I find his views... simplistic.
The demand for entertainment that falls under the increasingly nebulous terminology of 'videogames' is on the rise in just about every way.
This entertainment requires some for of tech to deliver it - whether its a seperate box, a standard box you download code to, built into your TV or whatever.
This entertainment covers many specific niches - online MP (strong PC and 360 presence), online MMO (almost exclusively PC at the moment), SP videogames (PS3, 360, Wii and PC) and more casual family games (mainly Wii right now although PS3 should get stronger here, 360 is not making much headway here IMHO and PC is right out the picture as its normally off somewhere in a small room or office).
Standardisation is good in some ways (and devs would love it) but how do you get a Wii agreed upon? Or a 360? Or a PS3? Should the box have build in multi-media and HD playback or not?
The short answer is that there is no all encompasing trend and different consoles/approaches appeal to different audiences. Wii is great but I really don't see most MP FPS gamers seeing it as being anything other than weak while as of yet MMO is a PC monopoly.
Add to that unique IP and its even harder to standardise. MS and Nintendo guard the unique IP jealously. Sony didn't have to and have been caught somewhat with their pants down regarding IP many would see as unique to the brand but they still own plenty of popular IP - and all three want to use it to lure you to their 'club'.
I really can't see this changing much for quite a while unless one of the major players really gets way ahead in all areas (something none of the consoles including Wii I would argue looks likely to do at least this generation).
Yes, devs would like it - and in some ways the idea of multiple versions of the same game do seem faintly ridiculous - and I think many consumers would like the ability to view the tech more like a TV or a DVD player where they do the same thing and play the same content, but the current state of the market makes it very unlikely IMHO.
So consoles - as in a piece of tech that sits near your TV and allows you to experience videogame entertainment - aren't going anywhere. Whether after this gen Sony and MS are quite so keen to use the 'lose money on the console make it on the content' model and push high specs vs Nintendo 'make money on everything and don't push high specs' remains to be seen.
Try to be reasonable... its easier than you think...
