It is a big surprise, however, that the consoles we're talking about are the likes of Ouya, GameStick and Green Throttle.
There will be a new PlayStation and a new Xbox in 2013, of course, but the next generation devices bearing these evocative names will be very different from the monolith grey boxes which previously dominated our living rooms.
So, while we will still have our console gaming experiences - holding a controller and looking at a TV screen - everything else, from hardware and connectivity to distribution and ecosystem, will have changed.
That's why I'm calling this the 'unconsole' era.
New ways to play
Charles Huang, the CEO of Green Throttle, might not be convinced about my new terminology (yet), but he's fully aware of how the industry is changing.
Previously the creator of Guitar Hero when he was COO of game accessory outfit RedOctane (acquired by Activision in 2006), Huang set up Green Throttle in 2011 to make the most of the coming opportunities.
"There's a race to own the living room," he says.
"We expected the likes of Sony, Microsoft, Apple and Google to be shipping [game] products that connect to the TV in 2013, but we didn't expect start-ups like Ouya and GameStick to gain such traction."
One-off purchase
This is both good and bad for Green Throttle.
It's not creating any console/unconsole hardware itself, so isn't directly competing with Ouya.
Indeed, it has partnered with GameStick, allowing the Green Throttle Atlas controller to work with the GameStick hardware that plugs into your TV. Like Ouya, both are Android-based systems.
The Green Throttle Atlas controller
Huang thinks Green Throttle is best placed out of the three, however, as it requires customers to buy a $40 controller, not buy into a business model that will regularly release new hardware refreshes.
"Our approach is a virtual console," he explains.
"We provide a virtual set of applications that run on top of your phone or tablet, enabling it to become a console."
Access to the games (and unconsole) is provided through the free Green Throttle Arena app, which syncs the Bluetooth Atlas controller and provides discovery for games that support it.
Everything is changing
For, as Huang argues, dedicated gaming hardware just isn't as important as it used to be.
Everyone has a phone. Hundreds of millions of them are powerful enough to run high quality games. And consumers are happy to spend $600 every couple of years to keep them up-to-date.
Hence, the need to spend $400 on another device to play games, or even $80 every couple of years to get a new Ouya or GameStick has been removed.
"It took Microsoft seven years to sell 70 million Xbox 360s but Samsung can sell 70 million devices in a quarter," he says, pointing out how the addressable install base is changing.
"Leveraging the mobile industry's growth will enable the best gaming," he states.
Weakest link
Still, there are several challenges for Green Throttle to overcome.
It has to educate consumers that it's not just a controller, but it's a gaming system that uses your phone or tablet.
In this regard, the biggest hurdle to overcome is to run Green Throttle games, you need a HDMI cable to connect your device and your TV. Despite the adoption of industry standards such as the Mobile High-Definition Link, the right cable depends on your device and TV.
The other more subtle issue is all Android-based unconsoles are offering access to the same games via Google Play.
"Software sells hardware," Huang says, recalling the success of Guitar Hero.
And that's why Green Throttle is working with developers such as Free Range Games, nWay and Monstrous, as well as developing internal titles.
"A platform needs unique content and we're doing our share of that," he adds.
In particular, it's looking to release exclusive 2-4 player multiplayer games, which will sell more controllers and provide viral marketing opportunities.
Building foundations
As for the current state of play, Green Throttle is pressing forward, working with developers to ensure their games support the Atlas controller.
This is now available for consumers to purchase online, although the big marketing push won't happen until the second half of 2013.
"We're slowly making our way. The Arena app is now available on Google Play and Amazon Appstore, but we need the games to be available," says Huang.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the company's virtual console approach is whether it might end up being more successful as an entirely virtual play in the b2b market.
"We're open to other companies licensing our technology," Huang reveals, when asked if Green Throttle could support iOS or Windows Phone.
"We're on Android because it's the most open platform, but technically we can support any OS. We want to be Switzerland of the market; as open as possible."
