This month's articles focuses on the future of computer gaming - both as an industry and personal gaming. As stated in yesterday's article, there are very few paths that PC gaming can take. Its overall future success or failure may be determined in the next year, as it competes head-to-head with the next generation of gaming consoles. Before now, computers and consoles have rarely been seen as direct competitors. But everything is changing. The computer's graphical capabilities have leapt far ahead of the consoles for now. And consoles have begun to incorporate Internet connections into their design. As the two platforms' features converge, the computer may soon become grouped with the consoles. And as seen before in the past, only the top two or three machines are seen as viable in the market place. In the 16-bit world it was Sega's Genesis and Nintendo's Super Nintendo. And in the upcoming months we shall see who emerges as the victor.
The gaming platform of the computer will directly compete against gaming machines from Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo. While games will be the main feature of each console, each will include additional features: Internet capabilities, extra controllers such as keyboards, and the ability to play music. So what makes each platform attractive?
The consoles will be remarkably less expensive than the computer due to their sole focus on gaming. Microsoft's X-Box will include a 600MHz Intel Pentium III, 64MB RAM, DVD drive, 8GB hard drive, Nvidia GeForce graphics card, and an MS Sidewinder control pad. Not bad for $300 or so, huh? However, by its April release date, the current computer will have outpaced it and probably have lapped it. You might be able to build your own "X-Box" for as much or less. And that's one advantage computers have over consoles: as technology grows, you're able to upgrade and change your system around. With a console, you're stuck with the same old box for years.
But for those not interested in having the most power, or upgrading their own machines, a Sony PlayStation 2 or Microsoft X-Box doesn't sound too bad. It doesn't sound that bad for game developers either. As the customer base grows for consoles, more game designers are jumping on the wagon. The console gives designers consistency; each gamer with an X-Box or PlayStation will experience the same. Not true for computer gamers. It also gives them a larger customer base, and more profits.
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