3. The Generation Could Last A While
Perhaps a reason that we could see this console generation be the last is because it could well go on for a long time. So far we have seen a little of what the next generation is going to look like and while in previous generations the promise of better graphics and online play were the main draws, it seems to me anyways, this next generation coming seems less...crucial than others. Graphics will always get better but it seems graphical quality is becoming less important to a consumer base, often with the least powerful system selling the best. Also, judging by the PlayStation 4 press conference, the main draw seems to be an upgrade to online services and sharing. This leads me to a place where I think it is entirely possible that these companies may be positioning themselves in for the long haul. If you look at how gaming has changed and especially how companies deal with online content now, there has been a massive shift that is drawing us towards a place where games are now also services. Games are no longer just games but bases to be built upon. Again, look at SimCity but also games like FIFA. They are designed to be online and upgraded, both to 'guide' the way we interact with it but also to keep us playing the game. So what does the gaming industry moving towards a more service based market have to do with the death of consoles. Well, while more games go always-online, even if the consoles don't go this way like it is rumoured they might, it is likely that you will only be getting a base experience. Console creators are setting up services for us to use and invest in. They are designed to keep us in one place and if a generation goes on for 8 years based on this model, companies may find it more beneficial to continually provide an ever changing service on that console that we have invested in for a decade than to start afresh with a new console.