Will the web browser replace the game console?

Imagine a world where if you wanted to play Call of Duty 4 or World of Warcraft, you didn’t need to own an Xbox 360 or you didn’t need to buy a PC game and install it on your desktop and worry about DRM rights afterwards. For gamers who grew up on Nintendo this may sound like hard thing to grasp, but that’s what Shana Fisher of InstantAction was proposing in her keynote speech yesterday at Web 2.0 Expo at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City.

Ms. Fisher argued that with the rising cost in developing graphic intensive experiences, archaically inefficient distribution systems and a high chance of failure, the console game business is ripe for disruption. Enter InstantAction (currently in beta) who want to deliver triple-A original IP offerings of the usual FPS, RTS and MMO genre titles that hardcore gamers regularly consume—all through the convenience of a Web browser that requires no installation and with virtual zero load time.

During the keynote speech, Ms. Fisher presented a trailer of their currently most popular title, Fallen Empire Legions, to prove InstantAction’s commitment to high-quality production values wasn’t lip service and then proceeded to demonstrate in real-time how quickly games load up and how easily one can switch from one title to another to show the technology described wasn’t vaporware.

So assuming InstantAction can deliver on their promise of delivering the kinds of titles that hardcore gamers want, will the browser make the game console obsolete? What do you think?

I can see web browser video games having limited success. But threatening to put consoles out of business?

No way.
Won't happen.

Here's why:

Sure, it may be all DRM free, but you're still dependent on the internet--even if the game is only meant for one player.

And with companies like Comcast limiting bandwidth, why on earth would you want to play a game online that you could just as easily play on a console?

Just my two cents . . .

I agree with the DRM thing, but I seriously doubt that Comcast or any other provider will limit bandwidth to the level that would interfere with online gaming of any type. There's the same here as there is in COD4 and I play that all the time.