One of the biggest current complaints with the PlayStation 4 is that it has a lack of games. While this may not necessarily be true, it’s easy to see why PS4 gamers are upset: Most of the released games are ports of either recently released PC or PS3 games. In many cases, it’s the same exact game you might have played two years ago but with a new coat of paint, i.e better graphics. It’s a new phenomena, something we didn’t see a lot of when the PlayStation 2 or PlayStation 3 first launched. It makes sense in a sense to bring some of these titles forward. Classics like The Last of Us and God of War III should be experienced by any and all PS4 gamers, especially if sequels are going to come out on the new console. Without backwards compatibility, the only option is to remake them for the new console. While some of these ports are graphical upgrades and little more, we’re seeing ports including new features, all of the original DLC, and other incentives. Take for example the DMC: Devil May Cry remaster on PS4. This game was brought forward in terms of graphics, but the developers also tweaked and changed numerous complaints that people had with the original release of the game. There’s a good and bad side to these remasters, and while people may complain that they are buying the same game twice, they aren’t forced to do so, and people who have never played these titles are offered a better experience from the get-go. Why Is This Happening? Depending on who you ask, the overwhelming answer is likely to be “greed.” Gamers think that backwards compatibility is stripped out of systems on purpose, so developers and publishers can sell you the same game twice, effectively doubling their profits. In reality, backwards compatibility is stripped out so the cost of the system can remain low, and the feature isn’t one the majority of users will likely use, according to research. There are two main reasons why this trend is occurring on the PS4 and why it will repeat itself on the PS5. Easy Profits It takes time to make games, especially for a new system; it’s not uncommon for companies to take two or three years to create a killer app on brand new hardware. In the meantime though, companies need money, and what better way than to re-release a previous game, especially one where most of the work is done? On the PC, games look better than their counterparts just because of newer hardware, so when consoles finally catch up, it’s easy for publishers to port said PC game to the consoles – especially when they share the same architecture. Companies will feed you lines about how this is “the definitive version” and its “remastered” for the new system, but in reality you’re getting the same game that has been on the PC for years and all the DLC. It’s easy profit. It’s … Read More