How Sony could "win" gaming

[monkey13]

Got to love software developers talking about hardware. Sometimes their stupidity knows no bounds. Did you ask this genius how the business model for this works?

If I go somewhere that doesn't have a TV like this how do I use my console?

Will I need to buy a new TV every 4 years to keep up with the console revisions?

How would this work, technically? What kind of cable would be used to replace the on board bus of current consoles?

Why would all the big three go along with this when they can still do on-board stuff?

The big three are in direct competition; why would they standardise a piece of hardware for all of them?

The only people this would benefit is game developers. Now they've been around for a while and the industry doesn't seem to be to bothered about what they have to do to make a multi-platform game. Otherwise there would have been some kind of standard reached by now.

Look at all the guitar hassle with interoperability on the same platform. Yet the industry as a whole is going this way. :no:

[Coldgunner]

I've always been under the impression that many don't go for home cinema primary because from the outside it all looks complex, when in reality it is quite simple, such a thing would work well with average Joe's. In a similar way you can buy home theatre kits.

[DrunknMunky Veteran]

If the PC market hasn't gone this way so far, neither will the console market.

Why are we still even discussing it, it's not gonna happen. Its a stupid idea.

[AbandonedTrolley]

If the PC market hasn't gone this way so far, neither will the console market.

Why are we still even discussing it, it's not gonna happen. Its a stupid idea.

Because stupid people like discussing stupid ideas. Plus we're either at work/uni/school and have nothing better to do?

On Topic, sound's totally gimicky to me, putting another product into an existing one never works too well. If one part breaks that's two things you need to replace.

[Ricardo Gil]

Most of you are looking at this the wrong way. Remember when cellphones started to include cameras and GPS?

I see this as being the future for many devices, that may come integrated in mass market products and are also sold as a separate device.

The Samsung/360 rumor was all about that, and I think we're going to see something similar in the future. If you can make a console live for 10 years as a standalone device, I have no doubt that they could be included in TV's, creating a much bigger market and therefore lowering prices.

Again, I don't see this as a way to create a single console market, with unified hardware. I see it as a way to increase consumer awareness and game sales. The mere fact that my PS3 had a BluRay player led me to buy some BR movies, and I wasn't into HD at all. I guess one thing leads to the other, and gaming isn't any different.

[Smigit]

No you dont, electronics manufacturers could come up with some port that directly interfaces with the GPU, then the console manufacturers could create a smaller box that does all the processing power that interfaces with the GPU via that port.

They could do that but whatever connects the console to the TV will be slower than any connection possible internet to the console which could really hurt overall performance. Secondly then you would still need the console anyway in which case Sony hasn't gained anything what so ever. Having a GPU only in the TV doesn't make sense, having the entire console in it makes a bit more sense but still not alot.

Think about how often families replace TV's. They are considered relative long term investments. Consoles are released every 5 or 6 years and really outpace tv's by alot. Noone would want to have to replace their TV in such a rapid amount of time because core components of a gaming machine was embeded in the display. If anything this would hurt Sony's sales as it would make getting a PS a several thousand dollar decision, not several hundreds.

You are also then also losing a key advantage of consoles over PC's in that they are closed boxes. By letting TV suppliers put in the video card the video component then becomes upgradeable, modifieable and you run the risk of it also being incompatible with games.

I honestly cant see a single advantage to having the video card external to the console and fail to see how it would help anyone. This isn't the same as phones taking on functionality as eluded to someone above. You can still buy standalone devices. The original poster was as far as I can tell alluding to a future where the PS becomes reliant on the TV or the PS as a stand alone divice doesn't even exist. Also GPS devices aren't something I imagine most users will need to update every few years either.

[capr]

what a stupid idea... why the heck would you limit the performance of your $4000 tv set to a $500 video card?

[monkey13]

Most of you are looking at this the wrong way. Remember when cellphones started to include cameras and GPS?

I see this as being the future for many devices, that may come integrated in mass market products and are also sold as a separate device.

That's not the right way to look at it. We're not looking at technology that can be added to an existing device to save having another one. (gps, camera). You would still need a console of some kind.

Imagine a camera that connected to your phone and used the phone as a storage device. Why would you do that? Why not have the storage on the camera? Just as why would you put only part of a console in a TV? It puts the price up for manufacturers and consumers and would be useless unless you then got a console.

Consoles and TV's have been around for a long time. If this was going to happen it would have happened by now.

[ahhell]

I can see Sony marketing using some gimmick like this to justify their overpriced TVs.

This would fail in an epic way. No one would want to buy a new TV every few years to "get better performance".

Worst idea ever.

[Southern Patriot]

Just to expand on that, wouldn't it be wonderful to go into a store and buy a big box or two with a TV, PS3 and sound system all pre-configured and ready to go, all you gotta do is plug it all in?

How is that very different than the situation now? You buy two boxes (PS3 and TV), and an HDMI cable, bring them home, plug the TV and PS3 into your power outlet, plug the HDMI cable between the two, and you are set.

[Bhav]

What a stupid idea...

[ToneKnee]

Sorry, but you don't want any company in this console race to "win" otherwise they'll just get lazy the next time. And that's what was wrong with Sony in the first place, they got so comfortable with being the biggest name in the console market that they got lazy and stupid. Competition = Better for the customers.

[Ayepecks]

This isn't about the current incarnation of the "console wars" or whatever. Hell, this might be years down the road.

While attending E 4 All, I met up with a lead developer of a well-known gaming studio. I won't give out his name, but safe to say, you know this studio.

Anyway, people were asking about the format war, and multiplatform releases.

His response was that TV manufacturers are exploring the possibility of including a video card within each TV. He though this might make it easier for developers, simply because it would cut out the "middle man" so to speak, and developers would only need to create for one platform (or two, if you count handhelds).

Taking this into account, considering that Sony is the only current console developer that also makes TV's....

It's doubtful that MS or Nintendo would make the investment in order to step into television production (although possible). Although both companies could possibly back into simply software, and make their money from that.

Just my opinion from something heard that may or may not eventually come true. Thoughts?

I mean no disrespect, but I think the person you talked to is very happy you're not naming him, because I don't think any self-respecting game developer would make such a claim (in the manner you put it).

[Ricardo Gil]

That's not the right way to look at it. We're not looking at technology that can be added to an existing device to save having another one. (gps, camera). You would still need a console of some kind.

Imagine a camera that connected to your phone and used the phone as a storage device. Why would you do that? Why not have the storage on the camera? Just as why would you put only part of a console in a TV?

Maybe I wasn't clear enough.

A console can very well be added to a TV. The analogy was about the console as a camera, and a TV as a cellphone. Your example is about something else I wasn't talking about...

It puts the price up for manufacturers and consumers and would be useless unless you then got a console.

Consoles and TV's have been around for a long time. If this was going to happen it would have happened by now.

The first camera phones were really expensive compared to non-camera ones. If consoles manage to reach a low price I don't see why they wouldn't be included in TV's someday. If you remember, telephones and cameras took ~100 years until they merged. Consoles have only been around for ~25 years or so...

[Smigit]

Well Mobile phones only really hit mainstream consumption in the 90's mind you.

[soniqstylz]

Sorry, but you don't want any company in this console race to "win" otherwise they'll just get lazy the next time. And that's what was wrong with Sony in the first place, they got so comfortable with being the biggest name in the console market that they got lazy and stupid. Competition = Better for the customers.

That's the thing. The competition would come from the developers, not from the consoles. Think of it as a livingroom extension of PC gaming. There are different PC manufacturers, but it all depends on what system you have, etc. For the most part, games play the same.

You don't have exclusives.

You don't need a console. Maybe a box to play optical disc games, but we're talking far enough in the future that downloadable content would be more commonplace.

The focus is back on the games, not the format wars.

It's a boon for electronics companies (in case you need to upgrade every 6 - 7 years). It's a boon for developers, lowering the overall cost of titles, being able to develop for one (or two, maybe three if you count a handheld or two) formats. MS may partner with someone, but doubtful, if there is some format standardization. Nintendo already has a strong in-house development, and can focus on that.

Hell, it might even benefit Microsoft, being able to focus on software, and not lose money on the hardware.

Think outside the box a bit.

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

I understand what you're saying Soniqstylz, but I just don't see the need for consoles or even gaming to be integrated into TVs.

It just wouldn't work unless we could standardize ALL gaming into one format all TVs would support.

Essentially going ahead with the idea of the one console future, which I fully disapprove of, and quite frankly don't see arising.

My consoles connect to my TV by 1 lead, hardly a hassle, and I like the fact that while they're "living room" products, they remain portable.

[soniqstylz]

I understand what you're saying Soniqstylz, but I just don't see the need for consoles or even gaming to be integrated into TVs.

For electronics companies to jump on the bandwagon and make money from a growing market, same as they did integrating VCRs and DVD players into TV's ;)

I myself have resisted the "one console" future, but I do see this side of the argument. Since 3rd parties are abandoning creating exclusives, we're heading towards the one console future anyway. This would make games cheaper to make, maybe even better quality (multi-format games are restricted by the weakest link of each console as it is).

But you are correct that gamers would be screwed to an extent by possible DRM, and not being able to share games with friends. Sony, MS, Nintendo, and any other parties that jump in might maintain their own online presence, as well as their own in-house studios. Gamers wouldn't lose out on being able to play games that they might have to spend hundreds of dollars to play otherwise (by buying that particular console).

[LiGhTfast]

Silly idea i'd think a remote hosted console is more likely.

Once computing/network speed and latency is as fast as having the console under your tv, you'll only need to rent a video stream or whatever from Microsoft/Sony and play remotely. Brilliant business model, no costly hardware (just a video decoder), no piracy, less power... list goes on

[The_Decryptor Veteran]

Ehh, can't see that happening.

Even a local high speed server in the same city is more than 10 times slower than a local connection. And causing it to go over the network screws over anybody not living in a major metropolitan centre with a high speed connection.

[Coldgunner]

Network = major input lag

[Vakerorokero]

It would be easier for game companies start putting tvs in their consoles than the other way. And even if they would all reach an agreement for an standard about hardware Nintendo and Apple would be the ones fighting it out, since Nintendo is major partner of Panasonic (#2 tv seller) and Apple loves Samsung (1# seller), Sony owns the big expensive set market but people aren't buying those by the truckloads. Microsoft has already been rejected by everyone years ago when they wanted to include their WebTV hardware inside tvs and most companies don't want to pay these guys yearly expensive licensee fees like cellphone manufactures that fell into the trap...

Not to mention, someone in texas probably already has a patent that sounds as vague as that theory and wants a few hundreds of millions to release it.

[Vakerorokero]

Silly idea i'd think a remote hosted console is more likely.

Once computing/network speed and latency is as fast as having the console under your tv, you'll only need to rent a video stream or whatever from Microsoft/Sony and play remotely. Brilliant business model, no costly hardware (just a video decoder), no piracy, less power... list goes on

That's already available, just go to any walmart and they will show you a ton of console/controllers that do that from Sega, Atari, Commodore, Namco and that's not even counting cellphones that sooner of later will start displaying their games on tv.

[EnzoFX]

It's not viable anytime soon, consumers like to make many small purchases, not 1 big one. Secondly, you won't be able to move your console around =P