Do you think consoles will be obsolete in 5-8 years?

[Vitalius]

In this case you would be mistaken actually. While there's a case to be made for similarities in converting from consoles to PC using mantle, it's still going to take significant work to port over titles. Mantle is an entirely PC rendering API and is only applicable on the PC platform. I mean you even offer up statements that Mantle would work with directX, which doesn't exist on either console. The point of Mantle is simply a low overhead renderer for the PC, nothing more.

 

People seem to be hailing it as a messiah or something while it really is just a more efficient way to render.

Xbox One is going to use DirectX.  

You are right though about Mantle not being on the consoles. I guess it does make sense, the way AMD explains it, why it is only on PC.

Specifically, this:

The console connection is made because next-gen uses Radeon, so much of the programming they’re doing for the consoles are already well-suited to a modern Radeon architecture on the desktop; that continuum is what allows Mantle to exist.

 

Which, to me, implies porting from Console to PC would be easier. And vice versa.

Easier ports mean faster ports.

Faster ports mean more time spent on optimizations. Ideally at least.

[xox]

But that same functionality will soon be possible in a tablet-type device...so what would be the point?

Why would anyone plug a tablet up to their TV?

They would have to purposefully have to get up and fiddle round with a finicky connector and then there's the problem of how they would control it. Also, what's happening with the screen of the tablet in this situation?

And at the end of the day, a playstation has more functionality for say if your friends came round, had a few beers and wanted to play a few games.

[geforceftw]

Yes, consoles will be obsolete in 5-8 years (they are obsolete now), but no, it won't be the smaller, mobile, processors that kill them.

I think Cloud Gaming will be the final death blow to consoles. 

Internet sucks around the world now, but that won't be true forever. Give it a decade.

I dont know i think parts of america will still have shitty internet in the next decade. Although i do agree with you somewhat

[Rhizo]

Depends on what defines console.

 

If you call a console a computer with specific locked down software and custom hardware to improve performance, then yes, within 5-8 years i'd assume they will be mostly phased out.

 

If you call a console a computer that is small, quiet, goes in your living room and uses a controller, then they won't go obsolete (since we already have m-itx cases which fit this specification and can fit a 780ti).

[SirRoderick]

Why would anyone plug a tablet up to their TV?

They would have to purposefully have to get up and fiddle round with a finicky connector and then there's the problem of how they would control it. Also, what's happening with the screen of the tablet in this situation?

And at the end of the day, a playstation has more functionality for say if your friends came round, had a few beers and wanted to play a few games.

Wirelessly stream to the TV, Wireless controller, tablet screen is irrelevant. YOU CAN DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN ON A PLAYSTATION! All you need is a sufficiently powerful tablet to process a decent picture. We are just a couple years from that. The Nvidea tablet that's coming out is already handling the streaming from a PC bit, it's hardly difficult to imaging a tablet with a more powerful hardware rendering natively even.

 

You're still thinking in terms of hardware that's decades old!

[Giancarlo124]

The upcoming generation is already obsolete.

[xox]

Wirelessly stream to the TV, Wireless controller, tablet screen is irrelevant. YOU CAN DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN ON A PLAYSTATION! All you need is a sufficiently powerful tablet to process a decent picture. We are just a couple years from that. The Nvidea tablet that's coming out is already handling the streaming from a PC bit, it's hardly difficult to imaging a tablet with a more powerful hardware rendering natively even.

 

You're still thinking in terms of hardware that's decades old!

It's too out of someone's way. People don't want to set up things and awkwardly do stuff. They simply want to sit down, turn the thing on, start doing it.

The average consumer doesn't know about uPNP, nVidia Shield, AC WiFi, 4k streaming etc. Why would they need to if all that they need is a PS3 and a Bluetooth remote control?

All most people want to do is sit down and watch, consume content or game. Nothing else is necessary; I think it's a bit like 3D, why would you need such a thing?

[mr moose]

Wirelessly stream to the TV, Wireless controller, tablet screen is irrelevant. YOU CAN DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN ON A PLAYSTATION! All you need is a sufficiently powerful tablet to process a decent picture. We are just a couple years from that. The Nvidea tablet that's coming out is already handling the streaming from a PC bit, it's hardly difficult to imaging a tablet with a more powerful hardware rendering natively even.

 

You're still thinking in terms of hardware that's decades old!

But in that scenario you still need a device to stream from (in this case a pc).  if a console is considered to be an all in one plug and play device, then there is nothing on the market yet that can replace it. Tablets would have to either get fast enough to run the game and produce the graphics or it would have to be a situation were every house has a pc capable of streaming games from before the consoles as we know them become obsolete.

[Kilerbomb]

Which implies that it can and will get better.

Mantle. Just saying. Hopefully it will be 1080p60 standard then.

It's been confirmed that Mantle will not be on the Xbone, and presumably the PS4 as well given that they are almost identical.

[SirRoderick]

It's too out of someone's way. People don't want to set up things and awkwardly do stuff. They simply want to sit down, turn the thing on, start doing it.

The average consumer doesn't know about uPNP, nVidia Shield, AC WiFi, 4k streaming etc. Why would they need to if all that they need is a PS3 and a Bluetooth remote control?

All most people want to do is sit down and watch, consume content or game. Nothing else is necessary; I think it's a bit like 3D, why would you need such a thing?

They don't need to if you just pay some attention to the UI element of it. Just have an app called "console mode" or whatever. Just activate it, set the tablet down and turn on the tv, piece of cake. Just like how you might use a bluetooth speaker now for instance. All you need is that tablet and a wireless controller, maybe a dongle for the TV. I will buy you a keg if this is not a thing in 5 years time, it's such a logical step up from the streaming tablet.

 

But in that scenario you still need a device to stream from (in this case a pc).  if a console is considered to be an all in one plug and play device, then there is nothing on the market yet that can replace it. Tablets would have to either get fast enough to run the game and produce the graphics or it would have to be a situation were every house has a pc capable of streaming games from before the consoles as we know them become obsolete.

Nononono, missing the point. Streaming is what tablets can do now, as evidenced by the upcoming Nvideo tablet. IN FIVE YEARS, I will bet you another keg that there will be tablet devices you can use just as a tablet, or use as what is essentially a console. Just run games NATIVELY on the device, wirelessly stream them to the TV and sit back. It'll be easy as heck to get mobile processing on those things up to snuff to be able to achieve good enough graphics performance to have an enjoyable gaming experience on a TV. And then when you're done you just pick it up and use it like you would any tablet, cause that's what it is! And as the availability and affordability of these devices grows, so will the software library for them, which will ultimately present quite a tempting product for anyone that needs both a mobile computing device as well as a couch gaming device.

 

We'll be moving away from dedicated machines like that, convergent functionality is on the rise and not stopping anytime soon, mark my words.

 

And hey, if I'm wrong you guys get a keg of Belgian beer.

[mr moose]

They don't need to if you just pay some attention to the UI element of it. Just have an app called "console mode" or whatever. Just activate it, set the tablet down and turn on the tv, piece of cake. Just like how you might use a bluetooth speaker now for instance. All you need is that tablet and a wireless controller, maybe a dongle for the TV. I will buy you a keg if this is not a thing in 5 years time, it's such a logical step up from the streaming tablet.

 

Nononono, missing the point. Streaming is what tablets can do now, as evidenced by the upcoming Nvideo tablet. IN FIVE YEARS, I will bet you another keg that there will be tablet devices you can use just as a tablet, or use as what is essentially a console. Just run games NATIVELY on the device, wirelessly stream them to the TV and sit back. It'll be easy as heck to get mobile processing on those things up to snuff to be able to achieve good enough graphics performance to have an enjoyable gaming experience on a TV. And then when you're done you just pick it up and use it like you would any tablet, cause that's what it is!

 

We'll be moving away from dedicated machines like that, convergent functionality is on the rise and not stopping anytime soon, mark my words.

 

And hey, if I'm wrong you guys get a keg of Belgian beer.

In that case what we will have witnessed is consoles becoming smaller and having extra features, or simply being integrated into tablets.  I guess we could argue it is similar to a camera, are they becoming obsolete? No,they are just coming integrated into phones, not exactly replaced with a new technology just integrated into another one.

[xox]

They don't need to if you just pay some attention to the UI element of it. Just have an app called "console mode" or whatever. Just activate it, set the tablet down and turn on the tv, piece of cake. Just like how you might use a bluetooth speaker now for instance. All you need is that tablet and a wireless controller, maybe a dongle for the TV. I will buy you a keg if this is not a thing in 5 years time, it's such a logical step up from the streaming tablet.

People don't want to go into an app; They want to sit on the sofa after a day at work and press maximum 3 buttons on the remote and to have it on and watching within 45 seconds. They don't want to be navigating bluetooth pairing menus or plugging tablets in [or even having a tablet at all]. They want the simplest experience possible. They want to buy 1 thing, not 4 things that they may have to scour the internet to find..

[SirRoderick]

In that case what we will have witnessed is consoles becoming smaller and having extra features, or simply being integrated into tablets.  I guess we could argue it is similar to a camera, are they becoming obsolete? No,they are just coming integrated into phones, not exactly replaced with a new technology just integrated into another one.

No that's not the same thing at all. A camera is a very specific hardware device. A console is a just a way of running software, you can do that on any computing hardware. What that process would be is console getting replaced by something that does the job better. Like a fixed point phone becoming a wireless phone or cellphone. Cameras are a physical thing that is inside of a smartphone. A console is in no way integrated into a gaming tablet, that's just nonsensical.

 

Besides even if you want to call it that, end result = no more consoles

[SirRoderick]

People don't want to go into an app; They want to sit on the sofa after a day at work and press maximum 3 buttons on the remote and to have it on and watching within 45 seconds. They don't want to be navigating bluetooth pairing menus or plugging tablets in [or even having a tablet at all]. They want the simplest experience possible. They want to buy 1 thing, not 4 things that they may have to scour the internet to find..

YEs the past 5 years have clearly proven people find apps difficult and burdensome to use :rolleyes:

 

Imagine this. "ASUS Gaming Tablet, wirelessly connect to your TV in the comfort of your living room!" Comes with a controller and a dongle that automatically connects everything for you as your press the app button.

 

That is arguably LESS effort than installing a console for use. Set the tab down, start app, activate controller like you always do, PLAY.

[xox]

YEs the past 5 years have clearly proven people find apps difficult and burdensome to use :rolleyes:

 

Imagine this. "ASUS Gaming Tablet, wirelessly connect to your TV in the comfort of your living room!" Comes with a controller and a dongle that automatically connects everything for you as your press the app button.

 

That is arguably LESS effort than installing a console for use. Set the tab down, start app, activate controller like you always do, PLAY.

It's more than necessary though. Why can't I just sit down and turn on?

Have you ever tried launching an app whilst very drunk?

[atomicmonkey101]

No, i love consoles, they deliver something that right now PC's cant.

 

Meaning quick and fun LAN on games like Halo or Gears. My most memorable gaming moments are on console with friends

[SirRoderick]

It's more than necessary though. Why can't I just sit down and turn on?

Have you ever tried launching an app whilst very drunk?

I just have to assume you're just talking about absolutely shitfaced cause any moron can press a colourful icon

 

It's literally the same as pressing the on button on your PC, come on now.

[Vitalius]

It's been confirmed that Mantle will not be on the Xbone, and presumably the PS4 as well given that they are almost identical.

Xbox One is going to use DirectX.  

You are right though about Mantle not being on the consoles. I guess it does make sense, the way AMD explains it, why it is only on PC.

Specifically, this:

Which, to me, implies porting from Console to PC would be easier. And vice versa.

Easier ports mean faster ports.

Faster ports mean more time spent on optimizations. Ideally at least.

[LonliestofAll]

Idea of consoles, no. The Xbox One and PS4, yes.

[xox]

I just have to assume you're just talking about absolutely shitfaced cause any moron can press a colourful icon

 

It's literally the same as pressing the on button on your PC, come on now.

Look, my nan (of 95) has a playstation and she manages to record TV and then play it back only just.

 

She would have no hope of turning on a tablet, let alone streaming it to her TV and trying to click on an app. It took her about a month to get used to the system that she uses at the moment, how long would it take for her to learn a new system with some complicated streaming program?

 

Plus, there's the problem that arises when it breaks down. Will I have to travel all the way to Liverpool on a fortnightly basis? I really don't want to do that; when I get there, she'll ask me to do all sorts of other stuff (Cleaning, electrical repairs, replacing bulbs, buying her shopping, winding up her grandfather clock etc).

[ultimatemythbuster]

They are already on their death bed.  And I'm not going to the funeral, I'll be playing my PC games.

[digitalnav]

No, i love consoles, they deliver something that right now PC's cant.

 

Meaning quick and fun LAN on games like Halo or Gears. My most memorable gaming moments are on console with friends

but imagine shield like devices that are portable and can everything in  a more convent package.

[atomicmonkey101]

but imagine shield like devices that are portable and can everything in  a more convent package.

 

True, but that is still considered a console replacement. I am still talking about consoles as in a high end stem box though, so PC is not discounted. If they moved Halo to PC and added local multiplayer I would for sure build a steam box or whatever.

[digitalnav]

True, but that is still considered a console replacement. I am still talking about consoles as in a high end stem box though, so PC is not discounted. If they moved Halo to PC and added local multiplayer I would for sure build a steam box or whatever.

Give it 5 years...

[Zyphera]

I think much of Microsoft's bad performance lately be can derived to stack ranking. The moral in Microsoft got lowered substantially when it was introduced.