I Don't Care if the Current Gen Lasted "Way Too Long"

Chris Pereira: This generation of game consoles has been a strange and noteworthy one, and not just because it marked a dramatic shift as things like downloadable content, online passes, online gameplay, the notion of games as a service, and so on became increasingly significant aspects of the business. The consoles themselves have been around for an unusually long time without being replaced, let alone without us getting some sort of official details on their successors. Square Enix's Julien Merceron thinks this generation has lasted too long and that console manufacturers have made a huge mistake in not bringing out new consoles more quickly. From a business perspective, there are reasons to believe he may have a point, but as a gamer I'm happy with the way things have played out.

[jamesensor]

"The consoles themselves have been around for an unusually long time without being replaced"

Gamers that bought these consoles got a very long support for their investments. It was a good thing for a change in this generation. I remember the times where systems got released in short time distances and support for the older systems just vanished quickly, thus blowing out the initial investment all too soon.

[decrypt]

I would disagree, current crop of consoles mostly fail 3-4 years into their life cycles. At which point people need to buy new boxes anyways.

I would think it would make more sense to pay 100-200usd more for new tech vs paying 300usd for 3-4years old tech when your current console dies. Now you may argue that you have a games library and that wont be playable on the next box. Well thats something console gamers have to put up with regardless when the generation ends.

[Army_of_Darkness]

As long as they keep making good games, I could care less how long they want to extend this generation.

I don't want next Gen until consoles can have a steady 60fps at 1080p, otherwise whats the point?!

[jamesensor]

That's why I stick with a pc. I don't care much about consoles but it was an unusual life span xbox360 and ps3 had, that is undeniable. Now regarding handhelds these days, that's more like it.

[AnarchistAbe]

@Army_of_Darkness They aren't going to achieve that without new hardware. The current gen's hardware is HORRIBLY outdated, and, frankly, I don't see how it runs as well as it does. We NEED more RAM and better video cards with more VRAM to achieve your 60fps at 1080p.

Next Gen in reference to consoles isn't as much about graphics and other capabilities, as it is new hardware with more power.

[miyamoto]

I was thinking about how the PS2 lasted 12 years and is still selling.

And the PS3 is more powerful than the PS2!

PS3 will keep that 10 year plus console life cycle tradition.

[Lord_Sloth]

I don't really want to buy upgraded systems and hardware every 5 years.

[h311rais3r]

Even if it ment better games?

Honestly 499.99 every 5 years is nothing...

[Yi-Long]

It IS when the new machines aren't backwards compatible...
... meaning that once your old system breaks down, all your gaming purchases for that system become useless when the old system is no longer being sold!

Which is a good reason why I'm considering moving away from console-gaming and starting up a Steam-account for becoming a PC-gamer, meaning I'll ALWAYS be able to keep playing my older games!

I really REALLY hope next-gen will be backwards compatible, cause I'm not sure if I'll hop on the next-gen train if it isn't.

[LightofDarkness]

@Yi-Long: that's a perfectly valid reason for some. But for the VAST majority of people, backwards compatibility simply doesn't matter. When BC was removed from the PS3, I was working in retail. People expressed concern over the fact that they'd no longer be able to play their PS2 games, but we always told them the same thing: "once you start playing next-gen games, you won't want to play your old games." And we weren't just saying that to be snide salesmen. We all owned PS3s with BC, and we NEVER used it. I used it ONCE to play though God of War 2, but I never used it to play an old PS2 or PSX game, certainly not ones I'd already played. Backwards compatibility is over-rated on consoles (on PC, people can mod the games to make them look/play better over the years). And not one of those customers complained or argued with that, and in fact came back a few times, while browsing for some new games, saying we were absolutely right.

That said, it IS important for some, but that's why I have a PC. I can play all the old console games in 1080p and just about any PC game since PC games were a thing. But once the average Joe gets a taste of the next-gen, he doesn't wanna go back to the seemingly inferior experiences.

I know anecdotal evidence doesn't count for much, but ask your Xbox owning friends how many of them have been playing original Xbox games lately.

[Lord_Sloth]

Better tech doesn't equal better games.

[Brownghost]

Graphic whore

[jc48573]

i don't think companies want that either. It takes time and money to upgrade and then manufacture it. Just imagine the amount of raw materials used to make them.

[gcolley]

i'm ready

[stuntman_mike]

I wish SEGA would go back in to the console business. I miss them (wipes tear from eye..)

[MasterD919]

The tech was the best it's ever been this generation, which allowed for a longer cycle of consoles...

Some people are just ridiculously impatient.

[kingduqc]

It's with people like that that we are still stick with crappy 30 frame per seconds and with low 720p.

It's not because a new console comes out that you HAVE to buy it. And the faster they come out, the faster they will make games for it, the faster the price drop (around 1/1.5 year into the console life) will come. I've stopped playing my ps3 months ago. Not like i'm missing out much, all sequels, nothing new.

[greenlantern2814]

it is funny that people talk about this. if you all remember back when this gen launched most people wanted a longer console life cycle. I am not saying i am not ready for the next systems however i can hold out if it means the make them better and more reliable. ( had 2 360s and 2 PS3). to be fair i did have multiple ps2 as well but that was years apart and a whole lot of gaming