“A lot has changed since the launch of the PS4. Prior to it, we were a small platoon-sized niche community. I wasn’t even a content creator yet. Now, we’re a division sized army looking to charge straight into the next generation with a whole lot of expectations and I’m hoping PS5 is ready for me.”
These are the phrases of Brian English, who runs the ever standard YouTube channel initially often known as PS4Trophies. Nowadays, it’s often known as PS5Trophies, signaling the joy that lies on the horizon for the brand new iteration of Sony’s flagship console. For many, trophies are a easy reward for the accomplishments gained throughout their gaming careers. Whether it’s peeping up a skirt in Lollipop Chainsaw or watching the loveable Trico shit all over the place in The Last Guardian, these are all finished within the title of pursuing that candy ‘ding’ because the trophy unlocks.
For the final seven years, English has labored effortlessly to make sure the eagerness that retains us up till dawn chasing meaningless collectibles to additional our digital assortment; by dropping fastidiously curated trophy guides, walkthroughs and a plethora of high ten countdowns centered on trophy lists. It’s from somebody who understands, helps and advocates the love people wholeheartedly pour into chasing PlayStation trophies. Brian has constructed a group of people that rally behind him.
“The brand loyalty trophy hunters have is astonishing,” says English. “These achievement systems are put in place to create that, to keep you on that platform. Games with fun trophy lists reign supreme within the community but there are many layers to that. Casual trophy hunters will platinum their favorite game, no question. On the other end of the scale you will have hardcore trophy hunters who might look for the cheapest or quickest trophy sets and don’t even care about the game. While some people will simply challenge themselves with historically difficult trophy lists.”
It’s clear that the group is constructed upon individuals wanting to attain completely different objectives. But one factor stays clear, they’re all after the identical finish consequence – trophies. With the PlayStation 5 rapidly approaching, how the trophy system will evolve with the {hardware} is a key query for English and the group, all with their very own concepts they wish to push to the forefront. But all of it begins with wanting again at how this technology obtained it proper.
One of English’s highlights this technology was the highly regarded iteration of Marvel’s Spider-Man by Insomniac Games. “It may be the most important trophy game during the PS4 generation,” he states. “It checks all the boxes; it’s a first party game, it was very successful and it was very easy to platinum. This stands out because it gave many people their first taste of the trophy hunting life, some of whom have stuck with it.” This rings true, with Spider-Man boasting the highest percentage rate of people who have web-swung in with a platinum for a primary get together unique title.
Perhaps one of many best examples of how properly utilised the system will be applied was by the distinctive use championed by Bend Studio’s Days Gone. “This is an example of a trophy list that was carefully thought out by lead open world designer, Eric Jensen, and his team. They thought of everything including the screenshot capture moments and a wonderful trophy menu in the game. The littlest of things can really make a big difference,” provides English.
The screenshot second in query is a splendidly creative characteristic. Players will discover that their games snap a screenshot of the exact second they’ve unlocked a trophy. Our galleries are sometimes a game of ‘Who’s Who?’ as every screenshots naked no resemblance to the trophy it’s related to. Eric Jensen purposely scripted all of Days Gone moments to capture beautiful moments that players will remember for years to come.
There’s a transparent indication of what the group is craving for within the subsequent iteration. Accompanying that is how the group needs to make use of concepts represented on different techniques. Xbox additionally invitations gamers to unlock achievements inside their games. Microsoft was initially the leaders for this characteristic, which different corporations corresponding to Sony and Valve’s Steam took upon themselves to mimic with their own spin.
“There’s only a very few differences between the two platforms but they are big,” English says. “The Xbox One does have a nifty feature where it will track progress towards an achievement. For example, if you need 100 melee kills, an Xbox player can easily see exactly how many they have left until they’ve completed it. I’m very jealous of that feature as I’m always afraid it’s not tracking properly.”
Despite this, English feels that the platinum trophy presents an edge that Xbox doesn’t fairly maintain. “The PlayStation trophy system does have the beloved platinum trophy that requires you to earn all the bronze, silver and gold ones in the game first. It’s basically a symbol that you have ‘mastered’ the game. It’s that final moment of closure that doesn’t come with (Xbox) achievements,” says English. “Having that platinum incentivises you to fight for those last couple of tough trophies whereas it could be easier to stop short of 100 percent on Xbox because it doesn’t have that carrot at the end of the stick. There’s something about that final platinum moment, like punching a time clock at the end of a very long shift. It just feels good.”
It’s this additional satisfaction that retains the group coming again for extra and actively utilizing English’s content material as a method to attain the total completion for his or her favorite games. It’s a group that embraces all console traces, residing outdoors the partitions of console wars. “As far as I’m concerned, trophy and achievement hunters are part of the same community,” says English. “We’re after the same goals, with the same struggles and in mostly the same games. At least 10 percent of my audience play on Xbox and I love it. There is nothing but mutual respect across party lines these days. We all want the same things. It’s actually kind of beautiful.”
So how can builders and Sony take all this and construct upon it? There’s many concepts that English and the group would like to see corporations infuse sooner or later. “For me, I appreciate when a developer really puts extra thought into it,” he says. “It’s really easy for me to determine if they cared or were just doing it because it’s required. I see more and more developers getting creative and understanding the value of the trophy system, even how it impacts overall sales. There’s people who make their purchase decisions based on the trophy list. They see if it looks fun or tedious. Will it take a few days or a month? This is all before they even look at a trailer, if they even look at one at all. The only question is what will PlayStation give us?”
Brian posed this query to his group on Twitter, with many fast to place their attention-grabbing takes on how the system ought to evolve. “On the platform level, one of the most requested things is leaderboards, both global and for each individual game,” particulars English. “There’s also a desire to delete lists even if you have up to 5 or 10 percent (currently you can only delete lists at zero percent). And of course, there’s the ever popular, ‘please remove online multiplayer trophies’ movement.” The group has concepts pouring in by the bucket load and are actively hoping Sony will actively incorporate some to the brand new console.
English goals larger although. He would love extra methods to work together with all of the accomplishments he’s labored so arduous to attain. “I desire something more ambitious,” he says. “I desire a system that feels up entrance and middle. I suppose in my little dream world I’d desire a full blown app that offers me stats, similar to third-party sites like PSNProfiles which makes use of information that PlayStation gives it.”
“In this app, I would want a virtual trophy case where I can see all my trophies (maybe some virtual VR option) with proper filtering options. Also leaderboards, but track who was first, who was quickest and to be able to compare that against the world, your country or just your friends. I would love PlayStation to lean into the social aspects of trophy hunting more. Anything that brings the community together,” he says.
One frequent thread by means of all the things Brian has created is the sense of group he has constructed. With a big selection of individuals engaged, discussing and coming collectively over their frequent love of trophies. Whether this be on Twitter, by means of English’s common streams or embracing the content material he places on the market each day, it’s one thing he’s actively campaigning to transition over to the brand new consoles and construct upon its foundations.
“As long as PlayStation gives us the tools, the whole community will drive the trophy system and perhaps evolve it into something better.” English provides. “Something we are going to start seeing more of is trophy hunters and achievement hunters working on their lists together now that cross platform play is starting to catch on.”
It’s this sense of coming collectively that has English and 1000’s of others excited for the approaching technology. While game builders and business officers will work arduous to ship compelling, rewarding lists to embrace, English and the group will proceed to assist the expansion with love and acceptance. Whether any of those modifications or enhancements will see the sunshine of day when the PlayStation 5 arrives in houses is but to be seen, however you possibly can stay assured that content material creators corresponding to Brian will proceed to funnel their love into YouTube channels and ranging different guides to help, inspire and encourage others to observe their ardour.
One factor English actually needs although: “My absolutely craziest dream is that I want a trophy hunting esports league.”
