GCDC: Next generation could see unified console - Dyack Options

[Xbox-Scene]

GCDC: Next generation could see unified console - Dyack Posted by XanTium | August 21 12:23 EST | News Category: Xbox360

From gamesindustry.biz: [QUOTE] Outspoken developer Denis Dyack outlined his vision of a one-console future in a speech at GCDC yesterday, arguing that the history of commoditization in other industries meant the standardisation of gaming hardware was an inevitability - and something we might see as soon as the next cycle of console hardware. In the future, companies like Sony, Microsoft, Toshiba, Samsung, Sharp and Dell would line up to deliver gaming systems of comparable power that supported all gaming software, Dyack predicted. In the rare case of a game that didn't work, "it would be the hardware manufacturer's fault", he said, removing a number of burdens from software developers' shoulders. This standardisation, as he put it, would mean better hardware at lower prices, the abolition of a first-party product approval service, cheaper development due to the loss of multiple SKUs, resultant lower game prices, and a 100 percent market share for developers to target rather than a range of big fractions marked Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft, which is the current model. [/QUOTE] Full Story: gamesindustry.biz

[eyric101]

Dream on my friend. Who would collect the license fee? Do you think Microsoft would want to share it? The worse thing about dreams is..you have to wake up eventually.

[the soul poet]

If only, hmm windows based

[Stejosh]

Seeing as only the other day Ms said they were already working on the next "XBOX" i cant see this happening. more money down the drain

Ste

[360-Sagacious]

And I dream of world peace. But That isn't going to happen either.

[djtonic]

Great idea, almost as good as communism and socialism! What's next FREE HEALTHCARE....er, I joke but here we are, ready to vote in a communist president in 08! Go Clinton, pass a law for unified console architecture and criminalize every free will and private enterprise while taking all my money! Just what we need.
Oh, and while we are at it the UN should just run the world as one central government, then life would be "FAIR" for everyone!

'Vote for Pedro'

~Dj~

[0794]

as gaming consoles become more and more (hardware-wise) like consumer PCs it is not much of a stretch to see platform-specific games (or other proprietary software) become a thing of the past. especially since these "gaming consoles" are becoming closer and closer to achieving the throne as the center of multimedia entertainment in our homes...and from an overall business sense it works in a free market - the only question will be can a single model be accepted as we have already seen what happened with the split in optical media formats...

[Ickypoopy]

If they cannot agree on a hi-definition optical disc format, what makes anyone think they can agree on a single gaming console format?

If you want a "single" platform that most people can use, its here now, and it is called "Windows."

[biga55]

Dream on my friend. Who would collect the license fee? Do you think Microsoft would want to share it? The worse thing about dreams is..you have to wake up eventually.

LOL "dream on" was exactly what I was going to post when I read the story.

[jonny_eh]

If they cannot agree on a hi-definition optical disc format, what makes anyone think they can agree on a single gaming console format?

If you want a "single" platform that most people can use, its here now, and it is called "Windows."

Too true, especially since the HD disc formats are VERY similar.

Where would the hardware innovation come from if there was standard hardware? Competition is what makes the gaming scene so awesome.

[djtonic]

as gaming consoles become more and more (hardware-wise) like consumer PCs it is not much of a stretch to see platform-specific games (or other proprietary software) become a thing of the past. especially since these "gaming consoles" are becoming closer and closer to achieving the throne as the center of multimedia entertainment in our homes...and from an overall business sense it works in a free market - the only question will be can a single model be accepted as we have already seen what happened with the split in optical media formats...

Pcs are "platform-specific" Developers need to release a windows version, a mac version and a linux version. There may be similar hardware in each PC but there is a lot of different code and programming involved for multiple distributions of a title. This is not anywhere as simple as the optical format "war" Unified console will have a major decline in innovation of hardware and software as well as a delay in progression of both.
~~Think about it further before you decide that it is good for a free-market. It is bad and will eliminate competition which is only good in a socialist economy..hence my first post!

[Caboose87]

They already have this, it's called a PC.

[Tiuk]

As early as next generation? No way in hell.

[0794]

Pcs are "platform-specific" Developers need to release a windows version, a mac version and a linux version. There may be similar hardware in each PC but there is a lot of different code and programming involved for multiple distributions of a title. This is not anywhere as simple as the optical format "war" Unified console will have a major decline in innovation of hardware and software as well as a delay in progression of both.
~~Think about it further before you decide that it is good for a free-market. It is bad and will eliminate competition which is only good in a socialist economy..hence my first post!

good point about PCs actually being platform-specific - i was a little short-sighted on that one but i guess that i was relating more to gaming which is primarily done on windows machines and not as often on linux nor mac...

i don't really foresee the "major decline in hardware and software" as all companies would want the consumer to buy their company's product - very similar to dell, gateway, hp, sony, etc with their computer hardware - innovation is not stifled there at all.

some seem to take this analyst's prediction that each company would sell the exact same hardware and software - which is not true. thus competition will he enhanced (and not "eliminated") as each company wants the consumer demand for their specific product.

[epsilon72]

I already have one of these....it's called a 'computer'