Of course game developers want this ... doesn't mean it's going to happen.

It will happen... Read: those of you who "don't see this happening", are more than likely not in the industry - so you don't see a lot of things happening.

It's inevitable man.. sorry to bring you down. The PC is a unified platform - run on a sole operating system. Make your tweaks or adjustments, almost every WindowsXP Machine can support games built for XP to a degree based on your hardware configuration... Welcome to the Next Generation of Consoles, where your home entertainment center will be based around what you want to include (DVD/CD/Kareoke?) running one GameSystemOS ... the question will be - who's Operating system will win?

You see it now with Sony scrambling to sell PS3's dropping prices and releasing new sku's, same goes for 360 releasing way too many versions of their consoles to keep up with, and both of these companies are trying to pit its different hardware config's against each other, and losing in the end. If M$ outsourced Hardware to Toshiba and said - Toshiba, make a Toshiba branded 360, throw it in a new case designed by your guys, and maybe add an extra feature or two if you want (more USB ports? etc). Compatible with all 360 games, and accessories. You wouldn't even be interested??

I dunno man, thats the way it'll go, Microsoft is testing the waters with the 360 Dashboard, once they have designed the perfect platform for that stuff, they will start selling hardware through different people. It's a for sure. Playstation's OS is a lot sleaker and sexier so I hope they can get their shit together and maybe beat M$ to the punch..

Of course the console makers want a single console, but they each want THEIR OWN console to be that single console. I just don't see them coming together and working on one grand WiiStation360 anytime soon.

Yes, PC gaming is a "unified" platform, but look at all the hassles that come along with it. Hardware isn't always constant between different machines, then you need to worry about driver updates, upgrades, etc. Much of that is still too much hassle for the common consumer.

By the way, you're Wii, PS3, and 360 all receive "driver" updates... Pretty much all support USB KB & Mice now.. Every update is a firmware/os update, meaning added support, additional drivers/features. And the platform would more than likely be closed from upgrades, much like breaking the warranty seal on your console. They would just be from different manufacturers... I don't get why some people find all this hard to comprehend?

You walk into a store - You can buy the Sony Playstation, or the Microsoft Xbox, Now - if you will, imagine you could do the same thing, but instead of games for the PS3 and games for the 360 - you only saw "GAMES"... You like the 360 controller better? Go buy a 360, and put in your GAME! What is the difference between that future and present day? Accept instead of two separate discs, we just have one build - one disc. Life is easier for everyone, games look identical, but each console has its own "feel". Hardware costs are cut a bit because they use the same components and/or factories and can produce more. Everything sounds good?? Doesn't it?

Your right Dan... thats perfect.. so I guess Microsoft, Nintendo or Sony will give up and let it be that way.../sarcasm

You obviously failed to read the articles or wrap your brain around the idea. Noone makes money on Hardware.. These companies know it too.. These articles are written by industry Vet's for a reason.. they have experience and knowledge that you do not and that is why their opinions are valued higher than those of ours. If you can't look at this generation as the most shining example of why this fate is inevitable than you are failing to open your eyes.

Look at what I said about Microsoft's Games Division loosing money for the entire company. Microsoft is not making money yet. Look at Sony's Stock listings since the Playstation 3 has launched... Failing... They are losing money on the product. Who is making money right now? EA, Activision. Publishers, and Game companies, not Hardware manufactures. If Microsoft pays 100$ million to secure timed exclusive rights to GTA 5, and only make $150 million off of it before it moves to PS3, they are essentially losing money.. It's not a smart business investment anymore to do stuff like this and Sony and Microsoft realize this. Sony has less money than Microsoft, and thus less exclusives thus far. This is a scenario Sony may adopt before Microsoft is quick to, only because they are "winning" right now.

Do searches on Google for this, the sony stock, the microsoft games division accounting for the most losses in the entire company... You'll see. Sony is throwing money at developers pleading with them to stick to with the console. Some dev's have counted it out of the next gen, if it doesnt pick up any considerable momentum in the next 6 months. You'll see how hardware is not as guarenteed success as it once was. Sony had one up on Nintendo and Sega around PS2 time, they also offered DVD Playback right away. They merged two home entertainment mediums in one... Why can't Panasonic release a Playstation now?.. You may see it sooner than you see Microsoft Sony Wii. It wouldn't be surprising at all considered they sold one of their Cell manufacturing plants to Toshiba... Toshiba PS3 anyone?

Wow, a little forceful much? Were you raped by console manufacturers? I was simply pointing out that it semms not in the big three's best interest's (well, especially Nintendo) to let someone else's console become the standard. Whether or not they make money on hardware (Nintendo do) is irrelevant as this is usually the case. Software sales are what usually makes profit.

It also wouldn't be wise for companies to license out their hardware for Toshiba and co. to manufacture either. Companies are very protective of their products and would only further confuse the average consumer. It's exactly why the PC as a gaming platform is not as viable for the average joe as simply buying a console.

Incidently Nintendo have done this in the past in the NES and Gamecube days. The Mattel NES worked out okay, but the Panasonic Q didn't get further than Japan, I think.

And for the record I read the articles, wrapped my brain around the idea, read the first blog you made about it and still, ultimately do not agree. My eyes are firmly open and I still don't agree that this will happen.

Should I throw some insults back, or make debatable discussion?

I'm wasn't trying to get aggressive. Text gets interpreted how you want to read it. So I believe at most, we are getting progress on the debate!! I like the points you bring up, no doubt. The thing is though, back then wasn't the time for such a thing. Costs weren't up in the multi millions for companies back then. Things are a much different scenario in present day.

I think you guys need to look at games as a single format/medium. Thats what these guys in the industry are saying. That Music has CD, home video has DVD, and Games has a million different platforms, but this gen, little separates them.

Back in the day, we had 2 real competitors. Sega - Nintendo. Each company would one up the other by releasing hardware that doubled its competitor. 8 bit, to 16 bit, then kept multiplying. Today the consoles are running parallel almost from launch. Which is why we see so many ports/cross platform titles. This is raising dev costs, and not making sense in the grand scheme of things.

The game industry has never been as big as it is now. People may not have understood what the differences in Nintendo or Mattel's Nintendo was. People are very sketchy. It's hard to market to consumers because a majority of them follow the gang mentality as well, say - all your friends buy Xbox -> you're likely to buy one as well. While guys like us, bend over backwards to give each console a considerable debate in its unique identity, the real differences that end up settled on would more than likely be "which games are coming to which platform". Today that argument is becoming stagnet. If the only reason you want a PS3 is for MGS4, but its VERY capable of being made and played on a 360 to the exact way it's presented on PS3.. we have no differences. Granted that is not something we CAN say, due to Blu-ray discs and the fantabular capacity for data, etc.. It still can be said for about 80% of titles out there, and in dev at this moment. Why build two teams? Pay twice the amount of salary's to dev's, and end up selling the same amount of games as you would if you only made one? Can you see it from that sort of view?

Valve

PS3 - Xbox
30 mil in dev cost 30 mil in dev cost
40mil units sold 80 mil units sold

one platform
30 mil in dev costs
120 mil units sold..

But I guess we discussed already that developers love that idea... If I can't sell you on the fact that hardware manufacturers are looking at the idea, I think maybe its because your looking at it still as the Hardware makes the difference, when realistically, its also the software that runs the games. Microsoft is focusing on making it easier to dev on their console. That is a smart decision. PS dev's have complained about the lack of (dev) support and how hard it is to dev on the Cell architecture with the limited knowledge available to them about how to program for it. ALOT of time and money is going into learning this hard ware, making this hardware and trying to sell the hardware, but almost none is being made on selling the hardware. The key is in moving the units, so you are in first -> so people will buy your console, and you will make the most money. If everyone is at even strength, say - Xbox and PS3 both have 20 million units sold in 2-3 years from now and are tied basically... it is not going to make alot of sense.

Whatever the case, I think all the talk about it will be grounds for some discussion between the two - more likely just M$ and Sony, with respect to this issue... Judging by the shakeups in Sony's board of directors recently, more than likely, this idea is being batted around.

Didn't EA say this and it was on the front page?


I am sorry but NEVER ever believe anythin Dynack says. How many release dates and how long has Too Human been in development?

Yeah, ok...make the game and then you can talk.

Hmmm, I can see a console flame war coming here, however, saying that Wii's are collecting dust and there are no good games for it is a blanket statement as ignorant as "the 360 only has shooters" and the "PS3 is just a blu-ray player". Fact is, there are plenty of games for each console. Maybe it's the players that are the problem. I for a fact know that the 360 has very few games that interest me at the moment, and as such, I won't be purchasing one until maybe Banjo Kathreeie comes out.

On topic, you could say that the security is that your game will play on any console, but in practice that's likely to fail. As things stand there are curretly three major consoles (with numerous SKU's) for each gamer to decide which one is right. Sure there are those who have them all, but in all seriousness this isn't a viable option for the average cinsumer. With one unified console people will be forced to have the one console, or nothing at all. With no options the average consumer is likely to lose interest. Therefore creating a need for seperate SKU's. Correct me if I'm wrong, but there are games for the 360 that require the hard-drive right? If there aren't now, then there's sure to be soon. With that I can potentially go into a store for a 360 game that won't actually work on my 360. I guess I'm he only one that sees something wrong with that. I hated it when Nintendo brought the Expansion Pak out, because it made consumers lose out on games they really should have played.

And I agree with you about expansions, upgrades etc. I didnt like the N64 Expansion pack either, it isn't fair to do stuff like that really. It definately is a piss off that 360 games will DEF require a HD in the future. Although MS claims it wont be that way, games will just be Enhanced using the HD or something like that. I just envision standards set for the generation before it comes, the console manufactures build to spec, and add what other features they can without infringing on any of the specs that will elminate your console from being able to play games within the 4-6 year cycle.