14 DAY TRIAL // The next generation of gaming devices, including the likes of the PlayStation 4, Xbox 720 or Nintendo Wii 2, will be the last of the traditional home consoles, at least according to God of War creator and Eat Sleep Play founder David Jaffe.
The exuberant game designer chimed in with his own take on the next generation of home consoles, saying that the new devices will most definitely be the last of their kind, as the industry will slowly shift to new strategies and business models.
"I think there will be another console cycle," the ex-God of War producer told IGN. "I think there will be really big f***ing games for them. I'm just guessing, but I think the next generation of consoles will be the last of that current form of console, where you go to a store and buy your $60 games."
Jaffe goes on to say that regular gamers are getting used to having their experiences all around them, not just on a console or PC, but also on a phone or portable devices, so the big gaming companies, including hardware manufacturers like Sony, Microsoft or Nintendo, need to change their strategies as well.
"I think we've just gotten conditioned to think that games have to be a certain length and that's coming from the business model. But I think that business model, with the exception of a certain few games, needs to go away. And I think it'll happen, I just don't know when. But I would say, yes, 'Xbox 720,' 'PlayStation 4' I think we're done after that."
The God of War creator believes cloud gaming might eventually replace regular consoles, but he isn't too sure that current digital distribution services like OnLive or Steam will eventually grow big enough to push back the next home consoles.
"I'm not saying Onlive or Gaikai are the companies. I'm not saying it's Steam. I don't know how you get it, but I don't think you get it as an exclusive disc that goes to a certain piece of hardware. Maybe Sony launches their kind of cloud-based OnLive system, and maybe in that system you've got some exclusive big games."
Even if we're about 5 years into the current console cycle, more and more companies are already sharing their ideas about the next iteration of devices, including Just Cause developer Avalanche.
Do you think the Xbox 720, PlayStation 4 or Wii 2 will arrive in the near future or are hardware companies going to stretch out the current consoles as long as they can?