The Video Game Critic

And I realize the price will drop in time, and have no doubt there is better quality.
But if formats are only going to last 5 years, forget it.

What strikes me is this idea that gamers are a bunch of addicted idiots whose gaming habit is SO strong, they will swallow whatever is attached to the machine. So Microsoft and Sony attach all these corporate interests on their console.

Why isn't it the other way around? Why not make a portable UMD player and say, "Look, it can also play games too!" Or a Blu-Ray player and have gaming attached to that. But we never see this happen. Only gamers get stuck with products piggybacking other elements.

It is as if Sony and Microsoft are not truly interested in the gaming business. They are, rather, interested in the gaming business only to prop up other corporate interests.

What's interesting is that twenty years ago, the games industry (including Trip Hawkins) believed everything would revolve around the multimedia computer including games. Hence, there was no need for game centric consoles. Then Nintendo released the NES... Look at the following flash movie and you'll find that everyone thought game only systems were dead:

http://www.dontpressstart.com/pro/SF6/

(Remember Critic, I told you that you would get your Wii in 2009! If I end up being correct, I'll get a news reporter to make a story on you! hahaha)

5 years is too short for a game console, and we have finally reached an era where dev costs will play are largerer role than system specs in determining a game's gaphics. Hopefully this will reflect in long term console strategies. Its a unique industry in that every 5 years you have to take your best shot designing one product that will determine your next 5+ years of business. If you fail, it is disastrous.  Nintendo basicly said "graphics don't matter much" with the Wii, but I'll be surprised if they don't follow up with an 'HD Wii' in a couple years. I ain't biting. I'm getting too old, but I imagine that means I not their target market anyway.
 
In terms of the games that can be made on Wii and DS, these systems should go ten years, easy.

[QUOTE=Varian]Why isn't it the other way around? Why not make a portable UMD player and say, "Look, it can also play games too!" Or a Blu-Ray player and have gaming attached to that. But we never see this happen.[/QUOTE]

It's been done.  Remember the Nuon?  It was a DVD player with a game system built-in.  It died a pretty rapid death in the marketplace.