Next generation's big challenge is going to be connectivity says WipEout creators

Successfully embracing connectivity and community would be the biggest challenge facing developers when they go to the next generation, in accordance with Studio Liverpool, the outfit behind Sony's long-running WipEout series - plus 5-several years the isolated single-player experience more likely to be in decline.

WipEout's an activity that tackled one of this generation's big challenges - that regarding 1080p 60FPS gaming over a console - in early stages with the PWii Controllers 's WipEout HD. Having sampled success using this generation, Eurogamer asked the team the technological goal for the following generation will be.

"For individuals technical innovation and creativity is amongst the cornerstones of our DNA," said Graeme Ankers, certainly one of WipEout 2048's game directors. "One of many cool things you notice now could be that everyone's a gamer. And I think for many people that ties somewhat in what we did with 2048 with Crossplay, and we've only really touched the surface on it."
WipEout 2048 was the first Vita game to feature Crossplay, an element that allows handheld players to compete against PS3 players. Initially on a only four tracks, a newly released expansion that introduced every one of the content from WipEout HD and WipEout Fury showed the amount of content playable through the two platforms.

"I'm sure we've just opened the threshold to the next on consoles," agreed fellow game director Stuart Tilley, "and Vita's a high quality one with the as stats say that a majority of people do go surfing using their Vitas. I do believe we'll find ever better strategies to using that.

"Affecting your mate's single-player career might be something really fun to perform, then one we will look at to accomplish. You don't want to switch on your console and fall out of your respective social sphere, and i believe that's going to become one of many big things. I do think in five, 10 years from now it will be really challenging for everyone to do a prosperous game that isolates the participant."

Connectivity and dual screen gaming are two aspects that lots seem to be within the gaming zeitgeist, with Microsoft announcing SmartGlass with this year's E3 and Nintendo preparing to launch the Wii U, a console that has been built around a dual screen philosophy.

This is an area that Studio Liverpool has experience with, and not from its work with the Vita - Formula One Championship edition famously allowed players to hook up a PSP for a rear view mirror.

"We had remote display around the PSP, so in a similar fashion that second screen was already existing then," Ankers said when asked his ideas on SmartGlass and the Wii U. "Again that's demonstrated on Vita, with sub-display as well. So it will be not only a new thing for the Wii Accessories by any means - those type of things have always existed and are also always in our mindset, sometimes more with Crossplay. But there is a whole load more you can do.

"Given that the technology's there it's as much as us creative individuals to decide what we should are capable of doing by using it," agreed Tilley. "I'd like to be playing around the PS3 but my daughter can have the Vita and become doing stuff, and interacting inside same game world. You will discover definite possibilities within, but developers begins taking more advantage of it over time."

Studio Liverpool also spent the time to deal with questions whether or not it's seeking to port WipEout 2048's tracks towards the video game accessories within the wake on the HD and Fury tracks making the jump towards handheld. "Yeah," said Ankers, "but we aren't likely to announce anything. Which has arise locally posts - and we're always thinking about things. We're exploring all kinds of experiences. The important one for all of us was obtaining HD/Fury pack out and rewarding our fans, because they're really loyal."