[ad_1]
Sony is occasionally criticized for being a bit out of touch with gamers’ wants and needs, but we don’t think it can push that criticism on the company when it comes to the PlayStation 5 user experience. Announced today after months of enthusiasts. speculations, it is alarming that we are still learning new things about the next-gen hardware from the Japanese giant less than a month from launch; In an industry where little is left to the imagination, one could argue that it’s quite comforting to be surprised so late in the system hype cycle.
Our conclusion from the presentation: This is a user experience built with modern games in mind. Readers of this website may not like it, but the way we play is changing; Games are no longer one-time single-player experiences, but evolving adventures built around seasons like TV shows. There are exemptions, of course, there always will be – God of War and The Last of Us: Part II are exemplary examples of that, but the biggest releases these days are persistent, with new content and features added regularly to keep them up to date.
While the manufacturer didn’t really focus on that too much during their presentation, we consider that a lot of their thought processes regarding the PS5 user experience stem from this idea. Take a game like GTA Online for example – every week it has Double GTA $ events and discounts on cars and clothes, but unless you’re subscribed to the Rockstar newsletter, you’d never know without launching the game. On the PS5, not only will you be able to see those urgent events on your dashboard, but you will be able to load directly into modes that offer multiplied rewards.
That’s just the first example that comes to mind, but a lot of the biggest games in the industry are built this way these days. What about FIFA 21, for example? The console will be able to notify you that it has new Ultimate Team packages to open, and selecting them will take you directly to the package opening screen; previously you would have to start the game and then the only mode to watch if you really have new packages available. Quality of life improvements should be obvious to everyone, but this actually influences the way we play now.
And for the record, this may have perks beyond Ultimate Team and player retention events. Consider a game like Gran Turismo 7, which is sure to emphasize time trials. Let’s say you had a great time at the Nurburgring, but your friend overcomes it; Instead of loading the game to find out, that information could be highlighted front and center of the board, and you would simply have to click on it to immediately return to the Nürburgring and race against your friend to get a better time.
This is where it gets best for gamers short on time – the console apparently has a way of determining how long activities will take. So let’s say you’re level 29 in Horizon Forbidden West and 1,000XP away from a cool new skill once you hit level 30, but you only have 30 minutes available to play today. Well, the console might recommend a mission that will give you the XP you need to level up and inform you that it will take you around 30 minutes to complete. But let’s say you only have 20 minutes – well, maybe you’d rather take control of the New York Knicks in NBA 2K21 and play their matchup in the real world today.
There is a lot of potential here in terms of saving time and organizing the things you can do. The fact that you can layered game guides means you no longer have to fiddle around, switching between low-quality YouTube videos in the PS4’s hideous web browser – the information will be there, on screen, as you play. , presented the way you want. We’ve all been there with a smartphone in hand, trying to find the latest collectible; It’s the way we all play, but the PS5 promises to improve it with some forward-thinking and innovative ideas.
There have been many comments online about how many of these features will be forgotten in the future; We just can’t see that’s the case when it comes to the activity cards that Sony is promoting. Publishers are always looking for new ways to improve player retention and emphasize the content that has been added to their games; here they have the opportunity to give players a direct path to the things that matter, and they will definitely take advantage of that. Support for in-game guides can be a bit more spotty, but we’d be surprised if fans didn’t get to grips with that feature quickly.
Of course, these new ideas are the figurative icing on top of an already well-baked cake, and the PS5 seems to have the basics as well. This is a fast console: Destruction AllStars took less than eight seconds to cold boot from Sackboy: A Big Adventure, which is staggering speed, so even if you don’t mind all the bells and whistles, then get to your games. they will be faster than ever. This is a user experience that doesn’t necessarily reinvent the wheel, it just makes it more convenient for you to do the things you want to do. And that is tremendously exciting.
Are you excited about the potential of the new PS5 user experience? Do you have any concerns or concerns about what Sony is cooking? Create some play activities in the comment section below.
[ad_2]