Are consoles really this bad now?

[votemarvel]

If splitscreen at the same level of visual quality is too hard then why not turn the settings down while playing that way.

There isn't an excuse for console games not to have the same selection of graphical options as their PC counterparts, especially if it is hurting the ability to keep features people actually like.

Of course part of it is simply that they want people to pay for online subscriptions. Look how System Link died on the Xbox 360 when it was clear the cash the Gold Subscription could bring in.

 

[Arnoxthe1]

Try learning some of the processes behind various aspects of games development.

Actually, I have. And I know they are being greedy/lazy. I've seen much better games release today at less than half the usual AAA budget. Sure, they're not as "pretty" but IDGAF to be quite blunt. If the money is going to graphics when it should be going to gameplay, again, it's just super bad design. Also, microtransactions in a full-priced AAA game. 'Nuff said there. BTW, Halo 3 blew away gfx at the time and Perfect Dark pushed the N64 to the absolute limits. All while having the best gameplay for their respective times.

These aren't assumptions. These are facts.

 

[Mcgeezaks]

I would imagine, it's only been around 3 years compared to PS3's 10.

Only 15 games with splitscreen have been developed for the PS3 since the release of PS4. So after 7 years PS3 had 125 splitscreen games, after over 3 years PS4 had not even 40. That's not even 1/3, so yes, they'll have to work hard to get as many split-screen games as the PS3 in the same amount of years.

 

[Fox12]

In terms of split screen multi-player games, yeah, it's pretty abysmal. It turns out that you sell more copies when you force everyone to buy their own games. Party games are certainly a thing of the past. It's all online now.

In terms of game support though? Consoles have a fantastic selection. Bloodborne, The Last of Us HD, The Souls franchise, The Last Guardian, Gravity Rush 2, Nier Automata, World of Final Fantasy, Persona 5... the list is absolutely nuts. I have a whole log of games on my Steam account, but frankly the whole thing just pales in comparison to my current PS4 catalog.

Though, based on you OP, you probably dislike this generation for the same reason I love it. I'm glad to finally have a larger selection of awesome games that aren't just military shooters or multi-player titles. That seems to be exactly what your looking for.

EDIT: The PS4 isn't really a party game machine. Heck, the Xbox isn't really a party game machine. The only console that meets that criteria today is the Wii and Wii U, which were pretty much designed from the ground up to be party machines. I can't say if the Switch will do the same.

 

[Fox12]

I?ll preface this by saying I?m not a fan of split-screen, but I am curious how this now age-old debate would sound had it gone the other way, online falling by the wayside in lieu of rampant split-screen. I guess at the end of the day it?s the same as those who prefer vinyl over CDs or digital formats; there?s a quaint nostalgia and perhaps unique quality to the older format, but the fact remains that it?ll only ever appeal to a niche slice of the mass market and what they lose out on disappointing that piece of the pie is likely negligible.

I don?t know how easy it is to implement split-screen, but is it possible it?s gone away as (ideally) current games are more technologically demanding? Is there significant processing power required for one machine to take in 4 separate inputs and display as many ?screens? on a single monitor?

Also this. I don't remember ever enjoying split screen. It made it too easy to cheat during vs mode, and it tended to give me a headache. Even as a kid, I usually just preferred watching my friend play his game while we chilled out on the couch, or took terms playing a single player game. The best multi-player games were titles like Smash Brothers. On the rare occasion I play multi-player games, I prefer online play.

 

[Elijin]

You went to a physical retailer for couch games? There's your problem. Couch games are the realm of the digital market now. Lots of fun little things.

 

[bastardofmelbourne]

Oughta buy Helldivers.

There's tons of other cheap co-op couch games on the digital market. Broforce, that comes to mind.

 

[Pseudonym]

My roommates brother has brought his wii u over here a couple of times. I've played smash, mario 3d world, donkey kong tropical freeze, mario party and some other games in co-op mode.

I also have halo 1 to 4 (also reach and odst) on xbox 360 which has split screen but the most recent halo game for xbox one, which I don't have, has reportedly taken away split screen because otherwise they couldn't handle 1080p or something. On xbox 360 I can also recommend geometry wars 2 even though that game bizarrely doesn't save high scores in co-op and battleblock theather. I can also recommend minecraft splitscreen.

Interestingly, there are some PC games these days that support couch co-op if you have 2 pc controllers and have the room to do it. Geometry wars 3 for example, though pc multiplayer in the same room still seems more aimed at lan parties and the like.

Don't know what sony has been up to recently, or ever. I've never had any playstations.

So yeah, consoles seem to have gone backward in the department of splitscreen games, though nintendo seems to be better about it than the other 2. The online capabilities of consoles cost extra money for no good reason so yeah, screw that too.

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

There are quite a few, If you know where to look. The main releases aren't often splitscreen, though maybe COD is, I don't know if they do that still. You're best looking in the digital download section. Also the Rayman games are couch co-op, pixeljunk shooters are too. And what's wrong with Rocket League? Add to that all those sports and racing games, there are options.

 

[Phoenixmgs_v1legacy]

Connections vary of course, but I can't say the whole install/patch as you play has ever really worked out in my experience. Yeah, you can play a tutorial or first level, then you get booted out until it finishes. And the PS4 will throttle the downloads out if you're doing anything flagged as Online (including Party Chat and the built-in Spotify on PSPlus), even including if you're playing something in an Offline mode that has Online capability (like Terraria single player or Titanfalls Campaign)

I've never had an issue playing a new game right away. I do think the only open world games I've played are Watch Dogs and Witcher 3. Data installs from the disc pretty fast so even if you play the intro level super fast, you shouldn't have to wait too long at all. I really couldn't care less about how fast a patch downloads because you don't need it to play anyways, plus I only have a 3mbps connection.

 

[Mangod]

Sooo...

My family got a PS4 for christmas, along with 3 extra controllers.

Why are they even selling extra controllers (other than as replacements for broken ones), why do they still design consoles to have multiple controllers plugged in, if you can't play together on the same console?

 

[Xprimentyl]

Sooo...

My family got a PS4 for christmas, along with 3 extra controllers.

Why are they even selling extra controllers (other than as replacements for broken ones), why do they still design consoles to have multiple controllers plugged in, if you can't play together on the same console?

A fair question, but consoles still support multiple controllers because there are games that support local multiplayer/co-op, but they're tending more towards the arcade-y niche titles, like PlayStations version of Super Smash Bros.? I think the OP's concern is that the big-budget AAA titles are tending less and less to support local multiplayer.

 

[Saelune]

Sooo...

My family got a PS4 for christmas, along with 3 extra controllers.

Why are they even selling extra controllers (other than as replacements for broken ones), why do they still design consoles to have multiple controllers plugged in, if you can't play together on the same console?

Ok, you and others do realize that it is not the PS4's job to enforce multiplayer, right? If a game allows for 4 players, then the PS4 will be able to handle that, but it is up to the game.

 

[Rangaman]

Lastly, consoles are still far more convenient and easier to use. You pop in a disc on PS4 and you're playing within 2 minutes.

What magical PS4 do you own?

It's mostly been dropped because, when it comes down to it, the vast unwashed majority simply don't play Split-Screen anymore. Even siblings nowadays have their own separate systems, or PCs.

 

[Cycloptomese]

Sooo...

My family got a PS4 for christmas, along with 3 extra controllers.

Why are they even selling extra controllers (other than as replacements for broken ones), why do they still design consoles to have multiple controllers plugged in, if you can't play together on the same console?

You'll understand when a left bumper or a left trigger stops working.

 

[Phoenixmgs_v1legacy]

Lastly, consoles are still far more convenient and easier to use. You pop in a disc on PS4 and you're playing within 2 minutes.

What magical PS4 do you own?

The one that everyone owns. I remember when I first got a PS4 and popped in Watch Dogs, I walked away to get a drink or go to the bathroom as I figured I'd have to wait 15 minutes or so to play. I came back and the game was waiting for me to play.

 

[Rangaman]

Lastly, consoles are still far more convenient and easier to use. You pop in a disc on PS4 and you're playing within 2 minutes.

What magical PS4 do you own?

The one that everyone owns. I remember when I first got a PS4 and popped in Watch Dogs, I walked away to get a drink or go to the bathroom as I figured I'd have to wait 15 minutes or so to play. I came back and the game was waiting for me to play.

There's precisely 13 minutes' difference between those two statements there. Besides that, it still takes too fucking long for games to install on the Bone and Pisser.

 

[Phoenixmgs_v1legacy]

Lastly, consoles are still far more convenient and easier to use. You pop in a disc on PS4 and you're playing within 2 minutes.

What magical PS4 do you own?

The one that everyone owns. I remember when I first got a PS4 and popped in Watch Dogs, I walked away to get a drink or go to the bathroom as I figured I'd have to wait 15 minutes or so to play. I came back and the game was waiting for me to play.

There's precisely 13 minutes' difference between those two statements there. Besides that, it still takes too fucking long for games to install on the Bone and Pisser.

Huh? I never had to wait more than 2 minutes to play a new game. The game installs as you play it.

 

[Reiper]

Split screen was fun back in the day, but really its only advantage was efficiency, and that often came at the expense of functionality. There's a good reason games like Halo started having LAN parties, where everyone went so far as to bring their own TVs. People ultimately like having a whole screen to look at, and not be location-stalked by the other player(s) in split screen.

There are also quite a few 2+ player games where everyone can share the same full screen, even if it comes down to taking turns. We always did that as kids in single player games for example. That's how a buddy and I finally ended up beating Super G&G, and it was awesome. Also made for some great THPS sessions.

I certainly have reservations about online multiplayer yet, but that mostly boils down to security and stability issues. The DLC/Season's Pass/etc. practice is toxic as well, but that's another story.

I got the Uncharted 4 bundle, and after a system update that took a couple minutes, I was able to start playing the game in even less time after putting in the disc. There was a patch downloading, but at least now you're able to play simultaneously.