How many console generations are left?

A console generation is defined as a new “line” of products launching. If you’re asking “when will companies stop releasing new video game products” then hopefully the answer is never. That means either tech is no longer advancing or consumers no longer have the means to purchase new products.

Video games aren’t going anywhere.

There was a moment in history where console gaming production was near non-existent and the future of consoles was taken for dead, globally and the industry was in disarray except PC gaming. I wonder what it was called?

I have a feeling after the PS5 or whatever something bad is going to happen to the gaming industry. I actually can’t even imagine life in 2030, I wonder if forums like this will even exist. It’s popularity is already waning, seems like the only games people are interested in these days are Fortnite.

Well the IMDB forums where killed off, wouldn't be surprised if Gamespot dies in the next decade or less. I mean did we even imagine social media back in the early 1990's? I agree, something unheard of is going to dominate our lives by 2030.

If anything, it should be a golden age for gaming. 2030s and the gaming landscape approaches Ready Player One.

As for the topic: Consoles will eventually disappear. Never is a long time. I don't think there will be an 11th console generation, at that point it will likely be streamed or just no defined generations. 10th gen consoles will finally give us true photorealism though with real-time pathtracing definitely being viable by then, at least in VR since it's easier to achieve with VR.

I think there will continue to be consoles, but I think we are reaching a point where console devs will release a system, and then just release incremental updates to that system over the years. I don't think the "console gen cycle" will continue to exist as it has.

PS9 is the final "console". Sony already announced that years ago. There will be no need for anything else as the PS9 will basically be the Matrix.

I think you are already living in the Matrix.

I'm pretty sure the X1X is generationless, it's more like an organic living being and will only become stronger with time thus crushing PlayStation out of history.

None, MS declared as much. So they have written "MS slaps chest" so shall it be done. lol :P

48619

The tech keeps improving ! :)

And there's no way to 100% disprove what you've just said....

@scatteh316: surely if we were in the matrix the threads on SW wouldn’t be this shit!

I predict a Japanese gaming crash to mirror the US one in the 80s. Then, the consoles will realign themselves to match those in the past, according to their evolution.

• Atari 2600 <=> Playstation
• SG-1000 <=> Dreamcast
• NES <=> Playstation 2
• Master System <=> Xbox
• Atari 7800 <=> Gamecube
• Genesis <=> Xbox 360
• SNES <=> Playstaiton 3
• Atari Jaguar <=> Wii U
• Saturn <=> Xbox One
• Playstation <=> Playstation 4

In the following generation, the PS5 will have become the new Atari 7800, while Nintendo's console will have become the new NES. The reason for this is that, instead of targeting gamers, Sony will attempt a Vita successor in a crowded market, the Japanese one, and mobile users will pass.

When crazy fast internet and cloud processing are the norm. Consoles will be built in to TVs or like an Amazon Fire Stick.

Sony has been investing heavily into streaming games. Although quality is not all there yet it is the way of the future. Microsoft knows this as well, but since streaming sucks currently they let you download the games with DRM.

Speaking of DRM which was like a curse word against your mother. Digital game sales are over half of new game sales now and growing. Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime are as well. Eventually owning a game disc will be like having the newspaper delivered to your house.

I think console generations will be more limited to global economics conditions of the next couple decades. Gaming consumerism will likely see a retraction as resources that make affordable gaming hardware become more expensive to acquire, as the expendable incomes of consumers tightens. Who knows if we'll still enjoy the infrastructures that push high speed internet or even affordable electricity for that matter. Who knows if people will even enjoy the leisurely time we now take for granted. But, we can always fall back on tabletop games.

And yet you are the only person in this thread not to contribute anything to the topic. Interesting or lazy?

lazy

1-2. Then we'll shift to streaming.

Hardware-based consoles are on their last legs. They struggle more and more to output modern graphics at a reasonable price.

Streaming devices are cheaper to manufacturer, offer better performance than hardware-based consoles, and can last longer (almost indefinitely) before becoming obsolete, allowing manufacturers to focus more on software, which is the real money maker.

^^

1 generation left. Microsoft is ruingng the concept of generations.

Extremely difficult to say... but eventually, you'd imagine that a dedicated console won't be needed as everything will be streamed. Or at least a very small device that's 100% digital.

But I still think that is some time away.