New consoles on the horizon - where does that put TPA?

[SuperGrafx]

So with the WiiU and successors to the Xbox 360 and PS3 due out soon (I'm guessing around within the next 12 - 16 months), what will that do to the console iterations of TBA?

Will Farsight continue to develop new tables for the Xbox Live and PS3 arcade platforms? Will they have to convert/modify the existing applications and add-on tables for the new platforms? Do they have the staff and resources to actually accomplish this?

 

[Pete]

I think both the xbox and playstation markets are going to be setup to be backwards compatible. They want that library of games for you to buy. Consoles will be like having a new android that can still play all the old stuff and some of it tweaked to be better updated for the new hardware. You will not have to rebuy tables on the new xbox, you will just transfer your gamertag over to the new console.

 

[Eric Qel-Droma]

I think both the xbox and playstation markets are going to be setup to be backwards compatible.

I sure hope you're right. I wouldn't be surprised at all to find out that this isn't the case; look at PS3/PS2 backward compatibility, or XBox/360 bc. I would have thought those would be automatic, but I was proven wrong.

 

[DarkAkatosh]

I highly doubt they will be backwards compatible. I do believe that digital downloads should transfer over to the next consoles though, because if they don't it might mean console extinction.

 

[Pete]

I'm not sure about sony but xbox is definitly trying to make their market compatible. When 360 came out it played a good handfull of old original xbox games, some of them had previous DLC (yes xbox live existed on the 1st xbox). That DLC from the original xbox is still on xbox live today downloadable and working on 360. As far as Sony goes, notice how on ps vita how they have made most of the market games from ps3 work, it is in their best interest to make sure all the ps1 classics and such work on the new console so they are going to make damn sure to desighn the hardware to make this happen.

 

[Hinph]

Hell, even Nintendo has promised that Wiiware and Virtual Console games will transfer over to their next system, and they are a wild card when it comes to stuff like that... I'm sure it will be the same case with Sony and MS.

 

[brakel]

I don't think there will be any attempt by Sony or Microsoft to make the next consoles backward compatible for disc based games. However I do think that downloaded games and content will probably be backward compatible and for one simple reason. They do not want to be running two different online stores and networks. Having said that I will also say that I don't think there will be new consoles in the next 12 to 16 months. I think Sony and Microsoft are playing a game of chicken to see who postpones the next console first. Then the other will follow suit. I don't believe there is a huge consumer interest in a new console like there was for the last console. In the last console upgrade people were looking for HD resolution and fully online integrated experience. Gamers today are just looking for those same things but enhanced or made easier to use. Its not going to be a huge change. It will be a hard sell. Its like trying to sell a new 50" 3D LCD TV to the guy that bought a 50" HD LCD TV three years ago. While he thinks 3D is cool its just not enough to lay down that big of a chunk of change just for one feature.

I see new consoles being pushed out until 24 months from now or more.

 

[SKILL_SHOT]

Backwards compatibility is essential for luring new customers to new hardware well atleast sony as every new console plays last gen games until enough units sold and software is released to cut those out. One of the issues game developers face with a new console is how to program on the new hardware thats why so few launch titles come out even from the manufacturer of the hardware and thats another reason for backwards compatibility

 

[Sinistar]

Here we go again. In this economy There are no 2013 plans for a new console , no chance , nadda NONE . The videogame industry was hit by a disaster in Japan last year that crippled it's shipping infrastructure , weakned already anemic sales . Eight straight months of bad sales across the board in 2012 , even the mighty Gamestop chain has had to diversify itself to selling IPADS and Ipods , and selling Steam points to stay in business . The Vita which has a beautful hardware technology , can hardly get any sales , despite being the same price as PSP in 2005 for a core unit with 3G . The Wii U will come out, but Sony and Microsoft are content with exploiting their current generation consoles, and feeding you leaks to keep you hungry for the new hardware when it's ready , which in my opinion is not any time soon.

 

[LocustGod]

Here we go again. In this economy There are no 2013 plans for a new console , no chance , nadda NONE . The videogame industry was hit by a disaster in Japan last year that crippled it's shipping infrastructure , weakned already anemic sales . Eight straight months of bad sales across the board in 2012 , even the mighty Gamestop chain has had to diversify itself to selling IPADS and Ipods , and selling Steam points to stay in business . The Vita which has a beautful hardware technology , can hardly get any sales , despite being the same price as PSP in 2005 for a core unit with 3G . The Wii U will come out, but Sony and Microsoft are content with exploiting their current generation consoles, and feeding you leaks to keep you hungry for the new hardware when it's ready , which in my opinion is not any time soon.

That's Japan. Look at Microsoft's sales numbers, they are dominant in the West, but they have been dropping in sales as of late, which either means the economy or a lack of interest. I'm thinking it's the stagnation that is doing it, simply because the industry continues to pull in billions each year. As for the Vita, that has bearing only on what Sony will eventually release. They made a mistake bringing in a handheld device to a market where IOS and Android .99 games are king. The WiiU, I think will bomb, but Microsoft with their deep pockets, will release a 2013 console and Sony will have to follow suit that year or the one after in order to stay relevant.

Bottom line, new MS console in 2013 at the latest.

 

[SuperGrafx]

But that begs the question, will Farsight continue to release new tables to the new consoles using their existing tools and development methods? Or will we see a switchover to higher resolution art and better physics thanks to the increased horsepower provided by the new technology?

 

[Supermans]

But that begs the question, will Farsight continue to release new tables to the new consoles using their existing tools and development methods? Or will we see a switchover to higher resolution art and better physics thanks to the increased horsepower provided by the new technology?

I think its too early to worry about having farsight update their graphics on all tables for the newer consoles. Farsight has a lot on their table with their core market in the current gen to worry about.

 

[superballs]

Considering that both consoles are still selling for 199-299 depending on the hard drives included after being out for 6+ years, I can't see much on the horizon for the very near future. I think all previous generations of consoles were being sold for 99$ or less after 4 years of their lifecycle