Are You Ready For A New Generation Of Video Game Consoles?

The economy matters. While games are considered "recession proof", consoles are seen as a moderate investment.

I think the rate game prices are falling (4-6 months for a 20%+ discount) would also spook devs from jumping head first into a more expensive console.

Who among the console makers will fire the first shot? Nintendo's a good bet. MS will see how far Natal goes. Sony wants to recoup more from the PS3. They likely feel like it hasn't matured and no one seems to think they have a game plan or organization up top.

What is the Next Big Thing? Where does cloud computing/streaming fall into their plans or contingencies? AppleTV/GoogleTV/Netflix?


Handhelds are fighting a differently interesting battle. iPhone has raised the stakes in popularity and profitability. They've created a gaming market that works for phones and the processors it uses can run netbooks. It'll only get cheaper and better. Intel has its eye in that market because it could cut their bottom line.

Handhelds, as we know it, could die out in the next 3-5 years if Android, iOS, and WP7 perfect their app market models. I don't think a Nintendo phone could work for a company as tight fisted about control as Apple. The DS and their next 3D handheld is the right mindset, but if it doesn't click for developers, then what makes that experience better or more worthy than having everything you need on your phone?

 

Not really. The Wii had its own niche, no one expected it to be on the same as the 360 or the PS3. It was cheap and relied on something different. Honestly the only reason to get a Wii was for its novelty or its franchises (i.e. Mario, Zelda). I don't know what you were expecting given a console named Wii, but if you were comparing it in terms with a 360 or PS3 thats really your own fault.

 

This is something I wanted to bring up in my last post, but was too lazy to. With Sony's strategy, I think they'll do what Nintendo did. Just upgrade their existing console and sell it as a new one. They'll save a ton on R&D, the developers are familiar with the architecture and can re-use previous engines/assets. This way they'll save money on development costs and push out games in a shorter amount of time.

As for the PSP, from what I've read Sony wants to turn it into a phone/gaming device with the possibility of running the Droid O/S.

 

I remember during launch, they said they could just double the number of chips for their next console.

Is the Cell chip still bad ass?

 

I feel like there haven't even been enough games released on these current-gen consoles to warrant a next-gen console. I still find myself calling the XBOX360 and PS3 "next-gen"

 

Did anyone get this?

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I'm a PC gamer, so I really don't care, but my kids do. The Wii could do with an update. The graphics and cpu were essentially obsolete when it came out, the success predicated more by the revolutionary motion technology and, of course, Nintendo's games. Now that the other two game consoles are catching up there, Nintendo needs to bump up the Power.

 

Kinect / Move ARE the "new consoles".
Microsoft and Sony are still playing catch-up to Nintendo.
Combine that with the fact that most people still don't have HD tvs.
There will be new consoles in about 3 years if you ask me, maybe 4.

 

Now that's a realistic rapist!

 

I think with the addition of motion control we have at least another 5 years with the HD consoles. Nintendo needs a new console in the next couple of years because the Wii is old... really old.

 

If something came out in a year or two, I would buy it...i'm perfectly happy with my PS3 now...someone told me about the nextgen ps3, something about it being clear where you can see it working or something...probably full of crap, but that would be cool...

 

I've read about that too and think it would be a colossal mistake, unless the architecture is a lot more developer friendly. I don't really understand why they wouldn't pull a Nintendo. It'll save them and the developers a ton of money all around.

Well, one company has advertised their new add-on as a new console like release in terms of advertising. They claim they'll sell more than the Ipad during its release and over 3 million by the end of the year? High expectations, but they might pull it off since their marketing budget is over 100 million.

I find fault in the "most people don't own HDTV's". With the production of SDTV's halted a few years ago and the switch to HD airwaves over SD a couple of years ago, I find it hard to believe the majority of people are still using SDTV's. Heck, you can even buy a decent Samsung 32" HDTV for $400 now. That's cheaper than what I paid for my 32" SDTV about ten years ago. I purchase my first HDTV roughly 4 years ago and I paid about $1,000 for a 32". Just to show you how far the HDTV's prices have fallen in such a short amount of time.

I don't think this generation can last longer than another year before a new console is released. 2011 - bank on it or I'll eat my words.

 

That is a point. I bought into the whole Wii hype and pulled the trigger a bit early when I decided to buy my first gaming console since the very very first xbox. I haven't been keeping up with video games at all after my xbox broke last decade, so I just went with what my friends were talking (hyping) about.

I was hoping it would produce epic games like what Halo did for xbox. That's basically what killed it for me, their games that are made for toddlers. The whole Wii exercise is overrated as well.

I'm trying to salvage as much $$ as possible for it so I can purchase a 360.

 

You're smoking some high grade if you think new consoles will be out next year for ANY of the big three. I would be shocked to even hear an announcement of a new console next year by anyone but Nintendo. However, since they're still owning this console generation, they have no reason to release a new one yet. It won't happen next year, there might be an ANNOUNCEMENT in 2012.

 

No, but only because I don't want to spend money on a new console. I'd like to see Nintendo put out a new console for gamers though. I love the Wii for playing retro games(wish they would put more retros out there) and for its novelty, but want Nintendo to compete with Sony and Microsoft.

 

I think we'll see the successors to the PS3 and 360 sometime around 2013-2014 with an announcement and hype starting a year before. MS and Sony are definitely banking on their motion controls to extend the life of the current consoles, and hoping that they can pull off some Wii type numbers with these peripherals. I don't see that happening, as the industry has proven over and over again, that add-ons do not sell well, and that they do not get quality 3rd party support. With that said, I'd definitely expect motion controls to be implemented right from the get go with the PS4 and the next Xbox.

Also, I saw someone mention that they wouldn't be surprised if the handheld market died in the next 2-3 years and it was all iphone/android games coming out. I couldn't disagree with this anymore. The 3DS will sell like nothing in the gaming industry has sold before. With the amazing 3rd party support, and absolutely the right time to come out with 3D without glasses, the 3DS is about to hit a home run. Scratch that, it's about to hit a grand slam whenever it comes out. The thing is going to set some sales records and then beat those records itself with the amazing support it is getting from developers.

 

hide ya kids

hide ya wife

 

If Google was smart, they would pour major money into refreshing openGL and building a framework for future android devices into a next gen Google TV. A quad core OoO Arm @ 2.5 arm should do with a sufficient gpu... especially if gpgpu physics type acceleration is used. Being smart about compatibility would mean that games developed for this console version would work on your android phone in a few years.

 

Wow, lot of complaining about the Wii. I paid under $150 for a used Wii looong ago (came with nunchucks, remotes, 2 games, etc). I then bought the (absolutely essential) Wii Motion Plus add-ons and Wii Sports Resort. WORTH EVER FREAKIN' PENNY. Sports Resort has like 20 games and every one of them is fun with multiple players. It's the ONLY Wii game I own now and it's the last one I'll likely ever buy.

But the PS3 is where I get my "serious" gaming on and I'll be happy with it for at least a year or two longer.

Now, with the new Sony motion thing out...I'm wondering if I might be able to ebay my Wii. While Sports Resort is fun, a PS3 version of some of those games with FAR superior graphics would win me over for sure.