As we near the third anniversary of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S consoles, we’re beginning to see more developers shift their focus exclusively to the current-gen platforms. TeamKill Media, the developers behind the anticipated “cosmic horror” first-person shooter Quantum Error, are the latest to join this trend.
The studio recently announced that it’s canceling the PS4 version of the game, citing significant qualitative issues between the PS4 and the PS5 editions.
Quantum Error was initially announced in 2020 for both PS5 and PS4 and later the Xbox Series S/X and then the PC.
Unfortunately, we are going to have to cancel the PS4 version of QE. Even with the game being made from the beginning for the PS5, we still had hopes we could make a PS4 version happen, but with the level of quality we have achieved with QE with gameplay running at 60fps, we have…
— QUANTUM ERROR (@Quantum_Error) July 25, 2023
TeamKill Media explained the reasoning in a tweet, saying “Even with the game being made from the beginning for the PS5, we still had hopes we could make a PlayStation 4 version happen.” However, it concluded that it was impossible to deliver a PS4 version that would live up to what the PS5 is going to deliver. This decision follows similar moves by other developers, such as Warner Bros. Interactive and Nacon, who previously canceled the PS4 and Xbox One versions of Gotham Knights and Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown, respectively.
Unfortunately, the former isn’t a good comparison. Gotham Knights suffered from performance issues from the get-go. A developer angrily blamed the Potatu GPU of the Xbox Series S in a since-deleted tweet.
Laurian Studios is currently working on a way to maintain performance parity between the Xbox Series S and X as it works hard to release Baldur’s Gate 3 in time on the PC and the PlayStation 5.
On that note, the cancellation of the PS4 edition is attributable to the qualitative and technical demands of the game. The game currently runs at 2K 60FPS across PS5, Xbox Series X, and S. TeamKill Media elaborated, saying, “A PS4 version would require too much downgrading and changing of assets, lighting, and much more to function, and with the difference in memory and the slower HDD speed, it would be a very different experience that will not compare to the PS5 version and would not be fair to PS4 players.”
Quantum Error’s gameplay includes a boss fight that swaps levels instantaneously 4-5 times, similar to Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart. This level of technical demand would significantly hinder the game’s experience on PS4, given the console’s slower HDD speeds.
Ironically, the PC port of Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart doesn’t require an SSD, but that’s another topic entirely.
Quantum Error’s story takes players to the Monad Quantum Research Facility, located on an island thirty miles off the shore of California. Fire Captains Jacob Thomas and Shane Costa are tasked with responding to an emergency at the facility. What begins as a desperate rescue mission amid a raging inferno turns into a struggle for survival when the pair discovers the chilling nature of the research carried out at the facility.
TeamKill Media’s decision is indicative of the shift happening within the gaming industry as developers start to focus on the power of the current-gen hardware. The fact that TeamKill Media initially planned to release Quantum Error as a cross-generational game but found it not possible to make a satisfactory version for the PS4 demonstrates the growing gap between last-gen and next-gen capabilities.
As the gaming industry progresses into this new generation of consoles, it’s becoming clear developers are focusing more on delivering an optimal gaming experience. And as we can see from Quantum Error’s case, this means leaving the last-gen consoles behind in favor of harnessing the power and potential of the new generation. Quantum Error’s journey serves as an essential marker in the industry’s transition, a harbinger for games to come. However, we can’t deny that this is troubling news, at least for the next Nintendo console.
After all, Activision Blizzard’s CEO, Bobby Kotick, recently claimed that the Switch’s successor will perform on par with the PS4 and the Xbox One. We suppose we’ll find out soon enough as the reveal of the said console is imminent, as per the rumors.
As for Quantum Error, TeamKill Media’s commitment to maintaining the quality and integrity of the game bodes well for its eventual release. Unfortunately, all the studio could say about when the game could launch is it’ll be available “very soon.”
