What are the limitations of the game console?

Answer 1

The video game console has a few disadvantages. Firstly, they are always released with a fixed specification and fixed components, which means that if significant advances are made in hardware technology a whole new model needs to be developed and retailed. If it's significant enough a change that older consoles won't play games designed for the new model it triggers a generation shift.

There is also a greater difficulty developing for consoles, which is only just offset by the benefit of a fixed specification, in that developers can't develop the game directly onto a console like you can with a PC.

Finally, because the console manufactures have monopoly over their individual console's market, they tend to force games developers to certify games for their platforms, which forces additional limitations on what developers can do and also drives the cost of console games up due to licensing.