Videogame consoles on the way out?

[Mirage]

Does anybody else think that videogame consoles will not be lasting too much longer? The way I see it they are practically turning slowly but surely into PC's. You can now buy keyboards and mice for your consoles. You can tweak and mod your consoles to accept OS installs and then surf the web from Linux or Windows on your TV THROUGH your console.

All things that you can ALREADY do on computers, not to mention things that people have been doing on computers since they became popular in the late 80's early 90's.

I personally think that consoles could go one more generation but after that I expect everything to move to PC's. I bet consoles will be phased out soon as PC's become more and more integrated with home entertainment centers.

 

[Python]

In my humble opinion.... No. Why?

First, people pirate PC software much easier then the console software. The companies would loose out BIG time.

Second, are they going to have time to make for the PC and for Mac? Macs are finally stepping up and these publishers will need to keep up on that as well.

Third, OS's changed so fast. Is their game going to work when I update or upgrade? Is my Spreadsheet going be Doomed when I load Doom?

Nah, consoles will be here to stay.

 

[Eilt_Druin]

Consoles are becoming more like computers, but I think that just means we'll see more software released for consoles instead of PCs. The lines become more and more blurred with each generation and somewhere down the road consoles may replace PCs for some people.

 

[Imagimason]

I completely disagree. Consoles will always be different from PCs and thus are here to stay for the time being at least. Eventually we won't even call the video games anymore...

 

[neum985]

I also respectfully disagree that consols are on their way out i mean when your friend comes over to hang out what are you gonna do? Have him bring his computer with him? I eman if its a laptop sure but i would much rather play with the PS3 controler sitting next to my buddy then having him sit at home talking to him over the game. I think consoles will be still the thing to have for at the very least another 15 years. But until then i just hope that they dont go out of style because i dont want to see the day that instead of people hanging out to play games they just sit at home with one of those headsets. People would become even less social as it seems the world is getting nowdays.I just dont want to see it happen

 

[Psyco]

First, people pirate PC software much easier then the console software. The companies would loose out BIG time.

I'm going to have to disagree with you there. A good number of people who download the games end up buying a legit copy. Some of my friends do that, they try a game, and if they like it, they'll buy a copy to keep the company going.

Also, console games are becoming easier to pirate. First off, they don't have all that annoying securerom, safedisc, etc protection that makes it a bitch and a half to get around. Although you are more and more needing a modchip to play the burnt games, they aren't that hard to get your hands on, or install. (its a heck of a lot easier to go the modchip route then to crack dvd protection.)


In other words, yes the console will be around for many more years. People always want a variety of games, which having different consoles allows for.

 

[Mirage]

Another thought that supports the pro-console argument is the fact that most people who game on the PC are PC nerds in the first place. Look at every person you know who plays PC games and then tell me how many of them are also internet junkies. Probably most of them.

Now look at all of your friends who play console games and tell me how many of them are internet and pc junkies. Probably some for sure, but probably not all of them.

All I am trying to say is that PC gamers are sort of their own group. Lately a lot of that group is also fans of console based games, but it will take a lot for console gamers to switch 100% to PC based gaming. I still think it will happen as the two technologies grow closer together, but maybe not for a generation or two more of gaming consoles.

 

[Eilt_Druin]

In re-reading the thread, I saw this:

You can tweak and mod your consoles to accept OS installs and then surf the web from Linux or Windows on your TV THROUGH your console.

With some consoles, you don't even have to mod anything. Sega's consoles were well on the way to abolishing the line between PC and console. The Dreamcast came with a variant of Windows built in and could be used to surf the web with an included browser CD. Some games also included web browsers, like Skies of Arcadia.

Of course, on the other hand, Atari tried to get people to switch from consoles to PCs and look where they ended up.

 

[generalblue]

Me personally, is that this question is irrellievant. I have 2 computers at home, one for gaming and the other for work, a 360, and a wii. Everybody thus far do have valid points, and the question should no be whether or not consoles are here to stay, but when will console gamers be able to play against pc gamers. That is the direction where consoles are going. Once a pc gamer is always a pc gamer. Once a console gamer is always a console gamer. There is only a small medium inbetween it. It is now grown bigger in the past two years due to the fact that pc gamers can now use console like conroller and console gamers can now use a mouse and a keyboard.

 

[JjCrazyboy]

Consoles are here to stay for two reasons. First computers change to fast and are too expensive some consoles are sold at a loss--- you are not going to find that with computers. Secondly consoles are much more user freindly you never have to worry about not having the most updated version of this or not having enough ram for this. Everything just works. That is why they are here to stay.