IceIYIaN's crystal ball - The future of consoles

It's an amazing time to be a gamer. Stupidly powerful computers(PC - WindowZ XP/Vista/7/8 - Mac - Whatever). The big three(Microsoft/Nintendo/Sony) about to release new consoles. Dual stick and touch screen handhelds are already here. Laptops/Tablets/Cell Phones reaching console quality. And the digital age is here, downloadable games, patches, and even live streaming of games! Game modifications are at an all time high and you can even make MONEY!!!111 Indie developers are more powerful than ever!

Cable and DSL Internet are spreading like wildfire accross the globe (Although we're still a few decades behind on that front... Rain, much? :/ )

It's time to predict!

Here's what WON"T HAPPEN:

1. Consoles won't share online multi-player still.

2. Console makers won't add a hardware/software solution to their controller hotkeys - Meaning you still won't be able to switch the left stick to the right stick and you'll have to rely on game makers to add an option menu with customize hotkeys. (And game makers are still too ignorant/stupid/GoD complex/lazy to add it themselves)

3. Mouse and keyboard, the MOST POWERFUL and COMMON input method in the world, will still struggle to get on consoles. Wii is a complete fail, X-BoX and PlayStation might have a chance.

4. The most obvious and no brainer of WindowZ, is the ability to make your own games and mods right from the pc itself. This is single handedly the most sad fact about past and next generation consoles.

5. You won't be able to duct tape two consoles together to break that ridiculous 30 FPS barrier.



Here's what WILL HAPPEN or COULD HAPPEN:

1. Nintendo will dominate. A controller with a camera, mic, dual stick, head phones, and touch screen? Casual, hardcore, and social?

2. The obvious graphics card, processors, and ram will be updated. But it won't be enough to compete with computers in terms of high, high end still(aka multi graphics cards)

3. All consoles should have a wireless reciever for Internet by default and an option for hardcore ethernet cords too. It's the digital age.

4. Disk drives could be a thing of the past. At least built into the console itself. Why build it into the console, when you could just make an add-on slot or cord connector?

5. You might not get even a single controller with the PlayStation or X-BoX. Depending on what they wanna do with their next gen consoles, past controllers are fine for them.



Here's what I WISH WOULD HAPPEN:

1. Instead of four, eight controllers... One controller for each hand.

2. Left and right hand controllers... I believe PlayStation Move does this.

3. Controllers that are more like a keyboard and less reliant on control sticks... IE way more buttons for your four fingers.

4. E-SportZ NEEDS a champion! Valve, Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony NEED to step up to the plate. By solving this major issue, a HUGE market could form.

5. Beyond E-SportZ or connected to E-SportZ, players THEMSELVES need to make money. Advertizements shared with players being watched is one easy example.

6. Spectating needs to be solved. Even if you don't own the game, you should be able to watch other players play the game. This issue is being worked on by some, but it's still in the stone age as far as I'm concerned.



// Curtis Turner - IceIYIaN
// Creator of Elements of War and 1337 Board!
// http://www.ElementsofWar.net/
// http://www.ModDB.com/Mods/Elements-of-War