Aug 8, 10:20 PM

Next-Gen Revolution or Hype?

I’m currently reading Dean Takahashi’s Opening the Xbox, about Microsoft’s journey to creating its own console (review coming soon). One of the things it reminds me of is how the PS2 and Xbox were touted to be a revolution in gaming – with their capabilities they would change the face of gaming , and usher in a whole new era for the industry.

In retrospect, however, they have pretty much been ordinary consoles, quite similar to the past generations. They haven’t really made a lot of progress in the area of convergence – people still think of them as primarily game consoles, and they still use their computers and DVD players separately. Their games have been pretty much more of the same, with some innovative and unique ideas here and there.

And so this rhetoric that surrounded PS2/Xbox sounds a lot familiar to the stuff we’re hearing about with the PS3/360/Wii today. What I’m wondering is if, this time, it’s the real deal or just the same ‘ol next-gen console hype. It does feel a little different this time around, this gaming “revolution” still seems to be out there, elusive, uncertain as to when it will arrive.

-Jon
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