There was a time where it was worth the money because it was far and away better than any free online offering. That time was probably up to about 2010. Now that servers are paid for with digital game sales, it would behoove them to drop the fee. Instead, I think they're just about to change the console market as we know it.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

Instead, I think they're just about to ~~change~~ end the console market as we know it.

FTFY

[–] ampersandrew 2 points 4 months ago (2 children)

Also accurate. But it's looking like we'll still have $500 machines called Xboxes and PlayStations, except they'll just be fancy PCs. That's my guess anyway.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Possibly. I can see Xbox backing out personally, and just putting their games on PC and the other consoles.

Sony will probably carry on.. and Nintendo likely has a detailed business plan for the next 100 years.

[–] ampersandrew 3 points 4 months ago (2 children)

Sony's already not carrying on. They've started putting their games on PC, which is a market that is, for the first time, larger than their console for the same game releases. Nintendo's got another generation of hardware before they'll need to change anything.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago (2 children)

Fair - I'd be surprised if they haven't already been working on a ps6 for years though.

In my mind Nintendo is going to be more or less immune to the death of the console market. They did have done a really, really good job at making fun games since the 80s, and have also traditionally had the cheapest hardware (not that that will matter if the competition goes away). I might impulsively buy whatever Nintendo's next console is just for Zelda or Metroid, even though Nintendo as a company pisses me off.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

If you wanna play Nintendo games and you hate their hardware or just the company (fair), have you heard of how well the steam deck runs an emulator?

Ive heard it's actually pretty great, though i haven't bought one myself. I started sniffing around when i wanted to get my nieces/nephews something to fight over for Christmas. initially was gonna be a switch, but they're young and those controllers fall apart quicker than shit.

I'm not out here selling steam decks but like check it out if you haven't and want a "console" rather than a pc solution. i think it's worth looking into as the mod scene for the Sdeck is heating up too. Anyway comment over.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago

Ya I've considered that route.

I've messed around with switch emulation on more powerful hardware, but for the simplicity of getting things workings I think I prefer the official console. The performance I had I my PC was not outstanding either.

[–] ampersandrew 1 points 4 months ago

Yeah, I'll bet PS6 is business as usual but with an eye toward the future. Microsoft is already hinting that their next Xbox(es) are just going to be PCs, with talk of handhelds and additional storefronts.

I might impulsively buy whatever Nintendo’s next console is just for Zelda or Metroid, even though Nintendo as a company pisses me off.

Stay strong, brother. They only get to keep pissing you off because you keep handing them your money. There's no shortage of metroidvania games right now, and even Zelda has a decent number of competitors now.

[–] billiam0202 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

They started putting games on PC, but their plan is to make sequels console-exclusive.

Sony hopes PC gamers, who'll wait years for Epic exclusives to come to Steam out of spite, will buy PS5s for exclusive sequels.

[–] ampersandrew 2 points 4 months ago

That's what they say publicly, yes. Because if they tell their customers right now that they plan to dramatically shorten that window, they're shooting themselves in the foot early.

[–] mememuseum 2 points 4 months ago (2 children)

They already are just PCs and have been since the PS4/XBone. It's all just slightly customized PC hardware inside.

[–] Buddahriffic 2 points 4 months ago

Even as far back as the first xbox, I remember some people installing Linux on it. It's also why Halo later came out for the PC, because porting it wasn't that difficult. Iirc, the first xbox didn't run any Windows kernel but it did use direct x.

[–] ampersandrew 1 points 4 months ago

They don't run the same executables that Steam does though, and I think that's what's about to change.