In the gaming world, there are many options to choose from regarding the platform the game is being played on. Since gaming is a lifestyle, playing a game varies from one person to the other. Some people prefer PC games because computers allow the customization of certain gaming features that may not be available for console games built with specific games in mind.
According to Denis Pakhaliuk, the CEO of a tech company, Ramotion, that also deals in in-game development (we developed only a few iOS games in our career), PC games pose a challenge to console games, as evidenced by the drastic increase in PC games’ market sales.
History of Console Gaming
In the 90s, the experience of console gaming was predominantly either in your living-room playing split-screen multiplayer titles or in your bedroom playing single-player games. Although games like Sega and Nintendo tried connecting players over a network service, dial-up internet limited the experience, and hence it wouldn’t gain traction. Neither the time nor the technology was mature enough. Console games only later came to leverage network and internet service to deliver downloadable games, party chat, and bespoke content for its users. However, the multiplayer experience concept was birthed with the PC, which gave it a lot of traction, and it gained a lot of mainstream popularity.
Cloud Gaming
Denis Pakhaliuk highlights that console games have since been playing catch up, and a lot of strides have been made towards bringing the technology up to speed. There have been many improvements on consoles in the past, such as incorporating inbuilt cameras, internet connectivity, and Bluetooth features. More recent developments like the storage memory enhancement cards are examples of additional features that still make them palatable to many people. Regardless, consoles have not yet gained a remarkable position in the market to outweigh PC games.
Additionally, with the rise of cloud gaming, the sales made for each generation of new consoles are likely to decrease. Denis Pakhaliuk notes that with the availability of high internet speeds, people are more likely to opt for streaming games from the cloud instead of those sold on a disc or downloaded on a console. After all, if you have the option of still being able to play your favorite games while even preceding the purchase of a console, why wouldn’t you? Gaming is going digital, and console gaming is not exempt from this transition. There are already gaming consoles in the market without a disc drive making it cheaper to adapt to this fast-changing technology. Microsoft is also working on cloud game streaming services. Therefore, it could be that the current generation of consoles could as well be the last as we usher in the next era that is leaning toward streaming media as opposed to a traditional box.
In essence, video game consoles may still be around ten years from now, but they will not be the same as what we have today. As the functionality of streaming services increases, the need for a dedicated gaming box will decrease.