Are Video Game Consoles Dead?

PC Mag: Where are the Xbox 720 and the PS4? The gaming console business can't survive on the old console models forever.

[jim2wheels]

Of course it is, it only generates twice as much as the music and film industries put together.

No profit to be had in a £3 billion+ industry.

[TreMillz]

man what the hell? who the heck wants ps4 and 720 right now? Online is whats really keeping them alive, were getting new gen of handhelds so take that and be quiet...PC Mag...you dont see us asking whens the new Nvidia milleniem ultra 10000000x graphics card...ok i have no idea what im talking about now...

[kneon]

If they maintained backwards compatibility and a price in the $300-500 range I'd have no problem upgrading to a new PS.next every couple of years. I've been buying them at that rate anyway, every new TV get's a new PS3.

But I doubt that could be made to work for the console makers. Their costs would be too high.

[Kran]

I dont want a 720 or PS4 right now, thats for sure. I have both a 360 and PS3 and I am happy with them both right now.

[TheBlackSmoke]

"The gaming console business can't survive on the old console models forever"

2004 called, they want their source engine back.

[BattleAxe]

All I gotta say is PS2 is 10 years old, so expect the same life cycle for PS3.

[gypsygib]

The author's arguments and reasons are ridiculously bad, ignorant and foolish.

[Shackdaddy836]

Why even say this. It just makes the writer look like an idiot.

[newhumanbreed]

Consoles aren't dead. The PS3, 360, and Wii still have a lot of life in them that's why there hasn't been a new console. This guy is an idiot.

[BLACKBOIJONES]

What a stupid article.

How can he ask for the next xbox and ps4 so soon when when both consoles have not even reached there peak...

ONE WORD---------->>>> FAIL

[cochise313]

That's true, plus all the current consoles are still selling healthy numbers. PS3 is about to have one of the biggest years this year, MS has kinect selling like crazy, and Wii is selling as good as it always has. These companies are not trying to release a new console at the moment.

[Ahasverus]

I think someone's butt hurt (and that man's face is thee definition of NERD)

[toaster]

Actually, it is healthier. PC has been the only platform on a month to month basis that has been growing, seeing no drops in userbase, sales, hardware sales, game sales, lack of quality titles, while consoles have been going up and down fighting for the spotlight. In the past year Steam has grown exponentially, hitting 3 million online concurrent, and that only accounts for a part of the PC community. Hardware wise, system hardware has improved by a lot, with 56% of user with DX10 capable cards, 26% with quad cores, 50%+ with 4GB of RAM and all of these slowly but surely climbing up.

But such is the nature of PC, there is only forward and there is only innovation. Don't want to dwell too much in the past ;)

And of course this is a game site, so lets talk about the games. No lack of exlusives and quality multiplats there, PC has games in most every genre and if it doesn't that's what we have console for. Exclusives like Witcher 2, Shogun 2, DOTA2, Starcraft, Diablo 3, Guild Wars 2, Game of Thrones there is no shortage of exclusives and if anything PC has the most exclusives out of both HD consoles. As for multiplats.. well you know how that one is. They are superior on PC, not just visually but in terms of replayability and user experience. Support for multiple control schemes and mods, etc... Most PC gamers are also multiplatform gamers with more than one platform. I myself own 2 consoles as well as a gaming PC.

[Ahasverus]

I agree about the economic growth, but take in account is growing from being ALMOST a corpse. Steam is great. Of course the PC is the greatest platfform (spec speaking) but I still don't understand why some (very vocal) enthusiasts think consoles are less worthy and even declare its market "dead", why? because they are not graphs powerhouses obsolete in 6 months? PC only gamers are fine with it, console gamers are not, and thaty's why we pay the 70% of this industry

[Newtype]

Going by games, Xbox seems to be the only dead console here.

[Triggs]

The people who say the "writer is stupid, foolish, etc." do not know John Dvorak. He has more years and experience writing analysis on anything about the technology industry than all of us who just play games.

[PotatoClock]

'but I still don't understand why some (very vocal) enthusiasts think consoles are less worthy and even declare its market "dead"'

I don't understand the millions of articles saying the PC is dead either. It never actually lost its userbase, we've just changed to new ways of buying games very quickly and these "analysts" couldn't actually keep up with the times and get true numbers of sales.

Frankly, Sony and M$ are finnaly making money back on their investments, they're not gonna suddenly throw a new console out for at least 5 years.
And I'm alright with that.
Apart from PC exclusives, that means I don't have to upgrade for that amount of time either.

[Corrwin]

Well forever is a long time, so well done to PC Mag for creating an infallible argument... ignoring that human kind probably won't be around "forever", either.

If nobody releases a new console, there is no need to compete. PC gamers only upgrade to support a new game, but what if the games never pushed past the limits of a machine?

Plus console manufacturers (unlike PC manufacturers) charge a license for games to appear on their console. Microsoft, SONY, Nintendo make their machines at a loss so they can make a profit from software.

[Stealth20k]

hahahahhahahahahahahhahahahaha hhahaha

[BCRxRaiden]

umm I'm sorry PC Mag, but I'm not one of those gamers that can afford to upgrade there consoles every 6 months or buy a gaming pc. I like 10 year product cycles for the PS3, i mean look at their games, they have only gotten better! I've invested easily over 1,000 bucks between an xbox and ps3 and im not ready to invest another grand for the next consoles. 10 year cycle ftw.

[toaster]

I wasn't aware you could upgrade consoles...

[Bodster]

Getting a bigger hard drive? Thats the only way i could think you could :)

[BLACKBOIJONES]

Im sorry but how do u upgrade ur console???????? Do u go to sony or ms and ask for a graphic chip that u can buy :/

Pls tell me more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BCRxRaiden]

i meant my console upgrade in a joking way, in that PC gamers upgrade graphics card, etc. I'm just saying i liked only having to pay 400 bucks (2008) for my console, and that was the only cost as far as hardware goes, i'm glad i don't need a new graphics card for my ps3 every other year or whatever just to play the latest and greatest games (ie: Crysis, Star Craft 2). My fault on a bad joke over forums...

[Der_Kommandant]

Is Gaming Journalism Dead?

[Baka-akaB]

it would need to have been alive in the first place , to die .

i'm still waiting

[unusualfire]

IF one of the companies wer smart they would make the consoles upgradable. Maybe new cpu, new graphics card. Then the system should last a very very long time.

[PotatoClock]

Yes, but then there would be fewer jumping ship to a new console and would mean it would take a very long time before they started making money off them.
The only winners out of that situation would be Intel, Nvidia and AMD. M$ wouldn't want to see money that could be theirs fly out the door.

Besides, the main advantage of a console is for the gamer on a budget.

[redDevil87]

Prepare for an influx of quality games

[theonlylolking]

They are as dead as the 100+ million people that bought the PS3, 360, and wii.

[Ame_No_Shiryuu]

WTF..!!?!? (O_o)..!! ---> at the picture

destroying a brand new PS3 just like that.., he must be a sicko crazy a$$H0lE..

[specialguest]

Nintendo Wii proved that business can survive and even thrive...no wait, not thrive, but dominate with old console tech. Who would have thought that a Wiimote can make a huge impact on the video game industry, and help break through to other traditionally non-gaming demographics.

[InfectedDK]

Look idiot.
People don't want another system in the coming years.
The PS3 is rocking! Stop your childish ignorant hate bias.

[femshep]

not to mention the fact both sony and microsoft spent thousands to develop, market, and now support there motion controllers.....they are gonna wanna get what they can out of them before moving on

[bobrea]

Is this author retarded?

[thebudgetgamer]

does bill clinton love plump interns?

[bobrea]

Does a bear shit in the woods?

[wenaldy]

I feel my IQ dropped after read this article..

[marcindpol]

the future of gaming are consoles, simply put a cardridge, a disc or whatever contains your game into the machine and have fun!

you can also download the things...

[iistuii]

Personally wait for the next console whatever it may be. I couldn't care less who makes it as long as the games are all 1080p standard with proper AA on so it gets rid of all those bloody annoying jaggies of this gen. Both consoles are maxed out, the dev's are doing their best. Please don't tell me these set of consoles are not yet maxed or we'd have every game 1080p with full AA and running everything, but every game that comes along, whatever console is only 720 with minimum or no AA and the odd game that is 1080p has to suffer in other areas to help it run so we need the next Gen., bring it on.

[blackburn5]

Just another PC snob trying to look down on us console owners. Best to just ignore them. They seem to just want us to throw our consoles in the trash because in their opinion PC gamings is better. But they fail to realise that it's still just an opinion

[Syaz1]

are cellphones dying?

[SnakeShady]

Please author of this shitty article, why don't you just die?

[hassi94]

What a stupid article. Flame-bait trash.

[Zinc]

While his title is your standard sensationalism, the content of the article is interesting. He actually makes some interesting and not altogether incorrect observations. However, let's be real here, consoles are not dead and they probably won't be by 2014 either.

I'm so used to seeing 'Is PC gaming dead?' articles, that this took me by surprise. I think those articles are just as stupidly titled.

Nothing is dead, until it's dead.

[LMS]

it's called milking as hard as they can to tr and recoup some of the initial losses, Microsoft may not even make another console, instead focus on it's PC and Windows phone,PS4 or a new console by someone(sega,apple,google) will be announced this year for sure.

The consoles are so old it is sad, only the ps3 continues to make sexy games, but still lags far, far behind the pc.

The ps4 will be out no later than 2012, but i fucking hope with all my heart it comes out 2011

I never use my consoles, 95% of the games look like complete shit.

God of war 3 is the last console game i played, before that reACH, before that ALAN WAKE, before that....no idea, uncharted 2

In between that time I have played over 30 pc games, downloaded free mods, played countless matches of starcraft 2, been in tournaments for bad company 2 (we lost:( )

the console just sits there, being a bluray played, why???

no one in their right mind would buy a multiplat gAME On console if they have a bad ass gaming pc(i have 3) nd we all know 95% of games are on all platforms

[AnonUser5555]

Article = FAIL

The precise reason we dont have new consoles is because the current generation systems are ALL doing well. Each company has found their niche and developed quality products. No one needs to rush to the next gen. Lets not pretend pc gaming is a viable opponent.

[Psychotica]

When there are no new games in development then I will worry...

[Inzo]

I think its the other way around.

[Saryk]

The man is just saying that there is no reason to upgrade the current consoles because the consoles have enough power to last even longer than it has. The only thing needed is better software engineering. Eventually there will be a time in the future that hardware innovation will end. And after that is will be all software, period.

[Picnic]

This sentence is an entire load of rubbish: 'Then, of course, in the middle of last year, there was a broad hint of a PS4 followed by a broad hint of something called the Xbox 720 that would appear at the end of 2012.'

Any article that refers to the next Xbox as the 'Xbox 720' is a failure anyway. No name has been announced, Microsoft's last announcement about a new Xbox is that it was concentrating on the Kinect at the moment. If Microsoft have any sense they wouldn't use the number 720 in the name anyway as that number is synonomous with standard high definition. Xbox 1080 is more likely if the number thing continues. If it had anything to do with doubling numbers, the current Xbox would have been called the Xbox 256 (double 128 bits).

[Picnic]

What did you disagree with , you fool?

[Three_Sisters]

FAIL....

[Veneficus]

What is up with all of these "writers" forgetting that Nintendo exists?

[Shok]

They feel HD is everything, simply put.

[ATiElite]

The term "video game console" is used to distinguish a machine designed for consumers to buy and use "SOLELY" for playing video games, different from a personal computer, which has many other functions and plays video games.

Well my gaming friends "Consoles now have many OTHER functions so technically they are no longer "Consoles".
I know this is BLASPHEMY to some people but lets be real about the situation. The moment Consoles came with media players and Ethernet ports they were no longer consoles.

Consoles died with the Gamecube!! Next Gen when the Sony and M$ home video entertainment devices come with Keyboards, upgradeable hardware, and a Web browser then more people will understand and face reality.

[Valkyre]

OH THE IRONY!!! LMAO!!! :D :D