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0 pointssomehnacct37574y ago0 comments

You're not following the trends closely enough. Nintendo combined their portable and console markets with the Switch and this console format is a huge hit with kids, parents, and adult gamers even.

I suspect if MS takes another generational shellacking from Sony they will try a similar maneuver, combining the Xbox and Surface brands to make a single SKU gaming PC. The Xbox already runs Windows 10 with a custom ui. They won't drop out off the console race without trying this. (It would be a compelling student device.)

Sony is stuck selling dedicated TV attachments but luckily they command the biggest audience and have "won" the console war against MS three of the four generations. The PS5 has done so well there's no reason to believe there won't be a PS6. Sony plans the obsolescence on a 10 year timeline. They refused to put an SSD into the PS4 era consoles knowing that adding it would be a generational leap for the PS5, more than graphics.

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Hamuko4y ago

>have "won" the console war against MS three of the four generations

Four out of four generations if we go by (current) sales. The PS2 outsold everything, the PS3 had a narrow sales advantage compared to the Xbox 360, the PS4 pummeled the Xbox One and the PS5 has gotten a pretty considerable lead over the Xbox Series. Obviously the latter one is still an on-going matter and maybe the Series S will get a sudden boost in popularity later in the race (it's currently basically the only current-generation console you can find in stock easily, so it's probably not that popular now).

AltruisticGapHN4y ago

> Windows 10 with a custom ui. They won't drop out off the console race without trying this.

If Valve effectively releases a Valve "console" (a fully fledged desktop PC with the Steam Deck experience + powerful GPU)... who are we kidding? Who will buy a walled garden after that? Seems to me like Microsoft will at best be just competing...

If you follow the discussions on reddit about Steamdeck people are SUPER excited, and some gamers are alreadsy asking questions about linux and whether their next PC could be linux ; since Valve's endoresement of Proton on the Steam deck and the "Steam Deck verified" experience is making them confident that Linux will replace Windows.

Tons of gamers nowadays really only need a PC for gaming and general entertainment... meaning Windows is completely optional.

NihongoGamer has really good commentary on related topic:

About the "Steam Deck verified"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PL0NIhJpHg0

I don't know , I'm 47 and honestly Steam Deck + their rumored console that comes after it; is the most exciting news I've heard in gaming for a LONG time...

I'm a casual as you might expect at 47... I still want to play A game like NMS occasionally, but I don't want to spend all day updating Windows and tweaking GPU drivers and all the bullshit that is "pc building" today.

Last AAA game I bought was Assassin Creed Oddyssey. I paid 50 EUR during a Steam sale. Still pricey but it was pretty new. ... I played the game for few hours and realized I didn't like it all that much. This is the reason why I never bought into PS and Nintendo for the past fifteen years.. pretty much since the Dreamcast: is is hugely expensive. if you pay 70 EUR for a game you have to be really committed not just to like it, but to get your money's worth. I can"t afford to buy a 70 EUR game when I get bored of most games after a few hours.

Having a console like experience with the Steam store is hugely exciting for me... so many silly / smaller games, that you pay pennies and still can have fun for a few hours.. it opens up a whole new genre of games that consoles aren't well suited for, or that are just not easy to consume on the console. I mean, just browsing steam is fun in and of itself.

somehnacct3757OP4y ago

Windows (which has native support for Xbox controllers) shares a digital game store with Xbox now, there's even a subscription service that lets you play some games at launch. It's probably the best deal in gaming, if your metric is dollars per fun hours in trendy games.

Sony has not one but two subscription services with free games. Like USD $50/yr for access to 24 best sellers. You play them some time after launch. You can play recent releases on their more expensive subscription, I forget the price, but it's competing with the Xbox service I mentioned earlier.

So there's plenty of ways to play best sellers and fresh games for less than launch day full price. And even though the gardens are walled to their respective ecosystems, Sony and MS are targeting the same audience so the consumer still benefits from competition.

If Steam enters the arena with Steamdeck, they will be the ones competing against two established console makers who have steam's desired audience already bought in to subscription services.

I'm not convinced Valve moves to the front by default. I think it makes a three company race and Valve is going to have to lean HARD on the steamdeck form factor their first generation to establish themselves.

I don't think Valve is ready for the fiercity of the console wars at all. They couldn't even keep Epic game store at bay when they started dropping Fortnite money on exclusives. I'm sure they've learned their financial lesson on that one... now imagine inviting two more companies to bid on exclusives against you!

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