Home Gaming FFD: Is the traditional console cycle dead?

FFD: Is the traditional console cycle dead?

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brokencycle

The console landscape is changing. This generation, both of the leading consoles utilise X86 architecture, making them closer to being PC’s than they’ve ever been before. And it seems that the margin between consoles and PCs is narrowing even more – as both the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 are set to receive hardware upgrades.

While they’re not modular like you’d get on a PC, they are significant upgrade –promising better visuals, higher framerates and resolutions and a lot of support for VR. It’s starting to look like this may become a regular thing – taking cues from how smartphones work. Every few years, you get a new one that is compatible with software from the old one, an iterative model.

It looks like it’ll be breaking the traditional console cycle; buy a console and you’re set with that console for the next five years. Instead of clearly defined console cycles, we may see things take on smaller, incremental upgrades.

Last year, industry analyst Michael Pachter predicted that this would be the last traditional console generation – and he may be right.

“I don’t mean that Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo will go bankrupt and shut down – they will not. Each of them will make another console, some people will buy them, and the next console cycle will be to this console cycle what the 3DS is to the DS.”

It’s something Twitch boss Emmett Shear believes too.

“The problem is, the seven-year upgrade lifecycle doesn’t work in the face of the two-year upgrade cycles for every other hardware platform,” Twitch chief Emmett Shear told the Guardian in an interview.  “It’s so intrinsically built into how consoles get manufactured and made and the full business model, that I’d be surprised to see another generation.”

Are they right? Do you think the console cycle is dead? Or is this move by Microsoft and Sony just a way, perhaps, to push VR?

Last Updated: July 1, 2016

109 Comments

  1. ElimiNathan

    July 1, 2016 at 10:35

    They could get it right next time by releasing a console with the LATEST hardware on the market off the bat. Yes it will cost more but at least you only need to buy one every 6 years or so

    Reply

  2. Admiral Chief Maximum Effort

    July 1, 2016 at 10:36

    Yes, morsdood gevrek

    Reply

    • Greylingad[He Charges!]

      July 1, 2016 at 10:44

      Moer toe

      Reply

  3. Alessandro Barbosa

    July 1, 2016 at 10:36

    I really don’t think so. I think a lot of what Sony are doing with the NEO has to do with VR, and Microsoft is using it as well to address what went wrong with the Xbox One.

    I think both NEO and Scorpio are anomalies, but I do think expecting cycles to last as long as Xbox 360/PS3 is a little bit out of touch. Shorter perhaps. Different, not so much.

    (would like to point out here that I think Scorpio is a great idea for Microsoft to pivot, and I really have no clue what Sony is doing with the NEO. Come at me :P)

    Reply

    • Darren Peach

      July 1, 2016 at 16:09

      This makes sense. THIS ^^^^^^^ And need I remind the master race that when they did their thing in the thirties and forties, the world kicked their ass.

      Reply

  4. Kromas GG

    July 1, 2016 at 10:38

    New console generation. All the downsides of PC combined with all the downsides of console. I forsee a massive move towards the Master Race.

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief Maximum Effort

      July 1, 2016 at 10:38

      LOL
      Nail
      Hammer
      Boom

      Reply

      • Kromas GG

        July 1, 2016 at 10:39

        And I have a screenshot of me posting on Lag a year or two or three ago predicting this very thing happening. I need to find it.

        Reply

        • Admiral Chief Maximum Effort

          July 1, 2016 at 10:47

          What is a ‘screebshot’ precious?

          Reply

          • Kromas GG

            July 1, 2016 at 10:51

            Super edit powers made sure you have no evidence!

          • Admiral Chief Maximum Effort

            July 1, 2016 at 10:54

            Oh really?
            (refresh for EVIDENCE!!!)

          • Kromas GG

            July 1, 2016 at 11:04

            You bastard!

          • Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0

            July 1, 2016 at 11:07

            Y U heff too type like console peasant?
            *Runs

          • Kromas GG

            July 1, 2016 at 11:08

            You can run but I can run faster cause my hardware is superior! 😛

          • Admiral Chief Maximum Effort

            July 1, 2016 at 11:09

            Hands up if you read it in that voice!

          • Admiral Chief Maximum Effort

            July 1, 2016 at 11:09

            *raises hand*
            GG Deon

          • Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0

            July 1, 2016 at 11:15

            XD

    • Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0

      July 1, 2016 at 10:40

      60 million people moving to the Master Race? You so funny

      Reply

      • Kromas GG

        July 1, 2016 at 10:41

        Not gonna happen overnight but what point does a console have if you have to upgrade it ever year, games get 5mb file on disc and rest needs a download, constant Day 1 patches and best of all console priced games. Let us get real. Not many people are sticking with a console if that happens.

        Reply

        • Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0

          July 1, 2016 at 10:43

          Except they’re not gonna release a console every year. Remember, VR is a thing all of a sudden and the current gen might not handle it well, So the PS5 and the um…. XBOX 2 I guess will be designed VR ready.

          Reply

          • Mistake Not...

            July 1, 2016 at 10:44

            And both will be k@k expensive.

          • Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0

            July 1, 2016 at 10:45

            As long as they stick to the current cycle I can at least try and save. But it will still be cheaper than most graphic cards

          • Mistake Not...

            July 1, 2016 at 10:47

            Damn, I know. A GTX1080 is R15,000 on Raru, and the 1070 R10,000.

          • Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0

            July 1, 2016 at 10:48

            You can own a XBOX and a PS4 for those prices

          • Pariah

            July 1, 2016 at 10:51

            Evetech will get you better prices. Raru is rather pricey.

          • Kromas GG

            July 1, 2016 at 10:44

            Except that the cycle will get smaller. I am screenshotting this for two years from now when I prove I was right.

          • Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0

            July 1, 2016 at 10:46

            Two years from now the new consoles will be out one year, how small do you think it will get?

          • Kromas GG

            July 1, 2016 at 10:47

            I guess a 3 year cycle cause any less than that would kill consoles on its own. Unless they make upgrades modular and that would also kill consoles. So yeah 3 years.

          • Matthew Holliday

            July 1, 2016 at 12:04

            Three years from now, you will have formatted your HDD(or blown your PC up,
            because, master race) and have forgotten to upload that screenshot.
            In three years, there will be no evidence to prove yourself right.

          • Kromas GG

            July 1, 2016 at 12:08

            Nope … the could will save me. Screenshot already on google drive as well as my one drive.

      • Ir0nseraph

        July 1, 2016 at 11:26

        I don’t see the problem, you buy the console as is , 3 years later they give you an option to upgrade to higher performance if you choose to, all the games still work on your stock PS4, and a PS4 Neo will cost the price of a PC VGA card.

        Reply

        • Greylingad[He Charges!]

          July 1, 2016 at 11:32

          Two, two PC VGA cards…

          Reply

          • Kromas GG

            July 1, 2016 at 11:33

            Actually a PC VGA card costs about R150 if you can get them still. Now a GPU or 3D Accelerated Graphics Card …. maybe. 😛

          • Greylingad[He Charges!]

            July 1, 2016 at 11:36

            Aah, of course, sorry, I meant Two GTX 970s and maybe even the price of a GTX 1080

          • Ir0nseraph

            July 1, 2016 at 11:37

            I still think the Neo will come in close to the original PS4 launch price, and current PS4 price will drop, selling a high end console at 10K might be a problem.

          • Greylingad[He Charges!]

            July 1, 2016 at 11:41

            That’s the thing, it’s a high end console, it will cost a lot, maybe not as much as a gaming PC but it’ll definitely be more than the original

          • Ir0nseraph

            July 1, 2016 at 11:44

            Well we have to wait and see, but the console’s story is far from over.

          • Greylingad[He Charges!]

            July 1, 2016 at 11:46

            Yup!

    • Alessandro Barbosa

      July 1, 2016 at 10:40

      It doesn’t suddenly mean people have the money (or patience) to deal with PC gaming though. Consoles will never die 🙂 And I’m saying this having just built a new PC

      Reply

      • Kromas GG

        July 1, 2016 at 10:43

        It will be a slow move and I already see it happening as I was in BT games the other day and chatted with a guy who got rid of his PS because of all the effort you now need to play games at a higher costs than PC.

        Reply

        • Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0

          July 1, 2016 at 10:47

          What effort? You can buy games on disc or digital. I’m game sharing with a friend so all those oh so expensive console games are picked up day one at 50% off.

          Reply

          • Kromas GG

            July 1, 2016 at 10:50

            Okay let us have a look. Take Overwatch. You require an account to be able to play multiplayer., that account costs money. You needed to download a day 1 patch.That costs data. Your 50% off sharing system is great yet games like Overwatch you can’t share (not sure about split screen as I think that is terrible to play on) And then there are PC sales that make that 50% off seem like full price. Not to mention the terrible RMA (at least in ZA) if it breaks as well as terrible local server support (only heard about it have not experienced it first hand).

          • Alessandro Barbosa

            July 1, 2016 at 10:52

            …Those are all very much problems on PC too though. Aside from the sales (having to wait), and multiplayer costs.

            But then that’s offset on PC with hardware incompatibilities, driver hassles etc etc. I love my PC, but there’s no way I’m going to admit it’s the easier option to play games on.

          • Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0

            July 1, 2016 at 10:54

            Especially any games from Warner Brothers

          • Kromas GG

            July 1, 2016 at 10:55

            Yes what I am saying is Console used to have almost none of those issues and THAT is what made them worth it. Well that and a long cycle. Also a PC can fixed 100% of the time by someone close by. Not so much for consoles as the technical skillsets are far and few between. The ONLY draw a console has for me is exclusives.

          • Alessandro Barbosa

            July 1, 2016 at 10:56

            Consoles were, and still are worth it because they’re cheaper, easier to use devices with a much broader, mainstream appeal. And that’s why they aren’t going anywhere. Much like PC won’t either, because it has its market. I’m happy to see both continue striving

          • Pariah

            July 1, 2016 at 10:59

            Cheaper for the device, easier to use – but cost to purchase games and play multiplayer are much higher than PC. Which is why I think over a 2 year period it completely balances out.

            I look at the big picture, and I see one gives you more options, one is simpler. It’s much of a muchness. So pick your platform and have at it, really.

            To this regard, I think consoles have a market, as you say, and are not going anywhere any time soon.

          • Matthew Holliday

            July 1, 2016 at 11:50

            games arent that more expensive on console anymore.
            retail prices are looking like R800ish for PC and R900ish for console.
            Specials are more common on PC, but a buddy of mine still managed to get Fallout 4 for 50% off on PSN

          • Pariah

            July 1, 2016 at 11:56

            Well here’s the thing: a lot of pc gamers wait for specials. And a lot of games are actually only R599. R799 max unless you’re going Digital Deluxe. While the console counterparts start at R800 and go up to R1k. BUT over time, PC games become even cheaper, and when you add sale prices onto that, it becomes even more affordable. Meanwhile years later console games rarely, if ever, drop below the R300 mark.

          • Ir0nseraph

            July 1, 2016 at 12:27

            True PC games are still cheaper, and our sub R300 AAA games is pretty rare, about 2 a month at the moment, but PSN sharing makes this moot, allowing 2 friends to share their games has made it possible to only grab a AAA on release every 2nd month and I have backlog which needs some serious attention now.
            It really comes down to personal choice , I currently prefer the console life, and the exclusives I want isn’t on PC but if you want to make budget gaming work it is an option on console and PC.

          • Kromas GG

            July 1, 2016 at 11:00

            Oh I don’t really care if consoles survive or not but I am just looking at whats happening and making assumptions. I always say #PCMASTERRACE but to me as long as you have Mass Effect on your console you are a gamer. 🙂

          • Pariah

            July 1, 2016 at 10:55

            I think for me the problem is that the benefits consoles used to have are now gone. It’s now just one or the other, and it’s much the same thing. PC is easier for me because of sales and I already own hardware etc. But there’s no clear benefit for a newcomer to gaming buying one over the other. Not any more. Each has their own hassles and costs, which ultimately I think balance out.

          • Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0

            July 1, 2016 at 10:54

            That account gives you two games a month, four if you own a PS3 as well. Also all your saved games is saved online, also that account gives you access to discounts. I bought Overwatch and my game sharing friend downloaded it for free. We’re playing together. Also I sue and uncapped line as do most of my PS friends because we might as well thanks to games being released broken, the rampant use of DLC and some games are only available digitally

          • Kromas GG

            July 1, 2016 at 10:58

            Couple of things. All digital platforms on PC is free. All of them give you free games at least once a month. You made my point with downloading as you just discribed a PC issue being inherited by a console. I will however admit that that friend sharing is something I did not know about and is very cool. Best we have is Starcraft buddy thing.

          • Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0

            July 1, 2016 at 11:06

            So they are becoming more like PC 😛

          • Kromas GG

            July 1, 2016 at 11:07

            That is what I am saying. they are pretty much taking the worst from PC and keeping the worst from console. It is not going to be a good thing.

          • Matthew Holliday

            July 1, 2016 at 11:47

            I justify buying a PC by telling people that they wouldnt have to type their email addresses in with the on screen keyboard thing on consoles…
            That shit is evil.

          • Kromas GG

            July 1, 2016 at 11:50

            I agree 100% no 1000% … no 1 million billion gazillion percent!

          • Matthew Holliday

            July 1, 2016 at 11:51

            going to my console pleb friends houses and trying to type with that damned controller, my jimmies, they get rustled.

          • Matthew Holliday

            July 1, 2016 at 11:58

            Didnt realise you had to pay for a standard Bnet account on console, interesting.
            Ive seen some pretty great specials on PSN though, 50% off on Fallout 4 is as good a price as ive seen anywhere for the PC version.

            But mostly I agree with you, consoles were always just the simpler option, one stop shop and you’re ready to go.
            Now with scorpio, neo and having to download the ubishits, origin, bnet etc etc etc, the hassle is starting to transfer over.
            And the life cycle being reduced on consoles would irritate me to no end.

            Although, conversely, game prices on PC are up, hardware prices are up and the ever present threat of “I can totally afford to buy a new graphics card” everytime anyone breathes about upgrade options is a severe threat to my wallet.

            Guess the final word is that, there is no cheap OR simple answer to gaming anymore, no matter which route you take.

      • VampyreSquirrel

        July 1, 2016 at 11:55

        New PC that you couldn’t use because you were BLIND.

        Also I hope you’re doing better.

        Reply

  5. Original Heretic

    July 1, 2016 at 10:38

    I’m still extremely irked by this “console upgrade”. I’ve had my PS4 for less than a year and now suddenly it’s not the cool kid on the block anymore? If Sony or MS gives their console buyers the option to just take a console into a store and have it upgraded, that would make so much more sense to me. And it would also show their faithful followers that, yes, they do care about the gamers. Yes, they want us all to have better experiences.
    I’ll pay my extra R2 000 if it means I can just upgrade what I currently have.

    Reply

  6. Mistake Not...

    July 1, 2016 at 10:38

    I don’t even know if I care anymore. I can’t even afford the games. If you had told me years ago when I bought my PS4 that a new one will come out sooner than expected, I’d be ok with this upgraded one. Don’t think you can just spring it on me out of nowhere. If the old PS4 is still supported then the new one isn’t that much of an upgrade now is it?

    Reply

    • Kromas GG

      July 1, 2016 at 11:06

      Well the PR right now is “All games work on both and will always work on both”

      Next E3 “Well if you want 60FPS 1080p you really need to upgrade. The games was designed to be more for the new console”

      E3 after that “This game is exclusive to the new console”

      Welcome to the games industry.

      Reply

      • Greylingad[He Charges!]

        July 1, 2016 at 11:10

        And the next one, “we don’t make consoles anymore…”

        Reply

        • Kromas GG

          July 1, 2016 at 11:12

          Hahahahaha.

          Also next E3. We are proud to announce 3 PC exclusives L4D3 ,Portal 3 and guess the last one. 😛

          Reply

          • Greylingad[He Charges!]

            July 1, 2016 at 11:13

            HAHAHA!!

            Don’t be ridiculous man! Those games still need polishing, so it’ll take at least another 10 years!

          • Kromas GG

            July 1, 2016 at 11:14

            L4D3 may be closer than you think.

          • Greylingad[He Charges!]

            July 1, 2016 at 11:15

            Hehehe, so at least as far as Cape Town from me right now?

          • Kromas GG

            July 1, 2016 at 11:16

            We will soon know whats happening.

          • Greylingad[He Charges!]

            July 1, 2016 at 11:19

            I hope so!

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            July 1, 2016 at 11:27

            DOTA 3.

  7. Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0

    July 1, 2016 at 10:39

    Depends on sales. If the Scorpio and Neo tanks they’ll hopefully stick with the way things are. One reason I game on consoles is because you buy hardware once every 6 or 7 years. R6000 is a lot of money. Every three years might be asking too much.

    Reply

    • Greylingad[He Charges!]

      July 1, 2016 at 10:47

      The effect would be an increase in rental sales, like a console gaming contract that lasts the 24 month period, so on top of the R1k you pay for the disk based games, you’ll have a R500 premium to go with it… It is getting expensive

      Reply

  8. Ottokie

    July 1, 2016 at 10:45

    Consoles are now on par with PC lifespans. Since the NEO and scorpio is releasing so soon.

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief Maximum Effort

      July 1, 2016 at 10:49

      Don’t care about scorpions, only sharks

      Reply

      • The Order of the Banana

        July 1, 2016 at 10:50

        • Admiral Chief Maximum Effort

          July 1, 2016 at 10:52

          Is he a shark? Or a dolphin?

          Reply

          • The Order of the Banana

            July 1, 2016 at 10:53

            Did you know dolphins can kill sharks? And sometimes they do it for fun?

          • Admiral Chief Maximum Effort

            July 1, 2016 at 11:13

            Did you know, dolphins fornicate for fun, as well as pro-creating?

          • Kromas GG

            July 1, 2016 at 11:14

            Oh dolphins just wanna have fu-un.

          • The Order of the Banana

            July 1, 2016 at 11:20

            OH SNAP!!!

          • Admiral Chief Maximum Effort

            July 1, 2016 at 11:21

            (I see what you did there…’!!’)

          • The Order of the Banana

            July 1, 2016 at 11:20

            OH SNAP!

          • Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0

            July 1, 2016 at 10:55

          • The Order of the Banana

            July 1, 2016 at 11:20

            That bull has some enviable sized balls, bru!

          • Admiral Chief Maximum Effort

            July 1, 2016 at 11:21

            Such a rotten banana

        • miaau

          July 1, 2016 at 13:38

          one expression?

          Reply

    • Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0

      July 1, 2016 at 10:50

      Fun fact, scorpion live from 2-6 years and Neo lasted 3 movies

      Reply

      • The Order of the Banana

        July 1, 2016 at 10:55

        Scorpions are awesome, but they’re no match for a camel spider.

        Reply

  9. The Order of the Banana

    July 1, 2016 at 10:48

    It’s far too early to tell, I suppose it all depends on how well the Scorpion boner and the Neo will do at retail.

    https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/95/The_Scorpion_King_soundtrack.jpg

    Reply

    • Greylingad[He Charges!]

      July 1, 2016 at 10:49

      THIS^
      Problem being that if that hardware cycle takes foot, the two year one, where would it stop? 8k? 16k? the adoption ratio and costs are currently too high to make the call

      Reply

  10. Deceased

    July 1, 2016 at 10:52

    Can’t say much about this, except we’ve been telling the peasants that PC is supperior BECAUSE you can push the latest tech in there – mebe at some point they’ll get modular machines which can utilise a Keyboard and Mouse

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief Maximum Effort

      July 1, 2016 at 10:52

      xD

      Reply

  11. Alien Emperor Trevor

    July 1, 2016 at 10:54

    I wouldn’t be surprised to find this is heavily driven by VR. Fuck VR. It’s their stupid cameras all over again. And fuck the idea that the console hardware is the important thing about consoles – it’s the fucking games. They’re so fascinated by the mobile industry and think they’re just going to copy/paste that market into the console market. Idiots, the fucking lot of them.

    Reply

  12. Greylingad[He Charges!]

    July 1, 2016 at 10:56

    Thing is, taking a look back at how TV’s, the primary viewport for most consoles, rolled out, HD took years, UHD is currently getting cheaper, not to say they’re affordable yet, but the rollout has been slower from 1080p to 4k than 720p to HD, simply because people don’t have the burning need to upgrade for a difference to be noticed within the span of 1m from said viewpoint, also no one has the money to buy a 100 inch UHD TV to outfit their own drive ins with yet, so for future proofing purposes, yes, maybe the Scorpio will sell and the Neo might be great, but as in PC gaming, that’ll be a niche that’ll be filled very slowly…

    Reply

  13. Pieter Kruger

    July 1, 2016 at 10:56

    Yes it’s dead! Tech is advancing too quickly to keep up with and 3rd party developers are too rushed/lazy to truly optimize for consoles anymore!

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0

      July 1, 2016 at 10:57

      Welcome back!

      Reply

    • The Order of the Banana

      July 1, 2016 at 11:22

      Holy crap Pieter, where have you been?

      Reply

    • Darren Peach

      July 1, 2016 at 15:50

      Never deal in absolutes.

      Reply

  14. The Order of the Banana

    July 1, 2016 at 11:11

    Nintendo will show everyone that the traditional console cycle is still alive; and screw you all for doubting the big N!

    Reply

    • Kromas GG

      July 1, 2016 at 11:13

      Oh yeah forgot about Nintendo. I suppose their next console with Unique new features will spawn loads of funny youtube vids where people get hurt or break tvs using this new feature whatever it may be. Porbably VR. VR fit incoming! 😛

      Reply

      • Greylingad[He Charges!]

        July 1, 2016 at 11:14

        The first release title would be “Headbang to the rock Master in VR”

        Reply

        • Kromas GG

          July 1, 2016 at 11:16

          VR games ship with Amiibos that you also have to put on the floor. The biggest danger since Lego. 😛

          Reply

          • Greylingad[He Charges!]

            July 1, 2016 at 11:20

            “Swim in VR underworld, no really” – minimum requirements, one pool for authenticity

          • Kromas GG

            July 1, 2016 at 11:31

            Like this?

  15. Darren Peach

    July 1, 2016 at 15:49

    Anything is possible.

    Reply

  16. Darren Peach

    July 1, 2016 at 15:57

    This article is click-bait for the retarded master race.

    Reply

  17. Ghost In The Rift

    July 1, 2016 at 21:31

    Moore’s law, if consoles want to keep up then they will have to be released in a 2-3 Year cycle, just imagine what PC tech will look like in the next 5 years and you wanna see n old PS4 next to your 8K TV ect.

    Reply

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