The release of the next-gen consoles is just around the corner, and with plenty of new titles lined up for their releases, many gamers will be excited to usher in the next generation with some boundary-pushing games across the genres.
However, thePS5 and the Xbox Series Xcould be bad news for RPGs likeAvowedandThe Elder Scrolls 6. There are a few key reasons for this, as well as some big challenges each game will need to overcome to stick the landing during the next-gen.
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The Competition
There are some huge RPGs which will very likely be arriving beforeAvowedandThe Elder Scrolls 6, and which could set some very different expectations for next-gen RPGs. Though recently delayed,Cyberpunk 2077is still projected to arrive on December 10, making it one of the first big open-world RPGs available on the next-gen consoles. According to CD Projekt Red,Cyberpunkwill feature a few key things which will distinguish it from open-world RPGs likeSkyrim.
First,Cyberpunk’s protagonist Vwill be fully voiced, andCyberpunk’s developers claim that every side-quest inCyberpunkwill feel like a full story.Skyrimset the previous standard for open-world RPGs for many fans of the genre, but while its sandbox was sprawling, few would argue that its story was particularly strong. Indeed, the game banked on its great level of freedom, which allowed players to avoid the story entirely if they wanted to.
IfCyberpunkcan combine the two main schools of RPG design like the studio’s previous hitThe Witcher 3– huge open worlds and tight storytelling – then games likeThe Elder Scrollsmay struggle to keep up without taking some huge risks which could alienate fans of the series.Avowedis being seen by many as Obsidian’s response toThe Elder Scrollsjust asThe Outer Worldswas considered a response to theFalloutseries. As a result it runs into many of the same challenges.
There are some other big RPGs which are set to land on the new consoles beforeAvowedandThe Elder Scrolls 6as well.Hogwarts Legacyis set for release at some point in 2021. Bethesda’s own upcoming RPGStarfieldis also set for release beforeThe Elder Scrolls 6, the first new IP the studio has tackled in decades. This could lead toStarfieldsetting some very new standards for the studio on the next-gen consoles thatThe Elder Scrollsformula cannot live up to without radical changes.
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The Exclusivity Risk
Another risk posed to bothAvowedandThe Elder Scrolls 6is that they will be made Xbox Series X exclusives, at least for a time. After the purchase ofZenimax Media Inc, Microsoftnow owns the studios behind bothThe Elder ScrollsandAvowed. With PS5 Exclusives likeSpider-Man: Miles Moralesand the upcoming sequel toGod of Warhelping the PS5’s chances of being the best-selling console of the upcoming generation, Microsoft may respond with some exclusives of its own that could help the console but not the total sales of the games themselves. Of course, whether or not this potential outcome is a problem for the player depends on which platform they prefer.
However, there is one big advantageAvowedandThe Elder Scrolls 6have. Both studios involved will be able to observe how other RPGs are received on the next-gen, and hopefully could learn from their successes and mistakes. It is very likely, however, that the genre will need to undergo some big adaptations to achieve the success it has in the past.
