Next Gen consoles will impact esports in a big way
With the next gen kicking off, console gamers are getting a big upgrade. The launch of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox series X have been one of the biggest topics in gaming for the week.
But how will the next gen consoles impact esports? Console esports could never really compete with PC or even mobile. This however, doesn’t mean the two worlds of gaming are completely separated. These new consoles will definitely have an effect, directly on some games and more indirectly on the industry as a whole.
Next Gen Xbox & PS5
Next Gen Console Esports – Console Games
Most esports are played on PC, yet some games have a distinctly different path for consoles. For example, competitive Fortnite is largely played on PC. It is the platform of choice for the best Fortnite players and Fortnite betting tends to focus on these games too.
However, Fortnite holds the same tournaments for console each time around too. The addition of the newer consoles to Fortnite has finally allowed console players to get out of the locked in 60 FPS rate. This is going to have a big effect on competitive play. Furthermore, the debate over aim-assist might conclude with both PC and Console players soon facing off each other in hybrid competitive events.
Fighting games or sports games on the other hand, are more often played on consoles. Competitive cross-play is possible, as there no difference in performance between consoles and PC.
Finally, the Xbox Series X has a few titles like Halo and Gears of War which have growing scenes on their own. Halo in particular is likely to make a big comeback once its supposed launch game finally materializes. In these areas, the next gen consoles’ impact on esports is going to be big and exclusive.
Next Gen Consoles Impact on PCs
The Xbox Series X is particularly worth looking at when thinking about Esports. It runs a version of Windows and can support gameplay at a high-level. This might be a console that’s built for playing games alone, but it can easily compete with some budget gaming PCs. Inside the console are components researched and developed by the same companies that develop games and gaming hardware.
Game developers typically have to target more than one platform. Often, a mainline console has to be kept in mind when creating a game. As the newer gen takes over, more games will be using the PS5 and Xbox Series X as the low benchmark, rather than the last gen. This means they can target and optimize for higher-end PCs. This will likely make lower-powered gaming PCs more difficult to use, since games won’t be fully optimized for those low specs.
As a console begins to outperform lower-end PCs, demand for them is going to fall. The convenience of a console makes it difficult to justify using a worse PC and having to build it. Indirectly, the next gen consoles’ impact on esports may include driving the average PC’s specs higher. There are two potential paths here. Either console performance becomes the benchmark meaning multiple titles can be cross played competitively or PC takes the primate on titles which are far beyond a console’s ability, as has been the case thus far.
Competitive level setups in more homes
The immediate impact of the new consoles is going to be on the console-specific esports as the next generation provides more ways to stream and spectate gameplay. In the long run, having a console or a PC wont differ when it comes to specific esports titles, which as a result might boost esports interest overall.
On average more households with the capacity to run competitive level games means more potential players in the pipeline from amateur to professional level. Overall, esports is having a strong year with the current pandemic, and things are looking even better for 2021.
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