14 DAY TRIAL // 2014 is nearly over, and as we prepare for a new 365 of gaming news and reviews, a look back at the past 12 months shows an interesting set of evolutions for the industry, some of them positive, some negative, and some that might lead us into some innovative places in the near future.
This was the year when both the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4 managed to move from next to current gen, becoming the devices around which video game development and marketing is largely focused.
Both Sony and Microsoft have managed to sell more devices than at the same moment in the lifetime of the Xbox 360 and the PS3, and that is great news, especially considering the amount of updates both devices have been receiving and the healthy ecosystem of applications created around them.
But 2014 was not only about hardware, and on the software front the recent pieces of news have been more troubling, with some games getting out in less than perfect shape and entire communities openly criticizing publishers for their quality control.
PlayStation 4, Xbox One and the future of entertainment
The new home consoles from both Sony and Microsoft are more than just simple platforms for gaming and that’s a good thing for the industry and for customers.
It’s easy to connect with friends and to share content, and in 2014 gamers seem to have become more interested in voyeurism than ever, especially on the PC.
There are DOTA 2 fans who watch more matches than they actually play and it’s easy for anyone to log into Twitch and get a live look at almost any title released.
The PS4 and the Xbox One also pack a lot of punch in the entertainment category, and even after the demise of the Microsoft Studios, it will be interesting to see how the platform holders go about creating their own original content.
2014 was the first year of full availability for both new devices and their progress is a very encouraging sign for the future.
The plague of bad game launches needs to stop
Titles like Halo: The Master Chief Collection and Assassin’s Creed Unity were so broken on launch that they are still receiving patches as a range of gamers report that they are unable to enjoy them as initially intended.
Ubisoft has already announced a compensation scheme and Microsoft seems to be suggesting that one is coming, but a range of other major titles, like Far Cry 4, Destiny and GTA V, were also affected by problems during their first few weeks.
The trend of releasing titles that do not work as intended initially needs to remain confined to 2014 and that means all publishers need to re-evaluate how they set launch dates and when they need to announce a delay.
Variety is up, gamers should explore more
2014 was also a year which showed the incredible variety that the video game space can deliver in terms of experiences.
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is the biggest release of the year and a lot of media attention was linked to the likes of FIFA 15, Destiny, Sunset Overdrive, Dragon Age: Inquisition, GTA V, or Titanfall.
But this year, smaller titles with big themes or surprising mechanics like This War of Mine, Don’t Starve, The Banner Saga, Hatoful Boyfriend or The Last Federation also made a big impact.
We need the developer-publisher system to sustain the industry in the long term, but the rise of smaller and independent teams expands the boundaries of the hobby in very interesting ways and that’s the one trend seen in 2014 that needs to remain relevant next year.
