Consoles Aren't Going Anywhere, Says GameStop

[AMMO Kid]

Some of these comments are funny. Recently, for twenty bucks I bought resident Evil 4 and downloaded it directly to my console. Huh, so Xbox lets you do that too. What a crazy happenstance.

Consoles aren't going anywhere.

 

[chexlltim]

So we're stating the obvious now? Cool, let me try: water's wet, the sky's blue at high noon, and Scout hurts people.

Until we see a massive overhaul in worldwide Internet infrastructure, physical gaming isn't going anywhere--we simply do not have the capability to have everyone playing games on the cloud at the same time.

What is this Scout you speak of and why does it hurt people?

 

[Heart of Darkness]

So we're stating the obvious now? Cool, let me try: water's wet, the sky's blue at high noon, and Scout hurts people.

Until we see a massive overhaul in worldwide Internet infrastructure, physical gaming isn't going anywhere--we simply do not have the capability to have everyone playing games on the cloud at the same time.

What is this Scout you speak of and why does it hurt people?

It's a TF2 reference [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geNMz0J9TEQ].

 

[Mr. Omega]

On one hand, they're kinda right. The cloud is going to be some time away, and most of the reasons why have nothing with the game industry itself, unfortunately. As long as there are large areas without a constant internet connection, as long as ISPs continue to try and screw over everyone but the highest-paying customers, as long as one jackass hacking something can disable an entire service, gaming or otherwise, "The Cloud" is still just a nice little idea we'll be striving towards, or a service that'll be reserved for those who live in an area and have the money to keep up a consistently fast internet connection.

On another hand, just because gaming goes to the cloud doesn't necessarily mean that consoles have to go away. The arrival of the cloud will not mean the instant death of the console. It'll mean a radical departure from the current model of the console, but not the complete destruction.

 

[Michael Hirst]

I don't think consoles are about to die just yet they still make a lot of money as do the games for them.

PC gaming contrary to what seems to be popular (ignorant people who dont game on PC) belief it still going strong.

Once more studios can't afford to make games because the graphics alone consume the budget then we'll know what part of gaming will die.

 

[Uber Waddles]

Cloud gaming isn't going to surpass anything. Compete, but not enough to throw over.

First off, Cloud gaming is weak. It can't stream at high fidelity, it has to be weaker from a technical standpoint to work. It doesn't bode well with people who have un-reliable internet connection at best - the vast majority of college students, army personelle, and people who live in shitty areas.

Not to mention that it only appeals to people with weak PC's. Why buy a powerful gaming machine if you aren't going to capitalize on its superior power? Other than cost, streaming a game has no real benefit. And even the cost in some cases is counter-balanced by people who run fiber optics internet, because the more internet you use, the higher a spike in energy cosumption - energy isn't cheap.

There will always be people who prefer hard copies of a game - I'm not going to stream a game if I have the hardware to run it properly because it will be a far superior product. Doesn't matter if its my PC or my consoles. The only thing streaming will do is offer competition to the major distributors, and probably result in game prices falling by $5-$10. Thats it.

If I pay for a game, I expect the right to play it whenever the hell I please. That includes months where I can't quite get the internet payed off because I like eating and paying my mortgage. That includes days where internet is knocked out because a hurricane blew a tree on one of the lines. This includes time that Im traveling, times Im not at my house and the internet connection sucks, etc, etc. And so do alot of other people.

 

[ph0b0s123]

consoles have plenty of life left in them, and will be the "gold standard" of gaming for a long while yet.

Gold standard, of gaming. Most ubiquitous yes, but 'gold standard', think the juries still out on that. Also not going anywhere though.

 

[TokenRupee]

Cloud gaming sucks anyway, I'd rather have a new Playstation.

Especially since you don't own the game and have to keep paying to have access to it.

 

[punipunipyo]

um... Consoles VS PC VS Cloud... here is my take...

*Collector, I buy to keep, to record my gaming experiences... so "cloud" is out the window...

*If it's a fighting game, Console...

*any games that requires aiming, and complex movement, and dodging, multi-control schemes, like FPS, with driving mechanics, strategy interfaces, mini games...PC.. unless my PC craps... soon it won't be...

*PC gaming is coming back... seeing all nice titles coming out for PC, so many shooters, so many Action RPGs, console (PS3 in my case) will be left for RPGs, scrolls, and fighting games like they were 10 years ago soon!~ and I hope the industry can stop making good shooters for pad gaming ONLY (nono, don't give me wrong, many console playses can't get good PCs, they would buy for console... but when it comes to choice, when you CAN afford a decent "run-able" PC, I'd choose mouse-aim and key-binding over "good graphic, but move/aim like retard" let us PC players have some action!~), GoW (yes, I am talking about 2,3... How come you release GoW1, but not the next 2? is it because Microsoft pay you to do this? they stupid then, because Windows is still their product! why shut off your own market?) is meant for PC! do it, so we can actually enjoy our games! so we don't have to aim/move/turn like retard....

So... as far as "cloud" gaming goes... it's only cool to have "Cloud" in FF7... not as a Source for other games...

 

[KaiserKnight]

Funny, the people that are responsible for the console's waning health is claiming its not bled dry yet. Of course they would say this, its their main line of income.

Next up: Mcdonalds says their food isn't unhealthy.

Mind explaining how this is so? Never heard of this connection.

Also, I have Steam, I have 2 next Gen systems and my room mate has the other one. I have a pretty decent PC now as well. I play games, on what? I do not care, if it is a game that interest me I will buy it. Thing is, before I found out games were buy-able used I went to Ebay and bought them used there. I RARELY buy new games and still won't since they cost so bloody much now and I have other priorities. I buy books new at times, still go to library sales or garage sales to get them.

I do not LOVE Gamestop but I do not hate them either, I still don't understand why so many people complain about them...yet still go to them. If you don't like them and don't go to them....why complain? Why not...you know, shut up and find something to enjoy instead of making yourselves seem like stupid gits complaining about something that may not change.

I do agree DLC's make the systems playability last longer though I think PC's main reason for being a higher sales department is that almost EVERYONE has one and findings games online for free is so common now why buy used when its free right?

 

[Waaghpowa]

Cloud gaming sucks anyway, I'd rather have a new Playstation.

Especially since you don't own the game and have to keep paying to have access to it.

Exactly, as much as people want to say that you don't own your games on Steam, you actually download it. The game exists as accessible, manipulated data. With the cloud service, I feel like I'm paying for access to the one and only copy of the game on their server. Mind you I don't actually believe that they use 1 copy of 1 game between thousands of users, but that's how it feels, especially when you consider how laggy the damn thing is.

 

[sivlin]

I can't see consoles dying overnight - but everything on PC is getting so much cheaper that it is becoming more feasible for someone to purchase a console priced PC and have it play the new releases.

This will only get better as technology increases.

I am super excited for the next stages of the computer what with Euclideon and IBM's Racetrack. Exciting times.

 

[KaiserKnight]

Funny, the people that are responsible for the console's waning health is claiming its not bled dry yet. Of course they would say this, its their main line of income.

Next up: Mcdonalds says their food isn't unhealthy.

Mind explaining how this is so? Never heard of this connection.

Also, I have Steam, I have 2 next Gen systems and my room mate has the other one. I have a pretty decent PC now as well. I play games, on what? I do not care, if it is a game that interest me I will buy it. Thing is, before I found out games were buy-able used I went to Ebay and bought them used there. I RARELY buy new games and still won't since they cost so bloody much now and I have other priorities. I buy books new at times, still go to library sales or garage sales to get them.

I do not LOVE Gamestop but I do not hate them either, I still don't understand why so many people complain about them...yet still go to them. If you don't like them and don't go to them....why complain? Why not...you know, shut up and find something to enjoy instead of making yourselves seem like stupid gits complaining about something that may not change.

I do agree DLC's make the systems playability last longer though I think PC's main reason for being a higher sales department is that almost EVERYONE has one and findings games online for free is so common now why buy used when its free right?

Used games are the Console's answer to Piracy. Its getting bad enough DRM for consoles will be commonplace next gen. They can't afford to lose money to used games like they could in the past. Too much money is being thrown around for that to happen. Couple that with other factors like developments costs and you get a perfect storm that will cause the collapse of the console industry if nothing is done.

For this to fully stop it must become illegal for people to lend games or sell them used. Shutting down a company will NOT stop this since there are many other ways to sell them, lets be logical. Ebay, Amazon, Garage sales, neighbors, friends, and other forms are ways to sell used games. Following the logic that these companies make so much money but saw a fall in profit (still making profit but not enough in their eyes) is the reason for DRM. The biggest and simplest solution to solve this issue? Destroy the internet. Books, movies, music, games, ideas and more will not be easy to travel and once again we will have to start buying things...but that itself is another completely illogical fix.

EDIT: To simplify the 'shut internet over company' post I made (dumb idea) I know MANY people who go to gamestop, see the used price then go on Ebay/Amazon looking for a cheaper price. Some even go as far as offering a friend/neighbor who is bored of the game 1/3 to 1/2 the price of the game in cash for it meaning they are paying less and the seller made more than trading in and faster money than internet buying. There always have been loopholes and ways for the developers to lose money, DRM being blamed on used games is a simple yet piss poor excuse by anyone. Who is to blame? 72% of the population, simple.

 

[C14N]

I really don't think cloud gaming is going to become big for a long time because of the lack of penetration of high speed broadband. My own is still 1.5mb and I can't raise that at all. Many people don't even have fixed line internet access. The internet is also somewhat unreliable for me and a lot of others I know. When my internet goes down, I don't want to be blocked off from almost everything (if the likes of music and movies go the way of the cloud).

 

[orangeapples]

not everyone has a decent computer that can run the latest games. Some people just don't have that luxury. There are a lot of people who are still buying GBASPs and PS2s because those are affordable. As long as there are people who aren't willing to drop money on high speed internet, a decent gaming rig/the latest console, new games, there will be a market for physical copies and home consoles. When you are on Steam, you have NO option of buying a game used. Don't quote me on this one, but I don't think you're allowed to even use used PC games... There just isn't enough of a market to actually warrant a trade-in system.

 

[bastardman25]

I'm one of the "glorious PC gaming master race" but I still have a hard time believing consoles are gonna die out anytime soon, they have been around since the early 80s (pls correct my wrongness).
surely if the 360 or the Ps3 stopped making money M$ and sony will just +=1 out new versions filled with more shiny new silicon?
They?re the hollywood of the gaming industry, there?s too much money to be made for it to die out just like that.
Something will have to change, maybe the next gen will have access to something like steam, maybe development for consoles will have to become cheaper and more open like it is on PC.

I'm certainly not against the idea everyone just buy a USB game controller and use their PC for gaming aswell as its boring work type duties, always made sense to me.

 

[Aprilgold]

Funny, the people that are responsible for the console's waning health is claiming its not bled dry yet. Of course they would say this, its their main line of income.

Next up: Mcdonalds says their food isn't unhealthy.

And LATER: Judge Judy isn't a crazy *****.

Of course they would say this, this is their only way of money.

Ok, Pluses for the PC side:
Technology is happening SO FAST that Consoles may be too expensive to produce or to buy.
-You can break disks, controllers, whatever you need to play on a console, might as well just play on steam and cut out the breaking disks.
-For a console, and a game its about 342.45$ when a computer you should already own, maybe a bit of upgrading, so thats about 70$ not AS expensive.
-Don't have to pay for online for a separate thing when you already have internet.

Pluses for Consoles:
-You can play all forms of media, straight from the box.
....
I can't think of much else really. I guess simpler controls?

 

[DeathWyrmNexus]

Cloud gaming isn't going to surpass anything. Compete, but not enough to throw over.

First off, Cloud gaming is weak. It can't stream at high fidelity, it has to be weaker from a technical standpoint to work. It doesn't bode well with people who have un-reliable internet connection at best - the vast majority of college students, army personelle, and people who live in shitty areas.

Not to mention that it only appeals to people with weak PC's. Why buy a powerful gaming machine if you aren't going to capitalize on its superior power? Other than cost, streaming a game has no real benefit. And even the cost in some cases is counter-balanced by people who run fiber optics internet, because the more internet you use, the higher a spike in energy cosumption - energy isn't cheap.

There will always be people who prefer hard copies of a game - I'm not going to stream a game if I have the hardware to run it properly because it will be a far superior product. Doesn't matter if its my PC or my consoles. The only thing streaming will do is offer competition to the major distributors, and probably result in game prices falling by $5-$10. Thats it.

If I pay for a game, I expect the right to play it whenever the hell I please. That includes months where I can't quite get the internet payed off because I like eating and paying my mortgage. That includes days where internet is knocked out because a hurricane blew a tree on one of the lines. This includes time that Im traveling, times Im not at my house and the internet connection sucks, etc, etc. And so do alot of other people.

I like the cut of your jib. It pretty much boils down to understanding the stance and perspective of the other people on the planet, which the cloud fans don't seem to get.

 

[DeathWyrmNexus]

Funny, the people that are responsible for the console's waning health is claiming its not bled dry yet. Of course they would say this, its their main line of income.

Next up: Mcdonalds says their food isn't unhealthy.

And LATER: Judge Judy isn't a crazy *****.

Of course they would say this, this is their only way of money.

Ok, Pluses for the PC side:
Technology is happening SO FAST that Consoles may be too expensive to produce or to buy.
-You can break disks, controllers, whatever you need to play on a console, might as well just play on steam and cut out the breaking disks.
-For a console, and a game its about 342.45$ when a computer you should already own, maybe a bit of upgrading, so thats about 70$ not AS expensive.
-Don't have to pay for online for a separate thing when you already have internet.

Pluses for Consoles:
-You can play all forms of media, straight from the box.
....
I can't think of much else really. I guess simpler controls?

Internet shortages, not being fond of PC gaming, not having the money to pay for internet and food in the same month, shitty connection due to location, constant worry about specs for games, not being able to afford to get an up to date rig.

Let alone the fact that consoles have the capacity to download whole games to the hard drive, have just as much chat capacity, and you always know the specs of your game vs the system playing it. Consoles are easier to program for because you always know what specs to shoot for.

Just point out some pros and cons from each side that you missed.

 

[Aprilgold]

Funny, the people that are responsible for the console's waning health is claiming its not bled dry yet. Of course they would say this, its their main line of income.

Next up: Mcdonalds says their food isn't unhealthy.

And LATER: Judge Judy isn't a crazy *****.

Of course they would say this, this is their only way of money.

Ok, Pluses for the PC side:
Technology is happening SO FAST that Consoles may be too expensive to produce or to buy.
-You can break disks, controllers, whatever you need to play on a console, might as well just play on steam and cut out the breaking disks.
-For a console, and a game its about 342.45$ when a computer you should already own, maybe a bit of upgrading, so thats about 70$ not AS expensive.
-Don't have to pay for online for a separate thing when you already have internet.

Pluses for Consoles:
-You can play all forms of media, straight from the box.
....
I can't think of much else really. I guess simpler controls?

Internet shortages, not being fond of PC gaming, not having the money to pay for internet and food in the same month, shitty connection due to location, constant worry about specs for games, not being able to afford to get an up to date rig.

Let alone the fact that consoles have the capacity to download whole games to the hard drive, have just as much chat capacity, and you always know the specs of your game vs the system playing it. Consoles are easier to program for because you always know what specs to shoot for.

Just point out some pros and cons from each side that you missed.

Thanks, my Xbox died a couple months back, so I am just going from memory, thank you for the cons / pros.