Cross-generation games on PS5 and Xbox have got to stop – Reader’s Feature

metro.co.uk:

A reader is upset that games are still being released on current and last generation consoles and worries that it’s stifling innovation. God of War

Reading matc7884’s Reader’s Feature about the flaws of the Nintendo Switch, particularly in regards to a lack of meaningful third party support, had me reflecting on one of biggest issues within video games in 2022, and that is how the tradition of cross-generation games is damaging the industry.

Origin story

The Switch, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 are part of the eighth generation of video gaming. The Switch released in 2017 to replace the Wii U, another eighth generation console. The Xbox One and the PlayStation released in 2013, with upgraded versions of the consoles releasing in 2016 and 2017. The Switch has never been improved upon, other than a new screen and more storage for the OLED model, meaning that it still runs on very old hardware.

It is to the credit of developers that they have ported AAA games to the Switch. These games have ranged from mature fare including Doom (2016) and The Witcher 3 to more child-friendly games including Crash Bandicoot 4 and Spyro Reignited Trilogy. The fact that these ports are still releasing is amazing considering the Switch’s hardware.

In 2020, the ninth generation of home consoles released: the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X/S. While notable upgrades from the last generation, the Series S has less graphical and performance capabilities than the Series X, creating a two-tier system. Due to the new consoles having initially struggled with stock, developers still had to make new games compatible with the Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

The warning signs

On the Xbox Series in particular, this is a consumer nightmare. While the PlayStation 5