Id co-founder John Romero says goodbye to consoles.

What I didn’t foresee in 2005 was the rise of the post-PC, which are all these tablets now. These are the things that actually will probably be the end of the consoles.

[Izowiuz]

No Daikatana port for x360/ps3? ;(

[Revvin]

Daikatana will be released on consoles, they are working on it now so it should see release for the XBOX 15840 and the PS44

[Akuma-]

The sun will be up tomorrow

[mokopa]

Daikatana was actually my first game. Damn Mishima finally got his end with the mighty katana. Oh, still remember the two dum crocodiles and corridor fights. If the mighty John Romero remade Daikatana, I wud gladly buy it first day. Take that to the bank player haters!!!!!

[pixelsword]

Romero did something on consoles?

[yeahokchief]

A long fucking time ago. This guy is a fucking dinosaur without a clue.

First off, the video in the article is completely ridiculous. People playing gamer's games are not going to be wasting tons of time on facebook being social. They're going to be playing gamer's games... His entire target audience is makebelieve.

Jesus.Look at how phony those actors are. People like that just do not exist. I look forward to hearing about this guy's company flopping. So long as I never have to see this fat, old hippie again.

[ShinMaster]

Hmph hmph, well said.

[BoneIdle]

My tablet gets less use than my Wii. They are a passing fad and are useless for gaming.

[dcbronco]

Tablets and cars are a fad.

[Felinox]

I see the potential if a tablet was able to link up to a larger tv and controllers it would be viable portable. This is what the wiiu should be. Cost would be way more though.

[atticus14]

Im not sure as i think tablets could very well be the next mainstream craze like consoles are now, it'll still take another 10 years/console cycle though and soon people may look at console gaming in the same was console gamers look at PC gamers now.

Also you can easily hook up tablets to a TV (this happened nearly as soon as android tablets came out, just not all of them had it) and use any type of bluetooth input, you can even use the ps3 controller with an app. For an example you can get a N64 emulator hook up your controller and play it on your big screen via hdmi out... makes for a handy portable game console or Mario Kart 64 machine in my case.

Tablets/phones are already approaching current gen console graphics and are due to get more powerful really soon due to the new A15 chips.

In 10 more years or way less the argument of "good enough" will definitely apply to tablets much in the same way console gamers justify their "lower quality" graphics vs high end PC.

I also think console will hit that level next gen...native 1080p with good frames and aliasing...is going to be incredibly competitive with a current mid-High end PC. PCs will have to exploit other advantages like eyefinity, they could also move to 1400p but that takes a 400+ graphics card to truly enjoy which is not accessible to many.

[Bobby Kotex]

Are you John Romero's bitch?

[Titanz]

Blame it on the rain, indeed. :(

[F7U12]

that.. was... so.. cheesy. X)

[Titanz]

:P

[GamingPerson]

I swear if Apple made a console it would be a scary year.

[3GenGames]

That made me lol.

[dazzrazz]

Scary how, because price would be like $800 ?

[MiamiACR21]

I purchased an apple sticker for 60 dollars and slapped it on my Xbox 360; I'm selling the console for no less than a thousand dollars. Any takers?

[Gamer1982]

And only available on contract

[guitarded77]

$800 and they'd come out with a new console every 1 - 2 years.

[Dazel]

But at least it would be milled out a solid piece of aluminium and never over heat like the 360 lol

[sikbeta]

Scary to live in a world where people actually buy that POS @ a higher price and then read articles about dumb@sses selling their kidneys to purchase those products

http://www.usatoday.com/new...

smh

[dcbronco]

dazzrazz, all phones are overpriced. Not just iPhones. Gaming is different from phones business. Apple knows better than to price a console at $800. Unless it is far more than a console. If it is just another media center gaming console it'll be no more than $400 like the rest.

[atticus14]

It wouldn't be more expensive then their tablets. And potentially "subsidized" by their itunes. They'll gladly sell you moderately priced hardware since they make money off every purchase in itunes...which your locked into.

[SPAM-FRITTER-123]

i totally agree. Apple's brand is massive and would ruin other competition. especially when they would probably throw a console in for a line rental option of an Iphone.

@3GenGames....your LOL was a nervous LOL. your scared because you know Apple would dominate your console of choice.

@dazzrazz i doubt it. i think it would be a serious price war. mind when the PS3 came out and you bought it with a few games it was around $800.

P.S i hate Apple so don't say i am a FanBoy. i just know what Apple are capable of.

[Fez]

I don't think an Apple console would ruin the competition. It probably wouldn't be the most powerful of the bunch, would almost certainly be very expensive and would have no exclusive characters and game franchises for a while.

They'd have a lot of catching up to do... possible but I couldn't see it destroying the competition with it's first console anyway. Microsoft were wise releasing the Xbox when they did since there were only two competitors and they could come out with a powerful console with good online. Plus Microsoft had been making PC games years before so already had they're foot in the gaming door.

I think you're overestimating Apple's power.

[Snookies12]

I agree with Fez, while Apple is a HUGE brand and anyone with money will see that and go. "It's obviously going to be the best because it's 600+ dollars" they simply wouldn't have much ground to stand on with the console community without core games that people know.

Don't get me wrong, Apple makes nice things which are aesthetically pleasing, but people are really just paying an extra 100-200 dollars for the LOOK of it more than anything else.

In time they might be able to catch up, but that would take a while. Bottom line being, it would look really sexy, be pretty powerful, but have no serious console gamers going over to it because of the lack of franchises which I'm sure most bought their system of choice for.

[snipes101]

After looking at how Apple handles iTunes (e.g. taking a lot out of each purchase for themselves and turning off artists to the service) and seeing as how Activision is hated for their iron fist publishing model, I doubt any developer would ever want to hop on board with anything that is Apple-related.

Essentially, given how console games don't really face piracy issues as much as music does, developers don't need these guys to stay afloat like record labels do. We've gotten along fine without them so far and that isn't about to change. Gamers hate people like Apple.

Also, if I hear one more person in the gaming industry try to sound smart (especially someone as border-line irrelevant to the industry as John Romero) by talking about the death of consoles, especially in the place of the mini-game bullshit that's on mobile devices...Im gonna scream. Dude hasn't done much in the last decade except get divorced.

[RzaDaRazor]

We will never forget http://en.wikipedia.org/wik...

[slayorofgods]

If you like Angry birds. Because that is about the only game you will have on a Apple console. And let's face it Angry birds isn't really a game, it is more a casual time killer in between waiting for face book replies for casual people.

Gaming and Apple just don't mix. MS already beats them hands down in that department as far as computers go (do you know very many gamers that have mac rigs?) and MS also has a head start in the console market as well.

[andibandit]

@Snookies12

you're looking at this the wrong way. First apples device would sell like mad, because people always identify apple as quality and design.
Secondly after apple has sold x hundred million devices, developers will start to thinkm "hmmmm large user base = $$$$", and start to leave MS/Ninty, for apple. I left out sony, cause otherwise i will just get a ton of fanboy disagrees.

just look at the Ipod dock....at a point in time you couldnt buy a bottle of coca cola, without it having an Ipod Dock. Im exaggerating of course, but it illustrates the way that EVERYONE wanted in on the APPLE wave.

[humbleopinion]

@Fez:
There were 3 consoles when MS introduced the Xbox: Sega was still in the game back then. Just saying...

[atticus14]

I dont think hes overestimating it at all. The media gets behind apple and the hype train never stops. I think people here and other gamer centric forums lose sight of the bigger picture when surrounded with like minded people and all of a sudden the vocal minority seems like the majority.

You can bet your ass if Apple enters the console market MS and Sony are going to see profits slashed... It just a matter of how much profit are they willing to lose and still fight the console war?

[raytraceme]

I would to. Subpar specs with superhype marketing = fu to hardcore gamers. Macs for example are far too overpriced for their hardware. What makes you think that apple won't do the same with consoles? Apple never was a company who put a lot of power into their hardware. And you know for gaming you NEED raw power in hardware.

Also what I hate about iSheep is that I see people who play games nonstop on their macs and when I say why didn't you just get an alienware they say "oh im happy with my macbook"...hmm smh

also apple is the most anti american company in america ;) Most jobs are overseas, they put most of their cash overseas so they don't have to pay taxes, offer subpar products in which they make over 30% profit from and they underpay their employees. FU APPLE!!!

[Reborn]

Many companies do it. It's just Apple, being who they are, have attracted the most attention for it.

[artdafoo]

Wake up numbnuts, 99% of Phones, TVs, PCs, stereos, you name it, some of them by the very same Foxxcon company. Hell alot of clothes and shoes are made the same way ! You want to stop ? You cant. Do some research first instead of running your mouth.

[raytraceme]

HP: plans to cut 27000 jobs.

Sony: Cuts 10000 jobs.

RIM (blackberry): plans to cut 2000 jobs.

Nokia: Plans to cut 4000 jobs.

Apple is the sole reason these people are losing their jobs and Apple is definitely not going to hire them. Apple is getting too big and the gov't needs to break apple into 2 separate entities.

Also the people at apple are a bunch of whiners and patent trolls. Any comments on that artdafoo. btw you are a dafoo (iDIOT).

The apple portion of foxconn are pressured more than any other portion of foxconn. Why do you think there are only reports of suicide at apple's foxconn?

Apple sucks PERIOD!

[Jormungandr]

Never happen. Why?

Cause Apple could never exert enough control over 3rd party software and hardware to satisfy themselves.

Apple has always been fiercely anti-competition. They engineer their computers with special chips to prevent 3rd party replacement parts from working. They build their laptops with proprietary ports and plugs that require you to buy special adapters or use only Apple accessories... even though the plugs are electronically identical to existing standards. They build some of their iPods with yet more chips that downgrade functionality when you don't use Apple headphones.

Take every bad business practice Microsoft has ever been accused of... and know that Apple is actually guilty of it.

The console market is dominated by aftermarket hardware and software. Apple would end up alienating game developers with their constant attempts to control the creation of games for their system or they would alienate gamers by driving the cost of aftermarket hardware up (by enforcing licensing fees and making third party hardware manufacturers purchase special chips so they would work with the apple console).

Apple's behavior would never fly in the console market... and Apple knows it.

[ATi_Elite]

1. Stand in line for 2 months to buy an $800 iConsole that will only connect to Apple Monitors.

2. Next Year have to buy another $800 console cause the Apple iConsole 2 would come with some new features like:

.Two controller slots
.Multi-player
.Some super fancy plug to connect to any TV (that's no better than HDMI)
.a latte holder
.and SIRI to tell you how much of a Cool Apple Gamer you are every 5 minutes.
. also comes with the new game "Starbucks SIM" a game that lets Apple gamers interact virtually with their friends at their favorite Starbucks when they are too busy standing in line for the next iProduct.

[atticus14]

whoa your getting carried away, only one improvement per year man...

[Tsar4ever01]

Maybe, he SAW or have been told what the next gen hardware specs are and was NOT IMPRESSED, and foresee the handhelds & tablets going to surpass the next-gen consoles and dem them obsolete by the time they're released.

Epic games already claim the next-gen consoles hardware specs don't even measure up to compete what the video-gaming tech is bringing within the next few years. http://www.examiner.com/art...

[Dits]

He made consoles his bitch

[GraveLord]

Good riddance.

[Cajun Chicken]

LOL, 'Castlevania 3D'.

[ieatbabies]

I see "gaming journalists" putting words that aren't true into developers mouths again. Besides developers wouldn't risk shitting on consoles where they make the most money.

Tablets and phones that play shitty games? No thanks. PC fanboys can spend $2000 on their PC's and dump their life savings while console users play on their inexpensive hardware. PC developers are barely scrapping by on PC alone. Hardly any sales.

[StayStatic]

"No thanks. PC fanboys can spend $2000 on their PC's and dump their life savings "

$2000 ? your doing it wrong then , more like $800 and next gen consoles will be like $500 - $600.

"while console users play on their inexpensive hardware. "

7 Year old tech is quite cheap yes , the games are still a rip off 7 years later , next gen consoles will be a bit less than a new PC box, due to selling it at a loss and making back an extortionate amount of cash back on hardware and accessories + licencing fees coming out of the devs pockets , reason games are always so much higher in price on console.

"PC developers are barely scrapping by on PC alone. Hardly any sales."

Only the ones brining crappy console ports over , tons of PC exclusives coming this year that will make plenty of cash.

Why would you not have a PC as well if you can afford it ?

[ShinMaster]

PC games like Skyrim and Diablo III retail for $60 as well.

[chukamachine]

Goodbye john.

In other news it's been very hot in the uk.

Although i don't think i'd like it, if apple made a console, i really think it would sell ka-jillions.

The brand has never been so popular.

[anonym]

I don't think it would be as much of a competitor as you expect. Apple's strength is in new or emerging markets (for which they deserve credit--they've done a very good job of anticipating tech trends over the last decade). However, they've had far less success breaking into mature sectors. Just think about every megasuccess they've had in the past 10 years: iPod, iPhone, iTunes, iPad...all products that beat (most) others to the punch. Yet, they've still had very limited success in the PC, server, and workstation markets.

I'm guessing Apple would agree, too. The idea of an Apple console has been out there for years, and if they really thought they could make such an easy killing in a 20+ billion dollar industry, they would have made a move by now.

[Nexy]

"The new iPad has crazy fast graphics and it’s a fast machine and it delivers great games. It can mirror the graphics to a giant HD screen and it’s basically just showing you that you don’t need a console."

Yeah, that's right because on tablets I can play games with graphics and gameplay on the level of Uncharted, Killzone, God of War, Gears of War, Batman, Crysis etc...

I now understand why this guy was in his heydey so long ago...

[DarthJay]

Exactly. Tablets will never completely take over because... who wants to stare at an 8 inch screen when they are dropping big $$$ on TVs 32-70 inches or have PC monitors in the 19-32 inch range?

Tablets are convenient on-the-go machines that can do a little bit of everything and are great when you are stuck in certain situations or need to entertain some children, but how many real gamers are going to want to make it their primary source of gaming? None.

It's a step backwards, not forward. Maybe the super simple games can have those nice graphics, but those machines would melt trying to handle an Xbox/Playstation game, let alone PC.

[D3mons0ul]

There is, always has been and always will be a place for consoles and PC in this world.

There is no reason for one or the other to "die." The idea is ridiculous.

[NexGen]

Romero basically said, "I want to make more money for less risk."

Makes sense, but don't pretend console games are irrelevant and claim as such just because you want to cash in.

And lol Castlevania 3D.

[masa2009]

Area 51 and Gauntlet Seven Sorrows...
I'm sure console gamers will miss him.

[svoulis]

Apple would not dominate the market with a console. LOL people buy Apple products based on popularity and purpose. What purpose would someone at Starbucks have with a console that plays video games. Most times (from what I am told) they are just sitting on Facebook at their local cafe (as long as it has free WiFi)

Anyone recall apples attempt at making a console?

Yeah that's right you don't. because it barley exist.

[mcgrottys]

If apple comes out with a new console I don't think there is much to worry about it too much because you might think that apple has control over all of the market place but just look at the percentage that OSX has, less than 10% of the market on PC's. Then look at apple TV, I have never seen anyone with one ever. One main reason why the iphone was a success was because it had little competition, none of the other companies cared much about touchscreens or smartphones. The same goes with the iPad. But if they try and go into the console market I am sure they will get more than they expected. Unlike the phone industry Sony MS and Nintendo are in direct competition so they are always improving their devices trying to perfect them, and consoles don't have the one thing that apple devices usually get positive marks for not having and that is fragmentation.

All in all there is no fragmentation,lack of motivation or innovation or too high of costs. Apple will most likely risk it. The apple TV had an apple sticker on it but I still haven't seen anyone with one so I am not worried.

[MySwordIsHeavenly]

That's an ugly dude...

[Psychonaughty]

It's not a good picture, he's normally better looking than average and I say that as purely a heterosexual male.

[MySwordIsHeavenly]

Bubbles for that response, sir.

[Seventh_Blood_Reborn]

Goodbye, we won' t miss you, there are already a lot of mediocre developers working on consoles ( SE, Activision, Namco, Crapcom ... ), have a nice day :D

[diehardgamer1000]

GTFO with your casual mobile nonsense

[FinalomegaS]

ya.... ok..no

there's enough room for everyone to play with.

Mobile gaming like tablets and phones etc will be there but that will remain as the weakest of the bunch.

Console will stay as the static system for the household living room.

PC (Mac)will be for the genre that are so popular... MMOs, RTS, FPS.. Of course the point of the PC is to take advantage of custom rigs from simple to ultra retarded setups.

This guys can migrate to the mobile side and he will not be missed. Trust me, most of you will not lose any sleep over this.

[the worst]

John Romero who gives a flying fu@k
overrated a$$ developers anyway

[SuperBeast811]

LOL Nice pick there John LMFAO

[jontaylor]

Consoles will not die as long as they have consumers

[Godmars290]

Rage was multiplatform which dumbed itself down while Carmack only complained about having to dumb it down.

[maniacmayhem]

I think a lot of these old school developers are getting well...old. They're done with these very long development cycles, insane marketing and long hours.

These smaller games provide smaller devs, production times and budgets. And allows for more freedom instead of being dictated by the current trends.

Good luck to him and this leaves more room for the younger producers who are up and coming.

[OneAboveAll]

Tablets and phones will never end consoles. I don't like playing touch screen games on small ass electronic devises. I like sitting on my ass in front of a big LED-LCD TV and surround sound.

[Truth]

Off topic, but, every time I see his face in the picture I feel it should be on rage comics as some kind of smart ass know it all emoticon.

[wolfofashes]

''John Romero is one of the few names in the industry that everyone knows. One of the co-founders of id Software, the game designer worked on such influential shooters as Castlevania 3D, Doom, and Quake.''
What?Castlevania 3D?

[kevnb]

all jokes aside, he has a point. These free to play games actually are different and arent all just copying one another like on other platforms. I think things like metacritic and market research is hurting the game industry big time, those things havent hurt the mobile and free to play yet.
and with companies like zynga and nexon eclipsing giants like ea, i think its safe to say consoles arent where the money is anymore. Sure they have a dozen or so big hits a year, but beyond that is getting pretty scary trying to make a console game.

[schlanz]

That is quite a head of hair

[KwietStorm_BLM]

I thought it was a very ugly, bearded lady

[tweet75]

id say goodbye to gaming before id ever say goodbye to consoles after 26 years of gaming

[yeahokchief]

high five

http://imgur.com/eNK6Y

[swat_teem]

see this guy knows what he is talking about :P

[yeahokchief]

Good riddance.

Take Castlevania 3D with you.

[glennco]

do we care what this guy even thinks? didnt even know he was still in the industry

[MultiConsoleGamer]

Is he still trying to make people his bitch?

[Ulf]

It's sad to see such a prominent member of the games industry being so ignorant, with regards to mobile tech, user interfaces, and the economics of the livingroom.

I guess the guy hasn't been relevant for quite a while now, though.

[MWH]

you guys are a bunch of ignorant and ungrateful fools. most of you were still in their diapers when this man among few others were participating in making the industry, the rest of you were still in their fathers' balls.

this man is trying the best he could to earn a living. he made history and his name will forever be remembered, what have you accomplished ask yourself? at least pay some respect and gratitude nothing more.. or stfu.

i wish he goes back to id, i'm sure he'll make a significant difference in there. Quake and Doom while still good but they lost their "fun" factor after he left imho.

[fourthpersonview]

Will id now make browser games like Zynga? LOLOLOLOL