What is the point of next-gen consoles in the face of iPhone, asks Epic president
Epic Games President Mike Capps, talking to IndustryGamers:
I think that’s the real challenge for us now, rather than worrying about the difference between a couple consoles and some order of magnitude, whether 3X or 4X. It’s about how do we deal with iPhone 8… if you watch where the gamers are going that’s where they are. Your iPhone 8 will probably plug into your TV, or better yet, wirelessly connect to your television set to give you that big screen gaming experience with good sound. So really, what’s the point of those next-gen consoles?
iPhone 8? I’ll be amazed if this doesn’t happen with the iPhone 5, since gaming over AirPlay is already possible (if sometimes a little laggy) with the iPad 2. I don’t think next-gen games consoles will vanish overnight, simply because they are, relatively speaking, much more affordable than an iOS system (which would require several devices and an Apple TV for wireless gaming streams), and also because Apple still doesn’t entirely get gaming itself. However, should Apple add AirPlay mirroring across its entire line, the Apple TV would go from being a niche concern to, potentially, a 101-quid add-on that turns any iPod touch, iPhone or iPad into a games console. At that point, Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony would have a massive fight on their hands.
It’s an exciting idea, no doubt. But should “games console” be qualified? An iOS-based combo would be different–uniquely unsuited for certain types of traditional console games.
The reason? The lack of hardware buttons. Without tactile feedback, certain fast-paced genres just wouldn’t fly (e.g. FPS, sports). But strategy games would rock, and the possibilities for movement-based controls are endless.
Depends on the game. Plenty of FPS and sports games work fine on iOS, but plenty are also awful. Those that go with the system rather than fight it tend to be better. And there’s always potential for more traditional Bluetooth controllers too. (I take the general point, though, obv.)