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[Vieo]

PCs have been getting progressively cheaper over the years, but at the same time, consoles have been getting progressively more expensive. $399 consoles and $200+ handhelds.

Do you think that the prices of the two will eventually be equal or near equal to each other? And do you think the two platforms will eventually merge at some point? Maybe like some all-in-one box that plays both console and PC games?

 

[DarienA]

Eventually is a long time... somewhere way in the future 20, 30+ years? Maybe.

Sometime in the next 10 years? I doubt it. Though if MS were the #1 console manufacturer that timetable might speed up....

 

[Brannon]

Well we have the XBox... we're almost halfway there!

 

[truffleshuffle83]

actually yes i forsee this happening within about 10 years. IIRC microsoft said it was aiming for games to run on their OS without an install

 

[Quartet]

not gonna happen again, the closer it got was with c64 and amiga, especially the c64 as some amiga did have a 512K add-on that made game better on some system (ususally it was to have better sound fx, like in chaos engine for exemple)

 

[Beer Monkey]

It really can't work. The console model is based on a closed platform with only approved developers, publishers, and games. They would never go to an open model like the PC where anybody can make a game and publish it without approval or royalties (which is the only reason iD came into existence).

The only way they will 'merge' is if PCs just die. Since consoles are of no use to non-gamers, this will never happen either. We'll always have consoles and PCs, and frankly we're better off that way.

 

[Dr_Cogent]

I don't ever see it happening. PC's are used for much more than games. Like work

Although, it would be great if I could work on a PS3 at work. Then I could switch over and play games real easily!

 

[The Faceless Master]

nope... one of the main features of pc's is also one of the main problems with pc's... upgradeability!

 

[SuperPac]

No, because you can't surf porn in the rumpus room without the possibility of getting caught.

 

[Shao]

PCs and consoles will always exist as seperate entities. Person who asked this obviously didn't consider the working environment of small and gigantic companies who all use PCS etc.

However thats not to say consoles wont be able to do much of what most people use PCs for.

Play movies, divx, mp3, download from internet, surf web, send email and other such functions will probably all be available from our consoles one day. Maybe even some office functions will be available. The living room or main TV could be the main method of accessing the internet in the future rather than the PC.

I just hope Microsoft dont start to take over the world with their media centres and xboxs which I have to say are pretty impressive, but MS has too much influence on our lives as it is.

 

[FiRez]

Th recent tries to bring back the Amiga Hardware failed, so I would say no, It would be interesting to run your games in kernel mode and have a full functional operative system when you boot without the media (mainly because the system requeriments will decrease) but I don't see that happening in the near future.

 

[DonasaurusRex]

They will probably meet somewhere in the middle consoles are basically pc's without mass storage and an OS for the most part. As pc components power increases and becomes more and more integrated into the basic persons life like say a toaster there may not be consoles anymore since every home may have a powerful enough PC that can do it all. They wont be desktops either though all you will see is probably a big 60 inch screen on a wall or something.

 

[truffleshuffle83]

PCs and consoles will always exist as seperate entities. Person who asked this obviously didn't consider the working environment of small and gigantic companies who all use PCS etc.

However thats not to say consoles wont be able to do much of what most people use PCs for.

Play movies, divx, mp3, download from internet, surf web, send email and other such functions will probably all be available from our consoles one day. Maybe even some office functions will be available. The living room or main TV could be the main method of accessing the internet in the future rather than the PC.

I just hope Microsoft dont start to take over the world with their media centres and xboxs which I have to say are pretty impressive, but MS has too much influence on our lives as it is.

which would mean that the console is no longer a console but rather a pc. just because offices dont use high end gaming pc's for their needs doesnt mean they arent pc's. when microsoft incorporates windows in xbox, then it will be considered a pc.

 

[Mihail]

I doubt it. In fact, if developers actively try to do this, they'll help lead to the market's disinterest in games.

Devs need to learn that PC gaming and console gaming are different experiences -- they need to realize that just because PC gaming requires a lot of tweaks and more user input outside of the actual game, it's NOT a problem, and, similarly, that just because console gaming doesn't give the user as much input/choice, it's NOT a problem. They are difference experiences and should be left that way.

 

[truffleshuffle83]

my only gripe with pc gaming is that not enough devs support it and you have to keep up with hardware and firmware updates as well as installs. xbox 360 is getting closer to a pc with all the media functionality. it can only be so long before the combine the two. Look at smart phone and other convergence devices. the consumer begs for an easy all-in-one solution

 

[Mihail]

PCs and consoles will always exist as seperate entities. Person who asked this obviously didn't consider the working environment of small and gigantic companies who all use PCS etc.

However thats not to say consoles wont be able to do much of what most people use PCs for.

Play movies, divx, mp3, download from internet, surf web, send email and other such functions will probably all be available from our consoles one day. Maybe even some office functions will be available. The living room or main TV could be the main method of accessing the internet in the future rather than the PC.

I just hope Microsoft dont start to take over the world with their media centres and xboxs which I have to say are pretty impressive, but MS has too much influence on our lives as it is.

I never understand this attitude. Microsoft has a long way to go until they make any significant headway into John Q. Public's living room.

Yet no one ever seems to be fearful of or angry at Sony, a company with monopolistic conglomarate tendancies that's already got a foot in most of your household rooms. Sony is much more dangerous when it comes to taking over your living room, as it's already taken over many families'. Memory sticks are a good, sneaky tool for them to persuade you to buy more of their products. Once Sony gets you to use all their devices, they'll be able to limit consumer choice, which is the most dangerous thing a company can do.

But no one seems to care.