Reply 60 of 67, by Shreddoc
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drosse1meyer wrote on 2021-08-14, 21:38:Shreddoc wrote on 2021-08-14, 21:32:x86 hardware has a very long pedigree by comparison to consoles which virtually wipe the slate clean and start fresh hardware bl […]
drosse1meyer wrote on 2021-08-14, 20:51:Sure it has dcent specs, but you also have to take into account other things such as a much more mature hardware + ecosystem offered by the Big 3.
x86 hardware has a very long pedigree by comparison to consoles which virtually wipe the slate clean and start fresh hardware blueprints for each generation.
Not-to-mention a software base accumulated across literal decades - in Steam, Valve already has a larger, more mature software ecosystem than any console : it was already 14 years old when the Switch was first released!
Valve's market approach here is primarily based around form factor and trends. The genius of it is that they don't need to foster a whole new software ecosystem to complement the hardware - in large part, it already exists.
No one is arguing that PC gaming has been around forever, my point is about overall tightness of integrations (hw/os/peripherals/app store) and ease of use, which is part of a consoles appeal, you don't need to look much further than how many consoles they sell.
Standardisation of hardware enables said 'tightness'. Implementation is another matter, but that's a challenge every new generation faces, console or otherwise. The ingredients for success are certainly all there.