Console gaming has been around for decades, but it’s an industry that seems to be in constant flux. Every few years, people say the consoles are dying out, and then they get a new system. Are we going to see another console generation soon? Or will we see the last of them? Let’s take a look at some of the factors involved here:
Every new console is harder to make than the last
This is not to say that consoles have no future whatsoever. It’s just that their life cycle is becoming shorter and shorter, which means we could be seeing fewer generations in the future.
The reason for this lies in how expensive it is to make a console. Processors are more powerful than ever before and they draw more electricity, but they still cost the same as they did when they were slower and less powerful. This means that every time a new processor comes out, its manufacturers have to sell it at a lower price point than before, even though their costs haven’t changed at all!
This has led some analysts to predict an end point where there simply won’t be enough sales volume necessary for companies like Sony Computer Entertainment America, Nintendo Co, Microsoft, etc.
Most people just want to play games, and they don’t care what device you put them on
If you’re a gamer, you’ve probably heard the debate over consoles and PCs go back and forth. But what about handhelds? Are they still important? For many gamers, the answer is yes – there are mobile games that provide a great gaming experience like Puzzle Fighter or Nintendo Switch games that can be played anywhere, like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.
While it’s true that console sales have been declining since 2005 and PC sales have been declining since 2012, people still want to play games on their devices of choice whether they’re at home or on the go.
There will always be a market for handheld consoles, but the big companies seem to be giving up on them
It’s true that the handheld market has been dropping in sales since its peak in 2008. But it’s still profitable and will be for some time to come.
The big companies are losing money on their handheld consoles, so they’re focusing on other areas of business: consoles like Xbox One and PlayStation 4, PC gaming via Steam, mobile gaming through apps on your phone; basically anything but handhelds. They’re trying to get back into the black by focusing on these other ventures instead of continuing with a product line that’s less profitable than what they’re doing now.
Are consoles now just a gateway to PC gaming?
It’s certainly possible to think of them that way, but it seems like an oversimplification. While many console gamers have moved on to PC gaming, they still have different goals than those who play exclusively on the PC. For example, many people who have only ever played on consoles are interested in playing more games with their friends and family which is something that can be done quite well on a console. In addition, there are many exclusive titles for each platform (especially Xbox One) that aren’t available anywhere else and these exclusives are often some of the most popular games around!
