Psycho_Mantis
Banned
http://www.statista.com/statistics/276768/global-unit-sales-of-video-game-consoles/
Ye it is really growing man. look at that growth.
Well handheld gaming is dying for sure.
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Is Console Gaming coming to a close?
- Thread starter Cavalier
- Start date
Well handheld gaming is dying for sure.
In Japan, sure?
But they've been declining for years.
Everywhere else, consoles are very healthy.
I'd expect a few publishers who have strong western sales (Square-Enix, Tecmo-Koei, maybe Capcom) to remain in the console space, but virtually everyone else will either fold or go mobile.
But they've been declining for years.
Everywhere else, consoles are very healthy.
I'd expect a few publishers who have strong western sales (Square-Enix, Tecmo-Koei, maybe Capcom) to remain in the console space, but virtually everyone else will either fold or go mobile.
digita1alchemy
Member
I don't know if it's coming to a close, but for someone who doesn't particulary enjoy most indie stuff or homogeneous big budget games it's slim pickings this gen, outside of Nintendo. It doesn't seem healthy. I got an Xbox One (as a gift) at launch, and I still don't own a physical game for it, which blows my mind.
Mudron
Member
Most everybody would like to pretend that it's not happening, but console gaming - as the main driving force in the industry - is definitely starting to wind down.
That doesn't necessarily mean that dedicated $500 Sony/MS/Nintendo consoles are going anywhere in the next 5 years, but in the next 10 or 15 years? That's a real possibility.
I don't see how anyone can bitch about every other title being announced for current-gen consoles being a remake/remaster of a last-gen game *without* realize that something's up.
That doesn't necessarily mean that dedicated $500 Sony/MS/Nintendo consoles are going anywhere in the next 5 years, but in the next 10 or 15 years? That's a real possibility.
I don't see how anyone can bitch about every other title being announced for current-gen consoles being a remake/remaster of a last-gen game *without* realize that something's up.
SerTapTap
Member
This is only a relevant issue when a publisher targets both mobile and console. Many devs just only make games for one. It's not all that different from console vs PC. Some devs do both and change focus depending on which is more popular, some simply stay on one platform for one reason or another and growth/contraction in the other is irrelevant to them.
Did that for the other poster in the picture below by taking out the handhelds. Looks to be starting an upward trend (though only one year). Keep in mind the source of the data, though.
Hexa
Member
Fixed it for you!
I wish this was entirely a joke
Even if it was an anomoly you should probably include the Wii.
Regardless, console gaming as it exists now, does seem to be doing pretty much as well as its been doing for the last decade or so.
Also lol chartz who are still under tracking PS4 just because.
It's true some publishers are moving away from console gaming but I don't think everyone is going to stop developing for consoles. There is still a big enough market for console gaming to be profitable. Of course we are going to see much less big blockbuster AAA games in the future as the rise in development cost is outgrowing the growth in the market. The few AAA games we will see, as you mentioned, will be less risky and imaginative. And various DLC practices will be covering every aspect of them so look forward to that.
So long as there is people willing to buy and play on consoles there will be publishers making games for consoles. Unless we see an exodus of console gamers moving to mobile gaming which I doubt will happen.
So long as there is people willing to buy and play on consoles there will be publishers making games for consoles. Unless we see an exodus of console gamers moving to mobile gaming which I doubt will happen.
Bluekaveli
Member
Not until Sony says so
Coming to a close or dying is a tough pill for people to swallow as we really don't know what the future holds. Perhaps in 10yrs time smart tvs will be the driving force in home gaming.. or maybe everyone will be wearing VR goggles or playing with holograms. We can never really know.
It is definitely going to contract though and this will have a huge effect on the big budget AAA scene. There will always be the huge and wildly successful franchises, but I believe a heck of a lot less of them.
KatamariOnTheRocks
Member
All the things you've listed are nothing new. I don't think Konami or Sega really had a very high output volume of games that people have wanted so It's not like they had many projects in the works that are suddenly canceled barring the obvious Kojima situation. Most companies these days try too hard to play it safe by copying what they believe to be sucessful. Do I think that sucks and is a stupid tactic?
Yes I do, especially when most companies are sitting on a goldmine of IP that people would pay anything for a new entry in their favorite old series.
Do I think Console Gaming is coming to an end as a result of it?
Absolutely not, this is a problem that's existed for the last 2 generations and considering that most of the "big players" are still around I don't think 2 companies that are pretty irrelevant at this point will bring the entire industry down with them.
Remasters and Remakes have been discussed hundreds of times but since people still can't grasp how simple of a concept they are I'll go over it one more time. The existence of Remasters and Remakes is almost always handled by a different studio than the one that made the game being remastered.
That means it has no bearing on whether or not that studio will be occupied with the Remaster and unable to work on a new project. It's that simple. They outsource the work meaning they don't have to decide, do we make a new game or remake an old one? They get to have both, so that we as consumers, get to have both. It's a win win, if you don't like remasters...don't buy them
And as people have said for years, the only influence Mobile Gaming has on these companies is the financial draw to it. And there are several ways to run a business but I personally believe that they could make just as much if they simply scale back budgets and the number of units required to break even.
Look at how much support games like Yooka Laylee and Blood Stained are getting before they're even made. It's pretty impressive considering the No-Preorder mentality of gaming enthusiasts. There's no reason big companies can't set realistic budgets and give use the damn games we've been asking them to make for years.
To think Console Gaming will die is like saying TV will die. These forms of media evolve but will never go away. I would argue that modern streaming such as Netflix is where TV has evolved to, which is not to say that Console Gaming will become streaming based as I know that will never be the case. My point is that if a form of media has some slowdown in popularity is just needs to be reworked to be relevant again. I think once next gen actually begins and we start getting games for the XB1/PS4 that couldn't have been feasible on last gen then things will start to pick up again.
Why should consumers be investing in a new system/games when they're 100% identical to what they've had available for the last 8 years. Until we have new games that feel and play like new games there isn't much draw for your average consumer other than buying the system for their favorite series.
Yes I do, especially when most companies are sitting on a goldmine of IP that people would pay anything for a new entry in their favorite old series.
Do I think Console Gaming is coming to an end as a result of it?
Absolutely not, this is a problem that's existed for the last 2 generations and considering that most of the "big players" are still around I don't think 2 companies that are pretty irrelevant at this point will bring the entire industry down with them.
Remasters and Remakes have been discussed hundreds of times but since people still can't grasp how simple of a concept they are I'll go over it one more time. The existence of Remasters and Remakes is almost always handled by a different studio than the one that made the game being remastered.
That means it has no bearing on whether or not that studio will be occupied with the Remaster and unable to work on a new project. It's that simple. They outsource the work meaning they don't have to decide, do we make a new game or remake an old one? They get to have both, so that we as consumers, get to have both. It's a win win, if you don't like remasters...don't buy them
And as people have said for years, the only influence Mobile Gaming has on these companies is the financial draw to it. And there are several ways to run a business but I personally believe that they could make just as much if they simply scale back budgets and the number of units required to break even.
Look at how much support games like Yooka Laylee and Blood Stained are getting before they're even made. It's pretty impressive considering the No-Preorder mentality of gaming enthusiasts. There's no reason big companies can't set realistic budgets and give use the damn games we've been asking them to make for years.
To think Console Gaming will die is like saying TV will die. These forms of media evolve but will never go away. I would argue that modern streaming such as Netflix is where TV has evolved to, which is not to say that Console Gaming will become streaming based as I know that will never be the case. My point is that if a form of media has some slowdown in popularity is just needs to be reworked to be relevant again. I think once next gen actually begins and we start getting games for the XB1/PS4 that couldn't have been feasible on last gen then things will start to pick up again.
Why should consumers be investing in a new system/games when they're 100% identical to what they've had available for the last 8 years. Until we have new games that feel and play like new games there isn't much draw for your average consumer other than buying the system for their favorite series.
Just think about what you're saying. You're talking about consoles dying because two publishers who haven't done much for consoles during the past decade are focusing on other areas of the industry.
When EA/Activision/Ubi decide to pack it up that's when people should start worrying.
When EA/Activision/Ubi decide to pack it up that's when people should start worrying.
Mr. Poolman
Member
Console platforms will morph into a "games as a service" model sooner or later.
Also ps4 and xbox were only selling for a month and a half in 2013.
and then service base games took off on the PC.
You don't need a new Counter Strike every year but new maps, ESPORTS events, and weapon customization gives that game a new life.
DOTA3 will probably never happen or when if it does it will be a while.
ZombieSupaStar
Member
Assuming someday I can take my smartphone plop it in a docking station and play on monitor/tv with a controller/keyboard and mouse AND the hardware can run it decently? I won't have a problem with an all in one device.
Heck allow the same for movies/audio etc and I won't need a bluray/stereo. Just a device, a docking station, and a bunch of dumb terminals/input devices around the house.
Heck allow the same for movies/audio etc and I won't need a bluray/stereo. Just a device, a docking station, and a bunch of dumb terminals/input devices around the house.
Cow Goes Moo
Member
are you implying the wii's market wasn't somehow apart of the console market, despite it being a console? how is the wii's or rather nintendo's loss of marketshare not relevant? I am being holistic about this, the whole console market is contracting. I would agree that the ps4 and xbox one are outpacing their respective predecessors, for now, but their growth is not comparable to the respective console market position's when aligned, the ps4 has failed to pass the wii's shipment numbers in the same time, you may argue that it is irrelevant because of their "different" markets they aim for, but that's a fact. the xbox one is however outpacing the 2nd position of market leader, i think. the wii u is well flopping compared to the ps3; I'm quite certain, I don't even need to look for a graph for confirmation on that
if you are indeed implying that the casual market console of the wii isn't relevant to gaming well, I'm not sure why you would say that
and yeah ouya is a failure too, it's in the console market too, I think
I apologize if my reasoning and train of thought is erratic
Boombox On
Member
But the rationale behind those arguments are completely different.
It already is if you look at how prevalent Season Passes are.
mentallyinept
Banned
Even if it was an anomoly you should probably include the Wii.
Regardless, console gaming as it exists now, does seem to be doing pretty much as well as its been doing for the last decade or so.
Also lol chartz who are still under tracking PS4 just because.
Yeah, the chart shows the industry contracting mostly because the WiiU has not performed. removing Nintendo shows a stronger position for traditional console gaming.
Auto-Reply
Member
Who really knows? But yeah mobile seems to be where the money is at the moment. I don't know what the state of the console market is overall but I believe any stats on it are ultimatively meaningless when taking previous generations into account. We've seen console generations ending with a clear winner and the next cycle they've become pretty much irrellevant just like that. You sell 100 million now and after 5 years you are still going under despite of your former success. Everything is developing faster and faster, everything moves faster and faster.
Again, I have no idea what will happen next gen, everything seems possible in both directions.
Again, I have no idea what will happen next gen, everything seems possible in both directions.
Hurricane43
Member
For me yes... Buying a GTX 980 and playing GTAV and looking forward to the Witcher 3, it was a great 30 plus year run for myself and consoles. Havent turned the PS4 on since Fall... Having tons of great time consuming indie games in the PC is always a positive.
The Praiseworthy
Member
.... good god, of course not.
Suzushiiro
Banned
The sorts of games we play on consoles aren't going anywhere, though the total amount of money thrown at them by the industry may go down (ie lower budgets on games, fewer games overall, etc.) Though consoles themselves- as in, walled-garden platforms focused primarily on games- may also go away, as the average set top box built on an open (or mostly-open, in Windows' case) platform become "good enough" for those sorts of games.
Acting like this is the end of console gaming because a couple of companies that have been consistently fucking up and losing money in the console space over the last generation are deciding to focus more on mobile is a little hyperbolic. Especially when one of those companies seems to be turning back towards console gaming lately, if SO5's existence is any indication. When somebody who *has* been doing well in this space lately- Activision, EA, etc- decides "fuck it, we're just making phone games now," then we can reasonably say that the sky is falling.
Acting like this is the end of console gaming because a couple of companies that have been consistently fucking up and losing money in the console space over the last generation are deciding to focus more on mobile is a little hyperbolic. Especially when one of those companies seems to be turning back towards console gaming lately, if SO5's existence is any indication. When somebody who *has* been doing well in this space lately- Activision, EA, etc- decides "fuck it, we're just making phone games now," then we can reasonably say that the sky is falling.
Mr. Poolman
Member
MrNyarlathotep
Banned
The future isn't even docking stations, its induction surfaces, smart device interconnectivity and bluetooth / NFC pairing, so when you put your phone on the table it knows its at home, turns on your tv and starts mirroring its screen to it while it charges.
Vincent Grayson
Member
I think it's worth talking about because many people who bought the Wii were not console owners in previous generations, and aren't console owners in this new generation either. Many of them bought it because it was a novelty. Others have moved to handheld or mobile gaming.
Well, to answer the question in the OP, mobile isn't a phase. Sorry that anyone hopes, believes that it is, but it's not.
Anyway, as many have pointed out, I don't think console gaming is coming to a close at all. But I will say, it sure does feel like console development has slowed down a lot. But I don't think that's got anything to with the popularity of console gamings, but more in how game and game development in the industry has evolved.
Anyway, as many have pointed out, I don't think console gaming is coming to a close at all. But I will say, it sure does feel like console development has slowed down a lot. But I don't think that's got anything to with the popularity of console gamings, but more in how game and game development in the industry has evolved.
DeaconKnowledge
Member
OP is thinking about this in the wrong way.
Developing AAA games for consoles is coming too a close. There is just too much risk - massive cash outlay, shaky dividends. Publishers are only going to want to make titles that guarantee a payout and use/reuse similar assets. More sequels, more yearly iterations, ports, and remakes.
Sony selling 20 million units is good - for Sony, not the industry at large. Sony profits from PS4 sales in ways that involve more than games. Third parties don't have that luxury.
Developing AAA games for consoles is coming too a close. There is just too much risk - massive cash outlay, shaky dividends. Publishers are only going to want to make titles that guarantee a payout and use/reuse similar assets. More sequels, more yearly iterations, ports, and remakes.
Sony selling 20 million units is good - for Sony, not the industry at large. Sony profits from PS4 sales in ways that involve more than games. Third parties don't have that luxury.
nycgamer4ever
Member
Everyone wants to jump on the bandwagon and say mobile gaming is killing consoles. I actually think its the opposite. Mobile is introducing games to people who otherwise would never consider gaming. It is actually introducing more people to console gaming, like a a gateway. Mobile is to console gaming like marijuana is to cocaine. Something like that.
DarthWalden
Banned
Yoi ignore all the amazing sales figures for next gen consoles and come to a conclusion based off two developers who have a recent history of putting out garbage on consoles are moving away from console development.
Yeah, No.
Yeah, No.
Nealand Liquor
Member
It doesn't matter how many units the PS4 has sold when only a handful of games have been made for it since launch.
Sure there are the remasters & indies - many you can find on PC - but I doubt the majority bought a next gen console for them (no matter how much you may like them).
As it looks to me now, the big AAA game is dead and no publisher is rushing to resurrect them; Without them the console will die.
Sure there are the remasters & indies - many you can find on PC - but I doubt the majority bought a next gen console for them (no matter how much you may like them).
As it looks to me now, the big AAA game is dead and no publisher is rushing to resurrect them; Without them the console will die.
fluffydelusions
Member
OP pls
RoadHazard
Gold Member
Yes. Always. Every single generation since phone games became a thing consoles have been doomed. Except the PS4 (and to a lesser extent the XBO) is breaking all sorts of records.
You're right, there are no AAA games being made for consoles anymore... what?
You're right, there are no AAA games being made for consoles anymore... what?
GustyGardens
Banned
Home consoles? Not at all. They've never been as popular as they are now, at least not since the 80s. Handheld gaming is due for a change, though.
Cow Goes Moo
Member
I agree with what you're saying to some extent, I just don't agree that the console market isn't contracting without the wii for those reasons
so I'm like halfway if that makes any sense
RipperGrim
Member
Sega and Konami are by no means big players anymore, especially Sega them jumping into mobile looks more like them trying to chase the casual market.
The only time we should get worried about consoles is when companies like EA and Activision are calling it quits and focusing only on mobile. Even then Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo will just make games for their own consoles and fund others to make games for it as well. For consoles to die some serious shit would have to happen and right ow with the PS4 selling like it is with the X1 also performing decently behind it consoles look stronger than ever to me.
Errm I think you should go back and count how many AAA games are on PS4 lol.
The only time we should get worried about consoles is when companies like EA and Activision are calling it quits and focusing only on mobile. Even then Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo will just make games for their own consoles and fund others to make games for it as well. For consoles to die some serious shit would have to happen and right ow with the PS4 selling like it is with the X1 also performing decently behind it consoles look stronger than ever to me.
Errm I think you should go back and count how many AAA games are on PS4 lol.
OP pls
That is hilarious.
what? lol
Superkamikazee
Banned
I'm of the opinion mobile is the single largest threat to traditional console gaming, japan being a perfect example regarding the reality of todays situation. Mobile will continue to grow and further encroach into the console market. I'm not very optimistic that console gaming as we know it today will continue in 6-7 years time.
I feel the natural order of things will leave PC and mobile standing at the end of this console generation. Today's PC gaming market offers a very "console enough" experience, with added hardware flexibility, essentially all digital games (market direction anyways), and the ability to have backwards compatabililty with many older titles. Meanwhile mobile is shaping up to gobble up anyone who's a casual gamer, leaving only the core gamers to support consoles in years time, which may not be enough to warrant another go at it for the console manufactures. Options will be to become a service like Live which already appears to be geared in many ways for the PC market in Windows 10, so take that for what it's worth.
We're already seeing the early signs of things to come, many large publishers are shifting gears to mobile, that fact cannot be ignorned. We're also seeing a lot of devs self publishing to PC, and that is something I feel will continue which in turn will spare PC of the console fate. I don't want consoles to go away, and my opinion may come off very "the world is ending", but games will go where the money goes, and that appears to be mobile for larger publishers. If consoles are to survive into another generation they will need to become more open like PC, which in a way is already happening with systems like Steam Machines. Essentially consolified PC's, those are the only consoles I feel will exist beyond this generation, the closed systems simply can't survive. Smaller publishers will probably pop up in place of the big boys who went mobile chasing huge cash to appease share holders, but these smaller publishers will probably focus on PC type machines due to cost, furthering my suspicions.
Now I could be completely off base here, but regardless things are about to get very interesting in the coming years.
I feel the natural order of things will leave PC and mobile standing at the end of this console generation. Today's PC gaming market offers a very "console enough" experience, with added hardware flexibility, essentially all digital games (market direction anyways), and the ability to have backwards compatabililty with many older titles. Meanwhile mobile is shaping up to gobble up anyone who's a casual gamer, leaving only the core gamers to support consoles in years time, which may not be enough to warrant another go at it for the console manufactures. Options will be to become a service like Live which already appears to be geared in many ways for the PC market in Windows 10, so take that for what it's worth.
We're already seeing the early signs of things to come, many large publishers are shifting gears to mobile, that fact cannot be ignorned. We're also seeing a lot of devs self publishing to PC, and that is something I feel will continue which in turn will spare PC of the console fate. I don't want consoles to go away, and my opinion may come off very "the world is ending", but games will go where the money goes, and that appears to be mobile for larger publishers. If consoles are to survive into another generation they will need to become more open like PC, which in a way is already happening with systems like Steam Machines. Essentially consolified PC's, those are the only consoles I feel will exist beyond this generation, the closed systems simply can't survive. Smaller publishers will probably pop up in place of the big boys who went mobile chasing huge cash to appease share holders, but these smaller publishers will probably focus on PC type machines due to cost, furthering my suspicions.
Now I could be completely off base here, but regardless things are about to get very interesting in the coming years.