Can a console completely dominate once again?

I don't think domination is likely at all this cycle simply because of how similar the hardware on the two consoles is. A console can wither and die only if it gets no games. The hardware being so similar means that even if one of them really flops the launch, most third-party titles will still aim for both of them, simply because the cost of doing so is just not that great, compared to the advantage of getting a larger market. Even if the ratio was 1:10 post-launch, I think we'd still see games made for the weaker one. And as long as you have those, you're hanging on, and can claw back share, if slowly.

 

While I do think it is possible, albeit with extremely low probability...I really hope it doesn't happen, lack of competition and being at the mercy of one company would have me PC only pretty quick.

 

Ya unless someone thinks kinect will be the must have killer app there's just not enough differentiating the two.

I'm interested to see if the Japanese console market fades away completely.

 

instead of dominance, i feels that this generation will be total multiplatform heaven. all 3 system are similar that dev should have no problem releasing on 3 of them.

currently it seems other than technical things that prevent games to be released on PC. Although the game are developed, demo-ed, and running on PC.

yeah, the way sony sells their overhyped positive things on PS2 and PS3 are a nice example where a buzz from one company makes fanboys have fuel to start supporting it heavily on the internet and real life (when nerd met nerd, when nerd recommend to normal people)

 

I just wanted to point out, that eventhough we are obsessed with looking at console sales numbers to deduct which console has the biggest market, we should remember that...

• some of us bought the same console twice! I have a PS3fat and I switched to a Slim eventually. While there are some that may have bought 3 (YLOD?), or some that only have a single one, 2 is a number that might be quite probable for especially gamers - those that use the console as a primary gaming-machine. It also applies to the X360.
  
  
• some of us not only bought the same console twice, but might own both the X360 and a PS3. Although, perhaps those that do own two different console types, might only have one of each, as their primary gaming time is spread between two consoles instead of one (less wear).
  
  
• Some own a PS3 (probably less a X360) who only got one for its Bluray disk player capability. Most of these machines are probably sitting around collecting dust and are not used to play games.
  
  
• the market may not be as large as we think it is. That market being of current PS3 and X360 users that is, because the sales numbers don't show how many own multiple SKUs and how many of them interlap in each others userbase (the people who own both).
  
  
• Another point which I think is important is that PS2 dominated because it was the easy choice for the most casual gamer outthere. This casual gamer likely moved over to Wii and later, to gaming on tablets or smartphones. They likely won't be coming back, so effectively it's likely that the market has shrunk a bit.