Are Consoles Dead?

Gaming consoles have gone downhill after the Gamecube/ps2 era. People get too impressed with shiny graphics instead of gameplay...They still make some good games but you got to sift through heaps and heaps of crap..mostly FPS clones just to find 1 good title. New consoles are already dead to me. I'll stick with my Sega Genesis and Saturn thank you very much.

Going by the fact that at the moment I am only playing XBLA games (Trials Evolution and Gotham City Imposters), i'd say consoles are not dead and are only just touching on their full potential.

Originally posted by DarkDefender
reply to post by Helig

 

Very true.. I don't think they'll fully be able to wipe out the used games because as you said this will piss off a solid 80% of gamers. Kind of like Microsoft toyed with the notion of purely downloadable and digital release for their next-gen console before seeing the pure outrage gamers and changing their mind. But I agree, and the stupid "online pass" one-time use codes already annoy me so much as they add an instant $10 hike to any used game.

I agree with this post. Game developers are only giving the consumer partial games at full price, then within a month of the game release the dribble out content in the form of DLC's to scrap more money from people. Batman Arkham City which garnered rave reviews from everyone is an example of this. The actual game itself was maybe a good 4-5 hours and it was over. Now you good do stupid crap like run around and solve all of the riddler puzzles but that isn't really content nor is the survival mode they have.

Compare it to a game like Skyrim which you can easily sink 100 hours into.

The one time use codes for online multiplayer is an annoyance, but I did pay for one for Dead Space 2 because I thought that the concept was interesting, I quickly realized that was a waste of 800 MSP.

Not sure if anyone went to E3 earlier this month but PC was definitely the winner and attracted the most buzz. Yes the graphics are flashy for the new Xbox and PS but, as was noticed by many observers at E3, those graphics are still only current gen PC quality and will be surpassed by new PC hardware before the new consoles even hit the market.

Some of the biggest buzz was surrounding a few PC companies that are trying to create a video game version of netflicks. You require no console or pc, just a TV that connects to the net and you can play any games in their library (with wireless controller) for a monthly subscription. This could become very big depending on the quality of games they could get rights to.

The consoles had a poor showing at E3.

Originally posted by Sunglower
Gaming consoles have gone downhill after the Gamecube/ps2 era. People get too impressed with shiny graphics instead of gameplay...They still make some good games but you got to sift through heaps and heaps of crap..mostly FPS clones just to find 1 good title. New consoles are already dead to me. I'll stick with my Sega Genesis and Saturn thank you very much.

This....

Its all about a glitzy veneer nowadays, hiding underneath it a hollow, lackluster core.

Well, if thats what the idiots will buy... thats what the corporations will make.

Unfortunately I do not see the trend of flashy graphics / hollow gameplay changing anytime soon. Not having to think and mindlessly watching flashing lights and pretty explosions appeals greatly to the mostly braindead masses.

I don't think consoles are dead, but I also notice the same problems with them as you pointed out in the OP. The truth is that consoles are inferior to PCs in almost every aspect one can think of.

Although, game consoles have become much more innovative over the last 10 years (online play, downloadable content, motion detection) and this has revolutionised the industry from being a simple box that can play video games. Also worthy of noting is that consoles are becoming more like computers in terms of functionality.

One advantage consoles still have over computers is in terms of portability and accessibility; consoles are generally flatter and smaller than PCs and can be accessed from any TV anywhere. Another advantage is that consoles are generally easier and safer to use for the young, which is better for parents that want to keep their kids entertained but not have to monitor them 24/7.

I've been an avid console gamer since I was in elementary school, but I agree. Games today are too dumbed down, repetitive and get boring very fast. I remember my youth playing games like Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Goldenye, etc. I miss the quality and length of the older generations of games.