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Games: Sony Confirms PSPGo Gone; New Consoles Expected 2014

itwbennett writes "Sony on Wednesday confirmed rumors that it is ending production of the PSPGo, the 'slider' version of their handheld gaming system that was introduced back in 2009. Meanwhile, Kotaku posted an article saying that Microsoft and Sony probably won't be launching their next generation consoles until 2014. Whether the Kotaku prognostications are true or not, 'it's fun to think about what a console will have inside it in 3 years,' writes blogger Peter Smith. 'Will it support physical media? Probably. That seems too early for a pure digital delivery system. But I bet they'll have either terabyte hard drives or some kind of cloud storage for digital media.'"

116 comments

  1. And here I was, by mastermind7373 · · Score: 1

    thinking they would release a new console so PC gaming could have the bar raised higher. Looks like were stuck with 3 more years of console ports...

    1. Re:And here I was, by Seumas · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Yeah, I have been sticking with the PC for strategy, MMO, and certain FPS games. Going with the console for everything else (because I can sit on an 8' bean bag in front of a 65" television with an audio system that cost more than the last brand new car I bought a fwe years ago). However, I find myself slowly migrating back to PC for titles that I have come to feel weren't necessary to play on the PC - simply because 2011 hardware beats the shit out of low-end commodity hardware from 2005 that was being sold all together for $300 or $400 even back then.

      Unfortunately, it's just not so easy, because developers focus on consoles. Even the ones who are traditionally PC developers. The PC version is usually - at best - a red headed step child. It may not be what we normally consider a "port", but it's still developed using much of the resources and limitations that result from focusing on the console. For example, with Dragon Age II, you had to register your game, login to an EA.com account, tie your game to it, enter a code, find the HD res textures bundle, download it (over 1gb), then run an installer. Just to get non-console texture resolutions in a game that was an almost PC-exclusive experience and development a year before.

      So, we all suffer.

      But hey, by the holiday Season of 2014, we'll finally get low-end 2010 hardware on the console side. So exciting! And by 2023, we'll finally be playing on consoles that match game experience we're getting on PCs (or could get - if developers focused on it) in 2014!

      *sigh*

    2. Re:And here I was, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why would you have such an expensive audio system coupled to such a shitty screen and a *bean bag*? I guess you really didn't have any money left over.

    3. Re:And here I was, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      simply because 2011 hardware beats the shit out of low-end commodity hardware from 2005 that was being sold all together for $300 or $400 even back then.

      Right, and it also beats the shit out of the Xbox 360 and PS3, which are completely unrelated to this statement.

    4. Re:And here I was, by Seumas · · Score: 1

      Yeah. The 360 and the PS3 are the $300-$400 hardware from 2005 that we're talking about, Einstein. (Yeah, I know the PS3 actually launched higher than that, but you get the point).

    5. Re:And here I was, by ZorinLynx · · Score: 1

      On what planet is a 65" screen "shitty"? I have a 52" and it feels huge!

      To go much bigger than 65" you need to go projection, which has its downsides, among them having to use in pitch darkness to get the best image.

    6. Re:And here I was, by ZorinLynx · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Someone really needs to come up with an FPS controller that you can use in your lap while sitting on a couch or recliner. Something that gives you the full dexterity of a mouse/keyboard combo without requiring a desk.

      Only when they do this will playing shooters on a console become bearable.

    7. Re:And here I was, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Still, neither platform is "low-end," even by today's standards. They certainly weren't low-end at launch.

    8. Re:And here I was, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Maybe if you have a really shitty projector or are trying to use some 50 lumen pocket LED projector. Good ones have no problems projecting 200"-300" areas in fully lit rooms.

    9. Re:And here I was, by LordofEntropy · · Score: 1

      IIRC XBox 360 has 256MB of system RAM and 256MB of Video RAM. That's pretty low-end by today's standards.

      --
      Entropy just isn't what it used to be.
    10. Re:And here I was, by the+linux+geek · · Score: 1

      Sure they were. The processors, despite initial hype, were nothing special (two cycles to complete an integer instruction? Really?). They were coupled to small amounts of relatively slow RAM. The GPU's were midrange to high-end for the day, but are barely comparable to integrated graphics now.

    11. Re:And here I was, by tepples · · Score: 2

      Would a half keyboard and a trackball work? It's too bad that Matias, which owns the patent on half keyboards, prices them squarely in the insurance-driven market for assistive devices for people with disabilities, not the consumer-driven gaming market: $595? Give me a break.

    12. Re:And here I was, by Khyber · · Score: 2

      Sorry, a 7800-series GeForce is pretty low-end today.

      Most modern GPUs ALONE have as much power as the entire PS3.

      --
      Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
    13. Re:And here I was, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      How young can half-keyboards possibly be? Patents only last 20 years...

    14. Re:And here I was, by CronoCloud · · Score: 1

      No, the real low end are the integrated 6150SE's in the basic computer sold at the 'marts. And many people are running less than that.

    15. Re:And here I was, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I put the mouse on the arm rest cushion and the keyboard on the lap. Works really well. We've played Crysis, Doom 3, Far Cry, Riddick and others like that.
      (In our case with a projector and 5.1 sound system.)

      The trick is, that the mouse has an acceptable surface, and the cables are long enough. (Wireless created unbearable lag. No exceptions.)
      Too slippery, and the mouse will fall off. Too rough, and it sticks. But you can go rougher than you think.

    16. Re:And here I was, by Verunks · · Score: 1

      Would a half keyboard and a trackball work? It's too bad that Matias, which owns the patent on half keyboards, prices them squarely in the insurance-driven market for assistive devices for people with disabilities, not the consumer-driven gaming market: $595? Give me a break.

      the keyboard is not really the problem, pushing a button on a pad or a keyboard doesn't make that much difference, also there is the logitech g13 that cost less than 100€
      when playing an fps on console the real problem is the aim stick, it's nowhere near a mouse precision, that's why there are a lot of aim aids on console games

    17. Re:And here I was, by SlashV · · Score: 1

      Someone really needs to come up with an FPS controller that you can use in your lap while sitting on a couch or recliner.

      My suggestion is:
      - a foot board for moving (e.g. by tilting the board forward and sideways; jump by pushing it down)
      - Trackball in one hand for rotation/orientation.
      - Laser gun pointed at the screen in other hand for aiming. (no sharks involved)

    18. Re:And here I was, by somersault · · Score: 1

      I used to think that, but I don't mind joypads now. I got a Fragnstein for my PS3 but I haven't really used it. My main issue with console FPSes is that on many of them you can't fully disable auto-aim..

      --
      which is totally what she said
    19. Re:And here I was, by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      The inherent problem with projectors is that black is white. That means that in the best case they still suck.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    20. Re:And here I was, by inventorM · · Score: 1

      The problem with creating such a device is not the technological factors, but rather the ergonomic factors. The reason a mouse-keyboard combo gives you such control is that your desk it at just the right height to work at. It is harder to work with controls if they are at waist height instead of mid-torso height.

    21. Re:And here I was, by slaingod · · Score: 1

      The old MadCatz Panther XLwas exactly this.

      http://www.xim3.com/community/index.php?topic=11113.0

      --
      http://blog.slaingod.com
    22. Re:And here I was, by elrous0 · · Score: 1

      I'll be sure and tell the 10 million+ people who've played dozens of console FPS's over the last 10 years that you've deemed the game controller unbearable.

      --
      SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
    23. Re:And here I was, by Khyber · · Score: 1

      Surprise the 6150 actualy beats the HD4200 in most games I've played.

      --
      Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
    24. Re:And here I was, by CronoCloud · · Score: 1

      Maybe, but you do realize the 6150SE is no match for the PS3 or Xbox 360.

    25. Re:And here I was, by Khyber · · Score: 1

      Uh, duh, considering the PS3 uses a modified 7800.

      --
      Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
    26. Re:And here I was, by ZorinLynx · · Score: 1

      Just because they don't know any better doesn't make them right.

  2. More RAM? by Renraku · · Score: 1

    When the hell are they going to put more RAM in consoles? I mean seriously, just cram 8GB in those damn things. I'm tired of consoles being seriously limited in memory for no good reason.

    For example when everyone had 512MB of RAM, consoles came out that had like 16MB.

    --
    Job? I don't have time to get a job! Who will sit around and bitch about being broke and unemployed then?
    1. Re:More RAM? by Microlith · · Score: 2

      Why?

      It's not like they want YOU doing anything with it. They buy the absolute minimum to achieve the desired result, and developers work within those bounds. I wouldn't put any effort into breaking into the locked down DRM boxes than what is necessary to play a game, especially when you can do all the same and then some on a PC.

    2. Re:More RAM? by Ant+P. · · Score: 1, Interesting

      Tiny RAM space is one of the methods they use to slow down piracy. It's harder to hide bootloader-based copy protection cracking in resident memory if all of it needs to be used legitimately.

    3. Re:More RAM? by Seumas · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Because, they are selling a low end commodity product. The are selling an entire system of parts for half the price of a modern PC video card, because they perceive the consumer market as being too fucking cheap (and possibly rightfully so) to spend anything more than $300 or $400 on a gaming system that they're going to use for the next five or ten years. I enjoy gaming. I love eye-candy. I love lots of amazing stuff going on at any time time, visually and AI-wise. I love games with more people, better performance, 60fps, and all that. I am more than happy to spend $800 or $1,000 or even more on a very high end console that I'll be playing for the next decade. In the long run, it's still ten times cheaper than building a new gaming rig every 12-18 months over that same time period.

      But . . . they would likely seriously suffer in sales. So it's a lowest common denominator proposition.

    4. Re:More RAM? by Bieeanda · · Score: 2
      There is literally no good reason for them to shove more RAM in, let alone something ridiculous like eight gigabytes. Consoles don't have the overhead of multitasking multiple RAM-hogging applications and drivers, or the inherent size of a modern Windows operating system. They have a game, they have a dashboard, and that's it.

      If you're upset about load times, complain to the developers for not streaming or caching data effectively.

    5. Re:More RAM? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well sure, if you think RAM is the only thing that makes a console work.

    6. Re:More RAM? by westlake · · Score: 0

      They have a game, they have a dashboard, and that's it.

      Not any more.

      Not with multimedia apps, upload and download services, Skype, social networking and god alone knows what other software and services will be added in the future.

    7. Re:More RAM? by Myria · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Tiny RAM space is one of the methods they use to slow down piracy. It's harder to hide bootloader-based copy protection cracking in resident memory if all of it needs to be used legitimately.

      Are you kidding me? The PS3, Wii and 360 all have extra memory reserved for the kernel inside which piracy hacks have been placed for a while.

      --
      "Screw Sun, cross-platform will never work. Let's move on and steal the Java language." - Visual J++ Product Manager
    8. Re:More RAM? by Stuarticus · · Score: 1

      Remember how many Neo-Geo consoles got sold?

      --
      If you think someone isn't free to have a different definition of "freedom" you may be a tyrant.
    9. Re:More RAM? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why put more ram in consoles ? It's pretty graphics that people care about.

    10. Re:More RAM? by somersault · · Score: 1

      they perceive the consumer market as being too fucking cheap (and possibly rightfully so)

      Just look at the sales of the Wii for the answer, it is indeed like that.

      As IT workers with good jobs we also forget that many people actually struggle to afford higher end consoles as it is. The parts of the population that have the time or inclination to play the most games tend to also the poorest.. kids/students, and unemployed (or just lazy) people!

      --
      which is totally what she said
    11. Re:More RAM? by somersault · · Score: 1

      You obviously don't know anything about how to make pretty graphics then. For one thing, some consoles used shared memory for standard and video RAM. With more RAM, you can have larger draw distances (ie more of the world loaded into RAM at the same time), higher resolution textures, more variety in textures, more complex models, better reflections and anti-aliasing, and so on. Why do you think really high end graphics cards have something like 2GB of RAM these days?

      --
      which is totally what she said
    12. Re:More RAM? by 24-bit+Voxel · · Score: 1

      You absolutely have a point, but the games for that system were $200 and *thats* what killed them.

      People get bored of games faster than systems.

  3. Go with 'The Cloud' by countertrolling · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    100% uptime

    --
    For justice, we must go to Don Corleone
    1. Re:Go with 'The Cloud' by ustolemyname · · Score: 2

      uptime estimates accurate to within 3%, prior to termination of service.

    2. Re:Go with 'The Cloud' by dwhitaker · · Score: 2

      100% uptime

      I hope that was a sarcastic comment. Even as I type the PSN (Playstation Network) is down for an unspecified reason, and they think it will be down for a few days at least. 'The Cloud' is not *the* answer - it is *an* answer which should be implemented in conjunction with physical media, large hard drives, and other technology.

    3. Re:Go with 'The Cloud' by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You're missing the point!

      With a 1 TB hard disk, they can put the cloud ON THE HARD DISK! Awesome!

    4. Re:Go with 'The Cloud' by somersault · · Score: 1

      Even Amazon had outages recently, I think he was perhaps being sarcastic with respects to that.

      --
      which is totally what she said
  4. Physical Media... Of Course by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Why does everyone assume that everywhere has real hi-speed internet? I live in not so rural PA and the only "Hi-speed" we have is cellular 3G. No cable company will come out here, no fiber, no DSL. If it doesn't use real media, it isn't going to be sold here.

    Add to that the rest of the world doesn't always have unlimited bandwidth. So now you have to pay for the game and the bandwidth overages.

    Think again

    1. Re:Physical Media... Of Course by Montezumaa · · Score: 1

      I have the same problem. I live inside the "Metro Atlanta Area", yet I cannot only get "broadband" through Verizon's wireless service. AT&T's network is such shit that they do not offer UMTS out here, and neither AT&T or Comcast offer DSL or cable-based broadband. I am stuck using Verizon's overpriced mobile broadband, and capped at 5120 MB per month.

      What is even more embarrassing(for AT&T) is that my girlfriend has to use Verizon's network to do AT&T business. That and this is 2011 and I am still stuck at 1996 internet speeds...when I can keep my mobile "broadband" connection...connected. I really do not understand why there is not more coverage in the US.

      I live on a long road, with two towns on both sides. Each town has DSL offerings, but few residents in each town. Most of the residents, in the county I live in, live outside of these two towns(well, actually three towns in this county, but whatever). It will probably be 2035 before I ever see anything resembling "real" "broadband".

  5. Wow! by wsxyz · · Score: 1

    But I bet they'll have either terabyte hard drives

    Wow! A whole terabyte?!?!?

    1. Re:Wow! by Bieeanda · · Score: 1

      What, you're expecting multi-TB hard drives? Come on, they sell these things at a loss already. If they put 1 TB drives in, it'll be because they can't get 500 GB ones cheaper.

  6. Console? Heh. by blair1q · · Score: 0

    In three years, my "console" will consist of my smartphone with an HDMI cable attached to it.

    Another smartphone (or constellation of same) will be the controller(s), sensing motion, orientation, compass direction, temperature, sound, and impulses from my nerve endings, all transmitted to the console smartphone via HD Bluetooth, with a data assist via my home Wi-Fi or the local cellular net (which should be 5G or so).

    Strap one to each extremety and watch me kick virtual ass in Mortal Kombat 2015 by doing actual martial-arts moves on my living-room carpet.

    MS and Sony had better have freaking holograms that hit back if they want to compete with the world that's passing their asses by.

    1. Re:Console? Heh. by Microlith · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Because you're really going to own 3+ smartphones, and have your choice of console constrained by your wireless carrier. Right.

    2. Re:Console? Heh. by blair1q · · Score: 1, Funny

      I will probably have a smartphone for each color of shirt.

      And, in the future, just so you know, your choice of breakfast cereal, sleeping hours, and mate will be constrained by your wireless carrier.

      Such is the curve on which corporate power is trajecting these days.

    3. Re:Console? Heh. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      I will probably have a smartphone for each color of shirt.

      Apple fanboy, huh?

    4. Re:Console? Heh. by blair1q · · Score: 1

      Yes. All my shirts are black turtlenecks. Duh.

    5. Re:Console? Heh. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      In three years, my "console" will consist of my smartphone with an HDMI cable attached to it.

      Can't honestly say what mine will be comprised of, but I know it won't be from SONY.

    6. Re:Console? Heh. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      watch me kick virtual ass in Mortal Kombat 2015 by doing actual martial-arts moves on my living-room carpet.

      I can't pull off fatalities with a decent control, you want me to try with my actual body? These new-fangled motion-sensing controls are all well and good for party games and the like, but they are no match for good old hard buttons. Sorry for going offtopic.

    7. Re:Console? Heh. by man_the_king · · Score: 1

      In three years, my "console" will consist of my smartphone with an HDMI cable attached to it.

      Can't honestly say what mine will be comprised of, but I know it won't be from SONY.

      Don't know what mine will have in its innards, but I DO know mine WILL be from Sony. And Microsoft. And Nintendo.

  7. I beg your pardon. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Are you insinuating that the NGP will not be available at any immediate juncture or are you referring to further developments beyond this handheld we have all been promised?

  8. Re:There are rumors that PS4 will support OtherOS by monkeyhybrid · · Score: 0

    Goatse.

  9. Re:There are rumors that PS4 will support OtherOS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Goatse Troll.

  10. Physical media by monkeyhybrid · · Score: 1

    It's a safe bet all the future consoles will make more use of the cloud but oth the PS4 and the XBox 720 (or whatever they will be called) will still use physical media. Sony will still be pushing Blu-ray so that's what will come with the PS4 and I presume the XBox 720 will provide some backwards compatibility with the 360, requiring at least a DVD drive, but quite likely something with a higher capacity that can store higher res textures, etc, for the new CPUs and GPUs to play with.

    1. Re:Physical media by Bieeanda · · Score: 1

      I don't see a huge movement toward the cloud-- small stuff is a no-brainer, and things like saves would definitely be cool, but with the steady jackbooted march toward bandwidth caps (and all of the people who are still sorely underserved by broadband suppliers) going in with Steam-style stores could easily piss-off consumers and retailers. As a sideline sure, but not a primary stream.

  11. PSP Go not gone in NA by aztektum · · Score: 4, Informative
    --
    :: aztek ::
    No sig for you!!
  12. Re:There are rumors that PS4 will support OtherOS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Never before has goatse been so on topic.

  13. play together by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I think the next gen would be a co-op merger where the PS3 and xbox and wii and pc will be able to play together online. That would be the awesome. I'm hoping anyway.

    1. Re:play together by hairyfeet · · Score: 1, Insightful

      HA HA HA HA HA...you're serious? HA HA HA HA HA HA...Thanks, I needed that. in case you didn't know they tried that in the past with I believe either Quake or Q3 Arena. What happened? Those with those damned irritating console controllers got their asses handed to them on a platter by mouse users.

      The simple fact is they will NEVER be able to make a thumbstick that works at the accuracy of even a 800 DPI plain jane mouse, much less the average $50 gamer mouse. Controllers are fine for stuff like Madden NOT for FPS and RTS, so if you had your wish they would either have to cripple play for the PC users (I've already seen something similar where games try to make up for latency and it suckth big time) or you'd get stomped so bad you'd feel like grandma playing football against the Broncos.

      As for TFA, as a PC gamer I say take your time consoles. I like the fact that my HD4850 which cost a whole $60 plays most games on high or close to it, I like that I can build sub $500 boxes that are great for gaming, I LIKE not having to blow a couple of hundred every year just to keep a decent framerate like in the 90s. So no hurry, take your time.

      Hopefully by the time whatever they've got cooking rolls out equipping a PC to beat it will cost less than $100 for the GPU and I can enjoy my nice graphics without spending a mint. So thanks consoles, keep it up!

      --
      ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.
    2. Re:play together by CronoCloud · · Score: 1

      there are games other than FPS's and RTS's though, cooperative games, MMO's, turned based games, RPG's, Diablo clones, etc.

    3. Re:play together by Turiko · · Score: 1

      There's no MMO's on consoles afaik, with the exception of final fantasy (which is turn-based..). Quickly switching between 10 or more skills isn't very easy when you don't even have that many buttons.

    4. Re:play together by CronoCloud · · Score: 1

      There's no MMO's on consoles afaik, with the exception of final fantasy (which is turn-based..).

      You forgot EQOA, DCUO and FreeRealms. And although they may not look it, most MMORPG's are turn-based under the hood. That includes WoW

      Quickly switching between 10 or more skills isn't very easy when you don't even have that many buttons.

      Ever play EQOA or FFXI? See there's this thing called a D-pad....you don't use it to move...that's what the analog stick is for, so you can use it for menu/skills. You don't need one button for each of 10 skills just one or two buttons for ALL the skills.

      In EQOA you Flick between spells (up to 10) with the d-pad, activate them with circle button. You can do that VERY quickly. Faster than I can use different skills in LOTRO

      In FFXI, it's somewhat similar.... haven't played it in a while but IIRC a shoulder button pops up a sort of "quickbar set", that's 20 skills. Flick flick, bang bang. Or you can use skills using a menu style system, which is useful for skills you don't use often, don't need to put em in a slot, just use the menu. And in FFXI you actually have multiple quickbar sets that you can swap in and out. I had one set WHM oriented, another BST oriented, etc. You can also use keyboard combos to use quickbar skills. The quickbar system was slower than EQOA's system so I used the key shortcuts when playing a WHM.

  14. Time to let go. by westlake · · Score: 1

    Yes, once again the loop will continue. That damn sony adds Linux support and then removes it.

    The PS2 lost Linux support with the PS2 Slim. The PS3 Slim shed PS2 emulation and Linux with a positive impact on costs and sales.

    The DIY sysytem install and dual-booting into a desktop GUI with limited access to system resources was not the way to sell Homebrew and Linux-on-the-console to the masses - and without mass support you are in the same predicament as the audiophile who purchased the PS3 for SACD support.

    The right way to go is with the PS6 is a free Sony supported SDK and an app store like XBox Live! Where there can be quality control, marketing support, and a clear distinction between the comercial and non-commercial product.

    1. Re:Time to let go. by Chris+Mattern · · Score: 1

      The PS3 Slim shed PS2 emulation and Linux.

      The PS3 shed PS2 emulation before the slim. My own PS3 is a pre-slim model that does not do PS2 emulation. The PS3 did lose Linux support when the slim came out but that was a firmware change--*every* PS3 that is running current firmware has lost Linux support.

  15. Go by Lawand · · Score: 1

    It seems that names that have a trailing "Go" are living up to it. Think MeeGo.

    --
    Your Ad here
    1. Re:Go by Microlith · · Score: 0

      Yeah, I hate real Linux distributions too. And making stupid, ignorant statements- just like you.

    2. Re:Go by Lawand · · Score: 1

      I don't hate MeeGo, in fact I own an N900 and I wish that MeeGo would have been in a better situation on mobile phones. But I think that they should have spent a little more time thinking of a better name.

      --
      Your Ad here
    3. Re:Go by CronoCloud · · Score: 1

      It's probably a reference to HP Lovecraft's Mi-go.

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mi-go

    4. Re:Go by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      I'm on my way up, I've got it all together
      Tell me what you think
      Tell me what you think about that

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  16. game server farms is what i'm thinking by Nyder · · Score: 1

    Honestly, what i see are game server farms like Onlive or something.

    It keeps all the game on the server side, so they don't have to worry about peeps pirating it. They way they bitch about pirates and stuff, would seem to me it would be better to keep it all on their end and just stream the shit to us.

    Which of course, sucks currently, but they they did bitch slap some fiber optics to the home peeps, would probably be more doable.

    Do I want this? Fuck no. Just seems like this is how shit is going, imo

    --
    Be seeing you...
  17. 2014? by Cloud+K · · Score: 1

    Plenty of time for Steam to seal PCs (possibly even time for Macs to catch up) as the dominating gaming platform then. The current gen consoles are already considerably showing their age compared to PC stuff IMO.

    Seems a bit of a foot-shooting exercise that they're dragging their heels so much this time around.

    1. Re:2014? by poly_pusher · · Score: 1

      The capabilities of DX 11 and OpenGL 4.1 make the modern consoles look like a joke. It is interesting you bring up Steam. Gabe Newell referred to Intel's Sandy Bridge processors as the first step toward a console-like experience on a PC. It's just a matter of a couple years "2014" Until the vast majority of PC games are playable on low to high end systems. Just go get yourself a PC, if you love the console controller, go get a 360 controller with PC adapter...

    2. Re:2014? by ProppaT · · Score: 1

      Not at all. Me and most of the people I know are still quite happy with what their current console can do and aren't really in a hurry to shell out $400-500 on a new system to do the same thing but with better graphics.

      Steam could develop a console and possibly push it with success, but if the majority of gamers have made one thing clear, they don't want to sit in front of a PC at a desk to play a game. MMO gamers do it out of necessity. Occasionally I'll buy a PC title and play it through, but it has to be something real special to make me sit at my desk. It's much more comfortable to veg out on the couch and play a game on the big screen.

      --
      Wise men say, "Forgiveness is divine, but never pay full price for late pizza."
    3. Re:2014? by tepples · · Score: 1
      ProppaT wrote:

      It's much more comfortable to veg out on the couch and play a game on the big screen.

      Then buy or build a PC to put behind your TV. If you want a small form factor comparable to that of an Xbox 360, consider a Gateway SX with an AMD CPU. True, it has integrated graphics (northbridge and GPU on one die), but so do the consoles, and PCs with AMD CPU have a Radeon or GeForce, not Intel "Graphics My Ass".

    4. Re:2014? by captjc · · Score: 1

      I would have to disagree. I prefer to sit at my desk and play games then on my TV. I only play games on my TV out of necessity, especially since many more games are becoming console only.

      My 22" monitor from ~12 inches away provides a better experience for me than my 40 inch TV from ~6 feet away. Next is the issue of control scheme. In my opinion, for FPS, Third Person adventure, Strategy, and RPGs a mouse and keyboard are just more natural than a controller. Though I do keep a wireless 360 controller for arcade shooters, button mashers, 2D side scrollers, and some flight sims. I also love the multitasking nature of a PC. I can keep my IM window and a web browser in the background while I am playing and Steam has the dashboard so I don't even have to leave the game to pull up a quick webpage or send a IM. Another reason to play the PC versions of games is mods. The modding community have extended the replay value of many a game. Lastly, I don't know if you live alone or have multiple big screen TVs, but if you live with other people and only have one decent sized TV you can't always play when you want. Meanwhile nobody uses my PC but me.

      I understand it really comes down to personal preference and situation. I have to disagree with your statement of the "majority of gamers" and "MMO gamers only doing it out of necessity". Maybe my viewpoint is skewed, but I know quite a few gamers who prefer PC over console for many of the reasons stated and their own as well. I just don't think it is as clear cut as you seem to be implying.

      --
      Slow Down Cowboy! It's been 1 hour, 47 minutes since you last successfully posted a comment
    5. Re:2014? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Man my friend who owed me money tried to pawn me his old Gateway 386/SX, it sucked! The only way to run Doom was if you set it to low detail and shrunk the screen to the size of a postage stamp!

      About the only thing it was good for was to run King's Quest...

      Fuck that shit man, if you want a good sytem get yourself a Sega Genesis!

    6. Re:2014? by The+Moof · · Score: 1

      Nah, Steam itself is trying to establish itself as the dominant gaming platform regardless of the hardware. Portal 2 is an example of this, being available on both the PS3 and the PC, and offering cross-platform play (that actually works really well). They're also bolstering their install base by offering a free PC/Mac version of the game with the PS3 version.

      Steam support indicates they'll be showing up on the 360 at some point as well. However, given MS's track record for openness to anything not directly controlled by them, there might be a few obstacles to overcome. Then again, maybe MS realized they screwed up due to Vavle's recent statements about both consoles.

  18. not with todays download caps and lowbandwith by Joe+The+Dragon · · Score: 1

    not with todays download caps and low bandwidth on most people on DSL and even cable will not be good if most of your block is trying to use on live at the same time. Hell comcast can't even do more then 1-2 MLB EI HD games at the same time and they don't have BIG TEN HD ALTS.

  19. In related news: by supersloshy · · Score: 3, Informative

    Here's a huge rumor-dump for the new Nintendo console which may or may not be announced at E3 (JSYK, all of this was reported before from other websites; this is just a compilation of the rumors).

    To summarize for the lazy, the controller may have a touch-screen, the system is more powerful than a PS3/360, and it looks like a modern version of an SNES. This is all just rumor and speculation though, so we'll have to wait and see. If the rumors are true, then I'm really excited! I used to play those Gamecube games where you connected GBAs to the controller ports so each player had his own screen, for games like Four Swords Adventures and Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles (which are both a BLAST to play with friends, btw). It was even useful in the occasional game like Sonic Adventure 1 and 2, Mega Man X Command Mission, and Pokemon Colosseum/XD, for example. This seems just like that awesome concept, but mixed with the DS and on a much more massive scale.

    If these rumors are true (or aren't as awesome as it really is), then Nintendo shows, once again, that dedicated hardware can be much, much better than a PC for gaming.

    PS: I'm no Nintendo fanboy; I just like them a lot more than the competition. I have a PS2 and might get a PSP/PS3 used sometime.

    --
    "Our country is not nearly so overrun with the bigoted as it is overrun with the broadminded." -Archbishop Fulton Sheen
    1. Re:In related news: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I really like my big HD screen though. I don't fancy having to spend all my time looking at a little dinky LCD. An unseen touch panel (it's a PSP or a Playstation Phone that has that, right?) would be nicer.

    2. Re:In related news: by supersloshy · · Score: 1

      Oh, I forgot to say that the console will definitely support 1080p right out of the box. And the screen might not seem so nice at first, but think about it: it could provide screens for individual players in games! No more screen-watching in an FPS, no more wasted screen space for things like a map or inventory menu, or even emulating multiple copies of old games at the same time! I may be a dreamer and just saying what might not happen, but hey, it sounds awesome to me.

      --
      "Our country is not nearly so overrun with the bigoted as it is overrun with the broadminded." -Archbishop Fulton Sheen
    3. Re:In related news: by The+Moof · · Score: 1

      Nintendo seems to be out of cycle with the rest of the industry, though. Their last console is hardly considered "current generation" given the capabilities of the system itself. It lacks HD output, a reasonably sized HDD, a functional online service, etc. They've addressed some of the other missing "standard" features via updates (ie, WiiWare). Granted, their target audience wasn't exactly gamers with the Wii, but I don't think they can rely on the casual market to carry them again and need to get up to snuff for modern gaming.

    4. Re:In related news: by supersloshy · · Score: 1

      Hardware specs aren't everything. What matters in the long run is the gaming experience as a whole, and that isn't limited by graphics or the presence of an "HDD". I mean, just look at the DS: it's really, really low-tech by today's standards, but games are still being made for it and it's a really innovative piece of hardware. I could name dozens of DS games I own that are awesome, and they don't require an HDD or HD output to function. Saying that the Wii isn't "modern" simply because of it's specifications; it's modern because of how you play games, like the DS. Shiny isn't always better, and some people want their game consoles to focus on, well, gaming, not trying to be everything at once. That's what Nintendo does best, unlike Microsoft/Sony, who only do gaming on the side of their regular business.

      --
      "Our country is not nearly so overrun with the bigoted as it is overrun with the broadminded." -Archbishop Fulton Sheen
    5. Re:In related news: by Omestes · · Score: 1

      I used to play those Gamecube games where you connected GBAs to the controller ports so each player had his own screen...

      So... like a Dreamcast?

      Don't get me wrong, I'm happy Nintendo is making a new console. It'll probably be awesome and keep the rest of the industry on its feet. But I won't be buying it until they prove that they broke the curse that started with the Gamecube (or arguably the N64), and actually get decent 3rd party support. 3rd party support and stop being so damn "kid centered". I currently have a Wii. I loved it, until the amusement of mini-games and party games wore off, and I realized that there is no "meat". There isn't really anything that makes me want to just veg out in front of the TV and play games like I used to. Sure, there is a handful. Twilight Princess rocked, the No More Heroes games were VERY enjoyable. But beyond that... Nothing, really. Yeah, some of the Nintendo developed games were fun... but they just don't compare to the library on the other consoles (or PC). Hell, it doesn't even compare to their library on the DS.

      When I go to a game store, and stand in front of the displays, I can sit around saying "damn I want to play that" in front of the PS3 and 360 racks, in front of the Wii rack I just blindly stare, scratching my head...

      This next generation I'll probably get Microsoft's console. They're more evil than Nintendo, but less evil than Sony. Though, truth be told, I probably won't get it for the same reason I abstained from getting a 360; all the games I want are also on the PC with better graphics and features. I can't see myself spending $500 for a console which does less that my computer already does. Though judging from the last generation, the next one will cost around $800, with Nintendo being the "modest" $500. At that rate you REALLY have to excite me to get me to part with my money. The price of the big end of the last generation was high enough to make me ponder what better uses I could put $500 to, if it gets closer to a grand, I can find almost infinite things I would rather spend my cash on.

      --
      A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government. -edward abbey
    6. Re:In related news: by man_the_king · · Score: 1

      That's what Nintendo does best, unlike Microsoft/Sony, who only do gaming on the side of their regular business

      I think most third-party game developers beg to differ with you as far as the actual console gaming scene is concerned. Unless you think ALL the major Game Devs/Pubs are wrong and YOU are right.

    7. Re:In related news: by supersloshy · · Score: 1

      ...We're talking about two different things here. I'm talking about hardware, not software. Nintendo can focus all of it's resources on being innovative hardware-wise, while Sony and Microsoft only focus a portion of their resources on it, while they try to dominate in other fields as well. the 360 and PS3 try to do everything at once, while Nintendo's consoles, as I said, try to be, well, gaming consoles and gaming consoles alone, and it shows.

      And if we were talking about software, which we're not, Nintendo would still have a first-party advantage as they have some of the best in-house developers in the gaming industry, with Sony at a close second IMO (Shadow of the Colossus was amazing). Third-party-wise, Nintendo rules the handheld market as well.

      --
      "Our country is not nearly so overrun with the bigoted as it is overrun with the broadminded." -Archbishop Fulton Sheen
  20. Cloud storage only, Greater control over user. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I expect it to have only cloud storage. This would make the machine unusable as a standalone device. When the machine get cracked that user has two choices. A standalone cracked machine or connect to cloud and get "updated". Now Sony has greater control over the user.

  21. RAM is expensive by Sycraft-fu · · Score: 2

    Or rather it was expensive, and may become so again. Part of the problem is just when the consoles were designed RAM was at a premium. I remember some computers we got at work during that era that had only 256MB RAM because it was so pricey to upgrade. The other problem is RAM seems to fluctuate. It operates like a commodity market. So you can't spec a lot and count on it being cheap. Unlike most tech stuff, it can go up in price so you need to account for that.

    That said, if RAM remains cheap I think you can count on the next gen consoles having a lot more, but not as much as computers.

    Another issue, at least with the 360 and Wii, is that they use unified RAM. The CPU and GPU access the same memory. That means you need to use the faster sort of memory videocards use, which costs more. You'll notice that most video cards still have only 1GB of VRAM and even the really high end consumer ones only have 1.5-2GB.

    Also you have to remember that pennies count in console design. They want to get a lot of hardware in the things and sell them at a low cost, that means not overdoing anything they don't need to. Past attempts have proven that consumers just won't go and buy extremely high dollar consoles, even if they come with premium hardware. That means you have to keep the cost down and that means not having too much stuff, which includes RAM.

    I mean look at it this way: My computer has 16GB of RAM and for that I paid about $220. Quite cheap... However another way of putting it would be that I spent more just on system RAM than you would on an Xbox 360 S.

  22. Smartphones have less RAM than 360/PS3 by tepples · · Score: 1

    Not with multimedia apps, upload and download services, Skype, social networking and god alone knows what other software and services will be added in the future.

    All these tasks are already done comfortably on iOS and Android even with only 128 MB of RAM, which is one-fourth the RAM of an Xbox 360 or PLAYSTATION 3 console. Therefore, these tasks typically need less RAM than a high-end game.

  23. Local multiplayer by tepples · · Score: 1

    Just go get yourself a PC, if you love the console controller, go get a 360 controller with PC adapter

    Say I hook up my PC to my TV. In the era of HDMI, that's a doddle. Then say I've plugged in four Xbox 360 controllers through a USB hub, and the Game Controllers control panel can see all of them. Now how many games will let me use more than the first controller? Not many, because most PC games are developed with the assumption that they are being played by one person at a desk. PC multiplayer more often than not equates "party" with "LAN party" where each player brings his own PC and his own copy of the game. Even Street Fighter IV, once the poster child for local multiplayer on PC, isn't getting any updates from Capcom for some reason.

  24. OnLive anyone? by joshprototype · · Score: 1

    I didn't see anyone mention OnLive or it's Micro Console(http://www.onlive.com/game-system) which is my only 'current' console. I didn't like the PS3, in fact just out of personal preference I don't like Sony.. They are partly to blame for killing my beloved Dreamcast... (Along with their other business practices of late). The wii was fun but childish and the sensors are at their best... OK. And i'll never purchase anything from Microsoft. Never have, never will. Anyway, yes cloud gaming sounds terrible, but a 3Mbps connection is all you need for a stable 720p stream, which looks great on my older 720p 42" tv. 5Mbps and you get 1080i I believe. Last week I invited some friends over and decided to max out my Cox "Ultimate" internet, and sucessfully streamed Hulu to my laptop, and two OnLive connections to my Mac and PC desktops, and one connection to my Microconsole simultaneously without lag for hours on end.

    1. Re:OnLive anyone? by CronoCloud · · Score: 1

      I'm going to quote the Anonymous that replied to you:

      Bullshit.

      The only ones responsible for the death of the Dreamcast are Sega.

      Also VMUs sucked, and so did the Dreamcast controllers. And Sega sucks. Sega can go to hell for never doing a sequel to Skies of Arcadia. Bastards, all of them.

      They can go to hell for never porting Skies of Arcadia to the PS2...it's an RPG! It belonged on the PS2 with all the other RPG's not on the system that RPG lovers didn't own.

      Aaaand...the DC's library was heavy on fanboy games (fighting games, obscure sega fanboy loved franchises) and not on games anyone cared about.

    2. Re:OnLive anyone? by joshprototype · · Score: 1

      Lack of marketing was true, but while their library was heavy with fanboy games, it did have a considerable amount of genres. Yes, I was using my 56k modem back in the day fragging people with my dreamcast playing Quake 3 Arena, at a steady frame rate. VMUs were a novel idea, and nintendo decided to rip off the idea by using the gameboy advance hookup for the Gamecube, which I also own. What angers me about Sony is their marketing power, they could release an inferior product, sell it undercost while losing money, and have exclusivity rights to majority of popular games simply because their company is so huge and can dump money into that division. Microsoft entered the console war with the same capability, and now the video game market in itself is failing. Developers aren't making the kind of money off the games that they should. Which is why Steam is so huge now(Developers don't pay the high marketing costs, royalty fees, labeling, printing, etc), and why I turned my sights to OnLive, which finally gets us back to the OP. Just thought I'd throw it out there, because I'm loving it and thought I'd share the experience of going all digital. :)

    3. Re:OnLive anyone? by Gravatron · · Score: 1

      The ps2 wasn't inferior though. Japanese launch games had a jaggies issue, but so did a ton of DC games. The ps2 fixed it's problems, and ended up being the best console of that generation in terms of games. The DC died because it was, yet again, a rushed out the door sega system.

    4. Re:OnLive anyone? by elrous0 · · Score: 1

      If you're going to make all your purchases based on the politics of the parent company, your console choices will always be limited. But I agree that OnLive deserves a mention too.

      --
      SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
    5. Re:OnLive anyone? by Omestes · · Score: 1

      I think, hardware wise, the PS2 and the Dreamcast were about on equal footing. But the the best of the Dreamcast was better than the near end of life titles for the PS2. Think Shenmue, which was one of the prettiest games released until the current gen, really.

      --
      A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government. -edward abbey
    6. Re:OnLive anyone? by CronoCloud · · Score: 1

      they could release an inferior product,

      No, the PS2 could outperform the Dreamcast any day of the week and twice on Sundays. It's CPU is faster, 294MHz vs 200MHz, it's internal busses are faster, it's main RAM is faster, and it has more of it 32MB vs 16MB in the DC. Go on, read this:

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_2#Technical_specifications

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreamcast#Hardware

      The PS2 has over 4x the Gigaflop performance of the Dreamcast

      The PS2 is also capable of doing 1080i and 720p, the DC simply can't do that. The DC cannot play Saturn games, can it, but the PS2 can play PSone games.

      And lets not forget that DVD's hold more data than DC GD-ROMS can. 4.7GB single layer vs 1.2GB. Dual-layer PS2 games double that.

      The PS2 supports standard USB keyboards and mice with some games, the DC does not. Neither can the DC support a hard drive, which makes running a full Linux distro on a DC problematic.

      The PS2 is also a DVD player, all for the same price as the DC...so tell me again how the PS2 is inferior?

  25. No, they are not. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    They are partly to blame for killing my beloved Dreamcast.

    Bullshit.

    The only ones responsible for the death of the Dreamcast are Sega. Complete lack of copy protection coupled with a complete lack of marketing. Gods above and below, the first Dreamcast commercial I ever saw was for some Sonic game. This was after Sega announced they were ceasing production of hardware.

    Also VMUs sucked, and so did the Dreamcast controllers. And Sega sucks. Sega can go to hell for never doing a sequel to Skies of Arcadia. Bastards, all of them.

  26. Cloud storage? by sgunhouse · · Score: 1

    Seriously? Do they think all gamers will have that fast of a network connection by then? That is certainly not the case today.

    Downloading once isn't an issue for most people, it's probably faster than going to a bricks and mortar store - and much faster than mail order. I'd have to figure that many games would be comparable to HD video in terms of transfer rates required; there's still a lot of people who couldn't handle that over their existing connections. Hence the next consoles will still need local storage. Whether a hard drive or SSD is another question, but it must be local.

  27. No surprises about the next gen consoles by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Charlie Demerjian made a comment on his site quite some time ago about there were only one console maker (Nintendo) buying new hardware and that the other two looked at a 2014 release. I don't know why the wait. Maybe they want recoup some of the development cost or wait for newer gen gfx on a smaller process node, 28nm. Nvidia's current, Fermi on 40nm, is just plain horrible for console use (hot and power hungry). AMD is currently shifting from VLIW5 to VLIW4 so their next gen should have weeded out a lot of bugs. AMD's current Fusion stuff (integrated CPU + GPU) uses low end Evergreen tech. Nintendo is using a Fusion CPU. (They have been in the ATI camp for a long time) Maybe Microsoft will go Fusion too but with upgraded gfx. Sony's path is more uncertain, IBM has stopped development of the Cell processor. Multicore Arm?

  28. I think it will be 99% online store only by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It will be a way for Sony to squeeze that extra margin going to retail stores. Only a few games and games that require exotic controllers will be sold in stores. Instead if you want to buy someone a video games you will buy them a Sony gift card. I on the other hand will continue to rebuff all platforms that don't let me do what I want with my hardware and software. I will not volunteer for lock in.

    What would be nice is if instead of buying that gift card you instead got a write once memory card. Something like Sony's own memory stick. You can get 1GB flash for less than 50 cents and I don't know how many games use even that. But flash comes in a variety of sizes. Maybe Sony could produce small capacity flash but optimized for reading. A class 10, 2 GB flash. That would be new.

    If they use SD cards (which I think has more or less won the flash package wars) then I think it could push an online music shop as well. Just come up with a variety of music library software that plugs into a common backend. A consumer device for buying and organizing content for all you devices. So you could plug USB optical drives and rip music on the PlayStation while big brother watches you. And let's go one further by having Sony include a few very low power processors for when the system isn't playing videos games. Then the device could become the streaming media center for the home and always be on. And don't forget WIFI for streaming content to tablets! In other words yes it will play beautiful games but for the price it needs to do more to justify that price. In needs to have people buying it that don't often play video games; they buy it for it's other features but of course the grand-kids can use it to play their video games. Turn the thing into the idiot box and subsidize the price even more. Ideal would be around $300 or a little above. That's what people payed for VCR's when they first came out. So Sony you need to bet the farm and concentrate on becoming the media center for the home.

  29. Good enough for Centipede by tepples · · Score: 1

    and a trackball

    when playing an fps on console the real problem is the aim stick

    If a trackball is good enough for Centipede, why isn't it good enough for a first-person shooter?

  30. Nine years left by tepples · · Score: 1

    How young can half-keyboards possibly be? Patents only last 20 years...

    I don't remember having heard about them until 2000, back when Slashdot comment IDs were only 6 digits. It hasn't been 20 years since then.

  31. It's not over 9000 times faster, but it's close by tepples · · Score: 1

    Man my friend who owed me money tried to pawn me his old Gateway 386/SX, it sucked!

    The new Gateway PCs are a lot faster, even if not fast enough to crush the scouter. The old Gateway you're thinking of probably had a 25 MHz 386 that would run 6900 iterations of Dhrystone per second, or roughly 4 standardized MIPS. The new Gateway has a Phenom X3 that can do over 28,000 MIPS.

    Fuck that shit man, if you want a good sytem get yourself a Sega Genesis!

    The new Gateway can probably emulate a couple dozen Sega Genesis consoles in parallel.

  32. Trying to expand 5-year life cycle to 9, wtf?!?!? by elrous0 · · Score: 1

    Agreed. The 5-year console life cycle has been the standard since the Atari days. They're nuts to almost DOUBLE it. By the time 2014 rolls around, the 360 and PS3 are going to look like children's toys compared to even the weakest of PC's. The gap between PC games and console games is already widening, and both consoles are showing their age (especially the 360, with its DVD drive and no required hard drive). I can't imagine how bad they'll look in 3 years.

    --
    SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
  33. Re:Dirtbag Sony... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Ah - a 360 fanboy, I presume. No more than 17, are you?