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[Klayzer]

but what is the point of a console if a budget laptop does the functional equivalent?

why have multiple devices?

Personally I was thinking 50 or so years, but I was pulling that out of my ass

not everything is an attack on Sony dude

Nobody mentioned Sony, but you dude. Lol

 

[semiconscious]

EDIT: I think ChatGPT misunderstood the question

wow! i can't imagine something like that happening!...

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

Nobody mentioned Sony, but you dude. Lol

sorry I missed your point then. what is your point?

and actually a lot of people mentioned Sony.

for good reason, I think Sony and Nintendo are the only chance of consoles really being a thing in the future. but Nintendo tends to release pretty gimped hardware, leaving Sony as the one who can handle more demanding titles

xbox I think is pretty much done, at least in its current form

 

[Topher]

are all the people agreeing with me trolling as well?

or are you just smarter than them?

I don't agree with you, but I don't think you are trolling.

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

I don't agree with you, but I don't think you are trolling.

thank you and I meant the folks on page 1 who are pretty much saying they agree, but that it would take quite some time

maybe I should have been more clear in the OP that I don't see this happening tomorrow

 

[tr1p1ex]

are all the people agreeing with me trolling as well?

or are you just smarter than them?

I don't know. I have not read their posts and I don't know if they are agreeing with you or not. And if they are I don't know if they just agreeing that people could play games on laptops instead of consoles generally speaking or ...

Quite frankly I can't tell the difference between a troll and someone who doesn't know what they are talking about. I gave you the benefit of the doubt on the latter. Maybe that's a mistake?

I leaned towards troll once you didn't understand a simple point.

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

I don't know. I have not read their posts and I don't know if they are agreeing with you or not. And if they are I don't know if they just agreeing that people could play games on laptops instead of consoles generally speaking or ...

Quite frankly I can't tell the difference between a troll and someone who doesn't know what they are talking about. I gave you the benefit of the doubt on the latter. Maybe that's a mistake?

some of the others in this forum provided intelligent responses that might help you understand my point. it may be worthwhile reading their posts.

 

[Klayzer]

sorry I missed your point then. what is your point?

Easy dude. These topics usually show up with negative Microsoft news. Console gaming is doing great. Only one is circling the drain.

 

[tr1p1ex]

some of the others in this forum provided intelligent responses that might help you understand my point. it may be worthwhile reading their posts.

You don't have a point.

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

Easy dude. These topics usually show up with negative Microsoft news. Console gaming is doing great. Only one is circling the drain.

today it is, yes. in 20 years? 50 years? who knows, and that is what my thread is trying to get at.

I think a lot of people have an emotional response because they're so attached to their consoles

we are talking once a budget laptop hits parity with high end consoles

do you think that will happen soon? and if not, why are you talking about how consoles are doing today?

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

You don't have a point.

then why are you continuing to engage with me?

lots of people are having a meaningful conversation and providing helpful answers.

you are here just to tell me I'm trolling? are you done with that at least? I'm trying to have a conversation about my OP, and others are willing to engage me in good faith

if you are just here to attack me, who is trolling?

 

[ReBurn]

I wonder what the alternative will be if they do go away? I probably won't be alive to see it.

 

[Sebastian1295]

what does this even mean?

cheap laptops will eventually reach parity with high-end consoles because technology consistently gets cheaper and more powerful over time. as hardware improves and manufacturing scales, today's high-end components become tomorrow's budget parts. AI tools like DLSS and FSR will also let weaker hardware deliver high-end gaming experiences. combined with more efficient game engines and possible cloud-assisted rendering, even low-cost laptops will be able to run advanced games smoothly — it's only a matter of time.

does this all make sense to you? not trying to be an ass, I just don't know what part confuses you

You're skipping over the part where people that buy consoles won't give a crap about any of that because they don't care about gaming on a laptop/pc and they never will. They don't wanna upgrade parts or deal with windows or go on pc stores to buy games etc. They wanna plug a system into their tv, turn it on and start gaming. And they want to buy into an ecosystem such as playstation, nintendo, and xbox because they know what they're getting when they do so.

 

[DeltaPolarBear]

The ultimate future of consoles is a portable device. We are not there yet and maybe it wouldn't get there until a few decades more.

A cheap laptop can't run Expedition 33. Can't run WuKong. And likely won't run GTA6 when it does come out. I say that because I checked what my laptop can currently run.

Worry about the bridge when you cross it. Enjoy gaming in the here and now. It isn't even your job to worry about it.

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

You're skipping over the part where people that buy consoles won't give a crap about any of that because they don't care about gaming on a laptop/pc and they never will. They don't wanna upgrade parts or deal with windows or go on pc stores to buy games etc. They wanna plug a system into their tv, turn it on and start gaming.

buddy, hate to be the one to break this to you, but you can pretty much plug a laptop into your TV and you are good to go

I can't even imagine how seamless the process will be in 20-50 years

the accessibility/ease of use will be a non issue, and I already address it in OP

 

[MayauMiao]

I believe so and I wouldn't mind it. Hybrid like Switch is the best solution.

 

[Parazels]

I don't know, but I do think it is harder for many to justify buying a console now that they cost 500€+ and they don't really get cheaper with time, and they have fewer and fewer exclusives. At least if you have a laptop that can play games at a reasonable level.

You are complaining about console prices (which are ok in reality) and "forgetting" to mention laptop prices, pretending it doesn't matter.

 

[Sooner]

We ask this every generation. And every generation consoles become more and more popular.

Same is true with PC gaming. Neither is going anywhere.

Well, Xbox is. But its death isn't because people don't like consoles, they just don't like Xbox.

 

[Sebastian1295]

buddy, hate to be the one to break this to you, but you can pretty much plug a laptop into your TV and you are good to go

I can't even imagine how seamless the process will be in 20-50 years

the accessibility/ease of use will be a non issue, and I already address it in OP

Ok you can plug your laptop into a tv and yet essentially no one does that because they don't want to nor care to do so. If that argument was valid than nintendo wouldn't of sold over 100 million nintendo switches and playstation wouldn't of sold about 80 million ps5's so far. The market is telling you that people don't care to do that and they're going to choose to buy a console. The profits for playstation and nintendo are rapidly increasing generation by generation as more people become gamers and it's because the brands bring prestige, quality, and ease of use to the table that a PC nor laptop will never be able to do.

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

Ok you can plug your laptop into a tv and yet essentially no one does that because they don't want to nor care to do so.

of course they don't, because laptops and consoles haven't hit parity

if a laptop can run games just as good as a console, with just as much ease, why own the console?

or are you arguing a laptop could never do that? because tbh, given the way tech progresses, a cell phone will likely hit parity given enough time

technology is pretty crazy like that. computers used to take up entire rooms.

 

[Plies]

If Hitachi can get back to making custom chips, that would save console gaming.

 

[Parazels]

today it is, yes. in 20 years? 50 years? who knows, and that is what my thread is trying to get at.

In 50 years we may migrate to photon processors or quantum processors or some other technology which will blur the borders between all devices completely!

What's the reason to "predict" it today?

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

In 50 years we may migrate to photon processors or quantum processors or some other technology which will blur the borders between all devices completely!

What's the reason to "predict" it today?

I agree! I enjoy the thought experiment and often think about the future. I do it for the same reason I play games, I think it's fun.

 

[Angry_Megalodon]

Average people will choose a 17" laptop over a 80" 8K TV screen.

Yessir.

 

[Fermbiz]

I hope not. Im still waiting to play the PS9.

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

Average people will choose a 17" laptop over a 80" 8K TV screen.

Yessir.

bro, you can already play a laptop on a TV...

in 20-50 years I doubt you will even need an HDMI cable, or any sort of cable

 

[Bonfires Down]

Average people will choose a 17" laptop over a 80" 8K TV screen.

Yessir.

Aren't they already choosing a 7 inch Switch screen or an even smaller phone screen in many cases?

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

Aren't they already choosing a 7 inch Switch screen or an even smaller phone screen in many cases?

wait until he finds out you can mirror your iPhone on a TV...

 

[Parazels]

Average people will choose a 17" laptop over a 80" 8K TV screen.

Yessir.

They will inevitably do it in 50 years according to the OP!

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

They will inevitably do it in 50 years according to the OP!

do you really think I meant they'd be playing it on the laptop itself?

obviously tech in 50 years will able to project on a TV given it can do it today

you guys don't need to spin my arguments just so you have something to grasp onto

by laptop, I really meant whatever sort of computer is popular by that time. maybe everyone is using something closer to a tablet. what I essentially meant was the common computer of the time, which has exceedingly become more in favor of laptops, but I'm open to it being some other sort of computer

does that help?

 

[Parazels]

Aren't they already choosing a 7 inch Switch screen or an even smaller phone screen in many cases?

Mostly when TV is occupied or unavailable.

 

[Pimpbaa]

Not anytime soon going by the sales of the PS5 and Switch 1/2. Unless Valve goes in hard with steam os boxes for your tv (when steam machines came out, steam os sucked). But even then they'd probably just be taking Xbox's place. Only death I see is of the Xbox brand.

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

Mostly when TV is occupied or unavailable.

actually, cellphones have a bigger marketshare than consoles.

people are already playing games more on their phone than consoles.

it is continuing to skew in favor of phones by the way

 

[RedC]

There may come a time when the cloud is the primary way people play games.

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

There may come a time when the cloud is the primary way people play games.

I've thought about this too. probably worthy of its own topic, but I think that is also very possible.

 

[Rhazer Fusion]

While, I feel consoles will be around for awhile, I think console popularity will eventually fade because the reasons to own a console are rapidly dissipating. Exclusivity is dying which is KILLING the identity of consoles. The prices of consoles($1000 Xbox Ally/PS6??) and gaming prices are increasing and you have to pay for online as well.

Consoles will presumably always be convenient and will "hopefully" have physical media for quite some time, but besides those things I'm not sure if that's enough especially when consoles are hovering dangerously towards becoming glorified PC's without the advantages of a PC.

 

[MatrixReloaded101]

No, Nintendo just sold over 5 million switch 2's with one exclusive game at launch.

 

[Parazels]

Not anytime soon going by the sales of the PS5 and Switch 1/2. Unless Valve goes in hard with steam os boxes for your tv (when steam machines came out, steam is sucked).

Steam Machine is a console though, not a laptop, which has to replace microwaves and artificial organs if to believe the OP.

 

[Parazels]

I've thought about this too. probably worthy of its own topic

 

[rm082e]

I'm not in the tech field, but wouldn't a cheap laptop eventually hit parity with consoles in the not too distant future?

wouldn't that trivialize the whole console market?

I know simplicity is a big selling point for consoles, but wouldn't that eventually be addressed as well?

it seems with AI and machine learning, we are about to see some exponential growth. which left me wondering what the future of consoles will be like once something like a budget laptop is able to run any game at max settings. simplicity and accessibility have historically been big selling points for consoles, but it seems like that will become a non issue as well, especially in light of AI/machine learning. exclusives are also becoming less of a thing with Sony sending all their game to PC.

I know this isn't any time too soon, but it does seem like it will eventually become a reality.

tech bros feel free to school me as I'm sure I may be missing something.

People have been saying this exact thing about laptops since at least the early 2000s, and it always makes me wonder how people could think this way.

First, laptops have to run on a very limited amount of battery power. We keep getting better at efficiency and building batteries with more juice crammed into them, but no battery can compete with having a device hooked up to a wall outlet. Simply put, the more power you can use for computation, the more computation you can use to run more complex games. The best gaming laptops are not nearly as capable as the most powerful gaming PCs. Same with handhelds vs. consoles.

Second, very few people will find the portability of a laptop is more valuable than the power and convenience of a console. Even if we customize the portable computer further for gaming and turn it into a handheld gaming PC like the Steam Deck, we can see that market is small compared to consoles and gaming PCs. And again, whatever a gaming handheld can do, a box that plugs into the wall can do better, except for the portability.

Third, as gaming hardware continues to advance, the software will just keep getting more and more advanced. The idea of "something like a budget laptop is able to run any game at max settings" is a myth. As long as there are companies making high end hardware, there will be developers building engines to take advantage of that hardware, and the budget laptops (or handheld PCs) won't be able to run those games at max settings, at the same resolution and frame rate as a box that plugs into the wall.

Cloud gaming isn't going to do it either. The latency is a problem that can't be solved, and it's enough of a problem for enough types of games that it won't replace dedicated hardware.

I expect we will continue to have some form of gaming console (a fixed hardware spec that plugs into the wall) for as long as people are into playing video games. The brands might rise and fall, the way new hardware specs are rolled out might change over time, but I don't see any reason to think we won't get at least one new console platform every 6-10 years for decades to come.

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

People have been saying this exact thing about laptops since at least the early 2000s, and it always makes me wonder how people could think this way.

First, laptops have to run on a very limited amount of battery power. We keep getting better at efficiency and building batteries with more juice crammed into them, but no battery can compete with having a device hooked up to a wall outlet. Simply put, the more power you can use for computation, the more computation you can use to run more complex games. The best gaming laptops are not nearly as capable as the most powerful gaming PCs. Same with handhelds vs. consoles.

Second, very few people will find the portability of a laptop is more valuable than the power and convenience of a console. Even if we customize the portable computer further for gaming and turn it into a handheld gaming PC like the Steam Deck, we can see that market is small compared to consoles and gaming PCs. And again, whatever a gaming handheld can do, a box that plugs into the wall can do better, except for the portability.

Third, as gaming hardware continues to advance, the software will just keep getting more and more advanced. The idea of "something like a budget laptop is able to run any game at max settings" is a myth. As long as there are companies making high end hardware, there will be developers building engines to take advantage of that hardware, and the budget laptops (or handheld PCs) won't be able to run those games at max settings, at the same resolution and frame rate as a box that plugs into the wall.

Cloud gaming isn't going to do it either. The latency is a problem that can't be solved, and it's enough of a problem for enough types of games that it won't replace dedicated hardware.

I expect we will continue to have some form of gaming console (a fixed hardware spec that plugs into the wall) for as long as people are into playing video games. The brands might rise and fall, the way new hardware specs are rolled out might change over time, but I don't see any reason to think we won't get at least one new console platform every 6-10 years for decades to come.

by parity I mean the tech will be equivalent. that is, by definition, what parity means.

you pointing out battery power as your first talking point already misses the mark re: what I'm asking. as does your other talking points, as they talk about limitations in a laptop vs console. which again, means parity was not achieved.

you might be arguing that laptops will never hit parity with gaming consoles. that's fine if you believe that way - but I think that is a separate point. you are basically refuting the premise I take for granted. I am assume parity will be achieved some day.

hell, I think parity could likely be achieved in a cellphone given a lot of time. people are actually working on this right now via quantum processors. IBM, Google, Intel, etc are all actually working on it.

 

[Plies]

I hope not. Im still waiting to play the PS9.

Legendary advert.

 

[freakhead]

People have been saying this exact thing about laptops since at least the early 2000s, and it always makes me wonder how people could think this way.

First, laptops have to run on a very limited amount of battery power. We keep getting better at efficiency and building batteries with more juice crammed into them, but no battery can compete with having a device hooked up to a wall outlet. Simply put, the more power you can use for computation, the more computation you can use to run more complex games. The best gaming laptops are not nearly as capable as the most powerful gaming PCs. Same with handhelds vs. consoles.

Second, very few people will find the portability of a laptop is more valuable than the power and convenience of a console. Even if we customize the portable computer further for gaming and turn it into a handheld gaming PC like the Steam Deck, we can see that market is small compared to consoles and gaming PCs. And again, whatever a gaming handheld can do, a box that plugs into the wall can do better, except for the portability.

Third, as gaming hardware continues to advance, the software will just keep getting more and more advanced. The idea of "something like a budget laptop is able to run any game at max settings" is a myth. As long as there are companies making high end hardware, there will be developers building engines to take advantage of that hardware, and the budget laptops (or handheld PCs) won't be able to run those games at max settings, at the same resolution and frame rate as a box that plugs into the wall.

Cloud gaming isn't going to do it either. The latency is a problem that can't be solved, and it's enough of a problem for enough types of games that it won't replace dedicated hardware.

I expect we will continue to have some form of gaming console (a fixed hardware spec that plugs into the wall) for as long as people are into playing video games. The brands might rise and fall, the way new hardware specs are rolled out might change over time, but I don't see any reason to think we won't get at least one new console platform every 6-10 years for decades to come.

Thanks for explaining why the OP's logic doesn't add up.

 

[LavitzSlambert]

Consoles as we know them, probably, but I don't think dedicated gaming devices will go away in our lifetime. If anything Valve is drifting ever closer to console status with SteamOS, even though it can do plenty of other things. Hell, a jailbroken PS3 could do a ton running Linux.

 

[Gameplay Gods Bless]

Yes. Microsoft already gets this. PS6 will be Sonys last box.

While consoles are waning for sure I don't think PS5 will be Sonys last box hell last I checked they still make Sony walkman despite the old iPod killing that business decades ago. I'm sure they sell something like 30k walkmen a year or something. Point is there will still be Playstations the market will just get smaller and smaller as consoles become less and less relevant to the masses but they're still be enthusiasts and fans buying them at low volume. I'm sure Sony will adapt the business to make it profitable even if it becomes a tiny market.

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

Thanks for explaining why the OP's logic doesn't add up.

actually, the OP assumes parity, meaning we would assume none of that stuff is an issue. this is a hypothetical thought experiment, as it takes place in the future.

I'm not sure whether he actually believes that, over enough time, tech will never get there. but that is a bit misguided IMO.

 

[Gameplay Gods Bless]

yes, like PC gaming. steam user increase but hardly anybody upgrade their hardware.

Take a look at nvidia, they probably will quit the gaming GPU market in the future.

Lol not even close, Nvidia flat out broke their record for the most money made from gaming last quarter, they literally never made this much money from the gaming market, they made so much money they beat AMDs entire enterprise business (AMDs biggest money market by far) just by selling Nvidia GeForce cards.

 

[Ancient Gamer]

I don't believe that consoles will be replaced by laptops any time soon. Consoles are generally simple plug and play devices. Console owners do not need to mess with OS Upgrades( updates yes) and software compatibility issues. Also, a console generation will outlast most laptops lifespan without the need for upgrades.

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

I'm surprised that, on a video game forum, some of you think laptops will have serious battery and computing limitations and shit in fucking 50 years from now

I'm not that tech savvy, but I think you are GREATLY underestimating where tech will be in 50 years

I think a cellphone, in 50 years from now, will be able to do stuff beyond what we can even imagine today. 50 years is an insane amount of time given the tech trajectory we are on

 

[fersnake]

no