One Console to Rule Them All
Here’s something I’ve been wondering for a little while. How would our gaming lives be if there was one format shared by Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo or anyone for that matter? By this I mean what if there were one technology agreed upon by all developers/producers and the different companies were only presenting different designs around this technology? Other parts of the tech industry do this so why not consoles? Think about it. There’s one approved technology or format for DVD and all of the companies like Samsung, Sony etc are simply making different designs around the format allowing the consumer to choose a design/price for the most part that works best for them. All DVD players play DVDs so you’re really only choosing who puts on the best show.
Why not have a universal format for developers to use to make these games and allow Microsoft, Sony or Nintendo to design a console around it that they believe would be the choice to make. You’d still have your three companies vying for your pockets but then how much better would we be if developers could focus on one technology and not 3 different ones? It’s an interesting though isn’t it?
Think about all the games you could play on either system. Halo 3 on Nintendo if you so chose that you liked the way their cute little console was designed and priced. Zelda: Twilight Princess on the Xbox 360 if you fancy its concave approach. Could there ever be a day that the big 3 agree to develop one concept for games? No. But it doesn’t hurt to ponder these things.
March 22nd, 2007 at 12:52 pm
thats stupid……. there is always new stuff coming out, always new ideas… for one developer to limit all of that creative thinking to one console is stupid
March 22nd, 2007 at 1:06 pm
you missed the point lol the point was to have one format/technology that developers would use. one format that would simply get better through the years but still be one format for console makers to design around.
March 22nd, 2007 at 2:33 pm
In theory it would be an ideal setting. however we “kinda” already have something similar in place.. called the PC. Granted in the past the PC has shown to highlight certin gameing genra’s and fail in others due to hardware or software constraints/limitations..
the only examples I can think of to highlight this would be
PC’s strong points: RTS’s, MMORPG (Command and Conqure, WoW)
PC’s weak points: Fighting games (Street Fighter 2 or Mortal Kombat)
granted with new technology this might have changed.. its been awhile since I did any PC gameing other than a few RPG’s or RTS’s
However as long as there is profit to be made on the individual Consoles or IP licenses (1st party or 3rd party exclusives). A one system format to rule them all will continue to be only a dream.
March 22nd, 2007 at 2:36 pm
EXCELLENT post Raithgar. i’m glad you understood what i was getting at. and yes, the PC would be a key model to what i was writing about…why not for consoles ya know.
again, excellent comment!
March 22nd, 2007 at 3:17 pm
thanks, for a min there I thought I was getting a little to PC preachy..
I think I have an answer but it will take a bit.. still trying to sort everything out in my head first (god its a mess in there).. I’ll most likely get it posted before the end of the night..
March 22nd, 2007 at 3:25 pm
should be a good read then.
March 22nd, 2007 at 6:18 pm
Ok.. about 98% finished, Should be ready in another hour or so.. however its a pretty long.. So I’ll email it to you and if you wish.. your more than welcome to post what you think are the highlights and also if there are any parts where you wish to debate (I’m sure there might be a few).
I have it typed it up on MS Works and it had reached about 2 pages broken down to Benifits and Flaws to the unified sysetem. I hope it was similar to what you were looking for in a responce to your thread.
March 22nd, 2007 at 6:48 pm
let’s use Halo 3 as an example:
Bungie puts all this work into this great game, but if some systems don’t have the power of another one (wii), the full potential is limited on the higher end console(360/ps3), because it needed to be limited to work on the lower end console.
or did i read the post right?