They will always find a way to improve gaming. If they don't it won't stop - there will just come many new consoles. That's my view at least.

Why wouldn't there always be a better AI? Why can't the games look better than real world?

Not in our life time.

As far as Online Gameplay goes the PC has been in the lead over the console for quite some time and not the other way around. Online multiplayer is still relatively new to the console world.

It's not "harder" to do anything with a Wiimote on a PC. Heck, it's actually remarkably easy. Here is an example and you can find other examples if you looked half heartedly. Just google "Wiimote PC" and you'll get plenty of examples.

Many things are actually EASIER to do on a PC than on a console because of several limitations the current consoles (and many of their predecessors). These include things like the differences In-Order Processors (Xbox 360 & PS3) and Out-of-Order Processors (current PC processors), larger (and faster) RAM availability in PCs, hard drive availability (though not so much a case against the PS3), etc.

Now of course consoles have a price advantage (we'll ignore the price monstrosity that is the PS3), a single specification as far as CPU, graphics processor, & RAM (which means developers know exactly what they're programming for), and MOST importantly the software is more difficult to pirate. PC gaming is likely to die out with the exceptions of services like Steam in the next few years. This is because piracy is so rampant in PC gaming that publishers and developers aren't seeing the sort of returns they SHOULD see. Whereas in the console market piracy is generally more difficult and publishers are seeing larger sales than on the PC.

In the end, the only markets that are likely to survive on PC are MMO games & services that validate your software other ways like Steam.

I agree. In 30 years, the players probably won't be MS, Sony, and Nintendo, but they will still be made.

It's like saying "When do you think they will stop making movies?"

As for PC's taking over consoles, that will never happen. You can always make a console produce better looking games cheaper. For example, you can pick up a 360 for $280 that plays Gears and CoD4. To reach the same level of performance on a PC, you need to spend a lot more money. Same with a $399 PS3 and CoD4 and UT3. To match that on the PC, you are way past $400.

Hell, to make a PC that can match a PS2, you need to spend a lot more than $129

For reasons of economy, we will always have consoles.

For ever,
I actually believe that in terms of convergents it will actually be tv and movies that lose out to consoles.
Of course with ever increasing functionality whether or not they will be recognisable as todays consoles is another question. Maybe just set top box's to combine console, hdd recorder, dvd/ blue ray player, amplifier/surround sound etc

I hope consoles last until after I am long gone from this world. Tried computer gaming and never got into it. I haven't bought a single computer game in the past four years.

well, the wii another year or two, the 360 about 3 more years and the ps3 obviously another 9.

generally, I dont think pc will ever replace consoles.

I think the current consoles will last 5-6 years, like the previous ones.

PC will never take over people dont want to be stuck at a computer desk with a small screen they want couches and a big tv. Plus consoles are a lot easier to understand and use the installing games

Books & Plays didn't disapear with movies and movies won't with gaming.

As for the future of consoles they'll combine your media center into one box. And as for PC's well desktops will stay on desktops. But a PERSONAL COMPUTER is just a giant symantics argument. Also people want to do things the quickest way possible and uasually also silent. So the mouse and key board will stick around for a While. Or atleast until they get that eye tracking technology nailed down. Virtual arm waving takes to much effort and time. And at a company in a room we're not going to all be talking to our computers.