PC vs. PS4 limitations

[JonLuso]

The difference between supporting the PS4 and supporting low-end PCs is essentially the drop in revenue you get from dropping one for the other. Rather, the established consumer base for PS4 would, apparently, outnumber that of the the former. But that's not even the point. The main crux of the reasoning I employed is that, the "impact" you get from dropping the low-end PCs over the PS4 is marginal at best.

Referring to an earlier point that many collaborate on, PC gamers tend to stay on top of hardware and software developments. To say that most gamers of this spectrum would lose out on developers dropping support for older legacy hardware is hardly true or even remotely as effectual compared to console phasing.

Dropping support on PS4 is different: this is a different consumer base. These players either purchased it for the solace that it would be supported for years to come or that they decided to avoid the apparent nuances of building a gaming PC. Whatever the premise or reasoning for obtaining a PS4, developers realize these reasons and commit to a console much more feverishly compared to lower-end PC's. The 2 are not alike when it comes to sales reductions in terms of hardware phasing.

It's easy to compare similar hardware technically, but the root of such hardware differs; in this case, the only reason hardware-scaling happens is because developers wish to innovate and go beyond previous set limits. They cannot do this with a console because of the aforementioned reason. They simple must deal with it and try to push the console in such a manner that still warrants a continued consumer support base.

Consoles will always hold games back; low-end PCs do, as well, but they never do so in the way consoles do.

[Kosmos992k]

Consoles will always hold games back; low-end PCs do, as well, but they never do so in the way consoles do.

On this point, we shall have to agree to disagree.

I believe that we also disagree in that I do not believe that the majority of people playing games on their PC are aware of the hardware and software developments in PC gaming, I think that they only care if their game works. Another point I think we shall have to agree to disagree on.

[Gilraen]

...Consoles will always hold games back...

This was true decades ago, when computers were still struggling to hammer out a standard and game consoles were 'special snowflakes'. The last genuine 'special snowflake' console was the PS3 and Sony learned their lesson with it. Each one was cost more than it sold for. The PS4 is essentially a mid-range PC using standard parts in a well-designed 'tower'. The benefit of it for developers, though, is that it's going to be the same standard parts for the life of the console. Instead of designing for a range of component configurations you can instead challenge the console's singular configuration. It's quite the load off your back knowing Timmy with his 8 year old PC isn't going to be trying to run the game.