The "General Games Chat" forum, which includes Retro Game Reviews, has been archived and is now read-only. You cannot post here or create a new thread or review on this forum.
Sony have confirmed it. Blu-Ray will be a featured component in what is set to be their most lucrative bussiness move to date.
For those that don't know, DVD is already becoming outdated. Already you can get view high definition TV, that even surpasses that of DVD. In other words you can be watching Friday Night with Jonathan Ross and it'll look better than the latest Star Wars DVD's.
Does this seem right to you? No indeed it doesn't and 2 major companies also agree this. These 2 major companies have developed 2 new forms of movie media, Blu-Ray and HD-DVD.
Sony, along with a whole host of other top names, back the Blu-Ray medium to be the next big thing in home entertainment. It is a massive 50GB in size, looks pretty funky and with it being included in the Playstation 3 will autmatically put Blu-Ray in millions and millions of homes worldwide. Hollywood would almost have to support the Blu-Ray system simply because the popularity of the Playstation brand will mean millions will have the ability to play them already. Sony will add pressure with their Tri-star, Columbia and MGM studios... Spiderman, Terminator and Bond already on Blu-Ray. Watch the new system fly.
Unless something incredibly unlikely happens, such as the PSP flops and the PSTwo fails to start then it is likely Sony will be looking at a steam rolling win for the next generation of consoles.
There is one negative aspect of Blu-Ray. Because it doesn't use the simple red laser system for DVD's (something that is now very cheap to implement) and uses Blue laser, it'll mean the cost of the system will be jacked up. Either Sony will have to release it at a high price, wait an extra amount of time or just suffer a loss on the system. The latter isn't something Sony have ever been willing to do.
It is this PS3 decision that makes the Blu-Ray's competitor, the HD-DVD, look bad. Although the system is cheaper to implement the size of the medium is a mere 22GB, under half that of Blu-Ray.
But hope may remain. It is possible that Microsoft's next system, codenamed Xenon, will use it. Microsoft are desperate to release a cheap system out of the box and not to suffer the price point themselves like they are with the X-box. Already they are removing the Hard drive and to incorperate something like Blu-Ray will mean the Xenon will launch at a very high price. In fact Microsoft are hoping to get a years head start (late 2005) on the competiton and Blu-Ray will be even more expensive to use. If Microsoft want a competitive medium HD-DVD may be the only way.
Microsoft with the weaker system is almost a complete role reversal from the current generation.
What of Nintendo? Who honestly knows. No one. Rumours persist that Nintendo will continue to go their own way and buck the trend of the industry. It persists that Nintendo will play down third party support and stick to first party software, that Nintendo will use a totally new system and won't offer movie playback at all.
These rumours are counteracted with the DS almost entirely. Nintendo now base more emphesis on third parties especially with the latest system and the recent GBA Videos indicate Nintendo willingness to develop video viewing means.
But it is also likely that Nintendo will want to fight piracy in such a way that games will be on a totally different form of medium (A.K.A Gamecube/DS) but it is also likely Nintendo will offer a "second medium". Already confirmed is that the Revolution will be backwards compatible. Which points to the inclusion of either very cheap to implement DVD system or slightly more expensive "HD-DVD".
If both Nintendo and Microsoft use "HD-DVD" then there maybe trouble ahead for Blu-Ray after all. Sure Sony may have the sales advantage, but with Nintendo set to launch simultaneously with Sony and Microsoft a year early. It already kick starts a proper war between the two mediums.
On the other hand, with DVD gaining a firm position in society how likely is it that Blu-Ray and HD-DVD will be replacing it by 2006? Surly it'll take a good 5 years to properly take off? Is Nintendo likely to just stick with DVD movies? Especially as they lack the experience of it. But launching the system next to the Playstation 3 indicates that Nintendo are being really competitive this time, and they will want that to right down to the specifications and what the system offers.
Sony have a brilliant stratagy in place. Something Nintendo and Microsoft will have to be very clever to counteract. Recent reports indicate Nintendo are on the offensive, and it is likely we will see a far more agressive stance from the legendary developer... with the added bonus of brilliant and innovative "DS style" features. Microsoft are stripping down their system and offering in advance of the competiton. It is a surprise risk from Microsoft, hoping that releasing the system early will mean they get a stranglehold on the industry.
Didn't work for the Dreamcast did it.
For those that don't know, DVD is already becoming outdated. Already you can get view high definition TV, that even surpasses that of DVD. In other words you can be watching Friday Night with Jonathan Ross and it'll look better than the latest Star Wars DVD's.
Does this seem right to you? No indeed it doesn't and 2 major companies also agree this. These 2 major companies have developed 2 new forms of movie media, Blu-Ray and HD-DVD.
Sony, along with a whole host of other top names, back the Blu-Ray medium to be the next big thing in home entertainment. It is a massive 50GB in size, looks pretty funky and with it being included in the Playstation 3 will autmatically put Blu-Ray in millions and millions of homes worldwide. Hollywood would almost have to support the Blu-Ray system simply because the popularity of the Playstation brand will mean millions will have the ability to play them already. Sony will add pressure with their Tri-star, Columbia and MGM studios... Spiderman, Terminator and Bond already on Blu-Ray. Watch the new system fly.
Unless something incredibly unlikely happens, such as the PSP flops and the PSTwo fails to start then it is likely Sony will be looking at a steam rolling win for the next generation of consoles.
There is one negative aspect of Blu-Ray. Because it doesn't use the simple red laser system for DVD's (something that is now very cheap to implement) and uses Blue laser, it'll mean the cost of the system will be jacked up. Either Sony will have to release it at a high price, wait an extra amount of time or just suffer a loss on the system. The latter isn't something Sony have ever been willing to do.
It is this PS3 decision that makes the Blu-Ray's competitor, the HD-DVD, look bad. Although the system is cheaper to implement the size of the medium is a mere 22GB, under half that of Blu-Ray.
But hope may remain. It is possible that Microsoft's next system, codenamed Xenon, will use it. Microsoft are desperate to release a cheap system out of the box and not to suffer the price point themselves like they are with the X-box. Already they are removing the Hard drive and to incorperate something like Blu-Ray will mean the Xenon will launch at a very high price. In fact Microsoft are hoping to get a years head start (late 2005) on the competiton and Blu-Ray will be even more expensive to use. If Microsoft want a competitive medium HD-DVD may be the only way.
Microsoft with the weaker system is almost a complete role reversal from the current generation.
What of Nintendo? Who honestly knows. No one. Rumours persist that Nintendo will continue to go their own way and buck the trend of the industry. It persists that Nintendo will play down third party support and stick to first party software, that Nintendo will use a totally new system and won't offer movie playback at all.
These rumours are counteracted with the DS almost entirely. Nintendo now base more emphesis on third parties especially with the latest system and the recent GBA Videos indicate Nintendo willingness to develop video viewing means.
But it is also likely that Nintendo will want to fight piracy in such a way that games will be on a totally different form of medium (A.K.A Gamecube/DS) but it is also likely Nintendo will offer a "second medium". Already confirmed is that the Revolution will be backwards compatible. Which points to the inclusion of either very cheap to implement DVD system or slightly more expensive "HD-DVD".
If both Nintendo and Microsoft use "HD-DVD" then there maybe trouble ahead for Blu-Ray after all. Sure Sony may have the sales advantage, but with Nintendo set to launch simultaneously with Sony and Microsoft a year early. It already kick starts a proper war between the two mediums.
On the other hand, with DVD gaining a firm position in society how likely is it that Blu-Ray and HD-DVD will be replacing it by 2006? Surly it'll take a good 5 years to properly take off? Is Nintendo likely to just stick with DVD movies? Especially as they lack the experience of it. But launching the system next to the Playstation 3 indicates that Nintendo are being really competitive this time, and they will want that to right down to the specifications and what the system offers.
Sony have a brilliant stratagy in place. Something Nintendo and Microsoft will have to be very clever to counteract. Recent reports indicate Nintendo are on the offensive, and it is likely we will see a far more agressive stance from the legendary developer... with the added bonus of brilliant and innovative "DS style" features. Microsoft are stripping down their system and offering in advance of the competiton. It is a surprise risk from Microsoft, hoping that releasing the system early will mean they get a stranglehold on the industry.
Didn't work for the Dreamcast did it.
Page:
Dringo wrote:
> They started with a great plan for the
> Gamecube it just fell to pieces because of a few ill placed releases
> and it just went bad from there.
It fell to pieces because it didn't have any massive third party games, because Nintendo screwed everyone ove and they now all prefer Sony's business model.
Games sell consoles, build reputations, then people stay with reputations, which gets more games.
Nintendo had a good plan, but unless they undercut Sony in royalties, they cannot better Sony's business model, sticking with a propiatory disc format just makes it harder as they are still more expensive to produce.
> They started with a great plan for the
> Gamecube it just fell to pieces because of a few ill placed releases
> and it just went bad from there.
It fell to pieces because it didn't have any massive third party games, because Nintendo screwed everyone ove and they now all prefer Sony's business model.
Games sell consoles, build reputations, then people stay with reputations, which gets more games.
Nintendo had a good plan, but unless they undercut Sony in royalties, they cannot better Sony's business model, sticking with a propiatory disc format just makes it harder as they are still more expensive to produce.
Bonus wrote:
>
> Nintendo had a good plan, but unless they undercut Sony in royalties,
> they cannot better Sony's business model, sticking with a propiatory
> disc format just makes it harder as they are still more expensive to
> produce.
But Nintendo are fiercely preventing piracy which makes it worth a developers while to support that business model.
Plus people are re-awakeing up to quality over quantity.
>
> Nintendo had a good plan, but unless they undercut Sony in royalties,
> they cannot better Sony's business model, sticking with a propiatory
> disc format just makes it harder as they are still more expensive to
> produce.
But Nintendo are fiercely preventing piracy which makes it worth a developers while to support that business model.
Plus people are re-awakeing up to quality over quantity.
Not really, consumers don't care about piracy, some people even see it as a good thing because the industry rips them off so much.
Go to google and read anything on eht eeconomics of the games industry and everyone agrees Sony are the main company making good "business" in the world of games.
Productivity per member of staff emploeyd by Sony Computer Entertainment worldwide is $3.3 million per person, compared to Microsoft's $420,000 per person for the entire company which is hailed as a massive sucess.
No one can argue that Sony are the major force in the industry and that is not going to change for a long time unless they lose their third party support, which really isn't going to happen unless Microsoft or nintendo innovatively reduce the amount they charge in royalties.
The success of the consoles really does depend on the economics of the market, and no one can challenge Sony at that, yet.
Go to google and read anything on eht eeconomics of the games industry and everyone agrees Sony are the main company making good "business" in the world of games.
Productivity per member of staff emploeyd by Sony Computer Entertainment worldwide is $3.3 million per person, compared to Microsoft's $420,000 per person for the entire company which is hailed as a massive sucess.
No one can argue that Sony are the major force in the industry and that is not going to change for a long time unless they lose their third party support, which really isn't going to happen unless Microsoft or nintendo innovatively reduce the amount they charge in royalties.
The success of the consoles really does depend on the economics of the market, and no one can challenge Sony at that, yet.
Bonus wrote:
> Not really, consumers don't care about piracy, some people even see it
> as a good thing because the industry rips them off so much.
True, but in the long term they will when all they're left with is EA and other makers of grade A to$$.
If piracy kills off Eidos for instance it'll be a staggering loss of a quality company.
>
> Go to google and read anything on eht eeconomics of the games
> industry and everyone agrees Sony are the main company making good
> "business" in the world of games.
Thankfully for us it's not all about business, some companies take pride in what they release Sony are the hardware equivalent of EA.
>
> Productivity per member of staff emploeyd by Sony Computer
> Entertainment worldwide is $3.3 million per person, compared to
> Microsoft's $420,000 per person for the entire company which is
> hailed as a massive sucess.
Excuse me while I buy a shoddy excuse for a console because the companies really good at flogging tat to morons.
>
> No one can argue that Sony are the major force in the industry and
> that is not going to change for a long time unless they lose their
> third party support, which really isn't going to happen unless
> Microsoft or nintendo innovatively reduce the amount they charge in
> royalties.
Quality over quantity is going to bite Sony hard. You can only market tat for so long before people see through it. That's why ITV are stuffed.
>
> The success of the consoles really does depend on the economics of
> the market, and no one can challenge Sony at that, yet.
'success'.
From am a gaming point of view I'd say Nintendo and Microsoft are way ahead in terms of producing quality products. Sony are good at branding and that's about it.
> Not really, consumers don't care about piracy, some people even see it
> as a good thing because the industry rips them off so much.
True, but in the long term they will when all they're left with is EA and other makers of grade A to$$.
If piracy kills off Eidos for instance it'll be a staggering loss of a quality company.
>
> Go to google and read anything on eht eeconomics of the games
> industry and everyone agrees Sony are the main company making good
> "business" in the world of games.
Thankfully for us it's not all about business, some companies take pride in what they release Sony are the hardware equivalent of EA.
>
> Productivity per member of staff emploeyd by Sony Computer
> Entertainment worldwide is $3.3 million per person, compared to
> Microsoft's $420,000 per person for the entire company which is
> hailed as a massive sucess.
Excuse me while I buy a shoddy excuse for a console because the companies really good at flogging tat to morons.
>
> No one can argue that Sony are the major force in the industry and
> that is not going to change for a long time unless they lose their
> third party support, which really isn't going to happen unless
> Microsoft or nintendo innovatively reduce the amount they charge in
> royalties.
Quality over quantity is going to bite Sony hard. You can only market tat for so long before people see through it. That's why ITV are stuffed.
>
> The success of the consoles really does depend on the economics of
> the market, and no one can challenge Sony at that, yet.
'success'.
From am a gaming point of view I'd say Nintendo and Microsoft are way ahead in terms of producing quality products. Sony are good at branding and that's about it.
Hedfix wrote:
> EDIT: About blu-ray (why is it spelt in a stupid way?)
Because then it's cool.
Don't you see how cool it is.
Wow! Blu-Ray! How cool.
cooooollll. Blu.
> EDIT: About blu-ray (why is it spelt in a stupid way?)
Because then it's cool.
Don't you see how cool it is.
Wow! Blu-Ray! How cool.
cooooollll. Blu.
Verily.
It is called Blu-Ray for copywrite reasoning.
And Sony's brand is under attack from a far more aggressive Nintendo with its DS system and a Microsoft that will not lay down. Bar those two points I totally agree with Hedfix (*SHOCK*)
And Sony's brand is under attack from a far more aggressive Nintendo with its DS system and a Microsoft that will not lay down. Bar those two points I totally agree with Hedfix (*SHOCK*)
As for having to buy the DVDs all over again...I imagine Blu-ray hardware will be backwards compatable with DVDs.
I could be wrong...but if Sony want the PS3 to be backwards compatable...
I could be wrong...but if Sony want the PS3 to be backwards compatable...
Yeah it would have to be.
In the last business quarter, the Gamecube was outsold by the PSOne in totals from the PAL territories.
I doubt Sony are feeling the Nintendo squeeze just yet :D
I doubt Sony are feeling the Nintendo squeeze just yet :D
Page: