Topic: Alternative Consoles (Consoles not made by the big 3)

[Johnny]

Are there any on your list to pick up? Aside from Ouya (which I really didn't like) there's a couple out there that look kind of interesting. In addition its rumored that Apple and Google will be making consoles. I do love the potential of consoles to have a large number of self publishing indie games coming along. Its also kind of cool that some even have their own stores.

The thing I loved about Ouya was the fact that they had a strong community of indie developers. Bad part though is Julie and people at the top screwing people over. I think its great to have more community, indie and fan oriented gaming. Also many open qualities which break free from the closed end of gaming. I just hope the indie gaming community doesn't ruin this movement and cause another video game crash that was caused in 1983 with loads upon loads of shovelware.

With that I think I'm leaning towards getting one of the variations of Steambox. What about you guys? Thought about getting an alt console?

[Lelygax]

A Android based console if really want indie games would be good, since Steam needs this greenlight thing that act as a quality seal, but sometimes hinders some good games too.

Anyway, these two seems to be a good idea. I dont think I would buy a Apple console with all of these politics that they have with their products and their high prices.

[Johnny]

Well yeah if you don't want to deal with Greenlight and like Android the Mad Catz MOJO looks pretty impressive.

[Lelygax]

It would be good if they at least have given a release date or some more info.

[Beaumont_Belmont]

The current Big 3 weren't always the Big 3. First there was Atari, (Mattel) Intellivision, and Colecovision. Then it was briefly just Nintendo, with the Atari 7800 and Sega Master System a distant second. Then it was Sega and Nintendo and NEC, and then Sega, Nintendo, and Sony (and it was good). I kinda miss Sega being a major player.

[Flame]

PC. Huehue.

jokes aside, depending on how the next gen goes, Microsoft could drop out. This upcoming gen seems a sink or swim black and white race. Either be a hit in the long run, or fail. The xbone, for example, seems to already be sinking.

[Johnny]

It would be good if they at least have given a release date or some more info.

Very True. But by comparison to Ouya that fact that you could use the Google Play Store on MOJO as well as other Stores to get games gives it a fairly big library from the getgo. Only thing is Android games could never be as good as games on Steam because Android games are more limited. Steam usually uses Ubuntu which is a 64 bit Operating System, Android is only 32 bit. Also Steamboxes seem to be more powerful mini PC-like and Android boxes hardwarewise are pretty much tablet hardware in a case.

[X]

I guess you could say the the Steambox is the new XBOX, just without all the bulls**t security issues.

[Johnny]

I guess you could say the the Steambox is the new XBOX, just without all the bulls**t security issues.

I suppose though for a long time indie gaming seemed to stay on the PC and wasn't on the home console. Once the Video Game Crash of 1983 came and Nintendo came along with the Seal of Quality, it required a publisher for any developer to have a game on a console. This was to prevent any floods of crappy games making their way onto the consoles. I think it was just recently with the introduction of the portable Apple products like IPhone and IPad that you started to see more self publishers make their way out there. Though I suppose Ouya is technically the first home console to do that even though it is horrid.

[Pfil]

To be honest, I wish only Nintendo, Sony and PC would remain, and that the only option of portable gaming would be Nintendo's and Sony's portable consoles.
I don't like how everything is everywhere, developers can make games for PC without any kind of restrictions, and everyone's got a PC, so why bother on miscellaneous consoles?
Phones are for calling and web browsers are for, well, browsing the web.
That's how it always was. That's how I like it.
And that's the way I see it.
Forgive if I sound grumpy. I fear for the future of Nintendo and Sony's consoles.

[Johnny]

I don't think there's any threat at all to the big 3. Mostly because it would be like saying a local burger joint near your house is a threat to McDonalds. These Micro Consoles and Steamboxes are closer to specialized PCs and Tablets than they are to consoles I think. Yes consoles have hardware in them similar to PCs but its the firmware and UI that makes them what they are.

[Pfil]

I think the mobile market is already a threat to home consoles and portables. And this isn't new. Companies have learned that casual people (I wouldn't even call them gamers) give them more money than real gamers, so they develop casual junk for them and they are already paying less attention to real games.
I don't know what the future might be, but Nintendo is in trouble, and if Nintendo falls, I think the whole industry will collapse.

[Lelygax]

Future news:


Segata Sanshiro will invade and destroy Microsoft, after that he will revive SEGA.

How? Using a disguise he will enter easily





Then SEGA will do their own Super Smash Bros style game

[Pfil]

That would be nice... well, I think such a game would be mediocre, but cute... like, well done, Sega, it's still bad, but congratulations for trying 
And it would be better than the horribly mediocre Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale.

[Beaumont_Belmont]

All those Sega characters, no Gilius Thunderhead? Blasphemy.