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[Grand Theft Scratchy]

There was a time when I thought it would be cool to see another competitor enter the video game hardware market and compete with Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo. The ones that always came to mind was Samsung or a big publisher like Electronic Arts, Bandai Namco etc. But this seems impossible because in order to compete with the big three, you pretty much need to wow the hardcore gamer with impressive graphics, an impressive first-party lineup, and a lower price (if not a similar price with more compelling features and content). And as much as it would be interesting to see what a brand new platform from a different company would look like, whether or not the graphics would be any better than what we're currently seeing, what first-party games would be on display to wow gamers, it still means a huge investment that probably wouldn't really change the face of the video game hardware market dominated by the big three.

"What if one of them exits the hardware market?" I don't actually think that will happen. Nintendo have been around the block the longest and, with the exception of the Wii U, they continue to successfully market and sell their consoles like hot cakes. PlayStation consoles have also been very successful for Sony that they were able to take a serious venture into VR gaming alongside the PS4 and PS5. We've even seen some of their notable exclusives make their way to Steam such as Horizon: Zero Dawn and Death Stranding long after releasing on the PS4, making them even more money and creating more fans. And although Xbox is relatively new, compared to Nintendo and PlayStation, Microsoft have been acquiring/creating studios to what I believe will ultimately bolster their first-party lineup and they also offer a cheaper, easy way to play through their GamePass service. Also, the Xbox Series X was reportedly their biggest launch ever so definitely the Xbox brand is doing well, as is PlayStation and Nintendo. The current gaming landscape carved out by the big three is interesting enough. They all just need to bring back some older great exclusives or develop spiritual successors to them to sweeten the deal. But I don't see any of them in danger of losing, let alone being threatened by a newcomer. They're just too big.

 

[ArtemisClydeFrog]

Ctrl+F Stadia

0/0

 

[Fbh]

Pfff you're just saying that because you can't afford a Tesla.

But serious though yeah, I don't see some other brand getting into the traditional console market. Once streaming and subscription services become more popular though I do think thing might change

 

[DESTROYA]

 

[Plantoid]

We're not far from the end of the hardware market anyways, I say 15 years till all is streaming services.. when we get there, maybe we will have more companies entering the business

 

[Indyblue]

I wouldn’t be surprised if the next Apple TV is geared and marketed toward being an Apple Arcade device with decent power but other than that, you’re probably right.

 

[Kev Kev]

 

[RoboFu]

Apple and soon Amazon are already sneaking up on them

 

[Kdad]

Where is my Mad Box?

 

[LittleBusters]

Apple and soon Amazon are already sneaking up on them

Both will fail.

 

[Shmunter]

I played a few games on Apple TV4k with DS4. Some impressive indies on Apple Arcade.

See how it shakes out.

 

[RoboFu]

Both will fail.

Lol they already got the numbers. They just need to wait until mobile tech catches up which it’s doing. Publishers don’t give a shot where they put games as long as there is a user base and the hardware is good enough.

I really don’t get why some of you can’t see it. It’s been coming for years now. There will be a time when your TVs themselves will be powerful enough to play any game. You won’t be buying a PlayStation.. you will
Be playing on the PlayStation app on your Bravia.

 

[namekuseijin]

that's because by now the console market is an outdated market making vintage products for old customers from the 80s/90s. They've become watchmakers.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

that's because by now the console market is an outdated market making vintage products for old customers from the 80s/90s. They've become watchmakers.

This is true. The console and portable hardware sales have gone down the past 10 years despite gaming growing in sales and gamers.

the biggest hardware push was the 360, PS3, wii, psp, ds, 3ds years.

gamers are consolidating hardware and the next step at some point will consolidate more when devices can stream properly

 

[nkarafo]

We're not far from the end of the hardware market anyways, I say 15 years till all is streaming services..

Sad but probably true.

 

[Bryank75]

Sad but probably true.

Nonsense, streaming has been a disaster and Sony has always been a hardware company.

If any of you have heard the term 'out of sight, out of mind'..... a console is not just the hardware , it is a constant piece of marketing infront of a person.
Xbox may go streaming only but Sony and Nintendo will not and I think you'll see poor overall results from streaming anyway.

Nobody wants to pay a bill for their child and be robbed of the feeling of seeing them open a brand new console..... the buzz about this forum and the internet in general due to the PS5 and XSX was incredible. Moving to streaming will kill much of the excitement about gaming and to be honest, I have no interest in that type of gaming.

Stadia, and Amazon can't make games and even after 20 years Xbox struggles.....

So I think the prediction is laughable.

It also only serves the corporations.... locking away ownership from gamers and putting it behind a paywall they control, that will be pushed ever higher.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Nonsense, streaming has been a disaster and Sony has always been a hardware company.

If any of you have heard the term 'out of sight, out of mind'..... a console is not just the hardware , it is a constant piece of marketing infront of a person.
Xbox may go streaming only but Sony and Nintendo will not and I think you'll see poor overall results from streaming anyway.

Nobody wants to pay a bill for their child and be robbed of the feeling of seeing them open a brand new console..... the buzz about this forum and the internet in general due to the PS5 and XSX was incredible. Moving to streaming will kill much of the excitement about gaming and to be honest, I have no interest in that type of gaming.

Stadia, and Amazon can't make games and even after 20 years Xbox struggles.....

So I think the prediction is laughable.

It also only serves the corporations.... locking away ownership from gamers and putting it behind a paywall they control, that will be pushed ever higher.

Sony is in it as much as anyone. They have streaming games and bought Gaikai and On Live assets to gun for it. And they tried it with PSTV.

they also had PS Now app feeding into TVs.

 

[nkarafo]

Nonsense, streaming has been a disaster and Sony has always been a hardware company.

If any of you have heard the term 'out of sight, out of mind'..... a console is not just the hardware , it is a constant piece of marketing infront of a person.
Xbox may go streaming only but Sony and Nintendo will not and I think you'll see poor overall results from streaming anyway.

Nobody wants to pay a bill for their child and be robbed of the feeling of seeing them open a brand new console..... the buzz about this forum and the internet in general due to the PS5 and XSX was incredible. Moving to streaming will kill much of the excitement about gaming and to be honest, I have no interest in that type of gaming.

Stadia, and Amazon can't make games and even after 20 years Xbox struggles.....

So I think the prediction is laughable.

It also only serves the corporations.... locking away ownership from gamers and putting it behind a paywall they control, that will be pushed ever higher.

That's why i said "sad".

Whether we like it or not, streaming hugely benefits the publishers. They are the ones who want that, not consumers. This kind of control is power. So they will do anything to achieve that. Once a few publishers do this, the others will have to follow. The movie industry is there, the music industry is there (i support neither). Games are more complicated but they will get there eventually as well.

 

[LittleBusters]

Lol they already got the numbers. They just need to wait until mobile tech catches up which it’s doing. Publishers don’t give a shot where they put games as long as there is a user base and the hardware is good enough.

I really don’t get why some of you can’t see it. It’s been coming for years now. There will be a time when your TVs themselves will be powerful enough to play any game. You won’t be buying a PlayStation.. you will
Be playing on the PlayStation app on your Bravia.

Only Nintendo can get away with non powerful hardware. Sony & MS are the other big players and they don't get away with inferior graphics and hardware. Apple & Amazon have nothing.

 

[Grand Theft Scratchy]

Nobody wants to pay a bill for their child and be robbed of the feeling of seeing them open a brand new console..... the buzz about this forum and the internet in general due to the PS5 and XSX was incredible. Moving to streaming will kill much of the excitement about gaming and to be honest, I have no interest in that type of gaming.

Same. I think streaming will only ever be an option with Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo. It wouldn't make sense for them to limit how you play games and still expect to come out on top.

 

[Bryank75]

Same. I think streaming will only ever be an option with Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo. It wouldn't make sense for them to limit how you play games and still expect to come out on top.

Yeah, well I'll only be supporting consoles.... if they push streaming too hard, I'll peace out.

I will also stop paying for my kids to play if they force it. Not letting them get suckered.

We pay, we have the power...the minute they feel the pinch, they will stop all that shit.

 

[Airbus Jr]

I agree im not seeing any newcomer anytime soon

Next gen will be another PS6, Xbox XXX and Nintendo whatever it is callled

 

[kyliethicc]

Just wait til Google and Amazon make gaming services. With their resources and tech, 2 huge brands, it'll be great.

Streaming gaming definitely won't suck ass. It can't fail. Netlfix but games, automatic W.

 

[Bryank75]

Lol they already got the numbers. They just need to wait until mobile tech catches up which it’s doing. Publishers don’t give a shot where they put games as long as there is a user base and the hardware is good enough.

I really don’t get why some of you can’t see it. It’s been coming for years now. There will be a time when your TVs themselves will be powerful enough to play any game. You won’t be buying a PlayStation.. you will
Be playing on the PlayStation app on your Bravia.

What numbers?

Stadia is almost shut down and Amazons thing is going nowhere.

Gamepass is a download service more than streaming.

So there is not one successful streaming platform and there is no excitement about it at all.... it's all about the new consoles. Even though the consoles are supply constrained, you don't see streaming getting any more customers.... this should be the big push.... but it's nothing.

 

[LittleBusters]

Just wait til Google and Amazon make gaming services. With their resources and tech, 2 huge brands, it'll be great.

Streaming gaming definitely won't suck ass. It can't fail. Netlfix but games, automatic W.

Stadia just flopped. Luna will also flop and be canceled within 12 months.

 

[kyliethicc]

Stadia just flopped. Luna will also flop and be canceled within 12 months.

(that's the joke)

 

[RoboFu]

What numbers?

Stadia is almost shut down and Amazons thing is going nowhere.

Gamepass is a download service more than streaming.

So there is not one successful streaming platform and there is no excitement about it at all.... it's all about the new consoles. Even though the consoles are supply constrained, you don't see streaming getting any more customers.... this should be the big push.... but it's nothing.

numbers of users

iPhones, iPads with Apple Arcade

Amazon products like fire tablets with free time for kids

It’s not about streaming services. That’s just a stop gap. These devices have huge user bases and are very popular for playing games. Mobile tech is also quickly becoming just as powerful as your hone consoles. Hell Apple is creating ARM CPU’s that rival intel’s offering at the same level.
At some point you will be able to grab a controller and cast your phone to your tv with no lag to play the newest COD or Whatever is the popular games. That will be the beginning of the end of dedicated home consoles.

 

[Shmunter]

numbers of users

iPhones, iPads with Apple Arcade

Amazon products like fire tablets with free time for kids

It’s not about streaming services. That’s just a stop gap. These devices have huge user bases and are very popular for playing games. Mobile tech is also quickly becoming just as powerful as your hone consoles. Hell Apple is creating ARM CPU’s that rival intel’s offering at the same level.
At some point you will be able to grab a controller and cast your phone to your tv with no lag to play the newest COD or Whatever is the popular games. That will be the beginning of the end of dedicated home consoles.

Major problem with your hypothesis. If your tiny phone can run a great game, a bigger, non portable device can always run the game multitudes better.

There will always be a market for a premium experience. And it will never be a phone. Indeed a bigger yet more powerful device is always cheaper than the state of the art compact tech.

And as far as streaming as we know it, it cannot offer what a local device can. 4k, hdr, 120fps, VR. All of the table until a major breakthrough we are not yet familiar with occurs.

The scenario is already as is, the tide just shift further up for everything.

 

[TwiztidElf]

Nintendo is ahead of the curve with a dedicated hybrid.
You can't stream to a handheld that doesn't exist, you need a device in your hands, and a stupid fucking mobile phone will never cut it.

 

[Cyberpunkd]

Both will fail.

I'm sure this is what Nintendo was thinking when they learned Sony decided to go and build Playstation on their own. Or what Nokia was thinking looking at a company like Apple - pfffff, what do a bunch of Silicon Valley nerds know about building phones?

It happened before and it will happen again, the only thing needed is time.

 

[mejin]

No doubt. Anyone can see the mountains of money MS is burning just to stay in the market.

 

[Cyberpunkd]

No doubt. Anyone can see the mountains of money MS is burning just to stay in the market.

The problem Microsoft has is that (much like Sony) they go with slow iteration however Sony is much more ahead of them. If you think about the big 3 only Nintendo is willing to risk it each gen to give new experiences to people, probably because they believe that with iteration they cannot compete with Microsoft and Sony (and they are right). If you see their performance for the last 20 years:

Gamecube - neutral
Wii - wiped the floor
WiiU - fail
DS - wiped the floor
3DS - success
Switch - wiped the floor

So actually by taking chances Nintendo is actually able to not only stay in the game, but profit-wise make more money than Sony with way less resources at their disposal.

 

[Jibran#one]

I think if anyone has a real chance against the big 3 it's apple , a machine powered by its own processor and software ecosystem would and the backing of the unlimited money they have might give sony Microsoft and Nintendo

 

[mejin]

The problem Microsoft has is that (much like Sony) they go with slow iteration however Sony is much more ahead of them. If you think about the big 3 only Nintendo is willing to risk it each gen to give new experiences to people, probably because they believe that with iteration they cannot compete with Microsoft and Sony (and they are right). If you see their performance for the last 20 years:

Gamecube - neutral
Wii - wiped the floor
WiiU - fail
DS - wiped the floor
3DS - success
Switch - wiped the floor

So actually by taking chances Nintendo is actually able to not only stay in the game, but profit-wise make more money than Sony with way less resources at their disposal.

Gamecube floped it was even worse than N64. Those two results were responsible for nintendo change their approach, they understood they couldn't compete directly against Playstation, so they went for a different one. 3DS had a rough start.

But I understand what you mean. What you should understand PS4 was a tremendous sucess even if switch is making even more money. Sony is way ahead MS cause Playstation is a much stronger brand, a worldwide one.

You can see the difference between them when sony interactive is an independent segment and Xbox is hidden in more personal computer.

But the whole meaning of my initial post is that there is no more space for another competitor right now. Sony and Nintendo are well stablished and MS has the money to stay in the market.

 

[Bernkastel]

No doubt. Anyone can see the mountains of money MS is burning just to stay in the market.

You are probably the only who sees Xbox division making 17 billion a year and thinks they are burning money to stay in the market.

 

[Shmunter]

You are probably the only who sees Xbox division making 17 billion a year and thinks they are burning money to stay in the market.

Aggressive investment via large scale acquisition sound better?

 

[Matt_Fox]

And although Xbox is relatively new, compared to Nintendo and PlayStation

To be fair Microsoft have been in the gaming space far longer than Sony, and their first consoles are only one gen apart.

I've said it before, but consoles aren't the future. Streaming is. It's an unpopular opinion and it's some years away but I think anyone rational can see which way the wind is blowing with the way the public consumes, the move is to digital.

 

[bitbydeath]

Tencent or Genda (Segas new owners) are possibilities IMO

 

[Bernkastel]

Aggressive investment via large scale acquisition sound better?

Yes. They increase the value of their first party output and make their platform more attractive. They have said that there will still be more acquisitions(probably not in this scale).

 

[Bernkastel]

Steam is a new platform that is not MS/Sony/Nintendo. When Apple combines iOS and OS X they can make a new platform for desktop.

Tencent or Genda (Segas new owners) are possibilities IMO

Genda only bought the arcade division of Sega.

 

[Azurro]

Wait, but MS said they are competing with Google and Amazon, I thought Sony and Nintendo were long gone.

 

[A Regular Guy]

numbers of users

iPhones, iPads with Apple Arcade

Amazon products like fire tablets with free time for kids

It’s not about streaming services. That’s just a stop gap. These devices have huge user bases and are very popular for playing games. Mobile tech is also quickly becoming just as powerful as your hone consoles. Hell Apple is creating ARM CPU’s that rival intel’s offering at the same level.
At some point you will be able to grab a controller and cast your phone to your tv with no lag to play the newest COD or Whatever is the popular games. That will be the beginning of the end of dedicated home consoles.

That's if Call of Duty on the iPad isn't more than 200 GB+ of storage, not many people can afford the top of the line iPad w/2 TB SSD

 

[kraspkibble]

have to agree it's hard to see anyone joining now. Google has failed and so has Amazon. Facebook has their VR headsets but most people don't trust them even if the hardware is good. the only other company that could really enter the gaming industry is Apple but i don't think they really want to come in with dedicated hardware. they have games on their iphone/ipad/mac and their arcade subscription. that seems to be as far as they are going for gaming.

 

[SSfox]

Opinion: Sky is blue.

 

[Hezekiah]

You are probably the only who sees Xbox division making 17 billion a year and thinks they are burning money to stay in the market.

Funny, I thought we were talking gaming here. Then again, given that Microsoft hides the Xbox division's financials, we'll never know how many billions they've blown through the past few years, and will do in future years.

 

[I Love Rock 'n' Roll]

I wouldn’t be surprised if the next Apple TV is geared and marketed toward being an Apple Arcade device with decent power but other than that, you’re probably right.

As a test, shure. And we keep hearing rumors of an Arcade + service.

I can see Apple coming with a M1 console at 399$ in one or two years and with a 699$ M2 pro version. With the right portfolio, it could be a killer and both means gaming for Mac and Windows ARM. It would be a revolution!

A Switch like M1 would be sooooo good.

 

[Alan Wake]

I expected Samsung to give it a go ten years ago or so. Now , sadly, it's all about streaming anyway.

 

[Bernkastel]

Funny, I thought we were talking gaming here.

"Xbox division"

Then again, given that Microsoft hides the Xbox division's financials, we'll never know how many billions they've blown through the past few years, and will do in future years.

They don't talk about actual console sales but they do report quarterly and annual revenue. Bethesda was an one off purchase, but I doubt they spend anything close to their annual revenue every year.

 

[Trogdor1123]

I wouldn’t be surprised if the next Apple TV is geared and marketed toward being an Apple Arcade device with decent power but other than that, you’re probably right.

Was going to say this exactly. A apple tv with an m1 would be pretty potent.

 

[GrayFoxPL]

I believe in Atari Jaguar 2.