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Is Console Gaming coming to a close?
- Thread starter Cavalier
- Start date
Psycho_Mantis
Banned
I excluded portables:
And one without Nintendo:
Something to factor is the price of those consoles sold. Also, the numbers seem a bit off, but I can't be bothered to check them, I'll take the site as legit.
Nice. Next gen is doing well, though you should include PS2 sales for last gen. Two main losses for this gen will be handhelds which have severely collapsed (3DS will be lucky to reach 50% of what the DS did and the PSV will be lucky to do 20% of what the PSP did) and the collapse of Wii --> WiiU. Nintendo is definitely the main loser here with severe losses in both sectors.
BTW is that graph still using chartzzz info :/
Yup
http://www.statista.com/statistics/276768/global-unit-sales-of-video-game-consoles/
Ye it is really growing man. look at that growth.
Nobody is replacing them though.
MrNyarlathotep
Banned
Even if they did, so what?
If a market can't support them, why should they be subsidised?
EDIT:
yes.
travisbickle
Member
Consoles will be fine, both Sony and MS predicted the potential drop-off of sales in traditional markets. Sony released their console in over 100 markets to grab sales in rapidly-growing non-traditional markets, and MS developed a console for a wider demographic (TV watchers) in traditional markets. Nintendo, erm?
So what? Is that a future you're looking forward to? Perhaps the all-seeing, all-knowing benevolent Invisible Hand will decide that f2p and streaming services are the true future of gaming. Fuck VR. Fuck that PC you spent $2500 on. Why is that a future to be excited about?
Sometimes the best interests of shareholders are directly opposed to the interests of certain consumers. Maybe what's his face from the whatever site is right about the future of gaming. I can't see how that's a good thing for anyone who would frequent this forum. It seems to me like some people are rooting for this dystopian AAApocalypse. I can't wrap my head around why.
Large publishers don't appear overnight.
It's tough to watch the owners of multiple IPs that we love give up on them, but there's plenty of eager small studios that are looking for a future in the industry. I missed 2D Castlevania and Megaman, but then I look at Bloodstained, Shovel Knight etc, and it's great to see the legacy move forwards as something tighter and smaller. Better that than watch a brand stumble under the weight of several dozen games of it's own twisted mythology, full of steps away from what made it great in the first place and unable to remain profitable when run by a multinational publisher with huge overheads.
Besides, is it the brand names we miss, or the talent that made them? Plenty of the individual developers are staying with console gaming.
This is what I wonder too. If consoles were to die that doesn't necessarily lead into an era of PC gaming utopia where every game of every variety is available for one system some hope it will. Its not certain that everyone who was buying consoles would be buying a PC instead, and its not certain that console prioritizing devs and publishers would go over to PC only either. Some genres and franchises could simply die out without the console audience and that would be a bad thing for gaming no matter which system you primarily use.
Even ignoring first party games, if many traditional joypad controlled console style games weren't even being made for my PC anymore because half the market for those games died with consoles and made them unprofitable, that would be an incredibly sad thing. This is why I can't stand it when other PC gamers hope for their death, be careful what you wish for.
Console gaming isn't going away. But it is losing it's position as the premier gaming format.
Lets face it - for a long time the dedicated videogame console was the center of gravity for the gaming world. Other formats existed (portable, PC, flash games), but they were peripheral to where the most activity and highest (apparent) profit was - console games. It was so dominant that many developers on other formats migrated to the consoles in hopes of gaining a larger consumer base. Many of the names we think of as the biggest console developers were originally PC developers after all.
Now that dominance is much weaker. I don't believe that it is as simple as everyone switching to mobile. The rise of mobile gaming certainly is a big factor, but the resurgence of the PC format and the economic risks of AAA development certain have played their part as well.
But I do not believe console gaming will go away, even if mobile should become the most influential format (something I don't believe is a certainty yet). As long as there are people who want a certain type of game, there will be companies willing to fill that niche and provide that game for them. This is even more true today when the self publishing revolution has made smaller developers much more viable again.
So console gaming may lose influence, but I doubt it will ever go away. Console gamers shouldn't worry - there will always be good games for you.
Lets face it - for a long time the dedicated videogame console was the center of gravity for the gaming world. Other formats existed (portable, PC, flash games), but they were peripheral to where the most activity and highest (apparent) profit was - console games. It was so dominant that many developers on other formats migrated to the consoles in hopes of gaining a larger consumer base. Many of the names we think of as the biggest console developers were originally PC developers after all.
Now that dominance is much weaker. I don't believe that it is as simple as everyone switching to mobile. The rise of mobile gaming certainly is a big factor, but the resurgence of the PC format and the economic risks of AAA development certain have played their part as well.
But I do not believe console gaming will go away, even if mobile should become the most influential format (something I don't believe is a certainty yet). As long as there are people who want a certain type of game, there will be companies willing to fill that niche and provide that game for them. This is even more true today when the self publishing revolution has made smaller developers much more viable again.
So console gaming may lose influence, but I doubt it will ever go away. Console gamers shouldn't worry - there will always be good games for you.
Gipsy Danger
Member
I agree that the most dangerous position is for the AAA developers since the risk is so high but IMO companies like Capcom, THQ and Konami weren't really those big budget publishing houses. They are struggling because the mid-tier on consoles has died away since it costs a lot of money to develop these games but they don't have the marketing a AAA game would have.
Smaller development is doing very well at the moment but the mid-tier is still struggling. They're finding a foothold on PC and to a lesser extent back on console but IMO the console space is just too top-heavy. Not that I think console gaming is dying but I definitely think people shouldn't sound to sure that it's not in a dangerous position just because the PS4 is selling very well right now. I hope that all gaming can continue to co-exist, and people need to stop talking shit about mobile gaming, there are a lot of great games on the mobile platforms.
I've been waiting 10 years. Any day now, I'm sure of it.
I think saying "Console gaming [is] coming to a close" at the present time is a bit like pointing to a 50-year old man and saying that he's "Dying of old age". There's a strong argument that it's technically true, but it's such a dramatic way to phrase things that the conversation is almost assuredly going to derail before people can agree on semantics.
That said, it sure as shit isn't one of those 50 year olds who goes to the gym a couple times a week. Pretty much everything that consoles are doing these days is about what's good for them now or in the next handful of years, with no apparent consideration for what they should be doing if they want to be healthy in five years, ten years, or fifteen years.
That said, it sure as shit isn't one of those 50 year olds who goes to the gym a couple times a week. Pretty much everything that consoles are doing these days is about what's good for them now or in the next handful of years, with no apparent consideration for what they should be doing if they want to be healthy in five years, ten years, or fifteen years.
Memorabilia
Member
I see its been about a week since the last sky-is-falling post about the end of console gaming...so, of course, time to talk about it again.
Answer: No. Consoles are here to stay for at least another decade. Internet infrastructure in the US is pathetic. That isn't going going to change until we have a massive public works project the likes this country hasn't seen since the New Deal or when we built the national highway or hydro-electric dam systems, that isn't going going to change. And if you think this country's current dysfunctional, bought-and-paid for political system is capable of actually accomplishing something truly big like this to help the people I have some ocean front property in Arizona to sell you. Furthermore, data caps are a thing all over the world & more companies want to try to fuck over US consumers in this way too by charging for tiered access. If they get their way then the "all digital future" will be a perpetual pipe dream. Physical is here to stay for the foreseeable future.
Edit: That said, there ARE troubling trends in AAA gaming...over-bloated budgets = major barrier to entry which does limit variety. And probably the worst trend is DLC and microtransactions infecting every single game to the point its almost impossible to buy a full game for $60 these days...the *real* price for the complete experience is actually more like $100+ in many cases. As budgets balloon & cost of buying games increases, the potential market does narrow somewhat as it becomes a more exclusive hobby.
Answer: No. Consoles are here to stay for at least another decade. Internet infrastructure in the US is pathetic. That isn't going going to change until we have a massive public works project the likes this country hasn't seen since the New Deal or when we built the national highway or hydro-electric dam systems, that isn't going going to change. And if you think this country's current dysfunctional, bought-and-paid for political system is capable of actually accomplishing something truly big like this to help the people I have some ocean front property in Arizona to sell you. Furthermore, data caps are a thing all over the world & more companies want to try to fuck over US consumers in this way too by charging for tiered access. If they get their way then the "all digital future" will be a perpetual pipe dream. Physical is here to stay for the foreseeable future.
Edit: That said, there ARE troubling trends in AAA gaming...over-bloated budgets = major barrier to entry which does limit variety. And probably the worst trend is DLC and microtransactions infecting every single game to the point its almost impossible to buy a full game for $60 these days...the *real* price for the complete experience is actually more like $100+ in many cases. As budgets balloon & cost of buying games increases, the potential market does narrow somewhat as it becomes a more exclusive hobby.
MrNyarlathotep
Banned
Why are you pretending that console focussed AAA publishers dieing off would affect either VR or high end Pc gaming?
Who are the PC focused developers that are going to invest in games that will push high end systems to the limits when the console market dries up?
there are no formative pretenders either, console publishing is a shrinking market.
Melchiah
Member
The 60 game I buy doesn't have artificial barriers that hinder the process, where a pop-up icon occurs over the obstacle offering a quicker way to get past by paying more.
The Artisan
Member
What might happens is we see these Alienware, Steam boxes some have bought up. Thing is...someone has to make them. If its one box...who decides the min/max specs? If its multiple boxes....same question.
Then we are back to consoles....just more open ones. Whose to say Sony or MS couldnt just go that route?
Thats so true. Whatever the future holds for Nintendo....if its more of a focus on mobile...if it means one day we look up and they are out the home console business....hey as long as they are making money thats all that matters right....?
I wonder how would some feel if that happened or they only did handhelds.
While the same can be said for those wishing mobile to collapse.... I agree. I dont want either to collapse. I dont want Nintendo to be handheld only, I dont want them focusing more on mobile if that winds up hurting their home, handheld consoles.
Thinking about the Vita and the Wii U gamepad...I think their NX thing is gonna be a mix of those two with the ability to play physical home console games on a portable device. And/Or you can do a straight digital game transfer from the home console to the NX device and keep playing on it. Nintendo might surprise us and get in on remote play like they surprised us with the Wii and motion controls.
MrNyarlathotep
Banned
The ones already making PC exclusives that have system requirements.
"High-end" enthusiast titles aren't solely the domain of consoles, nor are they solely about graphics. A Racing Sim fan with their own cockpit setup is already by default at the high end enthusiast level of gamer.
If the future of consoles is as a PC box pusher, MS wouldn't bother with hardware because software is more important and they're already the de facto market leader in that space.
If Sony are just assembling other peoples components to run other peoples software, then you're looking at how they're doing in the Vaio or Smartphone lines to see how important that would be to them.
Certainly neither would be subsidising the hardware they sell or moneyhatting developers for exclusivity under such a model.
In 2008 developers and publishers were falling over themselves to get a cut of the home console market.
In 2015, publishers are jumping ship. Console development is at a snails pace compared to 2008. Think of the great software released in 2008;
GTA4
LBP
MGS4
Bioshock
SSB Brawl
Rockband 2
Gears2
Fallout 3
Left4Dead
Dead Space
Mass Effect
SF2 Turbo HD
Braid
World of Goo
The Witcher
Fable 2
Megaman 9
Castle Crashers
Wipeout HD
Mario Kart Wii
No More Heroes
Spore
While the PS4 may be performing well, depending on whether you compare it to PS3, or Wii (with or without the huge launch month that skews its performance against previous market leaders) it's hard not to feel like the console market was a helluva lot more exciting back in 2008.
In 2015, publishers are jumping ship. Console development is at a snails pace compared to 2008. Think of the great software released in 2008;
GTA4
LBP
MGS4
Bioshock
SSB Brawl
Rockband 2
Gears2
Fallout 3
Left4Dead
Dead Space
Mass Effect
SF2 Turbo HD
Braid
World of Goo
The Witcher
Fable 2
Megaman 9
Castle Crashers
Wipeout HD
Mario Kart Wii
No More Heroes
Spore
While the PS4 may be performing well, depending on whether you compare it to PS3, or Wii (with or without the huge launch month that skews its performance against previous market leaders) it's hard not to feel like the console market was a helluva lot more exciting back in 2008.
This is the nature of the console market.Psycho_Mantis
Banned
2015 has a better lineup than this lol
william_557
Member
yes ps4 has been selling like crazy and consoles are dying
MatrixMan.EXE
Member
Contracting I think. Not dying. At one point they were the premier systems to go to for gaming, and the sales reflected that. Not so much anymore, and so while I don't see them dying anytime soon, the days where you can have 3 pieces of hardware competing with each other in the market and they all sell over 90 million each like last generation are long gone.
How many AAA PC franchises are there?
Publishers are not jumping ship from consoles, they're leaving the AAA space regardless of platform, or actually dying rather than leaving. This is because of development costs spiralling out of control, and that is due to people insisting on HD graphics, complaining about blocky shadows, demanding high res assets, and generally staring at pre-release screenshots and saying that anything which isn't photorealistic, is garbage. Anything which is linear is garbage. Anything which doesn't have voice acted cut scenes is garbage. Oh my god, that characters gun clips through the scenery just there.
It's kind of tiring really, we (and by 'we' I mean a large subset of the gaming community and gaming media) are causing this because these demands make games more expensive to make, at the same time people start bitching and crying about prices or delays constantly as if these extra costs and amounts of work needed can just be vanished somehow.
That would assume everyone wants to buy the games those remaining companies are making.
Moon_frogger
Member
Lol now we can add dream cast to the list of things mobile killed? Not sure if this is too relevant
Sanctuary
Member
I have no idea how many more generations console gaming will last, but I know that I am progressively becoming less and less interested in what's being released on them. The current gen has a lot of potential, but so far it's not offered much worth caring about to me. I own exactly one PS4 game, and will just borrow an Xbone when the single exclusive that looks somewhat interesting is released anually. I used to be excited for maybe twelve titles a year, but now it's like down to four.
Huh? Not only that, but it was released in 2007. They might have been working on a console version, but one was never released. I also don't see the current sales of the PS4 as any kind of meaningful sign either. Sure, people were so sick of last gen and they wanted something new. Both Sony and Microsoft finally release new systems, and Sony garnered the lion's share of hardware sales due to Microsoft's colossal PR fuck up and initial plans. Sony got a huge burst and are sitting pretty for now, but that means nothing for the long term. Just look at the PS2.
Huh? Not only that, but it was released in 2007. They might have been working on a console version, but one was never released. I also don't see the current sales of the PS4 as any kind of meaningful sign either. Sure, people were so sick of last gen and they wanted something new. Both Sony and Microsoft finally release new systems, and Sony garnered the lion's share of hardware sales due to Microsoft's colossal PR fuck up and initial plans. Sony got a huge burst and are sitting pretty for now, but that means nothing for the long term. Just look at the PS2.
MrNyarlathotep
Banned
Are we talking AAA franchises that started exclusively on PC such as COD or BF, AAA franchises that are exclusively for the PC and see the occasional console spin off such as EVE or The Sims, or AAA exclusive games that could feasibly become franchises such as Star Citizen here?
Malcolm9
Member
I'm really enjoying this gen so far like many others I know, I can't see consoles dying out for a long time especially when games like FIFA and COD still exist, where the consoles are their biggest audience.
Also where would mobile gaming go, people will just want bigger and better games so won't it end up being a cycle? Mobiles are good, but the experience on them hasn't reached anywhere near what we have on consoles.
Obviously owning a decent PC is a brilliant option, but I can't see the very content console owners moving over as most aren't bothered about resolution, frame rates, they just want to play their favourite games in a quick and easy manner, borrow games off each other, play couch multiplayer etc etc.
Also where would mobile gaming go, people will just want bigger and better games so won't it end up being a cycle? Mobiles are good, but the experience on them hasn't reached anywhere near what we have on consoles.
Obviously owning a decent PC is a brilliant option, but I can't see the very content console owners moving over as most aren't bothered about resolution, frame rates, they just want to play their favourite games in a quick and easy manner, borrow games off each other, play couch multiplayer etc etc.
Sanctuary
Member
Kind of have to wonder though. How many of these people that are "content" with their consoles would actually remain content if they could have the same kind of power a mid to high range gaming PC offers, without the hassle? Probably not many. Many people are content when they haven't actually seen how better it could be yet.
BumblebeeCody
Member
No they aren't but my the Xbox One and PS4 are terrible.I would love for them to close and then we can restart console gaming without all the BS practices.
Sanctuary
Member
LOL, what? No it doesn't. It doesn't even have a lineup with half as many great games. Don't forget too about all of the 2015 releases that will invariably get pushed back to 2016 a few months before release.
Are you talking about all of the remasters? If so, why? So far this gen has been making bank off of announced titles that have specific release dates that haven't been met.
Malcolm9
Member
True, but when you see the costs of developing games at the moment, would we see more devs financially troubled if the consoles were more powerful?
I still think a lot of gamers are daunted by the prospect of setting up a PC, knowing the ins and outs etc, it's easy when you know how of course, but I would say the majority of gamers prefer the plug and play aspect, though technically consoles are nearer to PC's then they ever have been.
It will be interesting to see how it pans out in the future, I've been gaming since I was 5 (1985), and just seeing how much has changed over the last twenty years makes me look forward to any decent advancements in games.
I can definitely see another console generation after this though from the usual suspects, after that though is anyone's guess.
BumblebeeCody
Member
I can't! It's behind a paywall(well payglass)!
I just realised, it's been exactly a year since that Pie Chart came up. We should have an anniversary post for it.
http://www.polygon.com/2014/5/15/5718168/mario-kart-series-sales
Sony as a company is on its knees
Microsoft's game division is on its knees
Nintendo's console is on its knees
Publishers have been eating up developers and spitting out crap games
Publishers are transition focus from consoles to mobile
Publishers have been dropping like flies
Big developers have been postponing games.
Ronin developers are resorting to kick-starting games
Indie developers have never been more popular on consoles
But console gaming is here to stay.
Microsoft's game division is on its knees
Nintendo's console is on its knees
Publishers have been eating up developers and spitting out crap games
Publishers are transition focus from consoles to mobile
Publishers have been dropping like flies
Big developers have been postponing games.
Ronin developers are resorting to kick-starting games
Indie developers have never been more popular on consoles
But console gaming is here to stay.
Manmademan
Member
For lots of people "power" is irrelevant. Consoles sell what they do for lots of other reasons. Usability, exclusive software, ability to trade/sell software, "lock in" to existing social networks, etc.
PCs being more powerful than consoles isn't new, that's been the case since at least the PS1 era. There's simply a massive audience that doesn't consider them an attractive platform.
Blitzblotz
Banned
Mobile gaming should have it's own forum away from the console one.
Thats why I dont get why it comes up. Leaving them and Nintendo out....who would be the maker of these boxes? Dell, Gateway, HP? After going the custom built route....I feel those guys are not good at making PC's. Apple might be the only ones.
Doing some reading just now.....Alienware Alpha...now I see why it comes up. Interesting. I didnt keep up with this....This would get the ppl that complain about comfy couch gaming on board. (I'm one) Its even a better form factor than the LAN machines I used to see.
And it still operates as a PC. It has some limitations so far but....interesting. Technically its still a console.....just a more open, functional one.
Sanctuary
Member
Well, I can certainly agree with your opinion on plug and play or ease of use. Although sometimes it almost borderlines laziness. I think it does in my particular situation anyway.
What's ridiculous is that I just finished building a monster gaming PC for a friend of mine. He runs fighting game events and told me that he wanted a system that would be able to handle streaming in HD without any issues and be able to play all of the current gen games at much higher resolutions and framerates over the consoles.
So he has that, and it cost him $1,300. Yet he hasn't gamed on it once outside of a few gaming events with Mortal Kombat X because it's like he has this wierd technophobia, even though all he has to do literally is turn the system on and double click the launcher icon. From there he can just use any console controller he wants to do the rest. It's already setup with his TV and stereo too. It's also setup as a media player for all of his Blu-rays (or mine that I put on his drive), yet he hasn't used it for that once either and would rather rent a Blu-ray from Redbox so that he can just pop it in his PS3 and play! Talk about a waste of money.