3 ms·

Any idea why consoles are doing this? Cheaper technology that lasts longer? Not to go full PC masterrace, but I feel like my outdated computer is always out p

• MaxBarraclough 8y ago
  Part of the point of consoles is to provide a stable platform, both for developers and for consumers. Their lifetime tends to be around 7 years. Toward the end of that cycle, they're always going to be completely outclassed by gaming PCs. Because of software optimisation and developer familiarity, every consoles' late-in-cycle titles are far more graphically impressive than the early-in-cycle titles. Compare Halo 1 and Halo 2 for the original Xbox, for instance, or GTA IV and GTA V on the PS3. Also, games consoles are generally sold at a loss, with the manufacturer more than making up for this by taking a cut from every subsequent game purchase. They don't want their device to cost far more than the competition, and they don't want to drown because of the console being a loss-leader, so they have to strike a balance in how impressive their console hardware is.