According to Asad Qizilbash, director of PlayStation Productions, the future of the next generation of hardware like the PS6 is not in graphics.
In any case, he hinted at this in a interview shared on the official Sony website. As a reminder, the man oversees adaptations of PlayStation titles into films and series. He has thus been involved in those of Uncharted and The Last of Us. Regarding the video game industry, he predicts a technological development for the next 10 years (and therefore possibly also for PS6) that will not necessarily go in the direction of graphics, but rather in the direction of the narrative experience.
The end of the graphics race with the PS6/Xbox Series 2?
Until now, each new hardware generation has been, among other things, an opportunity to further advance graphics performance, especially in AAA games. Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Take-Two, the publisher of GTA 6, predicted at the launch of the PS5 and Xbox Series that graphics could reach photorealistic levels in about ten years. A vision that Asad Qizilbash does not seem to share in the interview we are interested in here.
According to him, the next decade will instead see technological advances in the storytelling experience. The focus will shift away from graphics and towards captivating stories that will keep the player captivated long after they put down the controller “. Therefore, whoever makes a prediction ten years from now inevitably means that the PS6 could be a cornerstone of this building that the director of PlayStation Productions envisions. In his opinion, with the current state of technology, a narrative slap in the face would make more sense in the future than a graphic slap in the face. Games like Hellblade 2, in his opinion, could therefore no longer be the norm. However, in addition to high-end graphics, Ninja Theory’s title also places great emphasis on storytelling.
The fact is that games (especially AAA) are becoming increasingly expensive and require longer development times, especially because the graphics are being pushed to the limit. If one were to reduce one’s ambitions in this area and concentrate on other topics, it would be possible on paper to optimize such production cycles.
The rise of AI for good…or for bad?
Asad Qizilbash continues his argument and predicts that such a development will be motivated in particular by the rise of artificial intelligence, which could support, for example, the PS6 depending on the hardware it contains. Developments in AI will create more personalized experiences and more impactful stories for consumers. For example, in-game NPCs will be able to interact with players based on their actions to make everything more personal. This is important for the young Generation Z and Alpha, who were the first to grow up digitally and strive for personalization at all levels
He even goes so far as to say that AI could help creators make this kind of narrative experience even more engaging than current means. While many big names in the industry are starting to look closely at AI, it could well take a prominent place in video game development. But if such a future were to become a reality, we can legitimately ask what place humans would take. If giants like PlayStation, Square Enix or others want to fully embrace AI in the future to optimize their costs, what about flesh-and-blood employees? See you in ten years to find out?