• @amenotef
    link
    English
    47
    edit-2
    1 month ago

    They could stop charging gamers a subscription to play the paid games (they “own”) online.

    This could attract some customers that don’t want to deal with PC or don’t want to add fixed costs to their monthly or yearly bill.

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      English
      22
      edit-2
      1 month ago

      They could stop charging gamers a subscription to play the paid games (they “own”) online.

      This is one of the key reasons why I own PS5, but I don’t play or invest in it. Even though couch gaming is much more comfortable for me.

      • @amenotef
        link
        English
        9
        edit-2
        1 month ago

        I’m in the same boat.

        Elden Ring, Helldivers 2, many games I’d get on Sony PS Store that I just get on Steam because I want to “own” the full game not just the offline part of it.

        • @pathief
          link
          English
          01 month ago

          You don’t own steam games tho.

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      English
      5
      edit-2
      1 month ago

      Microsoft not being evil? Not going to happen. (Except for smokescreen purposes and amounts)

      • @ampersandrew
        link
        English
        51 month ago

        There was a time where it was worth the money because it was far and away better than any free online offering. That time was probably up to about 2010. Now that servers are paid for with digital game sales, it would behoove them to drop the fee. Instead, I think they’re just about to change the console market as we know it.

        • @[email protected]
          link
          fedilink
          English
          2
          edit-2
          1 month ago

          Instead, I think they’re just about to change end the console market as we know it.

          FTFY

          • @ampersandrew
            link
            English
            21 month ago

            Also accurate. But it’s looking like we’ll still have $500 machines called Xboxes and PlayStations, except they’ll just be fancy PCs. That’s my guess anyway.

            • @[email protected]
              link
              fedilink
              English
              31 month ago

              Possibly. I can see Xbox backing out personally, and just putting their games on PC and the other consoles.

              Sony will probably carry on… and Nintendo likely has a detailed business plan for the next 100 years.

              • @ampersandrew
                link
                English
                31 month ago

                Sony’s already not carrying on. They’ve started putting their games on PC, which is a market that is, for the first time, larger than their console for the same game releases. Nintendo’s got another generation of hardware before they’ll need to change anything.

                • @[email protected]
                  link
                  fedilink
                  English
                  21 month ago

                  Fair - I’d be surprised if they haven’t already been working on a ps6 for years though.

                  In my mind Nintendo is going to be more or less immune to the death of the console market. They did have done a really, really good job at making fun games since the 80s, and have also traditionally had the cheapest hardware (not that that will matter if the competition goes away). I might impulsively buy whatever Nintendo’s next console is just for Zelda or Metroid, even though Nintendo as a company pisses me off.

                  • the post of tom joad
                    link
                    fedilink
                    English
                    1
                    edit-2
                    1 month ago

                    If you wanna play Nintendo games and you hate their hardware or just the company (fair), have you heard of how well the steam deck runs an emulator?

                    Ive heard it’s actually pretty great, though i haven’t bought one myself. I started sniffing around when i wanted to get my nieces/nephews something to fight over for Christmas. initially was gonna be a switch, but they’re young and those controllers fall apart quicker than shit.

                    I’m not out here selling steam decks but like check it out if you haven’t and want a “console” rather than a pc solution. i think it’s worth looking into as the mod scene for the Sdeck is heating up too. Anyway comment over.

                  • @ampersandrew
                    link
                    English
                    11 month ago

                    Yeah, I’ll bet PS6 is business as usual but with an eye toward the future. Microsoft is already hinting that their next Xbox(es) are just going to be PCs, with talk of handhelds and additional storefronts.

                    I might impulsively buy whatever Nintendo’s next console is just for Zelda or Metroid, even though Nintendo as a company pisses me off.

                    Stay strong, brother. They only get to keep pissing you off because you keep handing them your money. There’s no shortage of metroidvania games right now, and even Zelda has a decent number of competitors now.

                  • @ampersandrew
                    link
                    English
                    21 month ago

                    That’s what they say publicly, yes. Because if they tell their customers right now that they plan to dramatically shorten that window, they’re shooting themselves in the foot early.

            • mememuseum
              link
              English
              21 month ago

              They already are just PCs and have been since the PS4/XBone. It’s all just slightly customized PC hardware inside.

              • @Buddahriffic
                link
                English
                21 month ago

                Even as far back as the first xbox, I remember some people installing Linux on it. It’s also why Halo later came out for the PC, because porting it wasn’t that difficult. Iirc, the first xbox didn’t run any Windows kernel but it did use direct x.

              • @ampersandrew
                link
                English
                11 month ago

                They don’t run the same executables that Steam does though, and I think that’s what’s about to change.

    • @samus12345
      link
      English
      3
      edit-2
      1 month ago

      I would actually consider getting one if that were the case. But no console maker will ever do that again - too many suckers willing to pay. Sony at least lets you play F2P games online without a sub.

        • @samus12345
          link
          English
          11 month ago

          Oh yeah, forgot Microsoft changed it years back.

          • @[email protected]
            link
            fedilink
            English
            21 month ago

            Yea I realized a bit ago my kids are only playing fortnite and Roblox, I had no need to be paying for game pass ultimate for TWO accounts lol. Plus, they use steam big picture mode in the living room.