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These posts crop up all the time my console is better than yours, I’m not about to sit and complain about people doing that considering im a prime culprit of such mud slinging but what I do despise about those posts is the biased approach to them. If I write a Console War post everyone will know even before clicking on it that I will pretend to be fair but Nintendo will ultimately win.
So how can I avoid such Bias? Well by writing one of these posts without mentioning Nintendo so I entitle this post.
Microsoft Vs. Sony
Lets face it this has been a storming year for Sony, the only competition their next gen wonder machine (shudders) has had to face is from a dying Dreamcast and an outdated N64. But it hasn't just been a good year due to lack of competition Playstation 2 has finally received those smash hit revolutionary titles that the console has been gearing up to receive (it should be noted that the majority of these titles have been released in the last 2 months).
Even I, a Nintendo fan has enjoyed these last few months, every day round a friends house watching them run over Gill in Simpson's Road Rage and old ladies in GTA3. It’s been a joy to watch and great fun to play discovering new little things especially in GTA3 (my GTA3 owning friend meanwhile attacks GTA3 quite often saying it can be very boring). Smackdown 3 despite having problems is also great fun to play, as will be Devil May Cry as soon as I play it.
So Sony really have taken off this year but next year will prove to be there toughest year yet.
Despite Sony's success in Europe they have hit a problem this Christmas in both America and Japan. As 2 Next generation consoles have been released to rival it, these 2 consoles will also be here next year.
One of these consoles is Microsoft’s X-box. Without a doubt much more powerful than the PS2 (like Gamecube) and with graphical capabilities to soundly thrash Sony’s awesome console (like Gamecube). But as we all know it’s the games that make a console its specifications. For the X-box to even come close to the PS2 it will need to create some awesome franchises mixed with many well established ones and have a load of cracking games as well (*cough* Gamecube *cough*).
So lets look and see if X-box can deliver?
First off Oddworld this is already a well-established franchise getting the 3-D treatment and according to a few of my American friends the game is brilliant but not as good as Halo. Halo is the First Person shooter sent out to kill Nintendo's Perfect Dark (which it won’t :D) graphically gorgeous, gameplay wise it feels like it came from the greatest games company ever (*cough* Nintendo *cough*). And with GTA3 looking bigger and better than ever, Shenmue 2 making an exclusive appearance this console looks a winner.
The X-box exclusives such as Dead or Alive 3 are some of the most desired games from other console manufactures (like Resident Evil which is on the Gamecube) and Microsoft have carefully pickled the possible big sellers. But Microsoft doing this might be seen as a waste of money, some exclusive titles that are on the X-box can appear on other systems but after the X-box release and SEGA also insisted Shenmue 2 won't just be appearing on the X-box.
Console wise I believe Microsoft has the better offering by taking the PS2 to the next level, but there is other factors against it. It's very pricey at £300 (unlike Gamecube) and is very large (unlike Gamecube). But for the £300 you are getting a decent games console but a CD player, DVD player, MP3 player, Internet from the box in fact a complete multi-media package not avalible on the Playstation 2. Also size wise it is similar to the PS2 it will fit underneath your TV but still its really big.
But some insist that although the DVD, CD and MP3 add ons are not why people buy games machines these extras just make a console pricier and should concentrate on games (like Gamecube), which is why people buy game consoles in the first place.
So there you go my completely "unbiased" analysis of the next generation war all without mentioning Gamecube once. (Do you think I got away with it?)
Here's to the Future.
Dringo.
So how can I avoid such Bias? Well by writing one of these posts without mentioning Nintendo so I entitle this post.
Microsoft Vs. Sony
Lets face it this has been a storming year for Sony, the only competition their next gen wonder machine (shudders) has had to face is from a dying Dreamcast and an outdated N64. But it hasn't just been a good year due to lack of competition Playstation 2 has finally received those smash hit revolutionary titles that the console has been gearing up to receive (it should be noted that the majority of these titles have been released in the last 2 months).
Even I, a Nintendo fan has enjoyed these last few months, every day round a friends house watching them run over Gill in Simpson's Road Rage and old ladies in GTA3. It’s been a joy to watch and great fun to play discovering new little things especially in GTA3 (my GTA3 owning friend meanwhile attacks GTA3 quite often saying it can be very boring). Smackdown 3 despite having problems is also great fun to play, as will be Devil May Cry as soon as I play it.
So Sony really have taken off this year but next year will prove to be there toughest year yet.
Despite Sony's success in Europe they have hit a problem this Christmas in both America and Japan. As 2 Next generation consoles have been released to rival it, these 2 consoles will also be here next year.
One of these consoles is Microsoft’s X-box. Without a doubt much more powerful than the PS2 (like Gamecube) and with graphical capabilities to soundly thrash Sony’s awesome console (like Gamecube). But as we all know it’s the games that make a console its specifications. For the X-box to even come close to the PS2 it will need to create some awesome franchises mixed with many well established ones and have a load of cracking games as well (*cough* Gamecube *cough*).
So lets look and see if X-box can deliver?
First off Oddworld this is already a well-established franchise getting the 3-D treatment and according to a few of my American friends the game is brilliant but not as good as Halo. Halo is the First Person shooter sent out to kill Nintendo's Perfect Dark (which it won’t :D) graphically gorgeous, gameplay wise it feels like it came from the greatest games company ever (*cough* Nintendo *cough*). And with GTA3 looking bigger and better than ever, Shenmue 2 making an exclusive appearance this console looks a winner.
The X-box exclusives such as Dead or Alive 3 are some of the most desired games from other console manufactures (like Resident Evil which is on the Gamecube) and Microsoft have carefully pickled the possible big sellers. But Microsoft doing this might be seen as a waste of money, some exclusive titles that are on the X-box can appear on other systems but after the X-box release and SEGA also insisted Shenmue 2 won't just be appearing on the X-box.
Console wise I believe Microsoft has the better offering by taking the PS2 to the next level, but there is other factors against it. It's very pricey at £300 (unlike Gamecube) and is very large (unlike Gamecube). But for the £300 you are getting a decent games console but a CD player, DVD player, MP3 player, Internet from the box in fact a complete multi-media package not avalible on the Playstation 2. Also size wise it is similar to the PS2 it will fit underneath your TV but still its really big.
But some insist that although the DVD, CD and MP3 add ons are not why people buy games machines these extras just make a console pricier and should concentrate on games (like Gamecube), which is why people buy game consoles in the first place.
So there you go my completely "unbiased" analysis of the next generation war all without mentioning Gamecube once. (Do you think I got away with it?)
Here's to the Future.
Dringo.
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Don't get me started on Backwards compatibility, it'll only become a gory mess. Anyway the Gameboy colour had it first did it not?
I don't think that Halo was made exclusively to defeat Perfect Dark, especially since it had been being developed for PC for some time before being grabbed by Microsoft. I suspect that the reason for Microsoft buying the rights to have Halo made for their console first was because they saw it as a game of great potential. They wanted a mixture of game types and since Halo was a front runner for FPSs on the PC they decided it would fit nicely in their arsenal.
To continue the X-Box vs Playstation 2 debate I think it's a bit of a bad comparison since the Playstation is an older console and the X-Box isn't even out yet. As a result the X-Box is bound to be technologically better and so have better games capabilities for the future and the Playstation 2 had better be replaced by Sony because no one will want yesterdays console when there are two newer faster and better machines available. One of the reasons for the Playstation 2's success was that it had this kind of advantage, not to mention the popularity of the original created by an excellent advertising strategy and now the X-Box may well use the very same tactics to best the Playstation 2. I expect that the Playstation 3 will want to continue this tradition as well but that remains to be seen.
Another of the X-Box's advantages is the close link that it has to the PC. Most PC game developers are used to working with Microsoft Operating Systems and other software and so developers who have made games for the PC are much more likely to prefer the X-Box (with it's Microsoft made software) as a console to develop on. Apparently the X-Box and PC aren't that different to make games for too and so developers may well be able to capitalise on a game by making it for one system then tweaking it a little to get it to work on the other one. Of course there will always be a delay in release time and this means that the developer will have plenty of time to complete the conversion. As a well established name in the field of PC the X-Box will not only be able to attract developers but they may also attract customers. After all there is probably not a PC in the world that doesn't have a Microsoft product on it.
In the end I expect the X-Box would win because it is newer and so should outlast the PS2, outdo it in technology and defeat it in the advancement of games. I think that if anyone is still intending to buy a PS2 when they could be saving for an X-Box for just £100 pounds extra or a Gamecube for the same price then they should think again. Perhaps when the PS3 comes out Sony can hit back but for the moment we are being presented with newer and better consoles than the PS2 so let's hope they live up to our expectations. Onwards and Upwards, as they say.
I don't think that Halo was made exclusively to defeat Perfect Dark, especially since it had been being developed for PC for some time before being grabbed by Microsoft. I suspect that the reason for Microsoft buying the rights to have Halo made for their console first was because they saw it as a game of great potential. They wanted a mixture of game types and since Halo was a front runner for FPSs on the PC they decided it would fit nicely in their arsenal.
To continue the X-Box vs Playstation 2 debate I think it's a bit of a bad comparison since the Playstation is an older console and the X-Box isn't even out yet. As a result the X-Box is bound to be technologically better and so have better games capabilities for the future and the Playstation 2 had better be replaced by Sony because no one will want yesterdays console when there are two newer faster and better machines available. One of the reasons for the Playstation 2's success was that it had this kind of advantage, not to mention the popularity of the original created by an excellent advertising strategy and now the X-Box may well use the very same tactics to best the Playstation 2. I expect that the Playstation 3 will want to continue this tradition as well but that remains to be seen.
Another of the X-Box's advantages is the close link that it has to the PC. Most PC game developers are used to working with Microsoft Operating Systems and other software and so developers who have made games for the PC are much more likely to prefer the X-Box (with it's Microsoft made software) as a console to develop on. Apparently the X-Box and PC aren't that different to make games for too and so developers may well be able to capitalise on a game by making it for one system then tweaking it a little to get it to work on the other one. Of course there will always be a delay in release time and this means that the developer will have plenty of time to complete the conversion. As a well established name in the field of PC the X-Box will not only be able to attract developers but they may also attract customers. After all there is probably not a PC in the world that doesn't have a Microsoft product on it.
In the end I expect the X-Box would win because it is newer and so should outlast the PS2, outdo it in technology and defeat it in the advancement of games. I think that if anyone is still intending to buy a PS2 when they could be saving for an X-Box for just £100 pounds extra or a Gamecube for the same price then they should think again. Perhaps when the PS3 comes out Sony can hit back but for the moment we are being presented with newer and better consoles than the PS2 so let's hope they live up to our expectations. Onwards and Upwards, as they say.
Dringo wrote:
> In fear of SNES CD failing they pulled out.
They didn't pull out due to fear of it failing, especially after spending 3 years developing it!!
Nintendo expected Sony to spend millions in development on the add on only to have nintendo take all of the rights to the hardware afterwards... Sony, being slightly more intellegent, decided to try it alone and pulled the plug out of nintendo's CD add-on for the SNES as they saw how much money could be made of they got it right on their own.
Add Namco and Capcom to develop the hardware (based on sytem 12?) they released a killer console with massive arcade backing.
Nintendo did go on to release a 32bit CD version of the SNES in Japan (SNES32) but it didn't sell to well and never saw the light of day outside of Japan.
Sony got it right and for a company who had stopped working with computers over 30 years ago as well as never entering the hardware market before, they blew the competition away.
I've always beleived that it's wasn't down to the console being good, but more to the name "SONY". Everybody associated the brand with quality and unlike Microsoft, everyone owns at least one Sony product in their household.
They made one hell of an entrance into the console market, one that may never be bettered, and because of this, the hype surrounding the PS2 was enormous leading to some dissapointment.
My rant is now dwindleing into drivvel... but my final point on the wonders of Sony... Who made the first Backwards Compatable console? Now that's innovation and that's listening to your users!!
> In fear of SNES CD failing they pulled out.
They didn't pull out due to fear of it failing, especially after spending 3 years developing it!!
Nintendo expected Sony to spend millions in development on the add on only to have nintendo take all of the rights to the hardware afterwards... Sony, being slightly more intellegent, decided to try it alone and pulled the plug out of nintendo's CD add-on for the SNES as they saw how much money could be made of they got it right on their own.
Add Namco and Capcom to develop the hardware (based on sytem 12?) they released a killer console with massive arcade backing.
Nintendo did go on to release a 32bit CD version of the SNES in Japan (SNES32) but it didn't sell to well and never saw the light of day outside of Japan.
Sony got it right and for a company who had stopped working with computers over 30 years ago as well as never entering the hardware market before, they blew the competition away.
I've always beleived that it's wasn't down to the console being good, but more to the name "SONY". Everybody associated the brand with quality and unlike Microsoft, everyone owns at least one Sony product in their household.
They made one hell of an entrance into the console market, one that may never be bettered, and because of this, the hype surrounding the PS2 was enormous leading to some dissapointment.
My rant is now dwindleing into drivvel... but my final point on the wonders of Sony... Who made the first Backwards Compatable console? Now that's innovation and that's listening to your users!!
In fear of SNES CD failing they pulled out.
Suppose, I understand your viewpoint.
But it wasnt one of the best ideas ever.
Then there is the whole thing of the SNES-sony-CD thingy. Did Nintendo pull out of that becasue of thier fear of CDs failing?
But it wasnt one of the best ideas ever.
Then there is the whole thing of the SNES-sony-CD thingy. Did Nintendo pull out of that becasue of thier fear of CDs failing?
The failure of the CDi and the mega CD scared Ninty off, natural.
Yes, but what were the reasons for the them failing? I really dont have a clue, but would think that it would more likely due to lack of quality titles? Also, Traditionally add-ons, like the Mega Cd, have always failed anyway.
Thats already the case with the PS2 and X-box and your reference to the 2003 possability i already knew which is what i was referring to in the previous post.
As for the cart decision it wasn't arrogance, the CDi failed as did Sega's mega CD wouldn't you be worried?
As for the cart decision it wasn't arrogance, the CDi failed as did Sega's mega CD wouldn't you be worried?
Dringo wrote:
> Because of Nintendo and Sega arrogance? What does that mean?
Things like Nintendo insisting to go with the cart format.
>Well if it can't cut it Sony will excell the release of the PS3 and
> well and truly ruin the console market.
MR.Sony has already said that the release of PS3 in 2003 is already a possibility becasue of the threat from x-box. And I strongly believe your comment that this would ruin the console market.
Will it just be them making a new console every other year? just to say...our consoles faster and more powerful than yours?
I doubt it would come to that, more than likely that Consoles will just become more and more like PCs. well at least Microsoft And Sony consoles, could this leave Nintendo to swipe the board on the "games only" front?
> Because of Nintendo and Sega arrogance? What does that mean?
Things like Nintendo insisting to go with the cart format.
>Well if it can't cut it Sony will excell the release of the PS3 and
> well and truly ruin the console market.
MR.Sony has already said that the release of PS3 in 2003 is already a possibility becasue of the threat from x-box. And I strongly believe your comment that this would ruin the console market.
Will it just be them making a new console every other year? just to say...our consoles faster and more powerful than yours?
I doubt it would come to that, more than likely that Consoles will just become more and more like PCs. well at least Microsoft And Sony consoles, could this leave Nintendo to swipe the board on the "games only" front?
Because of Nintendo and Sega arrogance? What does that mean?
PS1 did well due to coming out early, having tonnes of advertisement, having a huge catalogue of games and ebing cheap SEGA flopped because the saturn wasn't good enough and the N64 survived because it was the best.
But looking at the past does this not worry you? The Saturn wasn't good enough compared with Sony and Nintendo but now the Gamecube and X-box look will be much better than the PS2, PS2 has popular support but so did Sega if the PS2 can't cut it will it be around for long...
Well if it can't cut it Sony will excell the release of the PS3 and well and truly ruin the console market.
PS1 did well due to coming out early, having tonnes of advertisement, having a huge catalogue of games and ebing cheap SEGA flopped because the saturn wasn't good enough and the N64 survived because it was the best.
But looking at the past does this not worry you? The Saturn wasn't good enough compared with Sony and Nintendo but now the Gamecube and X-box look will be much better than the PS2, PS2 has popular support but so did Sega if the PS2 can't cut it will it be around for long...
Well if it can't cut it Sony will excell the release of the PS3 and well and truly ruin the console market.
Can you not do a post without mentioning Nintendo?! :D
I think it is very hard to estimate just how succesful the X-box will be over here.
You cant even tell by initial launch sales, becasue all new consoles seem to sell all thier initial stock.
A lot of casual gamers i have spoken to seem to be very intrested in getting a x-box, so it looks as though it could be very succesful. Although, people do chat crap...and £300 is a lot of money to be spending in March. Surly the Gamecube will be the most picked up console come spring.
I dont think the x-box has a chance of overtaking the PS2 in the next few years. But i do think it is a realistic possibility within 5 years. I think Sony are in the same position as Sega and Nintendo were when the PSone came out. SEGA/Nintendo were the top dogs, but becasue of thier arrogance the PS1 easily whipped both thier butts. Dont argue dringo, the sales show this.
Will sony go the same way though? can they remain top dogs? they are the masters of marketing, but will people be continually blinded by thier advertising? ON the other side thier is Microsoft, not really that much different from Sony, both big super powers. Surly Gamecube is the best alternative, the warm friendly family company :D all get a gamecube, and be happy :D
I think it is very hard to estimate just how succesful the X-box will be over here.
You cant even tell by initial launch sales, becasue all new consoles seem to sell all thier initial stock.
A lot of casual gamers i have spoken to seem to be very intrested in getting a x-box, so it looks as though it could be very succesful. Although, people do chat crap...and £300 is a lot of money to be spending in March. Surly the Gamecube will be the most picked up console come spring.
I dont think the x-box has a chance of overtaking the PS2 in the next few years. But i do think it is a realistic possibility within 5 years. I think Sony are in the same position as Sega and Nintendo were when the PSone came out. SEGA/Nintendo were the top dogs, but becasue of thier arrogance the PS1 easily whipped both thier butts. Dont argue dringo, the sales show this.
Will sony go the same way though? can they remain top dogs? they are the masters of marketing, but will people be continually blinded by thier advertising? ON the other side thier is Microsoft, not really that much different from Sony, both big super powers. Surly Gamecube is the best alternative, the warm friendly family company :D all get a gamecube, and be happy :D
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