Future console companies

Ok, so following Infinium going bust, it's blatantly obvious (if it wasn't before the inevitable liquidation) you can't compete in today's home console market without a bank balance in the billions.

Sony are in it for the long run. The Playstation brand will run and run.

Same with Microsoft, and to be honest, I'm surprised they didn't enter sooner. And M$ have the money to keep going until they crack the market.
(Having just seen I-Robot, I am worried about a potential future with robots running on a M$ OS, oh dear...)

As for Nintendo, there's only one more gen of console to see whether they're staying in as a major home console manufacturer.

So do you think that there will be any companies in the future that will try to bring out a home machine, that'll have relative success?? Are there any other companies with the financial backing to even try such a thing? Matsushita/Panasonic are one of the few companies with the cash. So, after the 3DO failure, would they have another crack at the market, maybe in partnership with Nintendo?

Or are with suck with a future with (potentially) 2 home consoles to choose between, one with a Sony badge, the other with a M$ logo?

Your thoughts please......

 

I am absolutely positive that Nintendo won't lose handheld business, No matter what. And they aren't going to be disappearing from the console business too soon either - The gamecube is pretty close in worlwide sales to the Xbox, So i really don't see them going anywhere soon - They might simply become a "2nd Console" company, Focusing on lots of exclusive games and marketting the hardware at a low price - This has happened already somewhat with the Gamecube - Almost all of the games i own on the gamecube are nintendo exclusives.

So in conclusion, heres what i think will happen come next gen in terms of market share - about 60% of all consoles sold will be PS3's, 25% Xbox2 and 15% Revolution's. However most revolution owners will also have one of the others, however few people will have both an XBOX2 and PS3.

Or i could end up being completely wrong of course...

Hmm and a panasonic/matsushita+ nintendo console - Well we have the Q, perhaps there's a bigger partnership in the works there. I mean nintendo's game experience and Panasonics Electronic experience has to be useful

 

In the future there will be...

Well if Nintendo stops screwing around with their useless gimicks and gets back to the gameplay AND gets some 3rd parties back then they will probably be able to survive.

Unfortunately the games industry is quickly heading the way of the music and movie industries. Massive amounts of crap with very little thought put into their products. I also predict that Microsoft will further ruin things by draging the PC games industry with them (See plans for Xbox2). Oh and Sony will continue to put out unreliable consoles that are a pain to fix.

 

Obscure

From out in left field I can see a Sega Sammycast! :smt042
~Krelian

 

I think it would be cool if Panasonic made a console. I know they "made" the 3DO, but 3DO was the company that designed the 3DO. Panasonic just built them. I would like to see Panasonic make a system of their own. It will brobably never happen, but It would still be cool. Also, I would love to see a new Sega console, but once again it will never happen. What I would like to see above all things is a joint project between Sega and Nintendo. Similar to the Triforce, except it would be a home console. Just imagine all the cool first party games.

 

uh... well, here's my predictions of the future.....

The leader for now: sony will loose a part of is power due to the fact that:

1.1- sony don't really bring alot of fresh stuff , only releasing sequals of sequals that are already sequals ... i don't have any troubles with sequals , but they need to be revolutionning , not just the same game with better graphics and more characters and/or tracks and/or guns , or anything else.

contrary to sony , nintendo isn't the case to release (by exemple) 4 super smash bros on a console , adding each times better graphics and a couple of new tricks, characters and stage.

oh yeah , sure, there's execption to what i say.

1.2- sony's ps3 project is a bit too ambitious and too much axed on power versus inovation.

1.3- never heard of the 3rd console curse? well, i belive a bit in it. :-D

The Bad guy ( :-D ) : microssoft loose a bit.
because microssoft now know how the industry work (well, he knew before , but he wasn't in the lake. ) and know that is plan with is first console , their xbox most axed on online and power, work good on the gamer of today (alot of gamers of today can buy a game only for is graphics you know?) . so they will do the same , and it will work . they will not beat sony yet , but will be closer to their goal, dominating the gaming industry. so they will gain points on this because gamers that love them know what they need to expect for... but wait! i said that xbox will not change and i saw they gain points... yeah i know , read the next paragraph.

microssoft will loose points gamers with their new developement tool, because the xbox2 will have alot of pc games , it will be so simple to programmer to make a game that is compatible with pc and xbox 2 that we will see too many of them . hell, microssoft whant to release xbox2 controllers compatible with pcs! and i say the truth and only the truth here, microssoft said it! microssoft also whant nintendo and sony to use is dev. kit! again, microsoft said it ! i was shocked and upset to read this in a xbox magazine at my friend house! if microssoft succes on his shot , they will destroy video games , clear and simple. that's were i think they're going to fail , some real gamers will simply hate microsoft for this.

the comapgny exiting the fog: nintendo. this is a name to watch in the next war. it will be good or bad, begining or end , 0 or 1 , fall or reborn.

nintendo need to understand that they need 3rd- party puplisher, they need to pay for compagnies , they need squaresoft , they need to evolve and they need online.

if they don't understand this , it will be the end of a time , just like sega.but i think they understand the situation ,and i think they will change .... no i don't like the word change , i will say ''evolve''. you just need to look at the the ds to understand , online and comunications. but you also need to watch the ds to know that nintendo could gain points. they've understand that the gaming era don't need power anymore , they need inovations , creativity, gameplay. they know that the gaming industry need to change , the gaming industry is saturated and is being destroyed by sequels of sequels thatare already sequels , sequels that btw , aren't really needed. i think they can re-enter in the middle of the fight , i on't say the could destroy sony , not yet , its impossible , but they can make a great war with microssoft if they understand and evolve. they are already on a good way with their DS , a good warior in the next handeld war .. i think that they will beat sony in the handheld war , or at worst , they will not be killed in this territory, they won't leave their place so easly.

the compagny from the fog: SEGA. Yeah, i think sega will return in the war, not now .... but one day... i think snk , sega (err....and sammy) could do one hell of team ! sega is already know to be a arcade axed compagny , as well as snk. snk buried the neo-geo but still need a new home console ...as well as our lovely sega.

:smt045

:-D

that's it for my predictions ... it would be cool to see who had reason in a couple of years , if we are still here (and i hope we will... ----but no one can tell the future ---- ;-) )

who know? :smt033

 

I predict (another) massive recall of the new Sony console. Either due to:

Region free - again (legal problems from the authorities)

Electrical Faults (fire/electrocution)

Ex-programmers revenge (sacked for pointing out a fault, most likely one of the above), by installing hard-core porn dialers/screensavers into the OS

The console smelling of bacon if used for more than 2 hours, thereby upsetting the Jewish gaming community

It being shit, and Sony falling back on "plan b" (sticking some more RAM in the PS2 and re-badging it)

 

Is it just me or did you just contradict yourself? Where is this innovation from Nintendo. So far all I have seen are lame gimmicks and continuations of old franchises and a few new games that are not even that appealing. The GBA to GC connectivity is a joke. Not only has this been done before (see NGPC to DC) but making it an actual requirement for some games in multiplayer? Yeah sure Nintendo I'll run right out and buy 4 GBA's just so I can enjoy the multiplayer mode of a game with my friends. The GBA player has also been done before (See Super Gameboy). The DS is the ONLY thing that they have at this point that is really innovating and isn't a complete gimmick but even that is just a more powerful handheld with an extra touch screen and a few other things thrown in.

 

I'd say it's possible for Samsung to do it. They are a big, rich company, and they have dabbled in the games business before...

 

i've said that nintendo wasn't the type of compagny to make
''4 super smash bros on a console , adding each times better graphics and a couple of new tricks, characters and stage''

not that they where the type to make 4 super smash bros and only adding '' better graphics and a couple of new tricks, characters and stage'' , they've made only 2 super smash bros. and i don't think the last one was saturated , unlike some sony game where they will make 4 games , one at each 2 years adding each time a couple of new caracter (or whatever) 2 or 3 new tricks and tracks/maps/ stages.

i didn't contradict myself.

and i agree with you that the conectivity is big shit. sure , fun shit but still shit. the idea is cool, buy i really don't whant to pay another console just to play mutliplayer games with friends. the one personal screen and general screen idea is great , but that's a cheap shot at the same time, i don't whant to spend a 100 bucks for a controller that will let me play with my friends. i hope they will scrape this idea , and they will need to if they whant to evolve. they've said it was better than online , my ass.

 

What is so bad about that? I would love to have an XBOX Controller (the s of course) for my PC. It is solid and comfortable. Also, didn't Sega release a Saturn pad that could hook up to a PC. If so than I guess Sega is an evil company trying to take over gaming as well.

I agree with everything you have just said. Nintendo needs to focus on what gamers want. They don't want their "inovations", they want a cool console, with lots of games, and a good on line plan. Not stupid gimmicks. I love Nintendo, but I hate what they are doing. I have a friend who said he would like the GC better if it had more on line games. My friend is a casual gamer, and like it or not casual gamers are about 99% of the market. Also, most casual gamers think alike. Nintendo needs to get thier act together. I hate to say this, but if they fail it might be the last time we ever get to enjoy Mario, Zelda, Metroid, etc.

 

samsung with nintendo and sega with snk , woah! :-D

 

I see good points, but call bullshit on some.

Consollidation is the way forward.

Companies cant singularly compete, collaberation is needed.

Nintendo have spent wisely, and had the collateral to pull through, as will continue.

Pokemon has raised infinite revenue.

Bla blah

 

Yes, but they're releasing it a few months before the systems 10th birthday (and one day after my 20th b'day :-D ) ... not during its commercial lifetime. Not that it makes a difference - I think the PC needs some more good gamepads, but not 100% Stalin-style standardized crap though. :smt071

 

Yes, but it is still an official product from Sega, and according to cahaz it is bad for a company to release a gampad for the PC.

 

That's the thing though. Nintendo may not do it as fast but they are still doing it. The best and most popular Nintendo games on the GC are sequels which is the problem. I know that I can always look forward to the next Zelda game etc but it would be nice if their line-up wasn't completely predictable.

 

PC game pads

PC game pads just don't cut it for many PC games. For example a keyboard and mouse is much more accurate in FPS's when compared to a pad. A keyboard and mouse is also much more convenient for RTS's as well and seeing as how those are probably the 2 most popular genres on PC's they aren't very useful (if you want to win:-D) for anything but emulators and a few games.

 

Re: PC game pads

On the flipside of that, we need more PC games that AREN'T FPSes and RTSes. I applaud Konami for making more PC ports (like the Silent Hill series and MGS2 Substance among others). We're also seeing more genres coming out of Asia, like the PC versions of Guilty Gear X and XX#reload.

 

well, here an explaination of my toughts :

microsoft whant to make standards in the gaming industry , just like they've made for windows. they whant to standarise everything , and this is bad for gaming industry , really bad. what will we see with this controller and xenon? no differences , only pc to gaming consoles ports that have the same controller. wow.

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they whant to establish standards everywhere . on the web , on your computer , in your gaming console , in your controller , in your game... have fun!
Deja Vu you've said?

they whant nintendo and sony to join too. wow , everyone in the same bag, everyone having the same game , everyone having the same controller .... have fun!
Deja Vu you've said?

they whant to establish standards everywhere . on the web , on your computer , in your gaming console , in your controller , in your game... have fun!
Deja Vu you've said?

they whant nintendo and sony to join too. wow , everyone in the same bag, everyone having the same game , everyone having the same controller .... have fun!
Deja Vu you've said?
-------------------------------------------------------------

(all those same paragraphs where made intentionally to make you understand that ports (copies) and standardized are dull, bad, ''grey'' ,.... (everything you whant that is bad)

you can say this: standardization =uniformization=no competition= butched games. simple but true formula...

look at another microssoft product by exemple; Windows.
windows don't have any big competition (well , linux grow and grow but it will take time before being knowed from the general public/users) and microssoft can make crap if they whant , because they don't have any competition , they can't really be compared or something else. what microssoft is doing? the easy way the could make things, butched and crap programs...

but ey , you can't really complain because you see windows everywhere, when you buy a new computer, you really rarely can choose between windows and linux (or whatever else) , Windows is standarised .... how does it affect us?
well, you can't choose (make me think about one film....matr...something ) and you have crap that always bug and that have no-sense (does windows equal the matrix? mmm.....well, the matrix have bug/glitches but not as many as windows! :smt043 :smt043 )

standardization equal pre-heated too.
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you got a point . i love zelda and mario and i don't whant them to quit , i've grow with them , but i whant to see new things too. rare was a fresh air breath to nintendo , but now they are with M$, sadly for nintendo. Square is more and more intersted to return in colaboration with nintendo , and this is a good point. nintendo need other games with the purple triangle ''only for nintendo gamecube'', and not only from themselves, from other developers /publishers.

 

I think the point of the thread was to see if there are any other companies out there besides Sony, Nintendo, or Microsoft that might have a chance at putting out a home console and have it actually succeed.

Well, I don't think so. Besides Mutshitua/Panasonic, I don't really see anyone else that has the cash to do it.

But it's not just about money (as Phantom proves,) you've got to have some name recognition. What about some of the bigger companies like Konami, Capcom, JVC, Bandai, or NEC? I don't really keep up with the financial status of Japanese companies, so I don't know.

I highly doubt we'll see any American companies try to get into the act. Sure, there are plenty of American game/toy/electronics companies that have the resources to do so, some who have dabbled in Video game consoles in the past, say like Hasbro, Galoob (not even sure if they're still around,) EA games (Oh god please no) RCA, or whatever. The market is still dominated by the Japanese, and any American company that wants to break ground in it is going to have a hard time.

I could see an American company being successful with a handheld, as handhelds are still somewhat marketed towards children/teens and don't neccessarily depend on the game having the best graphics/sounds in the world. I think it could be possible for a smaller company to grab a niche if they had the right marketing and some killer apps.

Look at GP 32, a small company that never expanded past Korea but is still going strong and has developed a worldwide underground following. They had the right machine at the right time, if a smaller company were to develop something similar and keep the price competitive I think it could work, even with the DS and PSP around.

Of course, Atari could come out of left field and take over again with thier 28643837 bit monster, the "Laguar Extreme," but don't tell anyone it uses 1432193 and a half 1-bit processors working in tandem.