Xbox Co-Creator Says Consoles Have Won

[zerobudgetgamer]

This dude's got a bit of Tiger Blood in him, no?

But seriously, a "Console" is a device created with the primarily (or sole) intent of playing video games on it. A tad archaic, since even current-gen consoles are trying to branch out and do other things.

A "Platform" is a device on which video games are played. This includes the aforementioned Steam, PC, iPad/iPhone, as well as Consoles. However, most platforms do not see Video Gaming as its sole purpose, and can, in fact, do many other things.

So, to an extent, what he says is true. You can't really create anything technological nowadays that won't inevitably become a "platform," and perhaps by having so many people game, Seamus here believes that more people will want to play on consoles, even though a lot of these iPhone gamers are your lunch-and-transit-only gamers and can barely schedule in the necessary time to play a console.

But who cares, really? WINNING!!!

 

[Simeon Ivanov]

THIS ... STATEMENT ... IS ... FALSE! - GLaDOS

 

[Reishadowen]

This statement is clearly intended to boost confidence of investors, who, I guess are too stupid to recognize faulty logic when they see it.

Bu, yeah, considering that this guy is supposedly co-responsible for the XBOX, which really let's be honest, the only reason it didn't tank right out of the starting gate is because of Halo, I wouldn't be bragging about being able to project console sales and success information if I were you buddy.

 

[Composer]

so to him facebook is some sort of console?
interesting theory
well you gotta pay for all the games and additional content
theres no legal mods....

hmm....

 

[darkfire613]

I'm confused about his comments about the iPad. Is he saying it's failed because Apple tried to make it not about games? Because, looking at sales figures, I wouldn't say it's failed at all. Second, Apple billed the iPad as a good gaming device from the start, not to mention that games are the driving force behind their iPod Touch advertising.

Also, what counts as a console? Console vs PC? Because from what he's saying, a PC would count as a console because gaming has always been a focus of personal computers. Console vs Facebook games? I think there's enough room for the both to coexist. The people playing games on 360 and playing Farmville don't overlap much, there's not a clear way, or even a need, for one or the other to "win."

 

[TheAmazingHobo]

Okay, grand, but while we are at it:
TV has also won, as most mobile devices can play video.
Fuck it, THE BOOK has clearly won, as both the iPad and Android tablets include ebook functionality.
Except his statement is even dumber, as he declares an abstract concept "games", the winner of a contest that nobody knew we were having.

Sure, why the fuck not.
Let´s just define everything in terms that make it impossible for us not to win. It´s the ultimate marketing strategy.

 

[szs0061]

i, for one, welcome our new console overlords

 

[ShindoL Shill]

*slap*
facebook and the iPad are not consoles, they are things that HAVE games but have other primary functions. a gaming PC is a console. a PC can be a console if used for that purpose PRIMARILY(ie mine.)
traditional consoles have not won.

 

[Warforger]

Wait... what?

I'm confused and afraid on so many levels. But not surprised since these words came from a console creator!

How can you say consoles have "won" when those things like Steam go from strength to strength all the time. I'm not saying PC gaming has won, but consoles definitely haven't either!

No he actually isn't even talking about PC's really, he's talking about how Apple thought it could get so far without games and how now they have to get them and how they've lost. So if anything PC gaming is included when he says "consoles".

 

[Vonnis]

The beautiful thing about arguing semantics is that you can turn any loss into a victory. Unfortunately, you look like an utter twat in the process. So with that in mind: pc has won. All those (gaming) devices are computers, and they're all for personal use.

 

[ResonanceGames]

Wow, a whole thread full of people who don't know who Seamus Blackley is, what he's done, or what he stands for, taking something he said out of context and totally missing the point of his spiel. *shock*

This wasn't about PCs vs consoles, people. It was about the Nintendoesque fear that mobile devices were going to kill gaming. What actually happened is that they made it stronger. His use of the term 'console' is just semantics.

If you really want to know what this guy is all about, watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xob-A4Nuyq4

(that's Warren Spector, who created Deus Ex interviewing him, BTW.)

He stands for all that is good in gaming, even though Trespasser sucked.

 

[ph0b0s123]

I'm a PC gamer and think it's the best gaming platform. But to the people before me talking about how well the PC is doing in game sales vs consoles, give it up already. That PC vs Console battle is done and dusted.

And for 100th time the nut in the article was not talking about PC's at all, but about competition from new devices, like tablets, mobile phones and internet TV's. And the numbers gaming there are going to be huge, even by console standards. Hence the concern from console makers.

Please stop with these PC's can compete in sales figure comments as they are delusional. Those comments just feed the PC Elitest stereo type everyone tries to peg us with. The PC is a niche market. The same way the super car (Ferrari, Lamborghini, etc) is market. I know sorry had to get that last PC shout out in there, but it is an analogy I believe is acurate.

 

[ResonanceGames]

Please stop with these PC's can compete in sales figure comments as they are delusional.

That's actually not true. EA had a deep look in their accounting books last quarter, and the non-GAAP figures for the PC were $154m in profit, versus $152m for the Xbox 360 and $111m for the PS3. Add in monsters like WOW and Steam and it become pretty clear that the PC absolutely is on or near par with consoles in terms of profitability.

 

[Treblaine]

"I'm bleeding, that makes me the victor!"

"I must apologize for Xbox, he is an idiot. We have purposely designed him wrong... as a joke."

And i was afraid nobody would get the joke...

Hope you didn't mind me adding that picture to your quote, I felt it was the little added touch that was needed.

 

[adamtm]

"I'm bleeding, that makes me the victor!"

"I must apologize for Xbox, he is an idiot. We have purposely designed him wrong... as a joke."

And i was afraid nobody would get the joke...

Hope you didn't mind me adding that picture to your quote, I felt it was the little added touch that was needed.

no problem, i couldnt find one

 

[ph0b0s123]

Please stop with these PC's can compete in sales figure comments as they are delusional.

That's actually not true. EA had a deep look in their accounting books last quarter, and the non-GAAP figures for the PC were $154m in profit, versus $152m for the Xbox 360 and $111m for the PS3. Add in monsters like WOW and Steam and it become pretty clear that the PC absolutely is on or near par with consoles in terms of profitability.

Please link the story for that, as that is very interesting.....

Edit: found it myself :http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/07/27/eas-non-gaap-figures-pc-beating-consoles/

Wow, just wow. So obviously don't believe the console propoganda

Edit 2: "If you look at the more accountable accounting of the GAAP figures, the PC trails with $205m to the 360′s $345m and PS3′s $308m."

Normal service is resumed....

 

[Nemesis729]

I don't think he understands what people mean when they say console... According to him everything that plays games is a console lol

 

[ResonanceGames]

Normal service is resumed....

Even the traditional GAAP figures paint a picture of a platform that is clearly a major player, not a pariah. Same goes for the handhelds that Blackley was talking about. The PC and iPad/Phones are both huge parts of this industry.

Edit: Also, the GAAP figures are not necessarily more accurate. Distribution and profit models for PCs have changed drastically over the last four years, hence the need to try to paint a better internal picture, which is what they seem to have been aiming for with their non-GAAP findings.

 

[Double A]

Look, he's in denial, just like us PCers. I guess that means consoles and PCs will unite to form a combined front against Facebook or something.

Hey, that would be a pretty cool game!

I guess sometimes victory is just declaring that you win.

Looks like he took a lesson out of Fox News' book.

 

[Treblaine]

even though a lot of these iPhone gamers are your lunch-and-transit-only gamers and can barely schedule in the necessary time to play a console.

It fits the demographic of today.

As a kid a handheld console with games like Metroid Fusion were great as all to often I was living to other people's schedule, I would have a lot of time waiting around or being driven around.

But now as an adult trying to be efficient with my time I don't have much down time with nothing to do. And whereas in the past I'd be in the back seat on my gameboy, today I am driving. Though recently I have been walking a lot more. Either way, you can listen to music or podcasts but not game.

Also, I find I'd much rather get home quicker to all my fixed home entertainment than take my time gaming portable.

Or at least the only gaming opportunities I have are so damn short and with so many distractions, a simple pick-up-and-play game is more suited.

This is actually the challenge facing the likes of PSV. Personally, if I was in charge of PSV I'd market it like a laptop. Laptops aren't emphasised for how they are easily taken OUT of the house but how they are taken AROUND the house! Consoles are somewhat limited by being pinned to a single HDTV/monitor, I'd emphasise console integration and go 100% into video output streaming. Like the Wii U.

Basically sell the PSV equally as a peripheral to the PS3 as also a portable console.

Sony has some great studios, I'd like to see them work on some co-op or competitive games that can take advantage of a dual screen interface.