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Cutting edge console technologies may soon be a thing of the past
Recently we’ve heard a lot of worrying tales that PC games
are losing favour with developers and publishers alike, and possibly even gamers themselves. The very
future of the platform appears to be under threat. It’s hardly much of a surprise: modern
consoles have become so powerful that they are easily comparable to all but the
most powerful PC gaming rigs. And thanks to manufacturers heavily subsidising
the hardware costs, they are a much cheaper option.
Now there’s some good news for PC gamers, but bad news for console players if recent analysis of the console market is anything to go by. As we know, Nintendo’s Wii is tearing a new hole in the console market. And not only is flying off shelves faster than warm baked goods on a chilly spring morning, it is going against everything that Sony and Microsoft stand for and making money right out of the box. Graphically, it is leagues behind its two main console competitors, but that has made no difference to it.
This in turn could, and probably will, have far reaching consequence for the next round of console wars: analyst Billy Pidgeon, program manager for IDC's Consumer Markets: Gaming program states “I think the results of this cycle will have a strong influence on the next cycle, in that cheaper consoles will be expected.” “Microsoft and Sony will attain successful business on this generation, but catering to the early adopter hardcore gamers with a technology leader strategy will be difficult in 2011.”
Of course, while this evolution may well happen in console space, there’s little to suggest that PC gaming technologies will break from its ongoing downward spiral toward pricing itself out of its own market with ever more incredible-yet-hugely-expensive graphics card technologies.
However, former DirectX creator Alex St. John has been speaking in an interview this week, outlining how PC gaming is set to make a huge comeback.
Integrated Intel graphics chips have been oft cited as a major problem for the PC games market. These incredibly cheap graphics technologies have ensured that PCs can be found almost anywhere, but they remain utterly useless for gaming. That could soon change, as Alex St. John explains:
“Intel is producing a new generation of chips that have CPU and GPU on the same die which share access to the cache—the L1 cache—coming out in maybe 2009. Those chips should have two interesting capabilities. They should theoretically, in terms of traditional Direct3D performance, be maybe five to ten times faster than the current chips on the market, but they may also have some graphics capabilities that don't exist anywhere on the market because of the change in architecture.”
If this turns out to be correct then essentially the next round of console wars will put each platform on a level playing field. PCs may not be enjoying the same graphical advantage next time round, but coupled with the ever increasing market for digital distribution, will enjoy a much more organised response to the increased pressure from consoles.
Consoles meanwhile seem to be getting closer and closer to turning into full blown PCs themselves, which is further blurring the distinction.
It seems clear that both Sony and Microsoft shot themselves in the feet by overstretching so far in their effort to outdo each other technologically, so the next round of console wars may see a relative slowdown. If this does give PC gaming a chance to catch up again, then the increased choice is only for the better.
However, one factor that does appear to have been underestimated in all these analyses is the role of control options. Nintendo’s success hasn’t just been born from a clever pricing/technology mix. The innovative Wii remote helped considerably. Though the advancement of console technologies may begin to slow next time, the role of control technologies shouldn’t be underestimated either.
Source
ExtremeTech and Next-Gen
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March 26, 2008 in Console games, Console hardware, PC games, PC hardware | Permalink
Comments
Bert - Are you kidding me?
You go on about inviting friends round and being sociable and you start off your post with
Metroid Prime 3 and Zelda Twilight Princess?
Both unsociable single player experiences.
At least say something like Brawl (a single screen multiplayer) which is the sort of game that the Wii is built for. AND Bringing up a FPS? - you're going to lose that argument!
I think its funny how you Wii fanboys say that PS3 and 360 are just improved visuals, when all Nintendo games (with the exception of Galaxy) are all exactly the same games as have been on the gamecube, but with improved graphics.
At least PS3 and 360 games actually play differently.
Zelda: TP was fun, but it was Ocarina of time with a few additions and better graphics.
Metroid 3 is just Prime and Echoes in 480p with a slightly further draw distance.
But they're both essentially gamecube games, controlled in a different way.
Sure they're both good. Great even ... by what a Wii can handle, not a next gen console and they aren't new. The Wii-mote doesn't make them new.
Bert "Now, I personally would put gameplay experience over raw graphics or physics..."
Me too. Which is why I've swapped Metroid for CoD4.
Don't get me wrong the expert control scheme in Metroid was great, better than playing on a standard controller, but after playing prime and echos, playing another last gen game but with a different controller doesn't improve the game that much.
Metroid scored high in reviews ... but for a Wii, not by next gen standards.
Its the same with Res Evil 4. Great on gamecube, still great on Wii. The Wii-mote improves the mechanic, but it's still the same game.
Brawl is just an improved Melee. With virtually no hardware improvement there's no scope for game advancement.
the only scope for new experiences on Wii is if you build a game around the controller - like Wii sports. Which is fun with friends, but the first two games you've just mentioned aren't innovative.
They are good, but Super Mario Brothers was good, but we can't keep playing 2D platformers for the rest of our lives. The same as we can't keep playing gamecube games.
I know all you people uneducated in the ways of Next Gen just think PS3 and 360 are "better visuals", but they aren't. It is what can be done with a game and immerising you deeper in an experience.
Goldeneye was fantastic at the time, but now that hardware has improved it isn't just improved visuals, it has actually changed the experience. In FPS you can blow out the side of buildings, crawl through individually rendered blades of grass. When you shoot people they react in a lifelike fashion. When people die on stairs they roll down the staircase instead of dying on the spot floating in mid air. Bodies fly through the air with explosions. There are realistic shadows that you can hide in. Doesn't it get stale when baddies on the Wii go into their standard "dying" animation?
Umbrella Chronicals is another example of a game being held back by technology. How much better would that game have felt if the zombies utilised ragdoll physics? How much more fun would it have been watching the zombies dance around as you blasted their different body parts?
Hardware actually changes the game mechanics and in doing so the experience AND if its done right improves gameplay.
At the end of the day. I'm not going to convince any of you.
You guys enjoy your system of choice and I'll enjoy mine.
Just do me one favour...
Compare Zelda: TP Wii game mechanics to the gamecube version.
Compare Metroid 3 game mechanics to Echos
Compare Brawl game mechanics to Melee
And when it comes out compare Mario Kart Wii game mechanics to Double Dash.
Then when you've finished doing that.
Compare Grand Theft Auto 3 game mechanics to Grand Theft Auto 4.
Then you'll understand you'll understand the difference between this generation and the last.
I'll leave you with one final fact. The components of the Wii are so cheap to manufacture that Nintendo makes $50 every console shipped. the PS3 initially sold at a loss.
That's great for Nintendo and their shareholders. Loads of money in the bank. Is that good for you the consumer? Purchasing substandard merchandise?
Posted by: jtucker78 | Mar 27, 2008 10:52:45 AM
@jtucker78: Dude, you're wrong. The Wii is the msot innovative, interactive and cheapest gaming console there is atm. Not everyone is a Hardcore Graphics only nerd. The Wii has some games of epic quality such as Metroid Prime 3: Corruption and The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. Now, I personally would put gameplay experience over raw graphics or physics; and that's where the Wii shines; Gameplay! Nothing is as fun as inviting friends over for dinner and playing some rounds of Wii tennis or Mario Party 8 after...But I guess you wouldn't know since diehard 'OMG Graphic p0w3rrrr!!!!! 1337!!!!!!!' people like you don't have any friends to invite over for dinner. You use things like the PS3 and XBox360 to have online multiplayer, nothing wrong with that, cool and stuff but having your friends coming over is the best multiplayer you'll ever get. And altough the so-called next-gen consoles do have some good games (Assassin's Creed and Bioshock come to mind) most of them also release on PC sooner on later (whereas you'll never see Zelda on PC) and honestly, my PC costed less than a PS3 and XBox together and it graphically beats the crap outta those two.
Posted by: Bert | Mar 27, 2008 8:37:50 AM
You have got to be kidding. The future of gaming is in the casual gamer. Guess what, there are more people out there who don't have the time to put 40 hours into work and 40 hours into a game. It would only be smart for the console market to target the larger audience. It's business, all about making money. I think if the trend goes to console = casual and serious = PC, that would only make sense to me.
Posted by: BCedar | Mar 26, 2008 7:35:20 PM
Nintendo is not killing any industry. She was just smart enought to capture the part of the industry that has been left of for a very long time.
I´ve been playing video-game since Atari, PC, Amiga and many consoles, but it just lost for new and smart titles.
Guitar Hero changed it on PS2, as nintendo did it now. I were just to tired to play the same games all over again with new clothes, same style.
Interactive is the key because it makes it possible for a 6 year or 5 year old play with a 30 ou 40 year old and still kicks the crap out of them.
That is major, it put family in center. You don´t need to be the master of the joystick, sleep, eat, think like the joystick, just to call friends home and me Mr Monster Game.
But now you call friends, have fun, and it just keep on getting better and better.
Wii is the best video game console ever invented. That is why is is been so hard to find even a year later. No PS3 ou Xbox will ever beat it.
Just put the 3 in a room, call you family for a barbecue, PS3 and Xbox will have all minute attention for graphics and etc, but once you hear someone chear on a wii game, you imeddiatly will stop and start playing wii too.
Videogames is supossed to entertaing and not be the best hard graphics ever. And that nintendo scored high.
Posted by: Getulio Junior | Mar 26, 2008 5:12:53 PM
I think your view of the console market is too narrow. While the Wii is making headlines with the number of units sold, it is Microsoft that is actually making the larger share of the money in the industry. As more titles come out for the Wii, that may change. But it has a lot of catching up to do. The lack of power on the Wii also limits the options for developers. Had it not been for the "Red Ring of Death" issue, Microsoft would have turned a much larger profit by now. I'm also sure they lost a good number of sells because of RRoD fear.
Posted by: DCBronco | Mar 26, 2008 3:23:15 PM
Man I hate the Wii!
The Wii to the video game industry is what X-Factor and Popstars is to the music industry.
Marketing, gimmicks, but no substance.
I am one of those foolish enough to buy the Wii. I was a long term Nintendo fan so naturally preordered and got the Wii on release day. But then I quickly realised I'd made a grave mistake.
See, I'm a gamer. I'm not a 5 year old, an old granny or a "casual".
So once the novelty of the Wii-mote wore off I realised that I'd payed well over the odds for a white gamecube.
I have since bought a PS3 and I don't have the words to describe the difference!
Nintendo say the Wii is as powerful as 2 cubes
Sony say the PS3 is as powerful as 20 PS2s
Now I know Sony has overpromised in the past, but when I run both machines side by side (even in low res - not HD) I wouldn't be surprised if the PS3 is as powerful as 30 Nintendo Wiis.
Except for the controller the PS3 does everything light years better than a Wii does.
Graphics, Sound, physics, online experience...
Nintendo are raking the money in, and it's these blasted casuals and non gameplayers that are making it a success.
People always moan that manufactured bands are killing the music industry.
Well, Nintendo is killing the video game industry, and if Sony and Microsoft follow suit we'll be stuck with 3 underpowered party consoles.
The only solace I take is that there will always be a small group of us that like multiplayer deathmatches and shooting zombies.
Please Sony and Microsoft - stay loyal to who put you where you are!
Posted by: jtucker78 | Mar 26, 2008 3:23:01 PM
