14 DAY TRIAL // The Xbox One and the PlayStation 4 have both performed better than their current-gen relatives during their first year, in terms of sales, and it seems that developers are encouraged to invest in more titles when they see how fast the audience for them is growing.
Dusty Welch, the chief operations officer at Respawn Entertainment, claims in an interview with CVG that his studio wants both devices to perform as well as they can because each new console sold to a player means a new opportunity to sell high-profile titles like Titanfall.
The developer states, “If you go through enough console cycles, you'll see new technologies and concepts that add a level of uncertainty about the viability of consoles. But look at what's happened - there is an unprecedented install rate for next-generation consoles. That's extraordinary.”
Welch says that he believes that the lower-price Xbox One will sell better in the coming months, despite the fact that it no longer features a Kinect motion tracking system.
At the same time, he appreciates that the PlayStation 4 has a more PC-like structure and that Sony has made it easier for companies to develop for it.
The Respawn COO adds, “So overall I love what's happening, and it will continue to encourage us to make major triple-A titles because we know the audience is there.”
Some analysts have said that video game sales might drop when compared to 2013 in the coming months because the rhythm of adoption for next-gen consoles cannot match the number of players who are abandoning the older Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
Respawn Entertainment’s first project is the first-person shooter Titanfall, which is offered on the PC, the Xbox One and the 360.
The title mixes classic first-person shooter mechanics from the perspective of a Pilot with the awesome firepower and tactical options that open up when a mech is called on to the battlefield.
The studio has recently launched a fourth major update for the experience, which introduces the Marked for Death mode and signals that the company will continue to deliver long-term support, both via patches and via downloadable content pack.
The company has also recently hired a number of developers who have experience with the God of War series, which has spawned rumors that the company might also be working on a new third-person title for next-gen consoles.