The recent development with the PlayStation 5 is surely taking the internet by storm. With revelations after revelations that fuel people’s interest, things are looking rather bright to the PlayStation 4’s successor. But it is not just the consumer who has reasons to be ecstatic with this new hardware as even developers themselves have something to look forward to in it.
Sure enough, the ability to play future game titles with little to no loading times and to use a new controller in the process are enough reasons for it. But if the people at 4A Games are to be heeded, there’s another side to the PlayStation 5 that’s more interesting. At least, for them who are in the trade of making high-quality games.
Revolutionary Graphics
It is not the PS5’s improved audio, haptic feedback, or the already stated loading times. As it appears, the developers are keener in dabbling with the new console’s next-gen raytracing.
For a group of talented individuals behind the acclaimed Metro series, it’s no wonder why there’s interest over graphics. The visuals are not necessarily the end-all, be-all of games. But graphical portrayal does still matter as far as trying to depict imagery that’s as realistic-looking as possible. Which, as it seems, has always been the theme whenever new hardware comes around.
While still in its infancy, we have seen how raytracing affects the display in games that we play. That, if compared from previous games that do not support raytracing, makes for a dramatic difference in vividness and details. Without going pedantic, it specifically involves depth of detail and high-fidelity in elements like shadows, reflections, and light transference.
Great Potential
4A Games themselves have first-hand experience with raytracing, which they masterfully incorporated with Metro Exodus. These developers have managed to tap on a technology that is still young. We can only imagine what the advancement would be like when the same technology comes to maturity.
Speaking on behalf of the 4A Games, Executive Producer John Bloch stated the following in an interview with PlayStation Magazine:
“We are fully committed to ray tracing moving forward, and to see that available on the PS5 is probably the biggest feature we’re excited about. The faster SSD will help a lot with player experience, but adding support for ray tracing is the sort of thing that to us shows a true generational leap in the hardware.”
With 4A Games no longer an independent company after its recent acquisition by Embracer, the developers are probably in a better disposition to meet future goals.
Image used courtesy of Natanael Ginting/Shutterstock