Dwarf here, and something is bugging me.
This gaming generation is drawing to a close (this is a console post, I don’t want to hear people bringing up PCs please we get it, they’re better, but some of us actually go out in sunlight).
Some of us will pack up our Xbox One and PS4 and set them down to gather dust next to the Nintendo 64 or PlayStation 1 we had growing up. Just another device to rest in our memories. But can we look back on this generation as fondly as the others? Some have fondest memories of Goldeneye and others, with the PS2 etc.
What has this generation brought us?
Many would argue this was the best. I’d agree with them, but then we’d both be wrong. What exactly does this gen have to be proud of? The Last of Us Part 2? Come on, it’s not that great. It only shines because there isn’t much to compare it to. It’s like how some say Breath of the Wild is the best Legend of Zelda game – have you played Ocarina of Time?? Will we look back fondly on Halo 5? What about the hundreds of remasters?
Going to have to say no guys. Because it doesn’t matter how good this generation was, It didn’t change the way we do things.
racist 10 year olds who have definitely slept with your mum can outshoot you
Online play was always around. Sure, we had a step up in graphics, games were more immersive, bigger. But we saw the rise of paywalls, EA removing its mask and showing us its grotesque money grabbing face, the influx of battle royales. Epic Games going from a respected developer to a baby sitter trying to be the next Steam. Everything we liked about this gen will carry on.
Backwards compatibility will continue, so we can replay our favourite games again. The remasters of childhood classics will continue to be made. Skyrim will be released again. Fortnite will still be a place to leave your children while you down another bottle of wine and wonder where it went wrong. EA will continue selling you a disc but you must pay to use it. Can you see the point I’m making here?
The fact is, every generation has taught us something. The originals taught us we didn’t need to go running to the arcade with a pocket full of pennies to save the world. The Nintendo 64 and PlayStation 1 saga taught us video games are a work of art, that can tell powerful stories. The original Xbox and PlayStation 2 taught us whether you’re alone, or with friends, we can interact with a visual master piece that can change our lives.
The Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 properly kicked off the console war, making online multiplayer mainstream – which turned many newer companies and series into household names. It taught us you can make friends anywhere, and that racist 10 year olds who have definitely slept with your mum can outshoot you…unless you’re a hacker. L33T.
But this gen? its taught us only one thing. We will always buy what we don’t need, like DLC we will never touch, skins for characters we will never see, premium currency like vbucks or cod points, or any FIFA game.
Now the curtain falls on this generation, our beloved Xbox ones or PlayStation 4s, soon to be replaced by modems and minifridges. Honestly, I’m looking forward to it. We have some fantastic things coming our way, from epic single player games, to massive online campaigns to conquer with friends, new enemies to make and VR is getting better every day, here’s to the future! I’ll see you all in November!
George Shine
A Nerdy Dwarf
@DwarfsDigs
