When you ask a consumer about the most exciting things coming to the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, you might hear answers about improved graphics, greater online functionality, and a few upcoming titles that prove what new hardware can really do. Ask that same question to a developer, though, and it’s almost a guarantee that ease of development is at least one bullet point on their list. Being able to do bigger, better things on user-friendly architecture is always a bonus, and according to a developer behind the upcoming Payday 2, it’s the increased memory, and not the “gimmicks,” that make the next-gen machines so exciting.
Sound designer and music composer at Overkill and Starbreeze, Simon Viklund, recently spoke to Gameranx about his upcoming crime-themed shooter, Payday 2. When asked about the future of home consoles and what single feature stands out, Viklund quickly highlighted the greater memory in the boxes and its benefits to development.
“More memory [is most exciting]. In truth, as a player, I'm not looking for new gimmicky ways to control my games – I just want tight, well designed gaming experiences,” Viklund said. “So the best thing that the hardware manufacturer can bring to the table is a machine that is easy for devs to develop software for, technical requirement protocols that are easy to adhere to, and a well-built controller for the player to hold. It's as simple as that.”
Viklund couldn’t give us more than the old “no comment” when it came to Payday 2 on the Xbox One and PS4, but hopefully we’ll see Overkill do some fine work on next-generation consoles in the near future.