As long as there is another dedicated home console to challenge PS in some way, we don't need to worry all that much. Xbox One may not be giving the PS4 a very hard time, but its enough to keep PS focused on doing the right things for the most part.
It's what if the XB brand stops making consoles, or only makes premium consoles (like Apple), or closes shop entirely? With no one to challenge PS, we would rely on NiN to try their hand at dedicated home consoles again, otherwise we could be in for another PS3 like gen. Would PS do that? I think if that scenario ever played out, you would just see more console options, like a 3rd ultra premium console maybe.

So you want a console that matches Sony in features and content to push them? Isn't that exactly what Xbox is? They have been twinsies for multiple generations now. Why would you want more of the same shit that plays the same library (90%+)?

Nintendo is the only real other option. They may not challenge on the core power, but they do on features, gameplay, content, etc. They force Sony to build games like LBP instead of mods and iterations on FPS.

Honestly, we need more Nintendos than Sonys.

This.  Sure, they have their own things going on.  However, they still compete for dollars.  If Sony goes too high of a price, or just churns out shitty games, people will just wait for it to come down in price and/or buy a Nintendo HH/hybrid instead.  You also have PC, that appeals to a very similar crowd and also has crossover with home console buyers.  If Sony is complacent, they will lose a lot of gamers to PC.  Devs also compete with themselves, trying to match or outdo each other in terms of visuals and gameplay.

In the end, it is the consumers that determine the market.  And if Sony and Nintendo are all that's left in the dedicated console market, it won't be a worse place.  It'll probably remain very similar to how it is, now.  Sony will focus on pumping out quality 1st games targeted to mainly the core gamer amd some casual gamers, with consoles that give you as much power as they can for $399.  And Nintendo will focus on pumping out quality 1st party games that target core and casual gamers, with HH/hybrids that are powerful for a tablet, but don't come close to the power of a home console.

what do you mean, hired people like j allard?

If you believe this then you have been paying attention to nothing.

If Sony would've launched the ps3 at a proper price, people would've chosen the ps3 by default over the Xbox 360. If you witnessed the Rrod issue, that was the fallout of Microsoft rushing their consoles development because they were afraid to take on Sony head to head. They believed they needed a years head start and the only way to combat Sony is to take away third party exclusivity from them. Microsoft pushed Sony to make their first party second to none that generation by making it evident that they were the me too console with PC games and Sony would have to reinvest in more first pArty to differentiate themselves from what everyone called the "hd twin". Sony could've launched at a good price but decided to risk it all to save their investment in blu ray as a format. 

tell me this.... if Microsoft was true competition for Sony cover an eight million console deficit for years until they caught up to them. No other brand has the brand power to do that. If Sony hits the ground running its over for their competition because they cover all the needed bases to win a generation by a landslide.

with the groundwork Microsoft has covered they need to be more consumer friendly from the beginning and for he love of God invest in strong first party instead of being dependent on third party they cannot trust. This is why Sony and nintnedo are at least known for brand identity in their games and quality. They have products made by them that have that Sony or Nintendo touch. Microsoft has yet to achieve the feat of leaving their mark of quality on games 

How is mobile different than PC, hmm…

Well… The PC has a curated a market of consumers who will buy games anywhere from $0 free to play games, to $2, $5, $10 discounted games, to $20, $30 budget games, to $40, $50, $60 blockbuster games.

This was done by providing a proper way of filtering out a large portion of shovelware so people could find games that are worth their asking price. The Steam platform has started to faltered on this curation in the past few years and it may hurt the platform long term because of game discoverability issues.

PC’s also have standard inputs beyond a single touch screen (Mouse and keyboard) and has also curated a widely supported alternate control option (xinput: xbox360 gamepad). This allows for more depth, variety, and accuracy in gameplay. This has a greater value to players who are willing to spend more money upfront.

This all allows for developers to have larger budget games (on average) and to not have to depend on in game purchases or in game advertising as their entire revenue model.

In app purchases/advertising is actually very risky, because is only works at extremely high volumes of users. Which is why the average return on investment is so very low on iOS and Android with very little middle ground and only a handful of games taking 95% of the profits, with the remaining 5% to be divided amongst and exponentially large pool of developers.

Basically the mobile market is all or nothing, and depends on a monetization model that greatly imposes on the design of the games themselves.

Now, someone could create a cultivated market place with quality games, with standard upfront purchase prices, and standard gamepad integration. Which is exactly what the TegraZone platform is, but it never grew large enough.

So, the alternative for Nvidia is collaborating with Nintendo which has done a much better job at expanding market awareness and having health attach rates, etc.

I guess Apple or Google could take a shot at it, but they would rather just rake in their 30% on all app purchases platform wide and call it a day. Low effort, low risk, nice returns, just maintain the status quo, they are content.

I agree...i think the switch is going to get the ds and psp market not a market that can be owned by a phone.....unless another DS is released.

If it cant find its market it will be abandoned by devs way before its abandoned by consumers. The mobile market is just overcome with phones with android and iOS. Tablets couldnt even crack it. Tablets sales have slowed way down with not much in site of coming back!

Considering Switch is beating it, I'd say you already have one.

There is no way Sony could have sold the PS3 at the time with a proper price.  The console was 800 or so bones to make and they were already eating a lot on cost.  Actually its the over engineering of the PS3 that produced the PS4 where Sony made sure to not over engineer, eat cost and keep a reasonable price.  This is what I mean by a mistake.  It took years for Sony to break even on the PS3.  Even then they nerfed all of the profits from the PS2 years of happiness.

You seem to only look at marketshare while I look at the decisions Sony has made.  You think about how Sony changed their arrogance stance towards their customers because of the 360.  You look how they changed their design of their console, how they decided to not push for that niche developed system but something easy and simple for Developers to program for.  You look at Sony online service and tell me MS did not have a big influence.  You look at how Sony has embraced the indie developers and Tell me that was not influenced by MS.  You tell me the PS4 is not a direct influence on how MS does hardware compared to how Sony use to do their hardware.

Yes, Sony has better exclusives but then again they have been in the business a lot longer and purchase some of the best developers during the PS and PS2 hayday.  As with a lot of studio closing from both camps even Sony is not only keep the good ones and letting the so so ones go.  Each gen gives each company a chance to change the narrative and it could be that Sony go back to their early preception that they are the king of Consoles and let their rivals show them that console gamers are not that loyal.