Square Enix: Consoles set for extinction

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Yoichi Wada says trade must prepare for switch to digital distribution and server-based games.

Square Enix chief Yoichi Wada is preparing his firm for the demise of physical media – and potentially the death of home consoles. In an exclusive interview with MCV that will be published next week, the CEO of the publisher – which now owns Eidos and is famous for its epic disc-based Final Fantasy games – said that a dramatic change will come in the next decade offering more opportunity for market growth, but fundamentally transforming the traditional industry.

“In ten years’ time a lot of what we call ‘console games’ won’t exist,” he said.

Wada warned that “all the distributors and sales firms will suffer a big negative impact” from a new era in which interactive entertainment switches from software run on hardware in the home to server-based offerings, game streaming and digital distribution.

He claimed that format-holders including Sony and Microsoft are already prepared for the shift – and that third-parties must follow suit.

“Somewhere around 2005 the console manufacturers’ strategy shifted,” he said.

“In the past the platform was hardware, but it has switched to the network. A time will come when the hardware isn’t even needed anymore.
“With that, any kind of terminal becomes a potential platform on which games can be played – that’s exponential growth in the potential of gaming. The potential size of the market is enormous.”

He explained that Square Enix is preparing for this change by ramping up production of social and browser games at its Japanese studios, and also closely monitoring 2010’s beta roll-out of PS3 MMO Final Fantasy XIV.
“Social and browser games are going to grow dramatically – especially in areas like Asia which does not have as big a console market,” he said.

Source: MCV
 
I wholeheartedly agree with Wada on this. Maybe we'll see a Playstation 4 and a Nintendo and Xbox equivalent (whatever they choose to call their next consoles), but that will be the end of it. I made a thread about it a couple of months back, but people didn't seem terrible interested :P

Cloud gaming is the future though. There's a reason as to why Sony registered "PS Cloud" as a trademark the day after OnLive went public with their plans for a game-on-demand service.
 
well, that will be the end of my gaming then

I cant play games on my pc, concentrating on the screen for too long gives me migraines :rage:

What a cock

Mind you, in 10 years time, I probably won't care anyway, Im already playing gamnes significantly less than I used to
 
Are they trying to say home consoles are going to disappear entirely and we have to play everything on the PC...or we just download everything onto the console and actual disks disappear? If it's the first one then fuck that, I'll enjoy watching companies going down the shitter if they tried that.
 
Agreed, I RARELY play PC games because I can't get into them like I can a console game. If it does come to the latter choice they may keep me yet :gasp:
 
I mean this seems like a pretty obvious route for the video game industry to take. I personally don't like it, because a really good gaming PC is like $1000 more then just a good PC.

Also the way people set up there PC's on a desk type setting is terrible for video games. It's not as comfortable or relaxing. It's good for things you need to be working on but not playing. At least thats how I feel. Also I feel like TV's are gentler on the eyes then monitors for some reason.
 
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I really hope they mean that we just download games onto the console. I do not like going on my PC for games, especially since it's ancient. I like my home consoles, why in the world do they need to do this :rage:

I also hope that they don't expect us to all play online games, because I don't like that at all. Sometimes I just feel like playing a game by myself.
 
I can live with the latter because it's essentially just the PSN Store on a larger scale, though it'd screw the people over who don't have access to the net.

The problem with the first query is that a)My computer couldn't handle 1080p graphics, b)a PS3 title can end up being 50GB in size which c)fucks anyone over with a fairly small harddrive or d)don't have unlimited broadband which would cost an arm and a leg for going over the download limit.

I don't entirely know what he's getting at but either way it sounds like it's going to kill the gaming world rather than "expand" it >.>
 
What is properly going to happen is already started. You will just pay to download the game from the company and play it on a console. I doubt Sony is going to give up with making systems mainly due to the fact that yea almost every house has a computer, but half of the people are missing internet and computer format games tend to be hard to operate and utilize the advantages.
Edit: I forgot about that, but with the trend of graphics and sound quality, most people won't even be able to play the pc games.
 
HUH WHAT? If all games have to be played on pc FUCK THAT! I hope its downloading games on the console like previous posters said! SRSLY WHAT THE FUCK?
 
Well I was a console gamer from ages 4-9 and pc gamer to 10-20, so I don't think it will affect me.

I saw this coming 8 years ago, if it is the transition. Console games have never really superseded PCs as far as processing speed and graphics go. They have always been very subpar. The only thing I loved about console games is there was a highly competitive market, so the quality of games was quite a bit higher than some PC games released. I don't see how console games can get that much better without the "heat sync" issues and the uncustomizable issues. For instance you can mod a PC all day long, but if you touch a XBox or PS3 internally, it is instantly out of warranty and also considered cheating for the most part. Microsoft has a strong grip over this due to the fact most of its money is made through Downloadable content. So if someone were to modify it like the old xbox then they could get all the free content they wanted from friends. Resulting in a net loss for microsoft. Playstation is trying try to do the same thing with Playstation stores.. but on PC you can basically get all you want for free legally. You can also customize maps on any game of your choosing. You also still have your warranty in tact, and free repair pending the period.

Another point - I mean ps2 was the first console to use voice communications while PC was doing it 8 years prior. People use PCs like phones as well most of the time provided they have internet. They put all of their data from their music, to their videos, to their website space.. hince the need for massive firewalling.

Going in another direction, Here's the thing about PCs I don't like though: Moore's law. PC's get pretty expensive due to this law, because they are constantly upgrading the Memory/Processing speed/ Graphic chip sets/ Power supply needed in order to play games.

In addition, I honestly love pcs, but I don't see how Final Fantasy could be on one. It would be pretty odd, and pretty dissuasive to play. PCs in general are for Online gaming rather.. not so much single players games. I have yet to see a good single player game exclusively released on a PC.
 
Moving to PC format games? Better for the industry?! Hello hackers and pirates! I'll be right along in pirating FFXVIII in the next 10 years. I doubt that is going to happen, but who knows? Slowly we are working our way up to a video game market crash. (Keyword: Slowly, very slowly.)

I'm a huge PC gamer, (I need more ram...) I play multiple MMOs, and I've pirated more than my fair share of games. (Most I either can't afford IRL or the game isn't being sold as physical media anymore, or the company has done something that I don't like and I don't want to support them. (ACTIVISION AND MODERN WARFARE 2!)

If I could pay for them, I would, mainly because most games that are pirated don't have multiplayer. Usually some hacker makes a patch or the game community finds a way around that.

However, I digress.

If this happens, you can count on hackers and pirates, and I'll be one of the pirates... ARRRGGG!!!
 
I dont like playing games on my computer :mokken: Gamers who enjoy console games will voice their opinions in the sales of PC games, so I think that if this revolution happens, that it wont last. I only pray that PC games dont become the major kind of games, as that would be the anti-thesis of my life :gonk:
 
You know, now that I think about it. Playing FFXVIII with a keyboard would kind of suck... However, consoles that download digital games would suck more in my honest opinion. I seriously can't stand that concept.
 
I wouldn't take Wada's words too seriously, partially because I'm rather cynical towards him and that I don't necessarily trust what he says a lot of the time. Though what he says about the decline of the consoles is very possible in the near, foreseeable future. I wouldn't bet on it being as soon as he says though. Many people will take this new digital direction very reluctantly, like me.

I rather love having consoles. I love having things physically there. I would rather gaze lovingly at my PS3 as the mothership of gaming in my house. Plus, it looks good too. I'm not sure I'd like to see such electronic hardware beauty disappearing anytime soon. The OnLive gaming thing I've been reading about sounds rather appealing, but I have a feeling it's not as pragmatic as it sounds. Things will be bound to go wrong. Nothing is perfect when it comes to online.
 
Here's the analogy I would like to put out there.

How close are Consoles like PCs now, as well as cell phones like pcs?

Why is Nintendo Wii behind its time and called juvenile by most reviewers?

Here's why "In my opinion"..

Games these days are becoming more interactive, hince activision made millions because of their move to buy out Call of Duty and Rock Star and Guitar Hero franchising. I call it bs. because their quality of games suck compared to the original version of the games (excluding call of duty).

How many single player games are left out there that don't already have cooperative play or versus? Think about it. How many people liked the new prince of persia compared to the old ones? I did but that's only because I come from the old school gaming era. I respect old style of games enough to give them a chance.. but for the new gaming generation, most people want NEWER.. more INNOVATIVE.. better GRAPHICS... more MULTIPLAYER.

PCs have already done it all so far, about 10 years ago as of today. It's just people are still into the control schemes and buying 300 dollar pieces of hardware rather than $800-2000 pieces of hardware.

The closeness of how an Xbox and a PS2 are to a computer is remarkable... but I can't say the same thing for the Wii.

I feel sorry for nintendo because they made their money off of single player games right off the bat, until they came out with Gauntlet and Techmo Bowl and Contra. Today people see Nintendo as juvenile because they resist the change of becoming more modernized and more realistic as graphics come. I mean compare your PS3 Tomb Raider Underworld to Mario Kart or anything else.. look how amazing the graphic comparison is. Nintendo tried to go the route of Laser sensor technology but that crap has actually been around since 1996, just not on the console.

I see Nintendo's demise coming up, unless they are willing to change their graphic styles as well as interactivity. All they have left is Smash Brothers which had an epic low sales as of the last version.. People were to busy buying Halo 3/Uncharted/Fallout 3/Oblivion.. etc..

I give consoles another 15 years, until most people move over to computers. Also let's look at the Iphone... Hand held computer anyone?
 
Are they trying to say home consoles are going to disappear entirely and we have to play everything on the PC...or we just download everything onto the console and actual disks disappear? If it's the first one then fuck that, I'll enjoy watching companies going down the shitter if they tried that.

The answer is in your original post:
Mercurial said:
“In the past the platform was hardware, but it has switched to the network. A time will come when the hardware isn’t even needed anymore.
“With that, any kind of terminal becomes a potential platform on which games can be played – that’s exponential growth in the potential of gaming. The potential size of the market is enormous.”

Instead of running the game the old fashioned way using a home console or a PC, the game will be be streamed directly to your PC or Television set through the internet.

I rather love having consoles. I love having things physically there. I would rather gaze lovingly at my PS3 as the mothership of gaming in my house. Plus, it looks good too. I'm not sure I'd like to see such electronic hardware beauty disappearing anytime soon. The OnLive gaming thing I've been reading about sounds rather appealing, but I have a feeling it's not as pragmatic as it sounds. Things will be bound to go wrong. Nothing is perfect when it comes to online.

I'm sure there are many who feel the same way, but let's face it: It's been more than 3 years since the PS3 was launched Sony is still bleeding money manufacturing it. If in the future they can just stream the game directly to your computer or to your TV using a "microconsole", I doubt they'd want to commit a lot of work and money to building another expensive piece of hardware that would cost them money in the long run.
 
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