Speculation for the next round of consoles

Shadow wrote:Why wouldn't a vending machine that you plug your HDD into work? Nintendo did a similar thing in Japan years ago, surely this'd be even better for your squaddie mates? It could just be the size of a PC, you plug in your HDD, enter your GT or credit card details, it bills you and gives you your game.

In three years data transfer rates will be improved so it shoudln't be much of a wait, shops would be willing to stock the machine as it'd be a lot easier than having stock rooms full of games. It'd be a lot better for the environment too, which is all the rage at the moment.

1) How would the shops, in the middle of Afghanistan, keep the machines up to date?
2) What about people without credit/debit cards?

I wonder how much money is made from new PS3 and 360 games in Afghanistan right now.

MCN wrote:

Shadow wrote:Why wouldn't a vending machine that you plug your HDD into work? Nintendo did a similar thing in Japan years ago, surely this'd be even better for your squaddie mates? It could just be the size of a PC, you plug in your HDD, enter your GT or credit card details, it bills you and gives you your game.

In three years data transfer rates will be improved so it shoudln't be much of a wait, shops would be willing to stock the machine as it'd be a lot easier than having stock rooms full of games. It'd be a lot better for the environment too, which is all the rage at the moment.

1) How would the shops, in the middle of Afghanistan, keep the machines up to date?
2) What about people without credit/debit cards?

1) Internet? How do shops in Afghanistan keep up to date?
2) Money?

Shadow wrote:

MCN wrote:

Shadow wrote:Why wouldn't a vending machine that you plug your HDD into work? Nintendo did a similar thing in Japan years ago, surely this'd be even better for your squaddie mates? It could just be the size of a PC, you plug in your HDD, enter your GT or credit card details, it bills you and gives you your game.

In three years data transfer rates will be improved so it shoudln't be much of a wait, shops would be willing to stock the machine as it'd be a lot easier than having stock rooms full of games. It'd be a lot better for the environment too, which is all the rage at the moment.

1) How would the shops, in the middle of Afghanistan, keep the machines up to date?
2) What about people without credit/debit cards?

1) Internet? How do shops in Afghanistan keep up to date?
2) Money?

They don't have the internet. Their stock is shipped from a supplier in the US on a regular basis. Just like shops used to before the internet was invented.

And how, pray tell, is money going to work in a home environment, which is the major focus of your download-only future? Will there be a coin slot on the console, and a bloke comes around to empty it every 2 weeks?

MCN wrote:
They don't have the internet. Their stock is shipped from a supplier in the US on a regular basis. Just like shops used to before the internet was invented.

And how, pray tell, is money going to work in a home environment, which is the major focus of your download-only future? Will there be a coin slot on the console, and a bloke comes around to empty it every 2 weeks?

Back in the 80's, there used to be this dude who'd come round all the houses selling cheap Corona pop in bottles. We'd buy it, and then when he'd come round again we'd give him our empties and he'd sell us more cheap pop.


So in this brave new world, I'd imagine the 'games man' would go from door to door selling cheap games and collect our empty bottles.

MCN wrote:

Shadow wrote:

MCN wrote:

Shadow wrote:Why wouldn't a vending machine that you plug your HDD into work? Nintendo did a similar thing in Japan years ago, surely this'd be even better for your squaddie mates? It could just be the size of a PC, you plug in your HDD, enter your GT or credit card details, it bills you and gives you your game.

In three years data transfer rates will be improved so it shoudln't be much of a wait, shops would be willing to stock the machine as it'd be a lot easier than having stock rooms full of games. It'd be a lot better for the environment too, which is all the rage at the moment.

1) How would the shops, in the middle of Afghanistan, keep the machines up to date?
2) What about people without credit/debit cards?

1) Internet? How do shops in Afghanistan keep up to date?
2) Money?

They don't have the internet. Their stock is shipped from a supplier in the US on a regular basis. Just like shops used to before the internet was invented.

And how, pray tell, is money going to work in a home environment, which is the major focus of your download-only future? Will there be a coin slot on the console, and a bloke comes around to empty it every 2 weeks?

Well, why couldn't updated software for the vending machines be shipped out? You really do seem to be trying very hard to keep this argument going.

Obviously money could only be used in the vending machines, if you're at home you'd have a debit card, who doesn't have a bank? And if for whatever reason people are scared of magnetic strips or whatever your next problem is going to be then people will be able to buy a scratch card from a shop like they do for arcade games now.

Just so we're clear, Sony are releasing Wipeout for PS3 as a download only game on Friday, this means to play it you'll have to overcome all the obstacles you've described as well as having to have a debit or credit card. This is already happening, Sony don't care about the minority of people you're defending.

Personally I dont think anyone will bother releasing a new console for a number of years. Blu-ray implementation is still a loss-leader, and the current consoles can be further updated via firmware, larger onboard storage and when left for a longer gestation period we might see them pushed further.

Nintendo wont release a new Wii console for the same amount of time, but how cool would a small hardware revision of a 'Gamers Edition' black Wii console bundled with a black classic controller, 8Gb of onboard flash and the choice of a free copy of zelda/mario/metroid/fire emblem/NMH/Okami and a release to coincide with the next 'wave' of core gamer titles like Conduit, Red Steel 2 and Pikmin 3? I guarantee the thing would be sold out permanently for a year and it could be sold exclusively through Video Games stores (Gamestation, Game, HMV) with no mass-market push from supermarkets, department stores or online retailers?
This wouldnt confuse the mass market (because they would aim all the marketing squarely at you and me: Video Game magazine ads, kotaku/IGN/joystiq web adds and suchlike) and Id certainly get one!

While download only can work for the odd game and Live/PSN to have a whole business plan based on it would be commercial suicide for a hardware manufacturer. Maybe the generation after next but not next gen as it just makes far to many assumptions of the consumer.
Shadow that vending machine idea is good but believe me when I say shops in the UK at least are not fond of kiosks in store and they would require training to use and run that most shops are loath to bother giving staff. In Japan it might work a treat but then again you can buy clothes from vending machines in Japan and I doubt thats going to catch on here anytime soon.

Carlos wrote:Personally I dont think anyone will bother releasing a new console for a number of years. Blu-ray implementation is still a loss-leader, and the current consoles can be further updated via firmware, larger onboard storage and when left for a longer gestation period we might see them pushed further.

Nintendo wont release a new Wii console for the same amount of time, but how cool would a small hardware revision of a 'Gamers Edition' black Wii console bundled with a black classic controller, 8Gb of onboard flash and the choice of a free copy of zelda/mario/metroid/fire emblem/NMH/Okami and a release to coincide with the next 'wave' of core gamer titles like Conduit, Red Steel 2 and Pikmin 3? I guarantee the thing would be sold out permanently for a year and it could be sold exclusively through Video Games stores (Gamestation, Game, HMV) with no mass-market push from supermarkets, department stores or online retailers?
This wouldnt confuse the mass market (because they would aim all the marketing squarely at you and me: Video Game magazine ads, kotaku/IGN/joystiq web adds and suchlike) and Id certainly get one!

That's a lovely idea - and I'd certainly get one, too - but I can't see it happening. It almost makes too much sense, and this is Nintendo we're talking about.

You heard it here first: unless next gen consoles have disc drives, the War on Terror will be lost.

Well I certainly hope downloadable content is the future. Firstly I hate the cut that the retailer takes. Secondly downloads are easier and save having a clutter of boxes which I hate and aren't sure why people like boxes as they aren't ever going to be worth anything. I also see it reducing the price of consoles and moving to subscription basis model which would mean easier access to a wide range of games.

I've noticed CD albums starting to come in cardboard sleeves now, I reckon this'll start to happen for all disk media soon.

Shadow wrote:This is already happening, Sony don't care about the minority of people you're defending.

And they're doing just great this gen, aren't they?

Shadow wrote:I've noticed CD albums starting to come in cardboard sleeves now, I reckon this'll start to happen for all disk media soon.

Walmart in the USA want games to come in cardboard boxes. Bad memories of Sonic & Knuckles and Saturn boxes.

If anything they'll be DS sized or a bit slimmer. Not sure how a manual would work (on the disc perhaps?) but I'm not a designer for this kind of things.

MCN wrote:

Shadow wrote:This is already happening, Sony don't care about the minority of people you're defending.

And they're doing just great this gen, aren't they?

Yeah, they ain't doing too bad, I believe they've sold more units than Microsoft had after being out for the same length of time, they've also sold more PS3s than they did PS2s in the same time period and they've frequently been selling more units than microsoft month on month this year despite being considerably more expensive.

Shadow wrote:

MCN wrote:

Shadow wrote:This is already happening, Sony don't care about the minority of people you're defending.

And they're doing just great this gen, aren't they?

Yeah, they ain't doing too bad, I believe they've sold more units than Microsoft had after being out for the same length of time, they've also sold more PS3s than they did PS2s in the same time period and they've frequently been selling more units than microsoft month on month this year despite being considerably more expensive.

And compared to the company that hasn't thought "screw everyone who doesn't fit in with the latest technology"?

Personally either Sony or MS need to give in because its just stupid having 3 consoles under the telly.

The problem is Sony and MS are competing for the same market effectively and with so many multiplatform games it does not make sense them both existing. I want to see exclusives for each machine stay exclusives.

Ideally I want Nintendo to just release a Wii 2 with proper next gen hardware and destroy the other two.

A three-console market is the sweet spot for healthy competition, though. With a two-console market you would likely end up with one dominating, which would make the next console for the loser financially unviable. And a one-console future is a monopoly, which no-one wants.

MCN wrote:A three-console market is the sweet spot for healthy competition, though. With a two-console market you would likely end up with one dominating, which would make the next console for the loser financially unviable. And a one-console future is a monopoly, which no-one wants.

Do not agree, let the competition be over the games, then devs will be forced to release AAA games and not give us half baked crap hd versions like they are doing right now.

The hardware might be expensive initially, but software will be cheaper imo.