Games and the Future

So at current time we have the “next gen” of games, being fought out between Xbox 360, PS3, and the Wii. As I’ve said before I think this generation is hard to define, there is on the one side of the battle (Xbox 360 and PS3) where graphics and power are being fought out, and then the other side where innovation and game play are being put forward (Wii). Now this is an age old discussion about which consol and all that, and at this time of night I don’t feel like going into the argument again, you all know the story, Xbox 360 is great, Wii is great, but everyone and anyone hates the other one, but you mention the PS3 and Xbox 360 and Wii join together to down talk it (enter Wii60). But after this generation where are games and companies going to go.

In the literal future (as in the generation after this) it will be interesting to see where the big 3 go. I don’t think graphical power for Microsoft and Sony will be enough to make a big enough difference, plus as the graphics improve from machine to machine the leap between graphics is becoming less a less. If you look at Nintendo’s history the general trend is innovation – improvement (NES (d-pad, start of real home game platform) to the SNES),(N64 (3D, Analogue stick, shoulder buttons, analogue buttons) to the Gamecube). So maybe a graphically improved Wii will be enough to carry them on thought that battle, but I think they will actually do some thing a little more than that, who knows what though. A lot of people reckon if companies want to survive they will need to combine forces, but due to numerous reason this has a very slim chance of happening.

But for the matter of games in the distant future there is really no telling where it will go. But with technology growing and processing power increasing exponentially, it’s looking more likely that the way we play games will become a more interactive realistic experience (the Wii’s innovation and Xbox 360’s graphics are already sparking this off). And after watching the video’s that Chris showed us on technology and humans (human version 2.0, and the 3 part one), it looks as one, it could be very beneficial, but also a very scary world to live, and as excited as I am that I’ll see the this, you can’t help but feel a fear inside after watching them and thinking what could actually be. (Matrix, true this is a film and I don’t think would happen how it did, but it has a fair point about machines and A.I.) Anyway that last bit wasn’t really about games but is interesting to speculate about.

ASIMO, Honda's Human Robot!

So from here games could really go anywhere, we could even end up with another big games crash is we’re not careful, so I hope games stay as games and the creativity of the industry stays true, as I’m going to have to be working in it in the years to come, and I’m not going to be just making water coolers and other office furnishings because there ‘real objects’, I want fun in my games!

http://www.acm.org/crossroads/wikifiles/13-2-S/13-2-13-S.html - Has some interesting ideas