"Let's Go Single Platform!" Says EA's Florin

[PhilG]

If the content owners get their way and dispose of physical media then we'll cease to purchase machines. It won't matter if the images sent to your set-top box originate from a Sony/MS/Nintendo custom server, it'll just be image data being sent up/down the wire. Of course then they'll rinse us for yearly access subscriptions, charge the same prices as they currently do for games even though they've chopped out retail from the chain, and expect us to pay £50 for each unique controller...

[Leon Retro]

The thought of a single format is a very bleak vision.

As much as I liked the SNES, I really was yearning for something new after a few years, and the competition with the MegaDrive, meant I got to play great games like Sonic and Streets Of Rage too.

It's this competition that I've always liked. Sure... some people can only afford one format, but they must realise that having competing brands has a positive effect on the overall quality of games.

Of course... we get the consoles that crash&burn, like the Jaguar, CD32, 3DO etc... Some people spent a lot of money on them, and they flopped big time. I think this creates negativity in the market.

I would have hated a market where the PS1 was the only console, and the N64 didn't exist. I enjoyed both machines, and because they were in competition, I think it made sure a lot of developers weren't lazy.

At the moment, we have a strange situation with the PS3 and 360. I think all the ports, and tiny amount of exclusives, is making people think a single-format would be sensible.

I think things will change though. The Wii is already delivering a different experience with its games. The 360 & PS3 need to start building more unique identities; this should happen next year onwards.

It's too shortsighted and negative to wish for a single-format gaming market.

[anephric]

It's this competition that I've always liked. Sure... some people can only afford one format, but they must realise that having competing brands has a positive effect on the overall quality of games.

Yeah, there's always the argument, much like with government-owned industry, that privatisation and free-market competition is good for the consumer: ergo, having a tri-partite console environment is good for gamers. I just don't see it myself. If no real money had to be spent on developing and marketing the hardware (at least, not by a single entity), think of the resources that frees up to concentrate on game development, peripheral development etc.

I can imagine, if there were only one format developed around a hardware profile that the game-development community had had a hand in creating, you wouldn't hear any complaints.

[Leon Retro]

Yeah, there's always the argument, much like with government-owned industry, that privatisation and free-market competition is good for the consumer: ergo, having a tri-partite console environment is good for gamers. I just don't see it myself. If no real money had to be spent on developing and marketing the hardware (at least, not by a single entity), think of the resources that frees up to concentrate on game development, peripheral development etc.

I can imagine, if there were only one format developed around a hardware profile that the game-development community had had a hand in creating, you wouldn't hear any complaints.

As I sad earlier, I think a single-format would obviously seem nice at first, but would ultimately lead to stagnation and an immensely dull game scene.

The casual gamers would be far too eager to stick with the basic package and put up with the same technology for a very long time. Hardcore/Obsessive gamers would eventually be hungry for more cutting edge experiences, and the wait would drive them nuts.

I think a lot of people in this thread are focusing on the PS3/360 technology as their single-format vision.

The thing is, imagine the 3DO had been the single-format throughout the 90s. As much as the machine seemed cutting-edge in 94, after a few years I think devs would have reached a dead end- and a lot of gamers would have been fed-up with the limitations of the tech.

People shouldn't forget that competition and continuous waves of new systems, has resulted in a lot of positive creations over the years.

Of course, good game design is paramount, and this can lead to variety and reasons to keep gaming, but however good the games are, there is only so much you can do with any given tech before serious gamers become bored and want to be dazzled once again.

Throughout my gaming life, I've always enjoyed the hardware wars, and new generations of systems. It's one of the most enjoyable and exciting aspects of gaming, and I think most gamers shared that excitement growing-up. Maybe the people wanting a single-format are simply grumpy old men?

[egparadigm]

I agree - and we shouldn't ignore the competing hardware and inputs when we consider the marketplace. Could the Wii remote exist in a single hardware market? Would new technology be developed?

I also like the note on gaming brands and their culture. The SNES and MD were selling to different markets in part. The Xbox has more a hardcore shooter based customer and PlayStation is aimed at the casual music lover, whilst Wii is for families and non-gamers. Obviously that is a bit broad, but you get the point.

[Leon Retro]

I agree - and we shouldn't ignore the competing hardware and inputs when we consider the marketplace. Could the Wii remote exist in a single hardware market? Would new technology be developed?

I also like the note on gaming brands and their culture. The SNES and MD were selling to different markets in part. The Xbox has more a hardcore shooter based customer and PlayStation is aimed at the casual music lover, whilst Wii is for families and non-gamers. Obviously that is a bit broad, but you get the point.

Good points.

Nintendo say they created the Wii to serve the more casual gamers who want something different.

I don't think we'd have the machine as it is, if it were a single-format market.

I don't think the SNES & MD were selling to different markets, it's just a fact that some people could only afford one system, or were maybe happy with one system, so they made their choice, or stuck with what they were given.

Both machines offered their fare share of exclusive games, with many like Sonic the Hedgehog being created to fight against rival machines. Nintendo and Sega in perticular, were on the top of their game, because they were fighting a war, and this made it a great time for owners of either machine, and even more so for owners of both.

The Xbox was created to take-on Sony, and I think this attitude resulted in a very exciting machine with a lot of top quality games, and other things which boosted gamings profile; such as Live.

I simply can't see how a single-format would keep gaming lively. I can imagine things becoming stale and dull. As much as original games are needed, I still think the more realistic style of game( racing, sports, shooters) need a visual boost every 5years, to keep players interest in the market.

When gaming tech does eventually become powerful enough to create anything at a photorealistic level, I think only then would a single-format make sense.

I don't think a single-format would be good now, or for quite a while, but in a few decades I can imagine things will go that way, and software will be all that matters.

[SmokeMeAKipper]

I agree - and we shouldn't ignore the competing hardware and inputs when we consider the marketplace. Could the Wii remote exist in a single hardware market? Would new technology be developed?

I also like the note on gaming brands and their culture. The SNES and MD were selling to different markets in part. The Xbox has more a hardcore shooter based customer and PlayStation is aimed at the casual music lover, whilst Wii is for families and non-gamers. Obviously that is a bit broad, but you get the point.

Agreed. The idea of a single-format seems good in principle but gaming has become so diverse and is catering to vastly different audiences. At the end of the day market forces will determine what happens - if different systems continue to sell well then obviously the trend of competing hardware will recycle.

Choice and competition are the cornerstones of any successful industry - and at the end of the day we're all gamers and want gaming to be successful. Whether the best means to achieve that end is via single-format or competing hardware is the way to go.