The Future of Console Gaming

Gaming has come a long way. It was first computer gaming, then came online gaming and finally the more technical console gaming.

The console gaming has created a niche market, encompassing a percentage of potential consumers for it. In US only the sales for consoles have reached above $9.5 billion. Wii, Sony and Microsoft are key players in this segment. But from here, where these consoles go further? What lies ahead in the future for this type of console gaming? Will their craze go on like this or they are seeking a near end ?

The next generation of consoles begun when Microsoft came into the competition with its Xbox 360 in November 2005. It actually changed the horizons for gaming, and gradually geared up. The prominent players are involved in a battle to prove their worth. But who takes away the pie can not be well apprehended. To conclude future, past can not be taken as a base as charts for consoles keep on changing with certain perimeters.

Wii, a console by Nintendo changed the definition of gaming for all classes. It was a success in magnetizing all segments, irrespective of age differences. It hosted platform for millions of mainstream users by offering them innovative gaming consoles. What was presumed to be a loser emerged with success to compete stiff for top slot. That was not it. While scaling up for top rank, console made platform where others can look for their potential users.

Next arrived Sony. Sony had flooded the market with sequels for its consoles like Sony Playstation 2, and Sony Playstation 3. Currently, in the market is Sony PS3. Starting with already committed 120 million users, Sony PS3 when arrived in the market was contemplated to be the console that will flag success at a very early stage with its Blu-Ray player, but ironically it proved nothing to be an expensive platform for playing lacking for interesting and killer games for the platform.

Last on the competition list is Xbox 360. The console was speculated to be a failure with its problems of early break downs due to GPU but to every one’s surprise was the first to cross 10 million mark globally. Even it was the first one to introduce its online version in form of Xbox live.

But nothing can be concluded as of now. The consoles are at immature stage in emerging markets at least. Even the life cycles for each have increased from five years to seven years, as per market watchers. If cost is the deciding factor for each, Wii is the forerunner. The console cost as much as $249, whereas Xbox and PS3 cost about $349 and $399 respectively. Despite of cost also, Wii is preferred console over others. Sensing this competition, the market watchers predict that Microsoft and Sony will reduce the cost for their respective consoles.

Microsoft had sold 10.08 million Xbox 360s in the United States, Nintendo had sold 9.51 million Wiis in the U.S., and Sony had moved 4.29 million PS3s as per reports. Sony that was hoped as a top slot contestant is lagging behind in this competition. Apart from cost, the other reason that pushes Sony back in the competition is paucity of good game lines.

Coming over with this all fuss, the crux is that console gaming is booming. According to reaseach report, the whole business is booming, with $5.47 billion in sales through April, up 31% from $4.18 billion a year ago. The biggest entertainment innovations are happening in the games industry. We feel this year will be the biggest year for gaming industry.