The lifecycle of Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 should be extended.
Konrad Tomaszkiewicz, head of Rebel Wolves studio and director of the RPG The Blood of Dawnwalker, stated that a possible extension of the current console generation's lifecycle could be beneficial for developers. According to him, working with already familiar hardware allows studios to focus on game creation rather than spending additional resources on adapting projects for new platforms.
Tomaszkiewicz's remarks come amidst rumors that the launch of the next console generation might be delayed. The reason cited is the sharp increase in component costs, driven by high demand from the artificial intelligence industry and data centers. According to unofficial data, the cost of PlayStation 6 could approach $1000, and Microsoft has already warned of further price increases for components, which could affect its future console codenamed Project Helix.
According to Tomaszkiewicz, for Rebel Wolves, such a development would not be a problem. Moreover, it would even simplify the studio's work.
For us, it's even better. When a game is created for specific consoles, you already know their capabilities and limitations. Each new platform is a new challenge: you need to study it, understand the limits of what's possible, and support another version of the game.
Currently, the team is working on several builds of The Blood of Dawnwalker simultaneously: versions for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and two PC variants related to differences in regional content requirements. According to Tomaszkiewicz, each new platform significantly increases the workload, as any update must be separately tested on all game versions.
He emphasized that adding new generation consoles means additional builds and significantly complicates the project support process. Every change must undergo full testing, including verifying gameplay from start to finish on each platform.
At the same time, the developer does not believe that the release of new consoles seriously affects the design of future projects. The main advantages of more powerful hardware are related to graphics and technical capabilities. For example, in future games, the studio will be able to use more complex animation systems and Unreal Engine technologies, which had to be abandoned in the first part due to the limitations of current hardware.
Tomaszkiewicz also reminded that new consoles always begin their lifecycle with a relatively small user base. In comparison, the PlayStation 5 audience already exceeds 90 million owners, and a new platform will take years to reach comparable figures. Therefore, releasing cross-gen projects remains the most logical solution for most studios.
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