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[speculawyer]

. . . AGAIN.

Michael Pachter: Microsoft is preparing for life after the Xbox
GamesBeat By Mike Minotti

Enjoying your new console? Well, Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter thinks it’ll soon be obsolete, and he thinks that Xbox maker Microsoft knows it.

Speaking this morning with moderator Geoff Keighley at our GamesBeat 2014 in San Francisco, Pachter explained why he thought Microsoft would shift its gaming focus from consoles to PCs and mobile.

“I think consoles are going away, because you used to need a console because you could not connect a microprocessor to your TV screen,” Pachter said. “Now, if you have a Chromecast stick or a Roku box, you can. So why do we buy consoles? I mean, your phone will be powerful enough to power any game in two more generations. And, so, why buy a console? I think Microsoft actually knows that.”

These comments come after Microsoft bought Minecraft developer Mojang for $2.5 billion earlier today. Microsoft has always had a lot of success with hardcore gamers, but acquiring the mass-appealing Minecraft — a game that’s especially popular on mobile platforms — could be a sign that the company is looking to reach a wider audience.

C'mon Michael. Stick to the financial aspects. You are are not an engineer. When you try to talk about the technology it just comes out as hilarious. Battery issues, power consumption, heat dissipation are all serious issues that are not easy to handle. Thus, mobile devices are always a little behind the larger plug-in stuff.

And Microsoft knows this stuff full well. We are talking about a company that had to write-off $1B because their console with a big fan still overheated and died with a RROD.

 

[Courage]

Good news everyone, consoles are here to last.

 

[shinobi602]

Nonsense. Consoles are eternal and everlasting.

 

[Data West]

Remember how everyone, Pachter included, talked about how the PS4 and Xbox One and all that weren't going to sell because everyone has phones and tablets now? Then stores couldn't keep PS4s in stock when it launched.

Good times.

 

[kuroneko0509]

Stop giving him attention lol

 

[Wishmaster92]

Not this shitto agen

 

[BronsonLee]

Dear Michael Pachter

...What

Yours,
Franck

 

[PerezDeCorcho]

This guy...

 

[dripdripsplash]

Is this guy still alive ?

This guy is sooo early last gen. Forget about him.

 

[Pikma]

Nonsense. Consoles are eternal and everlasting.

Both Pachter and you are wrong

 

[GreatestHits]

These guys never knew shit about videogames they just had a ton of money and assets

 

[GavinUK86]

 

[Zombie James]

I mean, your phone will be powerful enough to power any game in two more generations. And, so, why buy a console?

What the fuck is he talking about?

 

[Red Arremer]

Why is anyone paying attention to this guy.

 

[Slowdive]

Consoles are doomed.

lol, has Pachter ever got anything right?

 

[dugdug]

Right, queue up the David Lynch "fucking phone" video.

 

[digoutyoursoul]

Fuck sake

 

[2spooky4me]

 

[McHuj]

I mean, your phone will be powerful enough to power any game in two more generations. And, so, why buy a console?

Except this isn't true. A device that consumes 1-4W of power and is battery operated will never able to run the same software at the same quality and performance as a 150W machine that's plugged into a wall.

I guess you can make the case that despite the short comings of mobile, the games will be "good enough and sufficient" for consumers. Maybe. But I'm not convinced yet.

 

[March of the Crabs]

Good news everyone, consoles are here to last.

Came here to say this. Our reverse prophet strikes again!

 

[strafer]

Does he say that?

 

[WadiumArcadium]

Pachter predicts it will rain tomorrow. Maybe.

 

[UrbanRats]

I mean it makes sense to me, that consoles are going away sooner or later.
They're just *a* platform to play games on, and things evolve inevitably.

Just like dedicated mp3 players are less and less relevant.

 

[BloodMoney]

booohooo

 

[mangochutney]

He is right, but for the wrong reasons.

 

[GrayFoxPL]

Good news everyone, consoles are here to last.

 

[Courage]

What the fuck is he talking about?

He's got scoops on those iPhone 7 specs.

 

[rjc571]

Pachter says phones will replace consoles within two generations. Death of cell phone gaming confirmed!

 

[maniac-kun]

Its going like the death of the PC that was preached for over 10 years and now the PC is stronger than ever.

 

[SymbiantXenos]

Vincemcmahonscratchingear.gif

Whatever you say Patcher. Whatever you say.

 

[SwiftDeath]

Pachter generally makes fairly foolish predictions when it comes to large market trends. He's not necessarily wrong that consoles could be going away in the near future but the idea that it is things like the Roku or Chromecast stick that will power games in the living room is entirely misguided I think

 

[The Lamonster]

I stopped listening to Pachter's predictions a long time ago. He will tell you himself that he is often wrong.

I predict the death of giving a lot of attention to Pachter's predictions!

That said, I really like the guy, not trying to knock him. This is just another thing I disagree with him on.

 

[spookyfish]

What the fuck is he talking about?

Should be the subtitle for almost any Pachter thread.

 

[ValfarHL]

Out of sync.

Spoiler

Sorry.

 

[AstroNut325]

What the fuck is he talking about?

Probably in comparison to the PS360 + Wii U. We're probably going to see mobile devices with more capability than those boxes in 2-3 years.

Edit:
I don't agree with Pachter on this.

 

[Ultimadrago]

Does he say that?

Yes

 

[Hexa]

I mean, your phone will be powerful enough to power any game in two more generations.

Wat? It'll take many more generations than that just to reach this generation of consoles. And of course next generation is going to be more powerful than this one. You know, that's how hardware advancement.

 

[Gaus]

I think he realized no one mentioned his name in a while, so he said the dumbest thing he could think of. Mission accomplished!

 

[Wishmaster92]

Pachter says phones will replace consoles within two generations. Death of cell phone gaming confirmed!

Lol this.

 

[x-Lundz-x]

The whole argument about phones being powerful enough to power any games is true, but I think it's a ways off from what he thinks. He makes is sounds like in like 3 years we will all be plugging our phones into our Smart TV's to play games. While I do agree this may be the future, that's easily 10+ years from being a reality IMO.

 

[Cess007]

Good news everyone, consoles are here to last.

Came here to say this. Our reverse prophet strikes again!

Then, does this mean next generation would be a smashing success?

 

[SJRB]

Pachter you weirdo. I love you, man.

 

[ShogunDarius]

Out of sync.

Spoiler

Sorry.

much like his predictions

 

[RE_Player]

I was expecting the "death of consoles" talk to start around 2018 when these current consoles get long in the tooth and journalists need some stories to write. Kudos to Pachter for jumping on this early.

Spoiler

I am a Pachter fan so I rib at him in jest but this talk of consoles dying is insane.

 

[BPoole]

It's bound of happen eventually

 

[TheHall]

He's clearly talking about the the infinite power of the cloud.

Seriously though, If Playstation Now takes off over the next few years, we might see 1 more console before streaming from a small box will become the norm.

It won't be 5 years though, but 10 max.

 

[impact]

I mean it makes sense to me, that consoles are going away sooner or later.
They're just *a* platform to play games on, and things evolve inevitably.

Just like dedicated mp3 players are less and less relevant.

This is a poor comparison just because: I can get a mp3 file on my phone and it sounds exactly the same as it does on my iPod. My enjoyment is exactly the same when listening to the song on either device.

I can't play Demons Souls, or Destiny, or CS:GO on my phone, and if I could it would be nowhere near the same experience. It will never happen. Mark my words.

 

[Ramrock]

Good news everyone, consoles are here to last.

Exactly what's happening and will happen.

 

[mrjohill]

Does he say that?

Yeah it's from the gaf documentary

 

[RedRooster]

Nostrodamus' first name was also Michael(Michel)! This is getting weird.