For the past year, I’ve been saving up for one of the two next generation consoles. The plan was to purchase one of the two at launch later this year. Though I’ve seen some exciting things from both, neither have made the definitive case for why I should take one over the other.
In recent days, a new challenger has emerged to complicate matters further.
Earlier this year, 2K Games revealed its next generation pricing for the NBA 2K21 series. While the current gen equivalents retain the standard $60 USD price point, the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X equivalents are listed at $69.99. More recently, Activision revealed that they were doing the same for their next gen iterations of Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War.
Though 2K and Activision might be outliers in this practice, my spider sense is telling me that this $10 increase will be the standard going forward. As a consumer, I hate it. As a Canadian consumer, this is a double-whammy that might price me out of AAA gaming going forward.
The PlayStation 4 and Xbox One were the first home consoles to feature the ability to stream directly from the console itself. Having that functionality is great, as it lowers the barrier dramatically for those interested in trying their hand at streaming. That being said, console streamers are at a distinct disadvantage from those who have their consoles connected through a PC.
With a PC, console streamers get access to all of the bells and whistles that viewers expect, from some semblance of an overlay, to on-screen notifications, to multiple scenes, When streaming from a console, you’re stuck with the limited options you have for microphones, cameras, and overlays. Microsoft got better as the generation went on, as they added support for different cameras and allowing for custom overlays through Lightstream Studio. However, that feature seems to have gone by the wayside as part of Mixer shutting down.
In particular, that PlayStation 4 streaming template can be a death sentence. I think when viewers see that default PS4 streaming overlay as they browse through Twitch, their first impression is that this is a “lesser” stream, even if you might be the most charismatic person in the universe.
Streaming from a console is totally fine for practice. But if you really want your channel to grow at this juncture, you’re in a much better position to do so by capturing your gameplay through a PC. Will this change as we transition into the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5?
I chose to opt out of the first wave of 4K gaming with the Xbox One X and PlayStation 4 Pro. Between their steep price of entry, not having a 4K screen, and only really offering a resolution bump, it didn’t make sense for me. Besides, I’ve spent most of that time gaming on a Nintendo Switch, which oftentimes struggles to run 1080p.
As the next generation of consoles loom, I’m starting to feel the 4K pressure.
Who else was surprised that Sony named their new console the PlayStation 5?
Kidding! Though we didn’t need Nostradamus to predict that, Sony did reveal a lot of new info regarding their latest console during their recent event. This assortment of notes is by no means comprehensive or in chronological order, but I thought were worth sharing anyway.
Hot off the heels of Sony revealing the PlayStation 5 controller, I host an impromptu PlayStation Classic stream! We dabble in numerous games, from Metal Gear Solid to Rayman, while sharing our memories with the iconic console. Also, watch my mind melt as I play Metal Gear Solid for the first time!
Click through for the full stream, highlights, and shoutouts!
Harmonix’s new game Fuser isn’t set for release until the fall of 2020. We don’t have much in the way of concrete information about the game, but I bet we can deduce a lot about it from their 2017 hybrid video game/board game/card game DropMix!
As soon as Harmonix unveiled the game, I knew I had to make a video about Fuser and its connection to DropMix. Besides being able to speak to a subject I’m passionate about, it gave me the opportunity to play more DropMix for b-roll! In case you missed it the first time around, listen to the mix here!
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Harmonix’s next game will put players behind the wheels of steel. Fuser will give players access to over 100 songs and the ability to mix-and-match elements of each to create your own mash-ups. The game is set for release on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch in the fall of 2020.
In the wake of the game’s announcement, we’ve gotten a pretty decent look at how the game will work thanks to preview coverage from gaming outlets. I’m not one of the lucky few whose gotten to play the game, but I have a ton of experience with Harmonix’s card game that provides the foundation that Fuser is built upon: DropMix.
Our first look at the Xbox Series X, an assortment of new game reveals, and dope music underscore our Game Awards watch party! It may not have been the most appealing show for us, but we had a great time hanging out with each other and adding our own commentary!
Unfortunately, I won’t have the time to cut highlights out of this broadcast. Instead, I hope you watch the whole thing from front-to-back! 😉 Ok, onto the shoutouts!
Following E3 this year is going to be difficult for me. I’ll be out in London for its entirety and my internet access will be sporadic. Besides, as much as love to devour the hottest in gaming news, I’m not going to put Steff and I’s lives on hold when we could be enjoying everything London has to offer.
Though I’ll be slow to take to the news, here are a few things I’m hoping to see come to fruition at this year’s event!
