We can begin by discussing the entire point of a video games console – the games. The PlayStation 3 seems to have built up a hefty array of launch titles, but by saying they’ve gotten someone else’s act together, I mean it. These aren’t PS3 exclusive titles, and many have been available on the Xbox 360 for months now. Even if you were to buy them today, they would be much cheaper than the PS3 version. Let’s take a peek – the red games are those available for other consoles.
- Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom
- Formula One Championship Edition
- Genji: Days of the Blade
- MotorStorm
- Resistance: Fall of Man
- Ridge Racer 7
- Full Auto 2: Battlelines
- Mobile Suit Gundam: Crossfire
- The Godfather: The Don's Edition
- Call of Duty 3
- Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
- Tony Hawk’s Project 8
- Def Jam: Icon
- Fight Night Round 3
- NBA Street: Homecourt
- Need for Speed Carbon
- Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07
- Sonic the Hedgehog
- Virtua Fighter 5
- Virtua Tennis 3
- World Snooker Championship 2007
- NBA 2K7
- NHL 2K7
- Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII
- Enchanted Arms
- Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas
- Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
- F.E.A.R.
What, are we supposed to sit around playing Resistance until something else good comes out?
So let's get one! Hmmm. Hold on a tic. The man behind the register is asking me for money! What kind of world do we live in where we need to pay money for stuff we want?
Yeah, this is a big problem for Sony. The astronomical $999 price point breaks the budget for many gamers, and bear in mind this is a console price - games, accessories, anything and everything will add hundreds to this price. It's not that the technology is bad, and Sony really are paying out big time to manufacture these units - but the average gamer (well, the cheap PS2 bundle deal kind of casual gamer, the kind who have propelled the PS2 into astronomical sales figures) just doesn't care enough about the potential of the machine to pay out such a hefty chunk of change.
And why should they care? This is untested ground for Sony, and it's clear that they are aiming for Microsoft's jugular with the online functionality and Blu-ray format. Xbox Live features an incredibly intuitive interface, and the numbers of supporters show just how well it works. The PS2 had online capabilities, but it paled in comparison to what Microsoft pulled together. Again, it boils down to the entire point of this article - wait and see, because expecting Sony to hit all the right notes with their untested online and multiformat approach is extremely risky.
And multiformat is truly the name of Sony's game. They won't be content until everyone actually lives inside a Sony console, where your entire life is controlled and displayed in High Definition. It's HDTV people - better resolution than the real world. Yeah, Sony has their Home service - which is again untested ground, despite being a rather neat idea. You can sit around Sony's Home, or you can actually sit in your real home - and it won't cost you $999. Plus subscription fees.
If you can bring people together, why not do it if they have a thousand bucks?
Blu-ray, Blu-ray. Hmmmm. I saw on some video somewhere, some guy (rock-solid objective evidence here) was talking about how the PS3 will be a cheap Blu-ray player.
"There are two successors to the DVD player: the HD DVD player and the Blu-ray Disc player. Neither format is dominant over the other in terms of consumer adoption as of January 2007." -- some Wikipedia article
Man, I can't wait to watch a limited selection of Blu-ray movies I already own in DVD format. DVD was the only real option over the past few years, but now we have two avenues for our HD fix. Don't rush out and pick up Blu-ray this and that, because it's got some fighting to do. Let all the others with too much money on their hands fight these damn format wars, while afterwards you bask in the blood soaked battlefield of cheap standalone units. A Blu-ray player right now might set you back around $1100 (price is based on the sole unit available on eBay Australia. Yeah, that's how mainstream they are). So, if you look at it completely objectively, then yes the PS3 is an affordable player. But, single DVD players were also upwards of this price upon launch, and the PS2 was an extremely terrible DVD player. That's too much of a solidly poor history to assume everything is going to be A-OK this time around.
Capping off the discussion here is the attitude of Sony themselves. Forums around the world have been up in arms about their corporate behaviour - this includes backpedalling on comments, contradictions, accusations of "copying" Nintendo, lawsuits - the list goes on. The actual PAL launch delay was the fuel, and due to the vagueness of higher management comments, no one was actually sure whether or not it was intentional. It goes to show that they are a little nervous, and aren't starting business with as much of a lead as last time. Losing exclusives to Microsoft is a big problem, including the Virtua Fighter and Grand Theft Auto licenses. You'll be able to get your violence fix elsewhere, and Sony hasn't given much of an incentive for customers to pay almost twice the amount of money for the same gaming experiences.
It can do pretty much everything - we just don't know how well yet.
Sony may have the history of popularity behind them, but that's their strongest playing card this generation. There is no logical reason (beyond the possible demise of Blu-ray - which won't be dependent on the success of the PS3 itself) why Sony can't eventually provide excellent experiences with the PS3. It's the most powerful console out there, and has a strong third-party following - but the tumultuous leadup to this juggernaut launch has set off the anxiety alarm in many a gamer. It's really simple - save your money, wait, and see what's going to happen. I'm hoping it turns out extremely well, because personally, I'd rather enjoy what incredible experiences Sony has to offer than watch an amazing piece of technology steamroll itself into the ground.
Resistance and MotorStorm. Seriously, that's all there is right now. Pick up the pace, PS3!
--------------------------------------------------------------
Want the other side of the story? Head to PlayStation 3: Buy it Now.
It's true that a lot of people that I've talked to had no idea about importing. You're probably right with the precentage there. Whenever I hear people talking about things that they find expensive here, I usually bring it up and answer any questions. I've done it numerous times with the PS3, as well as various games.
Loading...
