Ok so let me start out by saying that I like to play on my pc, but I still love to play on my console from time to time. I realize that soon a console will just be a box that offloads computing to somewhere into the cloud, but I think that there will be at least one more generation of consoles before that happens. Anyways to the point, I think that consoles need more of a custom architecture to stay more competitive with pc's. You cant use the x86 architecture and try to compete with anything other than mid to low range pc's. I really don't know much about system design, but I think that consoles will need more of a custom architecture like the last generation. I realize that it will be harder to program for the system, but I think that that will be the only way for them to be competitive with pc's.
Wii u...
anything they put pokemon on....
as long as consoles are easier to use and do not necessitate tinkering they will continue to thrive.
They need Mario games too and on top of that, the Wii U is using an IBM PowerPC CPU with RISC architecture.
None need to survive they just need to put their games on PC
Personally, I'd like to see consoles simplify. I like all the things the Xbone lets me do, but it's not necessary. I'd rather throw a Roku or an Apple TV up there and have a console dedicated to playing games for something less than $400.
Remember when consoles were $200? Good times.
I'd like to put the game in, have it immediately launch, play it until I get bored or have to go or whatever, SAVE it when I want to (seriously, enough with the checkpoints and auto-saving already), and hit the power button. There's so much extra you've got to fight through just to get to the thing you bought the box for, it's mind-numbing.
While we're at it: could we start releasing complete games with replay value past the first year again? That'd be fun.
There needs to be new machines coming out about every four years. They can't drag technology along as seven-eight years like the last time. And the machines need to be backwards compatible at least one "generation", which means at least for now sticking to the x86 architechture. Using a x86 base also makes todays consoles less expensive to produce, so a lot of problems are solved that way. The core systems cannot be too expensive, so specialty accessories like motion tracking cameras or VR goggles need to be sold separately. Going that route they could even start earning some respect and be much less laughed at.