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IF Googles console succeeds, either Sony or Nintendo will likely be pushed out. Are you prepared?

Suceed can mean 2nd or third place as well. They are clearly aiming to get a foothold into the market and are willing to spend the money to do it, and that's also why things may get crazy.

If Google fails that's one thing, but if Google SUCCEEDS then we run into a problem. Through out gaming history there could never be 4 major players and any time a 4th player broke in one of the original 3 would fall out either due to low market share earning little profit, or the 4th company running out of money attempting to stay in.

This, as much as some people won't like it, puts Microsoft at an advantage. They have a solid base which earns them large revenue, they have the cash to burn, and their recent moves have set-them up to counter Google IF they succeed. WHICH is why those lauging at such moves were in the wrong.

This leaves Nintendo and Sony. Neither of these two companies can survive an endurance match so this makes things a bit complicated.

Nintendo had to go the hybrid route because they were no longer able to have a console on one side of the market alone and still be profitable. They had to fuse both markets together. But as a result they created the Switch, which is selling fast and is projected to be a major success.

Sony is the current winner however, they have to start from scratch with the PS5. Currently Sony's not fully prepared to counter Google, due to only recently putting much more focus on cloud and streaming services. They have invested in VR and according to patents, a heavy social media focus coming up.

If Google succeeds all three consoles will lose user base, don't get me wrong, but Sony and Nintendo will receive the heavy impact from the industry shake-up, and Google wants in, and will burn as much cash as possible to do so.

The one that survives will be the one who reacts the fastest and protects as much of their market share as possible. But it's unclear who it will be. This is of course assuming Google succeeds.

If Google fails and drops out after burning rivers of cash, then it'll likely raise the barrier for entry and the current big 3 will likely forever be the only console manufacturers going forward, at leadt until traditional consoles are fully extinct 2 gens from now.

So Monday's going to be a very crazy event indeed. It could be a major change-up in the industry.
 

Arkage

Banned
One could argue Nintendo already dropped out of the so-called console space with the switch despite it being able to plug into your TV. If Google is just making a streaming box their biggest competitor will probably end up being MS as they seem headed in that same direction much faster than anyone else.
 
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Zog

Banned
Well, if it has to be 3 then Microsoft should go but I doubt Google will succeed. I don't like any of the things that Microsoft has brought to gaming. Achievements, online gaming dominance over single player gaming and unreliable hardware.
 

ethomaz

Banned
More like Microsoft will be out.

It is the company with worst situation of the 3.

Sony and Nintendo are safe with solid strategy that give great results each... they generate more revenue and profit.
 
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daveonezero

Banned
I could see all 4 staying if Nintendo kept the market of cheaper dedicated handhelds.

Such a device where Pokémon Zelda and Mario lives is not out of the question.
 

Zog

Banned
One could argue Nintendo already dropped out of the so-called console space with the switch despite it being able to plug into your TV. If Google is just making a streaming box their biggest competitor will probably end up being MS as they seem headed in that same direction much faster than anyone else.

The Switch is both a console and a handheld. It's best controller is meant for console mode.
 

kingpotato

Ask me about my Stream Deck
I'm not sure I agree with your assessment of Microsoft's position... Sony will maintain a massive base if ps5 is as backwards compatible as the rumors imply. Nintendo has insane brand loyalty. If anything Microsoft has the weakest position hardware wise since they have no exclusives to the Xbox, with everything on PC. Also your points on Sony are off as well. Weren't they the first to try out a fully streaming solution between the big 3? Why do you say they are behind on cloud and streaming?
 
Just because in the past there has only been "room for three" doesn't mean that currently there is only room for three. Google can succeed without Sony, Nintendo, or Microsoft failing, especially if every console pushes for its own niche. Sony doesn't "Have to start from scratch with the PS5," unless you mean that with PS5 they have to sell units starting from zero units sold. Sony still has a lot of good will in a lot of customers. Xbox and Nintendo also have a lot of good will, and each of the three have a lot of established IPs and studios, and both of the trailing companies making very attractive moves to their customers (Game Pass, Switch, Cross-Play, etc). I highly doubt that any of the current big three get pushed out by the google console. There's room for a fourth in the market, there just might need to be a shifting of expectations for one of the companies.
 
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UltimaKilo

Gold Member
More like Microsoft will be out.

It is the company with worst situation of the 3.

Sony and Nintendo are safe with solid strategy that give great results each.

Microsoft is leaning more towards PC and cloud gaming, which they should. Gaming is not their primary source of revenue which makes them more likely to be out before the others.

Last time they ran into trouble, shareholders were clamoring for them to abandon the Xbox division.
 

Ivellios

Member
What? How is Sony or Nintendo being pushed out? How did you arrive at the conclusion that Microsoft have an advantage?

Both PS4 and Switch are successful consoles which are still solding very well.

PS5 wont have to start from scratch at all, everyone will buy it because they know it is the only place they can play Horizon, God of War, The Last of Us, Uncharted and so on. Same thing with the Switch and future Nintendo consoles.

This sounds like a Xbox fanboy thread tbh.
 

Dr. Claus

Vincit qui se vincit
What? How is Sony or Nintendo being pushed out? How did you arrive at the conclusion that Microsoft have an advantage?

Both PS4 and Switch are successful consoles which are still solding very well.

PS5 wont have to start from scratch at all, everyone will buy it because they know it is the only place they can play Horizon, God of War, The Last of Us, Uncharted and so on. Same thing with the Switch and future Nintendo consoles.

This sounds like a Xbox fanboy thread tbh.

It is a VoostKain thread, so of course it is.
 

Gamernyc78

Banned
Here goes the arm chair analyst not knowing what he is talking about and excluding Microsoft just because he is biased. Lets get things clear Xbox does not have the backing of the whole of Microsoft or unlimited funds. It is a division which has investors and a budget like any other department or company. It has not been doing as well as the other two so if anything Microsoft could become a casualty. For years we've read articles of investors unhappy WITH the Xbox division and their profit margins. What do you think? That Xbox division has unlimited money because Microsoft is so big??? Smh.

If anyone gets pushed out it will likely be Xbox. Nintendos whole company is basically video games so they won't be pushed out and Sony Playstation has been put at the center of the company because it has consistently done well and is reaping money.

Now I understand why some have put this dude on ignore. His Microsoft paradigm outlook and advertising is ridiculous. I wouldn't be surprised if this dude was a legit Microsoft employee.
 
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Three

Member
The two stronger competitors will be out while the one with the weakest marketshare will be fine

Sure-jan.gif
 
I don't really see that much people buying google console if it even exist. Nintendo or Sony being pushed out from business is just laughable idea.
 

HoodWinked

Member
Google's products have never been exciting instead they've kind of always been the more generic choice but we'll priced so they would pickup the remaining potential customers. For console gaming I don't really think that really exists since tablets and phones is where that group is already playing on.
 
I don't really see that much people buying google console if it even exist. Nintendo or Sony being pushed out from business is just laughable idea.

Honestly, from the depths of my ass, I think that Google's best path to join the gaming sphere would be to buy/build a bunch of studios and function like Activision or EA, publishing big and small games across the currently existing platforms. Especially if each game requires a "Google Account," bringing more people into a Google ecosystem.
 
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Ar¢tos

Member
lol sure...
The console maker WITHOUT worldwide appeal is the one that is safe.... You are in for some disappointment.
 

Hendrick's

If only my penis was as big as my GamerScore!
Google is known for trying out a ton of new things...and then dropping them for something else, sometimes even when they are very good (goodbye Inbox...).
 

Shifty1897

Member
Even though Project Stream made me a believer, Google's fighting an uphill battle. Their reputation of dropping hardware the minute the going gets tough will make a lot of consumers think twice about buying their console. Sony and Nintendo are fine, they have a loyal fanbase who will stay for the first party exclusives. Microsoft has been building a better reputation over the last two years, and can maybe turn things around at the start of the next generation.

It's not just Google though, I don't think a streaming box can succeed yet because people aren't ready for it. The average consumer doesn't understand proper networking, or how to troubleshoot bottlenecks, and at the end of the day they'll blame the console instead of their own network if performance issues arise.
 
OP thought he had one in the bag with this thread
jordanlaff


Xbox does not equate to Microsoft. If Xbox loses any more revenue, either it will be downgraded to a low-tier console or gets axed by Microsoft to prevent any more losses. Look at the companies that stopped producing phones because they were pushed out from competition.
 

Hendrick's

If only my penis was as big as my GamerScore!
OP thought he had one in the bag with this thread
jordanlaff


Xbox does not equate to Microsoft. If Xbox loses any more revenue, either it will be downgraded to a low-tier console or gets axed by Microsoft to prevent any more losses. Look at the companies that stopped producing phones because they were pushed out from competition.
Xbox doesn't lose money though.
 

Shifty

Member
Nintendo ain't going nowhere on account of having their own niche and a massive warchest.

Whether MS or Sony drop out probably depends on how the next-gen launches go. If one of them makes an Xbox One-tier initial flub then I guess it's curtains for them?

That is of course assuming that this 'big three' rule actually holds any water, and as yet I'm not convinced that it will based on the evidence of "there have only ever been three at once".
It's been a while since SEGA dropped out, and the industry's in a different state these days. The whole thing remains to be seen.
 
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Abriael_GN

RSI Employee of the Year
Holy hot take Batman.

Gaming is an ever increasing market. There is absolutely no indication that there is no room for another player in the industry, even assuming that Google is really going all out and actually has the will and the means (IE: the games) to compete, which isn't in any shape or form safe to assume.

This kind of hot take is something I'm more used to see in a certain other forum, lol.
 
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What?

Streaming box is like the 3DS. A device for a completely different sector of the industry. The only way Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo have to worry is if Google actually released a real game console with retail partners.

See here:

Home Console Market
-
Portable/mobile market
-
Streaming Market

The first is the Xbox/PS4/Switch. The second is SW/IPhone/Samsung. The third is Microsoft/Google/Amazon.

Google's not entering the home console market. It's entering the new and growing streaming market. There is no 4th player. No ones going anywhere.
 

Ivellios

Member
Nintendo ain't going nowhere on account of having their own niche and a massive warchest.

Whether MS or Sony drop out probably depends on how the next-gen launches go. If one of them makes an Xbox One-tier initial flub then I guess it's curtains for them?

That is of course assuming that this 'big three' rule actually holds any water, and as yet I'm not convinced that it will based on the evidence of "there have only ever been three at once".
It's been a while since SEGA dropped out, and the industry's in a different state these days. The whole thing remains to be seen.

12a811bdad0468fd5bb3920eb2973a6e76c252e4_hq.jpg
 

DeepEnigma

Gold Member
What?

Streaming box is like the 3DS. A device for a completely different sector of the industry. The only way Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo have to worry is if Google actually released a real game console with retail partners.

See here:

Home Console Market
-
Portable/mobile market
-
Streaming Market

The first is the Xbox/PS4/Switch. The second is SW/IPhone/Samsung. The third is Microsoft/Google/Amazon.

Google's not entering the home console market. It's entering the new and growing streaming market. There is no 4th player. No ones going anywhere.

Wait, what?

Ah yes, the pretending that Sony has not been streaming for almost 5 years again, and expanding into EU countries as we speak. :pie_eyeroll:
 
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Wait, what?

Ah yes, the pretending that Sony has not been streaming for almost 5 years again, and expanding into EU countries as we speak. :pie_eyeroll:

Come on.

Sonys streaming infrastructure is no where near the other 3. Amazon and Google have spend way more expanding their digital library, tons of server farms, and briging in tons in content. Sonys not a real competitor in this space. Yet.

Sony has streaming options but they aren't going all in on infrastructure like the other 3 are. Theirs is an option for those who find it more convenient.

Plus the point of my post was Google's not making a home console. There's no 4th entrant.
 

LordRaptor

Member
This, as much as some people won't like it, puts Microsoft at an advantage. They have a solid base which earns them large revenue, they have the cash to burn, and their recent moves have set-them up to counter Google IF they succeed. WHICH is why those lauging at such moves were in the wrong.

If Google show up and are successful off the bat, MS shareholders aren't going to be happy at what MS have achieved in the console space in the - nearly 20 years now - time MS have been there, and they aren't going to be happy pouring even more money down that drain.
 
More like Microsoft will be out.

It is the company with worst situation of the 3.

Sony and Nintendo are safe with solid strategy that give great results each... they generate more revenue and profit.

Yeah, if anyone is "pushed out", I think it would be Xbox, but I don't think anyone will be pushed out completely.

Nintendo and Sony have exclusive franchises/teams that are popular enough that people will continue to buy their platforms if that's what they need to do to get the games. This is especially clear with Nintendo, since they have consistently, even proudly, been the weakest tech of every generation, but they keep making the $$. MS/XBox will also figure out streaming, and they at least have some exclusive franchises/studios that people like, giving them an edge on Google. Google of course has infinite $$ to invest in this, and I would think they'd get support from all the 3rd party publishers, probably indies, and since the only "hardware requirement" is likely to be "anything that runs Chrome", they should do OK too. What a time to be alive :)
 

Rest

All these years later I still chuckle at what a fucking moron that guy is.
I don't see how Nintendo or Sony would get pushed out. Nintendo's been at it a long time, they know the game and know how to survive. Sony has been #1 for pretty much every console but the PS3 since they entered the industry. Microsoft fumbled the ball and let PS3 catch up to them last cycle, and almost shot their own foot off with their "Isn't DRM and spying awesom!!!1!!!" stupidity this gen. Microsoft is the weakest link, if anyone gets pushed out it's them.
 
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DeepEnigma

Gold Member
Come on.

Sonys streaming infrastructure is no where near the other 3. Amazon and Google have spend way more expanding their digital library, tons of server farms, and briging in tons in content. Sonys not a real competitor in this space. Yet.

Sony has streaming options but they aren't going all in on infrastructure like the other 3 are. Theirs is an option for those who find it more convenient.

Plus the point of my post was Google's not making a home console. There's no 4th entrant.

:pie_roffles:

They are the ONLY ones in the space currently.
 
idk nintendo is not really a . i would say a competitor in the mainstream console gaming sector. i'd say they are more of a "if your a nintendo person or like their games your just gonna buy it anyway" sort of thing. and they sell well to kids.

I dont think they have been that since the gamecube
 
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Rest

All these years later I still chuckle at what a fucking moron that guy is.
Well, if it has to be 3 then Microsoft should go but I doubt Google will succeed. I don't like any of the things that Microsoft has brought to gaming. Achievements, online gaming dominance over single player gaming and unreliable hardware.
Are you me?
 
Well, if it has to be 3 then Microsoft should go but I doubt Google will succeed. I don't like any of the things that Microsoft has brought to gaming. Achievements, online gaming dominance over single player gaming and unreliable hardware.
Sony hardware hasn't exactly been reliable.
 

ethomaz

Banned
Come on.

Sonys streaming infrastructure is no where near the other 3. Amazon and Google have spend way more expanding their digital library, tons of server farms, and briging in tons in content. Sonys not a real competitor in this space. Yet.

Sony has streaming options but they aren't going all in on infrastructure like the other 3 are. Theirs is an option for those who find it more convenient.

Plus the point of my post was Google's not making a home console. There's no 4th entrant.
Sony is actually the only one on the market.
 

DanielsM

Banned
Xbox doesn't lose money though.

There is absolutely no proof in their financials that Xbox has ever made a dime, there is plenty of testimony from people that ran Xbox that is was a money pit. Microsoft does report on Xbox, although they were and have been trying to cover up the loses for well over a decade.

Microsoft lost $5 billion to $7 billion on the original Xbox, launched in 2001.
https://venturebeat.com/2015/09/27/...xbox-officer-revisits-his-critical-decisions/

In this same article, he claimed the Xbox 360 was making money, but when people started digging in the financials they started noticing Microsoft was including $2b of phone patents into the equation.

Microsoft Loses $2 Billion Per Year On Xbox, Analyst Says
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/new...Loses-2-Billion-Per-Year-On-Xbox-Analyst-Says

This is why William Gates started talking about spinning off Xbox, but the problem with that is after a decade+ it was nowhere near able to fund itself. As far going forward, the old Xbox Division (which people referred to it) was split up in 2015. Xbox I believe is now split up across multiple division, there is no division to really even do analysis on anymore.
 
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KINDERFELD

Banned
Google has all our search history so they know all the things we like that we're too ashamed for others to know.
Should they employ developers to make games with that info in mind would mean the end of Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft, when it comes to console gaming.
 

Rest

All these years later I still chuckle at what a fucking moron that guy is.
Yes, that's true. Thinking back I remember that some people had to turn their PS1 upside down to make it work.
I was one of those people.
 
Nintendo is the safest of them all actually. I mean they can sell a single game to over 5 million people on a 10 million install base. They have a super hardcore following that they've always been able to float on. They also don't quite directly compete with MS and Sony, so that will mean Google, if successful, will be eating the lunch of those guys before they ever touch Nintendo's.
 

ZehDon

Member
It'll depend on where on the spectrum Google targets it's console as to whom its competition would be. From my perspective, Nintendo is the likeliest candidate.

Sony being pushed out is not very likely; gaming enthusiasts are obviously still very hungry for local compute machines, so Google pushing Sony out with a steaming device doesn't seem the likely outcome. Xbox is making some interesting moves, but it's in catch-up mode, and hedging its bets with things like Xbox Game Pass, which I foresee being a bigger deal this coming generation than people are expecting. This leaves Nintendo.

The Switch has the handheld market to itself, while also ensuring people can play it on the TV, covering Nintendo's bases. But its the combination of that with Nintendo's first parties that makes it potent. Google's cloud streaming setup - assuming it actually works - is the ultimate extension of the Switch's idea: real games you can take anywhere. However, if I can play it on my Google box, and then on my Android phone, I don't really need a Switch, nor buy downgraded platform specific games, to have the same experience. Nintendo's first parties on a platform no one wants amounts to little (see: Wii U) so if Google can do what people believe, I'd say Nintendo has a lot to worry about.
 

GrayFoxRJ

Banned
One more to the ignored list. And I think Google is more likely to leave the game. Nintendo has been doing very well recently and Sony will only fall if their input quality drop and Streaming REALLY blow up.

In the end of the day, people stay for the quality, not because brand. Just saying.
 
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