Gaming Next Generation Consoles

[Rachael]

I thought I'd start a new thread about the three big consoles that are gonna hit stores this year and the next. It bothers me that Xbox 360 is coming out alot earlier than the other two. Why is that?? If I remember correctly they came out approximitly all at the same time last time.

I also need some oppions/advice. Being a teenager I'm not exactly wealthy so it's not like I can buy all three of them so I need some advice as to which console I should get. I love Fantasy rpgs. I don't like sports or army games, I like playing certain one on one combat games like soulcalibur and (like many of you I presume) I am drawn to a game with superb graphics. So which console do you guys think satisfy my needs? Xbox 360, Playstation 3 or Nintendo revolution??


Note: this thread isn't just about me, it's about the new consoles as well so if there is anything you want to add or ask go right ahead.

[Morpheus]

I like to look at pretty things, but the fact that a game is pretty won't hold my attention(sp?) very long. Halo was pretty, but when I really played it, it was mediocre at best. Timesplitters 2 hands Halo it's a** on a silver platter.

Actually, the PS2 had a one year head start on GC and XBOX. DC had a one year head start on PS2, but was dead before GC or XBOX came along.

I can't say which will satisfy you, as not a single game has been completed. I personally will buy NR in '06 and a PS3 in '07 or '08. The 360 has shown little to interest me thus far. This holiday is looking like an xbox to round out my collection.

[Sinistra]

[FONT=Palatino Linotype]Prepare for a long explanation.

I'm not sure myself why the X-Box 360 is coming out a whole year earlier than the other two consoles. Being a teenager as well, I'm not sure how to rope up the money for the consoles. But since they're a year apart and I'll soon be eligible for a job, who knows?

The 360 is rumored to be about $300 - $400, while the PS3 is rumored to be about $400. The Revolution is going to be in between $200 - $250.

[B]The Nintendo Revolution is the choice for a 'tight-wallet' budget.[/B]

Going for graphics, I would say to check out the X-Box 360 or the PS3. You have to make your decision on graphics by simply looking at the types of games that you're interested in. You said Soul Cailbur, and the third installment is coming out on the PS2. [B]Yes, I said PS2.[/B] Other games such as LoZ: Twilight Princess(GC) and Kingdom Hearts 2(PS2) are going to be VERY promising as well.

You also mentioned one-on-one fighting games, while I'm at it, I should recommend taking on the Dead or Alive series made by Japan's one and only Team Ninja. The latest, [U]Dead or Alive 4: Code Cronus[/U] is being held off until the X-Box 360's release and if you look at the thread created right here at Otakuboards, then you will see just a few of the numerous screen shots. I like the graphics, and they seem to just get better and better.

The X-Box 360 is somewhat backward compatible, while the PS3 is taking a little longer to make sure that it is fully backward compatible. ((Backward compatible is the ability to play games from the previous consoles. Ex: X-Box 360 will be able to play some X-Box games.)) And the Revolution is calling their feature "Super Backward Compatability".

Why?

Because the Revolution "has the ability to download (for a fee) and play games from the past 20 years of the company's console library. This includes going as far back as the Nintendo Entertainment System." The company is also making the old games look better as far as graphics go.

I'm going to buy both the PS3 and X-Box 360 at one point, so I can't really make any judgments, but I figured that I would lend my knowledge. Hope that it helps. If you're looking for more info, pick up Electronic Gaming Magazine's August 2005 issue. Although I don't know if it's still on the shelves, they've already come out with the Sept. issue![/FONT]

[James]

[font=franklin gothic medium]I wouldn't even worry about these consoles yet. Unless you plan to buy them as soon as they come out, it just isn't worth it. Stick with PS2/GameCube/Xbox right now - they're cheaper and will provide you more variety.

Even though Xbox 360 comes out at the end of the year, it's still far too early to make a decision about which next gen console is best for you. There haven't even been playable PS3 demos yet and Revolution is still a way off being fully revealed. So in the absence of that information - the most critical information - you simply can't make an informed choice.

I recommend enjoying current generation systems (PS2 will probably experience a price drop toward the end of the year), at least until the next gen competitors have all launched. So I think, for gamers (unless you are an early adopter), to just enjoy the new current gen stuff that comes out over the next year.[/font]

[Charles]

[QUOTE=James][font=franklin gothic medium]
Even though Xbox 360 comes out at the end of the year, it's still far too early to make a decision about which next gen console is best for you. There haven't even been playable PS3 demos yet and Revolution is still a way off being fully revealed. So in the absence of that information - the most critical information - you simply can't make an informed choice.[/font][/QUOTE]

This is especially true considering the Xbox 360 launch is going to be driven by military shooters, sports, and racing games. So, although it's launching earlier than the others, I see no reason for you to be an early adopter unless Perfect Dark Zero ends up being the most amazing game ever. And, even then you would be better off with a current generation console for the holidays. Dragon Quest 8, Shadow of the Colossus, and Soul Calibur 3 all look incredible. Furthermore, I've been picking up a load of outstanding games recently for dirt-cheap prices. I found F-Zero GX for $8.99, Ratchet and Clank: Going Commando for $17.99, and Hitman 2 for $7.99. Ico is also under $10. So, if you're short on cash, this should be a no-brainer.

You won't have to worry about the next-generation consoles for a while. I've read that Sony may not launch the Playstation 3 until 2007 and we still know very little about the Revolution.

[Guest Pillsbury]

[QUOTE=Rachael]I thought I'd start a new thread about the three big consoles that are gonna hit stores this year and the next. It bothers me that Xbox 360 is coming out alot earlier than the other two. Why is that?? If I remember correctly they came out approximitly all at the same time last time.

I also need some oppions/advice. Being a teenager I'm not exactly wealthy so it's not like I can buy all three of them so I need some advice as to which console I should get. I love Fantasy rpgs. I don't like sports or army games, I like playing certain one on one combat games like soulcalibur and (like many of you I presume) I am drawn to a game with superb graphics. So which console do you guys think satisfy my needs? Xbox 360, Playstation 3 or Nintendo revolution??


Note: this thread isn't just about me, it's about the new consoles as well so if there is anything you want to add or ask go right ahead.[/QUOTE]
Since you like to play fantasy RPG's your best bet would be the PS3 but since you also have a low budget the Nintendo Revolution would be the better choice, because Nintendo usually has many RPG's of all different styles.

[Killer7]

Xbox 360- they announced the price point yesterday. for $300 you get just the console and a controller. For $400 you get the console, a 20 GB HD (which allows you to play original xbox games, and download stuff) a wireless controller, a wireless headseat, and a ethernet cable (WOOT!). It looks like the majority of the games will be cliched first-person shooters, action RPG's (crappy americanized ones), and racing games will be the main type of games. I probably get it for Christmas, but I am looking forward to the other 2 systems much more

6/10- game library needs work

Playstation 3- Like alot of other people said it will probably be around $350 or $400. The games will probably be the best out of all the systems with MGS, DMC, and the numerous RPGs. Personally I am a strategy/RPGer so I am looking forward to this the most. Also it looks like it will have the highest graphical power.

10/10- price is a little high

Revolution- Small price possibly around $250 This system looks like it is going to be the most innovative, with it's touch screen controller. Also you have the lineup of Nintendo idols like Mario, Link, Donkey Kong, Samus, and Star Fox. Not only that but you will be able to buy classic nintendo games off a internet shop. The only bad things are the lack of RPGs and third-party support.

8/10- GET MORE DEVELOPERS!

[Charles]

[QUOTE=Killer7]Xbox 360- they announced the price point yesterday. for $300 you get just the console and a controller. For $400 you get the console, a 20 GB HD (which allows you to play original xbox games, and download stuff) a wireless controller, a wireless headseat, and a ethernet cable (WOOT!). It looks like the majority of the games will be cliched first-person shooters, action RPG's (crappy americanized ones), and racing games will be the main type of games. I probably get it for Christmas, but I am looking forward to the other 2 systems much more

6/10- game library needs work

Playstation 3- Like alot of other people said it will probably be around $350 or $400. The games will probably be the best out of all the systems with MGS, DMC, and the numerous RPGs. Personally I am a strategy/RPGer so I am looking forward to this the most. Also it looks like it will have the highest graphical power.

10/10- price is a little high

Revolution- Small price possibly around $250 This system looks like it is going to be the most innovative, with it's touch screen controller. Also you have the lineup of Nintendo idols like Mario, Link, Donkey Kong, Samus, and Star Fox. Not only that but you will be able to buy classic nintendo games off a internet shop. The only bad things are the lack of RPGs and third-party support.

8/10- GET MORE DEVELOPERS![/QUOTE]


[CENTER][IMG]http://img375.imageshack.us/img375/1122/banhim4oj.gif[/IMG][/CENTER]

[Semjaza]

Xbox 360 has a really damn strong line-up already. Considering how many Japanese developers have already announced and shown RPGs for the system (several and certainly more than the PS3 or Revolution both right now), I have to wonder where this "crappy Americanized RPG" idea comes from. I think most people who aren't interested in Xbox 360 haven't been keeping up with it at all and in that case they just shouldn't bother saying anything.

If people don't want to get the system, then whatever, but the thing seriously does have some really strong stuff lined up for launch as well as the near future. Aside from sequels to established franchises that I'm interested in, but that have already proven to be dying out sales wise (Metal Gear Solid, Devil May Cry), I don't exactly see what the PS3 is really offering over any of this stuff either... especially with Square Enix saying recently they want to bring more of their games to all systems. It's just assumed because PS2 and PSX had the most games before that. Well, Nintendo did before that and look how that changed. These things do not last forever.

If anyone thinks the PS3 will be around $300 for $400 they are absolutely, positively ******* insane. I don't know how else to put this. I talk about this on my site too and a few people continue to remain hopeful, but I think Sony is going to take about fifteen rocketlaunchers to shatter that tiny bit of hope into an infinite amount of pieces.

I mean, come on:

- Every single computer port related to man; possibly more than will be needed: 6 USB, memory stick slots, SD slots, Compact Flash Slots, three gigabit Ethernet ports, optical in port, multi-AV connector, two HDMI ports
- Built in wi-fi
- HD output (last I heard all games have to be able to do at least 720p, which is the progressive scan right below 1080p)
- Most importantly: 1080p HD output, something even some of the best TVs right now don't even do, including Sony's
- The ability to put out TWO 1080p HD images at once
- A video card that's as powerful as two that retail for $400 at stores right now
- The development of a chip system that is currently not used in anything else
- a Bluray drive, that again, is currently not used in anything else and holds vast amounts of data; original models had a writable area, I'm not sure if the PS3 is using that idea or not
- All the other crap inside of it that as well as the casing

The 1080p stuff is especially expensive. They have inclusions of things that don't even exist on any other household item in the world right now, which obviously will add to the price. Factories have to be built or altered especially for some of this.

Even ignoring the possible graphic differences (particularly in output, since I've heard nothing of 360 outputting a 1080p image at all), the 360 doesn't have even half of this stuff and still can clock in at $400.

Sony has [B]again and again and again[/B] said they are not targeting normal households with this system. They keep saying they will not call it a "console" and refer to it as a "computer", which is really a large pointer to what it will be doing and how much it will cost. These companies think "normal" households can afford a $300 to $400 console, as proven in the past. So why would they keep claiming this really high price point and then suddenly put it out that low? They keep acting as though this is an "investment". They want it to be around ten years; about twice as long as the usual generation. These things don't happen with a console that comes out at $300 and is down to $150 in two years.

When they considered the PS2 a [i]value[/i] at $300+, do people honestly think the PS3 will cost that much? Several systems have launched at $400 in the past with compatively less power for their point in time.

If people think this will cost as little as the more expensive 360 I really think they're just plain crazy and know nothing about technology. Sony can eat up some of the price to fuel sales, but they can't do too much or they'll never gain a profit no many how many games they sell. Taking out the hard drive (like they apparently plan on doing) really isn't going to take that much out of its price. I'm interested in the thing and I am impressed by its power, but with power comes cost.

Personally, the biggest annoyance for me is that it won't be able to use any older accessories. I have no idea how I'm going to move my PS2 saves over if I want to play a PS2 game on a PS3... although I'm sure there will be a way.

[Charles]

[QUOTE=Generic NPC #3]Xbox 360 has a really damn strong line-up already. Considering how many Japanese developers have already announced and shown RPGs for the system (several and certainly more than the PS3 or Revolution both right now), I have to wonder where this "crappy Americanized RPG" idea comes from. I think most people who aren't interested in Xbox 360 haven't been keeping up with it at all and in that case they just shouldn't bother saying anything.

If people don't want to get the system, then whatever, but the thing seriously does have some really strong stuff lined up for launch as well as the near future. Aside from sequels to established franchises that I'm interested in, but that have already proven to be dying out sales wise (Metal Gear Solid, Devil May Cry), I don't exactly see what the PS3 is really offering over any of this stuff either... especially with Square Enix saying recently they want to bring more of their games to all systems. It's just assumed because PS2 and PSX had the most games before that. Well, Nintendo did before that and look how that changed. These things do not last forever.[/quote]

Personally, I'm interested, but I doubt I'll be an early adopter this time around. I have been following it closely, and my problem doesn't necessarily stem from the lack of quality software available, but from the pricing strategy they've employed. Microsoft has said that its out to make money this time around, which is understandable. But, how they're going about it could be potentially harmful.

My main concern is that they're selling one completely useless SKU that's going to possibly limit the Xbox 360's overall potential. The 512 MB of RAM will soften the blow considerably, the fact that a portion of the system's audience won't have the hard drive means that we won't see it incorporated into a lot of games. Interestingly enough, the hard drive was the reason Square Enix seemed to jump onboard the 360.

[quote]"After hearing that the Xbox 360 would come equipped standard with a hard disk, it was decided that we had no choice but to jump on board."

---Hiromichi Tanaka, Producer, FFXI

"Taking into consideration [the Xbox 360's] hard disk and infrastructure, I think it's a safe bet that in the future, you'll see more and more cases of game makers creating their new network games on the Xbox 360 platform."

---Famitsu, Hamamura Tsushin (Famitsu Wavestream corner)[/quote]

I wish instead that Microsoft released a value pack with the hard drive and cut out stuff like the remote control and made the price a bit more expensive.

Just some comments on the rest of your post:

--The Playstation 3 price--I have common sense, so I agree, it's going to be super expensive. Sony will undoubtedly release a basic pack like Microsoft without the hard drive and/or the Bluray drive to soften the blow--but again, it'll be useless to buy it. I just wish they would release one SKU. I do, however, feel that it's good that Sony's included built in wi-fi. It costs $100 to add it to Xbox 360. But, I suppose that should give a good indication of the system's inevitable price point.

--HD output-- Microsoft also requires that all games have to be able to do at least 720p.

[Semjaza]

[QUOTE=Charles]Personally, I'm interested, but I doubt I'll be an early adopter this time around. I have been following it closely, and my problem doesn't necessarily stem from the lack of quality software available, but from the pricing strategy they've employed. Microsoft has said that its out to make money this time around, which is understandable. But, how they're going about it could be potentially harmful.

My main concern is that they're selling one completely useless SKU that's going to possibly limit the Xbox 360's overall potential. The 512 MB of RAM will soften the blow considerably, the fact that a portion of the system's audience won't have the hard drive means that we won't see it incorporated into a lot of games. Interestingly enough, the hard drive was the reason Square Enix seemed to jump onboard the 360.[/quote]

Yeah, I've complained about this hard drive issue elsewhere. I really feel that it effectively splits the userbase to the point that most developers would see no reason to use it beyond acting as a massive memory card. Obviously it depends on which one sells most (and people can obviously buy the hard drive later on, but add-ons never work out). MS seems to think the more expensive one will be way out in front and, if so, then I suppose developers will consider the hard drive more often.

The biggest problem with this, to me, is that developers can't really rely on the hard drive as a cache anymore. A lot of original Xbox titles (and PC titles, obviously) use the hard drive to soften load times, among other things. That'll have to be worked around thanks to this difference.

I don't see why they can't just get rid of the Core unit and make the $400 unit $350 and be done with it. I don't really plan on getting one at launch myself, but to act like this thing has nothing of interest announced for it seems kind of shortsighted and ignorant.

As for Square-Enix I doubt that was the only idea, but it's basically the only way FFXI can work: it requires a hard drive. They're likely going to put that game on anything that can use it so they can continue to raise their Play Online subscriptions. FFXI is continued easy money for them, really.

They've made more comments since then (very recently) about putting pretty much all of their major series in some form on other platforms at some point.

[QUOTE]--The Playstation 3 price--I have common sense, so I agree, it's going to be super expensive. Sony will undoubtedly release a basic pack like Microsoft without the hard drive and/or the Bluray drive to soften the blow--but again, it'll be useless to buy it. I just wish they would release one SKU. I do, however, feel that it's good that Sony's included built in wi-fi. It costs $100 to add it to Xbox 360. But, I suppose that should give a good indication of the system's inevitable price point.[/QUOTE]

The games are supposedly using Bluray. Not including that would make absolutely no sense. If they released, for example, a DVD only version (Sony isn't supporting HD-DVD which would hold more, hence their Bluray drive), they'd effectively be cutting off certain people from certain games entirely. It's like a kid buying a 32X game and expecting it to work on a normal Genesis back in the day... there's too much of a difference and both can't be kept in mind. That makes even less sense than MS not including a hard drive and it just won't happen. It's removing a very basic component of the system... it'd be like making certain PS3's with less chips inside. Anything MS isn't including in the 360 can easily be bought and plugged in. You can't just expect to plug in a Bluray drive in the future.

Sony apparently isn't including the hard drive already, but again, these things do not cost that much to include at the GB size consoles seem to be aiming for (20 GB or so). The lack of other options really just means that Sony can sell the drive for a slightly inflated price and try to make some profit of it, really.

Considering their comments on price, I don't see why they'd care to release a second, cheaper model anywhere near launch to begin with. There's other things that could be removed such as the second HD output, some of the ports, etc before that, if they removed anything.

[QUOTE]HD output-- Microsoft also requires that all games have to be able to do at least 720p.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, I know that... the point was that they won't even be attempting 720p last I saw. 1080i, sure, considering Xbox has done that already. With PS3's obviously strong focus on 1080p, I imagine costs and development time to get framerates under control will be far more of an issue than with 1080p honestly... but it remains to be seen. We don't have any examples. If the thing is as powerful as claimed, it might not be much of an issue (but again, half of what we've seen in an actual gameplay environment with things and AI-style stuff going on was pre-rendered and thus we have no real example).

[Mitch]

I've actually somewhat kept up with the next-gen console news and I think Sony's out of their mind, that there's not enough about the Revolution to know squat, and that the Xboc 360 is going to have a lot of great games - mainly RPGs - so I think at this point I'd go with 360 if I were to want to buy a next-gen console ASAP. Also add to that the fact that I don't own an Xbox, and an Xbox 360 is backwards compatible, so I could play all the good games I missed.

To be honest, though, I'd rather wait maybe a year after the Xbox 360 is released and know more how the playing field is going to look. Also, by then, hopefully, it will cost a little less, since I tend to like to wait till the next-gen consoles get cheaper and the good games do, too.

[Charles]

[quote name='Mitch']Also add to that the fact that I don't own an Xbox, and an Xbox 360 is backwards compatible, so I could play all the good games I missed.[/quote]

Remember, it only supports [B]limited[/B] backwards compatibility. You're only able to play "best-selling" Xbox titles chosen by Microsoft.

[OtakuSennen]

[quote name='Charles]Remember, it only supports [b]limited[/b'] backwards compatibility. You're only able to play "best-selling" Xbox titles chosen by Microsoft.[/quote]
Not only that, but you'll need the hard drive as well. I really hope that Microsoft expands their playable Xbox library as time goes on.. I didn't get in on Xbox this generation, either, and though there aren't that many games I would be interested in purchasing, it would still be nice to skim through the past generation without being confined to first-party titles and best sellers.

I was very excited about Xbox 360, up until the dual SKU announcement, and now I'm not so sure. I was always interested in the original Xbox's hard drive inclusion, and enamored by the idea of online game downloads. And now that the hard drive doesn't come with every console, I'm worried that this feature will get less attention than I had hoped.

I'll probably wait a bit until after launch to see how things pan out, unless I somehow manage to gather the $510 for console, game and Live subscription by November. But I doubt that will happen.

[Killer7]

[quote]Xbox 360 has a really damn strong line-up already. Considering how many Japanese developers have already announced and shown RPGs for the system (several and certainly more than the PS3 or Revolution both right now), I have to wonder where this "crappy Americanized RPG" idea comes from.[/quote]

Please look things up before you shoot down what someone else has said. PS3 currently has 3 Rpg's slated with 8 months until release, not including the rumored remake. Xbox in turn has 6 with 3 months to go, one which is FFXI, basically a port, 2 being made by Mistwalker, a Japanese RPG company. The rest are american made action-RPG's. With the same amount of actual new Rpg's with over double the time to release, PS3 will certainly have more RPG's as more Japanese devolopers favor it.

[Semjaza]

As for the "limited Xbox compatability", as long as it supports Forza and Rallisport Challenge 2, I'm cool.

[quote name='Killer7']Please look things up before you shoot down what someone else has said. PS3 currently has 3 Rpg's slated with 8 months until release, not including the rumored remake. Xbox in turn has 6 with 3 months to go, one which is FFXI, basically a port, 2 being made by Mistwalker, a Japanese RPG company. The rest are american made action-RPG's. With the same amount of actual new Rpg's with over double the time to release, PS3 will certainly have more RPG's as more Japanese devolopers favor it.[/quote]

So how does it not have more RPGs announced for it? That's all I said. I don't recall factoring in release dates of anything considering it's highly unlikely most of these games will be available anywhere near launch for either of these systems. I don't recall claiming 360 would always have more either. Maybe you should not put words in my mouth?

Maybe while you're doing that you should look up things like Enchant Arm, Operation Darkness and Far East of Eden among other things which are not being made by American companies? There's also several announced games from Japanese companies that we know nothing about. There's more announced for it than most "game lists" seem to have on them right now.

Personally, after games like Baldur's Gate and Jade Empire, I think it's pretty dumb to think "Americanized" RPGs are all crap anyway. You're missing out on a lot of great games because of that shortsightedness. If you think the new Elder Scrolls game, for example, has something wrong with it because it's not being made in Japan I feel sorry for you.

If you want to look forward to PS3 more then be my guest. I hardly think it will be a bad system to own. However, to act like there is nothing worth owning that's been announced for Xbox 360 system is ridiculous as far as I'm concerned. You don't have to buy it for that reason as I know not everyone has thousands to throw at video games, but it's hardly having a tough time gaining support and there's a lot on there already that would interest many people. I'm sure the PS3 will as well, but that wasn't my point. The point was simply that you seem to be denouncing this system for rather little reason... so of course I'm going to compare it to the system you consider a "10" in its defense.

[Goodbye, Face]

[font=trebuchet ms]Well, I'm heading into college in two years, so getting a console isn't the best way to go for me. I already have a PSP and a high-end computer, so I believe I'm set. If I plan on getting anything, it'll be the Nintendo DS. I'm also considering getting a laptop for college. I want all my stuff portable, small, and quick.

Overall, I think that XBOX 360 has the best line-up so far. If I was to make the decision right now, I'd take it. There is a few things I disagree with, such as the auctions for in-game items. It's basically the rich kids buying "skill."

It'd be a reluctant purchase, however. I'd be worried about missing out on MGS4. I [i]love[/i] Metal Gear. There's also the Final Fantasy games, although XBOX is getting FFXI, I think it's too little too late, I've already stopped playing it about a year ago, I just don't have the time to play it to make more than twelve bones anywhere near worth it. I still play Tetra Master, though.

I've also recently acquired a taste for Zelda, I know I've said I disliked the 3-D ones in the past, but they're growing on me. I guess it helped to track down copies of the N64 games before playing Wind Waker.

In any case, I'm just too poor, still being a teenager and half-depending on my parents. I don't have the money to replace my PS2, which like this computer, got hit by lightning in a very sudden storm. :([/font]

[Mitch]

[quote name='Charles]Remember, it only supports [B]limited[/B'] backwards compatibility. You're only able to play "best-selling" Xbox titles chosen by Microsoft.[/quote]

Ah, yes, forgot about that for whatever reason. I think that's BS, personally. Not much I can do to change that, though. I still should be able to play most of the games I missed - like Forza and so on, hopefully.

As for the HD issue, if I get a 360 I'll be getting it with a HD.

[James]

[font=franklin gothic medium]Not to mention that if you want backwards compatibility, you need a hard drive. So you either have to buy that seperately or purchase the $399 package.

So far Xbox 360 is looking like it'll be superior to its predecessor in pretty much every sense - it's getting a lot more development support from the get-go.

But again, it's way too early to know which system will be worth buying. Even at the end of this year it'll be tough to know, because things can change very quickly, including release dates and software lineup. We won't [i]really[/i] know until all three systems are out on the market.

I think Sony has the most to lose in this next generation - and they're already making several mistakes, as they have with PSP. Perhaps they are developing an overconfidence related to their past success, but I do think that they need to be very careful. I'm sure PlayStation 3 will be a good system, but I am not willing to assume anything about future market share.

As for Revolution...Nintendo have talked about it a little recently and there's more to come soon. Before the end of the year, it's likely that you'll know a lot more about it. Despite all of the somewhat false hype out there, I think it's a system that'll genuinely surprise people (and in a good way, hopefully).

Nintendo's philosophy has so far been reinforced by the success of Nintendo DS, so if Revolution can replicate that success in the home market...then yeah, we could definitely be looking at a pretty different market breakdown within the next five years.[/font]

[Morpheus]

Sony has shot themselves in the foot. In a battle for hardware supremacy they have alienated their own customers. They have said themselves that PS3 is not for average people. But that is who plays games. Those people own PS2s. Sony's business will implode. THere won't be enough hardware sold to justify the development cost. All of this in an effort to make the next GTA really, really pretty.

[Killer7]

[quote]Sony has shot themselves in the foot. In a battle for hardware supremacy they have alienated their own customers. They have said themselves that PS3 is not for average people. But that is who plays games. Those people own PS2s.[/quote]

It really seems like the mainstream system this time around will be the Xbox-360. They actually debuted the 360 on fricken MTV (one of the few moves I have seen that is smart and dumb at the same time). As time passed I noticed all the mainstream gamers I know have started to love the Xbox over the PS2. Also the moderate price point for mainstream gamers will attract people. Add in by far the best online system, Halo, the earliest launch, and a huge amount of mainstream games, and you have the mainstream machine.

[Charles]

[quote name='Morpheus']All of this in an effort to make the next GTA really, really pretty.[/quote]

That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. The next Grand Theft Auto most certainly won't even be exclusive to the Playstation 3 to begin with. But, even if it did turn out to be, why would Sony develop its next system entirely around that one game? :laugh:

If you ever have the urge to post anything like that again, please take the blue pill and live life as if the thread never existed.

[Goodbye, Face]

[quote name='Charles']If you ever have the urge to post anything like that again, please take the blue pill and live life as if the thread never existed.[/quote]

[font=trebuchet ms]That's signature material right there.

Aside from that, I really think that this "upgrade" into graphics, TiVo, etc, isn't making the games any better. My opinion on this changes a lot, but I really don't think we need these next-generation systems. Games are meant to be an escape from reality. Now it just seems to be a competition between companies based on graphics, celebrity voices, and other factors that don't need to be a part of games.

Lately I've been playing the NIS games (Disgaea, Phantom Brave, Ataeller Iris) and I haven't felt more entertained and more challenged in quite a while. Granted, I do like the new graphics, but I don't like what they're turning the industry into.

I'd rather spend $200-$300 on a system that just plays good games (GameCube, although I still have my problems with it) than spend $400-$500 on a game console that tries to replace everything I've worked hard to accumulate. In the end, I'd still be using it to play video games on my 28" basic, bulky tv. I believe I stand with about 75% of gamers saying this.

I believe that especially Sony is making a little bit of a mistake by limiting its audience down to those who can afford it, instead of making their systems and games easy to afford.

So far, I think XBOX 360 is going to be the better-selling console myself. I've already posted my opinion on it. If I was to buy one, I'd at least wait til I can see what Nintendo is cooking up. As for now, PS3 has all the franchises I like, but I just can't see myself justifying spending that much money to replace something I'm already happy with.

[i]I feel something coming on, so I'd rather not debate on this, it's just my opinion. I don't want destroy yet another Next-Gen Systems Thread.[/i][/font]

[Morpheus]

[QUOTE=Charles]That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. The next Grand Theft Auto most certainly won't even be exclusive to the Playstation 3 to begin with. But, even if it did turn out to be, why would Sony develop its next system entirely around that one game? :laugh:

If you ever have the urge to post anything like that again, please take the blue pill and live life as if the thread never existed.[/QUOTE]
Must you pick and pull at everything I say? I didn't mean that they were centered around one game, I meant that sony has ramped up the price just to make beautiful games. GTA is just the first big Sony game that popped into my mind.

[James]

[font=franklin gothic medium]PS3 has the same problems that PS2 had - namely, complicated hardware that is difficult to develop for. So far it seems as though Sony is providing better support to developers in this generation, but it needs to be very thorough in order to make much of a difference.

I mean, a lot of prominent developers are saying that they don't even know how to design for multi-threaded processors yet. This technology is still in its infacy on PCs. Allocating resources to a system like that is very difficult - not to mention that on Xbox 360, each core contains two threads (so there are six threads spread among three cores). Even more "conventional" looking games are going to be significantly more expensive to develop, because a lot of time is going to be spent finding the best way to allocate system resources.

PS3 makes this harder because it only has one general purpose processor and nine synergistic units (which are apparently poor for general process work and better for things like streaming media). So from the ground up, PS3 is designed to be more of an "all-in-one" computer. Sony themselves are calling it that.

But I don't know how successful that'll be, if they really emphasize the computer aspect. People use computers as computers and they use game consoles as game consoles. Unless Sony has some revolutionary software in development, I can't imagine people using their PS3s for AIM and stock trading and downloadable movies (the latter is perhaps possible, but the bandwidth doesn't exist for it - especially if the movies are in high definition format).

So, let's assume that graphics will always improve. If that's the constant (and it is), what is Sony doing to improve gaming itself? How are they providing new game experiences or extensions of existing ideas? I don't think they are - unless they are planning something unique with their controller, or unless they are planning other peripherals, or a more sophisticated online model. But if they approach PS3 with anything less than an Xbox Live type service, I think all of these other computer functions come into question - if a developer is spending a fortune making an offline game for PS3, few of them are going to bother to include online modes as well, which would only add to the cost.

Xbox 360 doesn't do a whole lot for gameplay, but at least Xbox Live 2.0 is a significant step up in a few areas. And Xbox 360 will probably be slightly cheaper to develop for, which is good. But again, that's all so dependent on what the hardware makers provide.

From the consumer angle, it's too early to know. But a few developers have been talking about the development side of these systems and the reactions are very mixed so far.[/font]