Gone But Not Forgotten: Why New Consoles Are Falling Short Of Old Models
Let’s be honest; here in the gaming world, we often seem to have a one-track thought process. We want bigger, better, more realistic consoles, and we want them now! Or, do we? While the market seems determined to convince us we need the next new things, a closer look suggests gamers aren’t following their thinking.
We can’t deny that any gamer loves a release. We’re all on the edges of our seats, waiting for the PlayStation 5. Rumours are abound about what it could bring that the PlayStation 4 Pro hasn’t given us already. On top of which, gamers across the globe are anticipating the release of the Xbox One X next month. And, who can blame us for getting excited about a console heralded as ‘the most powerful games console ever’? It’s fighting talk, and Microsoft have the goods to back it up, with an 8-core custom AMP CPU clocking at 2.3 GHz, and a 12GB GDDR5 graphic memory to boast among its many features.
But, it’s possible the forward momentum of gaming is starting to turn its attention to the past. This shouldn’t come as any surprise when we consider that retro gaming has never quite fallen off the radar. Nothing can quite beat those games and consoles of old. These are the consoles that have staying power like none other.
And, retro consoles aren’t the only things making a comeback. Experts have also predicted an increase in computer sales for the first time in three years. While the increase is small and focuses on basic systems, it’s worth paying attention to. After all, the death of computers has been announced more than once in recent years. In truth, though, computer gamers are a tricky bunch to get rid of. Few other gaming methods create a solidarity as strong as computers do. If you’re a computer gamer, you’re SERIOUS about your systems. In many ways, this loyalty comes as a result of the customizable possibilities. What other console gives you free reign to do the mechanical stuff? Not to mention that, with options like these cool computer cases, you can make your computer look however you want it to. What gamer wouldn’t love that?
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Even board games seem to be making a comeback. According to the president of industry news outlet ICv2, sales of board games in the U.S. and Canada grew 21% in 2016. A board game revolution if ever we saw one.
So, what’s the deal? Why are we turning backward in our quest for gaming satisfaction? In many ways, you could argue that Microsoft and PlayStation have done it to themselves. After all, where else is there to go? The sky’s the limit, but no one tells you what to do once you get there. And, they certainly seem to have reached the limit as far as gamers are concerned. One thing’s sure; they’re going to have to pull something impressive out of the bag if they want us to look to the future again.