So with Destiny's very mixed reception being the latest in a line of big games turning out disappointing this year I realized most of said games have something in common. Destiny, Watch Dogs, and Titanfall were all developed to be both last gen and next gen games. Is it a coincidence that all three also happened to be some of the most disappointing games compared to their hype and what was promised? Maybe, but I think it reveals what could be the real problem here: Developers are too worried about abandoning the massive install bases of 360/PS3, because of a fear that these huge budget games may not sell well enough if only released on the much smaller install bases of PS4/X1.
The problem there though is that I think this is stopping these developers from truly focusing on a "next gen" experience for these games, and this is the main reason I believe they're all under-delivering. I mean look at how Rock Steady has said some of the new mechanics they're doing for Arkham Knight wouldn't have even been possible last gen (or even on the Wii U). Who knows what ideas studios like Bungie and Ubisoft may have decided against for games like Destiny and Watch Dogs because they wouldn't have worked in last gen constraints. Aside from the graphical differences, these games haven't been much different than their last gen counterparts, essentially meaning they all could have just been last gen titles.
Now I know it could be risky developing a huge budget game for a much smaller install base, but at the same time that's what's gonna have to happen for the base to grow. The funny thing is that the 360/PS3 versions of these games haven't even been selling all that well, which indicats that even the public is ready to move on from last gen. I think Destiny's mediocre reception is the final sign that developers need to officially pull the plug to last gen life support, and finally start focusing on the true "next gen" experience.
