PC vs. PS4 limitations

[Gilraen]

Speaking of console, what was the reason for no xbox version?
iirc ff11 came to xbox but not ps2

XBox Live. Yeah, that's it. That's all. XI was spared the 'need' for it because the 360 needed a 'killer app' in Japan due to utter disinterest in the console over there. Microsoft wasn't so open to dropping it with XIV, and Yoshida has stated repeatedly that he doesn't want to charge players more than a subscription fee to play the game. He's kept to his word on this with the PS4 given you don't need PS+ to play, not that Sony is forcing anyone to use PS+ to begin with unlike Microsoft with XBox Live.

[JonLuso]

I think another reason is that they don't want to allow cross-platform gaming with competitors, or at least, that's the reasoning it was back then.

Nowadays, they're letting Xbox One games connect to PC gamers in games; I guess XIV just wasn't lucky.

[JonLuso]

When I say consoles will hold games back, I mean that in the theoretical sense.

Games are tailored to current platforms, and it may be even such that current consoles are able to handle the vision that developers are aiming for.

But, what I'm referring to is the fact that games are being developed within a metaphoric "enclosed space"; PCs will always be a place where the possibilities are, for all intents and purposes, endless. Consoles are exponentially increasing in hardware potential, yes, but PCs always can be outfitted with the best that hardware has to offer.

I'm, in no way, saying that consoles aren't viable. But, in the case of multi-platform gaming, consoles are the plateau of development when they are thrown into the mix with PCs.

If games are first developed on consoles and then ported over to PCs, the games were optimized with consoles in mind. Any limitations the consoles impose are apparent, but one could find solace in that the game was developed with this in mind as opposed to the other possible continuum taking place.

[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.

[ZemusM]

I play on both. Generally if im soloing, doing quests, or storyline Ill just sit back on my couch and play the PS4 version. But if I run dungeons or raids I run it on PC. Thats pretty much my life with the game.

The PS4 version does not look anywhere near as good as the PC version with graphics maxed out, there is a big difference, but I don't play MMO's for graphics lol.

I like both versions just fine, but when it's time to get serious, I always login to PC.

[SummerSkye]

but when it's time to get serious, I always login to PC.

This about sums it up for me.

[DefendPopPunk]

I play on both. Generally if im soloing, doing quests, or storyline Ill just sit back on my couch and play the PS4 version. But if I run dungeons or raids I run it on PC. Thats pretty much my life with the game.

The PS4 version does not look anywhere near as good as the PC version with graphics maxed out, there is a big difference, but I don't play MMO's for graphics lol.

I like both versions just fine, but when it's time to get serious, I always login to PC.

As someone that plays on both as well, I agree with everything you've said. I love my ps4 but there's this tiny bit of sluggishness to it that doesn't exist on my PC. I couldn't care less about the graphical difference (which is, however, obvious if you play on ps4 for a while and then go back to PC); it's the smooth performance I'm looking for first and foremost. I have a feeling that the huge areas in heavensward might widen this gulf a bit as well, but we'll see.