Gen Z could 'kill' gaming consoles according to former Xbox chief

Peter Moore, the former boss of Xbox and president of Sega America, thinks changing demands from Gen Z could mean gaming consoles as they're recognised today might not be around for much longer.

It's something that major companies in the gaming industry seem to have been thinking about for a while - Peter said in a recent interview with IGN it was something he was considering in 2007, only two years after the Xbox 360 was released.

It doesn't mean it will affect the current generation - a new PS5 Pro is said to be in the works from Sony in time for the release of Grand Theft Auto 6, current Microsoft bosses said the company is working on a new Xbox console (expected to be a mid-generation update on the Xbox Series X/S) while looking ahead to the next generation too, and Nintendo is understood to be working on the Switch 2 expected to be out in 2025.

But Peter said these companies will be asking questions now as Gen Z gaming habits appear to be changing.

Speaking to IGN, Peter said: "You've got a generation coming through now that’s more likely to be utilizing their smartphone for everything, including gaming.

"From the perspective of what the console means, it was a plug and play. It was easy, it was powerful. But it goes back 35, 40 years.

"I don't think people are gaming less, they're just gaming differently.

"We're not in the living room anymore. We're back in the bedroom with our YouTube influencers, our TikTok creators, and it's about content on demand. And we are going through the same thing in sports.

"Gen Z is coming through and they're going, why do I need to spend $400 or $500 on a bespoke piece of gaming hardware when I've got my smartphone, or I got my PC or my Mac, and I can do things there with a pretty decent controller?"

As mentioned, while it doesn't seem it will affect the current generation of consoles, Peter says companies will be considering if it's worth them putting a lot of resource into making a new console beyond that.

"Are we ready to gird our loins financially for battle and all of the cost of development, silicon development?" he questioned.

"What is it that PS6 can do that PS5 can’t that would make people jump from PS5, or same with Xbox, same with Switch, right?

"God forbid it's just incremental.

"And I think that the companies are also looking at that. What can we do to extend this life cycle?"

For more from Peter Moore, check out his full interview with IGN here.

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