Anyone else NOT anticipating the next generation of consoles?

ok ive ranted about this a couple of times on GT, and most users there think im insane, but im curious who agrees with me?

i am in no way fully satisfied witht his gens games.

yes there are some great games, but there is little to no innovation in most of them. most of thise gans games are better looking versions of last gens games.

when ps2 came out, it felt right...it had done all it could and it was time to move on, it (and other consoles) had a ton of titled that really impacted the way people thought of games. Resident evil, virtua fighter, final fantasy 7, Mario 64, metal gear solid all made huge impacts (not to mention the way that the playstation reinvented the art of storytelling in video games) on what we as gamers perceived a game to be.

this gen i can think of one game that got across the same impact; Grand Theft Auto 3.

it just dosent feel like its time to move on. nothing comming out this fall/winter looks like it will have that impact or innovation either, and its a shame...is innovation dead are are we just too closed minded to accept the next level of innovation?

guess im alone here too ^^

all i know is i love the snes days...

As it stands, with no real knowledge of upcoming games, I see no reason to get any. Once I see the upcoming titles, I'll make my decision.

I know Im not anticipating getting a next gen console as much as I anticipated getting my PS2 and Gamecube (I bought my Xbox a few days after I decided to get one, so I did not do any anticipating).
I suppose my anticipation could increase when when I actually see next gen games (Besides Elder Scrolls 4).

I agree fully. I dont care for gaming as much as I used to pre 128-bit cause of the endless sequels and unoriginal games that aren't innovative at all. Its like the gaming companies don't even care about entertaining the consumer anymore and all they do care about is making $$$.

No you're not alone. I feel the same way. Lack of innovation in games, and too many games being released at one time.

Its been awhile since I've played a game so good that I played it for 24 hours in a row. Lately all I feel like that most of the games being released are loads of overhyped crap. I don't care how pretty the games are and how powerful the system is, if the game is boring as hell, the controls suck, and it is the same generic plot being rehashed over and over again, then it is no fun to play.

No, I'm not looking forward to the next's gen of consoles. And being a cheap ass has nothing to do with it.

I agree with punq, but as time goes on it gets harder to innovate. Nintendo is usually the one to do this though (Recently Donkey Konga). The built in hard drive for xbox was an innovation that will surely be copied in the next generation(Ps3, xbox2, revolution). Also, Xbox live set the bar for online play, with a great voice system and a huge subscriber list. Nintendo could have gone sumwhere when gba connectivity, but they shaq-fued that up.

i see your point, but the technology limts the innovation.

Dont forget Metroid Prime, that's like THE game for me this generation. Haven't had a gaming experience like that in a long time.

I am not ready to move on, because college is expensive, and I don't want to shell out the cash for new systems!

I think you're mostly corredt punq, except as far as Nintendo is concerned. Just look at Iwata's constant comments on not wanting to go online, not wanting to make the most powerful (as far as numbers go) machine. It's not because he wants to limit fun. As far as online goes, his main underlying theme is that consumers don't want to pay extra for a subscription, pay for broadband (if they don't already have it), etc. Look at http://www.n-sider.com/newsview.php?type=day&date=2004-10-06#661 (and www.demasked.com in the future). That is showing that Nintendo is now bringing wireless multiplayer to gamers through a partnership with Warp Pipe. Hopefully, we will find out more of the details (and more) tomorrow. As far as the latest technology, Iwata keeps talking about how they will continue to build upon the current Gamecube model to make new ways of having fun and that they plan on the GCN to last at least 4-5 years into the next generation. They are not giving up on it like they did the 64. And he also says that Revolution will truly change the way we think about playing videogames. I know that these are mostly just sound bites, but given the rumors concerning DS (especially if they pan out to be as or more exciting than they have been built up to be) and given Nintendo's track record with innovation and their devotion to the consumer, I think we can always count on Nintendo.

IMO, I think that if the videogame industry suddenly went back to being a niche market tomorrow, instead of the mass market thing we have today, the only of the big three who would be able to survive would be Nintendo. That's because they have the most loyal fan base. And there's good reason for that. Anyway, that's more of a rant than I was expecting, and there's my two cents. Take it for what it's worth...

I agree. The reason N64 and PSone made such an impact because it changes from 2D to 3D. And that's revolution.
Same thing for NES, which expands the simple gameplay from Pong to Mario. Then SNES, which is similar to PS2 this generation, is a refinement of NES (PS2 refine 3D from PSone, and so as GC refine N64).
If the next generation doesn't have anything exciting, it could be bad. Because the Xbox PS2 GC already refine 3D to near its limit. They can already create some amazing stuffs like Halo 2 and Resident Evil 4 graphically.
This is what Nintendo is thinking. They openly said that the graphics this generation can already provide enough power for any kind of gameplay. So they are going in the direction to change the gameplay. And first they are testing it with the DS.

donkey konga is a niche title, if it gets more then 5 games that use the drum id be shocked.

online play isnt an innovation, pc games have done it since the mid 90's. thats like calling mouse and keyboard support innovative.

2d to 3d was a big leap, but i highly doubt 3d (or 2d for that matter) gameplay has been stretched to its limits.

another innovative title i rememberd was wario ware.

[quote name='punqsux']donkey konga is a niche title, if it gets more then 5 games that use the drum id be shocked.

online play isnt an innovation, pc games have done it since the mid 90's. thats like calling mouse and keyboard support innovative.[/quote]

Yeah, I was going to list some titles, including Donkey Konga, but decided the same thing there.
And that was part of my point with online play. And that's why Nintendo hasn't gone with it, because there is nothing exciting in it to them.

[quote name='punqsux']2d to 3d was a big leap, but i highly doubt 3d (or 2d for that matter) gameplay has been stretched to its limits.

another innovative title i rememberd was wario ware.[/quote]

It was a big leap. The funny thing is, it wasn't 3D that did it. It was innovation in it's execution. There were plenty of 3D titles on PC and PS and such before the 64 came out. But everyone pretty much recognizes Super Mario 64 as the Grand-daddy of the 3D video game.

On a tangent: Speaking of a game by Shigeru Miyamoto and the game Wario Ware; Miyamoto is considered one of, if not the, most creative and innovative people in the industry. And he has stated how jealous he is of Yoshio Sakamoto for creating Wario Ware. That's a big compliment, IMO, comming from the man. My point being, Nintendo is not the only place innovations are capable of coming from, they are just the ones who try the hardest (and thus succeed most often).

In all honesty, I'm not to into this generation. I loved the NES when I was a kid and absolutedly adored Genesis. I was gonna buy a N64 or Saturn during the 32-bit days but honestly PSX just had the better game support. Finally when the Dreamcast came along I was in heaven. That console seemed to have some truly original and fun games and it's a shame it had such a short life. I can see Sega coming out with some more innovative titles in the future but not until they are finacially stable. Although, since they are under Sammy now, I can their creativity being limited.

For this next generation I really look forward to the Nintendo Revolution. With recent titles like Wario Ware and Donkey Konga, I believe Nintendo may have enough guts to make some great new innovations in the game market. Judging by this generation, I doubt the Xbox2 (or whatever the name is) or PS3 will be much different than the current-gen.

The one thing I look forward to next generation is cheaper prices of this-gen games so I can catch all the titles I've missed. I also am hoping Microsoft and Nintendo can make appropriate adjustments to their strategies and consoles to really make this console war interesting again. I really hope Nintendo's Revolution is truly unique and that Xbox2 has a more diversified line-up.

Am I looking forward to the next-gen? Well yes. Then video games may become innovative once again.
[/rant]

On a side note, the latest OPM has an article on the PS3. Most people are estimating a next gen console costing 500$ and up. 500$!! you could blow that on something better than a game console!

[quote name='crystalklear64']On a side note, the latest OPM has an article on the PS3. Most people are estimating a next gen console costing 500$ and up. 500$!! you could blow that on something better than a game console![/quote]


good lord thats 100 cc games XoD

Console makers are smart enough to know that if they stick their prices up too high that they will lose consumers. SONY is probably the smartest at this (undercutting the Saturn by 100 dollars, and then knowing people would be willing to pay an extra 100 for a DVD drive).


Also, I hate the last generation of games. Blocky 3D graphics just piss me off. I am happy with this generation of games, but with new graphics come new ways to interact with enviroments and with new technology comes with more ways to bring about innovation

I agree that this generation of hardware is plenty powerful enough to make awesome games, and innovation needs to be the driving force for the next year (at least), rather than better graphics, etc.

I'd like to see more innovation in the area of input devices. Eye Toy is a great start, though limited right now by technology. The Dancepads for DDR are another great device, though I don't play that game myself. The GC bongos look like fun (though, as someone said, they don't really seem to hae a wide range of application).

[quote name='Backlash']

I'd like to see more innovation in the area of input devices. Eye Toy is a great start, though limited right now by technology. The Dancepads for DDR are another great device, though I don't play that game myself. The GC bongos look like fun (though, as someone said, they don't really seem to hae a wide range of application).[/quote]

gimmicky controllers are a favorite of mine...i love light gun games, i love ddr, i love donkey konga, i suck at samba de amigo, but i still like it, but the thing is, none of these games really make an impact. the most sucessful thus far has been ddr/dancepads and i doubt you could say that that isnt a niche market.

i would love to see a new type of controller take off and have wide 3rd party support, but people are just determined to play games with their thumbs i guess =o\

Another potential problem for the next generation (and partly this one) is that some of the machines are focusing more on "other than gaming" aspects.

PS2 and X-box can play dvds, that's fine. Why people would worry if a system will have DVDRW or mp3 capabilites when just about all of them already own a home computer that can do just that. The cost of a system and 1 controller are looking to be higher than ever. I'll be fine for a while either way, as I still have a pile of games to play and there are still plenty of titles coming out to keep me busy.

I have faith in Nintendo as far as the next console price. Just look at the DS as an example of what's to come.

Well I agree with Punq's sentiments, but I totally disagree with the reasons.

I'm not anticipating the next series of consoles because I have a shit ton of AAA games to play through. I mean seriously, if the VG industry collapsed tommorow I'd still be playing the current games till I'm in my late 50s.

As for Punq's reasons: they're all based off nostagia. Yes the past wazs fun, but it's still the past. That newness factor that came from the leap up from 16 bit to 32/64 bit will never be matched, never. To say that the only innovating game to have come out this generation is GTA3 is just plain silly. Even if meant from a sales point-of-view it's still very silly. We live in the greatest era of games ever and the only thing people can say is how much the industry sucks now, there's no innovation, blah, blah, blah. I was once a victom of nostagia and, in many ways, I still am, but I've learned to let the past go and concentrate on the future.

Let go of nostagia before it consumes you, just look at dennisdfat

I'm not looking forward to the next gen because I think they are rushing it out. Usually most of hte best games for a console come in the last year or two of it's development. If you cut out those two years to crap out another console youve lost the best stuff. Not to mention the fact that I'll have to shell out another wad of cash to stay current.

actually I really didn't care when this batch came out. I just got my GC last year in November, and plan on getting a ps2 before the year ends.

[quote name='evilpenguin9000']I'm not looking forward to the next gen because I think they are rushing it out. Usually most of hte best games for a console come in the last year or two of it's development. If you cut out those two years to crap out another console youve lost the best stuff. Not to mention the fact that I'll have to shell out another wad of cash to stay current.[/quote]

That's why Satoru Iwata has said that they will not abondon the GCN as they did the N64. He has said that Nintendo will continue to push the GCN and come up with new and innovative ideas and that they plan on it lasting around 4-5 years into the next generation. Notice also that the Nintendo Revolution has not been focused on new graphical technologies, but will also focus on innovation.

Think it's hype? Look at all of what's surrounding the DS right now (and in the coming weeks).

[quote name='Zenithian Legend']actually I really didn't care when this batch came out. I just got my GC last year in November, and plan on getting a ps2 before the year ends.[/quote]

I agree. Bought the GCN back when RE came out (it was about six months old), but I still have yet to buy a PS2 (or PS1 for that matter). I bought an Xbox about 20 months ago and it was one of the biggest mistakes of my life... I've logged probably about 3-4 hours on the thing (then it broke).

I love all three of my current generation consoles. Next June I"m going to get a new PC and ride that along for until a year after the next gen of systems come outl

Gaming is turning into the movie industry... It will be harder now to filter out all the bullshit being churned out by companies.

I miss classic, turn-based, pre-rendered RPGs... I still play FF IX and my PSone and SNES games.

I think games like Viewtiful Joe and Metroid Prime are pretty grand acheivements for this generation. But I don't want an all-in-one media device next gen... I want a Video Game Console.

[quote name='dental_regurgitation']Gaming is turning into the movie industry... It will be harder now to filter out all the bullshit being churned out by companies.

I miss classic, turn-based, pre-rendered RPGs... I still play FF IX and my PSone and SNES games.

I think games like Viewtiful Joe and Metroid Prime are pretty grand acheivements for this generation. But I don't want an all-in-one media device next gen... I want a Video Game Console.[/quote]

That's what Nintendo has said all along...

When I was a dumd teenager, all I cared about was graphics. I would always be wondering, "When is the next Sony or Nintendo sytem coming out? I wonder how it will look. I am excited!!"

But when I look at the graphics of this generation, they are good enough to suck us into their world. We need more great games, not a new system that will have mediocre games (most launch games are not that great, but just show off the system's power). Just when this gen is picking up steam, they want to start over.

I know, it's all about money. As long as they still make games for this gen, then I will not buy the next gen consoles.

[quote name='miriamleo']I agree. The reason N64 and PSone made such an impact because it changes from 2D to 3D. And that's revolution.
Same thing for NES, which expands the simple gameplay from Pong to Mario. Then SNES, which is similar to PS2 this generation, is a refinement of NES (PS2 refine 3D from PSone, and so as GC refine N64).
If the next generation doesn't have anything exciting, it could be bad. Because the Xbox PS2 GC already refine 3D to near its limit. They can already create some amazing stuffs like Halo 2 and Resident Evil 4 graphically.
This is what Nintendo is thinking. They openly said that the graphics this generation can already provide enough power for any kind of gameplay. So they are going in the direction to change the gameplay. And first they are testing it with the DS.[/quote]

I agree with your statemnet on how the SNES was a refinement of the NES. That analogy can be used towards this generation. I see that towards the end of this gneration on towards next generation, Nintendo has the ball in their court. They are starting to be the leaders in innovation and games that are just fun and a blast to pick up and play. People still associate game in general with Nintendo and if so it is make or break time for NIntendo. If they don't show to the world that they are still a viable large great gaming company then they will falter and they will cease to be. The hardcore gamers, us and others out ther, already know what NIntendo has and can offer and that they are some of the best, but the world is starting to think in the direction of Sony. we need to cultivate this generation of game players to think in innovation and games from a differnet angle, to used the cliche think out of the box and get out of the normal humdrum of games. GTA3 is a good example. It came out, everybody was like wow, and then you have three thousand carbon copy's. The same can be said in the early years of the fighter. You had many copy cats of fighter and then the industry started to weed out the weak from the strong.

Ultimately, the video game industry is going to become more and more hollywood style. You will have yolur games that will make you feel "wow" but very much for the most part, you will see many games that are just blow this up action rompfests. They need to understand that the story is very much a part of the game as much as graphics and gameplay. Why do you think people continueally go to see movies that are basically different ideas on the same plot? Good guy wins, bad guy loses, action action action. They have to find a way to bring people in. People enjoy the same good story, but they want it to be different.

I don't see any reason why we can't increase the life span of every generation. Why does it have to be an average of about 4-5 years? By keeping with current hardware developers will be forced to innovate instead of just going to a new system and doing the same ole' same ole' with better graphics.

I dont feel excited also about the next generation of consoles. Let it be because we dont have the specs on the systems and what they will be added with (DVD - TIVO). Overall, I hate that console companies promise so much with their systems and they dont deliver. I dont want to purchase any console on launch because I know, I can get it for half that with a game, a year later. Overall I can wait because I have other things that are important to invest my money on.

[quote name='hiccupleftovers'][quote name='miriamleo']I agree. The reason N64 and PSone made such an impact because it changes from 2D to 3D. And that's revolution.
Same thing for NES, which expands the simple gameplay from Pong to Mario. Then SNES, which is similar to PS2 this generation, is a refinement of NES (PS2 refine 3D from PSone, and so as GC refine N64).
If the next generation doesn't have anything exciting, it could be bad. Because the Xbox PS2 GC already refine 3D to near its limit. They can already create some amazing stuffs like Halo 2 and Resident Evil 4 graphically.
This is what Nintendo is thinking. They openly said that the graphics this generation can already provide enough power for any kind of gameplay. So they are going in the direction to change the gameplay. And first they are testing it with the DS.[/quote]

I agree with your statemnet on how the SNES was a refinement of the NES. That analogy can be used towards this generation. I see that towards the end of this gneration on towards next generation, Nintendo has the ball in their court. They are starting to be the leaders in innovation and games that are just fun and a blast to pick up and play. People still associate game in general with Nintendo and if so it is make or break time for NIntendo. If they don't show to the world that they are still a viable large great gaming company then they will falter and they will cease to be. The hardcore gamers, us and others out ther, already know what NIntendo has and can offer and that they are some of the best, but the world is starting to think in the direction of Sony. we need to cultivate this generation of game players to think in innovation and games from a differnet angle, to used the cliche think out of the box and get out of the normal humdrum of games. GTA3 is a good example. It came out, everybody was like wow, and then you have three thousand carbon copy's. The same can be said in the early years of the fighter. You had many copy cats of fighter and then the industry started to weed out the weak from the strong.

Ultimately, the video game industry is going to become more and more hollywood style. You will have yolur games that will make you feel "wow" but very much for the most part, you will see many games that are just blow this up action rompfests. They need to understand that the story is very much a part of the game as much as graphics and gameplay. Why do you think people continueally go to see movies that are basically different ideas on the same plot? Good guy wins, bad guy loses, action action action. They have to find a way to bring people in. People enjoy the same good story, but they want it to be different.[/quote]

That's how I feel, pretty much. Nintendo has the only innovation out of the Big Three. Some other companies do too, but out of the hardware manufacturers, only Nintnedo is up to the task. But you mentioned GTA3, a big part of the success there is shock value. I personally don't feel that there is a lot of innovation in a go around and kill everyone game. I like VP George Harrison's comment that, "...Mario will never shoot hookers." Nintendo doesn't need shock value to sell a game.

You say that now, but when it gets closer, you may change your view once we get a better idea of what is to come.

[quote name='basketkase543']I don't see any reason why we can't increase the life span of every generation. Why does it have to be an average of about 4-5 years? By keeping with current hardware developers will be forced to innovate instead of just going to a new system and doing the same ole' same ole' with better graphics.[/quote]

Exaclty. Good Point.

I'm looking forward to the next gen consoles. Imagine the clearance bins for this gen's games?! Woop.

I doubt I'll be picking an of the next gen consoles up at launch, but it will be cool to see the improvements in graphics, etc.

One thing that is awesome with this gen's stuff is the fully voiced dialogue. KOTOR wouldn't have been half as enjoyable without fully voiced dialogue IMO.

Plus there are so many great games out there you can pick up cheap. I don't remember it being like that in the NES and SNES days (the cartridge format may have something to do with that.) Like a few months ago I picked up Max Payne XB for $6.50 shipped (pre-owned) and that is a hell of a game.

[quote name='hiccupleftovers'][quote name='basketkase543']I don't see any reason why we can't increase the life span of every generation. Why does it have to be an average of about 4-5 years? By keeping with current hardware developers will be forced to innovate instead of just going to a new system and doing the same ole' same ole' with better graphics.[/quote]

Exaclty. Good Point.[/quote]

It's all about what the big wigs think consumers want and will spend money on. That's always the bottom line in business.

I disagree that GTA3's success was largely due to shock value. That's all anyone seems to want to talk about, but there is no way it would have sold half as well as it did if it were a terrible game. Look at something like State of Emergency--the game just wasn't that great, and the only reason it sold as well as it did was because of the Rockstar logo. The shock value was there--possibly more so than GTA--but the gameplay couldn't hold its own; this is why it is destined to be a forgotten title.
A game like GTA3 is certainly revolutionary--although it wasn't the first of it's kind, it took gaming to a new level and almost single handedly shattered the myth that "games are for kids." It will forever be known as the title that brought adult-oriented games into the mainstream.

im with ya punq it doesnt feel like its time to move on

I really like this thread : )

[quote name='basketkase543']
I don't see any reason why we can't increase the life span of every generation. Why does it have to be an average of about 4-5 years? By keeping with current hardware developers will be forced to innovate instead of just going to a new system and doing the same ole' same ole' with better graphics.[/quote]

Honestly this generation probably would have lasted longer if it wasn' t for XBox. Microsoft made a mistake in designing such a high cost console. With every Xbox sold, Microsoft loses a lot more money than Sony does on every PS2. Because of the high costs of the Xbox, Microsoft has gone with something more cost efficient for the Next-gen so they can more readily compete. Since Microsoft is pushing the next gen, Nintendo and Sony need to have consoles prepared so they dont miss out on any profit opportunities. If the Xbox didn't cost Microsoft so much money to make, I could see this generation lasting a lot longer. Here's hoping for a longer next gen (say 8 years?)

[quote name='defiance_17']I disagree that GTA3's success was largely due to shock value. That's all anyone seems to want to talk about, but there is no way it would have sold half as well as it did if it were a terrible game. Look at something like State of Emergency--the game just wasn't that great, and the only reason it sold as well as it did was because of the Rockstar logo. The shock value was there--possibly more so than GTA--but the gameplay couldn't hold its own; this is why it is destined to be a forgotten title.
A game like GTA3 is certainly revolutionary--although it wasn't the first of it's kind, it took gaming to a new level and almost single handedly shattered the myth that "games are for kids." It will forever be known as the title that brought adult-oriented games into the mainstream.[/quote]

Hey now. I never said that GTA3 was a terrible game. I said that it's huge, widespread success was in part due to the shock value. It wouldn't have done nearly as well (if it would have even been noticed at all) if it had been the same gameplay with a G-Rated story.

Well, it is still early. The Next-Gen machines won't be out for another year or more, and they haven't even started hyping them yet. I am eagerly anticipating the Nintendo DS, and I am reserving judgement on the Sony PSP. Nintendo seems to have done a brilliant job combining innovation with nostalgia in Mario 64 DS -- That may be as much of a system seller as the original Mario 64 was on the N64.

The problem with innovations in gameplay lie not in the fact that they are difficult to make, but in the fact that they are difficult to sell. Faster processors are quantifiable, innovative gameplay is not, so the industry will continue to put out new machines to drive the market. There is a bit of a catch-22, the (marketer's perception of the) gamers need to change in order for the games to change, but the gamers can't change if the games aren't made available. Nintendo is the market leader in gameplay innovation. Not only games made by Nintendo, but games made for Nintendo systems tend to take the most chances, because a large portion of Nintendo's fanbase are niche gamers. Many of Nintendo's ideas fail in the market, but they continue to try, because, more often than not, it works for them. Sony is gaining ground, with the eyetoy peripheral (eyetoy play is $30 in the current sale at ebgames.com, in case you missed it. Get it if you haven't picked it up yet), DDR fanbase, and the stateside release of games like Katamari Damacy. Sony wades in where Nintendo dives, because Sony does not want to lose hold of the mass-market. Microsoft is mass-market all the way -- I am not saying that is necessarily a bad thing, they have some excellent games, but they don't take many risks (which makes it kind of ironic that many of their mainstream titles fail to sell well). I think if Microsoft hopes to gain any ground in the console war, the next Xbox needs to be more than just a pixel-pusher, they need to take some risks with gameplay.

Great games are possible on current-gen systems, and it remains to be seen if the improvements in technology of the next generation will allow for more innovative gameplay, or just more of the same with nicer graphics. If it is just better graphics, I will be disappointed. I do think that today's graphics are good enough, although I must admit that I generally choose the Xbox version of multi-platform releases, specifically for the graphical enhancements. Perhaps the newer systems will blow us all away with the increased detail and framerates, but I find it hard to conceive that it will be as big a jump as from SNES to PS1, or PS1 to current-generation.

If the games show up, I will probably get at least one system at launch (I have to continue to support the industry, plus when new consoles are released, development slows on the older systems), but, as of now, I am undecided as to which one.

Yeah, I'm not too excited about the next gen consoles myself. I am really looking forward to price drops in current gen consoles though. There are a bunch of games that I'd like to get, but just ain't got da moula for. Nothin' like bein' a po graduate student