7 Days to Die, before its official release, had been in development for over 10 years, with multiple alpha builds released over time. Given this timeline, it was developed with the technology available at the time, the previous generation of consoles, in mind.
Since then, we have moved on to the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X and S, with all three consoles introducing better technology for a smoother experience. The Fun Pimps has since decided to go all-in on the new consoles, and this is a lesson that could benefit other franchises such as Call of Duty.
Player Count Surges After 7 Days to Die Shifts Focus to PlayStation 5
Despite the PlayStation 5 now being more easily available, many developers, still want to include the PS4 in their launch plan. They may feel revenue opportunities could be higher if they cater to a wider audience. But the release of the 7 Days to Die PS5 version and the subsequent actions taken by the developer may have put all those worries to rest.
When the game was first released, it was on the PlayStation 4, and many people expected the game to be available on both generations of consoles when the PlayStation 5 was released. Well, The Fun Pimps had entirely different plans in mind, as not only have they released the PS5 version of the game, but they have also delisted the PS4 version from the PlayStation Store!
This is a bold move, but it seems to have paid off. As reported by TrueTrophies, the games witnessed a massive boost in active players of 537% over the previously reported PS4 player count. This has led to a total increase of 864% of players on PlayStation 5, despite the issues 7 Days to Die players have reported with the version 1.0 update.
These statistics were discovered using the gameplay data sample of over 3.1 million active PSN users. It’s not the best news for those with a PS4 hoping to buy the game, but those who have already made their purchase can still play the game.
Call of Duty Could Learn to Let Go From 7 Days to Die
Arguably one of the biggest franchises in gaming, Call of Duty has a massive player base across platforms. They may have embraced the new generation, but their upcoming title, Black Ops 6, is going to feature on the PlayStation 4.
While users of the previous console will be happy to know they can engage in some Omnimovement, one has to wonder if the franchise would perform better if it focused on the new console generation.
Developing games for previous-generation consoles means cutting some corners to make sure the title runs adequately on both consoles. In many ways, this can lead to not maximizing the potential of current-generation consoles, leading to many fans feeling deprived of a smoother experience.
The PlayStation 5 is already in the second half of its life cycle, and the previous console is rapidly becoming obsolete in the current gaming sector. While we can expect large franchises to continue to release on the system, it’s only a matter of time before they’re phased out.
Do you think developers should leave behind old consoles? Let us know in the comments below!
