Console development is slowing gaming down. This counts the Wii U too, guys.
I guess I'm known as the "Nintendo Hater" in the forums I frequent (even though I don’t) so I'll express my worries with the Wii U.
I just worry that they're going to go the same route they did with the Wii ... "charge a shitload of money for old hardware because people will spend it" ... the original Wii's capabilities are running off moderately upgraded Gamecube hardware from years before. That's why they were making a killing off of each console that was sold instead of the traditional method of losing money on the console and making it back through the games.
I don't think the Wii U is going to be a slightly upgraded Wii by any means ... but from the looks of the specs so far it's only marginally more powerful than what's already been out for 5 years or more. Good money making strategy yeah, bad for gaming though as it doesn't let it evolve by leaps and bounds as far as technical presentation like it used to.
A multi-core IBM processor (probably a triple core) and a custom ATI Radeon HD that's more than likely going to be running off of the R700 chipset. The same chipset that's been in use by low end PCs and notebooks for quite a while now (though as I've always said, when you code a game for ONE specific piece of hardware you can get a hell of a lot out of it instead of having to code worry about different specs and hardware like on the PC).
And the thing isn't due out for another YEAR ... it's going to be even MORE out of date by then. Things COULD change by that time, and I hope the full official specs hit sometime soon. But I have a feeling it's just going to slow gaming down even more since developers mostly aren't concerned with developing for the immensely more powerful PC platform anymore where they can GET that "leaps and bounds" jump gaming REALLY needs right now.
Developers are mostly console-centric nowadays, and they’re going to be developing on hardware that isn’t much different than what’s already out there. They’ll of course be able to squeeze a bit more out of a more powerful console. But for the most part, gaming has slowed from a headlong run to more of a fast walk that stumbles every now and then.
Call of Duty has been running off of an identical engine for YEARS now, and doesn’t show any sign of evolving since they have no reason to make a DRASTIC change since people will buy it every year. They could easily STILL release that game in a slightly lowered down form for the Playstation 2. Those sports games you buy every year? Basically the same thing. Little upgrades here and there. Killzone 2 to Killzone 3 (my favorite game of this generation for multiplayer so far) … definitely a jump, but not that much. And those are just a few examples.
1981 to 1991 saw HUGE advancements thanks to the arcades and their immense capabilities compared to computers of the time and home consoles. 1991 to 2001 also saw MONSTROUS advancements both the arcade and home arena ... but mostly in the PC realm. 2001 to 2010 ... it started slowing down. At the start, if you REALLY wanted to seriously game you had a PC. Console development got more and more popular and the games just haven't shown all that much of an advancement (for the most part). Games nowadays just haven't made that huge jump like they used to. Oh, they look absolutely gorgeous, and there are quite a few standout titles. But nothing much different than what we’ve been playing for years. The only attempt at hardware innovation anymore are different types of control methods instead of focusing on the capabilities of the console itself.
I’m definitely not saying don’t go out and buy the Wii U if you’re interested in it, by all means go for it. Good games are good games. Nintendo has a long running history though, and this console doesn’t look like it’s going to be the jump gaming desperately needs. It’s shaping up to be more of a small leap. Keep buying your Call of Duty games, and let them make you buy needless upgrades for your PC because they refuse to optimize their games. So the PC guys who spent an armload of money on their new PCs to run this and that game that comes out for it nowadays, it’s because most of the developers out there are only optimizing their games to run on 5 and 6 year old (or more. How long was the gap between the showing off and release of the 360 and PS3?) hardware.
A typical gaming PC now has at LEAST 10x the power of any home console out. Yes, the games look and perform better … but do they look and perform THAT MUCH better? Think about that one.
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June 27th, 2011 - 22:37
Don’t like it? Don’t buy it.
August 24th, 2011 - 03:59
Gaming has been crapping out the way side for the last 15 years any way .Crappy game play over inflated useless graphics extremely short story lines with extremely weak content cookie cutting each others game 10-20-30 times in a row selling the assembly line morons the same crap on a new plate over and over again . Video games use to be a art form as well as fun and complex . look at call of duty black ops today very short story line crappy graphics weak online game play selling craptastic map packs for $15 a pop . now look back at the old super Mario 3 . If they would of just left technology alone and added more content with today’s hardware , you would of got a super Mario 3 with 800 worlds and 10,000 maps with 50 of your friends being able to play with you . u get the idea now huh .
August 24th, 2011 - 04:12
P.S. The Sony PlayStation 3 is the most useless console ever created to date . it keeps trying to force feed people it’s niche product (that only morons purchase willingly) . Nobody needs bluray(a.k.a the gayray) 1/2 less memory than the Xbox 360 even with a slower memory speed than the Xbox. the ps3 ddr memory is old slow crap 800 MHz @ best . DDR3 is what is in the Xbox @ 1600-1800 MHz speeds .
I could care less about either of these platforms to be honest
(if the games are fun hardware doesn’t matter) . But when you brag about your “next gen console and deliver 12 year old technology like the ps3 has this is fraud. Hard ware for consoles this is going in the wrong direction . we do not need new hardware every year we need to expand the development stages of the games and expand them 10 fold , give the world fun excitement let people enjoy the games , Don’t force stupid ides and useless hardware down the peoples throat .
You keep the hardware cheap expand gaming to be fun and give games long life spans make them fun for every and guess what piracy is gone everyone will be buying your title , We need to get rid of huge companies and gaming corporations who water gaming down for profit and could care less if you have a brain or not . Like EA .
August 30th, 2011 - 05:00
Sorry it took so long to authorize your comments, I just now noticed they were there.
I learned a long time ago I have to be a little anal about what comments get through because there are a boatload of them that sneak through that are spam. So I just said “to hell with it” and I just go through and manually authorize them all as long as they’re human.