Ule's View: The Current State of Console Gaming

[UleTheVee]

Hey folks!

I will be creating a new section where I briefly talk about my thoughts on diverse aspects of the industry. So yeah, let's get started with my thoughts on Console Gaming and where technology is taking us.

I think the Next Generation of Consoles Will be The Last as We Know It

I'm pretty sure you all heard this before from other journalists and YouTubers. Every single year there's always someone who is going to call the death of consoles. However, I want you guys to hear me out. I am noticing the fact that (regardless of Streaming) a lot of consoles aren't improving in terms of specs (MAYBE the Mad Box will floor us, considering their approach). However, neither Microsoft nor Sony are interested in competing anymore. Not only that, but PC has become more of a common standard for gaming.

Now, a lot of people have constantly asked me how I feel about Game Streaming. Personally, I'm not against the concept of being able to access any game at any time and point regardless of your computer's specifications. However, I still think that the technology will be way too primtive today to be called something related to "The Future of Gaming".  However, that brings us to the current-day gaming industry. A lot of games and manufacturers are seeing more profit from providing services. Meanwhile, physical hardware and copies of games have been reducing every single year. Console sales rarely even break even nowadays.

This is what leads me to believe that this will be the last hurrah of consoles as we know them. With Microsoft implementing things such as Xbox Live on multiple platforms (Including Nintendo Switch); we can't say that the gaming market is not seeing a shift in soul. Either consoles become hybrids like the Nintendo Switch (Which basically will cover the JP niche which requires devices to be mobile because of the lack of time) or they will be dropped altogether for the sake of having PC+Streaming services. My approach? I would definitely love to continue seeing dedicated gaming consoles that are hybrid and affordable much like the Nintendo Switch (theoretically :V).

WIll the change come soon? Not likely, I think that this generation of consoles will be the age where people will see the changes happen in the industry. However, I don't think that console gaming, physical media, or something of the sort will really go away. As previously mentioned, the Mad Box shows that at least Slightly mad Studios is interested in continuing with the console market. Also, I wouldn't like to have PCs being run in tournaments for a variety of reasons (most of which have been given to me by a very insightful TO).

I definitely am interested in where the industry goes from now on.

 

[killamch89]

Your argument is valid in terms of consoles in their current state dying off and evolving into more of a portable hybrid. We already see that with one of the new Microsoft consoles that are reported to be launched sometime this year or next year. The Nintendo switch is a genius piece of hardware and it has taken the console wars in a whole different direction.