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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For those that don't know, DVD is already becoming outdated.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.
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I hate it when new consoles come out, I know they'll all be expensive so I dont care which one I get. Plus, whats wrong with DVD anyway? This new Blue DVD thing isn't gonna look any better, is it?
Hoops wrote:
> I hate it when new consoles come out, I know they'll all be expensive
> so I dont care which one I get. Plus, whats wrong with DVD anyway?
> This new Blue DVD thing isn't gonna look any better, is it?
Of course it is, its |3l00!
> I hate it when new consoles come out, I know they'll all be expensive
> so I dont care which one I get. Plus, whats wrong with DVD anyway?
> This new Blue DVD thing isn't gonna look any better, is it?
Of course it is, its |3l00!
Bonus wrote:
> 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
Link? I know for a fact Gamecube does well in Italy and Germany and pretty well in France.
Gamecube sales for 2003 first half has been raised by some stupid amount in 2004.
In fact the Gamecube sales this year have been so much stronger that Nintendo have raised its finacial predicitions.
> 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
Link? I know for a fact Gamecube does well in Italy and Germany and pretty well in France.
Gamecube sales for 2003 first half has been raised by some stupid amount in 2004.
In fact the Gamecube sales this year have been so much stronger that Nintendo have raised its finacial predicitions.
No link, Harvard reference though :D
Minkley, J. (2004)"Play School", MCV October 2004
Very last paragraph of that article reads;
"And anyone continuing to underestimate the potential of the new PS2 should consider one sobering fact which came out of Sony's recent global briefing: across all PAL territories, PSOne is currently outselling GameCube. Size matters."
MCV is the games retail bible, if it's in there, it's not going to be made up nonsense, so no point arguing with it, only game industry profesionals, and lucky students like me who manage to blag it get it :D
Minkley, J. (2004)"Play School", MCV October 2004
Very last paragraph of that article reads;
"And anyone continuing to underestimate the potential of the new PS2 should consider one sobering fact which came out of Sony's recent global briefing: across all PAL territories, PSOne is currently outselling GameCube. Size matters."
MCV is the games retail bible, if it's in there, it's not going to be made up nonsense, so no point arguing with it, only game industry profesionals, and lucky students like me who manage to blag it get it :D
Well I know the Gamecube does poorly in the UK but well in other PAL territories.
Not overly bothered, the Gamecube's enjoyed a better year than last which is a good sign.
Not overly bothered, the Gamecube's enjoyed a better year than last which is a good sign.
Still, to be outsold by the PSOne is mighty bad, especially while you guys sit considering how Ninteno can beat PS3, it's still got to beat PSOne.
Not saying it's good for the industry, but Nintendo have some major problems and you guys trying to figure out whether or not it can beat the PS3 is not going to make the company have any better financial results.
Definately wasn't surprised to see good old Ninty re-release the first couple of Pokemon games for a new platform, Nintendo's best chance of a profit is reselling old games, a very similar situation to what Sega was in a little before the DC crashed.
Not saying it's good for the industry, but Nintendo have some major problems and you guys trying to figure out whether or not it can beat the PS3 is not going to make the company have any better financial results.
Definately wasn't surprised to see good old Ninty re-release the first couple of Pokemon games for a new platform, Nintendo's best chance of a profit is reselling old games, a very similar situation to what Sega was in a little before the DC crashed.
Except SEGA didn't have any money.
It is spin as well Bonus. Nintendo always spin things as well... such as we are number 2 worldwide...
If that is the case then Nintendo shouldn't have too much to worry about.
It is spin as well Bonus. Nintendo always spin things as well... such as we are number 2 worldwide...
If that is the case then Nintendo shouldn't have too much to worry about.
What?
'The Psone outsolde the GC'?
Since when was this a surprise? Of course it did - it was the console to mass market to the mongs.
EDIT; Sorry, didn't realise that was now - that IS bad news. Albeit in NTSC I imagine the picture is brighter. And the GC has had no new games worth buying in PAL areas for the past 3 months.
'The Psone outsolde the GC'?
Since when was this a surprise? Of course it did - it was the console to mass market to the mongs.
EDIT; Sorry, didn't realise that was now - that IS bad news. Albeit in NTSC I imagine the picture is brighter. And the GC has had no new games worth buying in PAL areas for the past 3 months.
Sega had plenty of money, it assigned 200 staff and $20 million dollars to the Shenmue project. That's $20 million just for the game, not the R&D for the game and Sega engine dev for it either.
Silly gits :D
Nintendo, good company gone the EA way with sequels, even worse than EA for rereleases of old games at full prices and not a hope in challenging anyone in the hardware market as it doesn't have the ability to design and manufacture it's own hardware, the same issues as Sega, you will find.
Sony don't do CPUs, but the GS in the PS2 is a Sony thing, and they will be a patent holder for some of The Cell technology.
Microsoft have a stranglehold on the PC grpahics market through DX and a hold on the PC processor market through Windows, no one can seriously think about annoying them, their company will be squashed by MS simply moving to another hardware manufacturer.
Nintendo are in a bad position, they make consoles to sell based on their own games. That's maybe a reason third party developers like the PS so much, anything they produce will probably be better than any Sony first party game other than Gran Turismo :D
Silly gits :D
Nintendo, good company gone the EA way with sequels, even worse than EA for rereleases of old games at full prices and not a hope in challenging anyone in the hardware market as it doesn't have the ability to design and manufacture it's own hardware, the same issues as Sega, you will find.
Sony don't do CPUs, but the GS in the PS2 is a Sony thing, and they will be a patent holder for some of The Cell technology.
Microsoft have a stranglehold on the PC grpahics market through DX and a hold on the PC processor market through Windows, no one can seriously think about annoying them, their company will be squashed by MS simply moving to another hardware manufacturer.
Nintendo are in a bad position, they make consoles to sell based on their own games. That's maybe a reason third party developers like the PS so much, anything they produce will probably be better than any Sony first party game other than Gran Turismo :D
Cyclone wrote:
> EDIT; Sorry, didn't realise that was now - that IS bad news. Albeit
> in NTSC I imagine the picture is brighter. And the GC has had no new
> games worth buying in PAL areas for the past 3 months.
The NTSC world is much smaller. I think PAL covers places such as India etc. where there isn't as much money, but it's still a source of revenue going to Sony for 10 year old technology ahead of what is going to Nintendo for current technology.
Not entirely sure how many of the PAL territories the PSOne is selling in the GC is selling in either, but that still doesn't matter, the PS2 is outselling them both, so the GC would be in 4th behind two Sony consoles and a Microsoft console.
> EDIT; Sorry, didn't realise that was now - that IS bad news. Albeit
> in NTSC I imagine the picture is brighter. And the GC has had no new
> games worth buying in PAL areas for the past 3 months.
The NTSC world is much smaller. I think PAL covers places such as India etc. where there isn't as much money, but it's still a source of revenue going to Sony for 10 year old technology ahead of what is going to Nintendo for current technology.
Not entirely sure how many of the PAL territories the PSOne is selling in the GC is selling in either, but that still doesn't matter, the PS2 is outselling them both, so the GC would be in 4th behind two Sony consoles and a Microsoft console.
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