Number 9. Number 9. Number 9.

Following on from the previous post, it becomes clear that the development of the PS5 represent an indication that the Ninth Console Generation may be dawning.

I suppose the usual amount of time has transpired for a new console generation but there's only one thing I want to know:

With a new console generation what are Sony going to do?

With the current situation with gaming, i can't help but see a bit of history repeating itself: For you see, when the PS1 arrived in late 1994, Sega was in a weakened position following the failure of Megadrive/Genesis add-ons and third party developers were irate with Nintendo due to it's draconian restrictions. Sony couldn't ask for a better window of opportunity and were subsequently able to make sizable impression in the console market.

Now? Microsoft is a weakened position with a degree of hostility towards the Xbox that, even as an owner of an Xbox Scorpio has to admit, is hard to ignore. And whilst Nintendo is still in the race (although it's doubtful that they will ever leave), their lawsuits on ROM/Emulation sites have not only generated some bad press but have made the preservation of gaming history a talking point.

Could this present another window of opportunity for Sony?

Knowing Sony, I wouldn't put it past them to push the rumored 'play every PS game ever' feature on the PS5, seeing Nintendo's ruthlessness towards their own history. But would Sony take the preservation of gaming history seriously like how the likes of Steam and GoG are doing? I doubt it.

What will you do Sony?
What will you do?

King of Hearts

And now a mention of Kingdom Hearts 3.


That was it.

Okay seriously, I never had much interest in the Kingdom Hearts series - I suppose that lack of interest can be explained through being left exhausted by hanging around hyperactive fangirls.
But from an outsider's perspective, this game has been along time coming so there is indeed something to be said about a game being saved from the purgatory of unreleased games. Also impressive is that there is so much content spread across multiple games - even if the plot of the series is famous for being incomprehensible (both within and without the fandom).

So despite my lack of interest in Kingdom hearts I will at least give it props as a gaming franchise that is massive, ambitious and successful.
After all, there won't be countless rabid fangirls without a good reason for them

Station to Station

Rumors are circulating that the proposed PS5 will play every PlayStation game ever made - which means those that appeared on all it's predecessors.

Source

I have explained before that when the PS3 was released, i noticed it had no backwards compatibility - so not willing to part with my PS1 and PS2 games, I gave up on PlayStation and have since never looked back.
I mean, it was certainly a turnabout face, when the PS2 offered full PS1 backwards compatibly, right?

Since then, I have no idea about what Sony have done since in regards to backwards compatibility. Sure there are some PS1 and PS2 games available on the PSN but whilst good news for those games on there, it's no so great for the games not on there.
So to have such a turnabout face is a surprise on my end. What made Sony, known for shunning backwards comparability change their mind?

Are companies actually waking up to the dangers of poor gaming historical preservation?
Did Sony see the backwards compatibility functions on the Xbone and grow jealous?
Did Sony glance at GoG and see the success/brand-loyalty/money they were generating?
Did Sony see an opportunity arise with Nintendo's weakened position with their closure of the Wii Shopping Channel and their condemnation of ROMs?

But, as always, these are just rumours.
The real judgement comes when the PS5 shows it's face.....

Wii aren't ever getting back together

On the weekend, I paid one final visit to the Wii Shopping Channel to download any games that I had missed. Fortunately for me, I was still able to.

I also had a look around and, predictably, there was nothing there. Where once were games for sale are now blank spaces.

It is indeed a sobering thought that an aging 8gb SD card is the only means I have to play certain games.

The Day Wii Parted

And so, the day has come: the Wii Shop Channel has been closed down by Nintendo.

I suppose the real feat here is that something has latest well over a decade in an industry that tends to move at a lightening fast pace. But such wording does describe a problem that is growing within the gaming industry: Things are moving so quickly that it is difficult to keep up. Subsequently, far too often many older games are being forgotten.

Whilst I've spoken about the sorry state of gaming preservation, I do have some anger directed at Nintendo for their cavalier approach to their history. Whereas the likes of Steam and GoG have their games available forever, Nintendo would rather have their games being made difficult to get a hold of let alone play. It is indeed frustrating that many classics are going unplayed and many aspiring game developers are unable to learn from the pioneers who came before them.

Still, the Wii Shop Channel was, for me, the singular reason i got a Wii. The means to play all those historical classics, that passed me the first time around, was a delight to behold. And it's the same reason why I still hang onto my Wii - and, with all my downloads from the Wii Shop Channel safe on a SD card, I certainly see myself continue to use it in the future. 

Rest In Peace you glorious thing you.