Welcome to the Next Generation

I absolutely love video games. I might even venture to say that I am obsessed with video games. Until recently I have also been a collector of video games. I had the original NES, the Super NES, Nintendo 64, Sega, Sega CD, Sega Saturn, etc. etc. and the list goes on. I even had a working Atari 1600. But when then new wave of video game consoles came, with the Xbox 360, the Play Station 3, and the Nintendo Wii, I was unable to keep up simply due to the fact I could not afford that many consoles.

When the Xbox launched, a year before the PS3 (which was the reverse roles of the original Xbox and the PS2), it was running at $499 plus games. Games have gone up from $49.99 to $59.99 for most new titles. I did, however, wait in line at Walmart for nearly twenty-four hours to get my Xbox 360 because of the success from the original Xbox and the anticipation for what was to come. I knew this console was going to be better than than the PS3. And it was coming out now, not a year from now. So I waited and that in itself is a blog post.

Then the Nintendo Wii launches with the ability to become part of the game. The controller was a magic wand of motion that controlled motion. You can bowl by treating the controller as a bowling ball. You can swing your sword around cutting off heads as you walk through levels of lacking graphics. Nintendo was hitting a new market by allowing younger and even older members to play video games. But they missed it with the graphics. They produced a console that went backwards in the quality of graphics. Not to mention that they did not offer a HD console, with the sudden boom in high definition and the other two on the fore front of that, nor cables to even up convert that signal. The price point was right, however. You could buy a brand new one for $249.99. The games were even $49.99. Of course that is because of the quality of graphics and the “revolutionary” concept. They went so far in the opposite direction I did not buy one nor do I have one today.

Then came the PS3. The console was said to be the Xbox killer and that due to the fact it had the Sony Blu-ray player inside of it made it the cheapest, at the time of launch, Blu-ray player on the market. Adding that to have the wireless adapter (which is an additional $99 for the Xbox 360) built in, as well as an easy to manage user interface, they hit the tech junkies. Then, add that to the fact that they had an impressive list of Sony owned titles and the sleek design, they had a big capture on the market. But offering multiple sizes (hard drive space) they pushed the price point all the way to $599 for the highest end model. Their games were also $59.99. So I waited in hopes of a price drop, and even though I got one, it was still out of my price range. I did, however, have a $160 gift card to the failing retail giant Circuit City, matched with an already 20% discount, landed that and an HDMI cable (the cable that runs both audio and video to an HD TV) for under $300. SO I have two of the three.

But what is next? We have already perfected HD. It is nearly impossible to get a TV now days that is not at least 720p. And most new TV’s are being released as 1080p. We have rid ourselves of the once popular plasma TV (due to it’s short life span and the fact it has a half life) and are focused on LCD displays as well as the latest trend, LED displays. (Think digital billboards when you think of an LED display.) So as TV sets begin to move forward so are the game consoles. And as history proves we go through console changes every five years. Which would mean we should start seeing some buzz words being thrown around about new consoles any day now. Especially with the current E3 that is going on. (Of course they are more focused on the next version of Rock Band. And Rock Band, as fun as it might be, is getting on my damn nerves. How many versions of this can you release before you give it up and move on to something else? We have Rock Band, Rock Band 2, Rock Band 3, Rock Band Aerosmith, Rock Band Metallica, Rock Band the Beatles, 80’s Rock Band; give it up already. There have even been talks, and I have seen the controller, for DJ Band. The controller is a record player so you can spin records like the DJ’s at your favorite club. But I get it. Next please.)

But what is next for these consoles? I have heard Apple talking about potentially launching a console. Nintendo has dropped hints as to what is next. Microsoft has even made mention to some stuff they are working on as well. Which brings me to the video that you see above you here. (Before I go any further I want to know if this is real. I have heard mixed reviews, and even based on the comments on the video some people think this is legit. Any one out there have proof one way or the other?)

This video shows exactly what I have been saying Nintendo should have done. This is taking the graphics that we all know and love from the 360 and the PS3 and adding the interactivity of the Wii. I hate the Wii because the graphics are terrible. I love the PS3 because the graphics are amazing I love the Wii because I acn interact with the game by actually moving around and performing the motions I see on screen. I hate the 360 because I want to be able to swing a club and hit the ball while playing Tiger Woods golf. So have we met our match? Is this the next step in what is to come from the video game giants? (I would never expect Nintendo to produce graphics of this quality. They have never been a graphics based company. They go for more organized and structured concept and try to push the envelope. So this would have to be a Microsoft or Sony product.)

I want to know your thoughts. Is that real? If so, how much do you think it will cost? I want to know the development that has gone into this, again, assuming this is real. I just had a conversation today with a co-worker that said the only thing that is next would be actually interacting with the people in the game in an almost 3D environment. And while I think that is a few years away still, this is pretty darn close. Imagine turning the lights down, grabbing your “gun” and walking through the halls of Resident Evil 5. Every corner you turn you could risk a bad guy and having to react in that moment or you are dead. The game is scary enough the way it is.

The only thing I hope is that if this is real they do not do what the Wii has been doing. Do not test turn games. Do not spend three years trying out the technology and release title after title that has no production value and no story line. If you are going to take the time to produce a console like this produce games that have already perfected said technology. This is the future of gaming whether this video is real or not. Welcome to the future of your living room.