As the weeks count down until the release of the PS4, it has become increasingly more concerning how poor its early library is. The delay of Watch Dogs removed its most commonly pre-ordered game from the line-up, while the delay of Driveclub meant that early adopters won’t have a big game to play for free at launch.
At present, the PS4 has the following launch exclusives:
- Killzone: Shadow Fall
- Knack
- Resogun
You think it appears short? You aren’t alone.
The major problem with this list is that Killzone is the only real stand-out and its franchise has never substantiated itself above the Battlefield or Call of Duty series, both of which have enticing releases on the same day. The worst part is that despite launch being poor, the currently confirmed post-launch titles are just as limited. You have Driveclub, inFAMOUS: Second Son, The Order 1886, and a slew of indie games (which are its saving grace).
Sony says the PS4 will be “stronger than any prior PlayStation hardware”. In a way that’s true, but only because of the aid of third-party software. Unfortunately, these titles not only release on several other platforms, but prior to the PS4’s launch; games such as Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, Battlefield 4, FIFA 14, and Call of Duty: Ghosts will have clocked millions of hours from gamers before they are played with a PS4 controller.
Granted, all of this will be done away with once time has passed and Naughty Dog, Media Molecule, among others are able to bring out their games. But will gamers have the patience to wait? The Wii U has shown us otherwise.
While gamers have been running around the internet cheering for the PS4 for several months, I foresee a far less positive future. When mid-December rolls around and the hardware honeymoon withers away, gamers will be craving something to play with no release in sight for months. It’s a sad prospect, but a very real one that will rear its ugly head in short order.
My suggestion? Pre-order the PS4 only if you can be patient. Otherwise, you’ll be surprised at how quickly you lose interest. Meanwhile, hope that Sony’s first-party studios can crank out killer titles without the development cycles we’ve seen in the past.
