Gameplay reveals and trailers have begun to shown a subtle new trend in next generation games coming to the PS5 and Xbox Series X, and it could mean really big things for the gaming industry as a whole. Some fans have noticed that there seem to be an influx of brand new franchises being developed for these next gen consoles, and if that becomes a trend, then these consoles and the games that come with them could revolutionize gaming the same way they did two generations ago with the PS3 and the Xbox 360. In this way, new trends are being set with old patterns.
For those that may have been out of the loop, many upcoming games have been announced for both the PS5 and the Xbox Series X, and while sequels to beloved franchises have certainly been among those games, there are a staggering number of new IPs being introduced to the market. It has been quite some time since the industry has seen such an influx of new games, making this a potentially revolutionary time. There are certain games which have dominated as icons of gaming for the last two generations, and now it may be that new titles will take that role up.
PS3 and Xbox 360 Games' Legacy
Sharing the same generation (seventh) of gaming, the PS3 and the Xbox 360 are often forgotten about now but were responsible for bringing in a new era of gaming unlike anything seen before. They were both released about a year apart from each other (Xbox 360 in November of 2005 and PS3 in November of 2006), but acted as rivals throughout their lifespans. Most notably, the games which were developed and released on these consoles became so iconic that they would continue to dominate through the PS4 and Xbox One's time.
Incredible games such as Assassin's Creed, Gears of War, The Last of Us, and more were all released for these consoles and then continued on to be major titles of the following generation. Many of these franchises continue on to the PS5 even, but it seems that consumers may be ready for something new. Even the first couple of Call of Duty games really got their start on the PS3 or the Xbox 360, but have since evolved into so much more. While some do exist, it is difficult to think of as many PS2/Xbox era games which are still massively influential to this day.
PS4 and Xbox One Games
Of course, with every new console there is always at least a few new IPs to get fans excited about the new console. In the case of PlayStation 4, Horizon: Zero Dawn achieved that, and has now led into a sequel in the form of Horizon: Forbidden West on PS5. While these games are beloved as well, it is clear that the staying power of the previous generation's titles provided the bulk of this generation's content. There isn't anything wrong with that, per se, but fans have seen a lot of sequels lately.
On the contrary, there haven't been a ton of PS4 or Xbox One games which started their own major franchises. There has been plenty of time for this to occur, as the PS4 came out 7 years ago and the Xbox One is going on 6 years of age, yet there have been very few titles which really came into their own during that time, and even those that did still can't contest well known franchises like Assassin's Creed in terms of brand recognition or general excitement. That seems to be something which may actually change with the arrival of the PS5 and the Xbox Series X.
PS5 and Xbox Series X New IPs
None of this is to say that influential titles like that will go away. Assassin's Creed Valhalla is still one of the most anticipated next generation games, and other franchises like God of War, Halo, and more are also being revisited. Even so, it can't be denied that the influx of new IPs which have been shown is definitely worth discussing, and it is certainly plausible that if these games perform well then they could be the next wave of games to define a generation or even two.
At the two most recent reveal events, the Inside Xbox Gameplay Reveal and Sony's The Future of Gaming event, a plethora of new titles were shown. On Sony's end, fans can look forward to Project Athia from Square Enix, Returnal from Hoursemarque, Godfall from Borderlands developer Gearbox, and Deathloop from Arkane Studios. Microsoft also showed a lot of new games from big name developers, such as Everwild from Rare (best known for influential games such as Donkey Kong Country and GoldenEye 007), Gods and Monsters from Ubisoft, and Second Extinction from Avalanche Studios Group, responsible for titles like the RAGE franchise. And it's proper next-gen showcase hasn't fully arrived yet.
The Future of Gaming
Note that all of these upcoming games come from major developers and are no doubt going to be up to Triple A standards as a result. This list also only includes a few, and many more can be found as announcements keep rolling in. The important thing to note is that while these developers could be focusing on developing sequels to already successful franchises, many of them are instead devoting resources to trying to make the new best thing. With so many developers in this race to find the next Assassin's Creed like franchise, one of them is bound to do it.
This could mean great things for the future of gaming, as gamers should start seeing new and innovative ideas and finding themselves unsure of what to expect rather than playing the same game franchises they've been playing since 2005 or 2006. It will be interesting to see if any of these new, upcoming IPs leave as much of a mark as some of the greatest hits of the PS3 and Xbox 360 era or if they still end up falling into those great games' shadow.
The PS5 and Xbox Series X release this holiday season.