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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For those that don't know, DVD is already becoming outdated.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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Not Timesplitters 2?
I think there are a very wide selection of quality titles for the Gamecube, I mean I have 52, I did own 70 at one point but I traded games in.
There maybe a lack of choice but there is plenty for me to sink my teeth into, and hundreds of other Nintendo fans. And games are becoming more frequent than the last generation... and will continue to come more frequent for the generation to come.
And it is true to an extent Bonus that third party titles do worse on the Gamecube...
But that wasn't the case for R-Racing Revolution and Soul Calibur 2...
Their success was down to developers adding a little "nintendoism" to their games.
I think there are a very wide selection of quality titles for the Gamecube, I mean I have 52, I did own 70 at one point but I traded games in.
There maybe a lack of choice but there is plenty for me to sink my teeth into, and hundreds of other Nintendo fans. And games are becoming more frequent than the last generation... and will continue to come more frequent for the generation to come.
And it is true to an extent Bonus that third party titles do worse on the Gamecube...
But that wasn't the case for R-Racing Revolution and Soul Calibur 2...
Their success was down to developers adding a little "nintendoism" to their games.
Choice word there being may.
No one knows, but hey, I guess it isn't up to us what happens anyway, all we can do is moan aboutt he lack of quality games available, despite not actually being able to afford every good game on every console ever.
I've just sat and played Pro Evo to 3 in the morning with a guy in my uni class, not soemthing I would ever do with any other game.
No one knows, but hey, I guess it isn't up to us what happens anyway, all we can do is moan aboutt he lack of quality games available, despite not actually being able to afford every good game on every console ever.
I've just sat and played Pro Evo to 3 in the morning with a guy in my uni class, not soemthing I would ever do with any other game.
I was about to say Bonus that surly it was Splinter Cell that made Ubi-Soft's profits.
And your point was true about declining profits for Nintendo but then not totally.
Profits were spiralling down during the first year of the N64, Pokemon, Zelda, Perfect Dark caused a massive increase in profits.
Nintendo this year are doing better than Nintendo last year... which means they may be arresting the decline slightly. And with the DS, Zelda and Resident Evil 4 next year we may get a further rise.
And your point was true about declining profits for Nintendo but then not totally.
Profits were spiralling down during the first year of the N64, Pokemon, Zelda, Perfect Dark caused a massive increase in profits.
Nintendo this year are doing better than Nintendo last year... which means they may be arresting the decline slightly. And with the DS, Zelda and Resident Evil 4 next year we may get a further rise.
The Gamer wrote:
> Hey Playstation 3 beats all consoles, There is no console with more
> power, Powerfull games, Surround Sound.
At the mo, th Xbox 2 leaked specs look like the most promising console, as it's the only thing which actually exists.
As for POP not selling too well, it sold over 2 million units in Europe, enough to turn a decent profit for the company. Admittedly, I was wrong about it though, Splinter Cell game make much more for Ubisoft.
> Hey Playstation 3 beats all consoles, There is no console with more
> power, Powerfull games, Surround Sound.
At the mo, th Xbox 2 leaked specs look like the most promising console, as it's the only thing which actually exists.
As for POP not selling too well, it sold over 2 million units in Europe, enough to turn a decent profit for the company. Admittedly, I was wrong about it though, Splinter Cell game make much more for Ubisoft.
The Gamer wrote:
> Hey Playstation 3 beats all consoles, There is no console with more
> power, Powerfull games, Surround Sound.
Just a shame it doesn't exist yet..
> Hey Playstation 3 beats all consoles, There is no console with more
> power, Powerfull games, Surround Sound.
Just a shame it doesn't exist yet..
The quality of the games doesn't bother you then?
Hey Playstation 3 beats all consoles, There is no console with more power, Powerfull games, Surround Sound.
Bonus wrote:
> That's because Beyond Good and Evil didn't sell very well though, and
> Ubisoft were making a killing on other games. Actually making a
> profit over their entire range, probably due to Prince Of Persia
> alone.
What're you talking about? Prince of Persia sold, relatively, very poorly. It's a suprise they're even making a sequel.
> That's because Beyond Good and Evil didn't sell very well though, and
> Ubisoft were making a killing on other games. Actually making a
> profit over their entire range, probably due to Prince Of Persia
> alone.
What're you talking about? Prince of Persia sold, relatively, very poorly. It's a suprise they're even making a sequel.
That's because Beyond Good and Evil didn't sell very well though, and Ubisoft were making a killing on other games. Actually making a profit over their entire range, probably due to Prince Of Persia alone.
Looking at the charts for individual consoles is a way to see why they shouldn't do it too.
SCE only has one game in the top ten on the PS2, Microsoft has only one published game in the top ten on the box, and Nintendo has 5 in the top ten on the Cube, they don't need to reduce their prices to make money themselves, it just reduces revenue for themselves and retail, which is already taking a bit of a cut. I suppose they could remove the publishing cost, or roylaties cost from the price they pass on to end users though, it's a bit greedy of them to still sell games taking their full 60% cut of the money, but then VAT has a lot to say about the price of games too in this country.
It's really not as simple economically to do that.
If they want to go budget with anything, it should be the GBA, not the GC. The DS will be out soon as well as the PSP, some excellent games could be released for the GBA at really low prices, we are talking low as in the good old days of spectrum and commodore's £3.99 tapes.
Nintendo could do that with the GBA, just no way of knowing if it would actually make any money or not.
Looking at the charts for individual consoles is a way to see why they shouldn't do it too.
SCE only has one game in the top ten on the PS2, Microsoft has only one published game in the top ten on the box, and Nintendo has 5 in the top ten on the Cube, they don't need to reduce their prices to make money themselves, it just reduces revenue for themselves and retail, which is already taking a bit of a cut. I suppose they could remove the publishing cost, or roylaties cost from the price they pass on to end users though, it's a bit greedy of them to still sell games taking their full 60% cut of the money, but then VAT has a lot to say about the price of games too in this country.
It's really not as simple economically to do that.
If they want to go budget with anything, it should be the GBA, not the GC. The DS will be out soon as well as the PSP, some excellent games could be released for the GBA at really low prices, we are talking low as in the good old days of spectrum and commodore's £3.99 tapes.
Nintendo could do that with the GBA, just no way of knowing if it would actually make any money or not.
Personally, I think halving prices WOULD more than double the sales.
But I'm no industry analyst so I've probably got it all wrong.
Basically, now they've probably made back everything they put into setting up the Gamecube, I think they can afford to take up a budget strategy.
Games will be cheaper to produce and cheaper to buy.
Increases user-base so also increases sales.
And there's no reason why they should undermime their efforts in Japan, I mean the strategy could start there when the next Playstation rolls into town, or just before it.
The Dreamcast did pretty well for the brief moment during Sony's cocck-up launch of the PS2 and that wasn't THAT competitively priced.
If Sony can supply the market demand for the next Playstation during a Christmas season then they'll do well.
But if Nintendo can offer the Gamecube with more games for a fraction of the price, I can see them doing well as well.
Sure, there won't be as much profit per sale, but they'll get loads of sales where they wouldn't've previously. And sold games that people either wouldn't buy any more, or they'd resort to second hand shops or ebay to get the right price.
If Ubisoft can give us Beyond Good and Evil for £20 then it CAN be done.
But I'm no industry analyst so I've probably got it all wrong.
Basically, now they've probably made back everything they put into setting up the Gamecube, I think they can afford to take up a budget strategy.
Games will be cheaper to produce and cheaper to buy.
Increases user-base so also increases sales.
And there's no reason why they should undermime their efforts in Japan, I mean the strategy could start there when the next Playstation rolls into town, or just before it.
The Dreamcast did pretty well for the brief moment during Sony's cocck-up launch of the PS2 and that wasn't THAT competitively priced.
If Sony can supply the market demand for the next Playstation during a Christmas season then they'll do well.
But if Nintendo can offer the Gamecube with more games for a fraction of the price, I can see them doing well as well.
Sure, there won't be as much profit per sale, but they'll get loads of sales where they wouldn't've previously. And sold games that people either wouldn't buy any more, or they'd resort to second hand shops or ebay to get the right price.
If Ubisoft can give us Beyond Good and Evil for £20 then it CAN be done.
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