Video games will continue to look better as new hardware is created and more seasoned developers are willing to hone their craft. That’s almost a guarantee, but reaching parity with reality, or a photorealistic state, is also approaching faster than most people might have expected. You can still pretty easily tell the difference between what’s virtual and what’s real – especially in a side-by-side comparison – but according to Quantic Dream CEO David Cage, the PlayStation 4 could very well produce products almost indistinguishable from film at some point.
It won’t be an easy task. There will always be both subtle and not-so-subtle details that will break the illusion, such as that uncanny valley effect we’ve heard so much about over the years. However, a few years with the PS4 might just crack that reality code so many developers have been chasing.
"I think we are getting closer and closer to photorealistic rendering," Cage said during his talk at GDC Europe (via Game Industry International). "I don't know if we will reach a point during this cycle where you won't be able to tell the difference between a film and a game, but I know we're going to get really close to that during this cycle."
The bigger question still remains: Do we actually want games to look like movies? That’s up for debate, but it’s still a technical feat that would be amazing to reach. For now, look forward to Quantic Dream’s Beyond: Two Souls, which launches exclusively for the PS3 Oct. 8.
