Otter said:
curl-6 said:
Games from smaller devs release simultaneously on Switch and PS all the time, it's not some unworkable thing. |
It's not, and I do agree Japanese devs could be more proactive and agile, but it's also not as simple for them as people make out. Especially when everyone is doing based on what a game "looks like" versus how well it actually runs on the platform. All of the great Switch ports have taken a minimum of 6months of dedicated development and the average Japanese dev is not a technical powerhouse, aside from Square/Capcom, they've barely scratched the surface of what the PS4 could do... A game could look like One piece but run worse on the PS5 than Horizon Forbidden West, optimisation is everything and JP devs are playing catch up here.
Your point about them starting from the Switch as a baseline is valid but also its understandable why they would have been apprehensive. Firstly we have to acknowledge that many developers have seen their franchises peak globally by orientating them around the PS4. They established their Ips there, whilst Nintendo was struggling in the home console space. All home console development shifted to Playstation after the Wii and 3DS wasn't massive outside of Japan, so devs are comfortable with Playstation. Working on high-end spec hardware offers more marketing potential and can translate into a more hype (See Monster Hunter World and Tales of Arise).
Lastly any game releasing now, began development 3 years back at least... so there's also a level of prediction going on with what devs see as the relevant platforms in years to come. Many may not have felt certain of the Switches longevity. I personally thought the Switch would peak in 2019 after pokemon and then have quite a steep decline, I'm sure I'm not alone. Either way the PS4 was the market leader in 2019 on a global scale.
These are all just growing pains that will be resolved with Switch 2. Both due to evolving tech, but also because third parties will have gained trust in Nintendo's ability to create a thriving hybrid platform deserving of AA/AAA resources. In the past japanese devs were working with PS1/PS2 level budgets (3DS/DS/Wii) |
Some interesting points here, thanks.
For games like Monster Hunter World, I get it, pursuing higher spec made sense in that regard. So does making stuff like Final Fantasy or Elden Ring for PS4/5.
I guess where it makes less sense in my view is for games that don't lean into advanced graphics or great production values, and often end up coming to Switch later down the line anyway.
