Console gaming isn't dying, but it could implode.
The increase in gaming on other devices isn't mush of an issue. It may reduce the consoles' "gaming market share" but they aren't losing customers to other devices. The gaming market just increased in size, as it now includes people who wouldn't have otherwise bought a console but are happy to play on a tablet. It's not really a concern.
The issue is development costs. A vicious cycle of competing developers trying to be within the top 5 of everyone's list, as that's the most games anyone will buy at full price within a given time period. That means high development costs, which forces a higher price tag.
High development costs are also a product of having to increase the re playability of the game so you hold on to it for longer. One reason why pretty much every single game has multi-player these days is to encourage the player to hold onto the game for longer to prevent trade-ins. To a developer a trade in is money down the drain.
This has the additional effect of rising the price because customers who buy the game on release are not as affected by the price point, so it makes good business sense to charge as much as possible (given all the variables) on release.
As mentioned before, this results in many games being a big gamble if bad reviews come out, or a more popular game is released. To compete the price would have to be lowered, hen the number of games needed to be sold to break even would simply be too great given the market. The higher the standard price-point becomes, the more of a gamble it is. Also, ps3 and xbox gamers(me being one of them) usually shun lower rated games anyway, even at lower price points, which is where the wii created carved out its niche.
That's why I'm apprehensive about the next generation of consoles. The development costs will rise dramatically if they attempt to get the most out of them, which could be the end. I don't see why they didn't just delay the next generation, the quality of the games is still improving over this current one.
But I don't have a problem with the pricing. I think we as gamers tend to ***** a bit too much when you really consider what we're getting for 60$.
As for pc gaming, that's seen quite a hit from piracy, and many games are alongside console games for a bit of a revenue boost. I don't think it would really survive if console gaming died (apart from the already pc exclusives continuing).
The increase in gaming on other devices isn't mush of an issue. It may reduce the consoles' "gaming market share" but they aren't losing customers to other devices. The gaming market just increased in size, as it now includes people who wouldn't have otherwise bought a console but are happy to play on a tablet. It's not really a concern.
The issue is development costs. A vicious cycle of competing developers trying to be within the top 5 of everyone's list, as that's the most games anyone will buy at full price within a given time period. That means high development costs, which forces a higher price tag.
High development costs are also a product of having to increase the re playability of the game so you hold on to it for longer. One reason why pretty much every single game has multi-player these days is to encourage the player to hold onto the game for longer to prevent trade-ins. To a developer a trade in is money down the drain.
This has the additional effect of rising the price because customers who buy the game on release are not as affected by the price point, so it makes good business sense to charge as much as possible (given all the variables) on release.
As mentioned before, this results in many games being a big gamble if bad reviews come out, or a more popular game is released. To compete the price would have to be lowered, hen the number of games needed to be sold to break even would simply be too great given the market. The higher the standard price-point becomes, the more of a gamble it is. Also, ps3 and xbox gamers(me being one of them) usually shun lower rated games anyway, even at lower price points, which is where the wii created carved out its niche.
That's why I'm apprehensive about the next generation of consoles. The development costs will rise dramatically if they attempt to get the most out of them, which could be the end. I don't see why they didn't just delay the next generation, the quality of the games is still improving over this current one.
But I don't have a problem with the pricing. I think we as gamers tend to ***** a bit too much when you really consider what we're getting for 60$.
As for pc gaming, that's seen quite a hit from piracy, and many games are alongside console games for a bit of a revenue boost. I don't think it would really survive if console gaming died (apart from the already pc exclusives continuing).
