The gaming consoles of old were built for playing games. With the advent of Xbox 360, PS3 and even the Wii, there is a larger push to make consoles a more centered entertainment device. New research from ABI indicates that this push is keeping consoles alive, noting that there is still ‘plenty of life’ in the market.
“Some industry insiders have started to envision the demise of game consoles - an end expected to come at the hands of mobile devices,” said researcher Jason Blackwell. “But we feel this market still has plenty of life. While mobile devices might soon match the processing power of game consoles, there are a number of issues such as storage and portability that could hinder the transition to mobile.”
Netflix, Blu-ray, ESPN and the PSN/XBL digital downloading platforms are all contributing to keeping consumers entertained, and that has industry vets confident in another generation of consoles. IndustryGamers recently spoke to former Microsoft executive Shane Kim, who echoed the idea that consoles are not going anywhere in the near future, especially not because of mobile.
“The game console has a higher degree of persistence in the living room, giving more household members access to the device at any time of the day, whereas most mobile devices are designed for portability and a more personal experience,” added Blackwell.
