Gaming now...

[MattyP]

So I recently upgraded my ageing PS4 to a Pro. However I've been noticing as time goes on I keep going back to games that are older or have simplier gaming mechanics (Yoshis Crafted World, Dangerous Driving, Shadow Of The Colossus).

Think I'm actually getting to the point where I think I maybe dropping out of the next batch of consoles - at least I have no interest in getting one at launch. Seems as time goes on the games are getting more formulaic and will only get worse as more money needs to be spent to take advantage of the ever more powerful hardware.

What are people gaming on at the moment? Any thoughts about the next wave of incoming hardware? You excited by it at all? They almost feel like a PC upgrade at the moment Miss the days when we had some fairly unique boxes coming out with some cool new games and concepts that take advantage of the somewhat unique console hardware.

Think last time I had some excitement about an upcoming console was the 360 - just had a lot of new features, powerful hardware and was generally impressed with it when it arrived....

At this point just have a complete lack of interest which is.. just... odd.

[merman]

C64 in emulation, on the Mini and the real thing... Because I'm writing for the ZZAP Annual and the new 8-Bit Annual.

The only "recent" game I have put a lot of time into is Dicey Dungeons on PC... Or more accurately the most recent alphas in early access.

I'm also playing a lot of PICO-8

[gribbles]

As I think has been echoed by Yakkers in other threads, for me it's time.

For me, the new big games are just time-suckers, and I simply can't commit. I'll play a few hours over a number of days initially, then get pulled away and by the time I have time again it's a chore to get back up to speed.

My most used gaming device is my iPhone, as it's always with me. And I hate myself a little bit for it.

[MattyP]

For me, the new big games are just time-suckers, and I simply can't commit. I'll play a few hours over a number of days initially, then get pulled away and by the time I have time again it's a chore to get back up to speed

Indeed... Haven't really bought a AAA game at launch for a while... I think Yoshi was the last although this is a great pick up and play title. Same with Dangerous Driving and arcade style games. Loving Shadow Of The Colossus at the moment its and easy pick up and play game - controls are easy to remember and each colossus can be completed within an hour.

Quite like having the Switch really nice little portable gaming device with proper controls - not really a fan of phone games because I don't like the touch controls.

Seriously thinking I'll just end up keeping the devices I currently have and just work though some of the content over time.

AAA games for the main consoles I will just have to leave behind... stick to indie games and arcade style games.

Still keep an eye on the tech though as I like to see what games come out....

[Misfit]

As I think has been echoed by Yakkers in other threads, for me it's time.

For me, the new big games are just time-suckers, and I simply can't commit. I'll play a few hours over a number of days initially, then get pulled away and by the time I have time again it's a chore to get back up to speed.

My most used gaming device is my iPhone, as it's always with me. And I hate myself a little bit for it.

This. 100%

Got Red Dead 2 and Spiderman, played it bit, was impressed at the scope/beauty, had to leave them for a few weeks, forgot all the buttons/moves, couldn't be arsed to get back into them. Have enjoyed watching the kids play them though, but can't see me ever being able to invest the time.

Did actually game this long weekend. We discovered Overcooked and had 3 long sessions screaming at each other (Me, 15-year-old daughter, 11-year-old son) I think it brought us closer together, but it so easily could have torn us apart. Co-operative doesn't mean you'll get along!

The Switch is nearly taking gaming time as I travel a fair bit, but again just finding I'm too knackered when I finally have time. So, like Gribbles, gaming is a bit of mind clearing on the iPhone. Words with friends and Flipflop solitaire are about it...

Sad really.

Honestly who would have thought 2 kids, 3 dogs and your own business would take up so much time?

[Misfit]

As to the next gen, I think we're now at a point with tech they are going to be like PC upgrades with the new games playable on the old systems at a lower quality.

So they are less appealing and I'll probably still buy them.

Or maybe streaming will work and we just won't need them? MS are clearly readying something and Google have Stadia. If they get 5G networks sorted it all could be very different soon?

[MattyP]

Got Red Dead 2 and Spiderman, played it bit, was impressed at the scope/beauty, had to leave them for a few weeks, forgot all the buttons/moves, couldn't be arsed to get back into them. Have enjoyed watching the kids play them though, but can't see me ever being able to invest the time.

Why I didn't buy either of those two TBH. Knew I just wouldn't get the time to do them justice. Love the tech behind the games though and that's why I love to grab them but decided this time to just leave them there. Pick them up perhaps when they are much cheaper and have a quick hour or so toying with them.

Seriously think at times of getting rid of all my gaming kit and just keeping perhaps the Switch and have the PC. At least I then have to only focus on one console and the PC I use for other things too anyway - then using the proceeds to go on a holiday to Japan! (where no doubt I'll pick up some retro gaming bits anyway!!!!)

Suppose its great having them around though. And I'm enjoying my current run through of Shadow of the colossus. I'll have a think about the Japan trip later in the year...

[WiteWulf]

Yup, gotta agree with almost all of the above. Games with complex control schemes are an utter waste of time for me these days as it's all forgotten if I don't play for a while. I've found this to be a particular problem with Horizon Zero Dawn, which is really sad as it's such a gorgeous game and I really want to finish it. Sadly, I think this will end up being the case with creating stuff in Dreams, too. It's chock full of button combos to do stuff quickly and they're going in one ear and out the other if I don't use it every day.

I find myself playing my Vita more than anything else, for the same reasons others mention the Switch. It's highly portable, I can play it on the sofa while the OH is watching TV in the evenings and most games are really cheap on PSN these days. Mine's hacked to enable Micro SD storage, so not having to pay extortionate prices for Sony memory cards makes that a much more attractive proposition.

[MattyP]

Or maybe streaming will work and we just won't need them? MS are clearly readying something and Google have Stadia. If they get 5G networks sorted it all could be very different soon?

Yes seriously looking at Google Stadia at the moment. If it works well enough at home and on my phone could be the way forward for me. Although still want to play the next Mario.

Be interesting to see what Google do with Stadia. They have Phil Harrison on board and he did some fantastic work with Sony and the Playstation....

[toxibunny]

I'm the same. I'm not giving up completely on new consoles - I'm just not not at all bothered anymore about getting them when they're new...

[Misfit]

Did anyone notice that MS are about to release an 'all-digital' version of the Xbox One S? (ie no disk drive).

So MS are testing the download only route (and presumably the box will be capable of streaming).

[MattyP]

Did anyone notice that MS are about to release an 'all-digital' version of the Xbox One S? (ie no disk drive).

So MS are testing the download only route (and presumably the box will be capable of streaming).

Yes but its not much cheaper than the One S. I expect they are testing the market with this though. Shame they didn't have a redesign of the kit whilst they were releasing it could have been a nice unit if it was say the size of a mac mini or something.

[Barney]

I figured many years ago that I wasn't really gaming anymore - aside from the occasional blast on Elite:Dangerous or NMS and the odd indie title recommended around these halls, I wasn't bothered about new games. I figured I was too old, I wasn't in the target demographic for AAA titles anymore as nothing that was coming out interested me in the slightest.

But then the switch came out, and oh my stars how much do I play on that? Maybe it's not me, it's just that the AAA stuff (and all that bloody awful multiplayer stuff) is actually crap?

[WiteWulf]

Oh, don't get me started on MS's fixation with multiplayer. It's one of the reasons I went Playstation this gen (and likely will next) because of Sony's commitment to strong single player titles.

[MattyP]

Maybe it's not me, it's just that the AAA stuff (and all that bloody awful multiplayer stuff) is actually crap?

I just think the things being released these days are geared to gamers that have been gaming for a bit. What with the loot boxes, DLC , online play. Games seem to be designed these days to hook people in for a long duration (understandable I guess given the dev costs these days of AAA games).

However I think like you and many here I'm drifting away from the cutting edge of gaming because I don't have the time and most of the time it no longer interests me - especially the online games. Much rather have single player story based games or just reflex challenging twitch games.

Still follow it all though... just not going to care about playing it as much! Think with Red Dead Redemption 2 its the first AAA game in a while that I simply did not buy. The game just looks far too involved and if I had of bought it, it would have just sat there after a couple of days and would never get completed.