We can do that once next gen consoles start hitting the market.

We can already do realtime path tracing ...

With newer and more specialized hardware for this quality along with software improvements, I'm absolutely sure we can reduce the noise in the future ...

Agreed. Let's compare cross-gen titles around launch

Lego star wars 2 on 360, my kids have been playing this again recently.


Lego movie video game

The only major leap from the PS2 to the PS3 was the switch to HD visuals. That is the only reason so many of you seem so hung up on the fact that there was a greater leap at launch as opposed to now. At the moment we're not pushing for a new image resolution standard, as HD is good enough for most anything.
Otherwise, Jak and Daxter on the PS2 looked a lot better than almost anything out at launch for the PS3.


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It seems like it's impossible to release a console that is as powerful as the 360 was for its time. No company is willing to take a loss on their hardware this gen and no company wants to release a $600 console. That leaves us with underpowered hardware compared to last gen.

Yes I'm intentionally ignoring the fact that Nintendo made a loss on the Wii U. That loss was not for the purpose of processing power.

Why wait for U4 if this already exists?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NedZT-tIBLA

Actually we are. Most console games last generation were sub-720p, most console games this generation are 900p-1080p. Not to mention the improvements in image quality through anti-aliasing techniques. 

480p = 307,200 pixels

720p = 921,600 pixels

900p= 1,440,000 pixels

1080p = 2,073,600 pixels

The "HD" branding was just deceptive. There was a difference in rendering resolution and image quality with almost every generation. "HD" branding was only there because HD Televisions were the next big thing at the time. 

The Wii U isn't underpowered. Haven't you seen its games? They all look AMAZING. If anything, PS4 and X1 are underpowered because their games look literally like last gen games.

Moore law application would show they have jumped as much as it should keeping cost in mind. A 8-10x more powerfull console for 66% the price (ir you count inflation it will be even less) is quite good. And we know games will get continually better, now if you think it is too little buy a PC. About resolution, 4k will probably take a gen duration (4-5y) to be cheap enough to make and watch so by then ps5 will have 4k but we will have 8k monitors already but consoles have to please Mass Market so price is important, and most won't complain they don't outdo high end PC.

This gen has been so boring to me. Gameplay wise, nothing new. The only controller that looked promising was the Gamepad and it's only used for off-tv.

Thats exactly right.  99.9% of people dont care that the latest consoles fall behind to higher spec PC's.  PC's exist for only a slight amount more money that might well play games at 1440p and above depending on how much money you throw at it.  Console gaming for now is strictly a 1080p affair because thats what the vast majority of people own in their houses, 720p or 1080 screens.  This isn't going to change in the near future.  Nor does it really need to.  If I watch a blu ray in 1080, it looks very good.  When I pop in infamous and play, that also, looks ridiculously good.  People will voice opinion on gaming websites that game A is only 900p and one platform holds an advantage elsewhere with game B, but the truth is, outside of that circle, no one cares.  People buy games to play games.  They want games to look better on the console they used to own and they do, without fail.