Putting the Gaming Console Out to Pasture

On The Horizon

There is a fundamental shift happening in the world right now. Things are changing and it is happening faster than it ever has before. Things that seemed so commonplace and essential years ago like the CD rom, have become nothing more than a useless antique. What is strange is that the CD was only relevant for about a decade.

This fast-paced obsolescence is happening faster than ever before. Technology has hit its stride, and it seems the digital era is approaching a golden age and renaissance that would rival the industrial one. Recent emerging evidence of this is the inevitable phasing out of the console gaming platform. You heard that right. The beloved PS4, Xbox 1, and Wii systems are likely to be a thing of the past.

Donâ€™t Panic

If a surge of fear coursed through you hearing that the gaming console might become a thing of the past, donâ€™t worry. The industry of gaming is thriving now more than ever. In fact, Esports has become an epic phenomenon that brings in billion of dollars a year to an industry that is already thriving.

So why are gaming consoles like the PS4 being phased out? Well, the truth is gaming consoles are becoming obsolete. While gaming consoles will still have some nostalgic value to them in the coming years, game developers are taking a different approach to future games. It appears that nearly all games will likely be developed in the next two to five years to be played only on browsers.

Because the cloud allows for so much data storage, there simply is no longer a need to have a bulky console sitting in your living room. Everything from the game data, to the ram, to the game itself can be stored on the cloud. As a result, gaming is turning its attention towards streaming, and likely will leave those bulky consoles in the same museum as CD roms, floppy discs, and 8-track players.

A Noble Dinosaur

Gaming consoles have provided decades of entertainment. From the humble Atari to the awe-inspiring and graphically stunning PS4, the evolution of the console has been a noble one. However, all things must come to an end. This particular dinosaur appears to be entering the twilight years. The next generation of consoles are likely to be the last ones.

Everything has an Achilles heel. For the dinosaurs it was a lack of astrological expertise, for the gaming console, streaming and the cloud. While we may be witnessing the end of one era, it does make room for a new, exciting one.

The Next Step

While it can be sad saying goodbye to the old, there is renewed enthusiasm to usher in the new. The world is changing, and while change is almost always scary, often it is for the better. Gaming consoles are retiring yes, but streaming video games on the cloud opens up a whole new world of possibilities and processing power that has infinite potential.

Contents