I think the earlier console generations where created by a bunch of passionate nerds eager to make something cool.
The current generations are created by highly talented designers whose work is reviewed by committee after committee with user research, marketing, management and creative direction all wanting to have a say - leading to the most universally acceptable compromise.
Once game development goes into the 300 million plus per title range, you really can't have any John Carmak or Romeros running around building stuff they are passionate about anymore. There's just too much money on the line...
Perhaps what happened is that game console demographics have changed so dramatically from a kids-only toy, to the preteen/teen male of the original Xbox era, and now to a general purpose entertainment device that has to appeal to all ages and demographics.
Probably the only console interface left with some whimsy is Nintendo but it is definitely a more muted and professional look than the past.
I’d also argue that Steam has had a very PC power user aesthetic for a long time, and while it isn’t quite as fun as any of these it’s definitely not corporate boring like PlayStation 5 or Xbox.
When something like this is new they always put in effort to make it cool the first, but then with time and iterations it becomes a cost center to be minimized, or worse, an advertising center.
Yes and you would blow in one if the first time wasn’t recognized. They were great sharing the saves too with friends, something that’s missing now unless you go and dig up those save files from your appdata or whatever they are hidden in.
> Yes and you would blow in one if the first time wasn’t recognized.
I dug out one of my Ataris and plugged it in for my son to have a shot of a couple of years ago, when he was four.
One of the carts didn't work straight away so he switched the console off again, pulled it out, blew into the edge connector, plugged it back in and gave it a little wiggle to seat it, turned it back on, and set about playing Pacman.
The current generations are created by highly talented designers whose work is reviewed by committee after committee with user research, marketing, management and creative direction all wanting to have a say - leading to the most universally acceptable compromise.
Once game development goes into the 300 million plus per title range, you really can't have any John Carmak or Romeros running around building stuff they are passionate about anymore. There's just too much money on the line...
Probably the only console interface left with some whimsy is Nintendo but it is definitely a more muted and professional look than the past.
I’d also argue that Steam has had a very PC power user aesthetic for a long time, and while it isn’t quite as fun as any of these it’s definitely not corporate boring like PlayStation 5 or Xbox.
I bet by the end of the decade we’ll see more designs looking to stand out again.
I dug out one of my Ataris and plugged it in for my son to have a shot of a couple of years ago, when he was four.
One of the carts didn't work straight away so he switched the console off again, pulled it out, blew into the edge connector, plugged it back in and gave it a little wiggle to seat it, turned it back on, and set about playing Pacman.
He's never seen me or anyone else do that.
Epigenetics is real, guys.