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Is Satellite Internet The Future Of Video Games?
During my Fourth of July festivities, I was bombarded with video game-related questions from a wide variety of people. Parents asked me what games they should buy for their children. Gamers who play everything wanted to know if Kinect, Move, or Nintendo 3DS would be worth purchasing. I even found myself discussing StarCraft lore with an eight-year-old. But the question that took me by surprise the most and came back to me when I woke up this morning was, "The only reason I still have home Internet is for Xbox Live Arcade. Is there any chance Microsoft will offer this service over satellite Internet?"
I had no idea how to respond to this question. "It's entirely possible," I said, "but as of right now, the future of console video games is locked to land connections and faster speeds than 3G or 4G."
Several of my friends who don't play games have canceled their home internet services. Why? Their phones offer everything they need in email, web, and social networking services. Although Flash remains a sticking point for iPhones, most smart phones offer amazing video services as well. I can't live without Xbox Live or PSN, but I have to admit, most of my web surfing is handled on my iPhone.
So what future does satellite internet have in video games? This is a question I'm opening up to you. If phone technology continues to improve at the rate it is today, are land Internet lines going the way of land phone lines? Will console manufacturers eventually offer alternative services?
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