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[RetroGamingUK]

Looking at a couple of games that have been held up as examples of the best looking games this generation and how they’ve failed to garner any mass market success, do you think the mass market has now reached a point where it’s happy with the fidelity of most games without a need for improvement?

Alan Wake 2 - this continues to be a darling of Digital Foundry for pushing technology, however it has failed to make back the development costs

Hellblade 2 - arguably the most graphically realistic game ever made, but the graphics have failed to attract players


Now, let’s look at two big successes this generation

Elden Ring - under no circumstances is this bad looking game, but it does nothing fancy in terms of detail or lighting, however it’s amassed over 28 million sales

GTA V - again, after nearly 12 years in the market it’s still a huge seller

Obviously there’s a floor to graphics, and people won’t flock to bad looking games, but it seems like the threshold for looking good enough for the majority of people was met long ago

 

[RetroGamingUK]

Mods please lock, poll dropped when posting

 

[tylrdiablos]

Your examples of great visuals are both sequels to (kinda) niche games that didn't have a particularly big audience in the first place. Odd choices if you ask me.

What about GTA 4 & 5? Not exactly great visuals but both sold like hot-cakes.

 

[LectureMaster]

Mods please lock, poll dropped when posting

You should be able to add poll by editing OP via clicking "create poll"

 

[fart town usa]

I think people are out of their minds when they play down ER. Not necesarilly calling out you OP, but some people act like that game isn't impressive when it comes to visuals.

Completely absurd.

To comment on your question though. People care when it's convenient. Ghostwire got dogged, no idea why because it looks damn good. Ronin got dogged over horse animations.

I've come to the conclusion that Gaf is honestly no better than most reddit communities. Absolute braindead takes from people who bought Veilguard.

 

[Kacho]

Absolute braindead takes from people who bought Veilguard.

 

[BennyBlanco]

GTAV was probably the best looking game til that point when it came out. I just loaded up RDR2 to test DLSS4 last night and it still looks insane.

A much better example is Roblox which has more daily users than the entirety of PSN and has looked like dog shit from the moment it came out.

 

[Diddy X]

Mass market? no, they don't.

 

[LectureMaster]

The examples provided here aren't really on point.

Elden Ring might not be the sheer power house for graphics, but IT IS evolution compared to From's previous work, an absolute step up and of course fans are more than happy about it.

As for GTAV, it was pinnacle graphics. And if you compare to similar landscape game say 2024 Yakuza 8, GTAV does not look a single bit worse.

But for me, yes I don't really care much at this point. Witcher 3 is a 10 year old game now and I think it looks as nice as it ever needs to be, and Rise of the Ronin was my top 3 last year despite the outdated graphic critiques. Gameplay is my priority.

 

[ReBurn]

Did the mass market ever care about graphical evolution? I thought it was only nerds like us who care about stuff like that.

 

[Puscifer]

Did the mass market ever care about graphical evolution? I thought it was only nerds like us who care about stuff like that.

I mean not really per-se, I can't think of a single "mass-market" person I've spoken too where I try to strike up certain things (like photogrammetry) and the only person who showed interest was my boyfriend because now he wants to digitize a bunch of collectables he's bought over the years lol.

 

[kiphalfton]

Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo can't seem to juggle both good graphics and stylized look.

 

[Kings Field]

Gameplay and atmosphere/environment > graphics

 

[Horseganador]

Of course, if GTAVI or Intergalactic are not top graphics they would be attacked for it no matter what, perhaps the casual mass of players would not care... but certainly not on forums.

 

[RetroGamingUK]

I’m also wondering how Sony sell PS6 to the mass market in 2028.

8K resolution?
Mass market- No thanks

120fps?
Mass market - No thanks

Outside of that then games that look indistinguishable from movies and cost $1 billion to develop.

Developers - No thanks

 

[rofif]

Of course.

 

[Kacho]

I’m also wondering how Sony sell PS6 to the mass market in 2028.

8K resolution? - No thanks

120fps? - No thanks

My hope is they switch it up and do something very different next gen. I don't want a ginormous $500 monstrosity in my entertainment center.

 

[Danjin44]

Most people dont, only graphic enthusiast on gaming forums care.

 

[Guilty_AI]

Of course.

 

[deriks]

Yes, but wasn't like PS2 to PS3 comparison. It's more like how well composed can be

Hellblade 2 is really great looking, but doesn't have shit for gameplay. Doom 2016 is a past gen game, but looks good and runs at 60fps

 

[RetroGamingUK]

My hope is they switch it up and do something very different next gen. I don't want a ginormous $500 monstrosity in my entertainment center.

How about sticking with PS5?

Could they get the price down so that in say 2034 you can but a console capable of running PS5 games for £299, and evenually even lower?

 

[viveks86]

I voted no. But I guess it depends? I don't think graphical evolution affects sales of existing IP or known studios. People would buy a From software game or Nintendo game no matter what, because a certain quality and fun factor is guaranteed. It can certainly act as a bonus, especially for a new franchise or studio. And a bonus if it's releasing around the launch of a new console. Alan Wake 2 simply doesn't appeal to the mass market, graphics notwithstanding. And Hellblade 2 had nothing else going for it. Like everything and everyone in life, visual appeal is great and sometimes even necessary, but it takes you only so far.

 

[T4keD0wN]

Various people care to a various degree.

 

[RoboFu]

When was the last time a mega hit had bleeding age graphics? Before the iPhone came out probably. Now dats its all Roblox, Minecraft, and Fortnite

 

[Diddy X]

I’m also wondering how Sony sell PS6 to the mass market in 2028.

8K resolution?
Mass market- No thanks

120fps?
Mass market - No thanks

Outside of that then games that look indistinguishable from movies and cost $1 billion to develop.

Developers - No thanks

Being the new Playstation is gonna be anough.

 

[simpatico]

Ray tracing really only flexes in overcast situations, dark areas with a single light source and wet, neon nights. I don't think a lot of gaming normies would be able to say it's notably better than Uncharted 4 or RDR2. But the cost is tremendous. It just doesn't hop off the screen if you've seen the big PS4 games.

 

[RetroGamingUK]

Being the new Playstation is gonna be anough.

I remember seeing this and being so excited that I needed a PS2 there and then…



How do Sony get me excited for PS6? Something that looks like that Matrix Awakens tech demo? I already know my PS5 can run that, developers are just wise enough not to attempt a full game like that unless they want to bankrupt themselves.

 

[bender]

Doubtful as the differences aren't all that appreciable to the masses.

 

[notseqi]

It doesnt matter, if the game is crap nobody will stick around for photorealistic nonsense. The house is there but you gotta have steel in the walls.

Console priority and ports killed the whole thing anyways, we're always going to be behind of what is possible when we're going for the lowest common denominator.

 

[NeoIkaruGAF]

Did the mass market ever care about graphical evolution? I thought it was only nerds like us who care about stuff like that.

There's a reason the video game market exploded with the advent of 3D graphics, and 7th-gem consoles were a big driver of the HDTV revolution.
So yes, the masses absolutely cared about graphical evolution. It's the generations that started gaming in the late 6th-early 7th gen period or later that seem to not be interested anymore in the best graphics you can get. They didn't really see much of an evolution in their time, after all.

 

[Gamerfan81]

Nintendo's strategy of making fun games with a unique visual art style is the way to go imo. From a business perspective, It keeps costs down and ensures profit. AAA budgets of 200-400 million isn't sustainable and plenty of developers have gone belly up because of that strategy. They were smart to get out of the graphical race.

The mass market cares more about fun games with a unique visual art style than the game being a graphical powerhouse.

 

[Vaquilla]

It's not that it doesn't matter at all, rather that it's not the be-all end-all.

The Switch is one of the highest selling systems of all time so clearly the average consumer is fine with less than cutting edge tech so long as the games are fun.

 

[notseqi]

There's a reason the video game market exploded with the advent of 3D graphics, and 7th-gem consoles were a big driver of the HDTV revolution.
So yes, the masses absolutely cared about graphical evolution. It's the generations that started gaming in the late 6th-early 7th gen period or later that seem to not be interested anymore in the best graphics you can get. They didn't really see much of an evolution in their time, after all.

We might be there already though - I don't need better graphics and graphical coherence than, lets say, GTA IV or Cyberpunk.

 

[Bonfires Down]

We care a lot

 

[S0ULZB0URNE]

I’m also wondering how Sony sell PS6 to the mass market in 2028.

8K resolution?
Mass market- No thanks

120fps?
Mass market - No thanks

Outside of that then games that look indistinguishable from movies and cost $1 billion to develop.

Developers - No thanks

120fps+ is a must, mass market plays Fortnite and COD.

 

[notseqi]

120fps+ is a must, mass market plays Fortnite and COD.

lets give 3D another whirl, whydontcha

 

[InterMusketeer]

The graphical quality of a game is probably the first thing you notice. People absolutely care. But with this generation being such a disappointment on that level, most people probably just gave up on seeing anything that truly amazes them. And of course there's the cost aspect. Less capable hardware is much more affordable and that often wins out.

 

[tr1p1ex]

I don't care and haven't cared for eons now and I'd like to think the mass market doesn't but I think they still do unfortunately.

Basically won't change until studios can't do it anymore. Kind of seeing that ...as the number of AAA games coming out compared to 20 years has dramatically decreased. GAmes take so much longer to make.

AT the same time, more of the market plays games that ...don't have the cutting edge photo realistic graphics. Kids will play mobile and stuff like Fortnite, Minecraft, Valorant, etc. In addition to NIntendo Switch.

 

[S0ULZB0URNE]

lets give 3D another whirl, whydontcha

 

[Madflavor]

Late 80s 8-bit Era - 360/PS3 Era

These were the eras we witnessed the largest graphical leaps between console generations. Despite huge graphical leaps, games development time consistently took 1-3 years.

PS4/Xbone Era - Current Day

Graphical leaps became graphical baby steps. Games now take 3x as long to develop in order to get crisper imagery, 60fps, better lighting quality and textures.


Cool dude. Glad we wait 8 years now so we can see a character’s skin pores.

 

[notseqi]

The graphical quality of a game is probably the first thing you notice. People absolutely care. But with this generation being such a disappointment on that level, most people probably just gave up on seeing anything that truly amazes them. And of course there's the cost aspect. Less capable hardware is much more affordable and that often wins out.

thats probably why Assassins Creed is so popular, stare at the graphics for the first three follow-missions

3D TVs*, my bad

 

[Griffon]

No it's over.

PS4 was good enough, and now most people can't really see nor care about the difference.
Most of us would just rather play at 60/120 fps.

Also new kids are being bred on Minecraft and Roblox, they dgaf about graphic technology like we did.

The time of mediocre games that look great getting a free pass is over. People at large prefer to have good games that look okay.

 

[Hypereides]

I think people are out of their minds when they play down ER. Not necesarilly calling out you OP, but some people act like that game isn't impressive when it comes to visuals.

Completely absurd.

To comment on your question though. People care when it's convenient. Ghostwire got dogged, no idea why because it looks damn good. Ronin got dogged over horse animations.

I've come to the conclusion that Gaf is honestly no better than most reddit communities. Absolute braindead takes from people who bought Veilguard.

You just ignore those folks. Even if you prefer dining at a fine restaurant, some others will still want to order from MacDonalds.

Seriously. I don't get it either. We're very likely not going to see another significant generational shift like we did with 2D to 3D/3D to HD. I'm at a point where visual presentation is more than good enough. I'm more concerned about cohesive art direction these days.

 

[ByWatterson]

Games already look amazing enough to entirely suspend disbelief. Technical improvements on framerate, resolution, and image quality and maaaaaybe lighting have salience, but asset quality is done.

 

[ReBurn]

There's a reason the video game market exploded with the advent of 3D graphics, and 7th-gem consoles were a big driver of the HDTV revolution.
So yes, the masses absolutely cared about graphical evolution. It's the generations that started gaming in the late 6th-early 7th gen period or later that seem to not be interested anymore in the best graphics you can get. They didn't really see much of an evolution in their time, after all.

Did it take off because of the graphics? Or was it just because gaming finally started reaching mass appeal? I would argue that Wii did more to appeal to the mass market than HD game graphics on PS360 did. And it topped out at 480p.

HDTV was already happening without video games. HDTV surpassed 8th gen consoles and they had to release mid gen console vestions to catch up.

 

[Crayon]

Ironically, graphics only help if the game is great.

You take something like AW2 or HB2 where the graphics are the main draw and it doesn't mean much. Nowadays, most people who buy a game just for the graphics are probably those with expensive gpus and nothing to do with them.

 

[bitbydeath]

They care about it more than 60FPS.
That’s a hardcore thing.

 

[K' Dash]

Portability is the most important feature for me now.

GameCube graphics are enough for me, anything above that is the cherry on top.

 

[BossLackey]

I think people are out of their minds when they play down ER. Not necesarilly calling out you OP, but some people act like that game isn't impressive when it comes to visuals.

Much like most of you, I've been playing games for over 30 years.

I've also played every From game since Demon's Souls.

And still, Elden Ring really took my breath away in many places. And Shadow of the Erdtree was even more impressive.

 

[Hari Seldon]

The majority of gamers are on mobile or playing garbage like roblox. Only the enthusiasts care.