Will Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony be the last?

[AlexHouse]

Hi, as someone who enjoys collecting console games I was just wondering, what are the chances of another company coming into the mix again like way back in the early 90's when they were a fair few different companies in the mix, granted most brands died but with changing times of technology might another company bring a new console into the mix?

 

Please note I'm talking about consoles not micro-consoles, thanks.

[DeViLzzz]

I had hoped Nvidia would be doing more than they are doing.  Oh well.  Also I am waiting on a comeback by Sega or Atari as they are recognized gaming brand names but I guess they don't have the capital or backing to do it yet again.

[minibois]

Well Microsoft is pretty new actually too.

Not sure if there will be another one...

[themaniac]

well i guess you can consider nvidia is a new guy since they just showed off the shield

[GuruMeditationError]

I'd say slim to zero, but maybe Valve might make one? Steam machines are basically analogous to modern consoles in the way that modern consoles are analogous to P.C.s (probably more so). I've heard they're about to demo their controller also, so Valve.

 

Ultimately if Valve's steam machine was custom spec.ed stuck on a single board and mass produced by a single manufacturer then you'd basically have a valve console.

[jayctech]

Valve I guess though it's a bit of a cheat.

 

I feel in a world where people are now used to upgrading stuff every couple of years, consoles that run on a 10 year cycle are just dying. I think the real step forward would be when someone creates a steam box with modular parts. I'm talking modular like Project Ara. No faffing with cables or seeing exposed boards and circuitry as that scares non-techies. They take out the "old" GPU, CPU etc. brick, plug the new one in its place and it's good to go.

[GodSpoon]

I sure hope we keep diversity in the tech market, or else we might start seeing monopolization

 

Theres still hope though, lots of smaller companies are trending still

[skywake]

Well the way I see it now there are only two options despite the fact that there are three brands. So forget more brands if it's not something different. Basically when you look at it the PS4 and XBOne are the same box with almost the same software but a different sticker on the front. Not that I'm a fan of the platform exclusive stuff but at least when the platforms were really different AND they had their own IP that could leverage those differences? It kept all the players on their toes.

 

There's no point having "competition" if every player agrees to create the same box. You need ideas to compete not just brands. The Valve idea is a good one because it would be an open platform, that's brilliant and an entirely different option. What I wouldn't want is someone else coming in with yet another XBOne/PS4.