We’re approaching that awkward time in the console cycle where studios must make an important decision. Stay on the previous hardware, make the jump to the next generation, or pull a Hannah Montana and make the best of both worlds. Some publishers such as 2K Games have already made their decision and are skipping a next-gen launch in lieu of the current console hardware. Other studios are eying the option of launching on both. Such is the case with Cygames and Granblue Fantasy: Versus, which may see its sequel as a cross-generational release on both the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 if the words of its creative director are anything to go by.
In an interview with GamingBolt, Granblue Fantasy: Versus Creative Director Tetsuya Fukuhara of Cygames spoke about the potential of a dual-console launch. When asked about a next-gen port of their popular and recently released fighting game he said that the company saw little scope or room for improvement in porting it to the next generation. The biggest improvement according to Fukuhara would be in the area of load times, which makes sense given what is currently known about the PlayStation 5 and its solid-state technology.
The director would go on, mentioning the potential of releasing a Granblue Versus sequel on both pieces of hardware. “I don’t see much room for a PS5 port of Granblue Fantasy: Versus to significantly enhance the core experience, so I’m not really considering that right now. However, if we ever release Granblue Fantasy: Versus 2 in the future, then we may possibly consider a multiplatform launch on both PS4 and PS5,” said Fukuhara.
It’s a small window of hope, and one completely contingent on the already successful Granblue Fantasy spin-off receiving a sequel, but it’s there. There is a blueprint for such a move, as games like Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag saw a game launch that featured cross-gen purchasing options and other games that released on both the PS3 and PS4 (such as the aforementioned WWE 2K series). That said, if backward compatibility is indeed a feature of the PS5 then the drive to buy a previous-gen version gets more complicated.
Granblue Fantasy: Versus is currently available on the PlayStation 4.
