Official Thread of Michael Pachter Predictions

[Yoshi]

Parts of Battlefield 4 running on iOS

[Joust Williams]

what exactly is 'iOS' though

[Yoshi]

The newest iPhones and iPads it sounded like, since they needed Metal to enable some of the stuff:

The developer explained that much of its recent breakthroughs were due to new hardware additions on Apple's end, notably a new low-level graphics API called Metal. "Together with the latest range of hardware, Metal has created possibilities previously out of reach and for the first time we can include both high visual fidelity and a large number of objects," Benjaminsson said.

[Yoshi]

Though not from Pachter specifically, I found this DFC Intelligence projection interesting and likely accurate.

edit: I'll just preemptively post this, since I am confident the need with arise:

[Diff-chan]

I've said it before: I don't think there will be another Xbox console.

I think there will be another Sony one though. Despite the strengths of the PC platform, it is not all things to all people. The PS4 genuinely fills a role in the market that a lot of people want to be filled. Nerds online don't seem to understand this, but it's just how it is.

[Will]

I wouldn't be surprised if MS exits consoles either, their Windows 10/mobile focus seems to be leading to an "Xbox will be an app" future even if it's at the risk of alienating their hardcore fanbase.

They only have themselves to blame though. They've been fucking up a lot by having less games on their platform and their near sighted North American focus cost them a bigger splash in other territories with the exception of Japan who've never been receptive of MS. Granted, they seem to be doing fine relative to their own successes with the 360 in NA and in the UK but with Indy's giving MS the middle finger and Sony working more with Japan as well as getting bigger marketing deals with publishers the Playstation brand might become too big for MS to fight anymore. I'm actually really curious to see what MS's output is going to look like at E3 and beyond because now more than ever they're going to have to rely more on their owned franchises to help sell the brand in it's various forms.

I agree about smaller Fire TV style devices becoming more of a potential problem for consoles as tech continues to improve as well, portability and convenience will be a major plus.

[Some Stupid Japanese Name]

I liked the "VR will be a rounding error" part. Very Yoshi.

[Will]

Haha yeah, although I think all these VR/AR developments seem to be more about advancing the tech for other applications in other fields (science, military, medical etc).

There's certainly an underlying hope to make this tech for general consumers but I get the feeling Facebook, Valve, Microsoft, and Sony are also doing this VR/AR stuff mainly for contracts with other companies.

[Chux]

I wouldn't be surprised if MS exits consoles either, their Windows 10/mobile focus seems to be leading to an "Xbox will be an app" future even if it's at the risk of alienating their hardcore fanbase.

They only have themselves to blame though. They've been fucking up a lot by having less games on their platform and their near sighted North American focus cost them a bigger splash in other territories with the exception of Japan who've never been receptive of MS.

I don't even think it's this. I think it's the bullheaded ness of the One E3 reveal compiled with the inferior hardware that's keeping devs away. Go into any GAF thread and you'll see people bringing shit up that has been changed since that conference but they can't be bothered (And honestly don't have to be) to look up that it's been fixed/changed.

That shit is a HUGE black mark. The games that come out on it are fine, the exclusives look fantastic, if I want to play the "Super Version" I'll play it on PC.

It's a safe bet to say there won't be another Xbox. I'm ok with this.

[Bacon McShig]

I wouldn't say it's a safe bet. The One's selling fine, not as great as the PS4, but it's still good numbers.

It's insane to me that anyone thinks that any of the big three will have the self-awareness to bow out on a good note; They're going keep building their next Hindenburgs no matter the doomsayers and protests, and that neuron that tells them to abandon ship ain't gonna fire until they're half-cooked from the flames.

Fuckssakes, we're talking about the companies that brought stuff like the Zune, the E-Reader, and the Minidisc to market, and fought to bring their corpses to life for a while.

Cogent predictions and urgings of sensible caution don't stop these trains from departing. Stock is taken only following the derailment.