If one of the Big Three had to close up shop and get out of the console business, which would you choose?

I don't want this to ever happen. Instead, can we have Samsung or Apple get into the mix? I would love that.

@hardwenzen: An Apple console would be....

Yeah, just no.

However, if Sega made a new console I'd be getting in line at 3 AM for that shit.

Probably Nintendo honestly. They can then focus all of their efforts on software while putting their games on Xbox, Playstation, and PC. And also with the rise of other handheld systems, Nintendo games would still be portable and finally unleashed on top end hardware.

Probably go with Sony myself. Wouldn’t really miss their hardware. Their controller is my least favourite of the big three current console makers.

I wouldn’t want any of them to drop out of the console race because to me, they all bring something different to the table. Now from my perspective, it looks like the Xbox would be the console closer to being discontinued due to MS new approach with games and gamers.

Sega is a welfare company, they will never get into the console business. I named Apple and Samsung because these two could very easily. And i am not sure what's wrong with Apple competing, it would only put some fire under Sony's ass to release more than one game per year.

Sony for their Japanese censorship.

They can all go out of business for all I care.😈

MS is slowly moving into the digital world, so they'll still be in business, just not on the hardware side. But Sony & Nintendo, not so much😏🤭

All of them. Fuk console exclusives. I would rather they focus on making quality games for open hardware like any other major publisher.

Certainly Microsoft.

My answer would have been different in the 360 generation, but times have changed. MS went from the company looking to expand its game IP diversity and make unique stuff, while leading the way to online console gaming with FREE online play and superior software and voice comm services...to whatever this is today. Also ran, profit driven, safe. Forza, Gears, Halo on repeat with the occasional new title or IP refresh along the way (Sea of Thieves, Perfect Dark, Ori). I can't really think of much else they've brought to the table in the last 15 years that couldn't have been done just as well or better by someone else.

Killer Instinct? Kameo? ReCore? Ori? Sunset Overdrive? All could have been on other platforms easily, and better. Microsoft wasn't even smart enough to pick up the Sunset Overdrive studio, to Sony's great benefit. While letting great IPs with big potential like Killer Instinct, Kameo, Project Gotham, Crimson Skies, Mech Assault, and Perfect Dark wither on the vine and die on their shelf of forgotten but loved IPs.

Yea, Microsoft can go. They wouldn't be missed. Again, if their online play was free and if they were still taking chances and innovating, I'd feel very differently. But as a safe also-ran, it's just not good enough. With due respect to game pass.

Of the three at this point I'd say Xbox, and with the way things are looking I wouldn't be surprised to see them leave traditional console wars behind and go strictly digital subscription. Which honestly wouldn't make much of a difference.

OG Xbox and the 360 were sublime, but they've lost the plot since 2010. Goodbye Xbox.

Microsoft. I game on a Windows PC so I already have access to their catalog.

In the next decade there won't be console hardware, it will all be digital and 100% profit for the companies.

Sony, the world could do without their fanboys. And the shitfit that would ensue from them would be endlessly entertaining for years and years.

I just want the GPU market to collapse so that bassman is forced to play on console.

Well, I basically want all the Big 3 to stay in business.

Gaming consoles are affordable and easy to set up, yet allow you to play the latest popular games. It helps to spread the gaming culture to a wider audience. In fact, for the majority of people who just want to play their favorite games without any weird fetish for resolution or frame rate (or stuttering, haha), a $1500+ gaming PC is a bit of a stretch, and a console around $300-500 fits the bill.

Also, with the Big 3 competing, there is competition in console prices and subscription services, or game quality, resulting in even more consumer-friendly prices, services, and game quality. This is because they can, for example, make up any losses with software sales of their hardware, and other, say, PC hardware manufacturers cannot do the same.

However, if one of them has to go, I would choose MS, simply because their hardware and games are the least attractive overall compared to the other 2.

*nods*

I think MS clearly brings the least to the table.

None of them, but if I had to choose, I play Sony consoles the least... So them by default.

Are you talking about console as a hardware then all 3 can go. Actually I'm quite sure that outside of Nintendo, this is the last 'console' generation or at best the last decade. The way things are going I highly doubt there will be consoles by the time 2030 rolls around.

Xbots will vote for Sony and Ponies will vote for Microsoft so sadly this vote will just come down to who has the most fanboys on this particular website.

Personally I voted for Nintendo because I haven't owned a Nintendo system since the GameCube and their games are the least appealing to me.

Nintendo assuming they'd still be making games ....Their games don't appeal to me all that much and on the off chance they put something out I do care about ... I'd rather not buy their lame hardware.

If Sony or MS dropped out, I think the other would start being more dickish to customers since their main competition is gone. Don't think it's as much of an issue if Nintendo dropped out since they are not directly competing with anyone at this point.

In this Hypothetical scenario i would choose Nintendo purely on the fact i don't or never have owned one of their systems.

But Sony would be a very close 2nd,their CEO and face of their product is a compulsive liar and judging by the Sony showcase an average at best first party offering going forward.

Easily Sony. They bring nothing to the table. All they have ever done is copy everyone and use their big bank account and media muscle to bully other companies. They also censor games like crazy to appease their Chinese overlords. The day Sony is destroyed by Microsoft and Nintendo will be the day gamers can rejoice in true freedom and truly prosper. Down with dictators!

Even though I like their consoles, given how defensive they've been on the "we'll share" mentality of the Activision buyout (though "f*** you" if you like modern Bethesda games on anything but Xbox/PC), it's MS...

Yea, sadly this is objectively true, but hopefully they can turn it around the real way, which is to invest in their own companies, not trying to buy major 3rd parties all the time.

Hewlett Packard. lol :P

Except they would have more platforms to focus on, which guarantees worse versions of ports, if not their own games without a centralized platform.

If I had to choose one, probably Sony. They mostly produce boring games for boring people, and the very little they produce that is actually worth to play could easily be released elsewhere. They also make shit controllers and always have. Pretty big downside for a gaming company, I must say..

If i had to pick one, Nintendo without hesitation. I haven't cared for any of their games, hardware, or controllers for years. I also don't like their emphasis on selling added peripherals or their lack of BC and 3rd party support.

Hard to argue against this.

Xbox. I feel like they don't do enough to incentivize console players. It's not that they don't have enough people using their platform (they definitely do) but it's hard to justify an Xbox especially if you already own a gaming PC.

PC literally gets the same games, (with the exception of some split screen modes if you're really particular), they (Xbox) don't have exclusives, which goes hand in hand with the fact that they have barely any killer apps, they don't have any cool gimmicks. (Like the Switch or PSVR), Series S in particular has no disc drive for Blu-rays (Xbox giveth and they taketh away). They stripped down GWG from what it was last gen. Yada yada yada I could go on for a while.

If they were to close up shop, (let's say exited console business and just made computer games) I think I would be fine with that.

All of them! Consoles are evil and create gamer tribalism.

Lol, wouldn't go that far

Honestly, the dualsense is my favorite controller pretty much ever. Use it every day. As for their other hardware, well, hit or miss.

Might as well just nuke the entire games industry then!

Lol, Sega sees enough success. But what needs to happens is they need to pitch a console, and investors can pay for it.

Google, Apple, Samsung, Amazon are your options otherwise. And those are some sad fucking options.

Just console making? I would LOVE for Nintendo games to be made available to better hardware, so them.

If we are talking all aspects, consoles and games, then MS.

Sony, not a fan of the controller or thier 1st party, lack backwards compatibility,also they lack integrating their console with PC. MS and Ninty stays.

I think sales numbers speak for themselves. MS made Xbox almost irrelevant by releasing everything on PC and making gamepass cheaper on PC. Their controller is basically the same for the last 10 years, still using old battery tech and not bothering advancing much on it. Not even a VR option on Xbox still.

I'd be fine with Playstation or Xbox going bye bye at this point. As long as one of them was still around.

It's a tough one but I have to go with ms if pushed. Can't get rid of Nintendo for nostalgia purposes and Sony is my system of choice this gen.

Yea, sadly this is objectively true, but hopefully they can turn it around the real way, which is to invest in their own companies, not trying to buy major 3rd parties all the time.

If just leaving the console manufacturing? Nintendo. Excellent games, but their service isn't the best. I would love to play their games on Steam.

Otherwise, Sony.

Nice joke. The second Nintendo stops releasing consoles, you will be the first raging on SW, and let everyone know how unhappy you're about the situation. There is no way that a vintage sheep such as yourself would accept Nintendo exiting the console business. I don't believe it one bit.