In the video game industry, it’s pretty hard for developers to keep their fans happy all the time. Insomniac Games learned this lesson recently when they started receiving complaints from fans via Twitter about Graphics Downgrade in Spider-Man (their upcoming video game for PlayStation 4). The most recent trailer and gameplay footage of Spider-Man PS4 carry few sequences that were present in footage that was released in the 2017 – fans (on Reddit and Twitter) started making side-by-side comparison screenshots of these sequences and sharing them with the development team carrying a text message: DOWNGRADE.
Insomniac Games has responded to some of these comparison screenshots – they politely explained to the fans what exactly is the change that has been implemented in the final retail build of the Spider-Man as compared to the build that we saw back in 2017.
Twitter user “Spidey” shared the following screenshot and called out Insomniac Games by asking: What’s with the downgrade yet again? #SpiderManPS4 (top is 2017, bottom 2018). Insomniac replied: “It’s just a change in the puddle size, there’s no downgrade at all”.
It’s just a change in the puddle size, there’s no downgrade at all
— Insomniac Games (@insomniacgames) August 20, 2018
User Brad H. shared the following screenshot and asked: Hey insomniac, hate to bother you but people on Reddit and twitter keep bringing this picture up. does it have to do with the different time of day, weather, or something else? And to this Insomniac replied:
“Suffice to say, it’s just as detailed and rich as the original capture in 2016. The lighting is different though as things move around, city changes, etc etc etc.
The suit texture is still there, you just can’t see it due to video compression/quality and where it was pulled motion/blur wise. Lighting has changed in the last 2 years for that scene.”
suffice to say, it’s just as detailed and rich as the original capture in 2016.
The lighting is different though as things move around, city changes, etc etc etc
The suit texture is still there, you just can’t see it due to video compression/quality and where it was pulled motion/blur wise.
Lighting has changed in the last 2 years for that scene.
In short, whatever changes PlayStation fans are seeing in the final retail build of Spider-Man PS4 is not a Graphics Downgrade. If they still have doubts on whether or not to buy the game at launch then they can wait till September 4, its the day Spider-Man PS4 Review Embargo ends.
