Ubisoft CEO Doesn't Think Next-Gen Will Be The Last

"The manufacturers want a way to control their platform"
Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot has told CVG he doesn't think the release of Xbox One and PS4 will mark the beginning of the last generation of home consoles.

[mewhy32]

As long as there's money to be made in the console space there will be gaming consoles.

[360ICE]

As long as there's profit to be made, at least.
And I will shoot myself SO MANY TIMES before I play games anywhere else than on a TV screen with a controller from the couch.

I mean, mobile gaming is like going into a Ben & Jerry's and asking for a sorbet. PC gaming is like asking for the brownie with five scoops on top. It's good for a while, but I get sick halfway through, and only morbidly obese do it on a regular basis.

No offense to people who don't have the exact same preferences as I do.

edit: I said no offense, so you can't get upset.

[El_Colombiano]

You have no idea what you're talking about.

No offense.

[360ICE]

Well, now I'm upset.

[RememberThe357]

The question is how "console" will be defined when streaming becomes mainstream (no pun intended).

I have a sense that we will always have consoles because having a dedicated receiver on the user side will have so many advantages. I believe we'll have mass streaming of games at some point but I think it'll be paired with powerful hardware to maximize the experience. Hell, at that point we might be talking VR interfaces.

It's gonna get fun fellas.

[360ICE]

I've tried Oculus Rift! It is actually crazy! Everyone should be looking forward to it.
In fact, Oculus Rift is like heading into a Ben & Jerry's, ordering what you want and have a good time, then take of your Rift and realise that you didn't consume any calories.

[DragonKnight]

There is never going to be a final gen until either people get sick of consoles, or there is a huge market crash like in the 80's that is never recovered from. Anyone who thinks otherwise is blind. The gaming industry is worth billions. How can anyone think that that's suddenly going to dry up?

[JBSleek]

Well no, but one could see that in 2020 mobile is at a point in which it has the power to plug into or beam towards a TV and you can play that way or through streaming.

Gaming isn't drying up but the medium in which we deliver those games could realistically change in 7-8 years. These chipsets are moving so fast and in a rapid way so one can't be sure.

[DragonKnight]

I doubt it. Just because mobile will be able to plug in to tv's doesn't mean anything. People play on mobile devices because they are mobile, not because they'll be able to plug into tvs. Then there's the battery life of mobile devices which has a finite limit that can't be surpassed without inventing a totally new way of powering it (I believe there is an engineering law about that, but don't quote me on that because I don't remember the name).

There's also the physical aspects on health in playing with mobile devices. Many don't like straining their neck and eyes. Mobile gaming is good for short gaming sessions, but there will always be an audience for the big, and long, games.

[Rusty515]

Agreed. People always say PCs will take over, but There's a large fanbase that likes to play games, but doesn't feel like upgrading their PCs all the time to play the latest ones. Consoles offer simplicity. You just buy it, pop in the game and play. And the market for that audience far exceeds the PC audience. As long as there's games, there will be consoles. Whether or not all of the big 3 are making video game consoles in few years is the real question. I can see one of them dropping out later on.

[JBSleek]

I don't think you understood or I wasn't clear enough sorry.

You can have your big games you just won't need a gaming console to do so. You can either stream that game from your TV or have your phone be that device to process that information.

I have a hard time seeing that in 2020 we have not had the necessary advances to do away with consoles.

[DragonKnight]

I got your point. I still disagree with it. Plugging an iPad into a tv sounds like a terrible idea and likely will affect the quality (more than graphical quality) of the experience of the game.

[Blaze929]

I'm confused...why would next-gen be the last? Who's even thinking that o_O?

[Monkeysmarts]

PC gamers who care too much about being a PC gamer think that.

Consoles are evolving to become full on entertainment centers and are much more accessible/affordable to the common consumer than PC's. They aren't going away anytime soon. These elitist ass hats just want them to for some strange reason.

[dantendo]

So much of this talk about the end of console gaming is frustrating.. NO mobile gaming is not going to end console gaming as it is a different market! Just because 9 in 10 tweens are playing angry birds does not signify that console gaming has lost its need, are people going crazy here? Am I the only one to think that the media is ramming this belief down our throats?

Just because you buy a boat doesn't mean you never go on a cruise again..

However, the issue remains that studios are losing money, and as such I believe there are two key issues with todays console gaming scene:

1. The weekly blockbuster title.. Not everyone can afford to drop $60 on the weekly blockbuster title. and as such not every company needs a game that cost $10 million to make! The stakes are too high for the big gaming studios, just back it down and keep it real.. less titles, and not as many high end titles will help.. a lot!

2. Stop trying to reinvent yourselves every other day. I am going to loose it if I need to hear about one more motion controller, or new online experience..

All of the above cost the developers tons of money to keep up with.. One simple fix, get back to the basics..

[thecurseddevil]

considering the upheaval caused due to always online xbox situation, i assume that most people dont have a very good internet connection.
streaming is all about good connection, i dont think that situation will change in just 5 years.people will still have sucky internet connection ,and graphical advances will increase the data transfer rate required for smooth gameplay.
therefore 9th gen will definitely happen.

[SpitFireAce85]

There is 250 million plus gamers on consoles it will be around for a long time
And that's the way gamers like it.

[Kevlar009]

People are going to keep askng for higher power and better, more realistic visuals. Console makers would be damned to see PC's increase in power and not try to follow

Nintendo is showing there are ways to enjoy gaming beyond pure power. Consoles are steadily becoming larger in their total functions, ten years ago a DVD player was considered novel now we have cable box functions, Blu-ray, Online, media, etc. Expect to see some weird hybrids of Sony, MS, and Ninty consoles, combining high power, innovative control systems and entertainment functions

Consoles will try to become the premiere entertainment destination, the first thing you go to after you turn on your TV because it does, well, almost everything (in theory)

[EXVirtual]

Exactly. The way the PS4 is doing, Sony will be definitely be making a new PLAYSTATION. Nintendo has too much money. M$ will most likely drop out.

[Monkeysmarts]

Unless Microsoft loses dump trucks of money on Xbox One, there's no way they stop making consoles. What's more likely is if Wii U doesn't grow and become profitable, Nintendo will just shift it's focus to handhelds.

[Goro]

Of course it won't be the last, when you think technology has reached it's peak it always continues to advance, I would expect PS5/Xbox Whatever around 2020-2022