Control Developer: Making Games For Two Generations of Consoles at Once ‘Sucks’
Turns out, making games is hard. Who knew? And it gets way, way harder when you have to make a game function on two completely different generations of consoles at once, according to Control developer Remedy's communications director Thomas Puha.
On Next-Gen Console Watch, Puha outlined the struggles developers go through to bring games like Control from one generation to the next, especially when the studio doing the work is a smaller one with fewer resources (like Remedy).
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"Whenever you're in this cross-generational point, to be blunt, it sucks," Puha said. "You have to support the previous gen, make sure that sings, and then whatever you bring to next-gen is still limited by the choices you made years ago for the previous generation. It's not a very realistic thing, that this old game, we're just going to remake everything and then bring it to next-gen. It's just not like that. It's not a reality for us, because you're literally taking away resources that are building the future games and improving the engine for the future."
Puha continued, saying that this is why PS5 and Xbox Series games right now don't look as good as we might want them too -- better than the previous generation, certainly, but maybe not quite the dramatic upgrade people might have wanted.
"The games that will come out, the stuff we're working on, the visual bar, you're going to be blown away. And you only need to look at previous generations. You look at something like Modern Warfare. I can't understand how that game looks so good on Xbox One and PS4. And you're going to have the same on this current generation. We're going to see so much improvement."
Puha pointed out that many of the problems with developing games for new generations are related to developer resources and tools. He noted that Control originally was shipped on a version of its game engine from August 2019, but then the engine completely updated to incorporate next-gen support -- effectively breaking everything Remedy already had in place.
"When you get to the point where you have to get [a game] running on next-gen systems, on a new engine it takes several months just to get everything working," he said. "Nothing works at first. The content looks wrong, the textures look wrong, the lighting is busted, because we've made all these improvements but then they're incompatible with what we had in 2019. It took months -- the game is running, we had it running back in summer of last year, but it didn't have any of the nice things...it just took quite a while to get to the level where we had everything working that we had in the previous-gen version. Now we can actually start doing all that cool next-gen stuff."
Developers effectively have to pick and choose what they want to work on, he said. But if they want to fully make use of every piece of next-gen tech for a game being brought over from the previous-gen, that can take up time they might otherwise be spending making new games.
"We could keep developing features for this game for months, if not a year, but then you're already screwing the next project that is expecting to get these developers to work on that game. That's just the reality of a multi-project organization."
Control: Ultimate Edition is out now for PS5 and Xbox Series S and X, following an initial kerfuffle over next-gen save transfers. The original version was our 2019 game of the year and our original review praised its "captivating, oddball world."
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Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.
Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne HD Remaster Release Date Announced
Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne HD Remaster will be released for PS4, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam on May 25, 2021.
While May 25 is the official release date, those who pre-order the Digital Deluxe Edition will get access to the game on May 21, four days earlier than the standard edition.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/20/shin-megami-tensei-3-nocturne-hd-remaster-official-trailer"]
The Digital Deluxe Edition will cost $69.99 USD and will give players to such bonus content as the option to play as Devil May Cry's Dante. The full list of extras is as follows;
- Full Game Download
- Exclusive Access to the game four days early, on May 21
- Maniax Pack - Adds Dante from the Devil May Cry series
- Chronicle Pack - Adds Raidou from the Devil Summoner series
- MERCIFUL Difficulty - Adds and easier difficutly mode
- Mercy and Expectation Map Pack - Adds "Little Master's Mercy" and "Master's Expectation"
- Shin Megami Tensei BGM Pack - Two songs each from Shin Megami Tensei, Shin Megami Tensei II, Shin Megami Tensei IV, and Shin Megami Tensei: Apocalypse
Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne HD Remaster Release Date Announced
Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne HD Remaster will be released for PS4, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam on May 25, 2021.
While May 25 is the official release date, those who pre-order the Digital Deluxe Edition will get access to the game on May 21, four days earlier than the standard edition.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/20/shin-megami-tensei-3-nocturne-hd-remaster-official-trailer"]
The Digital Deluxe Edition will cost $69.99 USD and will give players to such bonus content as the option to play as Devil May Cry's Dante. The full list of extras is as follows;
- Full Game Download
- Exclusive Access to the game four days early, on May 21
- Maniax Pack - Adds Dante from the Devil May Cry series
- Chronicle Pack - Adds Raidou from the Devil Summoner series
- MERCIFUL Difficulty - Adds and easier difficutly mode
- Mercy and Expectation Map Pack - Adds "Little Master's Mercy" and "Master's Expectation"
- Shin Megami Tensei BGM Pack - Two songs each from Shin Megami Tensei, Shin Megami Tensei II, Shin Megami Tensei IV, and Shin Megami Tensei: Apocalypse
Here’s When Marvel’s Falcon and the Winter Soldier Episode 6 Comes Out
For those eager for their next MCU fix and wondering what time Marvel's The Falcon and the Winter Soldier comes out each week, the new Disney Plus series is being released Fridays at midnight PT/3am ET. Falcon and the Winter Soldier will make its much-anticipated debut on the Disney+ streaming platform on Friday, March 19, followed by one new episode every week for the remainder of its release schedule.
Marvel's The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Season 1, Episode 6 Release Time
Episode 6 (Season 1 Finale) of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier will be available to stream on Friday, April 23, at midnight PT/3am ET on Disney Plus. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/03/14/the-falcon-and-the-winter-soldier-timeline-so-far"] For a deeper dive into the upcoming series, check out our Falcon and the Winter Soldier timeline explainer, whether or not Marvel boss Kevin Feige thinks there will be a Season 2, and our interview with the new Captain America himself, aka John Walker (portrayed by Wyatt Russell). While Disney has not released a synopsis for individual upcoming episodes - opting only to give them blurbs and even names after they've been released - here's how the streamer describes The Falcon and the Winter Soldier: "The pair, who came together in the final moments of Avengers: Endgame, team up on a global adventure that tests their abilities—and their patience." Watch the latest Falcon and the Winter Soldier episode review right here (spoiler warning): [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/04/16/the-falcon-and-the-winter-soldier-episode-5-review"]When Does Marvel's The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Season 1 Release?
Disney+ is releasing new episodes of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Season 1 weekly on Fridays, which is a trend the streamer has followed since Disney+ launched back in 2019, instead of opting for Netflix's binge model of releasing a whole season at once. After The Falcon and the Winter Soldier premieres on Friday, March 19, Disney+ will air the following five episodes every Friday until the Season 1 finale, which will release on Friday, April 23, 2021. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-falcon-and-the-winter-soldier-cast-and-characters&captions=true"]What Time Do The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Episodes Come Out?
The time each new episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Season 1 is expected to drop is at 12am PT/3am ET on Friday morning in the US, which is 8am in the UK and 6:30pm ACT/7pm AET in Australia. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier will be available globally wherever Disney Plus is available. Watch the latest trailer/featurette for Falcon and the Winter Soldier below: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/04/15/the-falcon-and-the-winter-soldier-wakandans-featurette"]How Long are The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Episodes?
Marvel's Falcon and the Winter Soldier Season 1 episodes will have a runtime of around 50-60 minutes according to Marvel boss Kevin Feige. Episode 5, titled "Truth," has a runtime of 61 minutes.How Many Episodes of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Are There Going to Be?
Marvel's The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Season 1 will consist of six episodes. Here's the full Season 1 release schedule for the series:- Episode 1 - "New World Order": Friday, March 19 - Available Now
- Episode 2 - "The Star-Spangled Man": Friday, March 26 - Available Now
- Episode 3 - "Power Broker": Friday, April 2 - Available Now
- Episode 4 - "The Whole World Is Watching": Friday, April 9 - Available Now
- Episode 5 - "Truth": Friday, April 16 - Available Now
- Episode 6 (FINALE) - Friday, April 23
Ace Ventura 3 in Development From Sonic the Hedgehog Writers
A third Ace Ventura film is in the works, and is being written by the writers behind 2020’s Sonic the Hedgehog film.
The news was revealed in an interview conducted by distributor Park Circus focusing on the production company Morgan Creek, which produced the original Ace Ventura films.
“We’re pretty excited about our franchise developments with Exorcist and the Ace Ventura franchise - it’s noticeable from the 3 million fans chatting on the official Facebook page for Ace Ventura that audiences are clamouring for a 3rd installment,” Morgan Creek said. “During COVID, audiences have been in love and are thrilled to have beloved characters brought back with new stories. Ace Ventura will see a new day at Amazon as a major motion-picture/theatrical with the Sonic the Hedgehog writers.”
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/12/jim-carrey-on-the-evolution-of-dr-robotnik-and-a-sonic-sequel"]
Morgan Creek didn’t comment further on Ace Ventura 3, but Sonic the Hedgehog writers Pat Casey and Josh Miller have already worked directly with Jim Carrey, who played Sonic’s archnemesis Dr. Robotnik.
Longtime collaborators Casey and Miller have previously worked as writers on Hulu’s Into the Dark, the DC-set sitcom Powerless, and National Lampoon Presents: Dorm Daze.
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective originally premiered in 1994 and helped launch the career of Jim Carrey. It was followed one year later by Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, as well as a 2009 reboot starring a childhood version of Ventura. Family Guy creator Seth McFarlane also worked as a writer on the animated Ace Ventura cartoon series that ran for three seasons before being canceled.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-video-game-movie-in-development-almost&captions=true"]Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is scheduled to release on April 8, 2022, although that date was originally announced only a few scant months into the COVID-19 pandemic that impacted much of Hollywood’s productions. Jeff Fowler, director of the first film, is slated to return alongside writers Casey and Miller.
If you dug Carrey’s portrayal of the mad scientist Robotnik, you can check out how he thinks the character will evolve in part two. You can also check out our breakdown of what the Sonic movie ending means for the sequel’s plot.
[poilib element="accentDivider"] Joseph Knoop is a writer/producer/mean bean machine for IGN.Ace Ventura 3 in Development From Sonic the Hedgehog Writers
A third Ace Ventura film is in the works, and is being written by the writers behind 2020’s Sonic the Hedgehog film.
The news was revealed in an interview conducted by distributor Park Circus focusing on the production company Morgan Creek, which produced the original Ace Ventura films.
“We’re pretty excited about our franchise developments with Exorcist and the Ace Ventura franchise - it’s noticeable from the 3 million fans chatting on the official Facebook page for Ace Ventura that audiences are clamouring for a 3rd installment,” Morgan Creek said. “During COVID, audiences have been in love and are thrilled to have beloved characters brought back with new stories. Ace Ventura will see a new day at Amazon as a major motion-picture/theatrical with the Sonic the Hedgehog writers.”
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/12/jim-carrey-on-the-evolution-of-dr-robotnik-and-a-sonic-sequel"]
Morgan Creek didn’t comment further on Ace Ventura 3, but Sonic the Hedgehog writers Pat Casey and Josh Miller have already worked directly with Jim Carrey, who played Sonic’s archnemesis Dr. Robotnik.
Longtime collaborators Casey and Miller have previously worked as writers on Hulu’s Into the Dark, the DC-set sitcom Powerless, and National Lampoon Presents: Dorm Daze.
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective originally premiered in 1994 and helped launch the career of Jim Carrey. It was followed one year later by Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, as well as a 2009 reboot starring a childhood version of Ventura. Family Guy creator Seth McFarlane also worked as a writer on the animated Ace Ventura cartoon series that ran for three seasons before being canceled.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-video-game-movie-in-development-almost&captions=true"]Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is scheduled to release on April 8, 2022, although that date was originally announced only a few scant months into the COVID-19 pandemic that impacted much of Hollywood’s productions. Jeff Fowler, director of the first film, is slated to return alongside writers Casey and Miller.
If you dug Carrey’s portrayal of the mad scientist Robotnik, you can check out how he thinks the character will evolve in part two. You can also check out our breakdown of what the Sonic movie ending means for the sequel’s plot.
[poilib element="accentDivider"] Joseph Knoop is a writer/producer/mean bean machine for IGN.Cyberpunk 2077: Patch 1.2 Set To Fix Police Response Times and Driving Issues
CD Projekt Red has revealed a handful of changes that it will implement as part of the currently undated patch 1.2 for Cyberpunk 2077. Its most notable feature is a change to how police respond to crimes, but there are also adjustments to driving and movement controls promised.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/03/19/cyberpunk-2077-whats-new-in-night-city-patch-12-part-1-trailer"]
In a new development insight post on the Cyberpunk 2077 website, CDPR explains that patch 1.2 will adjust the time taken for police NPCs to respond to reported crimes. Previously, the police would very quickly spawn in behind players and begin reacting to the situation, which broke immersion as there was no sense of the police having to make their way to the scene. It also meant fleeing the scene before cops could arrive was difficult. A delay on the police’s arrival, plus a new recon drone that assesses the situation ahead of the police turning up, should make this feel more realistic.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/03/19/cyberpunk-2077-whats-new-in-night-city-patch-12-part-2-trailer"]
In regards to driving, a steering sensitivity slider will be added to the options menu. Some players using keyboard controls, or those who play at low frame rates, have been having issues with keeping cars on the road, and this slider is designed to help combat that. Some individual cars have had their handling tweaked, but this slider should hopefully have a positive effect overall for players who have struggled with their cars oversteering.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/03/19/cyberpunk-2077-whats-new-in-night-city-patch-12-part-3-trailer"]
Additionally, should your car have steered into a situation where it has become beached on an object such as a kerb or bollard, the new update will allow you to rock the vehicle forwards and backwards, as well as rotate it, in order to free the car from the obstacle.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/03/19/cyberpunk-2077-whats-new-in-night-city-patch-12-part-4-trailer"]
On foot, a tweak has also been made to movement controls; the patch will allow players to turn off the ‘double-tap movement keys to dodge’ function. With this turned off, dodging is instead performed by double-tapping crouch. This has been implemented to make moving WASD bindings - the default PC movement keys - around the keyboard easier. Further key binding issues are planned to be addressed in a future patch.
Currently, there is no release date for patch 1.2, and CD Projekt Red are likely not going to provide one until they can say one with confidence. The patch has been delayed due to a recent cyber attack on the developer. We do know that the patch will be followed by multiple updates and improvements over the course of 2021, thanks to the update roadmap.
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Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer.
Cyberpunk 2077: Patch 1.2 Set To Fix Police Response Times and Driving Issues
CD Projekt Red has revealed a handful of changes that it will implement as part of the currently undated patch 1.2 for Cyberpunk 2077. Its most notable feature is a change to how police respond to crimes, but there are also adjustments to driving and movement controls promised.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/03/19/cyberpunk-2077-whats-new-in-night-city-patch-12-part-1-trailer"]
In a new development insight post on the Cyberpunk 2077 website, CDPR explains that patch 1.2 will adjust the time taken for police NPCs to respond to reported crimes. Previously, the police would very quickly spawn in behind players and begin reacting to the situation, which broke immersion as there was no sense of the police having to make their way to the scene. It also meant fleeing the scene before cops could arrive was difficult. A delay on the police’s arrival, plus a new recon drone that assesses the situation ahead of the police turning up, should make this feel more realistic.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/03/19/cyberpunk-2077-whats-new-in-night-city-patch-12-part-2-trailer"]
In regards to driving, a steering sensitivity slider will be added to the options menu. Some players using keyboard controls, or those who play at low frame rates, have been having issues with keeping cars on the road, and this slider is designed to help combat that. Some individual cars have had their handling tweaked, but this slider should hopefully have a positive effect overall for players who have struggled with their cars oversteering.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/03/19/cyberpunk-2077-whats-new-in-night-city-patch-12-part-3-trailer"]
Additionally, should your car have steered into a situation where it has become beached on an object such as a kerb or bollard, the new update will allow you to rock the vehicle forwards and backwards, as well as rotate it, in order to free the car from the obstacle.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/03/19/cyberpunk-2077-whats-new-in-night-city-patch-12-part-4-trailer"]
On foot, a tweak has also been made to movement controls; the patch will allow players to turn off the ‘double-tap movement keys to dodge’ function. With this turned off, dodging is instead performed by double-tapping crouch. This has been implemented to make moving WASD bindings - the default PC movement keys - around the keyboard easier. Further key binding issues are planned to be addressed in a future patch.
Currently, there is no release date for patch 1.2, and CD Projekt Red are likely not going to provide one until they can say one with confidence. The patch has been delayed due to a recent cyber attack on the developer. We do know that the patch will be followed by multiple updates and improvements over the course of 2021, thanks to the update roadmap.
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Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer.
Marvel’s Avengers Fans Impressed By PS5 Loading Times, But Not PS5 Upgrades
Marvel's Avengers received its next-gen versions yesterday, bringing upgraded versions of the game to PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. The PS5 version in particular has received praise and condemnation since that release, with loading times seemingly drastically reduced, but a convoluted upgrade process to go with it.
As Digital Foundry points out, the PS4 Pro version of the game takes around 62 seconds to load one of the game's chapters, with the PS5 managing the same feat in just 4 seconds. The game's community is impressed, with one of the top-rated posts on the game subreddit at time of writing titled, "I know that everyone is talking the Roadmap and Hawkeye, but seriously bro, I'm losing it over the PS5 load times bro".
Fans in the comments are reacting very well to an explanatory video attached to that post (which shows a player booting all the way from the PS5 home screen to playing the game in around 34 seconds), with PC players commenting that even their high-powered machines aren't seeing the same benefits. On Twitter, some users have been saying that the update is worth it for the loading times alone. Series X players have been reporting similar performance in the new Xbox version of the game, too.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/marvels-avengers-lays-out-2021-roadmap"]
But one area of difference between the two consoles lies in how players on last-gen versions upgrade the game. Much has been made of a Twitter thread from the Avengers team, which explains in detail how to safely migrate a PS4 save game to the PS5 version.
The current system means keeping both the PS4 and PS5 versions installed, opening the fully updated PS4 version to migrate the data, then opening the PS5 version to download it again. As many have pointed out, the process on Xbox Series consoles is as simple as downloading the new version and opening it for the first time.
Of course, this isn't simply a Crystal Dynamics problem, with multiple PS4-PS5 upgrades causing issues for players - to the point where Sony has had to add new features to prevent them.
It was a big day for Avengers yesterday, as it launched next-gen versions and Hawkeye DLC, as well as providing a 2021 roadmap (including Black Panther). We also learned that the game won't be going free-to-play anytime soon, and that Spider-Man won't come to the game before Black Panther. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.I will always say PlayStation has a better first party library than XBox but also the convoluted way you have to update games from last gen to current gen is absolutely trounced by XBox's Smart Delivery. The hoops the Avengers upgrade makes you go through, woof.
— Mikey O'Leary (@MichaelROLeary) March 18, 2021
Marvel’s Avengers Fans Impressed By PS5 Loading Times, But Not PS5 Upgrades
Marvel's Avengers received its next-gen versions yesterday, bringing upgraded versions of the game to PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. The PS5 version in particular has received praise and condemnation since that release, with loading times seemingly drastically reduced, but a convoluted upgrade process to go with it.
As Digital Foundry points out, the PS4 Pro version of the game takes around 62 seconds to load one of the game's chapters, with the PS5 managing the same feat in just 4 seconds. The game's community is impressed, with one of the top-rated posts on the game subreddit at time of writing titled, "I know that everyone is talking the Roadmap and Hawkeye, but seriously bro, I'm losing it over the PS5 load times bro".
Fans in the comments are reacting very well to an explanatory video attached to that post (which shows a player booting all the way from the PS5 home screen to playing the game in around 34 seconds), with PC players commenting that even their high-powered machines aren't seeing the same benefits. On Twitter, some users have been saying that the update is worth it for the loading times alone. Series X players have been reporting similar performance in the new Xbox version of the game, too.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/marvels-avengers-lays-out-2021-roadmap"]
But one area of difference between the two consoles lies in how players on last-gen versions upgrade the game. Much has been made of a Twitter thread from the Avengers team, which explains in detail how to safely migrate a PS4 save game to the PS5 version.
The current system means keeping both the PS4 and PS5 versions installed, opening the fully updated PS4 version to migrate the data, then opening the PS5 version to download it again. As many have pointed out, the process on Xbox Series consoles is as simple as downloading the new version and opening it for the first time.
Of course, this isn't simply a Crystal Dynamics problem, with multiple PS4-PS5 upgrades causing issues for players - to the point where Sony has had to add new features to prevent them.
It was a big day for Avengers yesterday, as it launched next-gen versions and Hawkeye DLC, as well as providing a 2021 roadmap (including Black Panther). We also learned that the game won't be going free-to-play anytime soon, and that Spider-Man won't come to the game before Black Panther. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.I will always say PlayStation has a better first party library than XBox but also the convoluted way you have to update games from last gen to current gen is absolutely trounced by XBox's Smart Delivery. The hoops the Avengers upgrade makes you go through, woof.
— Mikey O'Leary (@MichaelROLeary) March 18, 2021