With the recent slew of games pushing the limits of conventional gaming hardware, are we starting to see the rise of video or framerate lag becoming a bigger issue with console games?
It used to be that consoles were consoles, and what came out of the box was almost guaranteed to work the same way for everyone. Maybe the game publisher or studio didn’t do a great job optimizing, but everyone had the same experience. And if it was bad, the forums (shoutout to GameFAQs) would let everyone know about it.
Sure there was and always will be input lag, driven by TV settings and bad Bluetooth connections, But this was setup-specific, and there was a good way you could find a way to fix input lag in just a few minutes.
Now the line between consoles and personal computers continues to blend. After all, consoles are just computers with locked down operating system. With offerings like Games for Windows, gamers are finding themselves in a weird Twilight Zone. They might have an Xbox controller in hand, but they’re using a mouse and keyboard in between rounds to check news, or socials.
It’s weird – I’ll be honest. As a 90s kid who has been gaming for almost 30 years at this point, I didn’t quite see computer and console gaming converging like this so soon. I guess it made sense but before major advancements in app development (think cloud) were made, it just didn’t seem as apparent. But regardless, it definitely has made an impact on optimization as we know it, and there are signs that video lag might become the new topic instead of the age-old problem of input lag (which will still be there too)
Series S vs. Series X: Black Myth Wukong
I was getting myself re-acquainted with X the other day (come follow XboxDIY on X), and stumbled across this post by @JammiesAct with a bunch of emojis, so of course it caught my attention and got me thinking:
In this video, James talks about how even though the Xbox Series S can run Black Myth Wukong, it’s not a great experience. You can easily tell the framerates are struggling to top 30 at any point during game play.
For someone like me who is hyper-sensitive to changes in framerates, it would be a deal breaker. After spending nearly $300 on an Xbox Series S, I expect to play the full suite of Xbox games available for it. Especially something like Black Myth Wukong where it’s based on your ability to respond quickly. And those 3-4 frame rates can be the difference between having a great and just a so-so experience.
High Fidelity Isn’t Always Worth It
But maybe I’m just old school and times are changing. Or maybe it’s the intention of publishers and console manufacturers to further segment the market. So that while not intentionally announcing it, there will be a ‘premium’ tier of games that only the high-spec consoles can run.
It’s kind of like PC gaming, right? You need the hardware to run it. Out of the box’ options are so dynamic and diverse that making a one-size-fits-all approach for any type of PC game is nearly impossible. Although people do it. Chris Sawyer did it for Roller Coaster Tycoon. But it’s becoming less and less common with shareholders and boards of major corporations pushing unrealistic deadlines on development teams.
Think about it – games have become exponentially more complex, but the timeline for those game releases has not increased with the complexity. It can’t, or studio wouldn’t make money. Shareholders wouldn’t make any money. And that’s, unfortunately, that’s the state of the world at the moment. If you can’t make money, it doesn’t matter how good the game is.
So I think this brings us to a question that a lot of people are asking right now – how important are graphics? At what point are we starting to get diminishing returns when it comes to visual fidelity and pushing the limits of console hardware? Is it really worth it?
Studios Should Stick to Playability
As someone who has recently dusted off my old Xbox 360, Playstation 2, and Nintendo 64 consoles, I’m reminded that the graphics are just part of the equation. They can be used to enhance a story, or paint a certain picture. But that doesn’t always mean graphics have to be more life-like. And that’s where the developers are missing at the moment. If you’re spending 50% more time to go from 98% to 99% realism, where is the value? That’s what I would be asking my product team.
There are plenty of successful games out there where graphics are either optimized for the use case or not the primary goal of the game. Developers should be using a ‘just enough’ approach with graphics to satisfy their target market while still putting out a modern game. If graphics are the only thing holding it together, the replayability will suffer immensely.
Hopefully, you enjoyed my ramble about why video lag is becoming a real problem for console gamers. Have you experienced any games with video lag that have been driving you nuts? Drop it in the comments below. I also wrote a lot of other repair guides, tutorials, and troubleshooting articles here on XboxDIY so go check them out when you get a chance. If you’re more of a visual person, you can also visit the YouTube channel or reach out via the Contact form with any questions. Game on!
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