The Tuesday letters page has some interesting ideas for The Last Of Us Part 3, as one reader celebrates the joys of the PlayStation 2.
Games Inbox is a collection of our readers’ letters, comments, and opinions. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.uk
No rush
With all these price cuts and no competition from Microsoft (the Xbox is going to get even more expensive?!) it’s obvious that the PlayStation 5 is going to be massive this Christmas, even with the Switch 2 in play. The thing is, the Switch 2 isn’t competition for Sony. It doesn’t play a lot of the same games and many people would be happy to own both.
So Sony really has everything wrapped up, even more than they did already. This makes me wonder if the new component shortages are going to make them think that there’s just no need for the PlayStation 6 right now and that they will definitely delay it.
The PlayStation 5 might not suffer from shortages but that doesn’t mean the PlayStation 6 is safe. So, if it was aiming for 2027 or 2028, I think that will very likely be moved back a year. And really, I think that’s better for everyone. People can’t afford a new console and developers can’t afford to make games for it, so what’s the point?
Of course, there’s no official annoucement but if we don’t get a reveal next year, which everyone was expecting, I think that will be a clear indication that things are not moving as quickly as we thought.
Austin
Call of apathy
So I guess the other reader was right, we really are witnessing the end of Call Of Duty’s dominance. It’s not doing a little worse than usual it’s being slaughtered. I don’t see how it comes back from this unless it can follow-up with a really great game next year. But Activision wouldn’t have been expecting this kind of thing to happen, so they would’ve had no reason to make a special effort with next year’s game.
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By the time they do it could be almost the next decade, which is kind of crazy to think about. For those that don’t like Call Of Duty it’s good news but I think it has less to do with Black Ops 7 being bad and more the recent stories about young gamers not buying new games and only wanting boring Christmas presents.
They’re just not interested in traditional games, whether they’re a critical darling or fast food rubbish like Call Of Duty. So while it’s nice to see Activision’s stranglehold being broken something far worse could take over: a total apathy for proper games from younger gamers.
Cuit
Time skip
So Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet isn’t going to be out next years, so that’s 2027 at the earliest. If there ever is The Last Of Us Part 3 it’s going to be so far away I’m not sure what they’ll even do with it. Maybe make it about Dina’s child?
One of the big themes of the game was generational violence, so Dina’s kid finding an old Ellie sounds to me like a pretty cool idea. Technically Ellie did break the cycle of violence but she was too damaged by the end of it to benefit.
Maybe Naughty Dog won’t want to do it but I don’t see how Sony can resist. In fact, I’m surprise and impressed they’ve not got someone else to do that and Uncharted already. Or maybe they’ve tried and it just hasn’t come together yet.
Lynch
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Price concerns
I’m struggling to be enthusiastic about the new Steam Machine and VR headset. Looking at the specs they don’t seem to be much more powerful than the PlayStation 5 and Meta Quest 3 and will probably cost a lot more. I like the form factor of the Steam Machine but it’s fairly low spec and not upgradable, so will be interesting to see how well it runs new games.
The VR headset looks really comfortable, which most VR headsets out the box are not, and being able to play PC games in standalone is cool but if it’s gonna cost a lot more than the Meta Quest then it’s going to make it enthusiasts only. I think Valve are onto something here but only if it’s affordable, so it will be interesting to see pricing.
Rob
Public test
I haven’t written in a while, but I just had to come to GC’s aid about Kirby Air Riders. I watched the first Nintendo Direct all the way through and totally independently came to the conclusion that the game looked abysmal. Especially by Nintendo’s standards.
In trying to convince me to buy and play the game, all they succeeded in doing in convincing me that I had no interest in buying and playing it. This view seems to have borne out in it chart performance.
Keep up all the good work.
Struthyfizz
GC: As you know, the game only got as high as number 12 in the UK charts on its debut, so it seems you weren’t the only one to be sceptical.
Infinite potential
Can’t believe it’s been 25 years since the PlayStation 2. I know the PS1 was the start of the 3D, but its sequel feels like the real start of the modern state of gaming. It’s impossible to remaster PS1 game and have them not be incredibly ugly and clunky, you have to remake them completely, but PlayStation 2 games still mostly look and play okay.
We’ve moved forward a lot since then but also it’s funny how little has really changed. A lot of the same series are still going, like you said, and mostly the same genres are popular as they were then. We’re even seeing a comeback for survival horror, which was at its peak during the PlayStation 2’s time.
What I miss most though is the jump from one generation to the next. When the PlayStation 2 was going strong it was obvious that games had a long way to go in terms of graphics and game worlds and everything. Now though the only thing that people expect to change is the price, and not in the right direction.
It really feels like the PlayStation 4 was the last real console and everything else that comes after it will just be a minor upgrade. From a technical point of view, it’s almost impossible for a new format to be as exciting as the PlayStation 2 again.
Candus
Oh, it sings to me
Been reading how The Duskbloods has been in development since 2019, so not only is it probably nearly finished but it seems it’s a very important game for FromSoftware. It probably cost Nintendo a lot of money to make it a Switch 2 exclusive, although I doubt it stays that way for more than a year or two.
Even so, I still ache for a new single-player From game. I know it’s not that long since Elden Ring but we have no idea what they’re working on next and I need to know! Especially if it’s Bloodborne 2.
Orion
Costly support
Having lots of games released doesn’t negate the concern of how long triple-A games take to make and cost now. Those tentpole games attract investors, make or break studios, and drive hardware sales.
So, if that collapses it could have very serious repercussions for the whole industry. But my gosh do I have a lot to play from just this year.
Just spent 90 hours on Hollow Knight: Silksong. Not a game from this year, but then spent 23 hours on replaying Astro Bot and the DLC for the first time to platinum and 100% everything. Wonderful game, fully deserved its Game of the Year award.
I’m always conscious of needing to support the type of games I want to see more of. After reading the article about under 17’s wanting live service in-game currency for Christmas I found myself today buying Robocop: Rogue City – Unfinished Business (loved Rogue City) and System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster (value Nightdive Studios work) on PSN, as they had a bit of a discount in the sales.
I still have a day one buy Clair Obscure: Expedition 33 to get to and a good chunk of Donkey Kong Bananza to play. I have pre-ordered Metroid Prime 4 in the spirit of support.
High on the wanted but yet to buy list is Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, Silent Hill f, Satisfactory, and V-Racer Hoverbike.
I have PS Plus and Game Pass which will see a Red Dead Redemption PlayStation 5 version, Marvel Cosmic Invasion, and the interesting looking Skate Story come to the services in the first eight days of December.
Thankfully the only game left this year which I really like the look of and will want to support if any good is Terminator 2D: No Fate. But it’s nuts, I genuinely feel I will have to commit to buying no games next year.
Simundo
Inbox also-rans
Now that Call Of Duty: Black Ops 7 is out and poorly received, I was wondering which Call Of Duty game is considered the best for its campaign or even as an all-round package?
LoRd SiNn
GC: We ranked all the Black Ops games quite recently.
I don’t know about Kirby Air Riders but GC was dead on about Alan Wake 2. That game sucks.
Venger
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