Thread: Hypothesis: The xbox one/ps4 console generation will be a transitional one

(Before we get started I should note that I am a very big gamer and slight tech nerd. I am also not a graphics "whore" but I do have standards.)

A few months ago the PS4 and the Xbox One were released to record breaking sales. Despite these sales however, many who are interested in computer hardware found the new consoles quite wanting. These ps4 and xbox one specs are as follows:
PS4:
Custom AMD 8-core Jaguar cpu clocked at 2.75ghz
Custom AMD gpu equivalent to a Radeon 7850
8gbs of GDDR5 RAM
Xbox One:
Custom AMD 8-core Jaguar cpu clocked at 1.75ghz
Custom AMD gpu equivalent to a Radeon 7770
8gbs of DDR3 RAM
32mbs of ESRAM

To put those specifications in perspective, a smartly built $700 pc would be orders of magnitudes more powerful than either of these consoles in all areas except RAM. Now one may argue that by definition this computer would cost $200+ more than either the xbox one or the ps4 and, therefore, it should be more powerful. Yet the previous console generation told a different story. When the Xbox 360 and the PS3 were released in 2005 and 2006 respectively, they were some of the most powerful gaming machines money could buy. Only the highest-end pc's of the time could claim dominance.

Why would this be considering the current gen consoles are being sold close to the original prices of the the previous gen consoles? The answer, the current gen consoles are being sold at a profit or near-profit. That may sound strange, as one would expect to make a profit off one's own product. However, last generation the xbox 360 and the ps3 were sold at operating losses of roughly $75 and $120 respectively.
They could do this because Sony and Microsoft make most of their money on these consoles through licencing fees on every game sold on their consoles. What they lose in hardware manufacturing costs, they hope to make up for in software sales.

This generation is different as they expect to see profits immediately (or at the very least, limit their losses to basically $0). To do this, they needed to gimp their hardware to a certain extent, which is why we're being left with consoles that can't even run certain games in 1080p at 60fps (though it can for most games). Pc gaming on the other hand has had 1080p-60fps as the standard for years now.

But I don't believe that's the whole story. I believe this console generation is actually just a transitional one that will lead us into true next gen in a few years. Although 1080p has become the standard resolution for computer monitors and television sets, it won't be the standard forever. In fact, we are already seeing 4k tv's and computer monitors becoming more affordable by the day. Soon 4k will be the standard.
This has created a problem however, because only the most powerful consumer-based pc's on the planet can run games like Bioshock Infinite or Crysis 3 at 4k resolution with acceptable framerates.

I believe this is exactly the same problem Microsoft and Sony found themselves in. Either of them could have easily developed a console that could run any video game at max settings, 1080p, and 60fps. However it would have required a big investment (not an enormous one, but a relatively large investment nonetheless). A large investment requires time to pay off, time they may no longer have.
By the time these hypothetical consoles could net them a profit, 4k will have been the standard resolution for years. Microsoft and Sony would find themselves behind on the resolution revolution AGAIN (they had already completely missed the rise and peak of true hd).

Yet therein lies the problem, they couldn't build a console that was both capable of 4k gaming and affordable for the every man. They als couldn't keep riding the xbox 360 and ps3, which had already overstayed their welcome by about 2 years. Their solution? Build a console that will do for about 4-5 years until the hardware for 4k gaming becomes affordable. Then release a 4k gaming console that will last 8-9 years.


Atleast... that's the theory. I'm not so sure this is the case, but I think their is some circumstantial evidence that may point in this direction. And if I'm completely wrong and no one reads this? At least I got to practice my typing and grammar skills (which are absolutely horrid) xD.

tl,dr: Theory: Perhaps current console generation hardware is inherently weak because it serves to transition us into the next generation of consoles that will be based around 4k gaming. Which is quickly becoming the standard.
If it's not? Then I guess we'll have to deal with 1080p gaming for the next 8 years.... with many games not even managing 60fps (Killzone for ps4) and some straight up being 720p (Ryse and COD for the Xbox one) *sigh*.