readers of 8bit theater might have already seen this:
Just a quick note while I'm waiting for my ride to the airport.
I stumbled upon the PS3's specs last night. Is it just me or is it way too soon for new consoles?
I'm willing to accept that time worked entirely differently when I was a kid. I reached the point several years ago where I have to try to remember how old I am because of how often it changes. But didn't we just do this?
I don't know. Maybe I'm just a bitter old man, but it seems like planning to introduce new consoles every N years is sort of admitting defeat from an innovation standpoint. If you can't make more interesting games, just make them shinier. Developing and producing these new boxes is a huge money sink. Makes me wonder if the Console Wars aren't taking a page from the Cold War. If you've got an entrenched, global enemy, make him go bankrupt by trying to keep up with you.
Then there's the cost of making games themselves. It'll only skyrocket from here. What's that mean to you and me? Fewer games, fewer interesting choices, more sequels, better graphics.
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Thoughts?
Part of the reason is the audience. Like it or not, people do want the newest, shiniest thing.
the SF chronicle had an article with a similar tone:
However, escalating costs of making games will only exacerbate, perhaps squeezing out smaller competitors that can't afford to plunk down $15 million to $20 million for a title.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/05/16/BUG1HCOLG71.DTL
But i have my doubts that quality will improve with price.