Iwata: Consoles Becoming Obsolete Soon Is "Unthinkable"

[luke_c]

With the rising popularity of digital distribution and the introduction of external server-based cloud gaming services, the future of the dedicated games console is under threat, but Nintendo president says consoles have some life in them yet.

"We do not think that the combination of a game system and dedicated software will last forever," he admits (via Gamasutra), going on to say: "However, we do not believe that hardware dedicated to gaming shall perish in a few years. I personally think that kind of scenario is unthinkable."

Iwata adds: "The reason why we have been making systems dedicated to games is because creating engaging experiences that cannot be available on other devices is the lifeline for the company.

"Should we stop what we are doing, the current business configuration with a video game system and dedicated software could become obsolete. However, as we have been thinking and proposing new ideas one after another, we do not think that it will become obsolete at all."

Speaking of ideas, Iwata has also recently stated that Nintendo has more game announcements up its sleeve.

Source.

 

[TM2-Megatron]

Good. A purely digital distribution console is the day I start going from buying all my games to pirating them, 100%. And cloud computing will make me stop gaming altogether.

I like the self-contained media that I can play on more than one console, and I also prefer playing handheld RPGs and other complex games from its own cartridge and self-contained save data.

 

[FAST6191]

I vote for a broad standard- anyone can and does make PC components.

 

[MelodieOctavia]

Good. A purely digital distribution console is the day I start going from buying all my games to pirating them, 100%. And cloud computing will make me stop gaming altogether.

I like the self-contained media that I can play on more than one console, and I also prefer playing handheld RPGs and other complex games from its own cartridge and self-contained save data.

Not taking into consideration that the next generation of consoles might be considerably harder to crack if not impossible. Console companies are learning. Especially Sony and MS.

 

[TM2-Megatron]

Good. A purely digital distribution console is the day I start going from buying all my games to pirating them, 100%. And cloud computing will make me stop gaming altogether.

I like the self-contained media that I can play on more than one console, and I also prefer playing handheld RPGs and other complex games from its own cartridge and self-contained save data.

Not taking into consideration that the next generation of consoles might be considerably harder to crack if not impossible. Console companies are learning. Especially Sony and MS.

The next generation isn't likely to move to a 100% digital distribution model, though. There are still many people who don't have access to high-speed internet, and of those who do, many don't have unlimited download. A handful of modern PS3 games would exceed the caps of many people's service for a month. Cloud computing is even further away, and will never be a realistic option for handheld gaming... at least not until the day where free, high-speed internet access is universally available on every street corner and in every cornfield from one side of the Earth to the other. I don't see that happening any time soon, so the worst we could hope for on a portable system was 100% download... but as the PSP Go has already failed (IMO, due to it not being hacked, and having no physical media), I don't see anyone trying that again in the immediate future.

I have no doubt future consoles will be harder to crack... though nothing is unhackable, so I expect it'll be done. As I've mentioned before, personally I feel the only reason the PS3 and DSi haven't been is because nobody cares enough about it, and there aren't enough benefits of actually doing it (other than bragging rights, which you may not even be able to partake in is you'd probably get sued).

 

[injected11]

$20 says console death happens in ~80 years.

 

[MelodieOctavia]

by then your brain would most likely be the ultimate console.

 

[Forstride]

I saw the title on the forum index, and I didn't see the rest and thought it meant handheld is the way to go (People usually refer to home consoles as consoles, and handheld consoles as handhelds, even though they are both considered consoles)...I was like, "Why the heck would anyone want to go all-handheld?"

Then I read the topic, and saw that it meant exclusively-game consoles...

I like being able to switch from my computer to Wii and play a game, or vise versa. I like PC gaming, but I'd rather have a console to play games on. I just hope future generations of game consoles don't turn into computers with games as an option. I like it simple...Sure, an internet browser or weather-viewing app is nice, but I don't want stuff like video editing software, or anything else that should be computer-only.