"and the console manufacturers seem intent on creating consoles cut from the same cloth as each other"

This is the part where Nintendo gets to say BS.

I do agree lately there have been too many viable platforms. But that doesn't mean there should be only one, open platform. Maybe PC and a dominating videogame console, but not just one system across the board for everything. I'm not fond of that.

An SNES pad with tilt and analogs. Maybe not the tilt.

Well personally i think that multiple consoles each generation is good because it offers good competition.

I mean think about it, if there was just one console, the games would most likely get worse because the lack of competition and the developers would just get lazy....

it won't be microsoft. thankfully either nintendo or sony.

and oh come on guys saying dualshock its a snes with sticks

its like saying the wii its a ps2 with motion sensing.

and xbox have similar controller.

You saved this thread.  Thank you.

Besides, if there was only console, Nintendo would dominate 100% of the consoles instead of just 33% of the consoles. People would have to update their argument to say "Only Nintendo software sells on a video game console."

A universal console standard was already attempted. Few people remember 3DO for a reason.

Sega copied Nintendo but switched the letters around.  Microsoft copied Sega's letters.  Sony thought they'd be super awesome by using shapes instead of letters so people would have to memorize them all over again.  So yeah, I guess you're right.  They're all completely different and original, except for Microsoft for stealing Sega's letters.

Ooh, here you can see that Sony's controller innovation was clearly putting legs on the controller.

The SNES invented the 4 button layout that has been on every single gaming system since.  And it introduced the shoulder buttons that have been on every single gaming system since.  Then Nintendo threw one analog on it.  Then Sony threw 2 on it.  Sega added the pressure sensitive triggers.  So Nintendo, Sony, and Sega have teamed up to create today's super-controllers that combine every innovation, so competition has made our controllers improve several times.

But yes... the DualShock is a SNES pad with some analogs on it.

Having multiple consoles is "monopolistic" but you want there to be only one console in the future? :D