With the current era of gaming consoles seemingly coming to an end, rumors have emerged that Microsoft's Xbox platform might meet an untimely end. With the Xbox One being decimated by its main rival the Sony PlayStation 4 in sales during the past four months, many have started to worry about what Microsoft might do with its flagship gaming unit.
With the fate of the rumored Xbox Two being thrown into question, it would be a good idea to explore several possibilities regarding the fate of Microsoft's gaming platform. Considering the current state of the gaming market and the recent announcements by Microsoft, is the era of the Xbox about to end?
PC Ports
Microsoft's decision to port a number of its previously exclusive Xbox One titles to the PC have incited a series of criticisms from fans. However, it must be noted that porting games to the PC might signify the company's changing attitudes towards the gaming industry.
Thus, if Microsoft continues to release Xbox titles for the PC, the need for a dedicated console might severely be diminished. Eventually, the Xbox Two might not be needed at all.
Sony's Sales and the MUSASHI Update
While the Xbox One has sold over 20 million units since its launch, its sales are severely lagging behind that of its rival's, the Sony PlayStation 4. Apart from this, reports have emerged that a firmware update for the PS4 system, codenamed "MUSASHI," which will enable users to remote play PS4 games on both PCs and Macs.
If the MUSASHI update becomes successful, it might usher in an era where console games are played on fully-fledged PCs and Macs. If any, it would give game manufacturers a pretty good opportunity to produce supplemental hardware for the PC, enabling PC gamers to effectively and efficiently run Xbox and PlayStation games.
Hardware Limitations
Consoles are great in the way that they are dedicated gaming machines. Unfortunately, the technology in a gaming console is largely not upgradeable, and thus, the hardware in a device ages quickly. Though Microsoft has teased fans about the possibility of a gaming console that could be upgraded, there have been no concrete announcements about the project so far.
With gaming technologies taking off at a speed unlike before, and with advancements such as Virtual Reality requiring massive hardware specifications, using either an upgradeable console or a PC would be a much more attractive option. Between the two, using PCs is more cost-effective and practical.
Then again, this is Microsoft. Back in 2001, Microsoft surprised gamers by entering the video game console industry with a massive bang. Who knows, the tech giant might be able to do it again, releasing an innovative console that would definitively, ultimately beat its Japanese rival.
