@tychon and @FuzzyRhombus, who says you can't do that kind of gaming on a pc?

As I said before, you technically could, but this VVV

The Steam hardware & Software Survey looks to be showing about 35% of players using 1080p or higher resolutions. So while the technical capability is there, it looks like a pretty decent sized majority of PC gamers are also failing to experience the games at HD resolutions.

That's surprising, couldn't imagine anything less than 1080p on tv or computer screen anymore. And to think we used to play games in 640x480 or less!

When people were using 640x480 the computer screens were about 12 inch. I actually wondered why the dpi was staying nearly the same for so long.

On average, but not always. Either way, you just can't fit as much on those screen and get as much detail.

It was more a limitation of crts. Now that lcd and led can squeeze out higher dpis for much lower cost. And easier to manufacture

If the only reason you buy a console is to play specific exclusive games, than they are dying..I mean, the only reason for their survival is the monopoly of some games? thats not a strong reason, imo.

Actually...its a hell of strong reason, it works like a charm, but its indeed a really fucked up reason to buy a console: due a marketing move consoles survives, while everyone would prefer to buy a computer if there was no exclusives? Shouldnt ppl be blaming devs/companies for that?

Hmmm..Im not really sure about this, its like moving against natural evolution get what I mean? But I also dont think its fair to a company shoot itself on the foot..(if nintendo allowed pokemon to be released on PC, just imagine the drop on nintendo mobiles..but wouldnt it be awesome for players?)

Plus, ppl keep saying consoles are easier. You dont get that everyone have a computer these days, is not that they will buy one just for playing, it ends up being more lucrative buying one that can also support games on average quality (average quality on pc = console quality).

Compare to smart phones. Ppl play a lot of games due smartphones just being able to, they dont buy it for gaming. Notebooks come with built config, like buying a console, its a matter of asking for one that can play games.

Though my reality of prices are very different of yours..theres no way I can sustain playing console games

You dont get that everyone have a computer these days

I have a lot of (non-techy) friends who just have a console and a smartphone Or those two things and a really cheap laptop that's not at all capable of modern games, and even if it was, is far, far more technical than "you put in the disc and you play". They play facebook games, and other web games on these. They don't buy the new COD for their crappy laptop.

No gaming platform is dying.

Well, except maybe BlackBerry OS as a gaming platform...

This made me laugh.

The slow merger of consoles and mainstream desktop computers became obvious to me quite early as my mother and I discussed it in the early 1980s. It has taken far longer for hardware performance of consoles to close the gap with desktop computers than I thought would happen, but think about it from the desktop point of view. Desktops have slowly become more powerful while at the same time the case in which they are housed has shrunk greatly from what it was in the early 1980s and continues to shrink. My mother and I used to talk about the day coming when all electronic activities in the household would center around a single box with wireless peripheral connections throughout the home like earpieces for phone talk or display screens with controller connections for gaming. Multi-core and multi-threading technically makes all of this possible now but not quite practical yet until hardware processing evolves a few more generations. Within my lifetime I expect to see a mini-super computer in a small box which can easily accomplish all of this.

BUT....

Nothing beats a high performing laptop for convenience, portability, and flexibility. It's like watching an HD big screen TV when sitting in front of a laptop!

SO... Are consoles dying?

WELL... Yes and no!

@tychon and @FuzzyRhombus, who says you can't do that kind of gaming on a pc?

Usually the wallet. Sure, I'm personally willing to invest in a PC capable of playing games on my TV, but most of my friends have only laptops with only one or two USB ports and no blue teeth. They're willing to invest in a $400 console because they'll keep it for four or five years and it'll be relevant for that long as all their friends will be playing games on it, too. Friends come over? Play on TV. Friends stay at home? Play on XBL or PSN. Meet someone new who's into games? Hey, give me your account name! Yes, there are equivalent interactions possible on a PC, but it's not nearly as cheap, convenient, or popular. When it comes time for the monthly game night, no one wants to wait for Joe Computer, the linchpin of hardware and software discovery now because he's the only one willing to invest in the system, to bring his rig over to the host's house and hook it up to their TV. They'd rather it just be on Xbox, which the majority of attendees have an account with and are comfortable using.

Trust me, I'd love PC gaming, TV-based or otherwise, to be more of a thing, but it won't be any time soon in most of the communities of friends I have. I might have a different response if Steam's new venture becomes a hit and is a thing non-computer-focused people care about.

but most of my friends have only laptops with only one or two USB ports and no blue teeth.

I've played a bunch of times with guys using a laptop connected to the big HD screen and controllers attached with a USB tree that has about 5 sockets for USB which plugs into one USB port.

Literally everything is vastly superior to consoles this way! We can now play thousands of computer games not available to consoles, as well as the biggest names in video gaming such as Crysis, Battlefield... you name it, we can play it. Multiplayer is far better when blue tooth headsets are used than with console, both in terms of graphics quality and performance.

I have a lot of (non-techy) friends who just have a console and a smartphone

Ditto! Everyone has a smart phone, most of them have a console, some have tablets, and for those who have a computer, it's a four-year-old laptop they use for work--or at least pretending they're working. The few who have a desktop have just never parted with the one they got in 2004. In their mind computers are something you leave at the office. A computer is not at all a thing for gaming, and they wouldn't even consider it if you're asking them $500 and up for it. They already won't buy a console for that much, which is an item they absolutely intend to purchase.

This is why I hope one of these new Android mini-consoles succeeds, because $100 is where they might take a risk. That or the bigger consoles start having more local multiplayer content. The only risk then (for the consumer) is the software cost.