So I thought of a crazy way in which console could evolve.

F

Funkenstein91

CAGiversary!
Basically, consoles have become very basic gaming computers. Because console makers sell them at a loss, it takes years for them to begin turning a profit. So, picture this: rather than releasing a new console, release the next-gen as a simple gaming/media OS. The OS would function in the same way current console OS's do. However, they could allow third parties to compete to make better hardware. This would allow us to stray away from things like the red ring of death during the next-gen. Also, the consoles could be upgradable, much like PC's. You could even build them yourself, along a strict set of guidelines. But since every console needs to be able to play every game, they could set minimum system requirements for the OS to operate. That way, when you insert a game, it will adjust settings accordingly. That way the convenience of the console could be combined with the incredible power of a gaming PC. Even better, though, would be the possibility that both operating systems could be run off the same machine. So you would have one machine as your Xbox 720/PS4/Wii 2/PC. It would make it cheaper for consumers and more profitable for manufacturers at the same time.

I know it's just a pipe dream, but man would that be awesome.
 
I'd hate it. I love that consoles are standard and I never have to bother with upgrading, tweaking settings etc.

That's one of many reasons I've never gotten into PC gaming.

I just hope they stretch this generation out longer than the usual 4-5 years, as I'm pretty happy still with the 360, and with gaming much less I'm not sure I'd bother dropping a few hundred bucks to get some slightly prettier looking games anytime soon.

And I just don't see the point. If someone wants that type of experience, they can be a PC gamer.
 
Well, the point of it would be that console makers wouldn't have to lose so much money manufacturing, and all games would have to run on the lowest possible console specifications at the start of the console generation. You wouldn't have to upgrade, but you could if you wanted to in order to run games on higher settings.
 
The real solution is for them to stretch this generation out, and make a lot of money now that they're making money on console sales (I think--pretty sure I read MS has been for a while, not sure about the PS3).

And delay the next gen consoles, and have themselves losing less money on each once they do launch them by not doing things like forcing in new tech like Blu Ray etc.

I just have no desire to see minimum specs, tweaking, upgrading etc. That stuff should stay in the PC realm. Console games should be hook them up, put in a game and play, with everyone getting the same experience.
 
One Console Future would be the death of the console market as soon as it happens. Nintendo will never die out because they don't do the loss leader style at all, so they will always be around. And i doubt sony is going to give up the playstation brand. And the Xbox brand is very popular in the US right now. In other words, dont count on it.
 
So your talking about halfway of between console and pc? It may seem feasible on paper, but I think it would be too difficult to execute. I'm not a game developer but wouldn't you think it'll be hard to create a game that could always be playable at lowest settings and still take advantage of the upgraded enhancements of a console (which kinda dilutes the point of upgrading a hardware)? Also, this method would inevitably saturate the market with bunch of 'consoles' with even more upgrades and in this confusion cause OS problems? How would the OS developers legally enforce game developers to develop games at the lowest setting and not take sides with a certain 'upgrades,' 'enhancements.' Wouldn't the consumer just buy a gaming pc instead of this (assuming that price would be about the same)?
One of the major appeal of consoles is in its simplicity. One could argue, not stating that this is the cause, that the decline of PC gaming could be due to the fact of complicated nature of PC gaming. For the average consumer when your faced with buying 10 different consoles each with 30 different upgrades; wouldn't this deter consumers from purchasing these consoles?
 
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regular people get confused about the different sku's out now...it would be mass confusion if you did a system like this....also, this would kill console gaming and just move everyone over to pc gaming since EVERYTHING is cheaper upgrade-wise on pc's than I would image a console to be
 
[quote name='Malik112099']also, this would kill console gaming and just move everyone over to pc gaming since EVERYTHING is cheaper upgrade-wise on pc's than I would image a console to be[/QUOTE]
In that case, this is an awesome idea! Mods, developer consoles, and tweaking .ini files for everyone!
 
[quote name='The Crotch']In that case, this is an awesome idea! Mods, developer consoles, and tweaking .ini files for everyone![/QUOTE]


Not really.....A huge selling point to consoles is the fact that every game works as intended...no worrying about memory, video cards, etc...put it in there and it works.
 
Everyone has already made the most relevant point: the success of consoles is the lack of confusion. You buy the system, you pop the game in, and it works. When I use to hang around various computer hardware boards and such, I cannot tell you how many people would be like, "I'm interested in PC gaming, but all the hardware confuses me."
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']The real solution is for them to stretch this generation out, and make a lot of money now that they're making money on console sales (I think--pretty sure I read MS has been for a while, not sure about the PS3).

And delay the next gen consoles, and have themselves losing less money on each once they do launch them by not doing things like forcing in new tech like Blu Ray etc.

I just have no desire to see minimum specs, tweaking, upgrading etc. That stuff should stay in the PC realm. Console games should be hook them up, put in a game and play, with everyone getting the same experience.[/QUOTE]

I agree that they shouldn't rush out the next gen. It's pretty clear that developers are still tapping the power available in current gen systems (well... the Wii was probably maxed out within the first year...).

Good news is that MS, who I was expecting the jump the gun again, said they don't have plans to release a next gen console until 2011 or 2012. I doubt Sony will release anything so soon since they're still selling the PS3 at a loss so I'm guessing they'd like to turn a profit first. Nintendo might jump the gun though as they're missing out on HD...
 
they have done this before on a small scale... Sega CD, 32X, N64 expansion pack... didn't seem to go that well. People don't even like buying unofficial controllers.
 
Yeah, I don't see how this isn't just basically a PC. If you like that then just buy games for the PC. They release most of the same games for PC anyway (and they're $10 cheaper).

The fact that consoles are standard not only help consumers who would be confused by multiple hardware configurations, but they make programming easier and games less buggy (multiplatforming is really the only problem in that regard, besides pushing shit out too early). And unless you could replace everything (ie, a PC) you'd eventually have to make a new console to upgrade the main components to be compatible with newer upgrades (with different pin configurations, better bandwidth, etc.) or else you'd be stuck with old shit. And that would have to be at a pace that wouldn't be more than 10 years or so at least, so at best you'd double the normal console lifespan (if they don't already intend to make this generation 10 years long already, but I don't really see that happening). Not to mention that eventually you would have to make the games incompatible with earlier hardware or else you'd be stuck programming for that minimum forever, and it's not possible to just always have it scale up with better hardware.

There were 15 years between the release of the Genesis and the Xbox 360, do you think it would be possible to program Sonic to run on Genesis hardware and look like Sonic 3, but scale up with the proper extensions to look like Sonic Unleashed? And if it didn't last at least that long before a major change, then what's the point?
 
I see a RAID configuration in consoles for installing/downloading games in maybe two or three generations.
You would go to the store with your 200gb esata flash drive (from your keychain of course), plug it and and download the game. Take it home, install to the system, and when its complete the file erases itself from the flash drive.
 
I'm glad the big three have the business sense to let this generation go on for longer than cycles normally do. It seems that graphics and computing technology is starting to hit a ceiling because of the rapid growth in the last 15 years or so. Console manufacturers need to continue to innovate on a smaller scale (read: software updates and the like), and stop relying on the distribution of newer, more expensive, and more resource-hogging machines.

I just don't think there is much more room (or enough resources left) on this earth for five year console cycles anymore.
 
I think this is interesting on paper, the execution of this would be horrible. I think you'd truely have a console where no one is happy. It would be confusing, and people who own it (but don't upgrade) would be pissed they don't have the nicest looking/playing games. Those that do upgrade will be pissed that it isn't being maximized. I like the thought (and hopefully these conversations happen at the companies) but I don't think this will work.

It'll be interesting to see if this generation extends out. PS2's still sell, and the PS3 is just getting its footing. MS has a strong foothold, and the Wii has a healthy market niche (and the most sales).

I could see this generation going 2 more years or so. Though, the problem with 3 manufactures now (and this I guess is why everyone loves having more than one console...I know I am a propoenent for a one console future) is that once there is any decent graphical leap, someone will lead out with a new console, and the other (at least with MS/Sony) will have to follow suit. So, even if the MS base loves the 360 still, if the PS4 hits, the next Xbox would have to hit shortly after, or risk falling too far behind in sales.
 
[quote name='Funkenstein91']You could even build them yourself[/QUOTE]

You just lost the entire Wii :wii: audience and the majority of gamers.

[where's the CAG button to send an electric zap through to your mouse?]
 
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[quote name='bigdaddybruce44']Everyone has already made the most relevant point: the success of consoles is the lack of confusion. You buy the system, you pop the game in, and it works. When I use to hang around various computer hardware boards and such, I cannot tell you how many people would be like, "I'm interested in PC gaming, but all the hardware confuses me."[/QUOTE]

Like the bajillion versions of the PS3? Or the 360? Both Sony and MS have fucked up this gen. Stick to ONE SKU and let gamers decide if they want a bigger HDD or whatever.

[quote name='Vinny']I agree that they shouldn't rush out the next gen. It's pretty clear that developers are still tapping the power available in current gen systems (well... the Wii was probably maxed out within the first year...).

Good news is that MS, who I was expecting the jump the gun again, said they don't have plans to release a next gen console until 2011 or 2012. I doubt Sony will release anything so soon since they're still selling the PS3 at a loss so I'm guessing they'd like to turn a profit first. Nintendo might jump the gun though as they're missing out on HD...[/QUOTE]

But see, Nintendo is doing their OWN thing, so why should they jump on the 'HD' bandwagon? That's for MS and Sony to do and copy each other and Nintendo at every turn.:roll:

[quote name='jbrun85']they have done this before on a small scale... Sega CD, 32X, N64 expansion pack... didn't seem to go that well. People don't even like buying unofficial controllers.[/QUOTE]

I don't mind buying an unofficial controller, as long as it works ok. I tried a Shadow wireless PS3 controller from dreamGEAR and if not for my 2.4ghz cordless phone being in the same room it would've functioned the same as a Sony branded one and it was about half the cost of a Dual Shock 3.:roll:

That brings me to the biggest issue I have with this gen: peripheral prices. Motion controls, Bluetooth tech and wireless tech have been around for a while, so what the fuck is with these ridiculous peripheral prices? Everything is twice the price of last gen, yet there's nothing all that new in any of it.
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']Like the bajillion versions of the PS3? Or the 360? Both Sony and MS have fucked up this gen. Stick to ONE SKU and let gamers decide if they want a bigger HDD or whatever.[/QUOTE]

No matter what 360 SKU you buy, it will play any 360 game disc you pop in. No matter what PS3 SKU you buy, it will play any PS3 game disc you pop in (BC is another issue). The various SKUs are all about optional features. It's not like you can buy the "wrong" SKU, get home, and find out GTAIV doesn't work on that one. PCs are another story entirely. Just because you have Windows doesn't mean you can play all Windows games. And if you don't understand hardware, you don't even know what it is you're missing that would make your machine gaming-ready.

The situation, though, has definitely improved from years past, though. For a long time, many mainstream systems were simply not capable of gaming without major overhauls. The motherboards didn't have AGP slots or later PCI-e. The power supplies were inadequate to power even a mid-range GPU. Now, if you buy a Dell for a few hundred bucks, it can't play newer games out of the box, but you can pop a modestly-priced video card in, and you'll be good.
 
I think with the Firmware updates that can increase the functionality of systems, the life of this console generation will be greatly increased. Adding features as time goes on will delay peoples want to for new consoles.
 
I also would prefer this console gen go much longer than the previous generations.

But yeah, OP's idea is just a slighty-modified PC model.
 
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