One Thing I Bet Everyone Misses About the PS3, Xbox 360 Era

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From the very beginning of home video games, success has meant more games in the same series – sequels, prequels, and different takes on the original. Games that don’t sell well tend to disappear. However, something has shifted with the current generation of consoles. In the past – specifically around the time of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 – it was common to see games released as complete trilogies. While trilogies still happen, they’re becoming less frequent.

Game publishers are no longer restricting games to just one console generation. You might not realize it, but it’s becoming increasingly common to start a game series on an older console like the Xbox One, continue playing sequels on newer versions like the Xbox Series X|S, and then potentially need to upgrade again for the next installment. With Microsoft’s unpredictable console naming, it’s hard to know what’s coming next. This can be frustrating for fans of a series, as they face long waits between games and often have to purchase new consoles to keep playing.

Video Game Trilogies on Single Consoles Are a Thing of the Past

The Mass Effect series is a great example of a practice that’s become less common in gaming. Considered one of the best sci-fi action games ever made, Mass Effect first launched in 2007 on Xbox 360. Mass Effect 2 followed in 2009, becoming available on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC, broadening the game’s audience. The final installment, Mass Effect 3, was released in 2012 for PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii U. Players with an Xbox 360 were able to experience the entire trilogy fairly quickly, allowing them to play all three games in order without needing multiple consoles.

The Uncharted series is another great reason to remember the PlayStation 3. The first three Uncharted games—Drake’s Fortune (2007), Among Thieves (2009), and Drake’s Deception (2011)—first launched on the PS3 and stayed exclusive to it for a while, meaning players didn’t need another console to enjoy them. However, later games in the series weren’t initially released only on PlayStation.

Sony has released several Uncharted games, including Uncharted: Golden Abyss (2011) and Uncharted: Fight for Fortune (2012) for the PlayStation Vita, and Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (2016) for the PlayStation 4. Currently, only Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection is available on the PlayStation 5, suggesting future main Uncharted titles might skip the PS5 altogether. Naughty Dog is working on a new game, potentially starring Cassie and Sam Drake, but its release date is uncertain. It’s possible this game won’t be released until after the PlayStation 6 is already out.

Don’t Expect Video Game Trilogies to Release Around a Single Console Generation

It used to be common to buy a game like Super Mario Bros. and get a couple of sequels right away on the Nintendo Entertainment System, but that doesn’t happen much anymore. Now, even Nintendo usually waits until the next generation of consoles is released, and some developers skip console generations entirely. There are many reasons for this, but it’s largely because modern video games are much more complex, expensive, and time-consuming to create. Games used to be developed in just a few months, but now they often take several years. Since console generations typically last 5-7 years, developers struggle to keep pace. It’s still fun to remember when games were released more frequently.

Man, I really miss when game trilogies were all released within the same console generation. It felt like a complete story! Anyone else feel that way? Let’s chat about it over on the ComicBook Forum!

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2025-12-27 00:11