Mark Rein has made a bold prediction that the next generation of game consoles could resemble something more like a tablet than a clunky device plugged into your television.
Citing the huge strides made recently in the sophistication of mobile gaming technology, Epic Games’ Vice President makes a fairly convincing argument in an interview with Develop.
Today the companies making the hardware going inside phones know that games are important – they are incorporating processors that suit games and are as powerful as a PC or console…
So we’re going to see really powerful smaller machines emerge – they will be more powerful than a 360. To Epic that’s where our interest lies. We’re not interested in simple 2D games or games for the original iPhone or 3G; we want to bring high-quality, high-fidelity triple-A games to mobile. Epic Citadel woke a lot of people up – they realised it’s real and can be done.
Bearing in mind the studio’s hugely impressive iOS tech demo released on the AppStore just over a month ago, Epic Citadel, it’s clear that Mark Rein and Epic Games are really pushing development of serious ‘hardcore’ games on a mobile platform.
Essentially, Rein sees consoles becoming more of a lifestyle product; something you can take with you to a bar and enjoy a party game with friends before returning home, wirelessly connecting it to your HD television to play some CoD with a typical controller.
What do you think? Will consoles remain gaming powerhouses that sit under your TV? Or are Kinect, Move and the iPad changing the way we play?
Source: Develop
lewis815
Rubbish, nothing beats a good old console game with a proper controller. (In my opinion, naturally).
ii3illy
“….. wirelessly connecting it to your HD television to play some CoD with a typical controller.”
kevatron400
Don’t think beer and future-iPad are the best combination. It’s only a matter of time before someone uses someone elses as a coaster and health metres appear above their heads (they are about to fight).
skibadee
not interested in a mobile console. PS4 under my TV please Sony.
fps_d0minat0r
yeah its called a psp2.
and there will also be something more powerful called a ps4.
lewis815
That’s actually a good point, the guys basically saying that handheld gaming will take over, that thing we’ve had for decades..
Riiiight..
fps_d0minat0r
hes basically saying that the ps4 will be handheld but the rules of technology are that if you have a bigger console, its more powerful (larger components, cooling etc) and for home use no-one minds having a console as big as the ps3 or xbox.
Bilbo_bobbins
i really don’t hope this happens. I can’t see it happening.
tonycawley
Can’t you see it happening? Don’t you see it happening? Do you see it happening?
3shirts
I agree that mobile devices are getting powerful enough to be the only gaming device SOME people want/need in much the same way as mobile phone cameras are getting good enough to replace compact cameras for those who don’t do ‘serious’ photography. But there will always be people who want a massive DSLR and there will always be people who want a powerful games console and the top end will always be ahead of the mid-range
bajere
yeah i can see this happing, as i would love to play such classic future games like Uncharted 4, Killzone 4 or GT6 on a 7″ screen instead of a 50″ TV!
Move along now…your giving me an head ache!
3shirts
This is another good point. However powerful a handheld might get, there is no substitute for a big display and 5.1 audio.
Bilbo_bobbins
unless it’s a VERY powerfull handheld and can be easily connected to the TV? Whatever happens, a small piece of hardware will never beat a box under the TV, which is why I can’t believe this….therefore I’m oot!
Gamoc
No, it couldn’t be.
That is all.
smokeybeef
Unless the future ‘mobile’ consoles have at least 1080p HDMI output and optical audio output, I’m not that fussed.
Qurx
hmmm… i mostly play simple games on handhelds… they are perfect to play where ever you want… but if i want to play some “hardcore” games i’d prefer to play them on a console.
but it would be a nice idea to think that in the future you might just need a controller/handheld or w/e and just connect then to a tv and be able to play your games…
people are already thinking of a futute where applications and thus games will be able to run on a server… you you will only need a screen connected for the display… and some input devices to interact… and of course a connection…
but we will just have to see what the future brings us…