2K Boss Believes ‘Real-life Graphics’ is a Very Necessary Goal

2K Games boss Christoph Hartmann believes ‘real-life graphics’ is a very necessary goal in a shooter market that is a bit inundated.

Hartmann explained in an interview with GIBiz that in order for the industry to truly reach the next level and expand into new genres, ‘pure photorealism’ is needed. Comparing the games industry with that of film, Hartmann explained that because emotions are difficult to portray in games, many developers go back to the action and shooter games as these are safer bets.

“Recreating a Mission Impossible experience in gaming is easy; recreating emotions in Brokeback Mountain is going to be tough, or at least very sensitive in this country… it will be very hard to create very deep emotions like sadness or love, things that drive the movies,” explains Hartmann.

“Until games are photorealistic, it’ll be very hard to open up to new genres. We can really only focus on action and shooter titles; those are suitable for consoles now.”

Hartmann concludes by noting that when games reach the photorealistic point; “then we will have reached an endpoint and that might be the final console.”