Capcom’s COO, David Reese, believes that 2012 will be an interesting year. The Mayan’s aren’t involved with this particular prediction as mister Reese says that a new generation of consoles would come then. Until April last year, it had apparently been pretty close or the world would have seen a new generation of consoles already, with Kinect and Move as main reason.
However, he says that the Kinect and the Move are nothing more than a stop-gap, a life extender like the Sega 32x. He says that the money goes to games like Wii Fit, Brain Training and Rock Star.
Let’s dive in to this statement and see why this man is dead wrong and why this generation should be here to stay!
News Trek: The Next Generation
However, he says that the Kinect and the Move are nothing more than a stop-gap, a life extender like the Sega 32x. He says that the money goes to games like Wii Fit, Brain Training and Rock Star.
Let’s dive in to this statement and see why this man is dead wrong and why this generation should be here to stay!
News Trek: The Next Generation
Kicking off, I want to talk about the current generation of consoles. They already are as good as it’s going to get. Of course, there could be some improvements made on the 360 and the Wii when it comes to the discs they use (here’s a hint: It’s not Blu-Ray), these consoles are perfect.
Nintendo already said that they are not going to make a Wii 2 because that would be redundant. If they are going to make a new console, it’s going to be one as revolutionary as the Wii was compared to the Gamecube. Even then, that is only going to happen any time soon if Myamoto asked it. (No, seriously, if he asked that they needed destroyed the Hoover Dam for the next Zelda game, bitches be blowing up the dam.)
The 360 really only needs a Blu-Ray player to be the best that they can be. Or want to be actually. Hardware wise that is, as they now have a 360 Slim and the Kinect. What more could they really need? The only thing that they can improve on is software, like the latest deal with Hulu. That is what they need to improve their console.
And what the PS3 needs to improve on is their PSN. Their hardware is solid, they have the move. All they need now is a network as solid as XBL.
All three major consoles do not need a new generation. If there is something that they need to be done, then they can simply add it in a new version of their current console. Like a 360 slim 2 with a blu-ray player. But then, why did Reese say that the companies need to make a new generation? The answer is simply: Zynga. And companies like it that make simple and addictive games that have millions of people playing their game. Apple with their casual games. Zynga with their casual games. The problem the current generation of consoles has is games. So then why throw a new console at it? Sure, Microsoft and Sony don’t make the games, but they could make deals or find people that will make these casual games for them.
Here’s also an idea, companies, free of charge. A game like FarmVille, on the Playstation 3 AND the PSP. At the same time. Same save, different console. The full game on the Playstation 3 and the ability to manage that game on the PSP. (like, using Farmville as an example again, harvesting crops and planting crops, trading gifts and buying things. If not FarmVille, think of World of Warcraft where you can manage the auction, the guild bank, your inventory and jobs all from your PSP)
Let’s look at the past new. Let’s see how the consoles evolved: Floppy - Cartridge - CD - ???Online??? - Motion Control/HD/Blu-ray - ???
As you may have noticed, I added Online there. A step in console evolution happened in the same generation. A generation evolved on its own and not in to a new generation. Then, when everything was over, the companies took what they had and incorporated it in to their new console alongside massive improvements and new additions to it.
Now, let’s look at the future. One thing that has been mentioned many times already is digital distribution. That the next gen would focus on it and that hard copies would no longer be made or be necessary. Like with the ability to play online, digital distribution is already incorporated in the current generation of consoles. Unlike online play, there really is no need to focus an entire console on it as the current ones can handle it just fine.
Not only that, but digital distribution is the most unreliable and insanely stupid means of distribution ever. Because of a few things:
1) 100% of your user base has to have an internet connection. A good internet connection that can be able to download games quickly and easily.
2) 100% of your user base has to have unlimited internet or the company has to make a deal with the providers so that game downloads do not feed on the monthly internet download bar.
3) DRM. Yes, this is probably going to happen folks. You are going to have an internet connection all the time in order for you to be able to play your games. Because even in a digital distribution age, piracy will exist and companies are going to protect themselves from it.
4) The companies are going to have to be able to restore your entire console from game to game and save to save and movie to movie if anything happens that is not the customers fault. There is no excuse for them not to be able to do so. Again, which also means a solid internet connection.
5) There isn’t a hard copy for you so that you can not download squat if you either lose your internet connection or you can no longer afford it.
And lastly, if not most importantly: 6) This will destroy firsthand games stores, used games stores, rental stores and thus the livelihoods of thousands, if not tens of thousands.
On a final note:
Companies don’t need to focus on their consoles, they need to focus on the games available on their consoles. They need to allow and encourage the third party developers to evolve in their games and maybe hire other companies to make games like Farmville. Consoles these days only need to improve things that can’t be fixed by just releasing a new version of their console or that can’t be fixed by updating the hardware on current versions so that new ones are already fixed.
Unless the next generation of consoles is going to involve VR, don’t bother and just stick with the guns you have.
Now about something untouched up to now: Is it socially acceptable to make these consoles? Right now gamers are being told they're fat, out of shape and cloistered off from other people. And that's without a fully digital console. What's it gonna be like if this happens? How many people are going to be totally and utterly closed off from society if this happens? The numbers might be higher than you think.
Nintendo already said that they are not going to make a Wii 2 because that would be redundant. If they are going to make a new console, it’s going to be one as revolutionary as the Wii was compared to the Gamecube. Even then, that is only going to happen any time soon if Myamoto asked it. (No, seriously, if he asked that they needed destroyed the Hoover Dam for the next Zelda game, bitches be blowing up the dam.)
The 360 really only needs a Blu-Ray player to be the best that they can be. Or want to be actually. Hardware wise that is, as they now have a 360 Slim and the Kinect. What more could they really need? The only thing that they can improve on is software, like the latest deal with Hulu. That is what they need to improve their console.
And what the PS3 needs to improve on is their PSN. Their hardware is solid, they have the move. All they need now is a network as solid as XBL.
All three major consoles do not need a new generation. If there is something that they need to be done, then they can simply add it in a new version of their current console. Like a 360 slim 2 with a blu-ray player. But then, why did Reese say that the companies need to make a new generation? The answer is simply: Zynga. And companies like it that make simple and addictive games that have millions of people playing their game. Apple with their casual games. Zynga with their casual games. The problem the current generation of consoles has is games. So then why throw a new console at it? Sure, Microsoft and Sony don’t make the games, but they could make deals or find people that will make these casual games for them.
Here’s also an idea, companies, free of charge. A game like FarmVille, on the Playstation 3 AND the PSP. At the same time. Same save, different console. The full game on the Playstation 3 and the ability to manage that game on the PSP. (like, using Farmville as an example again, harvesting crops and planting crops, trading gifts and buying things. If not FarmVille, think of World of Warcraft where you can manage the auction, the guild bank, your inventory and jobs all from your PSP)
Let’s look at the past new. Let’s see how the consoles evolved: Floppy - Cartridge - CD - ???Online??? - Motion Control/HD/Blu-ray - ???
As you may have noticed, I added Online there. A step in console evolution happened in the same generation. A generation evolved on its own and not in to a new generation. Then, when everything was over, the companies took what they had and incorporated it in to their new console alongside massive improvements and new additions to it.
Now, let’s look at the future. One thing that has been mentioned many times already is digital distribution. That the next gen would focus on it and that hard copies would no longer be made or be necessary. Like with the ability to play online, digital distribution is already incorporated in the current generation of consoles. Unlike online play, there really is no need to focus an entire console on it as the current ones can handle it just fine.
Not only that, but digital distribution is the most unreliable and insanely stupid means of distribution ever. Because of a few things:
1) 100% of your user base has to have an internet connection. A good internet connection that can be able to download games quickly and easily.
2) 100% of your user base has to have unlimited internet or the company has to make a deal with the providers so that game downloads do not feed on the monthly internet download bar.
3) DRM. Yes, this is probably going to happen folks. You are going to have an internet connection all the time in order for you to be able to play your games. Because even in a digital distribution age, piracy will exist and companies are going to protect themselves from it.
4) The companies are going to have to be able to restore your entire console from game to game and save to save and movie to movie if anything happens that is not the customers fault. There is no excuse for them not to be able to do so. Again, which also means a solid internet connection.
5) There isn’t a hard copy for you so that you can not download squat if you either lose your internet connection or you can no longer afford it.
And lastly, if not most importantly: 6) This will destroy firsthand games stores, used games stores, rental stores and thus the livelihoods of thousands, if not tens of thousands.
On a final note:
Companies don’t need to focus on their consoles, they need to focus on the games available on their consoles. They need to allow and encourage the third party developers to evolve in their games and maybe hire other companies to make games like Farmville. Consoles these days only need to improve things that can’t be fixed by just releasing a new version of their console or that can’t be fixed by updating the hardware on current versions so that new ones are already fixed.
Unless the next generation of consoles is going to involve VR, don’t bother and just stick with the guns you have.
Now about something untouched up to now: Is it socially acceptable to make these consoles? Right now gamers are being told they're fat, out of shape and cloistered off from other people. And that's without a fully digital console. What's it gonna be like if this happens? How many people are going to be totally and utterly closed off from society if this happens? The numbers might be higher than you think.
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