So, this past week gave us the final console release plans from Nintendo. I've been quietly excited by Nintendo and their Wii system- I was really looking forward to experiencing the new controller. I still ahve my doubts with it all- may be a gimmick, may not- but it definitely looks like something as a gamer to try.
That's why I am so shocked at Nintendo's decision on the price of the Wii. $250 US- not terribly expensive for a gamer. In fact, a bargain compared to some of its rivals. But the pricing, I think, is too close to the 360 to really sway people away. Again, it seems fortune has smiled on MS and they look to be selling a bit more consoles then they would have. My shocked reaction is coming from what Nintendo states is their target audience- not the hardcore gamer, but the casual gamer. That pricing puts things into perspective, the extra controller pricing and the games.
I don't know if this is a mistake, only time will tell, but I think this news could have put the first kink into Nintendos PR armor. As a gamer, I still intend to buy one to check it out- it is still very reasonable. I'm not sure that my parents or other non-gamers couldn't find something better to do with $300 bucks.
We shall see- what do you think?
Thepsilam
jdm3126 Blog
Sony Sony Sony...and the State of the Union by ME!
by jdm3126 on Comments
Well, it's been awhile since I posted anything (hey, some of us have to work here!!), though I've had some interesting thoughts on how things have evolved since E3. Read on if you care...if not, move on- there are tons of fanboy rants on this site to keep you busy. :shock:
Microsoft - how much?
Microsoft has had some stumbling blocks to sidestep with their MarketPlace strategy- how much is too much, they say. I can see why the worry is relevant. How far will this marketplace go? I don't begrudge any studio from trying to make a buck by releasing content for a price. Heck, if I put a ton of work into developing a game- I would want to squeeze out a bit more profit from after market. This concept is new to the gaming world, but the hardware manufacturers around the world have been doing this for years. Make a TV, radio, DVD, i-Pod, etc and you now have a product that you can sell peripherals for. I take it that is what Microsoft has envisioned for MarketPlace.
Unlike the hardware business, software is a one shot deal (barring sequels). You buy the game, play it and forget it. (I know, some people go back to it, but I would think the majority of games are only played once or twice). This concept of selling enhancements or extended play, is a good idea, especially if the game is extremely well produced and well received by the public. Who wouldn't want to play more Halo, God of War, or Zelda. I think paying microtransactions for this type of extended play is a great idea. We continue playing a game we love, while paying small amounts for it. I have no issue with that.
My problem surfaces with what is too much. I guess the market will ultimately determine this fact, but I just can't see this concept staying pure and not being exploited. Just as there are crappy games jumping on the bandwagon of successful games, I can see crappy downloads jumping on this too. I also- wish, hope - that this content that we pay for will not fix bugs in a game or patch the software. There are certain things that should be free and available to consumers at no charge. My verdict is still open on MarketPlace, only the future will tell what we have in store. And if I had to guess, with the after market money that these developers are making on this extra content, I think we will see more of this on Sony, Nintendo and the PC platforms. Times are a changing...
I must mention I am speaking in relevance to content download for a price...the PC market has been getting this stuff traditionally for free. Much like we used to get software upgrades for free...
MMO's are a different model, but have been delivering content for a price as well. I tend to be relying more on consoles, but I do see this being implemented for non MMO PC games as well.
Sony - WTF?
Is it me, or has Sony lost it? Not talking about the PS3 hardware, I don't want to get into any flaming wars with anyone, but I am talking about the connection with the consumer. Here is a company that its largest profitable division is in game hardware and software, and they seem to have lost the "fun" factor in what is arguably a business centered around connecting with gamers and producing the next fun thing to do. I know business is business and there are profits to be made and revenue to be met, but of all "business models", the game industry always struck me about at least looking like it cared about its customers. The only industry where we as gamers really dictate through obviously our pocket books and most improtantly our voices, on how games are developed. (note: the movie industry comes in a close second in terms of consumer driven product).
The gaming industry is made up of people who are themselves gamers. They are relatable to us- even if it is perception only. But the most important part of this industry is the kind of loyalty this business fosters with many of its customers. People will purchase sometimes sight unseen because a game was developed my a favorite studio. That goes double for the avid, sometimes rabid, fanaticism shown my fanboys/girls of any particular console (just troll the message boards on this site to get a taste of it- you will only need to read about three to four replys to quench that reality).
So here sits the mighty Sony and the PLAYSTATION (all in caps- go read Kotaku.com- they will explain) brand which even by their tag line: "Live in your world, play in ours." gives you the impression that their is fun to be had. I am not saying that the PS3 will flop or go the way of the Dreamcast, Sony is too smart for that. But they have shown a greater disconnect between playing in their world and living in ours. From their grandstanding on information, their condescending attitude of - they know what's best and gamers will like it, to simply not being upfront or truthful about their system. Then running retractions and double-talk to cover their asses. The Sony hype and propaganda machine has finally burned through it gears and it will take a lot for Sony to re-establish itself as the leader in this market. Their is just better competition out there for them to take the highroad and dictate to us that they have the right answers. I am still waiting to see how the PS3 is going to WOW me. The Hype over this console is so much, maybe my expectations are too high. It would be nice for the PS3 to make me eggs for $600 bucks, but I doubt it will. I don't doubt that games on that system will be fun- I just wish that they could just show us how much fun it will be.
Nintendo - Wii are still waiting...
This will be short and sweet:
Wii saw you on the floor,
Wii played you as well,
Wii want to know much more,
Wii, when will you tell?
I'm not a poet as you can see, but I am tired. Anyways, I will rant some time later- hopefully sooner than 4 months!!
Microsoft - how much?
Microsoft has had some stumbling blocks to sidestep with their MarketPlace strategy- how much is too much, they say. I can see why the worry is relevant. How far will this marketplace go? I don't begrudge any studio from trying to make a buck by releasing content for a price. Heck, if I put a ton of work into developing a game- I would want to squeeze out a bit more profit from after market. This concept is new to the gaming world, but the hardware manufacturers around the world have been doing this for years. Make a TV, radio, DVD, i-Pod, etc and you now have a product that you can sell peripherals for. I take it that is what Microsoft has envisioned for MarketPlace.
Unlike the hardware business, software is a one shot deal (barring sequels). You buy the game, play it and forget it. (I know, some people go back to it, but I would think the majority of games are only played once or twice). This concept of selling enhancements or extended play, is a good idea, especially if the game is extremely well produced and well received by the public. Who wouldn't want to play more Halo, God of War, or Zelda. I think paying microtransactions for this type of extended play is a great idea. We continue playing a game we love, while paying small amounts for it. I have no issue with that.
My problem surfaces with what is too much. I guess the market will ultimately determine this fact, but I just can't see this concept staying pure and not being exploited. Just as there are crappy games jumping on the bandwagon of successful games, I can see crappy downloads jumping on this too. I also- wish, hope - that this content that we pay for will not fix bugs in a game or patch the software. There are certain things that should be free and available to consumers at no charge. My verdict is still open on MarketPlace, only the future will tell what we have in store. And if I had to guess, with the after market money that these developers are making on this extra content, I think we will see more of this on Sony, Nintendo and the PC platforms. Times are a changing...
I must mention I am speaking in relevance to content download for a price...the PC market has been getting this stuff traditionally for free. Much like we used to get software upgrades for free...
MMO's are a different model, but have been delivering content for a price as well. I tend to be relying more on consoles, but I do see this being implemented for non MMO PC games as well.
Sony - WTF?
Is it me, or has Sony lost it? Not talking about the PS3 hardware, I don't want to get into any flaming wars with anyone, but I am talking about the connection with the consumer. Here is a company that its largest profitable division is in game hardware and software, and they seem to have lost the "fun" factor in what is arguably a business centered around connecting with gamers and producing the next fun thing to do. I know business is business and there are profits to be made and revenue to be met, but of all "business models", the game industry always struck me about at least looking like it cared about its customers. The only industry where we as gamers really dictate through obviously our pocket books and most improtantly our voices, on how games are developed. (note: the movie industry comes in a close second in terms of consumer driven product).
The gaming industry is made up of people who are themselves gamers. They are relatable to us- even if it is perception only. But the most important part of this industry is the kind of loyalty this business fosters with many of its customers. People will purchase sometimes sight unseen because a game was developed my a favorite studio. That goes double for the avid, sometimes rabid, fanaticism shown my fanboys/girls of any particular console (just troll the message boards on this site to get a taste of it- you will only need to read about three to four replys to quench that reality).
So here sits the mighty Sony and the PLAYSTATION (all in caps- go read Kotaku.com- they will explain) brand which even by their tag line: "Live in your world, play in ours." gives you the impression that their is fun to be had. I am not saying that the PS3 will flop or go the way of the Dreamcast, Sony is too smart for that. But they have shown a greater disconnect between playing in their world and living in ours. From their grandstanding on information, their condescending attitude of - they know what's best and gamers will like it, to simply not being upfront or truthful about their system. Then running retractions and double-talk to cover their asses. The Sony hype and propaganda machine has finally burned through it gears and it will take a lot for Sony to re-establish itself as the leader in this market. Their is just better competition out there for them to take the highroad and dictate to us that they have the right answers. I am still waiting to see how the PS3 is going to WOW me. The Hype over this console is so much, maybe my expectations are too high. It would be nice for the PS3 to make me eggs for $600 bucks, but I doubt it will. I don't doubt that games on that system will be fun- I just wish that they could just show us how much fun it will be.
Nintendo - Wii are still waiting...
This will be short and sweet:
Wii saw you on the floor,
Wii played you as well,
Wii want to know much more,
Wii, when will you tell?
I'm not a poet as you can see, but I am tired. Anyways, I will rant some time later- hopefully sooner than 4 months!!
Later,
Â
Thepsilam
Nintendo and Microsoft
by jdm3126 on Comments
Well, E3 is over. It looks like it was a huge hit and for some a huge miss. I didn't get a chance to talk about the other two competitors and their showcase (read my earlier blog on my Sony opinion) so here is my two cents...
Nintendo:
They did a great job this year. I am still not sold on the Wii and the remote. I think it will be fun, but I feel that it will be more of a social gaming console akin to a very interactive board game you play on your TV. I will need some palying time with the system to really give my opinion.
What Nintendo showed though was a fantasic display of fun game play. Quirky titles such as the concert game and the drum game looked genuinely fun. The tennis game and most of the interactive demos they showed looked playable and fun. The smiles on Reggie's face was priceless.
The Demos for Zelda looked good. Still need to try the controller to see how it all comes together. Mario looked good. As for Red Steel, eh. It didn't blow me away- as none of the graphics did. I know Nintendo's stance this generation is about game play, not game looks, but it still matters, at least to me.
I was once a huge Nintendo geek, but the loss of third party support and lack of mature games have pushed me in otehr directions. This showing has peaked my interest enough to check out what Nintendo is selling. If the price is right ( I am hearing more in the $200 range), I think that it could be a good companion to whatever system floats your boat.
All in all, Nintendo did what it needed to do this E3. Get gamers excited and wanting more.
Microsoft:
I am an early adopter. I latch on to systems if I think they are cool and worth the amounts of money asked. I sometimes get burned over this fetish, but I usually have a good time with it. I was one of those early adopters of the Xbox. I had a N64 at the time and was truly exasperated with the lack of mature games and I was drooling over the kinds of games Sony had. I vowed that the 64 was my last Nintendo console and I would purchase the PS2 next. (I know, I know- I could have gotten the PS1. But at the time I was poor ass broke and college bound. I could only afford one system and I was in Nintendo's corner). Anyway, I was saving up for my PS2 when I caught wind of the Xbox. It sounded great and it seemed much beefier than the PS2 in terms of power. I was so intrigued and hesitant to get burned again, I decided to wait this one out to see what Microsoft had to offer.
The more news I read, the more I got excited over the Xbox. I made up my mind and got the box and have been loving it since. I've played the PS2 since and it just didn't feel right. Xbox graphics and Live were really what sold me and made me an Xbox fan.
So here I watch the conference from Microsoft and I knew that XBLA and Halo were going to be front and center. Live Anywhere was a cool concept that I think will further distance MS from both Nintendo and Sony. Aside form what I knew, it was business as usual for MS. Peter Moore did a great job in hosting the event. The electricity from the conference was great. Same with Nintendo- good buzz and a sense of fun that was sorley lacking from Sony.
Gears of War demo (I need to have that game now) looked amazing. Showcasing the games the way they did gave them a bit of the upper hand in this generation of consoles- against Sony. The announcement of GTA4 on its launch day was a huge shocker. The Halo 3 teaser was amazing, but didn't show much. Graphically, it looked great, but we've seen that from Sony. I have faith in Bungie, but tech demos are what they are.
If I had to pick a winner, it would have to be a tie. Sony coming out the biggest loser. They felt so disconnected from the audience, that I feel they have really dug themselves in a hole. It isn't one they can't climb out of, but it will be a struggle with more than a littel dirt on them. The stakes are high in this round for the living room and they stumbled- not worrying too much from the other two.
Nintendo and Microsoft tied for first. I think Nintendo eeks out a bit here in the short term with the amount of positive buzz they generated for the Wii. It has people talking and I think their target for the casual gamer is spot on. The problem with the casual gamer is that they are casual. They may buy the system and perhaps 3 titles, closeting or pulling out the Wii for special occasions. I guess in those terms, it's the amount of consoles they sell with a decent attachment rate that will ultimately prove their success. I believe that Nintendo may get out of the console business and focus more on their handhelds and IP. Look for Mario and Metrod Prime making their way to another console in the future.
Microsoft did what they had to do. Generated excitement, showed off games, gave a glimpse of where they were heading and most importantly, showed their console as a very even priced system. The accessory route is working for them, especially with the 2 SKU model Sony borrowed from them. It's a shame for all the Sony folks that they didn't include that model from the beginning. It looks like that may bite them in the end.
Well, that's what I have on the big 3 at E3. I have read and watched a bunch of demos coming out and it seems that this holiday and beyond will be a banner year for gamers. So many good looking titles- no matter what console you buy it will place a large strain on your bank accounts.
Nintendo:
They did a great job this year. I am still not sold on the Wii and the remote. I think it will be fun, but I feel that it will be more of a social gaming console akin to a very interactive board game you play on your TV. I will need some palying time with the system to really give my opinion.
What Nintendo showed though was a fantasic display of fun game play. Quirky titles such as the concert game and the drum game looked genuinely fun. The tennis game and most of the interactive demos they showed looked playable and fun. The smiles on Reggie's face was priceless.
The Demos for Zelda looked good. Still need to try the controller to see how it all comes together. Mario looked good. As for Red Steel, eh. It didn't blow me away- as none of the graphics did. I know Nintendo's stance this generation is about game play, not game looks, but it still matters, at least to me.
I was once a huge Nintendo geek, but the loss of third party support and lack of mature games have pushed me in otehr directions. This showing has peaked my interest enough to check out what Nintendo is selling. If the price is right ( I am hearing more in the $200 range), I think that it could be a good companion to whatever system floats your boat.
All in all, Nintendo did what it needed to do this E3. Get gamers excited and wanting more.
Microsoft:
I am an early adopter. I latch on to systems if I think they are cool and worth the amounts of money asked. I sometimes get burned over this fetish, but I usually have a good time with it. I was one of those early adopters of the Xbox. I had a N64 at the time and was truly exasperated with the lack of mature games and I was drooling over the kinds of games Sony had. I vowed that the 64 was my last Nintendo console and I would purchase the PS2 next. (I know, I know- I could have gotten the PS1. But at the time I was poor ass broke and college bound. I could only afford one system and I was in Nintendo's corner). Anyway, I was saving up for my PS2 when I caught wind of the Xbox. It sounded great and it seemed much beefier than the PS2 in terms of power. I was so intrigued and hesitant to get burned again, I decided to wait this one out to see what Microsoft had to offer.
The more news I read, the more I got excited over the Xbox. I made up my mind and got the box and have been loving it since. I've played the PS2 since and it just didn't feel right. Xbox graphics and Live were really what sold me and made me an Xbox fan.
So here I watch the conference from Microsoft and I knew that XBLA and Halo were going to be front and center. Live Anywhere was a cool concept that I think will further distance MS from both Nintendo and Sony. Aside form what I knew, it was business as usual for MS. Peter Moore did a great job in hosting the event. The electricity from the conference was great. Same with Nintendo- good buzz and a sense of fun that was sorley lacking from Sony.
Gears of War demo (I need to have that game now) looked amazing. Showcasing the games the way they did gave them a bit of the upper hand in this generation of consoles- against Sony. The announcement of GTA4 on its launch day was a huge shocker. The Halo 3 teaser was amazing, but didn't show much. Graphically, it looked great, but we've seen that from Sony. I have faith in Bungie, but tech demos are what they are.
If I had to pick a winner, it would have to be a tie. Sony coming out the biggest loser. They felt so disconnected from the audience, that I feel they have really dug themselves in a hole. It isn't one they can't climb out of, but it will be a struggle with more than a littel dirt on them. The stakes are high in this round for the living room and they stumbled- not worrying too much from the other two.
Nintendo and Microsoft tied for first. I think Nintendo eeks out a bit here in the short term with the amount of positive buzz they generated for the Wii. It has people talking and I think their target for the casual gamer is spot on. The problem with the casual gamer is that they are casual. They may buy the system and perhaps 3 titles, closeting or pulling out the Wii for special occasions. I guess in those terms, it's the amount of consoles they sell with a decent attachment rate that will ultimately prove their success. I believe that Nintendo may get out of the console business and focus more on their handhelds and IP. Look for Mario and Metrod Prime making their way to another console in the future.
Microsoft did what they had to do. Generated excitement, showed off games, gave a glimpse of where they were heading and most importantly, showed their console as a very even priced system. The accessory route is working for them, especially with the 2 SKU model Sony borrowed from them. It's a shame for all the Sony folks that they didn't include that model from the beginning. It looks like that may bite them in the end.
Well, that's what I have on the big 3 at E3. I have read and watched a bunch of demos coming out and it seems that this holiday and beyond will be a banner year for gamers. So many good looking titles- no matter what console you buy it will place a large strain on your bank accounts.
Sony's E3 Showcase
by jdm3126 on Comments
Today I viewed Sony's E3 conference and I was totally underwhelmed. I was rather excited to see what Sony had to finally show. They have a huge stake in this industry and I really thought I would be wowed by what they were going to reveal.
What I got was a ton more tech demos and nothing truly indicative of Sony. They had no new ideas or features that I haven't seen or seen better from their competitors. I was impressed with the card demo, and only 2 games shown: MGS4 and Heavenly Sword.
The rest was pretty lame and more of the now tired Sony Hype machine. The most shocking revelation was the price of the machine. I truly believed Sony would be a bit more competitive with their pricing structure to combat MS and Nintendo- but alas, they kept to their guns and dropped a huge bomb. Coupled with the two tier pricing structure and the now revealed missing features on the cheaper version, I am not sure what Sony's strategy is here. In so doing, they pretty much made mute the point of true HD gaming by removing the HDMI feature in the $499 version.
I am still curious about their Online strategy and was disappointed with the lack of information revolving around what I think is one of the major features of next gen consoles. All this talk about HD optical capacity in my opinion is not that crucial. I believe most games, and in fact media, will be delivered electronically in the very near future. Hard Drive space will be more important than what type of DVD drive you have. Microsoft definitely has the edge here with thier removable drive architecture. They can easily upgrade the space requirements needed for this type of delivery. I can assume that Sony can use their USB connections to add drives in the future but it will be significantly slower than the 360's proprietary HD interface.
Sony just seems to be trying to play catch up with where gaming is and I am not sure that in this round they have enough to overpower either MS or Nintendo. Only time will tell who will lead the way in this round of console offerings, but my bet is on Microsoft with Nintendo a close second.
Sony is still the 400 pound gorrilla to beat, but this showcase has really sucked the air out of their sails. It will be interesting to see how this shakes down.
What I got was a ton more tech demos and nothing truly indicative of Sony. They had no new ideas or features that I haven't seen or seen better from their competitors. I was impressed with the card demo, and only 2 games shown: MGS4 and Heavenly Sword.
The rest was pretty lame and more of the now tired Sony Hype machine. The most shocking revelation was the price of the machine. I truly believed Sony would be a bit more competitive with their pricing structure to combat MS and Nintendo- but alas, they kept to their guns and dropped a huge bomb. Coupled with the two tier pricing structure and the now revealed missing features on the cheaper version, I am not sure what Sony's strategy is here. In so doing, they pretty much made mute the point of true HD gaming by removing the HDMI feature in the $499 version.
I am still curious about their Online strategy and was disappointed with the lack of information revolving around what I think is one of the major features of next gen consoles. All this talk about HD optical capacity in my opinion is not that crucial. I believe most games, and in fact media, will be delivered electronically in the very near future. Hard Drive space will be more important than what type of DVD drive you have. Microsoft definitely has the edge here with thier removable drive architecture. They can easily upgrade the space requirements needed for this type of delivery. I can assume that Sony can use their USB connections to add drives in the future but it will be significantly slower than the 360's proprietary HD interface.
Sony just seems to be trying to play catch up with where gaming is and I am not sure that in this round they have enough to overpower either MS or Nintendo. Only time will tell who will lead the way in this round of console offerings, but my bet is on Microsoft with Nintendo a close second.
Sony is still the 400 pound gorrilla to beat, but this showcase has really sucked the air out of their sails. It will be interesting to see how this shakes down.
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