Personally, I am interested in MGSV, KH3 and FFXV, so I have no plans to buy any next-gen console at launch. The launch lineup will make you or break you. Vita and 3DS learned the hard way. Having a ho-hum launch for these expensive consoles could be problematic if Sony and Microsoft built these consoles at a loss. Are early price drops and cheaper slim iterations a few years from now in their future?
I don't think this is just about Assassin's Creed. This is what happens to successful new IPs. Many devs don't want one-off games anymore, they want marketable franchises. The devs will do everything in their power to appease their fan base. They'll run through a checklist of "successful" game mechanics. They may even release yearly sequels across several gaming platforms. This increased marketability may come at the cost of the "soul" Danny speaks of.
Valve targeted for destruction. I have no doubt that Steam's digital distribution is at the heart of the "disruptive technologies" comment. Sony and MS know: Steam excels at digital distribution. Games stay at $59.99 for a long time on PSN/XBL. Let's say said $59.99 digital game is discounted during a Steam Sale, a customer will probably go for the better deal. It was all good because Steam stayed on the PC, but now Valve is gunning for the living room. The free games on PSN+ and XBL are good, but if enough people buy these steam machines, MS and Sony, probably even Nintendo (although they probably don't care) will have to reassess how they price their digital products.
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