Why gaming consoles remain dominant on the market

All gamers in the world started out one way or another in the hands of a gaming console – be it the old-fashioned Famicoms of the 80’s or the more modern Playstation family of consoles in the early 2000’s.  The history of video gaming is littered all over with the evolution of electronic consoles that continuously bring the gaming experience to the next level.

Gaming Consoles

At the moment there is a heated debate between the two variants of consoles that exist in the market – the handhelds and the stable consoles. While both devices deliver awesome game quality to its players, one cannot help but wonder why there is a vast dominance of the more stable consoles such as the XBOX360 or the PS3 in the market instead of its more mobile counterparts such as Nintendo’s 3DS or the PSVita. Here are a few arguments posed that justify why the consoles remain top dogs in the gaming market:

  • Quality – as these are devices that are not intended for frequent transportation, game hardware developers have left no quarter in developing consoles. Size and bulk have been put in the least consideration, instead maximizing its efforts on giving the console the best possible graphics, sound, and memory quality that currently existing technology can offer. It goes without question that the games developed for such consoles bring a game quality unlike any other to its players, something that handhelds cannot provide primarily due to size and portability constraints. Indeed, some players would agree that the only portable device they probably have is their business phone.
  • Stability – while there are players who enjoy gaming on the go, there are players who enjoy being sedentary and in an extremely relaxed state while playing their games; whether it’s while reclining on the couch or seated in your favorite gaming armchair, gamers agree to the concept of playing their beloved games in a comfortable environment, preferably in front of a large television. While one can still play handhelds in a relaxed state, it tends to defeat its purpose as handhelds serve their purpose best when the player is on the go and have little access to such deluxe comforts.
  • Game Experience – it has been mentioned in the first point that games released under consoles tend to be far better in quality and playability than their handheld counterparts given hardware limitations. It cannot be argued that the game experience provided by consoles far outclass that of its mobile counterparts and many consider that the mobile versions released for the handhelds are sometimes degraded forms of these superior console games. The thought of probably porting the famous Mass Effect title of games in a handheld environment might send chills running down a console gamer’s spine.

Whether it’s for better game quality or experience, the integrity and fame of consoles is unquestioned. Given a choice, players would evidently go for acquiring consoles more than handhelds but in the end, it still boils down to a matter of preference for the player itself. More stable ones would go for consoles while those who prefer to be on the go would still spring for a handheld.

Image courtesy of / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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