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Should Nintendo and Sony Stop Making Consoles? |
Listed in: Applications Tags: andy payne, mastertronic, Nathan Drake, uncharted, Zelda
Sony and Nintendo are two of the biggest names in the world of console gaming, taking up a large portion of market share. With only three serious contenders available in stores, it stands to reason that two of those contenders would have a major influence on the future of games development. And while both Nintendo and Sony have seen success in their forays into console gaming, the ever-changing games market calls into question the long-term viability of consoles.
Andy Payne, managing director of Mastertronic and indie game developer, believes that it would make more sense for Nintendo and Sony to stop worrying so much about console development and focus instead on mobile devices and tablets. Speaking at a round table event for the Develop in Liverpool game conference, he offered some thoughts on how the two companies can evolve into pure software providers.
The general argument is that holding your biggest names (Mario, Nathan Drake) to one specific console severely limits your market share to people that own that specific console. If Mario games were release on the Android Market, for example, Nintendo could dramatically increase the number of people with access to the titles. Of course, they’d lose the performance guarantees that come with developing a game for one system, and they’d lose a major motivating factor in console purchases.
Payne’s main thrust is that it would be exciting to see Zelda, Uncharted, and all of the other Sony/Nintendo-specific franchises cropping up on a number of devices. Plus, the lack of need for a console would free up developmental and financial resources for both companies. I’m not exactly sure why he left Microsoft out of the loop in these statements, but I assume he feels the same way about Halo and Gears of War.
The big problem that I see with this theory is control – Nintendo and Sony’s games are designed around specific control schemes and require them for ease of play. How deep could the Uncharted experience really be if Sony had to ensure it worked across a number of devices? What about Skyward Sword?
What’s your opinion on Payne’s statements? Do you think we’ll ever see Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft giving up on hardware to focus exclusively on software?
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Mobile gaming is viable, but not a replacement, more like a complement.
Also PCs are great for gaming too, I just prefer a console myself.
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but if Nintendo and Sony where to give up on consoles everyone would lose on it.
Without competition everything will fall.
OS X would fall without Windows
Xbox would fall without Nintendo and Playstation.
Without a competitor to force you to do better you can't improve
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"Sony is the real gaming machine"
^ You're a Sony fanboy, that explains the use of the lame excuse why 360 this and that.
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tl;dr ninty & sony are not only software company
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NINTendo should definately get out of he Home console market as they are becoming a joke.
SONY/M$ are now the Home console giants & probably will continue to be so for the forseeable future.
Nintendo have now cut themselves out of the race because they were too - too late to adopt HD...They fuk'ed up and now its too late too retract and try to be the third competitor. The WiiU has no chance.
And really - no one gives a shit anymore about Nintendos flagship icons.
I would only look forward to ZELDA ever on a Nintendo console and thats it.
They should stick to portable machines - thats wot they are good and getting better at developing (though 3DS had a bad start). If Nintendo specialized in HD Tablets for adults and Dual screens for the kiddies that would be just fine. Besides they can inc. plenty of Wii remote style controllers much more fluidly for tablets etc. And you can connect the tablet to your HD TV and the Dual screens can connect to the tablets - win/win.
As for he home (bulky consoles) they should drop out and let M$ & $ony have their fill.
Its the only way - Nintendo are OUT either way whether they CHOOSE to do so early or get kicked out later on - its inevitable.
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sony and microsoft make more money from other products and software. theyre in gaming for the lulz and are still better at making consoles than nintendo. the wii is basically a gamecube. people only buy it for kids, or if they dont know how to read the features list on the side of the box. only reason they sell more than sony or M$ is cause the console is cheaper. nintendo is the mcdonalds of the gaming industry. sony is steak n shake, and M$ is Fazolis.
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This is the same Nintendo that brought motion controls back into console gaming and swayed both Sony AND MS to produce motion controlled games. You're trying to say one of the most innovative companies in gaming should stop making consoles?
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And Nintendo I could maybe agree with but then who would will the slot for making family/children accessible consoles?
PS3 & X360 are both gered around the more serious gamer with the odd family game whereas Nintendo cater to the families & kids.
I think it's fine as it is right now to be honest. Although I would like to actually see MS & Sony join forces to make a mega console. Imagine, Sony's free online gaming + blu-ray drive combined with the 360. One can only dream!
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Haha if Sony ans MS got together to make a console, Bill Gates wouldn't even be able to afford it
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I've been gaming since I was able to hold a controller. Considering I haven't stopped, I've only gotten better at the games that I play. Mario 64, for example, was a challenge. It was fun and exciting and let you explore massive worlds without much guidance. Then Wii delivers Galaxy. I stopped playing it after the first few worlds because of its simplicity. I even picked it up again on my friend's end-game; I waltzed through the last few levels and was met by a very disappointingly easy boss. The only game worth mentioning inbetween that was Sunshine, and even then I only ever wanted to get to the sprites where my waterguns were removed... And I understand that Mario has always been family oriented, but after growing up with him, I'm ready for him to grow up too. He needs to appear in better quality graphics and abstain from this cartoony junk. It's painful playing the new Mario Party games due to their cheeseyness factor. Same with Zelda. Link doesn't need to keep on looking like a little kid in cartoon form. Ocarina was awesome because you watched him grow up and have his whole world around him turn to Hell because of Gannondorf. That was so much fun. I've never enjoyed Zelda as much as when I first came out of the temple of time and saw the giant red ring floating above the Goron's volcano. I guess that's one thing Xbox got right
In summary, the systems need to market to their fans that have been with them throughout the ages. I've stopped buying nintendo, because it's not delivering quality products. Make something amazing that caters to adults, and maybe you can turn me back into a diehard Nintendo fan again.
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And nothing beats dual joystick on console. As said his a moron and knows nothing about gaming!!!
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How about no.
Who said that Microsoft?
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Tablets, phones, etc. helps with diversity with controls but not outright make console obsolete.
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