Lately I’ve been reading a ton of stories from top video game industry execs and other knowledgeable people predicting the end of consoles as we know them. According to many experts, this next generation of consoles by Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony will be the last.
The basis for this prediction is that mobile gaming, Smart TV’s and streaming services like Gaikai will give consumers more options for getting their video game fixes more conveniently and for less money. I can clearly see the reason for the fear. As the streaming game services improve and integrate themselves with televisions that land in our living rooms; and as Android and Apple devices connect seamlessly to that same TV, where does the console fit in?
If you think about it, we have already seen what the Smartphone has done to dedicated devices like GPS’s, MP3 players, cameras and even wristwatches. Why wouldn’t gaming consoles suffer the same fate?
What do you think? Do you think the end is near? Or do you think that consoles will remain fixtures beneath our TV sets?
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