As we all know the .com thing was supposed to be the next big thing. But the bottom fell out and all that is left are a couple of companies. This was the thing that was supposed to change our lives. Make our jobs easier, bring us all closer together.
Now I fear the same for Videogames. Market Saturation will hit a certain point and then we'll be dealing with diminishing returns. I really believe that inevitably the bottom will fall out of the console market.
Right now the big 3 are dependent and competing with each other. If Microsoft were to fold, we would have a market practically devoid of competition and thus more shovelware to hit the streets. Nintendo on the other hand has billions in assets that its clinging too. They didn't buy Capcom or Sega, neither did Microsoft for that matter. Why, because the cost would far outway the benefits.
Microsoft is losing money from its home division, Nintendo is making a profit becuase of cheap hardware costs, and Sony is propped up by it's computer entertainment division.
What we see in the market is the result of this. Everything is in a holding pattern, nobody is making a big moves because they are worried about the Next Generation. In the mean time this generation is getting crap.
Sure we'll get an innovative game like Ico, or a great franchise like Winning Eleven. But think about how much other filler is in between. For every Viewtiful Joe, there's an Azurik or two or three. For every Winning Eleven there's Madden or NCAA. For every Rez or Virtua Fighter, there's Tekken or Tao Fang. The ratio of good original titles is diminishing.
In the meantime the videogame press is hyping up more of the same thing. The Next GTA, Metal Gear,Halo etc...instead of focusing on the original games. Which is why the west will never see games like My Cooking.
What does this all boil down too? Well basically what I'm saying is the decline won't be swift and relatively painless like the .coms, it will be more like a slow death. How soon after the Next Generation, will they start making promises about how the one after that will deliver what we want. First the weak ones will go, the 3DO's, Acclaims, Crave etc. Then merger mania, ending with a nicely hemoginized dull lifeless gaming market.
PS2 was supposed to look like those demos of years ago, it is just starting too now. Xbox was supposed to be everything that PS2 was and more, and instead the only thing that sets them apart is a few exclusives. And Gamecube, well the one thing Nintendo has right is that they weren't going out to create an all in one entertainment device.
This wicked long post was inspired by the discontent I was reading about people losing interest in games. I truely believe that the market has dictated that.
Now I fear the same for Videogames. Market Saturation will hit a certain point and then we'll be dealing with diminishing returns. I really believe that inevitably the bottom will fall out of the console market.
Right now the big 3 are dependent and competing with each other. If Microsoft were to fold, we would have a market practically devoid of competition and thus more shovelware to hit the streets. Nintendo on the other hand has billions in assets that its clinging too. They didn't buy Capcom or Sega, neither did Microsoft for that matter. Why, because the cost would far outway the benefits.
Microsoft is losing money from its home division, Nintendo is making a profit becuase of cheap hardware costs, and Sony is propped up by it's computer entertainment division.
What we see in the market is the result of this. Everything is in a holding pattern, nobody is making a big moves because they are worried about the Next Generation. In the mean time this generation is getting crap.
Sure we'll get an innovative game like Ico, or a great franchise like Winning Eleven. But think about how much other filler is in between. For every Viewtiful Joe, there's an Azurik or two or three. For every Winning Eleven there's Madden or NCAA. For every Rez or Virtua Fighter, there's Tekken or Tao Fang. The ratio of good original titles is diminishing.
In the meantime the videogame press is hyping up more of the same thing. The Next GTA, Metal Gear,Halo etc...instead of focusing on the original games. Which is why the west will never see games like My Cooking.
What does this all boil down too? Well basically what I'm saying is the decline won't be swift and relatively painless like the .coms, it will be more like a slow death. How soon after the Next Generation, will they start making promises about how the one after that will deliver what we want. First the weak ones will go, the 3DO's, Acclaims, Crave etc. Then merger mania, ending with a nicely hemoginized dull lifeless gaming market.
PS2 was supposed to look like those demos of years ago, it is just starting too now. Xbox was supposed to be everything that PS2 was and more, and instead the only thing that sets them apart is a few exclusives. And Gamecube, well the one thing Nintendo has right is that they weren't going out to create an all in one entertainment device.
This wicked long post was inspired by the discontent I was reading about people losing interest in games. I truely believe that the market has dictated that.
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