people have commented that the question of which will become dominant rests on what types of games are played (sports games in consoles, rts in PCs) or some other factors. These reasons rest upon the fact that certain games are simply more comfortable to play in a console than a pc or vice-versa so the real issue here is when will the PC be comfortable to use for sports games/fighting games and other games that have always been associated with the console. The issue here is simply a technological one which PCs (being the inherently adaptable, configurable, and fast machines they are) can overcome in time. PCs are inevitably going to be the center piece of all electronics in the house as the Internet slowly becomes integrated in everything from interactive television to my fridge. Since PCs aren't going away, are only getting faster and have the ability to change, it seems to me that people will eventually demand that PCs become more "user-friendly" (for the console people) than it has been so as to eliminate the need for so much machinery in one's house. Better support for joysticks/controllers through changes in hardware (multiple joysticks, fast response, similar designs to current console controllers - which partly exists today), better promotion of the PC as a console alternative, and the ability to play games on a PC with minimal clickling or even no clicking, simply power up the PC and play a game (could require changes in BIOSes or a game aware OS, or an extension of Windows, that loads games automatically and plays with little overhead). In otherwords, when PCs through hardware and software modifications, can emulate the ease and speed of use of consoles - as well as increasing support and variety of controllers/joysticks - PCs might become the only way to go - think X-Box that can run Office and AutoCad without blinking an eye. Sorry for the long-winded post.
Slashdot Mirror
people have commented that the question of which will become dominant rests on what types of games are played (sports games in consoles, rts in PCs) or some other factors. These reasons rest upon the fact that certain games are simply more comfortable to play in a console than a pc or vice-versa so the real issue here is when will the PC be comfortable to use for sports games/fighting games and other games that have always been associated with the console. The issue here is simply a technological one which PCs (being the inherently adaptable, configurable, and fast machines they are) can overcome in time. PCs are inevitably going to be the center piece of all electronics in the house as the Internet slowly becomes integrated in everything from interactive television to my fridge. Since PCs aren't going away, are only getting faster and have the ability to change, it seems to me that people will eventually demand that PCs become more "user-friendly" (for the console people) than it has been so as to eliminate the need for so much machinery in one's house. Better support for joysticks/controllers through changes in hardware (multiple joysticks, fast response, similar designs to current console controllers - which partly exists today), better promotion of the PC as a console alternative, and the ability to play games on a PC with minimal clickling or even no clicking, simply power up the PC and play a game (could require changes in BIOSes or a game aware OS, or an extension of Windows, that loads games automatically and plays with little overhead). In otherwords, when PCs through hardware and software modifications, can emulate the ease and speed of use of consoles - as well as increasing support and variety of controllers/joysticks - PCs might become the only way to go - think X-Box that can run Office and AutoCad without blinking an eye. Sorry for the long-winded post.