I'm pretty bored with the whole "ripping off" argument because I don't think it's the hardware's job to be original and innovative. You might remember it didn't work out so well with the Virtual Boy. Hardware is there to enable the developers to create experiences. Which is why you can often find that same experience on four different platforms...
Every console manufacturer right back to Atari has a particularly grand overestimation of the market and bravado in thinking They Are Right. Nintendo proves its dominance in handhelds; Sony proves that 100 million home PS2 consoles (+DVD player) is now mainstream; Microsoft proves that hard drives and online play are crucial to growth...
But they also fall short. Nintendo can't stick to one design or let you own only one of anything. Microsoft thought size matters, and it does, at the opposite end of the scale they started on. Sony thinks digital life is more exciting than digital games, and they just try to serve up everything while owning patents to the media.
Sony produced essentially the least powerful system of the current generation, and the content drove it to success (and DVD that doesn't require a remote.) Now they are at the front of the pack in hardware, and truly believe consumers want another computer plugged in, with a portable version streaming television and music when they're outside of the house or the country.
What I don't like is Sony's kneejerk reactions and 800-pound gorilla attitude. Perhaps I've said the same about Microsoft, but these companies both exhibit more muscle than brains on occasion. ^_^
Case in point, the controller. From batarang to dual-shake... They obviously thought for a while that the Xtreme Stylinz of the 'rang would win the public's heart... or just to make the publicity photos distinctive. And now... same dual look, same dual channel. No feedback, just feed-forward...
Great.
Kojima-sama is on record saying how disappointed he is that the controller was swapped last-minute. He said there was rumble content being scrapped in MGS4, and now there will have to be new shake content.
Nintendo doesn't seem to have any creative or technical qualms with giving us both motion and rumble... Oh wait, the external sensor... yeah, maybe they should charge us another $200 for the luxury?
Developers learned to make the lowest end PS2 hardware sing solo operas, and now with PS3 they're getting the short shrift. Especially with two hardware SKUs. I for one don't believe Sony has the first-party strength to carry $600 sales for itself. Selling 2 million consoles will be no problem, but the other 98M may need some marketing that is less prescriptive than "Just shut up and buy one already..."
-V-
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