As we enter the heart of this console generation, the Playstation 4 and XBox One are fighting it out for gaming dominance, while the Nintendo Switch sits on the sidelines and does its own thing. Console wars are not a new thing and have been a big part of gaming since the Genesis/Super Nintendo days, but will this soon be a thing of the past?

The times, they are a changin'

Gaming in 2017 seems to keep blurring the line between gaming consoles and PCs. A large part of the game libraries of the PS4 and XBox One are also available on PC with only a few console exclusives that give these platforms a reason to exist. They don't do anything particularly original, or provide opportunities that cannot be reproduced (or even improved) when played on a PC. The primary reason for the existence of the Sony and Microsoft consoles in 2017 is the simplicity of popping in a disc and playing, however, that too has been sullied when you have to install part/all of your game and sit through updates before you even get to play.

The other 'Steam'

Valve's Steam PC gaming platform has completely changed how games are distributed and purchased on the PC. With a computer, you're constantly connected to a massive game store and you no longer have to leave the house to pick up the latest titles. In addition, games frequently go on sale for far less than their console counterparts. Steam essentially turns a PC into a video game console, and as more people choose the PC as their gaming platform of choice, dedicated consoles will start to become less and less relevant.

What's the problem?

These trends are going to keep effecting the PS/XB game platforms until they come to a realization. If they want to remain relevant, they need to have a reason to exist. The PS4 is in far better shape than the XBox One, where most of the console's library is also available on Windows. Not only that, but the games are usually cheaper and can provide better graphics and performance than the home console. Objectively, there isn't much of a reason to buy an XBox One in 2017. The PS4 is in a much better position thanks to the larger catalog that isn't a replica of what's available on Steam.

How can this be reversed?

For Microsoft, I think the writing is on the wall. With most of the same games appearing on PC, they seem to be content with providing a stripped down PC as their gaming console. Sony is in better shape, but has similar problems. What they need to do if they want to remain relevant is watch what Nintendo is doing. The Switch is a huge hit for Nintendo because it provides a unique experience and solves a problem inherent with gaming. While Sony/MS have battled it out to see who can create the better PC-clone, Nintendo has given us something unique and filled with exclusive games you can only play on their platform.

Where does this end?

I see Microsoft evolving the XBox brand into a line of dedicated gaming PCs running the latest version of Windows (they're practically there today). There's not much of a reason to continue building consoles that do the same thing that people are already doing with a PC and Steam. Sony seems to be more flexible, but will suffer from the same issues unless they invest more resources into exclusive titles and unique gaming experiences.

Nintendo seems to be on the right track by giving us a new way to play games that isn't possible any other way. That's what is going to keep them going, and after decades of critics forecasting Nintendo's shift from hardware manufacturer to 3rd party publisher, I see them being the only company still selling dedicated game consoles 15 years from now.