John Romero says game consoles need 'massive rethink'

[Don Maddox]

John Romero, one of the creators of Doom, says that the days might be numbered for game consoles like the PS3 or Xbox 360. His main point appears to be that Wii is successful because it caters to the casual gamer, while the PC is always going to be the platform of choice for the serious gamer. What market does that leave for expensive console platforms like PS3 and Xbox 360?

My prediction is that the game console in the vein of the PS3 and XBOX 360 is going to either undergo a massive rethink or go away altogether. The Wii has the perfect design for a console that doesn't pretend to be a PC and is geared more toward casual gamers than hardcore gamers. The hardcore gamers are going to either be playing on their PCs or a new PC-like platform that sits in the living room but still serves the whole house over wifi, even the video signal.

John Romero Says Consoles Need 'Massive Rethink' news from 1UP.com (http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3158546)


What do you think?

[Aries]

Everything gets old in time. But while he thinks the future needs a re think, I can't seem to identify him offering any suggestions.

The PC isn't everything, and the latest consoles are not everything.

I think the future is a machine that is neither but rather is both.

Let's look at a console, what is it missing that a PC has. Hmm mouse and a keyboard. And likely that's it.

Look at a PC, what is it missing that a console has. Well I would say well made game controllers.

Although I am sure adding mouse and keyboard to a console is no more a challenge, than adding a decent controller is to a PC.

Right now, telling me things like a PS3 has a blueray drive is of limited worth. I have no major drive to buy blueray films.
Telling me that a PC plays better more complex games because of a mouse of keyboard is also a "so what issue".

I think it is not out of the realm of credibly possible, to see totally mobile hand held gaming eliminate both PC and console gaming.
Tech never stops advancing.
Currently the only complaint is a hand held's screen is too small.
Would't it be cool if the hand held only loaded the game, ran the game, but you watched it actually on a high grade HD tv?
Hey that sounds far fetched only to maybe a 20 or under year old.

I still recall how incredibly great at the time, my Nintendo NES seemed.
I also remember my IBM PS1 computer.
Ahh how they seemed so great at the time, and how now they likely would be best viewed in a museum :)

I don't see any reason why I can't imagine a doodad that simultaneously played all my games on my tv or it's built in screen, ran my cell phone needs, provided my online requirements with a browser either on it's own built in screen, or on the tv. And played either music or pdf files.
All totally wireless.

I might get insane and buy my idea doodad for 6-700 bucks.
But there is little reason to assume I am in a hurry to get Windows Vista, or a PS3. They are just expensive versions of the same old, but with the latest bells and whistles. Bells and whistles gets real old real quick.

[Adamaniac 791]

Hmm, I think consoles such as the PS3 and Xbox 360 will always have a place and here's why: the relative simplicity. With a PC you have to constantly upgrade to play the latest games and tweak about with all sorts of settings to get your games to play well or even to play at all. With a console you can simply put the disk in and play the game, and any game that bears the logo of that particular console is guaranteed to play on that console

Fiddling with hardware is one of the main reasons why I can't be bothered wth PC gaming and yet I plan on getting a PS3 at some point in the future.

[Aries]

Hmm, I think consoles such as the PS3 and Xbox 360 will always have a place and here's why: the relative simplicity. With a PC you have to constantly upgrade to play the latest games and tweak about with all sorts of settings to get your games to play well or even to play at all. With a console you can simply put the disk in and play the game, and any game that bears the logo of that particular console is guaranteed to play on that console

Fiddling with hardware is one of the main reasons why I can't be bothered wth PC gaming and yet I plan on getting a PS3 at some point in the future.

That is I think there one quality PCs need to crack open.

We here the term "plug and play" applied to PCs, but I don't recall anything ever being that easy.

[Mantis]

Let's look at a console, what is it missing that a PC has. Hmm mouse and a keyboard. And likely that's it.

Upgradability. Like those stupid proprietary PCs they used to make - pure sheeiitt.

Look at a PC, what is it missing that a console has. Well I would say well made game controllers.

When I switched over from my Amiga to a PC, I wondered why I went from a Wico Command Control (best joystick in the world!) to something the size of a breadbox, that was made of ultra-cheap plastic, that had my arm motion range be something like 24 inches if I wanted to go from moving all-the-way-left to all-the-way-right... The 360 controllers can be used on a PC, and this absolutely rocks.

Although I am sure adding mouse and keyboard to a console is no more a challenge, than adding a decent controller is to a PC.

But if you do that, isn't is just a proprietary PC?

I think it is not out of the realm of credibly possible, to see totally mobile hand held gaming eliminate both PC and console gaming.

Never happen.

Aside from the screen issue, there's a 'this is my space' mentality. Even if I had such a device, when I come home from work and wanna mess around for awhile, I'd not sit on the corner of the sofa with my handheld, I'd fire up the big beastie, listen to tunes that push the limits of my 40 lbs of kick-ass speakers, watch my 21" in all it's glory, feel the atmosphere of my little computer space, where 'all is well with the world' as long as I'm sitting there in my Captain's chair with a cold one, etc etc etc! I don't deny I'd love to have such a handheld as you describe, and I do believe the day is coming.

But I don't see it replacing everything...

[Mantis]

Actually, my vision is that someday down the road, your phone, TV, internet, PC, home security system, thermostat, mail, etc, are all going to be one.

You will have little mobile units (just like you are talking about) that are linked to the master unit.

[Don Maddox]

I think it is not out of the realm of credibly possible, to see totally mobile hand held gaming eliminate both PC and console gaming.
Tech never stops advancing.

I, too, have difficulty imagining any industry shift that would make this a plausible possibility. I think handheld games will continue to improve, but I don't see them ever replacing PCs or console platforms.

[MajorH]

Sorry, but my grandkids are not likely to get a $500 to $600 gaming console for Christmas this year when I can get them a new notebook or a new desktop computer for that or a bit more. Thus they are also not going to be potential customers for games made for high end consoles.