Wired Proclaims the Death of the Game Console

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Wired Proclaims the Death of the Game Console

Posted by Soulskill on Saturday October 27, 2012 @01:26AM from the post-pc-mumbo-jumbo-is-infectious dept.

SternisheFan points out an article at Wired arguing that game consoles and the business model that sustained them are now "obsolete." Quoting: "Years from now, 225 million devices will almost certainly be seen as the point at which the console business peaked. Gamers are going elsewhere for their fix. The console’s time at the top of the heap is drawing to an end, and these machines won’t survive without radical change. ... Consoles used to do everything best, but those strengths are now being wiped away. Unlike PC games, which may require finicky custom settings, consoles 'just work,' fans have long pointed out. Well, so does the iPad. Consoles are cheaper than PCs? Not when you factor in the growing disparity in game prices. Consoles have all the good content? Well, if you want Nintendo- or Sony-exclusive games, you’ll need to buy their hardware. But for many gamers, Angry Birds is becoming more attractive than Mario.

10 of 368 comments (clear)

Min score:

Reason:

Sort:

I can prove this is wrong. by Anonymous Coward · 2012-10-27 01:32 · Score: 5, Funny

My brother's wife's aunt's grandkid's roommate in college brother's son just bought a console so this PROVES that this article is complete horseshit.
Now, mod me up "Insightful" or "Informative"!
Game Controls by imurd3r3r · 2012-10-27 01:34 · Score: 5, Interesting

Gamers need great controls, and frankly the controls on touch screen games stink. Racing game on touch screen vs racing game on console with Xbox S controls or steering wheel? I'm choosing the console.
1. Re:Game Controls by PRMan · 2012-10-27 02:49 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  That's because geeks now detest Sony.
  
  --
  Peter predicted that you would "deliberately forget" creation 2000 years ago...
2. Re:Game Controls by Anonymous Coward · 2012-10-27 03:27 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  yeah because they started suing us.
Don't believe it by Jiro · 2012-10-27 01:35 · Score: 5, Insightful

It's not as if people who play Assassin's Creed have suddenly shifted over to Angry Birds in droves. The audience who plays Angry Birds is a separate audience. Furthermore, Angry Birds costs less than console games, so comparing by number of total players is misleading.
1. Re:Don't believe it by Anonymous Coward · 2012-10-27 01:40 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  yeah, but what happens when there's a generation of kids who grew up playing angry birds as their first game instead of super mario? for them playing on a gamepad will be as alien as playing on touch screen is to you...
errr.... by eennaarbrak · 2012-10-27 01:42 · Score: 5, Insightful

Gamers are going elsewhere for their fix.
They are?

Unlike PC games, which may require finicky custom settings, consoles 'just work,' fans have long pointed out. Well, so does the iPad.
And that proves ...?
slashdoters... by Anonymous Coward · 2012-10-27 01:50 · Score: 5, Funny

Slashdoters have been proclaiming the death of Slashdot for years now, yet the body still twitches every once and a while.
Re:Angry Birds by Exitar · 2012-10-27 02:09 · Score: 5, Funny

You should write an article about the death of Angry Birds!
Poor parenting by fox171171 · 2012-10-27 02:28 · Score: 5, Funny

yeah, but what happens when there's a generation of kids who grew up playing angry birds as their first game instead of super mario?

Poor parenting has been an ongoing issue for generations!