What do I expect of the next gen consoles? Well I haven't heard Sony/MS speak of it, nor gamers mentions this, but here are some minor points I'd like to see addressed:
-Patches, they cost money. $40k (360) or $22k (PS3) are the unknown, but highly hinted at cost of Patching a game (the first patch is free) on XBL or PSN. This screws Indie, and makes even big name company think twice about fixing the game, or not at all since it isn't profitable. This gen has become so half-assed, even with this "punishment" to stop broken games to be released, it didn't work. They still release broken crap and just never fix it, hurts the gamers more.
-Weird game port rules / Weird game import rules. For example, PS3 won't port a 360 game to their console (after it's already been released for 360) w/o it having some type of extra content. Star Ocean IV: Last Hope International, got extra content so it was able to be released. Tales of Vesperia is an example of a game that was not ported, because it had no extra content if they just ported over a 360 version. This flows into import issue, as the PS3 JP version of Vesperia did have extra content, but they didn't want to do extra localize for that. There is also a Sony rule that if a game is disc release, it has to have English dub. So we have cases of games never being release in US, or they just come out digital only and never go on sale. While the EU gets the disc version. Example: Record of Agarest War (first game).
-Localization issues. Nintendo doesn't like to bring games to the US. Mother 3 anyone? Sony is doing this too, but hopefully Tales of Xillia is a big hit and shows we do want this stuff. Highly successful games aren't localized or only localized for EU. Nintendo sat on Xenoblade Chronicles for 2+ years before we finally got the game in US. It was even localized for EU, but it still took a year to hit US. Now the game has a sequel in the works, and Nintendo shows no signs of a 2nd print of the original.
-Digital pricing. If they want us to go digital, why are they charging $59.99 day of release? Ni No Kuni being the only example I know of that was $54.99 day of release digitally. We can't resell these games, we have to spend hours downloading them before we can even play them, hard drives permitting. They don't have to pay to box/ship the game, it feels like a rip-off. Of course they don't want to make retailers mad, but things like iTunes and Kindle exist. Gamestop sells DLC cards/codes, PSN/XBL points. My disclaimer is I don't want digital, I want the physical game I can pop in any time and play. But I see it coming and it's what they want to push. Just be Steam about it. I'm looking at the brand new Playstation Plus sale of Assassin's Creed III for $35 digital, and that's still disgusting to me. This site has spoiled me on $5-$15 physical games (some even GOTY edition like Read Dead Redemption GOTY for $15), that I could trade in for $3-$12 if I chose. Sometimes you even get more money back, hence flipping happens.
-Multiplayer shoehorned into every game. Sigh, I lost this fight already with the current gen. So long good single player games that stand on their own. Perhaps no hope of seeing gems like The Last Guardian.
[quote name='availablewaif48']I would hardly call the ps4 specs future proof.[/QUOTE]
I can't believe current gen lasted on 512mb RAM for 7 years.
Graphics are the first thing PC gamers mention, even CheapyD on the CAGcast flaunts it as a big plus. The 2nd being "cheaper" games. They are cheaper because the are (basically) digital only, no resale value. If you wait a few months, disc games get just as, or more cheaper imo. (Gamefly, Clearance, Best Buy/Amazon/Newegg sales)