Soundwave said:
The thing is, this whole arguement is actually outdated. Even the whole "controller innovation versus graphics" argument is old. What's happened is you still need the hardcore player no matter what. They are the only ones willing to pay $50-$60 a game in the long run. Casual gamers have moved on to what they really want -- $1-$5 games on iPads and iOS. That's what they value video games, they don't want deep immersive experiences, they just want something to burn some time and is friendly and accessible to play. That's it. Why pay even $20 for a game when you can get like 10 different iOS apps for that? That model doesn't work for any of the console makers, not even Nintendo, that's whats happened. Nintendo opened pandora's box with the casual audience, but what that trend has now evolved into is something they don't like at all -- cheap, disposable smartphone/tablet/browser games, that's really hurting Nintendo more than Sony/MS ever probably did directly. The controller really can't evolve much more anyway -- the Wiimote was very simple to use, but Kinect is even simpler still (no buttons!). If you still can't play video games or find them too confusing, nothing short of a wire connected to your brain is going to change that. Virtual reality like the Occulus Rift is the next step. |
If the App model becomes the norm and where growth is, then you will see the death of the AAA studio model that videogame consoles have been using. No longer you going to get Uncharted type titles or Call of Duty or you name it. What you get is a flood of garage studio games, and stuff like that.
