http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moore%27s_law

For thoose who don't know moore's law

We'll never have a standardized format for the reason that every company wants to make money off the hardware, and each company wants something different from said hardware :/ Nintendo wanted to keep the cost of the console down, Sony wants to push for Blu-ray, those two don't seem to mix xD

HAHA you put IP singular! thats cause they only have one, Mario.

@Borkachev Which technologies are you reffering to?

Quantum computing, optical computing. I don't have the technical background to speak about their feasibility or performance possibilities, but at the very least I think they show that there's potential for life after silicon.

I don't understand the rationale behind thinking that it would be bad for the industry if there was a 1-console standard. Was it bad for the movie industry when there was just one format (VHS, then DVD)? All it means is that they need to make good movies to stay competitive. It would be the same with the gaming industry. Imagine if you buy a game that you really liked, and you wanted to bring it to your friend's place. As long as they had a 'game system' (just like they have a dvd player) that would be guaranteed to play whatever current game you put into it? It would only be a good thing--there would be much less confusion in the industry, and people would buy more consoles.

Now, that being said, there is a difference between plausibility and feasibility. Would it make sense? Absolutely. Will it happen? Probably not, as long as you have competitors who either can effectively appeal to current trends, or create their own. As it stands now, we have two competitors with excess mountains of cash to spend getting developers to make things for them, as well as advertising cash, who refuse to 'give in' to the other. We also have another that appeals to a market neither of the other two can touch.

From a certain point of view, we have a VHS vs. Betamax war here, with the key difference being that each company involved has a viable format and brings something different to the table. As long as this continues, we will never see a unified format.



Also, on another note, I hope we never have a time where downloading is the only way to go. I'm fine with having the option to download any game OR purchase it from a store. But there are a few reasons I'm opposed to a download-only industry:

- I like the sense of security of being able to hold up a physical game (disc or cartridge) and be able to say "This is my game." Much better than it 'existing' in cyberspace somewhere, where anything can happen.
- I like being able to bring it to a friend's house and just pop it into their console. If I had to dl a game, I'd either have to bring the console to a friend's place or sign in online on their console and download it to their hard drive.


Am I right, or am I crazy? Feel free to rebuke me.

You could very well be right with quantum computers. I just don't know if it will be available in time. And if it is not available in time I think you will see some standardization as I think theres more money in it. I just don't see the car of the future with a gaming system in it that will only play PS9 games. I think it will be like music and movies play here there or anywhere.

@Borkachev
You make very compelling points though

The Dreamcast could play PS2 games with an emulator that was sold through major retailers. I realize this is only slightly relevant, but I just thought I'd point it out.

The nice thing about standards is there is so many to choose from.

PS2 format is a standard.... as is wii format...

How about flash bade web games?

There will never be only one standard. Too boring, no room for innovation... at best there may be a leading format for a decade, and if it's lucky it will continue to be the lading for the next, etc...