Do you think gaming will have another "crash?"

[LoDownM]

Like back in the 80s when Atari and Intellivison reigned, then video games suddenly died for like for years. I can see it happening after the next gen consoles(PS3, XBOX 2, etc.) are all out. I mean, I don't see companys going out of business, well, not Sony or Microsoft anyway.

So, what do you think?

[TheNamelessOne]

As long as there is money to made in computer games, companies will continue to make money from it.

[Pegasus Crawford]

The industry will definitely have it's low points in the future... but is there another company out there that is capable of creating another "E.T."?

[Mr. Nerfect]

I think after the next gen consoles are released, there will be a stand-still, but not a decrease of popularity. The industry is making more money than television for some, and it will continue to do so, as long as there is choice on the market. I think Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo will be better off still making their current console games, as well as the next gen cosnole games when they're released. I think we will see almost a dam built up, before it is removed and then we continue with an even bigger flow than before.

[Jonster]

<font color="#99CCFF">The industry seems to be heading towards convergence in their consoles... (it'll reach a point further down)

Sony started it by including dvd playback with the PS2 (well ok, the PS1 and Saturn kinda did with cd playback, oh ok, the Mega CD did... (not sure about the CD32 or 3D0) Those technically count, but not as much :shifty: ).

Then Microsoft introduced the Photo Viewing thingy for XBox, and I think there's something coming out that allows you to play your mp3's from your PC via the XBox.
I think the XBox will also work with the Media Center PC package too (which, from what I remember, can control everything)

Sony took another big step towards convergence with the PSX (http://www.psx.sony.co.jp/). Which (from what I remember again, been a while since I read about it), you can connect your camera too, then create picture cd's, also plays mp3 cd's (or some other format), can connect to the internet and stream things, plays dvds, and some other stuff.
Oh it plays games too, but the joypad ports are hidden round the back.

So it would kinda seem that company's are trying to get people who don't necessarily play games to buy consoles by including extra features.
I mean if you wanted to do everything, then why not just get one thing that does it all?

However I can still see straight up games console's being released for those who don't want all the features. People who just want games, aren't going to want to buy consoles that do everything, especially if they already have things that do it already.
Plus, if you brought all the consoles you'll have a couple of machines that do everything.

Nintendo, however, have shown no interest in convergence.

Now it seems like I've gone massively off topic here, but I think if the industry does move towards the convergence route, then it will either make or break the industry.
It will either be a huge success and the games industry will flourish and become even more popular, or people won't care and the losses from the research, development, marketing and other costs will have a huge impact on the manufacturers.

Games companies, who have also had to do research into using the new hardware, will have a tough time if it's not successful as they won't sell as many games. And if the hardware companies go bust, who they going to make games for?

I think the only games market that's safe is the PC market.

Already the PSX hasn't done as well as expected, and could be classed as a flop in Japan. It was released incomplete, and even now, when it's been updated, it's not selling. It's likely Sony won't recover their losses from it.

Nintendo, by not taking the convergence route, could be the only company to survive it, because it'll appeal to people who just want games, plus they won't have wasted the money on research et al.

Now personally I hope the industry doesn't crash, I spend more money on games than any other industry, and I want to be a games designer/programmer after I graduate from uni.
So if it crashed, I'd cry...</font>

[Jamma]

As long as there is money to made in computer games, companies will continue to make money from it. :y:

Games will keep evolving. The wizards will keep bringing new ideas and styles of gameplay to us, it's worked (for the most part!) so far, hasn't it?

I'll keep buying consoles and games as long as I enjoy playing them.

[NoJabbaNoBogRoll]

Consoles have stunk for some time now. Eventually everyone will realise.

[DS]

No.

[el fregadero]

Doubtful.

[LoDownM]

wtf is with the Magic 8 Ball answers freg and ds.

Will I win the lottery. Doubtful. wtf.

[Disturbed316]

lol

[DS]

There's not much more to say. No, I don't think there will be another "crash". It just isn't going to happen.

[el fregadero]

wtf is with the Magic 8 Ball answers freg and ds.

Will I win the lottery. Doubtful. wtf.
I find it doubtful that there will be a "crash" in the video gaming industry.

[DS]

lol

I mean, I am laughing out loud at el fregadero's post.

[el fregadero]

What is so funny about it, Rueful?

[DS]

The fact we have to use a full sentence even though it answered the question the first time.

[el fregadero]

Oh, yes, quite.

I am also laughing out loud at my post and that of DS.

[Tidus]

PC Gamer magazine says that within 5 years, they think console gaming will become practically extinct with advances in computer gaming. Obviously they are biased, but its not that far fetched. Faster and more advanced computers and games come out much more often than new consoles. I think console gaming has its days numbered

[Funky Fly]

Nah.

Lowpoints, yeah, but not an all out crash.

[DS]

The thing is, console games use more advanced chipsets, processors, videodrives, etc then they're are for the PC customer or, at the least, not many of them have the money to buy the same features. That's why consoles hold their own throughout these things. They won't die down because of that right there let alone the fact that most households are more likely to have a console then a gaming pc.

[Jamma]

The thing is, console games use more advanced chipsets, processors, videodrives, etc then they're are for the PC customer or, at the least, not many of them have the money to buy the same features. That's why consoles hold their own throughout these things. They won't die down because of that right there let alone the fact that most households are more likely to have a console then a gaming pc.Damn right. :y:

And for the most part, they're cheaper. Even brand-new consoles are at least half, normally more than a half-decent new PC.

Plus the vast majority of people only have one PC, while they continually splash out on the latest consoles. Thats how it seems to me anyway :)

[sucafrutpi]

The thing is, console games use more advanced chipsets, processors, videodrives, etc then they're are for the PC customer or, at the least, not many of them have the money to buy the same features. That's why consoles hold their own throughout these things. They won't die down because of that right there let alone the fact that most households are more likely to have a console then a gaming pc.
:wtf:
the xbox uses a pentium III with a suped up geforce 2 chipset. that's ancient as far as today's standards are concerned. consoles just don't have the operating system overhead that regular pc's do. the chief console advantage is that you turn it on, and it works; no windows update, no viruses, no "you have an error in VxD:484651651654" [blue screen of death]. until microsoft comes out with an OS that works all the time with no glitches, and computer manufacturers stop making computers with shitty graphics chipsets, consoles will always have a market.

[DS]

Yes, but back when it was released it was top of the line chipsets. The PS3 and Xbox Next have graphic cards and processors that aren't used in computers and are more powerful then what the majority can afford for quite a while until they become common. The disadvantage of consoles it they don't have upgrades. That's what makes the computer superior.