No Eighth Generation consoles announced during E3

[Dittohead Servbot #24]

Am I the only one in this congregation who noticed and found it quite unusual that no plans were announced for ANY Eighth Generation video game consoles? See, Nintendo always released their consoles in the US on years ending in 1 or 6:

 

NES: 1986 (nationwide release)

SNES: 1991

N64: 1996

GCN: 2001

WII: 2006

 

Sony always released their newest consoles on years ending in 5 or 0:

 

PS1: 1995 (1999? was mini version)

PS2: 2000 (2004? was mini version)

PS3: 2005 (2009? was mini version)

 

So based on that past history, Sony should be almost ready to release the PS4 by now with the N6 (what I'm calling Nintendo's next console for now, just like I speculated that what turned out to be the Wii could've been named the N5) slated for a 2011 release. But yet not ONE of the Big Three even announced any plans at all for an Eighth Generation console. There is of course the highly anticipated Nintendo 3DS (I hope this will make the DS XL cheaper), but that's a handheld.

 

I guess maybe we now reached a point where the graphics/sound/speed of gaming consoles just no longer have much more room to grow? I mean the graphics can now be done almost photo realistically and I wouldn't be surprised if by 2015 or so there's a 3D version of Google Earth that's photo realistic. So is that the most likely reason there are no Eighth Generation consoles waiting in the wings--there's just so little room for improvement now?

 

In the famous words of Bill O'Reilly, let's say you?

[davepesc]

I'm fine with it. Overall, I feel this has been a very disappointing generation save for the proliferation of online multiplayer. But, as with many advancements, I think gaming took an overall step back to jump on the bandwagon. (The move to polygon graphics, anyone?)

 

Unfortunately, it looks like the next advancement will be "true-3d," which is several years from even the chance of becoming common in households. I mean, my family is not "cutting-edge" but we just got out first HDTV last year.

 

Bottom line, I hope this gen takes a couple more years to shake out all the motion control/3D/online FPS/1080p nonsense that has it spread too thin and figure out what the next gen "should" be focused on.

[moycon]

Sony has stated in the past the current PS3 system will have a longer lifespan then what people are used to.

 

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3153264

 

"I think that we are offering a very good value for the consumers. We look at our products having a 10-year life cycle, which we've proven with the PlayStation. Therefore, the PlayStation 3 is going to be a console that's going to be with you again for 10 years. We're not going to ask the consumers to suddenly buy another PlayStation console in five years time, and basically have their investment go by the wayside. So for all those reasons, I think at $599 we're offering a very good value to the consumers."

 

MS has made similar claims.

We'll see if those numbers come true. I think they are both banking that these motion controller are going to breath new life into the units and prolong the interest in them. I personally think the motion controls for both systems will go over like a fart in church. Hopefully they have a plan B.

[xg4bx]

i'm in no rush for the next gen but i think we'll start hearing about a new console within the next year. sony just finally got an attractive pricepoint and finally started making a profit on ps3 so i think they'll be the last to pull the trigger.

 

i'm still playing and buying ps2 games and they're still being produced so i have faith in a "10 year plan". i just want development to open up and get cheaper so we finally can get a real variety of titles, except for the exclusives the hd consoles share 98% of the same games. last gen there was REAL variety and differences.

 

one thing i will say though is that if next gen is filled with shooter upon shooter again, and the online play/dlc bs continues i won't be upgrading. i'm in no rush for the inevitable $70+ games next gen either.

 

i keep going back to these articles-

 

http://www.cracked.com/article_18608_the-day-gaming-industry-died-impressions-from-e3-2010.html

 

"The games industry has had a massive problem from day one, one that nobody is quite sure how to fix. This problem is the reason thousands of arcades had to close down after the 80s, and it's why Atari, Sega, NEC and countless other electronics giants had to bail out of the console business after losing millions. It's the reason why even Microsoft has lost billions on its gaming division.The problem is that video game players simply won't keep playing without a new gimmick every five years or so. Where people have been happy watching celluloid movies for like 80 straight years, for whatever reason gamers won't keep playing games unless given a completely new format every half decade."

 

"Now, some people mistakenly say, "Well, duh, we stop playing the old games because the new ones have hit the market, making the old ones look obsolete!" Not so. We stop playing the games long before the new games arrive. For instance, there are no new consoles on the horizon now, yet video game hardware and software sales are both collapsing. Eventually we just get bored with the medium."

 

 

it becomes more true every time i read it. this motion control/3D bunk truly feels like a last gasp effort to get people to pay attention to games. people do get bored with games extremely quickly. what would a next gen console truly offer at this point? better graphics thats about it. the storylines would still be ass, the a.i. would still be ass. all it would realistically offer is better graphics and more players online....and motion control.....and 3D....and a bit fat yawn from yours truly. even handhelds are needing new gimmicks because people essentially tire of them so quickly. yes the 3DS is cool....and then what? are the games going to be any better now?

 

i'd love to see a company move forward by looking back. i've got enough dvds and blu-ray players, i want cartridges. i want things like loading time eliminated. i want a return to gorgeous 2D artwork. i want games where the developers can focus on the game, not how many online modes or anti-aliasing they can cram in. a $150 cartridge based machine would own the world upon launch.

 

sorry for my half-awake ramblings lol.

Edited June 19, 2010 by xg4bx

[Dittohead Servbot #24]

Sony has stated in the past the current PS3 system will have a longer lifespan then what people are used to.

 

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3153264

 

Well, seeing as how the PS1 lasted eleven years and the PS2 is still active after ten years, I'd say we are used to Sony consoles having staying power. Now if only the PS3 would bring back full PS2 (and PS1) compatibility...

[+Random Terrain]

So based on that past history . . .

Isn't all history in the past?

 

 

 

In the famous words of Bill O'Reilly, let's say you?

I thought it was "what say you"?

 

 

 

These companies know we're all going to die in 2012, so they don't see a reason to bring out new consoles. They're too busy preparing their underground bunkers and collecting sex slaves.

[Emehr]

In the famous words of Bill O'Reilly, let's say you?

I thought it was "what say you"?

Didn't Aragorn say that to the undead king guy in Return of the King? I'd hate to think that that classic story is now associated with that ass clown.

 

Anyway, I'm glad there weren't any new consoles announced. It feels like the current ones are finally starting to pick up steam. In the past we got frequent iterations of consoles because there was a goal: try to get as arcade-like as possible. Now that arcades are dead, the companies are just making shit up as they go along to keep things fresh and there's no real need to pump out a new system every five years.

[DaytonaUSA]

Personally, I'm still surprised by this current generation's graphics. I still encounter games all the time that make me stare in disbelief. Do I need something that looks better? Hell, no. For once, I have a console this old and I don't feel like it's time for something better. Can I see room for improvements in hardware, well yes, however I don't think we've hit the limit of consoles like PS3 for instance. I can still see developers doing so much more with what we have.

 

Also, the motion controllers of the HD consoles will breathe new life into the consoles. The launch titles at least for the Move controller almost gave me the same excitement as seeing games for a brand new console.

 

The only reason I think we're seeing a new DS is because one, Nintendo likes lots of iterations of portables, and second... because the DS is honestly pretty old, especially for a handheld system, and in order to compete with phones, it needed more updated features like more online support. Are the consoles in the same spot? Honestly, I don't think so. The PS3 and Xbox 360 (especially with the "short" redesign) are MORE than capable systems, and have enough momentum in sales to keep them going for years to come.

 

In a way, I think the new revision for the 360 helped make the current consoles seem a lot more fresh. The PS3 and the 360 are now on fairly equal footing when it comes to what a modern console should be (built in wifi, no memory card ports, ect). Bottom line is, are people willing to spend another bag of money on a new system right now? Not at all. If we do see new consoles, it will be after 2012-2013 IMHO. Anything before that would honestly shock me.

[Vic George 2K3]

Two or three more years before we can see new consoles? I can live with that.

[+Random Terrain]

Two or three more years before we can see new consoles? I can live with that.

 

Me too. Maybe the games will finally have a decent draw distance and other things I've been waiting for:

 

I won't be happy until I can buy a Grand Theft Auto style game where the buildings and other things are destructible (like in Red Faction: Guerrilla), the trees can be climbed/chopped down/burned/shot up/blown up, the ground can be affected through digging/explosions/backhoe-like machines, and the people walking around are more intelligent and act more like real people would in various situations (they wouldn't casually stroll through fire or do other things that make no sense). Let me drive, fly airplanes and helicopters, and use a GTA: SA style jetpack again. Just give me more stuff to do in a more realistic world, without actual real-world hassles that would ruin a game.

 

The Xbox 360 and the PS3 weren't good enough.

[Video]

I can live with it. Seriously, the PS2 is the only system from last generation that looks dated. (granted, it looked dated compared to the Dreamcast too ) I was dissappointed in the shortness of the last generation, and this generation, well, has quiet literally nothing new to offer, other than the wii's wack control setup, and honestly, they can keep that.

 

If they make new consoles, it better offer illusionary 3d for lintel or polarized TV's, otherwise, I'm not getting one. HD came and went totally underwhelming, and I think that's because people were really just expecting "more" and the HD simply didn't deliver.

[DaytonaUSA]

I can live with it. Seriously, the PS2 is the only system from last generation that looks dated. (granted, it looked dated compared to the Dreamcast too ) I was dissappointed in the shortness of the last generation, and this generation, well, has quiet literally nothing new to offer, other than the wii's wack control setup, and honestly, they can keep that.

 

If they make new consoles, it better offer illusionary 3d for lintel or polarized TV's, otherwise, I'm not getting one. HD came and went totally underwhelming, and I think that's because people were really just expecting "more" and the HD simply didn't deliver.

 

I'm not wanting to fight here or anything, but how did HD not deliver? You must have a pretty crappy HD screen to think that today's resolutions aren't absolutely gorgeous. And while there is room for improvement in graphics to make it more life like, I think that we've come a VERY long way from the last generation in character models, physics, lighting and effects.

 

 

I think often we have unrealistic memories of past games, and often think to ourselves they didn't seem much worse than what we are playing now. A good example is the Metal Gear Solid game on the 3DS vs the PSP one. The 3DS one kicks it's pants, and yet when I saw the 3DS trailer I didn't see much of an improvement. Ever hook up an old console? The graphics were pretty terrible, and you'll be amazed to see the difference in polygon counts in characters and environments, none the less the most important thing.. draw distance. Seriously, I swear most PS2 games ended in the distance with a freakin blurry cloud haha.

 

 

 

I've been more than happy with this generation in gaming. It's been a heck of a fun ride, and I can name at least a dozen games I couldn't have lived without. I can also name a bunch of games that, even if they are a few years old, STILL make my jaw drop when I see them.

 

Anywho, all is fair in love and war, and you can feel how you feel, no problem. I just wish you saw what I did.

[Jifremok]

It's felt like a slow generation to me. Nothing felt really new except for a few (gimmicky) games on the Wii, and my favorites, aside from Mario Galaxy, Crash Commando and Demon's Souls, felt more like throwbacks to the old days. I'm glad we're not looking at new consoles yet.

[HuckleCat]

Ok, one thing wrong, and another thing unseen here.

 

First, xg4, I know we got off on the wrong foot. So, I'm not going to direct this at you. The guy at Cracked.com, with the article you keep posting. He's not entirely correct. In fact, hes wrong.

 

http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/23/xbox-division-posts-165-million-profit-in-fiscal-q3/

 

Microsofts gaming division has been making profits since 2008. Not every quarter, mind you, but check it out...

 

Just google "Microsoft gaming division profits". Sony has also started to profit on the PS3 this year. The guy has made an incorrect assumption.

 

 

Second. and this is more to why we have not seen a new-gen console:

 

Contrary to popular belief, MOST PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE AN HDTV.

 

Until that changes, we will not see a new generation of consoles. Plain and simple. How can they really worry about 3-d when most cant even see it in high def? When this changes, and it eventually will, then we will see a new Xbox/Playstation.

Edited June 20, 2010 by HuckleCat

[+Random Terrain]

Second. and this is more to why we have not seen a new-gen console:

 

Contrary to popular belief, MOST PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE AN HDTV.

 

Yep, my underwhelming Xbox 360 is hooked up to my Samsung 19 inch Widescreen LCD Analog/Digital SyncMaster 906BW monitor. It will probably be another 5 to 10 years before I have an HDTV.

[xg4bx]

Ok, one thing wrong, and another thing unseen here.

 

First, xg4, I know we got off on the wrong foot. So, I'm not going to direct this at you. The guy at Cracked.com, with the article you keep posting. He's not entirely correct. In fact, hes wrong.

 

http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/23/xbox-division-posts-165-million-profit-in-fiscal-q3/

 

Microsofts gaming division has been making profits since 2008. Not every quarter, mind you, but check it out...

 

Just google "Microsoft gaming division profits". Sony has also started to profit on the PS3 this year. The guy has made an incorrect assumption.

 

 

Second. and this is more to why we have not seen a new-gen console:

 

Contrary to popular belief, MOST PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE AN HDTV.

 

Until that changes, we will not see a new generation of consoles. Plain and simple. How can they really worry about 3-d when most cant even see it in high def? When this changes, and it eventually will, then we will see a new Xbox/Playstation.

 

 

i think i read something not too long ago that only half of 360 owners own an hdtv. and here both companies are pushing 3D?

 

3D is an awesome concept, i love it. i'd love to play it. but as it stands i can't afford a big hdtv, let alone a 3D one. i've got a like 26" 720p in my relatively small living room and frankly it's good enough. i'm not upgrading to 3D until i can get a decent size for under $400, i simply don't care THAT much about technology or visual fidelity.

 

i think the secret of the wiis success is that frankly it's lowest common denominator technology and i don't mean that as an insult. it looks almost just as good on an sd tv as an hd one. i can see people operating under the assumption that it's just not worth it to get "the best" when it involves a fairly sizeable investment to get a new tv. and i understand that mentality. i'm 32 and i have never touched an ipod. literally never touched one. i buy cds and they're good enough for my needs. just as the wiis graphics are good enough or sd tv is good enough for the average consumer. if i didn't have blu-ray by default by owning a ps3 i'd never buy a blu-ray player, i honestly don't need it. i buy the occasional blu-ray if it's cheap or a movie i love but 99% of my movie watching is on standard dvd. why would i go buy something like a kindle when paperbacks are already perfect? i honestly think that technology is far outpacing most peoples interest level.

Edited June 20, 2010 by xg4bx

[+atari2600land]

I was just wondering the other day if we are at "the end" or not. The successor to the Wii can have better graphics, but can an X-Box 720 or PS4 have better graphics? I mean, we are at a point where faces and stuff look and move realistically, etc.

[+Random Terrain]

I mean, we are at a point where faces and stuff look and move realistically, etc.

They do if you squint and cross your eyes at the same time. Two generations later and you'll look back your post and laugh. Things are slowly getting better, but they aren't at the point where you can scream "Oh my God! It looks like they videotaped live actors!" Everything still looks too fake and primitive.

 

Someone posted about how much better this crap is than the crap that came before. It is better, but it still isn't good enough. We need a leap. A jaw-dropping leap where your internal organs burst from the shock.

[Mord]

I was just wondering the other day if we are at "the end" or not. The successor to the Wii can have better graphics, but can an X-Box 720 or PS4 have better graphics? I mean, we are at a point where faces and stuff look and move realistically, etc.

 

No, we're not at the end. Even if the graphics stay about the same you can use extra resources for things like better AI, larger worlds, more complex animation sequences, and the list goes on.

[Rev. Rob]

It's not unusual at all. Both Sony and Microsoft have announced, well before this year's E3, that it'll be 2012 to 2015 before they plan a new generation. It would've been unusual if one were announced. Nintendo is just happy to be selling a console. And besides, we got Kinect and 3DS this year.

[dooglehead]

I think that the next generation of consoles will loose disk drives and instead, play games downloaded directly from the internet.

[+Random Terrain]

I think that the next generation of consoles will loose disk drives and instead, play games downloaded directly from the internet.

What's the point of adding a loose disk drive that will flop around? How about just not including it? It would save them a lot of money.

[Rev. Rob]

I think that the next generation of consoles will loose disk drives and instead, play games downloaded directly from the internet.

 

The retail world won't allow it.

[DaytonaUSA]

I think that the next generation of consoles will loose disk drives and instead, play games downloaded directly from the internet.

What's the point of adding a loose disk drive that will flop around? How about just not including it? It would save them a lot of money.

 

That's it! They're going back to floppy disks!

[+wood_jl]

Second. and this is more to why we have not seen a new-gen console:

Contrary to popular belief, MOST PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE AN HDTV.

 

Exactly! The vast majority of people are simply not willing to throw away their SD set that is still serving them well. This is easy to forget/overlook by those who must have the latest/greatest, and are perfectly willing to toss good hardware in such an endeavor. For those still going along with SD, just the change to HD set will make them feel like they have a new console. Plus, what's the point in "8th Generation" consoles when their HD graphics are going to look so much like the current gen that nobody would be able to tell them apart?

Edited June 20, 2010 by wood_jl