I’m committed to the Xbox 360, but I’m not generally left lacking some title because of market pressure. (And with Gears of War, I win by committing to the 360.) This article explains that game publishers are responding to competition in the next gen console wars:
Screen Digest’s Next Generation Consoles: Games publishing, hardware analysis and forecasts to 2010 surveyed a number of major video game publishers and found that they’re taking different approaches to survive the tough video game landscape. “Publishers have responded by employing risk reduction strategies, including outsourcing, releasing games on as many platforms as possible (including handheld and last generation consoles), making sequels to popular titles and producing games based on popular movies,” states Screen Digest.
I wonder how a central planner would assess the next generation video game console market. Am I screwed by too many (3) choices so much that I’m paralyzed? No, but I don’t think that would stop a central planner from offering one and only one video game console, if I got a video game console at all. Still, even after betting on one, I’m left with the choices that gamers with other systems get because the market demands it. I’m not forced to buy anything, but if I want a particular game, I’m probably going to get it because publishers want to survive and make money, not screw me with the highest possible price. I love capitalism.