You won’t miss out, next-gen consoles are available. We took the opportunity to take stock of the PS5 / Series X versions of World of Tanks, one of the most popular titles among gamers. In particular, the opportunity to discuss with TJ Wagner, Director of Console Development at the Wargaming studio in Chicago-Baltimore. A good opportunity to get an “inside” view on new consoles and game development on these brand new machines.
1. What are the specifics of the next generation versions of World of Tanks compared to the PS4 and Xbox One versions? Greater flowability? Better definition of textures?
You’re right, our primary focus has been to meet the needs of next generation console owners who want to be able to play the best version of World of tanks possible on consoles. To achieve this, we created the game in full 4K resolution with maximum texture quality and a frame rate of 60 FPS. Notably, also faster loading times to speed up the entry into the game considerably. In addition, the sound system already supports 3D audio and the Sony sound system. The Tempest 3D engine will enhance this experience. But we don’t stop there because we are already working on subsequent updates for 2021 where we will be offering ray tracing and other amazing things, for example.
2. The new AMD GPUs on the new consoles can process ray tracing. Will the game use this technology on console in the future?
When we introduced the next-gen consoles, we focused on the game’s frame rate, textures, and resolution. At the same time, we used better controller latency and faster disk usage to keep the game almost double that. faster with its loading times. But we keep improving World of tanks Consoles therefore expect further improvements with the next updates in 2021 – including ray tracing.
3. Will the PC version benefit from the new graphics / techniques of the PS5 / Xbox Sries versions?
The PC version and the console version have always been completely separate and based on different audiences and preferences, while the gameplay is of course the same. While the PC version was developed in Minsk (Bilorussia) and introduced ten years ago, the console version is managed by the Chicago development team and originally launched in February 2013. Of course, our teams are working. When it comes to experiences and ways to optimize the game itself, we can’t say how well the PC version will benefit from the next generation of consoles. This has its own Route and Planning sheet.
4. The transition to a new generation of consoles is always an exciting time for the public and the media. What about the developers? Have you had problems porting your game to this new generation? Was either console harder to understand?
Not only are we porting our game to a new platform, we are also continuously taking care of our Despair engine and improving the game through frequent content updates and improvements for our community. Hence, this step toward a better version is always the most rewarding for a developer and the actors. Trying to maximize the fun, improve gameplay, tweak and adapt the game to get closer to a “perfect game” is our greatest goal. If we can raise the bar with every update, we can raise it even higher with every console version thanks to new, more technologically advanced hardware.
5. At Wargaming, we understand the importance of the personal computer, especially because it is a widespread platform in Eastern Europe where games like World of Tanks are extremely popular. What can the PS5 and Xbox Series X do for World of Tanks? Will you be supporting PS4 and Xbox One for some time?
The console version of World of tanks turns 7 on February 7 and we’ve just ended support for Xbox 360. As you can imagine, we won’t stop the much newer consoles, especially since most of our players are still playing on Xbox One or PS4 today. We will certainly continue to support these consoles in the years to come so as not to mislead our avid gamers into buying a new console right away. In direct comparison to the PC, the console version was always developed with a slightly different and more arcade perspective. We will continue to give our fans World of tanks new content on consoles for the current generation and subsequent console generations.
PS : The pictures that illustrate this interview are from the PC version.
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