Yakuza and Binary Domain creator Toshihiro Nagoshi sees next-gen consoles holding a smaller market share than PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii managed, as portable and PC gaming take centre stage.
"I don't think consoles will disappear, but more and more people will use home PCs for gaming, and a long time in the future it will just be PCs and mobile phones, and eventually mobiles will become just as powerful as games consoles."
Compared to the simplicity of iPhone controls, Nagoshi thinks that pad complexity may push consumers away from consoles.
"The most important and unavoidable thing is the interface. Right now, that means either buttons or touchscreens. Those are the only two interfaces we have. I think it's strange the number of buttons has increased and never decreased. So that means we need to reset things, somehow. Like I was saying earlier, I think the answer lies in some as-yet unknown third type of interface."
Comments
16 comments so far...
WraithBringer on 23 Feb '12 said:
Speaking of portables Mr Nagoshi, where are the Yakuza games for PSP in the West?
Yeah, thought that would catch you out...
ricflair on 23 Feb '12 said:
Maybe in Japan, not so sure about the rest of the world.
Zubee on 23 Feb '12 said:
I reckon it is all down to cultural differences.
I think in the East handhelds are much more popular than home consoles, but that will never happen in the West.
TheLastDodo on 23 Feb '12 said:
If OnLive and their ilk get their act together then he could be right, in regards to PC gaming.
Would I want to play CoD, GTA V or Elder Scrolls 6 with touch screen control on an iPad? Nope.
Consoles and control pads with buttons, triggers and sticks will still be around and will still dominate next generation.
Cryotek on 23 Feb '12 said:
3rd type of interface = MOUSE
havoc33 on 23 Feb '12 said:
yeah, he seems to forget there is an obvious reason why portable gaming is so big in Japan.
MisterBedo on 23 Feb '12 said:
Buhh
Ohh
Looks
ChotaDon on 23 Feb '12 said:
Bloody hell the guy in the picture seriously needs to lift some weights.
Agent75 on 23 Feb '12 said:
Yes, so use the Yakuza engine and release Shemue 3 on the Wii U, Xbox 720 and PS4...
MANYOO4EVA on 23 Feb '12 said:
I do not agree with this at all.
Had a PSP and hated it, gave me arthritic wrists after most games I played.
I personally cannot stand PC's. Every one I had has been trouble since day 1 and hate having to upgrade the damn thing every few months.
Consoles will not diminish and I love the fact that I can just stick the game disc in the tray and off it goes.
This bloke quite clearly doesn't know what he's talking about. Should go back to making a better game than Binary Domain, quite clearly a poor man's Gears of War.
jm3811 on 23 Feb '12 said:
The way I see it is that consoles will look like PC's with even more functionality and a strong development of apps. I don't like portable devices, I want to sit down in my armchair, hold my breath and my ergonomic pad, I will never shake a tablet to turn right of left, it makes me dizzy.
On top of that it's the PC's which will disappear to be replaced by dedicated thin clients. Also one day they will integrate all the gaming stuff straight into the TV and gaming will become 100% saas.
Chris_Shanahan87 on 23 Feb '12 said:
When he says "handhelds" i think he is referring to mobile and tablets aswell as Vita and PSP, and he's absolutely spot on. Many will disagree because they are afraid of change - but they needn't be. Gaming isn't going anywhere, in fact it's getting bigger. It's just going to be a bit different than you are used too.
The next home console's will be the last.
KK-Headcharge78 on 23 Feb '12 said:
I can see the flawy in this guys argument.
Its bull***t.
stealth on 23 Feb '12 said:
Well to be fair
The 3ds outsold every other system worldwide in 2011. In only 9 months. He might not be too far off
In reality portables dominated this gen
psp- 80 million units sold
ds - 150 million units sold
That tops the consoles 3 times over with 1 less system
Killermancarro on 24 Feb '12 said:
It's obvious what's happening here. This man has an irrational fear of buttons. Just look at his clothing, no buttons. I bet he doesn't even have a belly button.
I cannot take the musings of a koumpounophobic seriously i'm afraid. Find me a man in a plaid shirt wearing button up jeans and a duffle coat
solamon77 on 22 May '12 said:
As far as his comment about the number of buttons never decreasing and how we need to reset things, I'd say that's exactly what the Wii did and what Kinect and Move are trying to do.