these titles to at least be announced later this year, with some, like Battlefield 4 and the next Call of Duty becoming available this fall.

So 2013 is the year gamers should pay the closest attention to the industry, because I’m not sure when else we’ll see another like it.

New Breakthroughs

From what we’re hearing, don’t expect Sony and Microsoft’s machines to simply be more powerful; but expect new ways of playing, as Sony goes heavy with its Virtual Reality technology, and Microsoft beefs up motion play with Kinect 2, allowing you to take full control of not only your game, but your entire living room with simple gestures.

Expect more depth in games, as developers make good use of the tools at their disposal, resulting in better AI, more life-like visuals, in-depth stories, longer gameplay – all accounting for an overall better gaming experience.

Games Thirst will be there to watch as it unfolds, and cover the full thing, bringing our community breaking news, videos, previews, reviews, rumors, quick quenchers and more, all while having some of the best “Thirsty Conversations” anywhere.

Brace yourself, friends. 2013 will be a memorable year.

I know I am. I’m ready for Killzone 4 and whatever it is Black Tusk is helming. I’m ready for Watch Dogs and the next generation Uncharted game! I’m so ready for better visuals and more realistic set-pieces – are you? Or are you just fine with what we have? Either way, you can’t deny that the next-gen rumor mill is already rolling, and just like past generations, expect a lot of noise leading up to Sony and Microsoft’s big unveiling next year.

This weekend is extremely quiet for me, a welcome break from the hustle of past Saturdays. I’ll also buy and play Walking Dead, or else face virtual bullets from Foxton

What are you good Games Thirst people up to this weekend? Share it! and have a great one!

Let’s talk. Do It Here: The Official Games Thirst Opinion Hall.

That’s because console makers must give developers dev kits about two years prior to launch and during that time changes are constantly being made, and also because when new systems are released, some jump aboard and others stick with their “old” mchaines, essentially dividing the base.

Said Hines:

For me the problems with new consoles are two-fold. The developers are trying to hit a moving technical target, because the platforms are being built. A new console doesn’t just show up a year before launch and is exactly what it will be when it comes out.

It moves and iterates along the way. And introducing something like that to games that are in development is always a bit tricky. And that is obviously an element of risk.

The second point is that your install base always starts at zero. Then it comes out and suddenly a certain number of people buy it but it won’t be the same number as the current gen. So you have divided your audience.

It’s then a case of: Are we just making it for the next gen? Or next gen and current gen? And how many people from the current gen that I’m targeting have moved over to the next gen? It does complicate things a little bit.

Obviously the changes they are going to make technologically, in terms of the things we will be able to do, are exciting. But it comes at a price.

Thanks, Videogamer.

Said Pachter in an industry note:

We still have no indication of specs, timing or pricing for the Wii U, which is slated to launch some time
before year-end, but Nintendo will announce a launch date and price next week, with a price point of $299 – 349 likely.

We have heard no word yet from Microsoft or Sony about their plans to launch new consoles, but both manufacturers are widely expected to launch consoles by year-end 2013.

Although we believe that Microsoft could delay a new console launch until spring of 2014 in order to accommodate what is certain to be overwhelming demand among hardcore gamers.

Neither Microsoft or Sony have outright confirmed next-gen consoles, but Microsoft general manager Brian Hall let slip the other day the words “new” and “Xbox” while talking about Windows 8:

We’ve had Hotmail and operated Hotmail for about 16 years, we obviously have Exchange, and Outlook, that people use at work. We just decided it was time to do something new and bring the best from each of those and put them together and release it right in time for the new wave of products that we could have coming out with Windows 8, with the new version of Office with the new Windows phone and the new Xbox.

Introducing Whore Of The Orient, a new game from Team Bondi being developed for next generation consoles.

Shanghai, 1936. Whore of the Orient. Paris of the East. The most corrupt and decadent city on the planet, where anything can be had or done for the right price. Plaything of Western powers who greedily exploit the Chinese masses. Boiling pot of Chinese nationalism, with the Kuomintang ruthlessly trying to suppress Communism and the labour movement. Home to the International Police Force, a group of Western cops hopelessly trying to keep the lid on and keep the peace.

The news was made known on Team Bondi’s own site.

Those were the exact words of Remedy’s head of franchise development, Oskari Hakkinen, in an interview with GI International (via CVG):

We are working as usual, first with a relatively small team on a next-generation project. One wonders, yes always is: Can the new consoles really be that much better than the previous Rest assured: it’s you, it is a quantum leap.

Bring it on, we say.

The patent is of an application making plain the technical architecture of the next Xbox, including the ability for hardware resources to “scale up or down over time.”

The document was publisher in June 2012 and was discovered by a member of the Beyond3D forum.

“While the patent could be interpreted to mean that different Xbox SKUs could be released with different levels of multimedia capability, the ‘over time’ element in the application could suggest that Microsoft is giving itself the option of opting out from the traditional fixed architecture model,” Eurogamer points out.

This means different models of hardware could be built around the same underlying technology and components but with varying power (think of Apple’s iPad yearly release with meager upgrades).

“What should be stressed is that everything we’ve heard about the current Project Durango points towards a more traditional console design, and that this patent application is over 18 months old. Many of these applications are often lodged simply for legal reasons and never actually turn into final products,” Digital Foundry’s tech journalist, Richard Leadbetter concluded.

“Now you don’t need to manage longevity by complexity of programming, because your longevity is ensured by your online model,” Merceron explained. “And I would suggest that maybe we don’t want long generations. We have Sony and Microsoft talking about this generation lasting 7,8,9 or even 10 years and it’s the biggest mistake they’ve ever made.

This generation has been way too long, and I say this because you have a lot of developers that work on a new platform, and perhaps will not succeed, so they will wait for the next generation, and will jump on that platform. You could not do that with this generation though.”

He added: “So these developers went elsewhere to see if the grass was greener. They found web browsers, they found iOS, they found other things and a lot of them won’t come back to the hardware platforms.

So you could look at it that thanks to Microsoft and Sony and the length of this generation, it helped the emergence of other platforms and helped them get strong before the next hardware comes out.”

Despite the firms mistake, Merceron believes Sony and Microsoft will adapt with the times in order to remain relevant.

“These players on browsers and mobile have a lot of social connections and when they go back to consoles they feel alone,” he said. “That’s why social features in home console games are starting to explode. It is because people need different things; they want to share immediately. It is about sharing right now. Everything gets more and more connected and you see these manufacturers reacting to the realities of today.”

To close, he said: “I think they will adapt, I think they are really smart and understand the world of today and anticipate the world of tomorrow and will act on that.”

PS4 and Xbox 8/Infinity/720 are expected next year.