The single platform cometh

[bdbdbd]

I think the writer didn't follow his own logic all the way.
I didn't really understand the problem what he had with PS360 ports and developers making them, publishers do have a 3rd option. Writer definately was thinking about the costs of the ports, but if publishers would have bet the right horse or their platform of choice would have been winning, there would be no need for ports. So he just complains about the generation change by looking at what the writer says later, when he thinks that there's room for other consoles as a niche, which basically means what usually happens during one console generation after one platform has become dominant and developers choose to develope for the leading platform.
When he talks about 90% share, i think he misses something relevant; the two most dominant generations for a single platform have been "NES" and "PS2 generations" and neither were near 90%. In both cases, it was the consumers who chose to support the different platforms as they did. Unless the market expand or change significantly i don't see marketshare getting any bigger than what NES or PS2 had.

Now the upgradeable STB without licencing fees exist, and it's called PC. I think most people (except the writer) have heard of it. This also contradicts his idea of people buying games for the STB they own, since looking at how much PC:s there is and how many games are bought to those PC:s, the attach rate indeed is low. Sure, most casuals do play PC, but the games they have are solitaire etc. which come pack-ins with the OS, so they really don't pay anything for their games.
Sony could easilly go with the STB way, or let's put it this way; Playstation could be integrated to every electronic device Sony manufactures. Playstation Cybershot, Playstation Walkman, Playstation DVD-player, Playstation car audio, Playstation stereosystem, Playstation Bravia, Playstation Sony-Ericsson mobile etc. Just like N-Gage 2 will outsell every handheld LTD so far, but it's not going to move a lot of software.

I do understand some points the writer makes, but i still see it being nonsense.

@Katilian: 90% was propably a little high, but looking at what audience most cars try to cater, it's definately the most people and all the others are just a niche. It really doesn't matter if your car has 90kW engine or 110kW or will it accelerate 0-100 in 9,6 or 11,8 seconds, they still cater the same audience. People basically buy as small and low consuming cars they can or as big and high performance cars they can afford, but this group needs bigger cars than what they want or have smaller budget than what they would need. That was the low point and high point, where basically all customers fit. Things would be completely different if car manufacturers would sell Mercedes SLR McLarens of Ferrari Maranellos with the price of Ford Ka or sell Fiat Puntos with the price of Lamborghinis.