This makes no sense to me at all... maybe I don't understand what direction you're coming from. If you're arguing the "vidja games get old so why get excited" point, I think that's beyond my ability to debate given that I don't live in the distant future. That said, if you're saying they'll be like the Jaguar, 3DO and Virtual Boy because those consoles are typically regarded as critical and commercial failures (which I believe you are), there's not really any basis for that from my perspective. People are eating the PS4 up, and the Wii U has done decently- not a huge success on the level of the Wii, but by no means a failure. The only console I've seen getting panned right now is the XBone, and frankly I suspect a lot of that will die off once it's released, rightly or no.

I kinda want a Wii U.  I love my Wii, it's just that Wii graphics are so spectacularly outdated, which is hard to accept when I spend most of my gaming time on a good gaming PC.

Pritchard, I wrote in another thread what to do when you're head's about to explode.

They will be like the Jaguar, Sega CD, 3DO, and Virtual Boy because everyone will look back and think "What the hell was the company thinking when they made that overpriced and overhyped hunk of crap?!"

The mainstream gaming industry is declining. There are several reasons behind this: 1. Its stagnating due to lack of originality 2. Video games are ridiculously expensive to make due to the industry catering to shallow gimmicks and fiddly hardware 3. iPhone/independent games are killing the market because they can be made quickly, cheaply, and have oodles more flair (the same way television and the internet is killing cinema).

You'd think that the upcoming generation would improve on that. Trim the unnecessary gimmicks, make the hardware more efficient, and actually make good games. But no. I find it hilarious that the PS4 made a point that "Nothing will get between you and the game" before announcing a feature where real people can swoop into your game and finish the final level for you (because according to Sony, people who play games don't actually want to play games). And the XBONE now has a Kinect fused to it, which reminds me of the radio's from The Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy where you just have to wave your hand blindly and hope it does what you want it to.

When did you suddenly need to have a gimmick attached to a console? No-one complained about the Playstation 2 - which was just the PS1 only more powerful. Why is it that if you can't do five different things then your product gets laughed out of the room? Didn't anyone tell you that its better to do just one thing but do it really well, rather than trying to do several things at once and barely succeeding in about two of them.

I was sold on Blu-Ray instantly. Yes, there's pointless stuff like 'Blu-Ray live' - but just the line "It plays HD films and makes your old DVD's look better too" had me interested. The PS2's pitch was simply: "It plays good games (and DVD's...but mostly games)", and the PS2 outsold the Gamecube and XBOX with little effort. Even the PS3 was pitched as "It plays games, Blu-Ray, and you can hook up online to stuff". Meanwhile, the PS4 was pitched as "You can hook up online to stuff, the controller is full of buttons and touch-things you don't want or need, and it plays bland games that might earn back about half of the money it took to develop it"

The PS4 is only doing well so far because Microsoft announced the XBONE. If being forced to choose between a games console that plays mediocre games that you don't actually have to play if you don't want to, or a games console that won't let you play pre-owned games, has to always be online, costs £100 more, constantly watches you, AND plays mediocre games - I wouldn't even hesitate. If the PS4 is shooting itself in the foot by refusing to address the reasons why the game industry is declining, then the XBONE has fed itself to the lions.

I don't own a WiiU, but I know one solitary friend who owns one...and he hasn't played on it since Christmas. The WiiU, just like the 3DS, isn't living up to Nintendo's expectations. This is because the amount of games released for it is pitiful. Nintendo once again tried to be clever by releasing their console first - but this only works if people actually buy your console. The touchpad is an obnoxious gimmick that adds very little to the gameplay (I found it far more intense looking through my interface in System Shock 2 then looking in my backpack in ZombieU), and it makes sense to just wait until the PS4/XBONE comes out because they will have better graphics and, much more importantly: better third party support.

Personally, I think the time is right for Valve to announce their 'Steambox' console properly. I've hardly heard anything about it, but already it sounds better simply because its made by Valve - a company who, for the most part, just care about either making good games or distributing good games. If Valve had an E3 exhibition, it would have been like Sir Ian McKellen having a part in a soap-opera.

I'll only be interested in the WiiU if a game can use the tablet in a way that actually justifies its existence - but a large part of me doubts this will ever happen. The Wii only vaguely did this - with Wii Sports and Mario Kart being the only games that I think used the WiiMote in a fully immersive fashion. The rest of its library is either too unresponsive or would have been better on the Gamecube (I really liked Super Mario Galaxy, and I think that's as good as Mario is ever going to get. The rest of the Mario games are now just repeating themselves). But at least the Wii let you use Gamecube controllers, so that's why I give the Wii a free pass despite the console basically being a toy rather than anything culturally relevant.

One day when I actually have money, I intend to build myself a decent Gaming PC and hook it up to the TV. The reason why I keep to consoles is just because its more convenient to buy a machine that you will never need to upgrade - which is really the only advantage consoles have over PC's. That and there are hardly any PC exclusives aside from all the indie games that can run fine on my laptop (because indie games aren't exactly graphics intensive...). There's no Deux Ex or Thief, and chances are that when Valve finally makes Half Life 2 Episode 3 (its been over six bloody years!) it'll be instantly ported to consoles.

Although, I suspect HL2 EP3 will probably be a launch title for the Steambox, along with Left 4 Dead 3 (its been strongly hinted already)

The fact Microsoft have realised what utter dunderheads they were, and how terrible their E3 presentation was, assures me that major companies still have at least a molecule of intelligence left. It takes some self-awareness to realise "Oh crap! That was more stupid than using a cigarette lighter to see if the petrol tank is full!"

Still, this whole affair is rather like a cheating boyfriend desperately buying flowers and chocolates to compensate for what he did - but whatever he buys, it still doesn't change the fact he slept with that cheerleader.

Last edited by Max Butcher (June 19, 2013 (02:53pm))

Not that I particularly care about consoles, but the Playstation 4 definitely outclasses and outmanoeuvres the less-than-wonderful One is almost every aspect - plus it has the added bonus of having manufacturers who aren't hypocritical silly willies. Not a single one of Microsoft products have impressed me lately, but then again, Microsoft's products hardly ever do impress me.

Wow, two year BiM anniversary today.

It's been great you guys, thanks for providing such an amazing community to grow and learn in.
Ya'll have really influenced me, and helped me improve not only my stop-motion skills, but also my cinematic awareness and tastes.

Ya'll are responsible for my love of Doctor Who, and my continuing obsession with all things Lego.
I have no idea what kind of person I would be today had I never found and joined this site.
Thank you from the bottom of my plastic little heart.

Pritchard Studios

Last edited by Pritchard Studios (June 22, 2013 (05:51pm))

I don't think anyone who uses that meme realises the original context.