Supply: Ubisoft Montpellier / Prince of Persia: The Misplaced Crown / 2024 Video Sport Wrap-Up
2024 has come to a fast finish. It has been a rollercoaster of 12 months in video video games; we break down the nice, unhealthy, and ugly in our wrap-up.
2023 was a 12 months to recollect, because of releases like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Alan Wake 2, Lifeless House, Resident Evil 4, El Paso, Elsewhere, and extra, however don’t get it twisted. 2024 was no pushover as a result of so many strong releases.
There was additionally some shaky information within the gaming business, and we are going to focus on all that and hand out our award for Sport of the Yr.
So let’s wrap up 2024.
The PlayStation 5 Lastly Goes Professional
Supply: PlayStation / PS5 Professional
Sony’s worst-kept secret, the PS5 Professional, lastly arrived after a 12 months and a few change of hypothesis and knowledge leaks. The reveal of Sony’s highly effective console refresh landed with a thud with information of the console’s $700 price ticket, and that’s and not using a stand and disc drive as a result of each equipment are optionally available, leaving many asking, did play have limits?
Many then requested if this console was even essential, regardless of the corporate knowingly advertising it to a extra area of interest gamer who prioritizes graphics and body charges.
The consensus on the console on the finish of the day was that it gives gamers with a major enhance in efficiency and constancy, but it surely’s not one thing it’s good to rush out and purchase.
We will see how the PS5 Professional fares in 2025 and if it was genuinely value Sony even making it. Our prediction: we anticipate it to fare nicely within the new 12 months as builders focus extra on the PS5 and Professional fashions and not must wor optimizing video games for the PS4.
The PS Portal Was A Win For Sony
Supply: Bernard Smalls / iOne Digital / HHW Gaming / PS Portal / PlayStation
The PS Portal was an enormous shock win for Sony. When it was first revealed, the quick query was, why? It didn’t run natively, had no Bluetooth functionality, and was primarily only a companion accent for the PS5 console, solely working off the console’s Distant Play function.
When information of the machine began circulating again in 2023, and pictures started hitting the online, we instantly felt that Venture Q, because it was known as on the time, was Sony’s method of testing if they need to get again within the nonetheless scorching handheld market, Nintendo very a lot dominates that.
That turned out to be the case, with PlayStation boss Hideaki Nishino saying that the PS Portal gross sales had been a “large success” story for the corporate and including that the machine would proceed to “evolve.”
With the addition of Cloud Streaming (Beta), we have now seen indicators of Sony actively creating a local handheld machine that won’t require you to be tethered to your PS5 console.
Sony isn’t alone; Xbox can also be engaged on a handheld machine however has but to drag the lid off what has give you.
Holding it a buck, in case you have been on the fence concerning the PS Portal, now could be a greater time than any to think about getting your self one; this gamer actually appreciates how clutch it’s when being in entrance of the tv and console is just not an choice.
Simply ensure that the web and Wi-Fi are as much as snuff.
Virtually Every little thing Is Now An Xbox
Supply: Xbox / Xbox Gaming x Amazon Hearth TV
As we approached the top of the 12 months, Microsoft made its plans for the long run abundantly clear: virtually all your units, not simply the black field, are Xboxes.
Since Xbox’s mission was clear after its shaky begin following the Activision /Blizzard/King acquisition, it was capable of regroup after its epic failures.
Determined for wins, Xbox lastly acquired some, however not the standard method. As an alternative, they launched console exclusives like Hello-Fi Rush and Pentiment, adopted by Sea of Thieves and Grounded on the PS5 and Nintendo Change. These titles grew to become greatest sellers within the PlayStation Retailer regardless of lackluster console gross sales.
The extremely anticipated Senua’s Sacrifice: Hellblade II, one other technical masterpiece from Xbox studio Ninja Concept, was additionally launched in 2024. Nonetheless, it was additionally a polarizing recreation, with critics divided on whether or not it was well worth the wait and whether or not it ought to have been thought-about an enormous unique for the Xbox Collection X.
Two large wins for Workforce Inexperienced needed to be Name of Obligation: Black Ops 6, Indiana Jones and the Nice Circle coming to Xbox Sport Cross to excessive reward.
2025 could be an fascinating 12 months for Xbox. Sure, many individuals are nonetheless skeptical concerning the firm’s plans transferring ahead, primarily as a result of they really feel their loyalty has been taken with no consideration. Nonetheless, Xbox was shedding, they usually realized they wanted to pivot.
They nonetheless have their mid-level refresh console, codenamed Brooklin, the aforementioned native handheld within the works, and loads of video games within the pipeline, so we’re nonetheless very intrigued.
Layoffs & Studio Closures
Supply: Microsoft / Xbox
Sure, it was cool to debate all the good issues that occurred in 2024, however we might not be sincere if we didn’t point out the layoffs and the shuttering of quite a few online game studios.
Originally of the 12 months, Microsoft introduced it was shedding 1,900 Activision Blizzard and Xbox staff. This was not look for a corporation that had simply spent $69 billion to amass the Name of Obligation developer. It continued the pattern from 2023 when an estimated 10,500 recreation business employees misplaced their jobs.
Xbox additionally shuttered 4 of its studios: Tango Gameworks, which delivered the shock hit Hello-Fi Rush; Redfall developer Arkane Austin; Alpha Canine; and Roundhouse.
PlayStation additionally acquired in on the act as nicely, shedding 900 staff in February 2024 and struggling what the largest miss of the 12 months with its hero shooter, Harmony, which by no means actually acquired to see the sunshine of day following a really poor reception and ultimately shuttering the studio behind it, Firewalk was was.
Gaming journalism additionally suffered after Gamestop shut down Sport Informer journal after 33 wonderful years and lots of fireplace cowl tales and exclusives.
Gamestop didn’t even give the journal the right sendoff it deserved, choosing a lame touchdown web page if you go to the now-defunct publications touchdown web page.
What a tragic method for the enduring journal to finish. Former Sport Informer staff focus on the unceremonious finish on the FPS Podcast beneath.
HHW Gaming’s Sport of The Yr
Supply: Ubisoft / The Prince of Persia: The Misplaced Crown
In a 12 months that noticed loads of bangers like Closing Fantasy VII: Rebirth, Astro Bot, Dragon’s Dogma 2, Helldivers II, Tekken 8, and extra, there can solely be one HHW Gaming Sport of The Yr.
However figuring out which recreation would win our prestigious Sport of the Yr award wasn’t arduous. The winner is Ubisoft Montpellier’s Prince of Persia: The Misplaced Crown.
There was little doubt that The Misplaced Crown was a particular title from the primary time we booted it up in January. In our evaluate of the sport, our resident gamer, Beanz, wrote:
The Final Crown is a masterpiece; I used to be hard-pressed to search out something unsuitable with this recreation. The fight is snappy and enjoyable to make use of because of the combo system and Sargon’s acquired talents, permitting for trendy, quick gameplay.
Whereas Ubisoft Montreal is difficult at work on the Sands of Time remake, Montpellier’s The Misplaced Crown isn’t just a placeholder; it’s the right pivot for the franchise, placing it on a refreshing path to newfound greatness.
Sadly, Sargon’s journey will doubtless not proceed as a result of Ubisoft disbanded the Montpellier staff, leaving the sport in limbo. This improvement is disheartening as a result of Prince of Persia: The Misplaced Crown was a novel recreation with the potential to turn into a brand new hit chapter within the iconic online game franchise.
We are going to preserve our fingers crossed that Ubisoft will acknowledge the error of its methods with The Misplaced Crown, however we’re not holding our breath.
Effectively, that’s it for 2024, onward to 2025. Maintain it locked on HHW Gaming for the video games we’re wanting ahead to in 2025, and hit the gallery beneath for different video games we thought had been bangers in 2024.