HD Really The Future of Gaming?

Eurogamer.com has an editorial discussing the "HD Future", as revealed in the Microsoft Keynote at GDC. In the article, author Kristan Reed argues that while the crispness of the HD Living Room would be welcome, "using it as a hook to hang next gen console gaming on is misleading to say the least, and there are more than a few barriers to entry for the masses."

The HD Revolution!!!!!

[mausmalone]

What MS is counting on is that consumers will believe that somehow, even though they don't have an HDTV, the HD capabilities of the X-Box 2 will make it display a higher quality picture on their regular TV.

While it almost certainly will look better on a regular TV than an X-Box, HD is not the reason. On the plus side, though, mandating HDTV support in all games is a positive step towards forward-compatability. It will ensure that the console will work well with TV's that come out even a decade down the road.

I still don't understand what all the huge fuss is about though. Was this a surprise to anyone at all? Does anyone think that the PS3 and Revolution won't also have HDTV support in every game? It only makes sense to support the technology as, in 6 years when these consoles are really hitting their mainstream, there's a strong possibility that HDTV will become more of a mainstream technology.

Re:next gen

[mausmalone]

One of the semi-confirmed rumors about the Revolution is that it will have a DVI/VGA port directly on the back of the system for connecting monitors. I think it's safe to assume then that they will at least support progressive display in all games. I believe, though, that 1080i or 720p HDTV gaming will be the standard on all 3 consoles.

Re:The HD Revolution!!!!!

[nightski]

Well this article really misses Microsoft's point. They called it the "HD era", but if you really listen to the keynote about where they are trying to go - it isn't just about HD. It is about user customizable content, broadband connected games, consistent experience around games, and a common development platform for both Windows and Xbox. I just think the name was a really bad one. They shouldn't have called it the HD era because that is misleading. However, full HDTV support really is a good thing too :-)

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[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Is HD Really The Future of Gaming?

[Strange Ranger]

For console gaming, yes.

Next article please.

TFA bemoaning the sporadic HD support in current generation consoles, bringing up PC gaming, etc. seems like it is just trolling for an excuse to pick on MS. Yes HD is the future of TV, so of course it's the future of console gaming. And console gamers everywhere will joyously welcome all the HD gaming to come.

What's the point of this article anyway?

a bit obvious

[FidelCatsro]

HD will be the future of consoles , as it will be the future of TV.
The question is not if , it is when.
Tv standerds will contiune to improve and pixel counts will push ever updward ,
Now that These standerds are making the way to the market it is clear that we will see them in games (many have suported HDTV since 2000 or so iirc ).
I expect normal standerds to hang on for a good while longer though

Re:The HD Revolution!!!!!

[Strange Ranger]

> What MS is counting on is that consumers will believe that somehow, even though they don't have an HDTV, the HD capabilities of the X-Box 2 will make it display a higher quality picture on their regular TV.

I disagree. What MS is counting on is that in a few short years, maybe as soon as 2 years, you'll have to look for old non-HD TV's when you go to buy.

HD gaming and programming will fuel HDTV purchases, and HDTV purchases will fuel HD game purchases, etc etc.

It's a zeitgeist.. right now most non-HD TV owners don't know what they're missing. That will change quite soon.

Re:Why is HD a barrier?

[standsolid]

Spend USD$700 at Wal*Mart? For a low-income family (you know... the type who would shop at Wal-Mart) that's a 1990 Honda Civic for your wife to stop asking you to drive her to Wal*Mart.

(yes it is [ebay.com])

Re:Is HD Really The Future of Gaming?

[Ed_Moyse]

They're responding to the GDC keynote by J Allard, who was saying that HD was basically the most important innovation/lure for NG consoles. They were disagreeing, pretty cogently I thought. If you read the article carefully, you'll see that the author a) owns a HD tv (which is pretty amazing in the UK) and b) is enthusiastic about how good it looks.

Hell, here's a quote from the end of the article "While you have to applaud Microsoft for trying to push on with forward-looking, boundary-breaking ideas that some of its rivals balk at, it's better to live in the realms of reality and note that the HD era has been with us for some time. This is not a new thing, and it will take far longer than people think to become part of the mainstream. For us Europeans, it's even less likely to take ahold with current HD broadcasting trials not even getting underway until next year, so don't go throwing away your crusty old CRT set just yet. You may not see the benefits for some time to come, and you'll save yourself a vast outlay in the process..."

Remember this is EURO gamer, and over here HD tvs aren't common.

HD is the distant future.

[DeanMeister]

The fact of the matter is that most people don't have an HDTV. That doesn't mean they're not gamers it means they're not yet ready to shell out the cash for one. I'd tend to agree with them. It's good that MS is including all there titles with HD for the xbox but to go on the assumption that the majority of consumers have one is just foolish.

Re:The HD Revolution!!!!!

[chromaphobic]

It's a zeitgeist.. right now most non-HD TV owners don't know what they're missing. That will change quite soon.

Or, like me, they know exactly what they're missing and find the cost of moving to HDTV still too high. Not only the extra expense of a HD television, but the extra cost of subscribing to HD channels on my cable system. For all of 16 channels of actual HD content that are available to me right now? Meh, not worth it.

Once there's more content, including a final, single standard for HD DVD's, and the price of the hardware comes down, I'll happily jump on board. But right now? I have ZERO interest in HD.

Re:Why is HD a barrier?

[TechniMyoko]

You can get an equally sized tv for less than a quarter of that price, thats the problem