One of the unique features of the PlayStation 4 that’s not talked about very much is the ability to use Broadcast+ for video game streaming.
This allows viewers to actively participate in some way in the video game streams they view.
Take Dead Nation: Apocalypse Edition for example, a game just released on the PS4 (and free to PS Plus subscribers.)
Anyone who votes—on either the PS4 or via a web browser—will then appear in the game as a named zombie so that players have an opportunity to get some payback.Viewers can then vote on up to 30 different positive and negative effects that influence what’s happening in the game they’re watching.
It’s a pretty cool concept, and could change the way we think about eSports and video game streaming as an entertainment form in the future.
With Titanfall poised to launch on Xbox One, Xbox 360, and PC next week, I can’t help but think that it’s a shame no Broadcast+ mode will be available for the game.
Given Titanfall’s use of bots to flesh out both sides of a conflict, there’s ample opportunity to award viewer interactivity. Viewers could influence when enemy grunts came into play, for instance, and attempt to steer a match one direction or another.
No doubt developer Respawn is hoping Titanfallbecomes a serious eSports title. No doubt it will be.
I think viewer participation in eSports could become a real thing down the road, and Titanfall would be a perfect fit.
Of course, there are other reasons it would have been nice to see Titanfall on PS4.
The Xbox One version of the game is limited in comparison to its PC counterpart due to the lower specs on Microsoft’s latest console. The PS4 can’t compete with a high-end gaming machine, but no doubt Respawn could have shot for 1080p resolution and possibly higher quality textures on Sony’s system.
Graphics aren’t everything by any means, but between Broadcast+ and a higher quality aesthetic, the PS4 version could have been pretty amazing.
On the other hand, Microsoft’s servers promise great stability and ease of use for Titanfall. And if reports are true, Xbox One’s Twitch service broadcasts at a higher resolution than the PS4. So there are definite advantages to the game being on Xbox One.
On the other hand, Microsoft’s servers promise great stability and ease of use for Titanfall. And if reports are true, Xbox One’s Twitch service broadcasts at a higher resolution than the PS4. So there are definite advantages to the game being on Xbox One.
Perhaps the only other reason Titanfall on PS4 would be amazing is the fact that PS4 is selling so well at the moment.
6 million units have sold globally, and that’s 6 million more customers who won’t have access to Respawn’s new shooter.
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