Modnation Racers Is The Next Step For Play Create Share, But What Does The Future Hold?

Having worked tirelessly for several days to create my own LBP representation of Alice In Wonderland back in '08, I know the amount of work that needs to be instilled into these projects in order to create a masterpiece. But everytime I go back to LBP, there's something that absolutely blows my mind. The guys making this stuff must be experts in LittleBigPlanet's tools. And I think that's excellent. That a game has such depth people are still learning it today is inspirational. So where does the genre that Media Molecule essentially founded go next?

Modnation Racers is on the horizon and is billed as the next big "Play Create Share" game from Sony. Having got some time with Modnation Racers, I think few would argue that the kart racer has quite the same depth as LittleBigPlanet. That's not a problem - Modnation Racers seems to have learned from many of LittleBigPlanet's mistakes and created a more accessible, simplistic experience that players can jump into more freely. Not to say the game lacks depth - you can create pretty much anything or anyone with the game's super detailed Mod editor, and the track creation tools are very exciting. Modnation Racers seems to have a good mix of creation potential and genuine accessibility -  the ModSpot being a lovely hub-world to all the action. I think the kart-racer brings a more thoughtful approach to the genre. The game gives you information in abundance right across your surroundings. It lets you know what the best Mods and Karts are. It lets you download them on the spot. It lets you know who made the kart originally. Modnation Racers gets a lot of information across through its surroundings, and I truly believe that kind of approach will be the next natural step for Play Create Share.

But what franchises does the genre evolve into? For a long time people have touted a track creator in Gran Turismo 5, a suggestion Polyphony's Kazunori Yamauchi has been coy about. That would share a similarity with Modnation Racers no doubt, but it would prove that Play Create Share doesn't have to be done with in the confines of a happy, colourful world. Gran Turismo 5 is clean and realistic. Which makes me wonder if today's rumours regarding an upcoming Play Create Share open-world game might point to the superhero-esque aesthetic of inFamous 2?

I've long considered the introduction of Play Create Share to sports games. Everybody's (Hot Shots) Golf is the franchise that screams to me level sharing. The game already has a pretty deep character customisation mode - but imagine if you could create your own holes and courses? The game seems perfect for that. A never-ending round of fresh courses, rated by the community so the best designed jump to the top. A hubworld golf club that tells you where your friends are playing, tells you what the most popular courses are, and gives you the tools to create your own. You paint on the green, paint on the bunkers and rough, paint on the water hazards and boundaries. The more I think about it, the more it makes sense and I'd be surprised if it doesn't get announced. We're long overdue a new Everybody's Golf as it is.

I'm curious though. Instead of me closing this piece out with my own thoughts, I want to know yours. What do you think would make a great Play Create Share game?

“Twiggy” is an anonymous PushSquare columnist who has been spotted in three major cities across the globe. It’s rumoured he’s on the run from the British monarchy.