We've seen Valve, Nvidia, and two other lesser known companies(Boxer8 and Playjam) join in console wars to compete against Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft. But what about Apple, Google, and Amazon? How could game consoles made primarily by them be a reality. Apple, Google, and Amazon have operating systems of their own for smartphones, tablets, and computers. Apple has iOS for smartphones/tablets and Mac OS for Computers. Google has Nexus for smartphones/tablets and Chrome for computers dubbed Chromebook. Amazon has Kindle Fire for tablets.
First question here is what media format will these consoles be? Valve, Nvidia, Boxer8, and Playjam all have digital downloading for media, leaving out any disc drives. I assume Apple, Google, and Amazon will have digital downloading only. Download streaming services here most likely will include Google Play, iTunes, OnLive, Steam, Gaikai, Playstation Mobile, and Amazon Appstore.
Second question is will what gameplay lines will they follow. Apple is the strongest, Google midway, and Amazon the weakest. Valve state's it's most serious competition will be from Apple.
Apple could use this weakness of Valve to create a Mac style game console that is digital download using Apple software while making hardware as powerful as a Mac OS. Combining Apple products would be a great idea for making an awesome PC/Mac style gaming console inspired by Apple TV, Mac, and iOS systems. Of course, Apple could simply release two variants of their new console with one being ordinary and the other being Mac based calling them iPlay and iGamac respectively. This way gamers could choose between being economical by having a gaming console that is not expensive yet works just well enough to play games like on a regular console; and luxury Mac which is for PC/Mac gamers that want ultra high performance that can reach Steambox standards with enhanced graphics and definition yet don't mind spending more money than regular console gamers. If Apple goes with this, it will be the second(after Atari's 2600-5200 consoles in second generation) gaming company to offer more than one home console for the same gaming generation. Apple will be catering to both ordinary and PC gamers going with the two console plan of mine, giving gamers a choice between a low cost iOS console vs. a higher cost Mac OS console. Apple should also enhance iTunes to make it like Cloud Computing Game Streamers like Steam, OnLive, and Gaikai for examples. This way Apple can be more competitive than Valve while offering options in type of console(which will both be digital downloads). Plus, controls could be more integrated between an Xbox 360 controller and a tablet(like the Wii U Gamepad and Wikipad).
Google is marked now as the third to have their own PC software. Chrome is the software for computers that Google uses. Google uses Nexus for it's smartphones and tablets which are also known as androids. Google also has a streaming service rivaling iTunes dubbed Google Play. Could Google do what Nintendon't? With all the Google technology out there, Google could enhance it's gameplay to the max and even enhance gameplay for it's time. Nintendo was the very first with it's Wii to have motion sensing as a major control scheme. Google could be the first to go Occulus Rift on gaming, thereby adapting virtual reality to playability, something that failed with Virtual Boy of the mid 1990's. My anticipation here would be Google console being digital download using it's Chrome and Nexus android systems together in making Google Chromeplay. Could Google also have games made for it's Chrome computers just like Microsoft Windows? If so, it would probably be digital download through Google Play and Steam. However, it won't be for another few years or so or probably not possible if graphics are not made for gaming. Controls for Google could be tablet like with the same button functionalities like Wikipad and biometric data. Chromeplay should it see it's debute probably won't be released in the 8th generation of gaming. I believe Google can do what Nintendon't.
Amazon also has tablet software dubbed Kindle Fire which is not just about e-books but also downloads android games and music. If Amazon were to make a console, it would be like Project Shield and Ouya combined. Amazon's console could be called Kindle Fire Play. If Amazon were to have a home console, it should be alot like PSOne in design only lighter by having a flip screen, an HDMI port, and a controller port to the system(like the Gamestick as well). Or just have it look like the Wikipad instead. However, it should be up to Amazon to decide such. Amazon would most likely emulate Project Shield in design.
I don't expect there to be consoles of these in 8th generation but I expect the 9th generation will begin in 2018 which gives 5 years to make these ideas reality. All but one present console manufacturer has some kinds of android based tablet/smartphone/mobile device software and the exception to this is Nintendo. The Nintendo 64 was the last home console to be cartridge based. However all console manufacturers have consoles with the ability of digital downloading software.
I Anticipate that either the 8th or 9th generation will be the last one to have disc based consoles before advancing to digital downloading and cloud computing. Sony already has cloud computing program called Gaikai and Playstation Mobile. I anticipate future Playstations will be cloud computer based ones. Microsoft is also hiring former OnLive employees so a Microsoft purchase of OnLive just like Sony Computer Entertainment's purchase of Gaikai would be ideal. OnLive would be better run should Microsoft purchase it(in my opinion). If all major companies(Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft, Valve, Nvidia) release successors to their 8th generation consoles, there will be 8 major competitors adding Apple, google, and Amazon to the console wars if my prediction comes true, making 9 major consoles in the 9th generation.
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