The problem the iOS has is whether people are going to switch from short-term boredom fixers like Angry Birds to playing fully immersive games such as Skyrim or even an Lara Croft/Uncharted/Halo game in enough numbers.
They are good if your train is delayed or you are waiting for your mates to arrive but will you really start playing a 10 hour plus game on your phone?
When you are out and about you are generally doing something. And when you are at home you are more likely, if you are a gamer, to use a console with a tv screen or a computer monitor.
Gaming on the go is really that. I think the improved phones may be a problem for the Vita and 3DS as a way to play on longer journeys but I don't think it will really destroy the console or gaming market. As the author states it is not about raw power, even though he goes on to state the fact that the phones can out-power the consoles in an ironic manner, but the quality of the games and the experience. Staring at a screen when I can be using my tv at home? No thanks. Some Vita-style cross play will have to come in.
The ipad would have to a better control system than the touch pad, something like a dualshock maybe, and that would make it another console.
The problem the iOS has is whether people are going to switch from short-term boredom fixers like Angry Birds to playing fully immersive games such as Skyrim or even an Lara Croft/Uncharted/Halo game in enough numbers.
They are good if your train is delayed or you are waiting for your mates to arrive but will you really start playing a 10 hour plus game on your phone?
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The ipad would have to a better control system than the touch pad, something like a dualshock maybe, and that would make it another console.
The suggestion made is that the gaming would be on your TV. Apple would release a new 'Apple TV' style box that allows you to play movies, tv shows, music etc on your TV but also a gaming element allowing you to play iOS games that have been developed to be played on a TV with perhaps a new style of controller. This is all speculation of course but as Gabe Newell points out.. if they wanted to do it, they would be a threat to the consoles.
The other suggestion is that the gaming market is shifting away from 10 hour+ sitting games and instead becoming more of a family living room experience where a family perhaps play a motion sensor game. In a similar way to how the PC & internet has evolved from being something you had to be a bit geeky to use over large periods of time to something everyone uses in small chunks. The idea is that the gaming industry will shift away from big games played over many hours to small games that are easily developed at low cost and available to a large number of people.
The suggestion made is that the gaming would be on your TV. Apple would release a new 'Apple TV' style box that allows you to play movies, tv shows, music etc on your TV but also a gaming element allowing you to play iOS games that have been developed to be played on a TV with perhaps a new style of controller. This is all speculation of course but as Gabe Newell points out.. if they wanted to do it, they would be a threat to the consoles.
The other suggestion is that the gaming market is shifting away from 10 hour+ sitting games and instead becoming more of a family living room experience where a family perhaps play a motion sensor game. In a similar way to how the PC & internet has evolved from being something you had to be a bit geeky to use over large periods of time to something everyone uses in small chunks. The idea is that the gaming industry will shift away from big games played over many hours to small games that are easily developed at low cost and available to a large number of people.
But the point is that is not moving away from a 10 hour plus experience for enough numbers to make consoles still a viable option for the at least the next generation of consoles. This is the point that has been missed.
It is possible to gamers to have two modes of playing. The family stuff can be separate from the solo stuff. For example you can play with a family game and then play your solo game when the kids have gone to bed. And do you really think that teenagers want to spend their gaming time playing Wii bowling with their parents or the like? No, they want to play games their friends are playing from Call Of Duty to FIFA either online, with their mates or by themselves.
More people play "hardcore" games than ever before in gaming history. People seem to fiddle the numbers up to make it seem like "casual play" is killing "hardcore play" which simply isnt true by any stretch of the imagination.
I will explain with an example that any PC gamer will know all to well.
PC gaming has been dying for the last 20 years, yet the number of people playing PC Games has been increasing year in, every year, with a few jumping up with extreme levels of numbers. So why is it dying, its explained like this.
(these are made up numbers to explain the point, but the increases are in the right direction)
1 million pc games in year 2000 - No casual gaming market
5 million PC gamers in 2007 - 1 million casual gamers on phones, facebook etc
10 miilion PC gamers in 2011 - 30 million casual gamers on phones, facebook etc
So you can see, PC Gaming "is dying". Whats really happening is a new market is opening and the numbers are higher than PC Gaming, so its killing it. In reality though PC gaming is stronger and stronger year in year out. But if you want to chase money, well casual is the way to go with the larger numbers.
Its the same thing with consoles, the numbers are still increasing with core gamers, just not as fast or as explosive when compared to the casual market. Yet people still want to think everything is dying for some reason.
The real reason is this, which headline would you pick.
"Core gaming is doing fine, lots of new games continue each year, and the amount of players is increasing every year"
"Gaming is dying, everything you knew about gaming is going to change, expect iphones to be the new xboxs and playstations!"
Its human nature to be drawn to danger and words of doom, as its something our brains are hard wired to look out for. Same reason fleeting shadows in the bushes might be a dangerous tiger that will eat us, or terrorism is on the rise and YOU MAY DIE TODAY! Advertising learnt this a while ago, appeal to the primal reptile part of the brain that must monitor for danger.
So no, consoles are shifting more units and games than ever before, why would it die.
(Not to mention I have "survived" pc gaming dying about 30 times in my gaming life, and all that happened is games got better, more people played them, and everything just continues to get better and better)
So no, consoles are shifting more units and games than ever before, why would it die.
I think it's a little unrealistic to state that consoles are selling more units and games than ever before. There are numerous articles in the media about console sales and console game sales being down. They're certainly not at an all time high, that's for sure. The argument put forward is that everyone is waiting for the new consoles.. but the figures are down, not up.
Why would it die? Times change. Technology changes. Our use of technology changes. And if you don't move quick enough with the times, you get left behind.
Three years ago, homes didn't use tablets. Now, a large % of homes have a tablet. Technology is penetrating the living room like never before. Previously it was the domain of bedrooms where geeky kids/adults would use their computer, talk on the internet to fellow geeks and play games. Now everyone uses computers, everyone uses the internet, everyone skypes, everyone talks online, everyone uses social media and the internet is in the living room.
The theory is that if Apple decide to release an box that plays movies, tv shows, plays music AND lets you play iOS games on your HD TV... suddenly every household that already has a relationship with Apple turns to Apple for their living room media source and turns to Apple for their gaming entertainment. And the big difference here is the Apple audience isn't just made up of hard core gamer demographics... it's made up of a huge demographic that spans generations. Result? Families playing games in their living room. Result of this? Games don't need to be hardcore anymore. They don't need to be developed by huge gaming companies on difficult to code for platforms or come on physical media that cost £40+. Millions of developers could be developing games that billions of living rooms are playing for a fraction of the cost. They may not have a billion polygons or look as fancy as console games.. but that might not matter anymore. Plus the iOS gaming engine isn't too shabby anyway.. John Carmack has developed for it, so it must have potential.
This is the threat to consoles. And if consoles don't watch out, they'll become the past solution with their over priced games, lack of fresh development talent and limited hardware. The box sat in the corner with dust on it that was fantastic 5 years ago but didn't move with the times and adapt enough to the changing living room.
As the NYT put it: "New features cannot hide the fact that PlayStation 4 is still a console, a way of playing games on compact discs that was cool when cellphones were not smart."
It's not happened yet don't get me wrong. Apple still need to make the jump. They may never make the jump and consoles may continue to enjoy a form of relative success. But I think they've peaked. And how quickly their demise is met will rest heavily on what Apple intends to do with TVs.
I think it's a little unrealistic to state that consoles are selling more units and games than ever before. There are numerous articles in the media about console sales and console game sales being down. They're certainly not at an all time high, that's for sure. The argument put forward is that everyone is waiting for the new consoles.. but the figures are down, not up.
Why would it die? Times change. Technology changes. Our use of technology changes. And if you don't move quick enough with the times, you get left behind.
Three years ago, homes didn't use tablets. Now, a large % of homes have a tablet. Technology is penetrating the living room like never before. Previously it was the domain of bedrooms where geeky kids/adults would use their computer, talk on the internet to fellow geeks and play games. Now everyone uses computers, everyone uses the internet, everyone skypes, everyone talks online, everyone uses social media and the internet is in the living room.
The theory is that if Apple decide to release an box that plays movies, tv shows, plays music AND lets you play iOS games on your HD TV... suddenly every household that already has a relationship with Apple turns to Apple for their living room media source and turns to Apple for their gaming entertainment. And the big difference here is the Apple audience isn't just made up of hard core gamer demographics... it's made up of a huge demographic that spans generations. Result? Families playing games in their living room. Result of this? Games don't need to be hardcore anymore. They don't need to be developed by huge gaming companies on difficult to code for platforms or come on physical media that cost £40+. Millions of developers could be developing games that billions of living rooms are playing for a fraction of the cost. They may not have a billion polygons or look as fancy as console games.. but that might not matter anymore. Plus the iOS gaming engine isn't too shabby anyway.. John Carmack has developed for it, so it must have potential.
This is the threat to consoles. And if consoles don't watch out, they'll become the past solution with their over priced games, lack of fresh development talent and limited hardware. The box sat in the corner with dust on it that was fantastic 5 years ago but didn't move with the times and adapt enough to the changing living room.
As the NYT put it: "New features cannot hide the fact that PlayStation 4 is still a console, a way of playing games on compact discs that was cool when cellphones were not smart."
It's not happened yet don't get me wrong. Apple still need to make the jump. They may never make the jump and consoles may continue to enjoy a form of relative success. But I think they've peaked. And how quickly their demise is met will rest heavily on what Apple intends to do with TVs.
I also think that lower sales might have something to do with the economy and people having less spare cash. And statistics can be used to make an argument look good without actually meaning anything. COD sales are off the scale but you don't see it winning GOTY.
As far as tablet gaming goes I think people are missing the point. You have your own screen to play your own thing on. Times have changed and you'll find everyone doing their own thing on their own device. Hooking up to a TV would take away that individuality. I'm sure there will be games that can make the most of it but I don't see it making the impact people are suggesting.
Comments
They are good if your train is delayed or you are waiting for your mates to arrive but will you really start playing a 10 hour plus game on your phone?
When you are out and about you are generally doing something. And when you are at home you are more likely, if you are a gamer, to use a console with a tv screen or a computer monitor.
Gaming on the go is really that. I think the improved phones may be a problem for the Vita and 3DS as a way to play on longer journeys but I don't think it will really destroy the console or gaming market. As the author states it is not about raw power, even though he goes on to state the fact that the phones can out-power the consoles in an ironic manner, but the quality of the games and the experience. Staring at a screen when I can be using my tv at home? No thanks. Some Vita-style cross play will have to come in.
The ipad would have to a better control system than the touch pad, something like a dualshock maybe, and that would make it another console.
Well some nights I can be on Angry Birds for hours so I don't consider that a quick go
For example a FPS needs something to control direction, aiming, have two weapon buttons and a context button as a minimum.
Can all this be handled by a phone's touchscreen?
The suggestion made is that the gaming would be on your TV. Apple would release a new 'Apple TV' style box that allows you to play movies, tv shows, music etc on your TV but also a gaming element allowing you to play iOS games that have been developed to be played on a TV with perhaps a new style of controller. This is all speculation of course but as Gabe Newell points out.. if they wanted to do it, they would be a threat to the consoles.
The other suggestion is that the gaming market is shifting away from 10 hour+ sitting games and instead becoming more of a family living room experience where a family perhaps play a motion sensor game. In a similar way to how the PC & internet has evolved from being something you had to be a bit geeky to use over large periods of time to something everyone uses in small chunks. The idea is that the gaming industry will shift away from big games played over many hours to small games that are easily developed at low cost and available to a large number of people.
But the point is that is not moving away from a 10 hour plus experience for enough numbers to make consoles still a viable option for the at least the next generation of consoles. This is the point that has been missed.
It is possible to gamers to have two modes of playing. The family stuff can be separate from the solo stuff. For example you can play with a family game and then play your solo game when the kids have gone to bed. And do you really think that teenagers want to spend their gaming time playing Wii bowling with their parents or the like? No, they want to play games their friends are playing from Call Of Duty to FIFA either online, with their mates or by themselves.
.
I will explain with an example that any PC gamer will know all to well.
PC gaming has been dying for the last 20 years, yet the number of people playing PC Games has been increasing year in, every year, with a few jumping up with extreme levels of numbers. So why is it dying, its explained like this.
(these are made up numbers to explain the point, but the increases are in the right direction)
1 million pc games in year 2000 - No casual gaming market
5 million PC gamers in 2007 - 1 million casual gamers on phones, facebook etc
10 miilion PC gamers in 2011 - 30 million casual gamers on phones, facebook etc
So you can see, PC Gaming "is dying". Whats really happening is a new market is opening and the numbers are higher than PC Gaming, so its killing it. In reality though PC gaming is stronger and stronger year in year out. But if you want to chase money, well casual is the way to go with the larger numbers.
Its the same thing with consoles, the numbers are still increasing with core gamers, just not as fast or as explosive when compared to the casual market. Yet people still want to think everything is dying for some reason.
The real reason is this, which headline would you pick.
"Core gaming is doing fine, lots of new games continue each year, and the amount of players is increasing every year"
"Gaming is dying, everything you knew about gaming is going to change, expect iphones to be the new xboxs and playstations!"
Its human nature to be drawn to danger and words of doom, as its something our brains are hard wired to look out for. Same reason fleeting shadows in the bushes might be a dangerous tiger that will eat us, or terrorism is on the rise and YOU MAY DIE TODAY! Advertising learnt this a while ago, appeal to the primal reptile part of the brain that must monitor for danger.
So no, consoles are shifting more units and games than ever before, why would it die.
(Not to mention I have "survived" pc gaming dying about 30 times in my gaming life, and all that happened is games got better, more people played them, and everything just continues to get better and better)
I think it's a little unrealistic to state that consoles are selling more units and games than ever before. There are numerous articles in the media about console sales and console game sales being down. They're certainly not at an all time high, that's for sure. The argument put forward is that everyone is waiting for the new consoles.. but the figures are down, not up.
Why would it die? Times change. Technology changes. Our use of technology changes. And if you don't move quick enough with the times, you get left behind.
Three years ago, homes didn't use tablets. Now, a large % of homes have a tablet. Technology is penetrating the living room like never before. Previously it was the domain of bedrooms where geeky kids/adults would use their computer, talk on the internet to fellow geeks and play games. Now everyone uses computers, everyone uses the internet, everyone skypes, everyone talks online, everyone uses social media and the internet is in the living room.
The theory is that if Apple decide to release an box that plays movies, tv shows, plays music AND lets you play iOS games on your HD TV... suddenly every household that already has a relationship with Apple turns to Apple for their living room media source and turns to Apple for their gaming entertainment. And the big difference here is the Apple audience isn't just made up of hard core gamer demographics... it's made up of a huge demographic that spans generations. Result? Families playing games in their living room. Result of this? Games don't need to be hardcore anymore. They don't need to be developed by huge gaming companies on difficult to code for platforms or come on physical media that cost £40+. Millions of developers could be developing games that billions of living rooms are playing for a fraction of the cost. They may not have a billion polygons or look as fancy as console games.. but that might not matter anymore. Plus the iOS gaming engine isn't too shabby anyway.. John Carmack has developed for it, so it must have potential.
This is the threat to consoles. And if consoles don't watch out, they'll become the past solution with their over priced games, lack of fresh development talent and limited hardware. The box sat in the corner with dust on it that was fantastic 5 years ago but didn't move with the times and adapt enough to the changing living room.
As the NYT put it: "New features cannot hide the fact that PlayStation 4 is still a console, a way of playing games on compact discs that was cool when cellphones were not smart."
It's not happened yet don't get me wrong. Apple still need to make the jump. They may never make the jump and consoles may continue to enjoy a form of relative success. But I think they've peaked. And how quickly their demise is met will rest heavily on what Apple intends to do with TVs.
I also think that lower sales might have something to do with the economy and people having less spare cash. And statistics can be used to make an argument look good without actually meaning anything. COD sales are off the scale but you don't see it winning GOTY.
As far as tablet gaming goes I think people are missing the point. You have your own screen to play your own thing on. Times have changed and you'll find everyone doing their own thing on their own device. Hooking up to a TV would take away that individuality. I'm sure there will be games that can make the most of it but I don't see it making the impact people are suggesting.