• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Will there ever be room for a 4th console player?

StreetsofBeige

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
- Nintendo has low costs systems, family friendly, first party focus, console/handheld hybrid

- MS/Sony have pretty similar systems aside from first party games and differences in BC and sub plans. Third party games released and system prices pretty similar. Sony has a VR option

Is there anything a well resourced electronics company can do to break in and establish itself as a solid 4th player? The gaming pie is getting bigger, so it looks like there's money to spend. And systems seem more PC-ish then ever (if they go that route) so third party porting another version should be doable.

Or you guys think the console market is tapped out and MS/Sony/Nintendo cover all the bases enough a 4th player is automatically doomed?
 
Last edited:
Jigsaah

Jigsaah

Gold Member
StreetsofBeige said:
- Nintendo has low costs systems, family friendly, first party focus, console/handheld hybrid

- MS/Sony have pretty similar systems aside from first party games and differences in BC and sub plans. Third party games released and system prices pretty similar. Sony has a VR option

Is there anything a well resourced electronics company can do to break in and establish itself as a solid 4th player? The gaming pie is getting bigger, so it looks like there's money to spend. And systems seem more PC-ish then ever (if they go that route) so third party porting another version should be doable.

Or you guys think the console market is tapped out and MS/Sony/Nintendo cover all the bases enough a 4th player is automatically doomed?
Click to expand...
Nintendo Switch needs some form of competition. This new thing with Apple might be just what we need to force Nintendo into an uncomfortable enough position to fuel some higher quality innovation.

I know people initial response to apple jumping into the portable market is from lukewarm to cold on this forum, but I see it as competition and something that will just make Nintendo better.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TLZ
D

DonkeyPunchJr

World’s Biggest Weeb
Does anybody even want to be a 4th player? Seems like a market with a very high barrier to entry, with lots of risk and pretty crappy return on investment.

I guess if anybody could do it, it would be Apple. And they’d probably do it by scaling up iOS gaming.
 
AJUMP23

AJUMP23

Member
People said there wasn't room for 3 before there was 3. If a console maker has something unique or worthwhile to offer than can grow or wedge into market share.
 
kungfuian

kungfuian

Member
If anything I think we might see the traditional console market consolidated down to two as Microsoft becomes more and more platform agnostic.

I could also really easily imagine fb or one of the standalone hybrid VR platform holders gaining traction. Not sure if that would be considered a portable or console or what but that technology is not that far off imo.
 
TheMan

TheMan

Member
if you mean traditional console games, I doubt it. Nintendo abandoned the old power race and chose to just kinda do their own things for a reason
 
N

nbkicker

Member
No not at the top level, you have pc , then u got the xbox x vs ps5 , microsoft and sony have that big of a user base i dont no what someone could bring to compete with them , only place i could see someone entering the market would be to take on the handheld market but then again i think nintendo and mobiles have that tied up
 
Derktron

Derktron

Banned
I think so, it just depends on who's doing it, one company I wish they came back from is SEGA, they have the games but unfortunately that will not happen.
 
SoraNoKuni

SoraNoKuni

Member
Maybe, though Nintendo especially and Sony have a huge history and brandname in the gaming space, at this point if a competitor joins it must be a really great alternative, which I doubt.

I don't really expect Google and Amazon to ever become a market leader in gaming, apple with their arm chips can probably compete at a low enough price and provide a decent experience, but I doubt they'll ever have big studios or invest on 3A games.
 
Derktron

Derktron

Banned
iQuasarLV said:
Not sure bruh. I see three in my response there. Do you?
Click to expand...
You edited it. I saw you I'm telling on you .............................................................................................................................................................................bruh
 
N

NickFire

Member
It feels unlikely but not impossible. You never know where the next disruptor will come from, but there is such a high cost to start up a new platform, and I'm not sure there are any interested companies who would put passion before profits.
 
ArtemisClydeFrog

ArtemisClydeFrog

Banned
Logo Tenor GIF by Google Stadia
 
  • LOL
Reactions: RNG
Holammer

Holammer

Member
There are companies that could brute-force themselves into a major player by spending what amounts to pocket change by acquiring a bunch of high profile publishers/developers and simply brush Nintendo and Sony aside while initiating multi-year hostile takeover processes just for funsies.
We laugh at Stadia now, but companies like Apple, Google, Amazon and others will eventually figure shit out.
 
LordBlodgett

LordBlodgett

Member
More competitors is never a bad thing, but you need to have some kind of niche to make a dent. We have almost always had a competitor to Nintendo in the mobile console space, but between mobile phones and the dominance of the Switch you would have a tough road ahead. Obviously a dominant mobile OS/Hardware competitor like Apple, Google, and Samsung would have the best chances in the mobile market

Competing in traditional home consoles against Sony or Microsoft is also going to be quite expensive since they are well established, with lots of built in advantages, and with a ton of developers in their first party stables. Then you have the hardware to worry about. From an ecosystem/OS side I could see Apple or Google, though they lack the developers to come firing out of the gates. From the Hardware side I can't think of too many companies who might jump in, I guess you could argue for Nvidia, but I'm not sure they really want to make games.

From a developer side I can't really imagine any of EA, Activision, or Tencent wanting to restrict their huge games to a brand new console only. Beyond those three I'm not sure that any other developers have the cash to get into the console business....
 
F

FStubbs

Member
AJUMP23 said:
People said there wasn't room for 3 before there was 3. If a console maker has something unique or worthwhile to offer than can grow or wedge into market share.
Click to expand...
When was there ever 2 other than some point in Gen 1?

Gen 2: Atari, Colecovision, Intellivision, etc

Gen 3: Nintendo, Sega, Atari

Gen 4: Nintendo, Sega, NEC, Neo Geo

Gen 5: Sony, Nintendo, Sega, 3DO, Atari

Gen 6: Sony, Nintendo, Sega, Microsoft

Gen 7: Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft

Gen 8: Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft

Gen 9: Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft, Google (LOL)
 
A

acm2000

Member
nintendo gave up on home consoles so we are down to just 2 now as it is so no, nintendos handheld dominance is the only thing that could be tested if Apple takes a shot.
 
Rhazer Fusion

Rhazer Fusion

Member
Nope. Especially since it seems like exclusives and creating an identity are becoming more rare by the day. What would be the point in a new competitor if they most likely won’t have hardly any noteworthy exclusive games or unique experiences to offer compared to the big 3?
 
AJUMP23

AJUMP23

Member
FStubbs said:
When was there ever 2 other than some point in Gen 1?
Gen 3: Nintendo, Sega,
Click to expand...
Atari was out of the picture when Nintendo and Sega entered. It was a 2 console game for most of the 80s and early 90s. Sony didn’t get in until after Nintendo went with Philips.
 
Zeroing

Zeroing

Banned
No, another one will try to be as MS and/or Sony, 3 companies tying their fans against each other… what a mess.
If that company did the Nintendo approach then yes it would be good, but I doubt it.
 
RAIDEN1

RAIDEN1

Member
This isn't 1993 y'know when there were more players in town from the likes of NEC, Atari, 3DO, Panasonic and hell even Konami!! Now its like yeah Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft you can fight amongst yourselves the rest aren't bothered..
 
TheDreadLord

TheDreadLord

Member
Well, we have the PC. There is also a market for retro consoles and now with fpga based emulation I think that a lot of the “old/classic” brands could have a revival. Also, if these companies released the publishing rights for these consoles we would see more new games for old systems being released.
 
F

FStubbs

Member
AJUMP23 said:
Atari was out of the picture when Nintendo and Sega entered. It was a 2 console game for most of the 80s and early 90s. Sony didn’t get in until after Nintendo went with Philips.
Click to expand...
They were still holding on with the Atari 7800 which was a legit Gen 3 console. They just got destroyed (and actually, Sega did too). But anyone in video games back then considered Atari still a console player at the start of Gen 3, even if, like Sega in Gen 6, they didn't make it though the gen.

EDIT: In Gen 4, PC Engine/Turbo Grafx 16 was a legit player.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

  • Poll
Who ultimately made more contributions to the console hardware market?
2
80
3K
simpatico replied
Nintendo hires former PlayStation exec to head up AAA third-party games
2
447
Ozriel replied
  • Poll
Which system made the biggest comeback? PlayStation 4 or Nintendo Switch?
Opinion Platform 2 3
100
5K
FullMetalx117 replied
Would you agree that Nintendo has always been better as a portable platform holder vs. a home console one?
Opinion Platform 2
52
2K
SirTerry-T replied
The demise of the Xbox shows the true important of quality, exclusive SINGLE PLAYER GAMES on your platform
2 3 4
198
12K
digoutyoursoul replied
Top Bottom