The gaming world coming to a standstill, content with just three consoles and not having any more new ones, that's the prediction made by analyst Tim Merel.
What he is basically saying is that the video game industry has grown so big, and the consoles so advanced that the cost of making one game would be huge, and publishers would be forced to make 'fewer, bigger, faster' games, most likely sequel, after sequel of a traditional game series...Innovation would be left aside because of the high risk involved.
He also continued that the downloadable game sector is accelerating. Quoted from him:
"Downloadable content (as with Valve’s Steam) and actual delivery of PS3/Xbox360 quality games via broadband without a console (as with the anticipated OnLive launch) are challenging traditional game distribution and console hardware platforms. There are concerns about bandwidth requirements and usage restrictions, but increasing broadband speeds in developed markets should address these in the medium term. So while it appears that there should be an 8th console cycle starting in 2013-14, there are now question marks over whether there will be a 9th console cycle at all. If the next console cycle is the last, it would create potentially significant long term issues for Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo and GameStop amongst others.”
I don't know about you, but I like to buy my games rather than download them off the internet. Maybe I'm just old-fashioned, but true gaming consoles are the way to go. And if Nintendo is any indication, they'll just keep on innovating with new ways of playing games, and thus make new consoles every time this happens. Take that, last console cycle.
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