future of gaming

[mailman187666]

does anybody ever wonder to themselves whether or not 20 years down the road that maybe videogames won't even be what they are today? or they may eventually turn into something that isn't what we're all used to? the Wii is going to have all sorts of new things that the game industry has never seen before. Does anybody ever think that maybe some day history will repeat itself and there could be a 2nd crash in the videogames market and it'll take another "nintendo" type company to get it up and running again. I'd like to see people's thoughts on the future of the games industry.

[EasternDynamo1]

One of the things that brought the last crash about was people gaming on computers. With todays consoles there is much less of a gap between the two. As long as the software is compelling I don't see a crash on the horizon.

[7th lutz]

The furure of gaming wouldn't be in graphics. It is getting more difficult to see the difference now without hd. With hd you can, but you can do so much to improve them now compare to 15 years ago.

There won't be a crash, but sony can be in trouble if there are not careful. Sony always talks about shipping with numbers not the amount sold. They talked about how many psp movies were shipped, but yet those movies were selling so bad that walmart no longer caries them and companies that make or sell movies out side sony nolonger or cut back on making psp movies.

If this happens with the ps 3 then they are in trouble along with the fact their blu-rayer player has been delayed till around aug 15th for shipping. Sony is banking to much on blu-ray. Sony outside of video games been doing great for sales. This could sony's version of the Adam Computer if the blue-ray movies don't sell well at fell price. The only reason why psp movies sold was because stores cut down the price to get a rid of them like walmart.

[jdc]

Twenty years is waaaaaaay too long a time frame to even consider. A lot can happen in twenty years. Video gaming could turn out to be a long winded fad or turn into a niche pasttime or stay popular with the masses. Who knows?

Technology-wise, I don't know what the future will bring. Everything looks pretty damned good on my 360 and I can't imagine it getting MUCH better than that on the console end....but I'm probably wrong. I think that the progress will be in WHAT we hook these things up to and how we use them.

[intelli78]

Video games in 20 years: http://www.nesgames.co.uk/images/nes_console.jpg

In terms of current video games in 20 years (wink, wink) you can consider Moore's Law, which in essence states: Technology doubles every two years.

My prediction differs greatly from jdc's. I believe in the near future, games will begin to look as realistic as possible on TV's. When the replacement for TV's arrives, whatever it may be, video games will adapt to be completely different.

Can anybody say Holodeck? LOL

[Haoie]

Maybe VG will be all eXistenZ esque then. Then that'd be a scary, scary sight to behold!!

[Flack]

Well, let's look at gaming 20 years AGO.

20 years ago the NES was king, correct? So on one hand you can look at how far graphics, system architecture and game complexity have come, but on the other hand you can say that the general idea of gaming is still the same: consoles, media, controllers, playing on a television, etc.

The wildcard variable is of course the Internet, which was not a factor 20 years ago.

[mailman187666]

After the HD era, how can videogames look any better than they do now? I'm sure they can make TVs with higher resolutions and systems utilize those settings, but other than that, i think within' the next few generations, who knows if we'll even be playing games on TVs anymore. I think that rather than making them look better as time goes by, they are just going to throw more options in and make them smaller and smaller (eventually i think all systems will be handheld). Another crash is possible (not anytime soon) if companys run out of original/new ideas for games and systems. Ten years from now it could be the same old games that we are seeing today and people may get sick of that. Or it could be the complete opposite and the holodeck could become a reality (but then everybody would be completely addicted to playing DOAX13 and never leave thier vacation on the beach).

[intelli78]

After the HD era, how can videogames look any better than they do now? [...] Or it could be the complete opposite and the holodeck could become a reality (but then everybody would be completely addicted to playing DOAX13 and never leave thier vacation on the beach).

I'm talking about the graphics improving on the console side: Beginning to look more and more like a movie. There are some games with pretty amazing graphics, but eventually I believe at some point, entire games will look like prerendered video (think Advent Children).

I find it unlikely any holodeck-like device will be created within the next few generations - Especially one that you could actually interact with. Images are one thing, but giving them physical properties is completely different. That said, if one existed, no one would play Dead or Alive. They would play porngames. It's like Brave New World. The "feelies" are exclusively porn.

[mailman187666]

i bet eventually all game systems will eventually turn over to handhelds once they reach a limit on how far they can go with the visuals. Just think how long it took to get mario 64 to handheld status. It won't be long until they start making games like oblivion be able to be played on something like a PSP and be able to load it up with all the extras.

[kevin_psx]

i bet eventually all game systems will eventually turn over to handhelds once they reach a limit on how far they can go with the visuals.
Dsagree. The existence of handheld TV/DVD devices has not killed off the desire to also have large-screen experiences. The handheld and set-top devices coexist at the DVD level & will likely co-exist at the game level too.

[zerohero]

Pro gaming will be a standard...

[mailman187666]

Dsagree. The existence of handheld TV/DVD devices has not killed off the desire to also have large-screen experiences. The handheld and set-top devices coexist at the DVD level & will likely co-exist at the game level too.

ah yes, that is definately a good point. If not scaled down then they will most likely make videogames become played in different ways. I'm speaking even way beyond that of what the wii remote is going to have to offer. I think the idea of virtual reality is a thing of the past at this point for gaming, but what other ideas could they make?

[zerohero]

Dsagree. The existence of handheld TV/DVD devices has not killed off the desire to also have large-screen experiences. The handheld and set-top devices coexist at the DVD level & will likely co-exist at the game level too.

ah yes, that is definitely a good point. If not scaled down then they will most likely make videogames become played in different ways. I'm speaking even way beyond that of what the wii remote is going to have to offer. I think the idea of virtual reality is a thing of the past at this point for gaming, but what other ideas could they make?

You guys are thinking either "Lawn mower man" style or "The Matrix" style as a future. For them to do that would require alot of things, but the major thing is how to market that, and sell it. The last time they tried , the machine ranged in the 8k and up, and only had 1 or 2 playable games on it, and the Wii out plays them in every way.

[Anexanhume]

I think the success of games like WoW show what video games are going to become-- multi-user nueral-interactive simulations.

My guess is that you will have giant servers running WoW-type worlds with some kind of brain interface that plugs you directly into the character a la The Matrix, The Thirteenth Floor, and Existenz.

I'm sure there will be some intermediate steps, like broadcasting it via your optic nerve or something, but these kinds of things are probably 30 years off.

I expect to see at least two more console rounds with normal TV (HDTV) interfaces. As for a crash, I don't expect that at all. The gaming industry is so established and defined that expecting a crash is like expecting a crash of the motion picture industry. It's a multi-billion dollar industry, and it isn't going anywhere.

[googlefest1]

20 years from now - the best game will be "how far can you throw a stick"

we will all revert to caveman days

[smork]

In terms of current video games in 20 years (wink, wink) you can consider Moore's Law, which in essence states: Technology doubles every two years.

Moore's law really just refers to processor speed/power, not to technology in general.

Anyway, I don't think that much will change in gaming in the next 20 years. Look back 20 years -- not that much has changed. Sure, graphics are better, delivery systems are different, games are bigger and longer -- and generally cheaper in real dollars, just like alot of tech as it reaches maturity.

If anything really changes, I think it will be a greater fragmentation in the game experience in general. Niche gaming will be more prominent, there will be games and systems made for a more involved, cinematic experience and games made for casual, pick up and go style gaming. Many people want one type fo game but not the other.

We're already starting to see diminishing returns in game tech -- i'd argue that the 360 is a more incremental change in tech from previous generations than other generation jumps. Sure, HD is becoming standard, as is the online experience, but online was largely present in the previous generation (starting on 9/9/99) and HD is a tech that not everybody will be willing to embrace.

I think the emergence of the Wii as an exciting innovator shows that the future lies not in pushing polygons (though it certainly does in some sense) but in refining the game experience into something interesting and unique. In 20 years all games will look great -- photorealistic if the designers want it, stylized if they want a more striking look. Even though current designers can make convincing, near-photorealistic character models many current-gen games go a different route (killer 7, XIII, SMT: Nocturne, Jet Set Radio, to name a few). Greater tech basically gives a creative designer the freedom to bring to life a vision as they see fit.