Research firm EEDAR has calculated the average scores of games on all three current generation consoles. EEDAR took the scores from various games on each platform and came up with a single figure which gives an idea of the general quality of games on each platform.
Xbox 360 games in 2009 have been on average 1% better than they were in 2008. With such fine margins the figure seems trivial. Another 1% improvement would have seen the console match up to the PS3’s average of 68%. On average, PS3 games were exactly the same quality in 2009 as they were in 2008.
It is fairly safe to say that games on the two HD platforms are equally matched in terms of review scores over the past two years. No sensible person would use the PS3’s 1% advantage to posit that its games are better than those of the Xbox 360.
Perhaps the most interesting finding yielded by the research is that the average Wii game in 2009 is 6% better than it was in 2008. While some will argue that review scores are unimportant, it can at least be concluded that Wii games in 2009 have shown some improvement over those released in 2008.
Not in the last ten years has a console seen such a dramatic change in the general quality of its titles.
One reason attributed to the improvement is that developers are learning to play more to the console’s strengths. Another potential reason for the improvement is that reviewers have changed their perception of the console, with lower expectations leading to higher review scores.
Regardless of the reasons, the fact that Wii games are earning higher scores is a good sign for the console and of course for gaming in general.
There are a number of big titles set to drop before the end of the year which are likely to increase the average quality of games over the year. Games such as Modern Warfare 2, Operation Flashpoint 2, Uncharted 2, Dragon Age, Borderlands, WET, Forza 3, Left 4 Dead 2, Super Mario Bros. Wii, Muramasa: The Demon Blade and Halo: ODST may bump the scores of particular platforms up a percent or two.
Although the gaming industry has seen a slump in 2009, the quality of the games is likely to be better come the end of the year.
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