“One Console Future”

The idea of having a single console is a bit of a lofty goal, but some see it as a harsh reality that is inevitable for the health of the industry. This seems a bit idealistic considering the current state of the industry and just what is being pushed, but perhaps not too far from a reality in some sense. The online system seems to be one that favours the unity of consoles, not necessarily relying on the same strict guidelines and markets that tend to push towards one console or another. While some major titles seem to be exclusive to either PSN or XBLA, the trend towards cross-platform online games seems to be one that larger publishers are getting behind. For smaller groups, however, the concept of releasing a game on one console is hefty enough to even begin considering other platforms.

The other idea that will be hard to put faith in is the concept of each manufacturer and publisher deciding on industry standards. Consider the variety and scope of current generation consoles in terms of their storage, media, processing power and development kits, it is a bit unrealistic to expect the groups to unify their efforts in the near future. The approach for each group is also drastically different considering their market. Nintendo is exclusively a video game company, making all the profits and losses based on how they sell video game product. Sony and Microsoft have the advantage of being part of a larger software and entertainment cloud that can afford to branch out, make mistakes and offer products that transcend current possibilities of hardware. Unity in the philosophy of approaching the market is not something that is likely for a group that thrives on competition, and the benefits that it reaps to the gamers. The variety of experiences available thanks to the variety of hardware and software that is currently on the market is greater than many have ever seen, and it is opening up markets that many would have never considered gamers in the past. The amount of games and gamers and the diversity of the market is only expanding, the idea of unifying that will take a major shift in the market before it is even talked about on a large scale.

The Bottom Line

Amid all the theory and rampant speculation on what will be the next big thing, it’s easy to see where things are moving in most cases. Online has become a vital component to gaming, and the distribution of content is becoming such an essential tool for developers that it seems too blind to consider that this will not be a major factor in the next iteration of hardware. We had discussed gaming trends last week which included talk of expansive universes and digital systems, and the current trends while utilizing the current generation, seem to be leaning towards a future experience we can only dream about.

The way we play games is changing. Rather, the variety of ways we can play games is changing, and that is opening up the market to fresh ideas and concepts that seem to want to capitalize on new markets. It’s not safe to say that the new boss will be the same as the old boss from generation to generation, with Nintendo decidedly taking a new approach to its console development that diverted so strongly from the Moore’s Law race that publishers and industry minds are still only catching up to the ideas and technology put forward. While there are many limits to what people seem to think will be the drivers of the next generation, the main thing we need to understand is that the common ideas of adding more teraflops and gigabytes seems to be a fleeting memory. Gameplay and development centric concepts are driving the industry faster now, and that unity seems to open up a new world when it comes to game development and hardware.

Cycles are getting longer, not shorter, and while people will continue to talk about new models, new systems and the growing “needs” of gamers, companies are seeing massive profits and growth that is unprecedented in the entertainment industry. Change will come as it is needed, and as we start to understand the limitations of our imaginations when it comes to new hardware, instead of focusing on pushing through these limits right away, the idea of understanding what we have now and how it can be used is becoming the most important factor in how long this generation will last.

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