Can AAA Gaming Survive? And New Gaming Consoles in 2026? # 377

After an unintended week off due to Sean having an internet outage on the day of recording last week, Video Games 2 the MAX returns in a very hectic week in gaming.

Between last week and this week, more information has put into question the sustainability of AAA gaming with budgets ballooning, the increased amount of layoffs in 2023, and if games still don't cost enough to offset all of this. Is the answer to increase the price to $80 or $90 for new AAA games? Do gamers need to understand that the majority of games may have to lower their budgets? Could this bring subscription services more into play? Does this justify why there's been so much of a push towards Games as a Service? Or is this whole thing going to blow up entirely?

According to Jeff Grubb, a PS5 Pro is surely coming in 2024 with its own DLSS tech and he's also been hearing rumors of Xbox possibly starting a whole new console generation as early as 2026. Could this actually help Microsoft achieve a bit of a head start like with the Xbox 360? Or is this a dangerous situation of having the new console generation start early?

Also, E3 is officially dead according to its own organizers the ESA, does SEGA have the right idea to bring back some of its beloved older franchises? Also, Jeff has been playing Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. Sean's been playing Fortnite Festival as well.

You can also watch this episode in video form on the W2M Network Youtube Channel, please give us a like, comment on the episode, and give the channel a subscribe and follow as well: https://youtube.com/live/BGiKTL62d9o

Links:

Analog Stick Gaming (Jeff Young's Website): https://www.analogstickgaming.com/

The Gaming Mix Podcast (Jeff's Podcast hosted with Jordan Andow: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGamingMix

Jeff's Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora Review: https://www.analogstickgaming.com/game-reviews-1/2023/12/19/avatar-frontiers-of-pandora

Games Industry.Biz 2023 Infographics and other Yearly info: https://www.gamesindustry.biz/gamesindustrybiz-presents-the-year-in-number-2023

Radulich in Broadcasting's Review of Wonka: https://youtube.com/live/WFMhC21ruaw

The latest episode of Talk the Keki: https://youtube.com/live/cScviV-MD2g

Run of Show:

Intro and What Will be Discussed on the episode

----------------------------- MAIN TOPIC --------------------------

Can AAA Gaming Survive? Can it be sustainable in its current state? What needs to change?

***Also in this discussion: Could game prices go up to $80 or $90? Will budgets come down? Will we see smaller games be made from big publishers? Also, Sony's push of PlayStation studios to Games as Service and how the Last of Us Online shut down could be a telling sign of it being the wrong decision. How does Nintendo and Xbox factor in as well? ***

------------------- BIG TOPIC ----------------

How do PS5 Pro and Xbox Next Factor into the discussion, could a whole new generation begin in 2026? Would it be a good move? What about indies? How do they factor into this too?

---------------- What's in the News ----------------

SEGA gives more information on bringing back old franchises such as Jet Set Radio, Golden Axe, Streets of Rage, and more. Will this mean more remasters and remakes from other studio