Supply: Ubisoft Montpellier / Prince of Persia: The Misplaced Crown / 2024 Video Sport Wrap-Up
2024 has come to a fast finish. It has been a rollercoaster of yr in video video games; we break down the great, unhealthy, and ugly in our wrap-up.
2023 was a yr to recollect, due to releases like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Alan Wake 2, Lifeless Area, Resident Evil 4, El Paso, Elsewhere, and extra, however don’t get it twisted. 2024 was no pushover on account of so many strong releases.
There was additionally some shaky information within the gaming business, and we’ll focus on all that and hand out our award for Sport of the Yr.
So let’s wrap up 2024.
The PlayStation 5 Lastly Goes Professional
Supply: PlayStation / PS5 Professional
Sony’s worst-kept secret, the PS5 Professional, lastly arrived after a yr and a few change of hypothesis and data leaks. The reveal of Sony’s highly effective console refresh landed with a thud with information of the console’s $700 price ticket, and that’s with no stand and disc drive as a result of each equipment are non-obligatory, leaving many asking, did play have limits?
Many then requested if this console was even vital, regardless of the corporate knowingly advertising it to a extra area of interest gamer who prioritizes graphics and body charges.
The consensus on the console on the finish of the day was that it supplies gamers with a major increase in efficiency and constancy, however it’s not one thing it’s worthwhile to rush out and purchase.
We will see how the PS5 Professional fares in 2025 and if it was genuinely value Sony even making it. Our prediction: we anticipate it to fare properly within the new yr as builders focus extra on the PS5 and Professional fashions and not need to wor optimizing video games for the PS4.
The PS Portal Was A Win For Sony
Supply: Bernard Smalls / iOne Digital / HHW Gaming / PS Portal / PlayStation
The PS Portal was an enormous shock win for Sony. When it was first revealed, the speedy query was, why? It didn’t run natively, had no Bluetooth functionality, and was primarily only a companion accent for the PS5 console, solely working off the console’s Distant Play characteristic.
When information of the system began circulating again in 2023, and photographs started hitting the online, we instantly felt that Mission Q, because it was known as on the time, was Sony’s means of testing if they need to get again within the nonetheless sizzling handheld market, Nintendo very a lot dominates that.
That turned out to be the case, with PlayStation boss Hideaki Nishino saying that the PS Portal gross sales had been a “big success” story for the corporate and including that the system would proceed to “evolve.”
With the addition of Cloud Streaming (Beta), we’ve seen indicators of Sony actively creating a local handheld system that won’t require you to be tethered to your PS5 console.
Sony isn’t alone; Xbox can be engaged on a handheld system however has but to tug the lid off what has give you.
Retaining it a buck, when you have been on the fence concerning the PS Portal, now’s a greater time than any to think about getting your self one; this gamer really appreciates how clutch it’s when being in entrance of the tv and console is just not an possibility.
Simply guarantee that the web and Wi-Fi are as much as snuff.
Virtually All the things Is Now An Xbox
Supply: Xbox / Xbox Gaming x Amazon Fireplace TV
As we approached the top of the yr, Microsoft made its plans for the long run abundantly clear: nearly your entire gadgets, not simply the black field, are Xboxes.
Since Xbox’s mission was clear after its shaky begin following the Activision /Blizzard/King acquisition, it was in a position to regroup after its epic failures.
Determined for wins, Xbox lastly obtained some, however not the standard means. As a substitute, they launched console exclusives like Hello-Fi Rush and Pentiment, adopted by Sea of Thieves and Grounded on the PS5 and Nintendo Change. These titles grew to become greatest sellers within the PlayStation Retailer regardless of lackluster console gross sales.
The extremely anticipated Senua’s Sacrifice: Hellblade II, one other technical masterpiece from Xbox studio Ninja Idea, was additionally launched in 2024. Nevertheless, it was additionally a polarizing recreation, with critics divided on whether or not it was definitely worth the wait and whether or not it ought to have been thought-about an enormous unique for the Xbox Sequence X.
Two huge wins for Staff Inexperienced needed to be Name of Responsibility: Black Ops 6, Indiana Jones and the Nice Circle coming to Xbox Sport Move to excessive reward.
2025 may be an attention-grabbing yr for Xbox. Sure, many individuals are nonetheless skeptical concerning the firm’s plans transferring ahead, primarily as a result of they really feel their loyalty has been taken without any consideration. Nonetheless, Xbox was dropping, they usually realized they wanted to pivot.
They nonetheless have their mid-level refresh console, codenamed Brooklin, the aforementioned native handheld within the works, and loads of video games within the pipeline, so we’re nonetheless very intrigued.
Layoffs & Studio Closures
Supply: Microsoft / Xbox
Sure, it was cool to debate all the good issues that occurred in 2024, however we’d not be trustworthy if we didn’t point out the layoffs and the shuttering of quite a few online game studios.
In the beginning of the yr, Microsoft introduced it was shedding 1,900 Activision Blizzard and Xbox staff. This was not look for a corporation that had simply spent $69 billion to amass the Name of Responsibility developer. It continued the pattern from 2023 when an estimated 10,500 recreation business employees misplaced their jobs.
Xbox additionally shuttered 4 of its studios: Tango Gameworks, which delivered the shock hit Hello-Fi Rush; Redfall developer Arkane Austin; Alpha Canine; and Roundhouse.
PlayStation additionally obtained in on the act as properly, shedding 900 staff in February 2024 and struggling what the most important miss of the yr with its hero shooter, Harmony, which by no means actually obtained to see the sunshine of day following a really poor reception and ultimately shuttering the studio behind it, Firewalk was was.
Gaming journalism additionally suffered after Gamestop shut down Sport Informer journal after 33 wonderful years and plenty of fireplace cowl tales and exclusives.
Gamestop didn’t even give the journal the correct sendoff it deserved, choosing a lame touchdown web page once you go to the now-defunct publications touchdown web page.
What a tragic means for the enduring journal to finish. Former Sport Informer staff focus on the unceremonious finish on the FPS Podcast beneath.
HHW Gaming’s Sport of The Yr
Supply: Ubisoft / The Prince of Persia: The Misplaced Crown
In a yr that noticed loads of bangers like Closing Fantasy VII: Rebirth, Astro Bot, Dragon’s Dogma 2, Helldivers II, Tekken 8, and extra, there can solely be one HHW Gaming Sport of The Yr.
However figuring out which recreation would win our prestigious Sport of the Yr award wasn’t exhausting. The winner is Ubisoft Montpellier’s Prince of Persia: The Misplaced Crown.
There was little question that The Misplaced Crown was a particular title from the primary time we booted it up in January. In our evaluation of the sport, our resident gamer, Beanz, wrote:
The Final Crown is a masterpiece; I used to be hard-pressed to seek out something mistaken with this recreation. The fight is snappy and enjoyable to make use of due to the combo system and Sargon’s acquired talents, permitting for trendy, quick gameplay.
Whereas Ubisoft Montreal is difficult at work on the Sands of Time remake, Montpellier’s The Misplaced Crown is not only a placeholder; it’s the right pivot for the franchise, placing it on a refreshing path to newfound greatness.
Sadly, Sargon’s journey will probably not proceed as a result of Ubisoft disbanded the Montpellier staff, leaving the sport in limbo. This improvement is disheartening as a result of Prince of Persia: The Misplaced Crown was a singular recreation with the potential to develop into a brand new hit chapter within the iconic online game franchise.
We’ll hold our fingers crossed that Ubisoft will acknowledge the error of its methods with The Misplaced Crown, however we’re not holding our breath.
Properly, that’s it for 2024, onward to 2025. Preserve it locked on HHW Gaming for the video games we’re wanting ahead to in 2025, and hit the gallery beneath for different video games we thought had been bangers in 2024.
The 2024 Video Sport Wrap-Up, Plus Our Decide For Sport of The Yr
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