Consoles & PCs To Converge?

H

HardOCP News

[H] News
Joined
Dec 31, 1969
Messages
0
I know this may raise a lot of hacles in the PC world but Blizzard's VP of business development says that consoles are becoming more like PCs. Itzik Ben Bassat went on to say that the Xbox 360 is just a sophisticated PC.

"So when we come to develop a new game we will look at the kind of opportunities that exist out there and what we want to develop, and if it could be interesting on console. We should remember that a 360 is just a sophisticated PC."
Click to expand...
 
I'd say a XBOX 360 is more of a locked down/stripped down PC...
 
toy4x4 said:
I'd say a XBOX 360 is more of a locked down/stripped down PC...
Click to expand...

Which.... still has the same meaning of what the writers intent is. Xbox360 is a PC.

Mobo/CPU/Mem/Video/Lan/Audio/HD/DVD etc.. same components as you would see in either a desktop pc or basically like a shuttle pc.
 
toy4x4 said:
I'd say a XBOX 360 is more of a locked down/stripped down PC...
Click to expand...

I'd say the Xbox360 is more of a console than a locked down/stripped down PC.

It's a video game console first and I treat it as such.
 
toy4x4 said:
I'd say a XBOX 360 is more of a locked down/stripped down PC...
Click to expand...

Why would you say that?

The reason I ask is because there is allot of things that my 360 can mirror, below is just a few.
1.Play games
2.Play movies
3.Play music
4.Play HD-DVDs/ Add-on my PC cant do this
5.Download movies,demos,trailers extra content for games.
6.Xbox live + Achievements

I wouldn’t say it’s striped down at all, for $400 I get a ton of value on my 360.
 
It seems like an inevitable convergence. Just like internet and TV. I mean technically all consoles since consoles first came out were pc's. They are/were just put together to play to different strenghs. The two will just contine to converge, but somehow I doubt that they will ever be axactly alike. For starters almost noone is going to buy a 2k dollar console just to play games among other things. I could see the Home theater pc and the console becoming one indistinguishable unit in the near future. But again the desktop/laptop pc will probably keep a certain seperation; because of the many things it's used for.
 
The only way the PC and console will merge is if PCs become more like consoles. In that the games need to be plug and play. The general public can't figure out how to disable spyware that is choking out their PC, let alone install a PC game and get it to run properly. Besides that, I don't think they will merge ever. The public likes to keep its entertainment in the living room and their work in the office.
 
GabooN said:
Why would you say that?

The reason I ask is because there is allot of things that my 360 can mirror, below is just a few.
1.Play games
2.Play movies
3.Play music
4.Play HD-DVDs/ Add-on my PC cant do this
5.Download movies,demos,trailers extra content for games.
6.Xbox live + Achievements

I wouldn’t say it’s striped down at all, for $400 I get a ton of value on my 360.
Click to expand...

You can do all of that with a PC, only without the restrictions that are imposed by MS on an Xbox. Also, the 360 HD-DVD attachment works just as well (if not better) on PC as on Xbox. As far as Xbox live + achievements go, I'm not sure I understand the appeal, but regardless I'm sure it would take MS about 10 minutes to write a PC app that would allow people to do whatever it is that Xbox users do on Xbox live. I was actually under the impression that some games could already host both Xbox and PC users at the same time, but I may be mistaken on that one.

In any case, I'm not saying the Xbox isn't good, I'm just saying that there is nothing an Xbox can do that a PC can't, only things that MS will not *allow* a PC to do (yet).
 
Xbox 360 fans should keep in mind that the comments about the Xbox 360 being "just a sophisticated PC" are intended to be complimentary. I suspect many developers are happy about the similarities - particularly in terms of development tools - between the [Windows] PC and the Xbox 360. I particularly like the idea of Blizzard making statements like this since I've been wanting to play WoW and would be far more likely to do so if I didn't have to shell out for a PC (I get by with my work PC pretty well).

The thing is, I think he's specifically aiming his comments at the software environment and not necessarily the hardware. I mean, even the early consoles like Atari 2600 and NES could be called computers without the keyboard if we just go by hardware (for example, the 65xx series of chips was used in a number of platforms from the Apple II to the NES). Considering Microsoft is even aiming at amateur developers with XNA, "shareware" might be right around the corner on the Xbox 360.
 
I don't see PCs ever totally replacing consoles for one simple reason........ consoles provide an exact hardware platform for a developer to develop for; if one person with a 360 (working correctly of course) can run Ridge Racer at say a solid 60fps another guy across the globe will be getting the exact same performance, there's no such thing as a "low end 360", "high end 360", "gaming 360", "media encoding 360"....... just a 360, sure, there's different peripheral packages available (core vs. premium).... but that's just add-ons, a core can run the same HDD as a premium, and the same wireless controllers, plus there's NO difference in the processing power.......... whereas a high-end "gaming" PC can have CONSIDERABLY MORE power than a ultra low-end "web surfing" PII-333 that some Joe Schmoe will buy a game for and complain when it doesn't run at all.............
 
Bassat has it right. The line between the two platforms have definitely been shrinking, mainly due to Microsoft. PCs aren't dumbing down; consoles are getting smarter and more open-ended.

As Sabrewulf pointed out, there's nothing a console can do that a PC can't, just that software is tailor-made for the former. With the XBox and 360, we got virtually off the shelf PC components with a tailored OS.

With the ever-more important DirectX compliance creating a continually more stable PC platform for gaming and the compliance guaranteed by a console, the convergence is definitely moving towards the PC-end of the spectrum.

Take the 'Made for Windows' certification for games for example: How much more of a step is it to a 'Made for Microsoft Gaming' certification where literally the SAME software will be certified to run on an XBox720 and a PC, which is constructed with 'Microsoft Gaming Certified' hardware?

If you will ONLY play games and make use of the more specialized software for games, you throw down 400-500 bucks for a Microsoft "console." If you need more, but want games, you build/buy a $1500+ PC that has compliant hardware and drivers for gaming, but also nets you a fully-featured OS which can be used for other software as it is now.

This is where Microsoft is going. Their problem of course is competition from the likes of Sony and Nintendo, but how much will software companies want to work with those consoles when they can literally develop one game for two audiences at once? Oblivion is a perfect example (if just a start) of how this would work.

This makes Microsoft not only extremely attractive for the developers, but also for the consumer as they can (though this is likely wishful thinking) offer lower prices because of the lower development costs. At the very least, with the money saved, Microsoft and the respective developers would be able to work together offer a free or very-low-fee service for game patches, online play, mods/add-ons etc, which would then work for both platforms.

PC users would still pwn with the mouse/keyboard though. (But not really because 'consolers' could use USB mouse/kb components too... damnit)
 
Consoles are converging more with Macs, than PC's really.. Macs and Consoles share the, "locked down hardware", principle.. Same, "trying to look good", policy.. Same, "it is just easier", attitude..
Although you still can add ram, gpu, hd to a mac.. So it is not totally un-upgradeable..

But then again, the original Xbox really was a PC at the nuts and bolts level..
 
Gotta say, I'm not entirely comfortable with the margin going away, but that IS the trend. I have to agree, there's a lot of potential good that can come of this, the least of which is a broadened pool of games. Personally, I like the idea of freely distributed games more than anything else, and if that was a reality, I just might have to get the next system to promise that kind of development possibilities.
Until then, I won't buy a console, for exactly the same reason that this article states: my PC can already do everything I want. It plays games, and does my work too. The console may eventually get to this point, but I don't think the general public will like it. I agree that the average Joe Bland can't even properly care for a computer, and Microsoft will be overrun with scads of inexperienced users calling for tech help ("How do I get my email on my XBox!?!?"). If the public wants a computer, they're gonna buy one, and if they want a gaming console, they'll continue to buy a Nintendo. The XBox's and PSwhatever's will be reserved for the gaming nerds, who can operate technology without problems.

Speaking of that... Anyone see a resemblance between Apple and Nintendo now that we bring this up? Spooky...
 
Burning_Monk said:
I don't like reading text from the couch.
Click to expand...

So you like hunching over and reading it 2-3 feet away.

Umm...ok.

I dunno...I agree that for PC games to converge, they have to be truely plug and play AND over the variety in genre game titles that consoles offer. The only real PC titles that make any noise are MMOs, RTS/Strategy and FPS.

I dunno about the rest of you guys...but I like to..you know...socialize in-person when I play games.
 
wiseoracle said:
Which.... still has the same meaning of what the writers intent is. Xbox360 is a PC.

Mobo/CPU/Mem/Video/Lan/Audio/HD/DVD etc.. same components as you would see in either a desktop pc or basically like a shuttle pc.
Click to expand...

Not a PC at all IMO. You can't upgrade them nor do anything other then play video games with a limited ability to go online. Also the ease of use for PC's will also have a massive edge over the console. Gone are the days that a 12 year old didn't know how to surf on a PC.

I think of consoles as a video card and HDD in your PC. Another way I look at it is the console is like a car with only one road to drive one while the PC has interstate highways, side roads and city streets.

The big thing to remember is the PC is everything the console is x ten. The more stuff console makers tried to make the console do the more price increases. Honestly if you had $600 bucks would it be better spent on a PC or an Xbox360?

The one thing I have noticed over the last 5 years is PC games have been declining. Ever since the industry decided to shrink the size of PC game boxes I noticed a steady decline in the quantity of PC games although the quality went up.

I think the Wii has proved that people are fed up with paying several hundred dollars for a console. The console shines at the $200 mark not $600+. I have a feeling Sony and MS are learning this fact now...

Oh crap my PC is crashing! ;)
 
please no...there is a reason some of us play pc games. one of them being we don't have to listen to the little 13 yr old shits on XBL. pc separate ftw kthx
 
I agree with you totally. I never see PC's getting replaced.

I do remember seeing somthing written about DX10 with regards to platform compatibility. I guess the long term goal from Microsoft's perspective is write one game for both platforms. They also see convergence from a online standpoint. In the future they see people on consoles playing online games against people on PC's. I think games will always be prettier on the PC since the graphics can be upgraded, but if game companies could write a game and sell it to both platforms I think they would be happier to get the additional market.

coolie_d said:
I don't see PCs ever totally replacing consoles for one simple reason........ consoles provide an exact hardware platform for a developer to develop for; if one person with a 360 (working correctly of course) can run Ridge Racer at say a solid 60fps another guy across the globe will be getting the exact same performance, there's no such thing as a "low end 360", "high end 360", "gaming 360", "media encoding 360"....... just a 360, sure, there's different peripheral packages available (core vs. premium).... but that's just add-ons, a core can run the same HDD as a premium, and the same wireless controllers, plus there's NO difference in the processing power.......... whereas a high-end "gaming" PC can have CONSIDERABLY MORE power than a ultra low-end "web surfing" PII-333 that some Joe Schmoe will buy a game for and complain when it doesn't run at all.............
Click to expand...
 
jag0 said:
So you like hunching over and reading it 2-3 feet away.

Umm...ok.
Click to expand...

No I like sitting up in my chair reading it at my desk at 1-2 feet. And that's where I see the real difference being, in the what people are using to view the device. A console is going to be a PC hooked up to a TV, and a Computer is going to be a PC hooked up to a Monitor. Both with have their uses but there will be a physical distinction because of how people interact with the devices. You can see this already, how many people use Excel on their HTPC?
 
I welcome them becomming more like PC's. bout time! but if a keyboard and mouse isn't invovled it will remain bunk!
 
I think the question would be...who would use a HTPC to even open an Excel document in the first place.

I've noticed over the years that you can tell when a person is either a console gamer or a PC gamer...hence why I find console gaming more fun (the whole point of gaming.)
 
G'ßöö;1030603310 said:
I welcome them becomming more like PC's. bout time! but if a keyboard and mouse isn't invovled it will remain bunk!
Click to expand...

Yea b/c fighters, platformers and racing games are so much more fun to play with a mouse and keyboard. :p
 
jag0 said:
I think the question would be...who would use a HTPC to even open an Excel document in the first place.
Click to expand...

If we are talking about convergence than possibly everyone will. But my argument is that there will always be certain uses and programs that are better suited for a console based system and others that are better for a PC system.
 
...and there will always be program that are better suited for a computer and monitor. Example? Boring programs like Word and Excel as well as art programs (Photoshop, ZBrush, 3dsmax, Maya, etc.)
 
Huh. Taking this to the logical conclusion, when computers and consoles are truly one, does this mean that my company will someday be buying a bunch of XBox's for me to do my CAD work on? Cause, ya know, that would kinda rock. :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top