The Case For More Cross-Generation Games

gamerant.com:

It has been over a year since the release of the ninth-generation consoles, and both Microsoft and Sony have had a successful time. According to Sony, the PS5 had the biggest console launch in the company’s history, selling 2.1 million units in the first week alone. Although Microsoft is a tad more secretive with its sales figures, the CEO of Gaming, Phil Spencer, claims that the Xbox Series X and S are the company's fastest-selling consoles ever.

Despite getting off to an impressively strong start, there have been a variety of factors limiting how many ninth-generation consoles can get into the living rooms of gamers. For this reason, while PS5 owners may be pining for current-gen exclusive titles, it may be wise for gaming studios, at least for now, to continue developing cross-generational games and supporting last-gen consoles.

PS5 Shortages Could Result In a Longer Console Generation Than Usual

The gaming industry is plagued by the same problem infecting the rest of the tech world — the global semiconductor chip shortage which began in 2020 and is still ongoing. It is caused by numerous geopolitical factors including the USA-China Trade War, and it has been further exasperated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The effects are far-reaching, and the gaming industry has taken a particularly hard hit.

When the PS5 and the Xbox Series X/S were released in November 2020, the demand was astronomically high, but not everyone who wanted a console could get one due to stock shortages. Nintendo has also been affected by the chip shortage, forcing it to produce 20% fewer Switch units than it had intended to from March 2021 to March 2022. For gamers desperate to get their hands on a new console, it is possible to purchase them through