Poll: If consoles really do go extinct, wo would you think is to blame?

[GonzoGamer]

Consoles won't go anywhere, because people like me will continue to be playing and purchasing them. I simply don't want a PC, nor the hassle of trying to keep that up-to-date. I mean, I can't predict what will happen and I'm sure that there will be a point where it switches from being consoles to whatever else, but I just cannot imagine not playing on my consoles.

But what if the consoles become as much of a hassle as PC titles.
For example, I was recently wishing I had got the PC version of Fallout New Vegas rather than the ps3 version. While the official patches for both versions are pretty worthless, the pc version does at least have user made patches that get the game to work.
So yes while the struggle now is between a preference for ultimate customization and ultimate convinience, the 'ultimate convenience' seems to be turning into something a little less convenient. Is it as expensive or as high maintenance as a PC yet? No. But the console isn't exactly as foolproof as it used to be either.

 

[GonzoGamer]

I didn't vote, because I really don't see this as at all likely, at least in this or the next generation of consoles.

The last selection in the poll would probably work for you.
I try to include everyone.

 

[Mcface]

How are the days of consoles numbered? They VASTLY out sell any title on PC, PC titles dont even come close anymore. and this is coming from a PC gamer.

 

[RowdyRodimus]

If (and that is a very big IF) consoles were to die off it would very much have to do with the people that want PC gaming on a console. What do I mean by that? It seems that a lot of people want vast worlds, never ending stories, robust multi player, character customization down to length of toenails and graphics that surpass reality- you can get these things (well, maybe not the graphics part) by playing PC games. But no, they want to turn consoles into PC's forcing developers to spend more money making these games for a niche audience that are largely ignored by the masses, so they either lose money or don't make enough to make those types of games feasible.

Then those same people complain about people playing COD or God of War that are cheaper to make and get better sales. Which is what keeps gaming going. Don't delude yourselves, art or not most people wouldn't make games if they couldn't have the chance to make a good amount of money.

By wanting just artistic, hugely innovative games that there is no track record for, that end up selling horribly the people that ask for those are what will kill consoles. I think people need to realize that consoles started out as a machine that allowed us to play a version of arcade games at home and look at where they are in less than 40 years before they either complain that the medium is stagnant or dying.

 

[CalabusDabus]

I highly doubt console will ever go away, they will more likely be melded into each other.

WiiPlaybox!

 

[veloper]

How are the days of consoles numbered? They VASTLY out sell any title on PC, PC titles dont even come close anymore. and this is coming from a PC gamer.

Not really. PC sales are always underestimated.
Nowadays you can pretty much double any retail sales figures you see for PC games, because digital distribution isn't included.

Only Nintendo games can claim huge figures in the 20 million copies sold and up and most of these are bundled games.

That's just Nintendo.
The best selling game on PC, xbox, 360, ps2 or ps3, is still the Sims (16 million on PC) Not our type of game, but it's still a game on PC.
On the 360 or the ps3, anything more than 5 million per console (so not combined) is pretty rare: Halo3 (8M), MW2 (7M), black ops, gears 1&2 and GTA4 on the 360; on the ps3 it's Gran Tourismo 5, black ops and GTA4.

Games selling just a couple million copies are very common on all platforms. PC exclusives of this gen include Starcraft2 (4.5 M), Crysis (3M), civ4 (3M), STALKER (2M). Those were just a couple I could reference; Crysis isn't even that good.

Core gaming on the PC is doing fine. Start include MMOs and sales and profits on the PC dwarf the PS3 and 360.
In any case, the real monster hits are only scored by a couple big guys, mostly Activision/Blizzard. The great majority of triple-A studios have to contend with less. A million or two is usually still enough to make a profit.

 

[Fiz_The_Toaster]

I think it will be a combo of some if not most of those things. But I think technology will have cloud gaming being the main focus of gaming and I think there might be one console eventually where you do most of your playing time. I don't think consoles will completely disappear any time soon, but possibly just have narrowed down to one.

I just see cloud taking off once all of the major problems with it slowly disappear.

 

[TheComfyChair]

Consoles will just become PC's (and at that point microsoft will abandon the xbox as a hardcore platform, i mean, it almost certainly is by getting rid of exclusives left right and center, brining out kinect and then suddenly turning their attention to the PC side of things). They're already well on the way.

 

[faspxina]

Books will rule once again.

 

[P47R1CK]

Consoles will just become PC's (and at that point microsoft will abandon the xbox as a hardcore platform, i mean, it almost certainly is by getting rid of exclusives left right and center, brining out kinect and then suddenly turning their attention to the PC side of things). They're already well on the way.

K sorry but this guy is a dunce. where the hell are you getting this crap?

It is pretty obvious that consoles are trying as hard as they can to be PCs.

 

[GonzoGamer]

^
Trying and failing... or maybe flailing.

Lately many have been saying the days of the console are numbered. Wile it isn't likely, it is a possibility considering the perfect storm developing between the price gouging retailers, the hacking public, developers relying on tricks rather than solid apps, and console makers churning out expensive machines that underperform. We also have to consider technological developments like cloud gaming and the easy money draw of mobile gaming.

What do you think will be most to blame if the consoles go away.

Seriously, have you seen how much console games make!? have you even looked at the figures! Big games are making more than blockbuster movies! obviously not as there is not a vote for consoles are the reason gaming went mega mainstream originally, gaming might move forward but consoles are not going anywhere!

I'm sorry but this is just stupid anyone who thinks conventional gaming is going anywhere in our lifetime does not know shit.

I would like to hope it doesn't but I've already seen it happen once in my lifetime and it took a while (and a new guard) to revive everything: for that alone, I will always be thankful to Nintendo.
And while the industry is much much much larger than it was then, the climate is much the same: they seem to be depending on the gamers to spend every time they say spend no matter what the quality. If all that gets piled up on one company again, history can repeat itself.

 

[TheComfyChair]

Jedi, the advantages of consoles have always been that they were easy to use. Suddenly you need to have updates and installs, and the only way for consoles to remain relevant tech wise will be to add further complication via modular upgrades (no way are they fitting high end components in this time, why do you think they are stalling the next gen so much? just to make the jump noticeable with whatever hunks of junk they can fit in an xbox size case)

Also, who seriously plays split screen any more? but to solve that issue, valve are introducing streaming to internet Tv's from a PC in your house. So hook up your 4 wireless controllers and the jobs a 'good 'un' (valve games support split screen with controllers anyway and the only other game which springs to mind as a splitscreen kind of game - fifa - does too). Alternatively you could have always done that anyway by moving your PC

P.S. PC gaming is booming (steam, one small section of PC gaming, has more active users than xbox live has ever had sign up) But no, neither type of game platform is going to 'die' but consoles will certainly become far more complicated if they want to stay a 'hardcore' platform in any way. It's been happening since 1990! The current gen are effectively cheap and slow PC's as they are and the trend is only going to continue. Unless, of course, you want the only option to be like the wii?

 

[DreamerM]

"Pay four hundred dollars for a platform that'll play all games released for it just like it's supposed to, or a few thousand dollars for the souped-up supercomputer that's required to play any decent PC title at all? Hm, decisions, decisions..."

 

[EmzOLV]

Snip!

But what if the consoles become as much of a hassle as PC titles.
For example, I was recently wishing I had got the PC version of Fallout New Vegas rather than the ps3 version. While the official patches for both versions are pretty worthless, the pc version does at least have user made patches that get the game to work.
So yes while the struggle now is between a preference for ultimate customization and ultimate convinience, the 'ultimate convenience' seems to be turning into something a little less convenient. Is it as expensive or as high maintenance as a PC yet? No. But the console isn't exactly as foolproof as it used to be either.

If they became more of a hassle such as becoming more expensive in the long run, or games started to take too long to get patches, or so on and on, then yeah I guess I would make the switch! Fair points.

Mind you considering I haven't been online on xbox in AGES because our internet has been down, I wouldn't be surprised if every game I placed in my xbox needed an update

 

[The King of Rock and Roll]

If consoles go extinct I would blame people with taste. See also: PC Gamers.