I love to hate on Sony and the PS3. It’s a sad little hobby I cultivate via my alias J B Cougar on other gaming blogs on a fairly regular basis. My pet project for hatred began almost as soon as the PS3 was announced, because I despise arrogant corporations that demand my hard-earned money without showing any kind of real return on investment for me the gamer. Rendered screenshots on high-end computer dev kits that will never see the light of day inside the average gamer’s house does not a successful system make.
What’s so fascinating about this console battle is that it has taken on many attributes of great stories we’ve all heard before. David and Goliath (how a big company like Nintendo was able to craft its public image into “the little guy” I haven’t a clue, but it’s brilliant); the tortise and the hare; Sonny and Cher. Well, maybe not that last one, but regardless it ignited a passion for gaming that hasn’t existed in quite a long time.
Now, we all know every system is going to sell out this holiday simply because that’s what brand new systems do. EBay will be awash in $2000 PS3’s and Gamestop will inevitably sell $1200 pre-packaged Wii bundles. It’s mind-numbingly stupid, yes, but that’s how it is. After that though, look for the true colors to emerge. Whereas Sony will play the sleazy used car salesman and stop caring about gamers after the sale (Blu-Ray is akin to that useless undercoating they get you to buy extra), I believe Nintendo has the buisiness model in place to hold the gamer’s hand, so to speak, all the way to the end. They have to, because that’s what their entire pitch is based upon. Include everyone. Make things fun. Buy this system for $200 and start playing right away. Use you hard earned money for what it’s supposed to be for when playing on a console — games.
In this sense I find it very ironic that Sony, a Japanese company, resembles an American car company every day. They promote power and big ticket options in an era when the previous generation’s hardware isn’t fully explored yet. They give us more of the same with rehashed controllers during a time when experts agree the industry needs change to survive. They are the Hummer of game machines; they offer a huge, slick candy shell, but underneath is a shoddily prepared monstrosity not built to last. On top of that, they regularly abuse the trust of the consumer with fake ports on the back of demo systems, unfulfilled promises and demand we take a second job to afford their game machine computer!
When you boil it down all Sony is offering today is power, which begs the question: Do we need it? Is that what the next-gen is going to be remembered as in 5 years? Nothing but the shiny? If you find it difficult answering that question, let me help: Save yourself $600 bucks and have fun. It’s only a game, which is something you don’t get for $600 because that’s just the price of a PS3 and one controller.
The future of the next-gen gaming consoles is a 360/Wii combo… guaranteed!
Is that anon a spammer or just trying to be helpful?I can't say I have any interest in a 360. Wii alone will be plenty for me. I do agree to a certain degree that the PS3 will be more of a luxury item than a major success. The folks who can afford the 42" HDTV set will be the same ones buying the PS3. Sony'll sell a ton of them, but it won't be the runaway success of the PS2.
Jack,First, let me say I am familiar with you work on Joystiq as JB Cougar and I have really enjoyed it.Second, glad to have you on board at Infendo.Lastly, I totally agree with this post. Comparing the PS3 to the hummer is spot on. I couldn't have said it better myself. The parallels are many.In fact, my wife and I so despise hummers that she will do what we call "Give em the down low" which is to say, flip them the bird below the window line. So no one in the hummer can see but anyone in our car can see you are flipping them bird. Basically, my wife and I advocates for decreasing the use of consumables, recycling, and in general making personal efforts to live "low-impact" lives as best we can in this consumer driven society. Hummers are the antithesis of this viewpoint and represent all we work to avoid. Anyway, sorry for the rant but I see the PS3 in much the same light. Its an expensive behemoth whore in a time when affordable simple elegance should be explored. I understand that every company has a right to create a product to fill a market "need" but I feel that lately game companies are creating needs for the consumers that are not prudent and represent a business model that is not sustainable.Ok, I'll quit now.Thanks.
Yay! J B Cougar's writin' for Infendo. Great post.
Very well written!!! I totally agree with you even though I own a couple of PlayStations and a PlayStation 2.
Mattiac, thanks, and I do as well. However, it's a whole new era now. As I said before, the slate is clean. Keep on keepin on.
In case you haven't already noticed, Jack is a true editorialist ninja. He's getting a raise (but Blake, Infendo's still in the red!)Avast ye, Matey!
ok who ever came up with the idea that ps3 is worthless and waste of money and all that, they are wrong because once you have a ps3 the gaming is amazing, i myself do have an hdtv but not 40" its 32". also my friends love it and over here in the uk we use £'s not $'s. thats all i have to say.laurence
also just like to add to all of u who agree with the wasteman who came up with the idea of ps3 is shite well yuo are also wastemen. anyone who agrees with me is a cool guy and is worth somthing.laurence