Consoles Going Extinct?

While I’ve sometimes engaged in the discussion that this console generation just isn’t quite cutting the mustard in terms of offering a true next generation experience, I often find myself alone in that opinion. This becomes especially apparenty after browsing through other gaming blogs, where nobody seems to be raising or caring about this issue, or demanding more from the current generation.

That’s why it was really refreshing to read a new editorial over at ClickZ, where Kevin Carney wonders if consoles are becoming extinct because of “casual gaming” as well as the Internet. He argues that this generation lacks any true sense of innovation that others generations have had, and is retreading the same material.

While I don’t quite agree with him on all points (if anything is going extinct, it’s PC gaming), he does make some pretty hard to counter arguments in terms of the direction that games seem to be going- namely, hyper realism. I find this compelling since it seems that as game budgets get bigger, it’s much harder and less ideal for developers to take risks, meaning we just get clones of the same games over and over.

Overall, I think he’s a little on the wrong side of the fence, but it’s cool to see somebody stepping over there anyway, especially when nobody else seems to be following. I’d definitely recommend checking the article out.

So what do you guys think? Is console gaming going extinct? Has this generation truly innovated? What’s the next step?

Source- ClickZ

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I write about samurai girls and space marines. Writer for Smooth Few Films. Rooster Teeth Freelancer. Author of Red vs. Blue, The Ultimate Fan Guide, out NOW!

13 thoughts on “Consoles Going Extinct?”

  1. I definitely think that it’s PC gaming thats taking a turn for the worse. I don’t think consoles have very much to worry about, because the vast majority of their player base is uninformed (or misinformed) about the products they intend to purchase, so they rely on advertising to know what to buy. (Bad sheep! Bad!)

    Back to the PC problem. Of course, the issue is piracy, and why would a developer want to lose money making a game when only half of its audience will pay for it (if that)? The solutions we’ve seen to this are good (Steam), bad (CD Keys LOL), and ugly (Mass Effect).

    Thne of course theres monthly subscriptions…which I despise. Kept me from playing WoW for 2 years out of principle.Damn friends and their peer pressure.

    Er…anyways. The only solution I see to keep PC games from vanishing entirely is to require everyone who plays to have an account with the development company. Nothing fancy, just a username and password that people can use to store their CD keys server-side. Easy to implement, simple, and if someone complains about a lack of internet connection, they need to get with the friggin times.

  2. I don’t think it’s possible. Look out there, a LOT of people are loving their consoles and waiting for new ones. But stranger things have happened, your probably right eddy.
    But, even if consoles go extinct I’ll jus take “Anthony’s Path”; PC Gaming

  3. Taking Bit’s comment into thought, completely true. E.A are trying to conquer this problem but are just digging themselves deeper into the ground. They have or are planning to (i think already on spore) introduce a new 3 installs then you need to buy a new game system. I think if you go over the limit because of faults or something you message them and they give you a link to a torrent like download. Fools i say…fools.

  4. sorry for double post but when i mean system i dont mean a new P.C i mean like ‘a 3 strikes and out system’ not a new P.C sorry.

  5. Haha lol I have one of those “Dead End” signs in my room.
    Well, to the point. I don’t think the PC will die because so many computer gamers (like me) are addicted and reliant to the precision of the mouse and feel control sticks are clumsy in comparison.
    But it is always a little fun to come out of your box and play some console games once in a while (if you have access to a console that is)
    As to piracy, my brothers friend has a ‘chipped’ Xbox 360 so he hasn’t ever bought a game cause he can download them and burn them out on these special CDs.
    Pretty handy, but its illegal :/

  6. I dunno, its hard to say if they are going extinct. I agree that there hasn’t been anything drastic other than the wii going all motion sensor, but even then it kinds didn’t back that up with games that push that technology to the limits with innovative stuff.

    I could see PC gaming making a comeback, PC parts are getting cheaper, I wont lie. While games like Crysis are just retarded (because of their huge demand for graphics) causing peopel to not be able to enjoy it to its fullest there could be the return of the PC. For the most part your net is still free, and STEAM has been throwing out games lately.

    If anything we are in a ‘gaming recession’ perhaps. We need a good ‘ol Gaming FDR to get us out of this XD We just need something innovative and special to get people back on thinking outside the box. Technology is always increasing so we probably will see something soon. I wouldn’t be surprised though if the next generation of consoles is again just an “upgrade”. I don’t think Microsoft will try anything radical and the same goes with Sony. Better graphics and faster loads with more user interface.

  7. There is one thing wrong with all this:

    Sure, innovation is lacking, but sales are still strong and that is what keeps it alive. They can crap out 45 more Halos and 346 more Final Fantasies. Not original, but as long as it sells, consoles are going nowhere.

  8. Yeah, but I just wonder if the whole thing’s going to implode and go belly up once people get tired of all the shooters. I haven’t played anything really innovative since Portal last year. And before that I can’t remember when. Shadow of the Colossus maybe?

  9. Yeah, but Gears of War 2 is (improved) basically the same as the last one and everyone seems to be eating that up.

    Mirror’s Edge is pretty original though.

  10. Consoles are going to continue to remain popular for a long time. Why? Well, in my opinion, it’s that consoles are a lot more accessible for your average person than PC gaming is.

    If you’re not “in the know”, and can’t tell a stick of RAM from your motherboard, having a box that sits next to your TV that you never have to worry about upgrading is a lot easier than reworking the innards of your PC bi-annually to get the best performance.

    With consoles taking bigger steps into the realm of social networking, I don’t think they’ll be going anywhere fast.

    (And yes, while Gears 2 is basically and improved Gears one, I’m still enjoying the hell out of it. I’d never be able to have a similar experience on my PC.)

  11. Marth, you made my point for me. You still love Gears 2 and so do most people.

    Lack of innovation will not kill consoles, bad sales will. And people buy Madden every year in droves, so innovation is not something most people are clamoring for.

  12. *sigh*

    I remember sitting with my uncle while he worked on overclocking an old Pentium 1 (or something like that) so he could play DOOM.

    I suppose PC gaming is just reverting to its old self. The only people who will be interested in it are people who enjoy upgrading PCs or people with ungodly amounts of money to buy overpriced machines like Alienware. Kind of depressing really, but I guess thats worst-case-scenario.

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