February 8th 2025.
What comes next in the world of gaming? A reader has a theory that the era of video game consoles is coming to an end and that the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 may be the final stronghold for this concept. Discussions about the “last generation of consoles” have been going on for a while now, with some claiming the PlayStation 4 era would be the end and others predicting it for the PlayStation 5. However, neither turned out to be true.
The assumption is that streaming will eventually take over and make consoles obsolete, but this disregards the fact that it relies on having a fast internet connection, which is mostly found in big cities. In this case, it would make more sense to stick with a traditional console. While streaming may dominate in the future, it is unlikely to happen within the next 10 years. The issue is that it makes it nearly impossible for those living in rural areas to play video games, and there are a lot of those in America.
Mobile gaming had its opportunity, but it seems to have missed the mark. On the other hand, the rise of PC gaming poses a bigger threat to consoles. While there is always a debate about Xbox exclusives being available on PlayStation, most exclusives, aside from Nintendo, are already on PC. This is evident with the success of Helldivers 2, which is the fastest-selling Sony game, with most players on PC rather than console.
Another problem looming over the future of consoles is the fact that game development has reached its limit in terms of cost and profit. Games already take a lot of money and time to produce, and releasing a more expensive console would only make things worse. Despite this, both Xbox and PlayStation have announced next-generation consoles, as well as potential portables. It would be wise for them to release handheld consoles that are less powerful than current ones, as it would reduce development costs and still offer an attractive feature for consumers.
This brings us to the Nintendo Switch 2, which is set to be released this year. While it technically counts as a next-generation console, the first Switch broke the generational classification system and doesn't really apply to Nintendo. However, for the sake of argument, let's consider it as such. The Switch 2 is expected to be relatively inexpensive, similar in power to the PlayStation 4, and have a wide range of exclusive games. It may be more expensive to develop games for than the original Switch, but it should still be manageable, as the PlayStation 4 was before costs skyrocketed.
The Switch 2 will also be able to play most current-generation games, as well as last-generation ports. With many new games being cross-gen, it is likely that there will be more budget-friendly games for the Switch 2, from both Nintendo and other developers. However, what happens after the Switch 2? The reader doubts that the PlayStation 6 and Xbox 5 will be successful, and they certainly won't have the 8+ year lifespan of the Switch. The Switch 2 seems unstoppable, even with its underwhelming reveal trailer. It offers three things that the PlayStation 5 doesn't: affordability, a vast library of exclusive games, and unique ideas.
But where do we go from there? There is no point in creating a portable console that is as powerful as the PlayStation 5, as it would still be too expensive to develop games for. This means that there may not be another generation after this one, not because of streaming or the rise of PC gaming, but because the cost of game development is becoming too high.
In the end, the Nintendo Switch 2 may be the only console left standing. It will be the console that realized that graphics aren't everything and that good games and value for money are what truly matter. It will be a shame, but it's hard to feel sorry for Sony and Microsoft when they inevitably hit a wall.
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