St. John: Game Consoles Will Be Dead By 2020

St. John, who has built WildTangent into the one of the bigger online gaming networks over the past 10 years, made the bold prediction that video game consoles will be "extinct" by 2020.

He started his talk with an image of Moses on the screen and this rapid-fire comment:

I am going to make some outrageous claims today. And then I will attempt to substantiate them. Feel free to disagree with me. Just remember, that I am right.

St. John called the console business an "extremely fragile business" which has been subject to major collapses over the years:

We are looking at the last generation of consoles right now. I am going to predict to you that the PS3, the Wii and the X-box are the last generation of consoles that you either see or that anybody regards as successful in the market.

They will die out over time for several reasons. St. John argued that shareholders of Sony and Microsoft will no longer tolerate the massive, billion dollar investments that it takes to create proprietary video game consoles. Furthermore, he said consoles will no longer be needed to prevent privacy and that people will want to play games on different screens other than one entertainment center in the "living room." Also, kids will increasingly have laptops at school and they will want to use them for games.

St. John also noted that the big game console makers will face major challenges in making the transition to a market where people want to buy, develop and play games online. That also goes for the big publishers, with St. John saying they have a "negative advantage" when it comes to producing the new breed of community-based PC and online games:

Everything they know how to do is wrong. They start in a well. They think that brand matters. They think that their marketing expertise matters. They think that a pile of art work and a box matters. They have got a bunch of people paid huge salaries with years of expertise who would never dream of firing themselves because they have got the wrong domain expertise. And so Disney, for example, would never have funded the $200 million project to build Club Penguin, but boy they paid $700 million like little ******* to buy it after it hit the market. ... So the weird thing is that the expertise and the skill set to create these games -- they are not really rocket science to make -- it is just an entirely new mentality. The big budgets and the money and all the stuff these companies have that are entrenched are not an advantage, they are an encumbrance.

Even though Nintendo's Wii console has met with success in the market, St. John said the only thing that makes it different are the proprietary controllers. That's the same thing that happened to the arcade video game business years ago, which had to design new controllers and devices to try to compete with the home consoles that had equal or better graphics and game play.

Because of that trend, St. John says that the console business is "starting to behave like that dead arcade business."

In his view, the shift to PC games is already occurring. And there are many reasons for it -- including the advertising-supported business models that allow game players to try out games for free before making a purchase decision. For developers, it makes more sense too since they can sell direct, no longer having to rely entirely on publishing partners or traditional retail channels.

Source

I for one don't agree with him but I think it's an interesting read anyway. What do you think?

as long as something is profitable, it'll be around. Nintendo manages to make a profit every time (minus virtual boy). I dont think Sony lost anything with PS1 or PS2.

"Oh, but times change!"

yeah, well, Gary Ellison of Oracle predicted everything would go to dumb terminals and everyone would hook up to services and remote storage, eliminateing standalone desktops. Still waiting on that one.

I would think it would be easier to argue that desktops will fade away to obliviion and laptops would take over.

That would be fantastic because I hate consoles.

I reserve my spite for the Playstation 3 due to its TRYING to be an open platform but I could see it die and laugh as it lights ablaze.

I want the 360 to die a horrible, horrible death because it's a Microsoft product and I want to see Microsoft fade into Oblivion, taking its overpriced components, operating systems (with severe compatibility/stability/security/performance issues), and closed online system that requires you to play an exhorbitant fee for something that literally requires zero infrastructure and maintenence cost.

I don't care about the Wii.

But I want the PC to dominate to the extent that Linux becomes a viable gaming platform so that I can see it take over the world and cause clusters of stability, high performance, low maintenence to sprout, slowly expanding and taking over the industry. The world would be so much better its scarcely funny.

as long as something is profitable, it'll be around. Nintendo manages to make a profit every time (minus virtual boy). I dont think Sony lost anything with PS1 or PS2.

"Oh, but times change!"

yeah, well, Gary Ellison of Oracle predicted everything would go to dumb terminals and everyone would hook up to services and remote storage, eliminateing standalone desktops. Still waiting on that one.

I would think it would be easier to argue that desktops will fade away to obliviion and laptops would take over.

flazzle

Some people make stupid predictions and some people don't.

Here's the thing: it doesn't matter whether it's profitable or not. It matters whether people buy it. If you don't buy a console, they don't get your money. Simple as that.

Yea I'm gonna listen the words of a self proclaimed saint lol...

IMO the console market is only going to get stronger, so long as it doesn't get over saturated next gen by other companies who have decided to make a console for the hell of it.

"Jesus is that you!"

"No it's Saint John!"

"**** you you're the worst disciple!"

Tis already posted.

That's...interesting.

Would that be good or not? I mean, all that means is that people would migrate to the pc, and handhelds will become increasingly more useful.

Some people make stupid predictions and some people don't.

Here's the thing: it doesn't matter whether it's profitable or not. It matters whether people buy it. If you don't buy a console, they don't get your money. Simple as that.

BobHipJames

No kidding! If a console is profitable for Nintendo to make, it means they are making money selling the console. Maybe I should have dumbed it down and wrote 'Nintendo manages to make money every console they release (minuse virtual boy).

Is that clear enough for you? Simple as that.

Is this guy really calling himself a Saint?Chutebox

Good question. Maybe he is a rapper or something.

as long as something is profitable, it'll be around. Nintendo manages to make a profit every time (minus virtual boy). I dont think Sony lost anything with PS1 or PS2.flazzle

The PS3 and 360 aren't profitable, and Nintendo employs visionaries. But it still can't last. The Wii is one of those "once-in-a-decade" phenomenons, like the NES and the PS1, that manages to reinvent and redefine gaming. It's impossible to keep having those kinds of phenomenons. Eventually, even Nintendo will run out of ideas.

yeah, well, Gary Ellison of Oracle predicted everything would go to dumb terminals and everyone would hook up to services and remote storage, eliminateing standalone desktops. Still waiting on that one.flazzle

It's already moving towards that in a big way. Companies do all of their work collectively, and even today, the most popular form of gaming is online web gaming, while the most popular email providers are webmail providers, and the entire cellphone industry is moving towards smartphones like the Blackberry, the iPhone, and Windows Mobile phones because you can run remote apps on them.

The only reason we haven't moved into the stage of collective computing yet is because of bandwidth, but that is rapidly being solved.

I would think it would be easier to argue that desktops will fade away to obliviion and laptops would take over.flazzle

And why do you think that's happening?

Because remote access is becoming more and more popular. That's why connectivity, NOT power, is the main selling point computer manufacturers try to exploit.

Just look at the Asus Eee, the most popular notebook currently being sold, probably close to if not more popular than the MacBook. It pretty much IS a "dumb terminal" as far as hardware goes.

[QUOTE="BobHipJames"]

Some people make stupid predictions and some people don't.

Here's the thing: it doesn't matter whether it's profitable or not. It matters whether people buy it. If you don't buy a console, they don't get your money. Simple as that.

flazzle

No kidding! If a console is profitable for Nintendo to make, it means they are making money selling the console. Maybe I should have dumbed it down and wrote 'Nintendo manages to make money every console they release (minuse virtual boy).

Is that clear enough for you? Simple as that.

And if they sell no consoles they don't get to capitalize on the difference.

And if they sell an inadequate amount of consoles they cannot maintain their R&D or games development.

Are you new to this economics thing?

[QUOTE="flazzle"]as long as something is profitable, it'll be around. Nintendo manages to make a profit every time (minus virtual boy). I dont think Sony lost anything with PS1 or PS2.mjarantilla

The PS3 and 360 aren't profitable, and Nintendo employs visionaries. But it still can't last. The Wii is one of those "once-in-a-decade" phenomenons, like the NES and the PS1, that manages to reinvent and redefine gaming. It's impossible to keep having those kinds of phenomenons. Eventually, even Nintendo will run out of ideas.

What proof do you have that these "phenomenons" will stop happening?

[QUOTE="Chutebox"]Is this guy really calling himself a Saint?flazzle

Good question. Maybe he is a rapper or something.

If he is, everyone in this world should just ignore him.

consoles are turning into computers basically so he has some truth to his statement.Nolan16

They are computers in the sense that they have a level of functionality comparable to PC's....

But just as I would not buy a Dell because it's a prebuilt overexpensive piece of garbage that can't be upgraded....

I would say the same thing about a console (although they're usually pretty decently priced for what the hardware is capable of).

[QUOTE="mjarantilla"]

[QUOTE="flazzle"]as long as something is profitable, it'll be around. Nintendo manages to make a profit every time (minus virtual boy). I dont think Sony lost anything with PS1 or PS2.ice144

The PS3 and 360 aren't profitable, and Nintendo employs visionaries. But it still can't last. The Wii is one of those "once-in-a-decade" phenomenons, like the NES and the PS1, that manages to reinvent and redefine gaming. It's impossible to keep having those kinds of phenomenons. Eventually, even Nintendo will run out of ideas.

What proof do you have that these "phenomenons" will stop happening?

Let's put it this way: if Nvidia could sell 8 year old cards for $150-200, I think they would. Nintendo got an ace in the hole deploying old technology and for some reason people haven't realized that other platforms are significantly more cost-effective in terms of price-performance ratios.

That and the components in the Wii have shriveled to such a minute state its ridiculous. Same thing happens to all components. The problem is the tech curve. For some reason consumers don't seem to care with the Wii.

Let me put it this way: if you want garbage, you can buy garbage and giggle your way to the bank. When you buy a Wii you're buying old technology that's been basically reissued so that it's cheaper to manufacture.

If they can sustain THAT they'll remain profitable.

[QUOTE="mjarantilla"]

[QUOTE="flazzle"]as long as something is profitable, it'll be around. Nintendo manages to make a profit every time (minus virtual boy). I dont think Sony lost anything with PS1 or PS2.ice144

The PS3 and 360 aren't profitable, and Nintendo employs visionaries. But it still can't last. The Wii is one of those "once-in-a-decade" phenomenons, like the NES and the PS1, that manages to reinvent and redefine gaming. It's impossible to keep having those kinds of phenomenons. Eventually, even Nintendo will run out of ideas.

What proof do you have that these "phenomenons" will stop happening?

When was the last "phenomenon" in movie technology? Computer special effects? That was first introduced almost thirty years ago. And before that, what, color in the 1960s?

When was the last "phenomenon" in book publishing before e-ink readers? Mass market paperbacks in the 1970s, FORTY years ago.

When was the last "phenomenon" in the music industry? MP3 players in the 2000s, and before that, CDs in the 1980s, a TWENTY year gap.

The phenomenons will probably never "stop," but they will definitely slow down, especially as a medium matures.

That seems pretty scary to think about. No more Mario saving Peach? A world without Mario is in dark turmoil. I hope the world will end by then.livinitup01

The point is you'll be playing your console games on your PC. It's like Sega. No more Sega consoles, but Sega software still exists? Where? On other consoles. Well, the idea is when the consoles die the developers move on up to the PC platform, where I FRIGGIN' WANT THEM.

The PS3 and 360 aren't profitable, and Nintendo employs visionaries. But it still can't last. The Wii is one of those "once-in-a-decade" phenomenons, like the NES and the PS1, that manages to reinvent and redefine gaming. It's impossible to keep having those kinds of phenomenons. Eventually, even Nintendo will run out of ideas.

It's already moving towards that in a big way. Companies do all of their work collectively, and even today, the most popular form of gaming is online web gaming, while the most popular email providers are webmail providers, and the entire cellphone industry is moving towards smartphones like the Blackberry, the iPhone, and Windows Mobile phones because you can run remote apps on them.

The only reason we haven't moved into the stage of collective computing yet is because of bandwidth, but that is rapidly being solved.

[QUOTE="flazzle"]I would think it would be easier to argue that desktops will fade away to obliviion and laptops would take over.mjarantilla

And why do you think that's happening?

Because remote access is becoming more and more popular. That's why connectivity, NOT power, is the main selling point computer manufacturers try to exploit.

Just look at the Asus Eee, the most popular notebook currently being sold, probably close to if not more popular than the MacBook. It pretty much IS a "dumb terminal" as far as hardware goes.

First, anything that is a 'decade phenom' is pretty damn good. You are not going to make anything that lasts forever selling!

Eventually Nintendo will run out of ideas? What else does your crystal ball see? Thats like saying MS will run out of ideas for software, Intel will run out of ideas. What a nonsensical and ignorant statement. you can say that about ANY company.

Yes, moving towards 'dumb terminals' is happening more and more, but the point is statements from St. John and Ellison are simply too extreme. Things PARTIALLY move that way, hardly anything does a 100% turn around or transformation.

Its all over simplified crystal balling, and everyone that wants to appear smart sucks it up and drinks the cool aid.

And if they sell no consoles they don't get to capitalize on the difference.

And if they sell an inadequate amount of consoles they cannot maintain their R&D or games development.

Are you new to this economics thing?

BobHipJames

But that hasn't happened yet. "And if they sell no consoles..." blah blah blah.

Nintendo knows how to market and run a business. Not play and succumb to economic "what ifs"

"But what if you sell no consoles Nintendo! You'd be in trouble there!"

"Uh, kid. We can't keep our consoles in stock as it is. We've been doing this since before you were born. Leave us be and take your crystal ball with you."

Are you new to living in reality?

Let me put it this way: if you want garbage, you can buy garbage and giggle your way to the bank. When you buy a Wii you're buying old technology that's been basically reissued so that it's cheaper to manufacture.

BobHipJames

The Wii Remote is OLD technology? And the last console it was on was...

I think the end of massive console funding is upon us. Companies are spending too much and games that people aren't buying. This is the first gen where selling 1 million copies may not be enough. Personally I think next gen we're not going to see a huge leap in technology (except maybe from MS) and we're going to see less big budget games and start to see more, shorter $15 - $30 games being sold via a console's online stores.

The multiplats will still be there but they aren't going to be huge projects like AC, GTAIV, and TES4.
Tiefster

I just think we are in a transitional period. HD is new for gaming on home consoles. I think that the next generation of consoles could be alot more like the PS2, Xbox and Gamecube era.

lol

"St. John called the console business an "extremely fragile business" which has been subject to major collapses over the years"

extremely fragile he says....so much so that even in a horrible economy they continue to set records in generated revenue.

I have no doubt one day consoles will be obsolete but basing that on a "fragile console business" is ignorant considering the amount of revenue everyone is generating. True MS has taken a lot of losses since it started 7-8 years ago but they are now making a profit (hopefully from this point on).

His crystal ball is about as informative as me saying "one day there will be flying cars"

[QUOTE="ice144"][QUOTE="mjarantilla"]

[QUOTE="flazzle"]as long as something is profitable, it'll be around. Nintendo manages to make a profit every time (minus virtual boy). I dont think Sony lost anything with PS1 or PS2.mjarantilla

The PS3 and 360 aren't profitable, and Nintendo employs visionaries. But it still can't last. The Wii is one of those "once-in-a-decade" phenomenons, like the NES and the PS1, that manages to reinvent and redefine gaming. It's impossible to keep having those kinds of phenomenons. Eventually, even Nintendo will run out of ideas.

What proof do you have that these "phenomenons" will stop happening?

When was the last "phenomenon" in movie technology? Computer special effects? That was first introduced almost thirty years ago. And before that, what, color in the 1960s?

When was the last "phenomenon" in book publishing before e-ink readers? Mass market paperbacks in the 1970s, FORTY years ago.

When was the last "phenomenon" in the music industry? MP3 players in the 2000s, and before that, CDs in the 1980s, a TWENTY year gap.

The phenomenons will probably never "stop," but they will definitely slow down, especially as a medium matures.

That makes more sense. By "running out of ideas" you had given me the idea that at some point all innovations in console gaming will just stop.

If the console industry is anything like the markets that you listed, there will always be improvements in technology though, even if a "big" one doesnt happen every 5 years.

[QUOTE="BobHipJames"]

And if they sell no consoles they don't get to capitalize on the difference.

And if they sell an inadequate amount of consoles they cannot maintain their R&D or games development.

Are you new to this economics thing?

flazzle

But that hasn't happened yet. "And if they sell no consoles..." blah blah blah.

Nintendo knows how to market and run a business. Not play and succumb to economic "what ifs"

"But what if you sell no consoles Nintendo! You'd be in trouble there!"

"Uh, kid. We can't keep our consoles in stock as it is. We've been doing this since before you were born. Leave us be and take your crystal ball with you."

Are you new to living in reality?

The "what if's" are logical truisms.

They are basically a rebuttal to your "if they remain profitable" dot dot dot.

Selling something that is profitable means nothing. I could literally make a product tomorrow that consists of old paper towels I have sitting on my desktop. I sell it for $1000. It's profitable.

I'm not making a realistic conjecture I'm making an extreme to make a point.

The most realistic idea, though, is whether they cannot maintain R&D and games development. And if you have not noticed, the Wii, like I've said, is not cost-effective from a performance-price ratio and has a poor software library, especially when compared to its competitors.

I don't seriously think it's going to go down the drain, I just think the rest of you should be objective in your purchasing decisions. Call it a dim hope. Don't think that I have a high opinion of human intelligence or of human behavior. To be honest, I think people would buy a brick if you painted it right and gave it a pretty name, even for an exhorbitant fee.

Look at Windows. Just gaze in awe of the splendor. They're still kicking. I understand worthless enterprises are often successful.

Eventually Nintendo will run out of ideas? What else does your crystal ball see? Thats like saying MS will run out of ideas for software, Intel will run out of ideas. What a nonsensical and ignorant statement. you can say that about ANY company.flazzle

Right, because it's true. I'm not talking about little tweaks, btw. I'm talking about the BIG ideas. MS's last great big idea was Windows XP, announced almost ten years ago and released almost eight years ago, which is FOREVER in the software industry. Intel's last great big idea was to simply add a second core to a CPU, but that idea had already been thought up twenty years ago, they just didn't have the technology to implement it (back then, they "brute-forced" it by just adding a second CPU entirely to the motherboard).

Yes, moving towards 'dumb terminals' is happening more and more, but the point is statements from St. John and Ellison are simply too extreme. Things PARTIALLY move that way, hardly anything does a 100% turn around or transformation.flazzle

When the transformation is 90% instead of 100%, I think we can safely call it a complete transformation.

[QUOTE="flazzle"]

[QUOTE="Chutebox"]Is this guy really calling himself a Saint?Chutebox

Good question. Maybe he is a rapper or something.

If he is, everyone in this world should just ignore him.

That would be fantastic because I hate consoles.

I reserve my spite for the Playstation 3 due to its TRYING to be an open platform but I could see it die and laugh as it lights ablaze.

I want the 360 to die a horrible, horrible death because it's a Microsoft product and I want to see Microsoft fade into Oblivion, taking its overpriced components, operating systems (with severe compatibility/stability/security/performance issues), and closed online system that requires you to play an exhorbitant fee for something that literally requires zero infrastructure and maintenence cost.

I don't care about the Wii.

But I want the PC to dominate to the extent that Linux becomes a viable gaming platform so that I can see it take over the world and cause clusters of stability, high performance, low maintenence to sprout, slowly expanding and taking over the industry. The world would be so much better its scarcely funny.

BobHipJames

well said :D

Consoles will always be around. These reasons have existed since the beginnings of consoles and right now the console gaming industry is more profitable than ever.

[QUOTE="BobHipJames"]

Let me put it this way: if you want garbage, you can buy garbage and giggle your way to the bank. When you buy a Wii you're buying old technology that's been basically reissued so that it's cheaper to manufacture.

flazzle

The Wii Remote is OLD technology? And the last console it was on was...

Oh, please. The Wii does not have a DVD player, it does not have a music player (does it?), it doesn't have a hard drive, it's running on old video components....

A Wii remote costs $40 and a Wii nun-chuck costs $20. That's literally all you're getting that's "new." That's if you call "new" technology wireless technology with motion sensing. And those are retail prices. I have no doubt Nintendo is making a profit at the $60 mark for a Wii controller.

You're not even getting close to what you pay for, beyond the novelty and the platform itself and what its capable of. From a price-performance ratio and from a cost-effectiveness ratio, in comparison to the competition, the Wii is completely and utterly embarrassing.

And whether or not the Wii remote is new....listen, you could package the stupid thing as a PC component and have the exact same enterprise.

[QUOTE="mjarantilla"][QUOTE="ice144"][QUOTE="mjarantilla"]

[QUOTE="flazzle"]as long as something is profitable, it'll be around. Nintendo manages to make a profit every time (minus virtual boy). I dont think Sony lost anything with PS1 or PS2.ice144

The PS3 and 360 aren't profitable, and Nintendo employs visionaries. But it still can't last. The Wii is one of those "once-in-a-decade" phenomenons, like the NES and the PS1, that manages to reinvent and redefine gaming. It's impossible to keep having those kinds of phenomenons. Eventually, even Nintendo will run out of ideas.

What proof do you have that these "phenomenons" will stop happening?

When was the last "phenomenon" in movie technology? Computer special effects? That was first introduced almost thirty years ago. And before that, what, color in the 1960s?

When was the last "phenomenon" in book publishing before e-ink readers? Mass market paperbacks in the 1970s, FORTY years ago.

When was the last "phenomenon" in the music industry? MP3 players in the 2000s, and before that, CDs in the 1980s, a TWENTY year gap.

The phenomenons will probably never "stop," but they will definitely slow down, especially as a medium matures.

That makes more sense. By "running out of ideas" you had given me the idea that at some point all innovations in console gaming will just stop.

If the console industry is anything like the markets that you listed, there will always be improvements in technology though, even if a "big" one doesnt happen every 5 years.

Yeah, but just look at the PlayStation and Xbox brands. They didn't introduce anything revolutionary after only seven years, and because of it they were almost universally rejected by the mainstream and are both deep in the red. Only the hardcore gamers keep them alive.

Consumers are ruthless. They think that the pace of technological innovation will speed up, not slow down, which is the case in reality, and that will be to the detriment of console manufacturers, even Nintendo. At some point, consumers' insatiable demand for innovation will outpace the actual rate of innovation, and at that point, proprietary console manufacturers will be obsolete.

That makes more sense. By "running out of ideas" you had given me the idea that at some point all innovations in console gaming will just stop.

If the console industry is anything like the markets that you listed, there will always be improvements in technology though, even if a "big" one doesnt happen every 5 years.

ice144

There will always be new ideas. Is there any medium that ran out of ideas? Seriously. If there is any medium that allows for total creativity, gaming is one

[QUOTE="ice144"]

That makes more sense. By "running out of ideas" you had given me the idea that at some point all innovations in console gaming will just stop.

If the console industry is anything like the markets that you listed, there will always be improvements in technology though, even if a "big" one doesnt happen every 5 years.

flazzle

There will always be new ideas. Is there any medium that ran out of ideas? Seriously. If there is any medium that allows for total creativity, gaming is one

In theory, yes. In practice, big ideas will come much less often, and this generation, more than any other generation (because of the Wii and DS), has proven that big ideas drive console success more than anythign else. The less often those big ideas come around, the less successful consoles will be.

And "total creativity"? Are you kidding me? If there is one medium more STIFLING for creativity, it's gaming. A author has no constraints on what kind of book he can write. A musician has no constraints on what kind of music he can play. A painter has no constraints on what kind of painting he can produce. But a video game developer? He's limited by funds, by technology, by education, etc.

Video game developers have the LEAST freedom for creativity of any artistic field.

[QUOTE="ice144"]

That makes more sense. By "running out of ideas" you had given me the idea that at some point all innovations in console gaming will just stop.

If the console industry is anything like the markets that you listed, there will always be improvements in technology though, even if a "big" one doesnt happen every 5 years.

flazzle

There will always be new ideas. Is there any medium that ran out of ideas? Seriously. If there is any medium that allows for total creativity, gaming is one

Well, there's always peripheral junk.

Guitar Hero, Dance Dance, rail-shooters, Wii-Fit, etc.

For some reason, in this generation, peripheral crap with overpriced gimmicks seem to be selling extremely well.

I for one don't agree with him but I think it's an interesting read anyway. What do you think?

-Renegade

[QUOTE="flazzle"][QUOTE="ice144"]

That makes more sense. By "running out of ideas" you had given me the idea that at some point all innovations in console gaming will just stop.

If the console industry is anything like the markets that you listed, there will always be improvements in technology though, even if a "big" one doesnt happen every 5 years.

BobHipJames

There will always be new ideas. Is there any medium that ran out of ideas? Seriously. If there is any medium that allows for total creativity, gaming is one

Well, there's always peripheral junk.

Guitar Hero, Dance Dance, rail-shooters, Wii-Fit, etc.

For some reason, in this generation, peripheral crap with overpriced gimmicks seem to be selling extremely well.

It's because gamers are looking around desperately for something new. "Traditional" gamepad gaming has grown stale. Gamers want something more immersive, and peripherals, as overpriced as they are, allow gamers to get more completely into the game by having them actually perform the actions they want their avatar to do. That's also why the Wii is so successful. Even if it's not nearly as good as a specialized peripheral, it's still the closest that any console manufacturer has come to making a "generalized" peripheral.

This thread is absolutely retarded. Microsoft doesn't make short term investments, neither does sony. If you think they blew all those billions to give up next gen, then I really feel sorry for you. The console market is only going to get bigger.0rbs

[QUOTE="BobHipJames"][QUOTE="flazzle"][QUOTE="ice144"]

That makes more sense. By "running out of ideas" you had given me the idea that at some point all innovations in console gaming will just stop.

If the console industry is anything like the markets that you listed, there will always be improvements in technology though, even if a "big" one doesnt happen every 5 years.

mjarantilla

There will always be new ideas. Is there any medium that ran out of ideas? Seriously. If there is any medium that allows for total creativity, gaming is one

Well, there's always peripheral junk.

Guitar Hero, Dance Dance, rail-shooters, Wii-Fit, etc.

For some reason, in this generation, peripheral crap with overpriced gimmicks seem to be selling extremely well.

It's because gamers are looking around desperately for something new. "Traditional" gamepad gaming has grown stale. Gamers want something more immersive, and peripherals, as overpriced as they are, allow gamers to get more completely into the game by having them actually perform the actions they want their avatar to do. That's also why the Wii is so successful. Even if it's not nearly as good as a specialized peripheral, it's still the closest that any console manufacturer has come to making a "generalized" peripheral.

either that or the market is expanding beyond it's traditional roots, which indicates GROWTH.