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During the last decade, consoles all had set software titles for each machine. If you wanted one game then you had to buy the console it was on, if you wanted another you would have to buy the other console. There were a few exceptions, usually among the more popular titles, but they were few and far between.
Now that the three new systems are out in Asia and the Americas, we can see a new trend growing among the software titles that each has to offer. If you look at the line up on each console, you would be forgiven for thinking you'd seen most of them before.
In fact, the X-box and Gamecube launch line-up is made up of a huge amount of games that are already, or will be, available on the Playstation 2. There are the usual single format games such as Halo and Super Monkey Ball, but apart from these and a few others, the rest are multi-format games which you can buy on any of the platforms.
The Playstation 2 looks to be the odd one out at the moment. I say 'at the moment' simply because it has been out longer, and going by the current trend it is only a matter of time before some of the older titles on this machine are re-produced on the other consoles too. This obviously makes Sony's machine look like the best buy at the moment, but then you see what companies are doing with the likes of Burnout on the Gamecube, making small but significant improvements to the graphics and game engine, and you realise that it might not be so good to have those original titles so quickly.
The upshot of all this is that whichever console you pick, you will find at least some of the AAA titles available for it without looking to another platform. This means that there is less chance of backing the 'wrong' console, and by that I mean the one that offers the least variation in its games. Of course, there will always be those titles which you really want but would have to buy another console for, but these are at least in the minority now.
Of course, each good thing that happens to this industry also seems to have a darker side as well. The multi-format stance is no exception to this and the fact that there is little to choose from between the three major consoles is one of those. Console companies now have to work harder to find those titles which will entice the users to their machine, as the major titles are appearing on all of their competitors machines as well. Also, we have a situation where, unless there are enough good original titles only for the one machine, you might as well have just the one gaming platform and multiple software companies, which would lead to a lack of competition and slower hardware development.
So, whatever happens and whichever way this trend swings in the future, we will always have something to be happy about (or complain about!). At least now the new consoles appear with more than three games on their launch line-up and if you can't afford more than one console, you can always buy at least some of the titles available on the others.
Now that the three new systems are out in Asia and the Americas, we can see a new trend growing among the software titles that each has to offer. If you look at the line up on each console, you would be forgiven for thinking you'd seen most of them before.
In fact, the X-box and Gamecube launch line-up is made up of a huge amount of games that are already, or will be, available on the Playstation 2. There are the usual single format games such as Halo and Super Monkey Ball, but apart from these and a few others, the rest are multi-format games which you can buy on any of the platforms.
The Playstation 2 looks to be the odd one out at the moment. I say 'at the moment' simply because it has been out longer, and going by the current trend it is only a matter of time before some of the older titles on this machine are re-produced on the other consoles too. This obviously makes Sony's machine look like the best buy at the moment, but then you see what companies are doing with the likes of Burnout on the Gamecube, making small but significant improvements to the graphics and game engine, and you realise that it might not be so good to have those original titles so quickly.
The upshot of all this is that whichever console you pick, you will find at least some of the AAA titles available for it without looking to another platform. This means that there is less chance of backing the 'wrong' console, and by that I mean the one that offers the least variation in its games. Of course, there will always be those titles which you really want but would have to buy another console for, but these are at least in the minority now.
Of course, each good thing that happens to this industry also seems to have a darker side as well. The multi-format stance is no exception to this and the fact that there is little to choose from between the three major consoles is one of those. Console companies now have to work harder to find those titles which will entice the users to their machine, as the major titles are appearing on all of their competitors machines as well. Also, we have a situation where, unless there are enough good original titles only for the one machine, you might as well have just the one gaming platform and multiple software companies, which would lead to a lack of competition and slower hardware development.
So, whatever happens and whichever way this trend swings in the future, we will always have something to be happy about (or complain about!). At least now the new consoles appear with more than three games on their launch line-up and if you can't afford more than one console, you can always buy at least some of the titles available on the others.
Don't worry, it's just nice to have ANY replies, even if they are from the wrong topic!!!
**Kerrang!** wrote:
> Good post pro evo :)
oops I'm sorry I posted this messag in the wrong box!
*Runs off in embarrasment* :)
> Good post pro evo :)
oops I'm sorry I posted this messag in the wrong box!
*Runs off in embarrasment* :)
Good post pro evo :)
Yeah, it seems there are fewer and fewer exclusive titles available to distinguis one console from the other.
Still...GC's exclusive titles are enough to entice me!
Still...GC's exclusive titles are enough to entice me!
During the last decade, consoles all had set software titles for each machine. If you wanted one game then you had to buy the console it was on, if you wanted another you would have to buy the other console. There were a few exceptions, usually among the more popular titles, but they were few and far between.
Now that the three new systems are out in Asia and the Americas, we can see a new trend growing among the software titles that each has to offer. If you look at the line up on each console, you would be forgiven for thinking you'd seen most of them before.
In fact, the X-box and Gamecube launch line-up is made up of a huge amount of games that are already, or will be, available on the Playstation 2. There are the usual single format games such as Halo and Super Monkey Ball, but apart from these and a few others, the rest are multi-format games which you can buy on any of the platforms.
The Playstation 2 looks to be the odd one out at the moment. I say 'at the moment' simply because it has been out longer, and going by the current trend it is only a matter of time before some of the older titles on this machine are re-produced on the other consoles too. This obviously makes Sony's machine look like the best buy at the moment, but then you see what companies are doing with the likes of Burnout on the Gamecube, making small but significant improvements to the graphics and game engine, and you realise that it might not be so good to have those original titles so quickly.
The upshot of all this is that whichever console you pick, you will find at least some of the AAA titles available for it without looking to another platform. This means that there is less chance of backing the 'wrong' console, and by that I mean the one that offers the least variation in its games. Of course, there will always be those titles which you really want but would have to buy another console for, but these are at least in the minority now.
Of course, each good thing that happens to this industry also seems to have a darker side as well. The multi-format stance is no exception to this and the fact that there is little to choose from between the three major consoles is one of those. Console companies now have to work harder to find those titles which will entice the users to their machine, as the major titles are appearing on all of their competitors machines as well. Also, we have a situation where, unless there are enough good original titles only for the one machine, you might as well have just the one gaming platform and multiple software companies, which would lead to a lack of competition and slower hardware development.
So, whatever happens and whichever way this trend swings in the future, we will always have something to be happy about (or complain about!). At least now the new consoles appear with more than three games on their launch line-up and if you can't afford more than one console, you can always buy at least some of the titles available on the others.
Now that the three new systems are out in Asia and the Americas, we can see a new trend growing among the software titles that each has to offer. If you look at the line up on each console, you would be forgiven for thinking you'd seen most of them before.
In fact, the X-box and Gamecube launch line-up is made up of a huge amount of games that are already, or will be, available on the Playstation 2. There are the usual single format games such as Halo and Super Monkey Ball, but apart from these and a few others, the rest are multi-format games which you can buy on any of the platforms.
The Playstation 2 looks to be the odd one out at the moment. I say 'at the moment' simply because it has been out longer, and going by the current trend it is only a matter of time before some of the older titles on this machine are re-produced on the other consoles too. This obviously makes Sony's machine look like the best buy at the moment, but then you see what companies are doing with the likes of Burnout on the Gamecube, making small but significant improvements to the graphics and game engine, and you realise that it might not be so good to have those original titles so quickly.
The upshot of all this is that whichever console you pick, you will find at least some of the AAA titles available for it without looking to another platform. This means that there is less chance of backing the 'wrong' console, and by that I mean the one that offers the least variation in its games. Of course, there will always be those titles which you really want but would have to buy another console for, but these are at least in the minority now.
Of course, each good thing that happens to this industry also seems to have a darker side as well. The multi-format stance is no exception to this and the fact that there is little to choose from between the three major consoles is one of those. Console companies now have to work harder to find those titles which will entice the users to their machine, as the major titles are appearing on all of their competitors machines as well. Also, we have a situation where, unless there are enough good original titles only for the one machine, you might as well have just the one gaming platform and multiple software companies, which would lead to a lack of competition and slower hardware development.
So, whatever happens and whichever way this trend swings in the future, we will always have something to be happy about (or complain about!). At least now the new consoles appear with more than three games on their launch line-up and if you can't afford more than one console, you can always buy at least some of the titles available on the others.