It?s been about seven years since we entered the 7th era of gaming consoles, and at this point we?re left with a debate about which system ranks the very best amongst the big three: PlayStation, Wii and Xbox. Be sure that everyone has his or her own opinions on this matter. In a little over half a decade, we?ve seen not only the evolution of the current consoles but also of the gaming industry itself. What was traditionally nothing but a pure gaming machine has been completely revamped to become an entertainment hub for the home. The State of Gaming World was last week in Los Angeles at the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo, and in addition to announcing all of the new games available this year, E3 2012 showed a glimpse of where video games are heading in the coming years.
Nintendo was first to release a console that began the current generation ? the Nintendo Wii. If you didn?t grown up with a Nintendo system, you know someone who did. Nintendo has dominated the gaming industry for decades, especially from the perspective of a younger audience. As Nintendo moves forward to the next installment of the Wii, the Wii U will continue to break ground in a broader market that targets the casual gamer. The key element here is motion control. Whether Nintendo would have the user interact in the digital world with a motion controller or with the newly announced GamePad, Nintendo is looking for ways to innovate and show the world how truly unique they are.
When asked which of their competitors they feared the most, PlayStation or Xbox, Nintendo replied Apple, an answer that came straight out of left field, as I don?t think anyone even had Apple on their radar. After pondering their response a bit, though, it does make a lot of sense. For example, the Angry Bird fever completely overcame this country, and? Wal-mart sells all sorts of merchandise inspired by the sling-shot mobile game. It?s absolutely crazy that such a simple game about nothing could grow into a million dollar business. Nintendo knows how profitable the mobile gaming market is, which is why they?re adding more components to their family friendly environment.? With the GamePad, Nintendo hopes gamers will enjoy playing Wii U using an extra screen, interacting with friends or surfing the Web while playing a game on the television. ?There is also a remote play feature for when the television is already in use.
PlayStation has been one of the must-have media systems since the PS3 was launched. ?Not only is it a top pick for most gamers, but the ability to watch movies on Blu-Ray and via streaming sites such as Netflix and Hulu made owning this piece of hardware a no-brainer.
One promising asset of PlayStation is its portable gaming device. The PS Vita completely blows Nintendo?s 3DS out of the water in hardware specifications. Nintendo?s software is no match either. One feature that could truly move PlayStation to higher places is the remote play feature across Wi-Fi and 3G networks. With this feature, you can remotely play your PS3 games on-the-go no matter where you are in the world. Today, there?s no bigger reason to go with the PlayStation 3 than this functionality.
Xbox is the only gaming console that requires users to have a paid subscription in order to play games online, yet it enjoys the largest community of gamers and currently ranks first in 2012 sales. Xbox is also the system of choice for pro-gamers. Microsoft not only has a huge stake in the console wars but is also a major player in the PC gaming world. The most competitive PC game in the world is Star Craft II, and all of the pro-gamers use Windows. Despite PlayStation being their biggest competitor in the gaming market, allowing its users to play online for free, Xbox has done very well for itself.
Xbox has come a long way since it first was unveiled in May 2005. ?It never had Blu-ray capabilities, and it didn?t even have Wi-Fi. ?Now, with the Xbox Kinect, there?s no need for motion controllers ? your physical self is the controller. ?Sales for dancing and fitness games have dramatically shifted from the Wii to the Xbox 360. ?One question remains for me: ?how will Apple respond to Xbox?s newly announced SmartGlass, the features of which are almost directly copied and pasted from Apple?s TV?
Apple, believe it or not, is a fourth major player when comparing the top gaming companies. They?re the only one without their own console, but they?ve shown there?s a new way to be very profitable in this industry ? the App Store, which has many games available that are very cheap, very simple and very addictive.
What Apple has brought into the home is Apple TV and AirPlay, giving users the ability to stream their content seamlessly into their televisions. ?AirPlay is an excellent way to play PS3- and Xbox 360-type games on your iOS and Android phones and tablets.? There is no longer a need for discs because everything is registered in the cloud.
With the Wii U and its GamePad, with Xbox 360 and its SmartGlass, it will be interesting to see what Apple does next, and if they truly intend to become more competitive in the gaming industry. ?Apple TV and AirPlay does an excellent job of streaming content from mobile devices to the television, delivering other streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu, and running sports apps. ?I?m guessing that the main reason the gaming aspect of Apple hasn?t gone truly viral is because app developers haven?t integrated physical controller capabilities into their games and devices.
Next year will hold one of the more exciting E3 conferences in a long time because it is widely believed that the successors of both the PS3 and Xbox 360 will be announced. ?The best thing to do is stay tuned, using whichever device suits you most.? Which one is for you?
Guest post by Lance Mayfield, tech enthusiast. Born and raised in the great city of New York; graduated from the University at Albany in 2010. Currently working as a Consultant at Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield in Newark, NJ.
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