Over the past few weeks a lot of the next-gen console battle has been focused on the PS4 having a clear advantage in horsepower versus the Xbox One, but many have overlooked one important factor that made the PS3’s lifespan an uphill climb.
In an interview with Eurogamer, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt lead engine programmer Balázs Török reported that CD Projekt RED is having an easier time working with the Xbox One than the PS4. He stated:
The Xbox One is pretty easy to understand because not just the hardware is similar to the PC, but everything like the SDK, the API is really similar to what you would find on a PC. On PS4 this is a little bit more complicated,
Both consoles run on X86 architecture making it easier than last generation for PC developers to work on next-gen hardware, but that isn’t the only variable. The Xbox One’s developer software appears to be more friendly.
Török also touched on some new design methods that can further utilize the Xbox One’s hardware capabilities:
I saw how Microsoft opened up certain parts that they hid before from developers. They opened them up, like, ‘OK now you can have this back door, and it’s risky but you can do this and that…’ This is how developers learned a little bit more and more every step. From Microsoft it was a good way to do it – to always let the developers do a little bit more.
It might appear that the Xbox One is a step behind the competition, but easier development and unlocked potential can be huge momentum drivers in the long-term.
The Witcher 3 is currently one of the most hyped games coming in 2014. What all this means for its console iterations remains to be seen, but it could hold a lot of weight given the game’s prestige.
