Games Industry spoke with various members of the game development community, asking them what they their favorite moments of 2016 were and what they’re most excited about in 2017.
First up was Hideo Kojima, who said 2016 was all about virtual reality and he’s most looking forward to Red Dead Redemption 2 in 2017:
2016 was year one for virtual reality. Screen-viewing culture hadn’t changed for about 120 years, so I think the impact of VR will significantly change entertainment, our daily lives, education, culture, and so on. I don’t believe this to be only about games.
Looking ahead, for games, my pick would have to be Red Dead Redemption. My most anticipated film for 2017 is Blade Runner 2049.
Speaking with Now Loading at The Game Awards earlier this month, Kojima was asked about the games he admired or drew inspiration from in 2016. He replied:
Hmm, probably Inside. I try to play a lot of games, but it is hard these days to get all the way through them. Honestly, I’d say I dedicate more time to reading books or watching movies than playing games — and the biggest part of my time is focused on making games.
PlayStation Europe President Jim Ryan was also interviewed by Games Industry, revealing that he thinks 2016 will be known as the year VR truly established itself and 2017 could be the best year to be a gamer:
2016 will be defined as the year that VR truly established itself. Virtual reality has to be experienced to be believed. Players have always dreamt of actually being in the game – and VR actually fulfils that dream. We are only just scratching the surface of the potential for this incredible format, and I’m personally excited that we have plenty more in store for PS VR in the coming year.
Last year was all about the hardware, this year for our 50 million gamers, it is all going to be about the software. 2017 really does feel like it will be the best year to be a gamer – with a host of amazing games including amazing VR experiences and those taking advantage of the graphical prowess of 4K and HDR.
What were your highlights from 2016?
[Source: Games Industry, Now Loading]
