| disolitude said: As far as I see, all Google can do better than someone like Nvidia is better marketing and cheaper price. Nvidia Shield is packed to the tits with technology including miracast support, PC game streaming, amazing build quality and hardware but it is slightly on the expensive side and no one really knows about it since its a niche device. If Google secures an exclusive game, I don't see how they will be able to make it exclusive for Googles console since Android is about as secure as Polish-German border during WWII. Even if they lock it to their console, which would be very anti-android, it won't take long till the .APK and data files are available to download and play on many other Android devices. IMO Google doesn't need a console. They need to start securing exclusive content and games now so that the gaming aspects of Android catches up to iOS. All the high profile mobile games lately (Xcom, DeusEx, Limbo, Plants VS Zombies 2...) are on iOS first and maybe they will come to Android down the road. I don't see how throwing a new piece of hardware to the market will help this problem, since Android already has most hardware sold to consumers. |
Except Nvidia Sheild and OUYA are game machines. I'm defining far more than a gaming machine.
The others simply don't have this immersion. The don't provide a full mass market experience. This is why they will fail as they are trying to be game consoles and simply cannot compete with the big three in this manner due to massive difference in content. They will fail.
But Google (and in reality all this is mirrored by Apple's similar likely future product) has the capacity, tech, services, and money to do it all... including buying exclusives.
And this is what Google needs and will make. This is clear if you follow their product(s) path.
bought android, stormed onto phone market.
branched android to phone vs tablet, then remerged... now growing in that market dramatically.
created ChromeOS and started in low-cost cloud based laptop market. Growing albeit slower.
Chrome now on phone/tablet and fully merged with pc/chromeos experience / sync.
created Google TV as branch from android. Already shown that android main branch and googleTV are remerging since Android 4.3.
Already noted that ChromeOS and Android will further merge as Android continues to grow. Chrome is simply that beachhead.
All services have merged to one account system and continue to merge across similar capabilities.
Android syncs all video/pics with G+
Store syncs all items with G+ for social interaction / rating.
chat systems now one common system across everything and last two items (voice/sms) stated to be coming very soon (likely android 4.4)
Android adds gaming hub to sync content and social with G+ etc. Android also has SDK for real controllers and further enhancements.
all services cloud/internet based.
Google starts high bandwidth and very cheap fiber optic network that includes android devices as remotes and full TV delivery (to replace cable/sat)
Very soon we'll see final push to have GoogleTV/ChromeOS/Android all one system, shared content simply different view of your google account due to real physical differences in the hardware. A TV/PC/Laptop/Tablet and phone different and should have UIs to best take advantage of that. Kinda why Win8 is failing or not growing as anticipated.
So with that. We have Google Nexus devices that are amazing in phones/tablets/laptops. What we don't have is a real TV connected solution. Its the logical next step.
They want a box that will bridge all your cloud content to your prime entertainment system. Your TV/Stereo. They are even already deploying the backbone of that service via Fiber. They recognize a very important part of that full entertainment package is games and now they've stepped up their game in that area recently.
Google will have a Nexus TV type of box.
- sync with multiple google accounts to personalize your experience (standard feature as of android 4.2)
- full google search/indexing (googleTV) for anything
- full control via any device with appropriate app
- enhanced by Google Play for content (won't even need phone as the system itself utilizes google's cloud services, so iOS users can still use it and stream even from their PCs/iOS products thanks to Chromecast support)
- enhanced Google Chromecast from any device both cloud and locally stored
- full set of android applications, so you already have everything you could possibly want in entertainment
- enhanced gaming center with 'console/pc' level games and packed in standard dual-analog controller (wireless, mic support, etc)
Then you look at Nexus pricing.
- Phones are $300 vs $600 yet offer nearly identical level of hardware and style.
- Tablets are $200 vs $400 (7") or $250 vs $500 (10") yet offer nearly identical level of hardware and style.
- Laptops are $200~$300 vs $500+ yet offer similar functionality and any features a 'mass consumer' would need. Likely also match games as it can build off of similar gaming enhancement in this Nexus TV box I'm suggesting above. (of course there are still other limitations like lack of some specific apps or chromeOS having lower featured version of certian apps like CAD software or adobe photoshop)
So if consoles are $300 to $500, I'd expect Google to come in at $150~$250. Marketed well, thats a great device for a mass consumer or gamer of all levels.
