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[Cookie Monster]

Article on Next-Gen analyzing current console designs and comparing them to some old-schoolers:

http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3565&Itemid=2&limit=1&limitstart=0

Here's the highlight summary quote:

Doing the math, it would seem the ideal game machine would be clearly a game machine (Genesis). It would be distinctive and attention-grabbing (Master System), without being a nuisance (Xbox). Its appearance would suggest something of what it had to say to the world – or rather, perhaps, what kind of experience to expect from it. It would be warm and inviting (Dreamcast), without seeming trivial (GameCube). Failing much of the above, you can't go too wrong with simply being as nondescript as possible (NES, Wii) – though that's the safe route. You know what they say about the safe route.

My sincere hope is that, as the industry gets back on track again, it will regain confidence in the perceived value of videogames as videogames – and that this confidence will reflect itself in a shift of design, bringing us back to the old days where the big guys fought it out over the innate value of their ideas rather than simply who can best work the market. If nothing else, I expect the hardware will be an awful lot more handsome.

I kind of agree with most of what he has to say in the article. I (for the most part) like consoles that look like electronics, but I do kind of miss having a system that looked like it was for playing games. The Dreamcast was the last system that looked like a gaming console to me. PS2, Xbox, and even Gamecube didn't really do it for me. Now we have the iXbox360 and the George Foreman PS3 coming...think about the children, guys! Let's see some more 'fun' designs in the future....(yeah right)

 

[Juice]

Yeah, that's right. Wii's the safe route.

LMAO, this is just some hokey opinion piece. Never trust a guy whose first and last names are BOTH hyphenated.

 

[Campster]

The design of the box isn't anywhere near as important as the design of what goes in the box, and I'm not talking hardware.

 

[Maximilian E.]

You have to "follow" the designs of time.. how would Ataris 2600 wood-finish work now?

I for one don´t mind the look of the machines.. the 360 and Wii looks very cool.. PS3 still looks like the George Foreman grill...

 

[Amir0x]

Wii as a console design IS the safe route. It's a harmless, minimalist glossy DVD drive that's really quite boring to anyone but those so desperately wanting to be apart of the iPod crowd.

It is, however, clearly better than PS3's design

 

[DarienA]

I have to say that it amazes me that someone felt this "issue" was so important that a 3 page article was written on it.

In my mind as videogaming becomes more mainstream then the consoles themselves in look would also move towards a more mainstream look in that they wouldn't be so jarring to look at as more of them find their homes in entertainment centers along with other electronics components.

But that's just me, in the end look really has absolutely squat to do with my decision to purchase a console or not.

It is, however, clearly better than PS3's design

:lol :lol Don't ever change.

 

[Amir0x]

Dog days of summer, DarienA. No shit to report on. Leipzig will save us :lol

 

[Cookie Monster]

The design of the box isn't anywhere near as important as the design of what goes in the box, and I'm not talking hardware.

Of course, but this discussion is about the way the box looks. Outward design is the icing on the total package- you can't tell me that the way the Jaguar looked alone didn't turn some people off to it. Don't get me started on that controller.

 

[Azazela]

Black PS3 looks amazing, and 360 would look good if it didn't have a brick dragging it down.

Wii just looks so so bland and boring.

 

[DarienA]

Dog days of summer, DarienA. No shit to report on. Leipzig will save us :lol

...but 3 friggin pages? Geez.