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Merc reporter on 2007: PCs bounce back
Dean Takahashi posts about what he anticipates for 2007; the San Jose Mercury News reporter writes mostly an overview without wild predictions of the year. Instead, Takahashi includes lots of release numbers, cites scheduled games, and gives a bulletin of what to expect.Mentioning that the most significant, recent PC game releases were in 2004 and 2005 -- Half-Life 2 and F.E.A.R. -- Takahashi thinks that 2007 will bring a resurgence to PC gaming; he cites Windows Vista and DirectX 10, new video cards, and a handful of important game releases to back up the claim.We hope that PC gaming bounces back, but we're more skeptical. Is Vista going to improve gaming, or just create another upgrade hurdle for consumers? Will PCs always be relegated to first-person shooters, MMOs, and casual titles?
Analysts predict declining DVD sales in 2007
Although HDTVs were atop nearly everyone's holiday wish list, it seems that folks aren't splurging as much on their now-stagnant DVD collection as in years past, which could be an "early warning sign" for 2007. According to a recent report by Pali Research analysts Richard Greenfield and Mark Smaldon, next year could be the first year in consumer spending history that DVD sales actually decline. The report is based on Best Buy / Circuit City's relatively sluggish 2006 disc sales, and when you consider the sagging record sales on the music front, the scenario isn't too hard to fathom. Although there's no pinpointed reason why folks aren't divulging quite as much disposable income on DVDs, some analysts suggest that the onset of internet movie downloads and films on demand are cutting into actual disc sales -- something Comcast (and other providers) could have a hand in. Notably, folks are bearish when speculating about the HD DVD and Blu-ray impact, as they say that high definition films won't sell enough to put a dent in the expected downturn, which could bleed all the way into 2008.
Analysts discuss 2006, console futures
Gamasutra asks several industry analysts about this year and what they expect to happen in the next several years. The open-mic blurbs offer a few opinions, but many share the theme that Xbox 360 sales have been weaker-than-expected and PS2 sales are still significant; put together, these trends suggest that most gamers are still waiting for 360/PS3/Wii-only games before upgrading their consoles.We also wonder how the HD-expectations of the PS3 and Xbox 360 impact the market; gamers with standard TVs will see little difference in graphic quality over the previous system. Are gamers slow to upgrade because they're waiting for the killer apps, or do they plan to first get an HDTV? At least 2007's anticipated exclusives -- especially for the oldest of the three, the Xbox 360 -- will ease one of those issues.
Do iPods portend the death of movie-going?
The Toronto Star ran an interesting article today suggesting that 2005 may have been the beginning of the end of the traditional movie-going experience. I've had the same thought recently as I downloaded interesting content for my iPod video and read multiple predictions that Apple would soon release a Mac-based home theater.Why go to the trouble of driving to the movie theater, standing in line for tickets, taking the risk that a new movie will be sold out, paying robbers' prices for popcorn and soft drinks, sitting uncomfortably in a seat with broken springs behind a lady with very big hair, and trying to ignore the Surround Sound from the theater next door—all when you could be sitting in the comfort of your own home watching a movie on your own Mac theater system, or enjoying a portable show on your iPod?The romantic notion that people will always go out to movie theaters has been proven wrong in the past, as the Toronto Star article points out. There was a decline in movie-going with the introduction of television, home videos, and movies on DVD. Apple's foray into video, with all it promises, may portend a further decline in movie-going. As sad as it may seem, this could indeed be the beginning of the end of the venerable movie theater. What do you think?
