Why the PS4, Xbox 720, and Wii 2 will all be identical

Although we’re probably at least two years away from any next-gen console seeing the light of day, it’s important to keep an eye on where the industry is headed from time to time. Unfortunately, I’ve got a nasty feeling that the PS4, Xbox 720, and Wii 2 (or whatever they end up being called) will all turn out to be almost identical to each other.

This generation of video game consoles is, to my mind at least, one of the best ever. I know many people disagree with that, and will likely tell me why they do in the comments section of this article. But it’s my opinion and it’s based on a few different factors.

First there are the games, some of which have blown me away over the last two years. Maybe I’m a sucker for graphics and that has definitely helped, but genres are being pushed, game play is being tweaked, and gaming as a whole is becoming more and more diverse.

The diversity of the games, however, is nothing compared to the diversity amongst the consoles. In order of how they are selling, here’s why. The Wii is out there on its own, catering to the mainstream, providing cheap thrills for casuals everywhere; the Xbox 360 is the machine of the hardcore, with gamers dedicated to putting in the hours getting rewarded heavily; the PS3 sits between the two, but also offers more features and functions than any console ever has before.

This diversity means absolutely everyone is catered for. From young kids to OAPs, gaming is now a hobby open to and enjoyed by all. But I have a fear that the next-gen consoles are going to head in the same direction, and it came while reading an article on Venture Beat.

In amongst talk of graphics chips and company collaborations, Dean Takahashi says:

Nintendo is the one company with a clear mission for its next console. It has to develop a system that can do high-definition graphics. The other two have to do something with a cool user interface that matches the Wii’s motion-sensing control scheme.

Woah, back up a minute, not because the author is wrong or anything but let’s be clear on the full ramifications if that statement rings true.

Nintendo is highly likely to basically develop a new, souped-up, more accurate-to-control version of the Wii, but with high-def graphics. Fine, I think that’s a given. While Sony and Microsoft are highly likely to want a piece of the action the Wii has been getting for the last two years and seek to mimic the control system to some extent. Again, almost a certainty in my view.

In this scenario, we’ll end up with three consoles offering state-of-the-art graphics alongside a motion-sensing control system. There will still be subtle differences between the three, of course, but for all intents and purposes, the Wii 2, Xbox 720, and Playstation 4 could be brothers conceived by the same parents. I’m really not too enamored with this idea.

source: http://gamer.blorge.com/2009/02/15/why-the-ps4-xbox-720-and-wii-2-will-all-be-identical/&hl=en&strip=1">http://72.14.235.132/search?q=cache:http://gamer.blorge.com/2009/02/15/why-the-ps4-xbox-720-and-wii-2-will-all-be-identical/&hl=en&strip=1

I really don't think this will happen! MS and Sony know that it would be a bad idea to fight nintendo in the casual ring! So yeah, they'll probably be a little more casual, but just a little.

I don't agree with the article either.. I mean for all intents and purposes the PS2, XBOX and GCN were all identical. I mean that in the way this article is saying.

Also the PS2 was the big casual console last gen and it was Sony takin gtheir eyes off the ball that cost them so they can take it to Nintendo if they want to for sure. Microsoft have copied the Mii concept and most likely have been working on their own motion controller so it's not out of the realm of possibility.

But no they won't be identical

it seems to be a bunch of fanboy rants afraid of change


the wii control scheme ofers the best option to move the gaming medium forward--now just need great control with HD graphics

After some consideration, I think the OP has written an interesting article.

Its true. The Xbox360 is originally marketed towards the hardcore gaming community (read: American community). It has seen many attempts from MS to open itself to a casual userbase. The price reduced Arcade model, NXE, a series of diversified and casual games (consider pussycats bundle, the childrens programming game shown at CES09), etc.

The arcade version is a big step towards the 'casual' market on its own. UNO on XBLA and several board games such as monopoly being adapted onto the Xbox360 are good examples.

Why, you ask? Quite simply because the Nintendo Wii has opened up a new market. And if you're not hogging up the casual market as quickly as you can then what ARE you doing? Also, Developing games for casuals require a smaller budget than full fledged core games.

The PS3, originally marketed towards the home-theatre enthusiast is also showing signs of shifting gears. LittleBigPlanet, a big one. Otherwise there are more and more casual games like Bejeweled and soon to come Peggle, even games like flow, flower and noby noby boy, can be considered advances towards the casual market.
Alas - they're charging way too much for a game that you can play for free on facebook.

I am guessing the Playstation 3 is, strategically speaking, in the most disadvantaged position to appeal to casuals.


What I don't agree with the OP is that puffy speaks about a 'fear for the future'.

Yes, all consoles would be identical in the next generation. He is correct here BUT ONLY in that they will have the same motivations and therefore compete directly against each other.
However I do also think that right now, the way forward is for the three gaming giants to embrace core gamers while continuing to captivate the casual audience.
(note the way they go about this will vary plenty. Let not your brain deceive you. Designers have brought things that never existed before into being. It will happen again. The next gen consoles don't all have to be waggle sticks with HD graphics believe me. Consider function does not equal structure, and structure does not equal function. you cannot perceive the structure of a designed object from its function alone. Nor the other way round.)

And would you really think that game developers will cease to put out the next ground breaking game or continue to revolutionize genres ever? Game developers have done so much amazing stuff in the last 2 years than ever before. The last thing in their minds right now is to let the industry stagnate and settle for mediocrity.

the key differentiator will be their input methods--there's not just one method of 'motion control'. I also wouldn't be surprised if at least one of them had stereoscopic 3D gaming as a standard.

Xbox 720 with greater graphics and with IR pointer and motion = best shooter machine ever..

i think it would be good to get back to a point where are three systems are on roughly equal footing graphically. because of the wii, third party studios that have relied on multiplatform titles have essentially had to make 2 different games, one for the 360/ps3 and one for the wii(or not made one version at all).

The systems will be very different in the games that they will be able to play (AKA exclusives) and that's where the key differences always are.

Count on it--Nintendo admitted that they could never have predicted the Wii's popularity.  They needed to be profitable if they only sold 5 million systems total.  Now that they know the stratey works, they'll be able to continue their current strategy of upstreaming with their next system.