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Sony Talks PS3 E-Distribution Initiative
simoniker writes "Talking about its PlayStation 3 E-Distribution Initiative, the company's intended Xbox Live Arcade 'killer', SCEA's John Hight has laid down a challenge to Microsoft, commenting that: 'Some of our [digitally distributed first-party] games, by virtue of their design and hardware demands, simply couldn't work on Xbox 360.'" More from the article: "The PlayStation Beyond submission site has been online since GDC 2006, when Sony's Phil Harrison announced its presence, and explains further of the concept: 'The E-Distribution Initiative (EDI) will provide an alternative publishing opportunity for the direct download of games and other content to the user. The EDI will be managed by Sony Computer Entertainment's development and studio organizations in North America, Europe, Japan and Asia (collectively known as SCE Worldwide Studios).'"
Where their first was Kaz Hirai:
The Playstation 3 will retail for 599 USD...
+5, Truth
We've had so many stories about the PS3, and I'm excited because of the Cell chips, but with all this chatter, HAS ANYONE SEEN A DEMO?
Does the thing work, yet? Are there any games people have seen running? Are the graphics or the smarts or the complexity really beyond the 360? Is it all simulation for design, still, or is there a PS3 that basically works that people have seen, and is it stunning?
"Some of our [digitally distributed first-party] games, by virtue of their design and hardware demands, simply couldn't work on Xbox 360" So he means they're developed without cross platform distribution in mind. Let's not be so harsh about it Phil, just be honest about it.
Moving right along, then...
John Hight has laid down a challenge to Microsoft, commenting that: 'Some of our [digitally distributed first-party] games, by virtue of their design and hardware demands, simply couldn't work on Xbox 360.'"
And why are the hardware demands so high? Is it because the games are that much cooler? Or because the programmers suck? Reminds me of the reason why Windows Vista's Hardware requirements are so bloated.
With states like oklahoma passing laws against selling violent games to children... they might have a problem on their hands with age verification. Or maybe they wont be able to sell games with lots of violence online, crippling them back down to the simple games of xbox live arcade.
Am I the only one who refuses to pay a subscription so that I have the privlage of paying for additonal content? If Sony makes the service itself free of cost than I might consider it, but if they chose the Xbox live model forget about it. On a side note, are there any decent games on the 360 yet, or is it faring as well as the Xbox did in that regard? (I may be in the monority here but I do not care for sport "sims", racers and console speed FPSes) The biggest thing I fear in the gaming industry is Microsoft killing inovation by flooding the market with focus group tested "sure thing" products.
I don't give a damn for a man that can only spell a word one way.
Mark Twain
Slashdot Burying Stories About Slashdot Media Owned
I've heard a lot of people have given up on buying the PS3 for many reasons. Does anyone care about the PS3 still? Is anyone on Slashdot still excited about its launch? I'm actually curious if someone here, at the least, is all hyped to pick one up still.
"Some of our games, by virtue of their design and hardware demands, simply couldn't work on Xbox 360"
Im pretty sure this is just refering to the motion sensing which sony built into the control in a late attempt to jump onto the ninetendo bandwagon. it doesnt say that the xbox is incapable of running the game due to lack of resources such as cpu, mem etc
so sure, these games couldnt work on the xbox, but will xbox (& wii) owners really be missing much....? (especially when you look at price comparisons/value for money)
Nintendo's Virtual Console is obviously gonna be the one to beat in terms of online legacy game purchasing.
And come on. Legacy first-party Sony games? Every 1st party Sony-published game I can think of either weren't that hot, or they eventually showed up on the PS2 with the exact same gameplay, but better graphics. Yeah, can't wait to play Gran Turismo 1; I'm sure it held up well.
Sony picking on XBLA is like a 10-year old provoking a fistfight with a toddler.
Both Nintendo and Sony look like they are going to have killer online support for their consoles. Nintendo doesn't sound to be trying to be as ambitious as all the stuff Sony is doing.
And both of Sony and Nintendo's online are free. Very,very cool.
Microsoft is going to have to scramble to keep up. Right now they have at 50 dollar a year online system that has less features. That 50 dollars a years adds up to 200 to 250 dollars extra you have to add to the price of the console over four to five years. Ouch! Microsoft is going to have to drop that 50 dollars if they want to stay competitive.
... Xbox Live Arcade 'killer' ...
Maybe they should worry about the price of their hardware killing the market before going on sale first?
Everytime I hear talk of The PS3 it seems like another nail in its coffin. Does ANYONE know ANYONE who is going to buy this overpriced thing?
DRM-free indie games for the PC and Mac: Positech Games
Many may question why they would care to Distribute first party games through electronic means after going through the trouble of implimenting Blue Ray for 'increased space for better, more involved games that you could get on other formats.' Some may even question pledging support for E-distro of these games with the sizes of harddrives their offering. Well I for one do not question them, it makes perfect sense from the point of view of historic trends and buisness. Unfortunatly for us, the reasoning is pure evil.
About the time of the 32-bit battles, an old trend began resurfacing in a new form; Forced Competition Development Denial (FCDD.) FCDD was easiest illustrated by Nintendo's NES. They choked off development for other consoles (namely the Sega Master System) by forcing developers to choose; in this case by having them sign contracts preventing them. That was killed in the courts and for the 16-bit console wars, FCDD didn't happen; the only denial of competition was from sales, loyalty, and popularity (oh, and who bring the $$.) From that, you had relativly similar cross platform offering and much less exclusivity.
In the lastest Generations, however, FCDD has resurfaced in a more diabolical, more legal form. By creating hardware and formats incompatible with their competition (as in Sega Saturns multiprocessor setup, 64's cartrige format) forcing developers to strech their resources to support them all. It is in the developer's best (buisness) interest to develope a game for as many platforms as its resources will allow without impacting the game's quality in a way that it will hurt overall sales. As new competition enters the console game, the developers are already becoming streched naturally. The FCDD tactic takes this further by increasing the resources the developer must devote to developing for a particular system; stealing those resources from other consoles and hopefully costing the developer to drop support for a competitor. In this generation FCDD is hitting a high mark, especially between Sony and Nintendo (Microsoft is guilty too, they just hide it well.) Nintendo's controller will require a different devotion of resources, namely creative input, to 'port' games successfully without disappointing. Sony has an unholy FCDD armament in the form of their Cell processor. This octopus of a processor is built in such a devious way that multi-threading in their programming is almost impossible to avoid; complicating the development process.
E-Distro is a huge next step. Not only is it on their format tailored for their hardware, Sony manages to monopolize the entire game development by forcing the developer to integrate Sony into every level of the game; it would become a nightmare for developers to to go cross platform (especially if they are targeting indy and small time developers, who have notoriously small budgets.) Don't expect games released by E-distro on Sony, Nintendo, or Microsoft to be appearing on any where else. And that, unfortunatly, is the point.
On another note, FCDD is a risky tactic for any developer. Increasing resource costs can also force developers to reconsider developing for the FCDD console itself. FCDD practictioners need to put more reliance on brand popularity (which Sony seems to rely a lot on) and really sell the FCDD hardware as "superior choices" if it's going to really win those ever important developer games. Jaguar and Saturn are two good examples of consoles that (inpart) failed because of a backfire of their FCDD tactic. Don't let Sony's focus on 'first party games' in the article fool you, this is all about the 3rd party developers; lower distribution costs for their own titles is just a happy bonus.
Demented But Determined.
I think people are being a bit too harsh on Sony. Granted, my hopes aren't high for the PS3 (what we've seen so far doesn't impress much), but until there is some actual hardware in the field we won't know how badly it will suck. There's always the chance that Sony pulls a rabbit out of their hat and puts out a stunningly awesome console with a breathtaking lineup of games on launch. There's also the factor that if you're into RPGs or tactical sims, there's a good chance that the 360 won't ever be the machine for you, much like the original X-Box. The Wii looked great at E3, but there's always the chance that the Wiimote won't work as well in your home as it does on the demo floor.
The speculation is seriously overheated at the moment. I'm saying that many of you need to calm down and wait for the machine to actually be released. I give Sony maybe a 5 or 10% chance of putting out something I'll actually want to buy at this point, but that's still above 0.
I read the internet for the articles.
...execs boasting about superiority and features of non-existing products? "Our product will be 31% nicer and 73.6% more cool; it will be so cool, that software for our product couldn't even run on competition's product!"
Geez... Like kids in kindergarten. Just release the frelling product and we'll see for ourselves.
Robert
Bastard Operator From 193.219.28.162
I guess I may be in the minority but I plan to purchase the PS3 and am really looking forward to it. Sony has made some "missteps" in their marketing approach but ultimately the games will decide. For me, a non-PC gamer who is over Nintendo, the PS3 suits me. I own a HDTV and I have the means to afford it. Even if the PS3 itself sucks, it can still play some of the great PS2 games I own and upcoming PS2 titles that shouldn't disappoint, I can buy HD movies and watch until a winner in the format war is chosen. I could wait but I am a notorius early adopter. Vaporware: As far a vaporware, there were working PS3's casing and all, not dev kits, at E3 this year. They were in those back rooms that are reserved for industry insiders. If you search the net enough you can find some video. As a matter of fact production is expected to begin the end of July. Graphics: Having played all the systems at E3 and elsewhere, there is a noticeable difference between the Wii and the 360 and PS3 (not surprisingly). The PS3 and 360 are pretty close. IMO the PS3 looks cleaner and has more detail. That may sound like there is not big difference but when you consider that the 360 is on 2nd gen titles while the PS3 is running unfinished ones, I would say at the end of the day the gap is going to be very wide and very noticeable.
How has Sony not noticed yet that they've lost the console wars? Do they just not read Slashdot or something?
Given that it's probably not going to be The Platform, I'd rather not support the company that was at the heart of the whole rootkit fiasco. Sony's treated their customers like criminals in the past. Those who go back for more, in my opinion, are encouraging that type of behavior.
I'll be buying a Wii.
And stating that you have "the means to afford it" just makes it look like you don't actually have the means to afford a PS3 (and will be having your parents buy it for you) and that you don't understand the value of money. I can afford a PS3. I can afford plenty of things. Just because you can afford it, doesn't mean you should buy it. Tampons are priced to move but I have no use for them just as I have no use for a PS3.
And what do you mean by "I'm over Nintendo"?
I dont really see what sony's execs have to boast about. Other than the fact that they've successfully brought the PS3 from "Most Anticipated" to "Most Anticipated Failure"...
damn you sony, you've killed the ps.
If you look like your passport photo, you're too ill to travel. - Will Kommen
Those who believe the Internet is private,
find their privates are on the Internet.
Isn't offering some games only by distribution over the internet severely limiting your audience? Erecting any barrier of entry will shrink your audience, but internet-only distribution sounds like a bad idea not only because of bandwidth concerns, but because you can't share your game with your friends or sell it on the used games market. Gamers just won't want this.
Twinstiq, game news
My comments are in support of PS3 because I am level headed. Every company does the same stuff, Nintendo, Apple, MS, etc...they are no different. They all chase the almighty dollar is the same ways. It just so happens that Sony is the whipping boy of the moment. Everybody screams rootkit, proprietary hardware/software, etc... when it comes to Sony. They have all done the same (Windows, cartridges, the ipod itself) so what makes Sony so evil? For some insight read the reply on FCDD. Am I a Sony fan, yep. Fanboy, nope. I like all electronics, As I said I am a early adopter of all things digital, and to me the PS3 is very exciting. I am over Nintendo because I have owned every piece of hardware they have every produced, from the original NES to the Virutal Boy. I personally have no desire buy their products anymore I'm over it, but that is MY preference. What you choose to do with your money is your right. As far as the means to afford it comment, that was just to highlight the high cost of the system not my own personal wealth. I will refrain from stating that I can afford something from now on as not to offend those over 30 still living in their parents basements, playing MMOG's all day, posting on slashdot to make up for their lack of female interaction. If I have offended your people I apologize.
Hell I just stopped playing Half Life 2 for X-box because of the frustrating frequency of the game stopping to load. The world is pretty, and the positional sound is a great touch (sounds killer on my sound system), and very useful in game, but when the same chapter has 37 different points where it stops all progress just to load, the next 'part of the level' then I'm done. I am less interesting in Sony's Cell technology or the Capacity of Blu-Ray disks than I am to the Read spead of the Blu-Ray drive.
If "NextGen" still has load screens then it fails.
"I can afford plenty of things. Just because you can afford it, doesn't mean you should buy it. Tampons are priced to move but I have no use for them just as I have no use for a PS3."
True, just because you CAN afford it doesn't mean you should buy it, however....
Buying tampons as a male would probably be a pretty inefficient use of money anyway. Its spending on something you get nothing (usable) in return for.. (Like buying Windows from Microsoft?)
AND There is a market for all higher end products. Why buy a BMW when you can afford a cheaper GM? Why buy a designer shirt when you can go to Wal-Mart...
Personally, I don't want to be seen driving a k-car in my wal-mart suit, walking around in flip-flops just because I _should_ buy something cheaper.. but then again, why make a choice on buying something before seeing all the alternatives and weighing out your options..??
The PS3 isn't even out yet. Theres no way to say if its going to be worth the extra money or not until you can actually see a product.. You wouldn't buy a car or shirt based on specifications, would you? Usually you take a test drive, or try it on...
Thanks to slashdot, I'm starting to see how companies are getting away with selling you absolute crap -- you people choose to buy it before it hits the store shelf..
Bad example? Buying into the Windows platform gives you access to device drivers for hardware that family members (if you are an individual) or businesses looking for a tax break (if you are a non-profit organization) donate to you. If they donate more Windows-compatible hardware than FreeBSD-compatible hardware, then Windows is the obvious choice over FreeBSD.
And this is part of why the PSP isn't selling worth a ****. It took a year to get demo units out anywhere in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and they're still not in Wal-Mart stores yet, and the games running on Best Buy demo units seem to be in genres of limited appeal. They'd sell a lot more PSPs if they loaded Lumines and GripShift onto the demo units than what they are loading.
Quite frankly, you are obviously a shill. You're not a fanboy, and you may likely not even be a fan, you're just astroturfing for Sony, likely for money. There are Penny Arcade comics that would be relevant here, but at the moment I'm not going to bother looking through their archives to dig up one.
Only a few people are angry at Sony due to the rootkit thing (which is really unlike anything that most other companies have done). Most are angry because Sony's ego has swelled beyond logic, the PS3 is hideously overpriced, and there are no compelling reasons to get one rather than an Xbox 360, a Wii, and a few games at the same time.
Furthermore, you say you're "over" Nintendo -- whatever the hell that's supposed to mean -- and the only argument you have to back that up is.. you've bought all of their previous hardware? Your logic isn't even connecting. Are Sony's shills so hard-pressed for something bad to say about Nintendo that they'll say you don't need a Wii just because you've bought hardware from Nintendo in the past? Give me a break.
What bandwidth concerns? Server-side or residential? Most Nintendo DS games are 16 to 64 megabytes, and even iDSL can easily transfer 64 MB within an hour. PS1- and PSP-class games (ca. 500 MB) could easily fit over a broadband line overnight, and it's a lot cheaper than shipping a disc overnight via FedEx/DHL/UPS. Even with a PS2-class game, the system could download the first level overnight and then subsequent episodes over the next few nights.
You claim that the median gamer won't bow to the digital restrictions management demands of services similar to Xbox Live Arcade. I claim you're likely wrong. Look at iTunes Music Store, and look at the success of Geometry Wars.
If Microsoft had initially charged $600 when 360's were trading on ebay for over $1000, they would have made a tidy profit and could have dropped the price by now. Sony would be smart to learn from the Microsoft mistake and price high during the initial demand, then rapidly drop price as demand wanes. This would solidify the perceived value of the PS3 as very high (perhaps higher than the 360) but still enable them to match price down the road. Give Sony some credit guys, they MIGHT actually be thinking ahead from a business standpoint.
Exactly one revision past the first Blu Ray stand alone player released past PS3's release date.
I've heard from a couple of places that Sony is inflating the price of Blu Ray stand alone players because they want the PS3 to be the cheapest Blu Ray player on the market once it's released. Groovy. Means we should all wait until Sony releases a stand alone Blu Ray player after the release of the PS3. What justification would they have for releasing one more expensive than a PS3? If it stays the cheapest player for 2 months after it's release, then I'll buy one.
Windows has more viruses because linux has more virus coders.
I agree. I never did like the loading screens. However, if done right, they can be (nearly) seemless. Take the Metroid games for the GC. Major loading happens when you ride an elevator to a new area, but you don't really notice it that much, since you're riding the elevator and in reality, it should take some time for you to get there. Some minor loading happens just before you open a door to a new room, and sometimes, the game is really good a predicting which door you'll open and preloads that room. The most you ever see is a slight delay before the door opens. And let's not forget the painfully slow load times on the PS1 and PS2.
Everything I say is a lie. Except that... and that... and that, and that, and that, and that... and that.
Even if the PS3 itself sucks, it can still play some of the great PS2 games I own and upcoming PS2 titles that shouldn't disappoint
So you've just replaced your $100 PS2 with a $600 PS3? Genius!!
Vaporware: As far a vaporware, there were working PS3's casing and all, not dev kits, at E3 this year. They were in those back rooms that are reserved for industry insiders
Interesting - I didn't see any. Sega didn't have any. They were just in the Sony booth? So they had what - 4 or 5 units? That's just an engineer spending a couple of days cramming a dev kit in a plastic box.
IMO the PS3 looks cleaner and has more detail. That may sound like there is not big difference but when you consider that the 360 is on 2nd gen titles while the PS3 is running unfinished ones, I would say at the end of the day the gap is going to be very wide and very noticeable.
The 360 wasn't really on 2nd gen games at E3, there was a big drought in new releases after Christmas. Given also that the PS3 demos were just that, demos, not full games (ask a Forza developer what they think of the GT-HD "demo" if you want a laugh).
I'll wait and see what Sony can come up with, but so far I'm unimpressed.
I own a HDTV and I have the means to afford it
Me too. Isn't it great? Any particular reason you haven't spent the last 6 months playing HD games then? If you're so rich why not buy all 3 consoles?
---- Den ene knappen er powerknapp, den andre er Bender voice knapp "Bite My Shiny Metal Ass"
Ha, ha, you and anonymous above are hilarious. So I am a Sony plant paid to troll message boards and talk up the PS3. So what does that make 95% of the people screaming how the Wii is so great and how much Sony sucks? At least by your assertion I am getting paid for my undying loyalty. I merely stated in my initial post my feelings on of what I have experienced first hand. It's become cool to bash Sony, everywhere you look, Sony sucks, PS3 DOA...and anybody who disagrees is obviously an idiot or a "plant" to talk up Sony. As I have played all 3 systems I was only offering my opinion. Which I think is more than I can say for many who have taken a side. I think the Wii, 360, and PS3 all have their merits, but this gen my money is going toward a PS3. Not because any of them "suck", but my personal preference this time around is a PS3. I have been a loyal Nintendo consumer since a kid, but I feel like I have outgrown them so to speak. TO ME, the games don't interest me as much and I play my Xbox and PS2 a lot more. So this time around I am going with one console. As for the insult it was a mere response to your jab about my financial situation. I will refrain from hurting your feelings any farther...all hail (A)*(B)!0 King of slashdot and hater of all OPINIONS different from his own. I bow before thee in contrition...feel better?
Looks like the Sony shills are moderating today as well as making their pathetic comments. I hope somone will correct this by modding the parent of this post up!!
"MIT betrayed all of its basic principles."
1. My gf doesn't like me gaming on my PC because its anti-social.
2. I don't allow M$ anything in my house, and the sony drm thing didn't affect me as I run linux for everything!
3. I like playing video games!
4. I don't really like Mario.
5. The ps3 will run linux!!
6. Sony have good internal developers (studio liverpool etc), and will always have good 3rd party support. Namco, Squnix, EA etc have supported sony for years.
7. I'm gonna buy HD movies for my HD TV!
8. If I buy an x360, I will have to upgrade in 2 years time.
9. Its really only 20% more than I paid for my ps2 initially.
10. I've run out. Is bragging rights a good reason? Probably not.
Granted it is a little steep. Give it a year and it will come down considerably.
So you've just replaced your $100 PS2 with a $600 PS3? Genius!! "Actually my PS2 was $300" Interesting - I didn't see any. Sega didn't have any. They were just in the Sony booth? So they had what - 4 or 5 units? That's just an engineer spending a couple of days cramming a dev kit in a plastic box. "I can only vouch for what I saw and played" see link below http://reviews.cnet.com/E3_Sony_PlayStation_3/4660 -12331_7-6521287.html
Me too. Isn't it great? Any particular reason you haven't spent the last 6 months playing HD games then? If you're so rich why not buy all 3 consoles?
"I bought a 360 on release day and returned it recently. As I wasn't getting much use out of it, since I still play my PS2, XBox, and Gamecube. Any more questions?"
...to most people that Sony have simply got themselves into trouble by spending the past few years designing and developing the most powerful piece of gaming hardware that they could, and are now faced with a market which is not ready for it, or indeed particularly interested. In this round, having the latest, greatest, most powerful thing is not a sure fire way to win market share.
The games industry has seen major changes since they started developing their new baby, and most of those changes do not help Sony at all, so they're in risky territory. So much so, that they've pretty much had to bundle two major products (their latest games console and their play for the future of HD home cinema) into one and hedge their bets, pooling the marketing cash and hoping that the success of one will bring success for the other. It is however as likely that the failure of one will take the other down with it, or certainly hurt it bad.
Right now, they're battling to convince us that the future of gaming is a piece of hardware which is insanely expensive to produce (their initial losses at launch, and for at least the first twelve months will be by far the highest ever for a games console), extremely expensive and troublesome to develop for (leading to higher cost games, just you wait and see) and has some rather risky choices in terms of the hardware - Cell and Blu-Ray - the latter of which could simply fail miserably within a short period of time in the same way as UMD did. I don't think anyone is genuinely convinced by what they're saying though.
I personally don't think the console is anywhere near ready to ship, but Sony are at that shit-or-bust stage, where if they don't release something *very* soon, no matter how buggy the hardware is, or how few titles are available at launch, then they'll not only lose this round of the games console war, but their Blu-Ray format will also be dead on its arse. Rememeber, they need to get the thing out there and in the homes of early adopters right now for Blu-Ray to even have a 50-50 chance of coming out on top of HD-DVD.
The number of confirmed reports of serious perfomance bottlenecks with the hardware, developers tearing their hair out to get the current development kits working properly, and the last minute changes Sony are still making (e.g. adding motion sensing in the controller) all smack of a system roughly a year or more away from release. They're pretty much screwed, and they know it, but there's just no way they can say it.
Their marketing budget is no smaller as a result of all these problems though, and they're doing all they can to convince you that what they have in the PS3, is the future of gaming. Give it a month or so and there'll be glowing, raving previews of the hardware and first batch of games in the lads-mags and newspapers, these will all be paid for of course, and based upon press releases and canned footage rather than the actual console and games. Right now, you can believe the Sony marketing machine or not, but all the indications so far, are that this is looking like it'll be their biggest flop (and they have quite a history of such things) to date. With every Sony press release, the picture gets bleaker, and if they had even the smallest piece of good news right now, you can bet they'd be shouting it from the rooftops.
You may point to the games developers and their respective companies who are being very positive about the new console and its potential, and claim that surely they are in the best position to know what it's all about, but that's only because like Sony, they've invested a lot of time and money into the console and they desperately need it to succeed or face millions in losses. However, at the same time they're hailing it the best thing ever, they themselves are very worried and fearing the worst. And I know that for a fact.
I mean, we had a great proof of concept on the first Xbox that running games from the HD ON A CONSOLE was possible, with people hacking their console to copy games to the hard disk. I'd be really surprised if the 360 can't do that out of the box now. I mean, they could have Halo 1 as a download on MarketPlace and people would download and run it. Xbox games ship on DVD9 anyway so you could fit almost two games on the HD (the game cache takes about 6 gigs IIRC). Considering that a game from SquareEnix on the PS3 is going to fill a Blu-Ray with FMVs (let's assume two layers filled with the game and 1080p FMVs), people with the 500$ version won't even be able to copy it to their hard drive, while people with the 600$ model will barely be able to fit the game on the HD. This "advantage" Sony speaks of actually is more of a 360 advantage, especially with the 60gig HD coming out someday for he 360.
Just FYI, Half-Life 2 does that on PC also. And yes, it pissed me off.
Comment of the year
But here's what I don't get.
If you have the means to buy a HDTV and all the equipment needed to hook your PS3 into the system (HDMI connector? Mine 2-year old HDTV doesn't have one; so Sony would be making me buy a new TV-- screw that!)... why don't you just buy a Xbox 360 right now and enjoy all the benefits and features that Sony's giving you right now this instant? The only thing the 360 doesn't have that the PS3 does is a tilt-sensor controller-- but it *does* have rumble pack controllers, so it all evens out, right?
The 360 has the HDTV support of the PS3, but right now this instant, not a year from now. It has Xbox Live Arcade, which Sony is furiously trying to rip-off. It has the HD, it has the online play, it has the next-gen games. It doesn't require an HDMI connector, so maybe you could save major scratch not upgrading your TV for awhile.
Comment of the year
You make some good points in your posts however I feel you could have still made those points without being so arrogant and condescending.
"Almost nobody dances sober, unless they happen to be insane." - H.P. Lovecraft
As far as the 'intelligent loading' of Metroid Prime, I use that as a great example myself. The Elevators were great because they 'kept you in the game' even for extended loads. Same thing with Zelda Wind Waker. If you stepped out of a Building the Sun White washed the screen for a second then 'your eyes focused' and you were there. This more than any other reason is why my X-box and GameCube get far more use than my PS2.
No matter how they pull it off (obviously it's easier with a higher read speed, and more cache), one of the MAJOR FEATURES I'm looking for next gen is the elimination of load screens.
I don't want to see any load screens. I could care less if they are 1080p. I would sooner play a game in 720p, or 480p that doesn't keep interupting me to load the next portion of a level. This jerking effect simply breaks the immersion, and reminds me that I'm playing a game.
What happens is that the game preloads all adjacent rooms as you enter. You'll notice that enemies appear on your radar that are in adjacent rooms, but not two rooms away. Which can make for some interesting gameplay quirks (you won't have to fight those nasty Chozo ghosts again if you happen to exit through the wrong door in the room). I wonder whether the game does some preloading of the adjacent rooms when you first shoot the door, and then opens the door after a specific amount of time, while it finishes loading the adjacent rooms. You'll notice that some rooms take almost no time at all to load, where-as others may take a second or two. But yes, Metroid Prime does a GREAT job of killing and hiding load times.
On the flipside, I'm currently playing Suikoden V, which is a great game, but the load times are attrocious. They put a little animated graphic of the hero running in the corner of the screen to look at while you wait, but after about 3 times, it's not entertaining anymore! The damn thing does a 5 second load every time you go into a house or even open up the menu screen. It's like the game can't display ANYTHING without doing at least a 3 second load. Even PS1 games didn't have load times for opening up menus. Same with Dragon Quest VIII; great game, but it takes about 4 seconds just to open the menu! I mean, how hard its it to load up an entire town WITH all five enterable houses and a measilly little text-based menu into memory? It's as if the game doesn't load anything into memory that isn't actually on the screen at that moment... seems like terrible programming to me. Reminds me of old NES games in which enemies ceased to exist once they walked out of the frame. I thought we were past that stuff.
Multiplayer Gaming (defined): Sitting around, discussing single-player games with my friends, at the bar.
"It should help curtail used game sales and piracy." this is why i hate what they're trying to do. You won't be able to resell your game.
My recollection of developer lock-in tactics is different from yours, though I may be wrong. Most of my knowledge on the subject comes from an excellent book, Game Over (no I don't get a kickback if you follow the link...damn).
You're right that Console makers tried to ensure exclusivity in any way they could. However, my understanding is that the court cases you refer to were more than simple title exclusivity. Back in the height of their power, Nintendo's restrictions on publishers were pretty severe. Nintendo would only license two titles per year, and exclusivity was a requirement. This is legal, but I believe Nintendo tried to push it further by prohibiting licensees from developing *any* title for another console. This is where the revolts came.
However, the power has shifted (for the most part) towards publishers. No company, even Sony, could make such demands even if it were legal for fear that the publisher would simply jump ship. Imagine telling EA that they can only release two titles per year (hah!).
These days, Console makers have switched to the "catching flies with honey" approach to exclusivity. They either give big publishers sweet deals (Like Sony did to lockdown the exclusivity window on GTA III), or they buy out dev studios (like MSFT did with Bungie), or they entice independent studios with digital distribution (MSFT with Xbox Live Arcade, and now Sony with Playstation Beyond). Granted, you see XBLA titles that aren't exclusive (Street Fighter, Marble Blast, etc), but I'd wager the smaller name studios are bound by form of exclusivity provision. This doesn't mean that the console makers have given up being evil, but at the very least you get the facade of a benevolent company.
I don't see anything new here with the Playstation Beyond thing. Either from service itself (it seems no different from Xbox Live Arcade), or in terms of the furthering schemes of companies trying to lock-in exclusivity.
Did anyone else here ever notice how the tentative title for the PS3's online service, PNP is pronounced "Pimp"? At this rate the final name will be something totally badass, like "Resurrection" or something...
Sendou Wave Kick!!
Why are they aiming to try to outdo Xbox Live Arcade when they still have to worry about the back-catalog that will be available on Nintendo WiFi? Seriously, the offerings on Arcade are currently pretty slim, while Nintendo has four libraries to fall back on. Microsoft has been planning to offer Street Fighter II "any day now" while Nintendo can offer 3 different SNES ans a Genesis version.
Other than that, if the Xbox 360 can't handle the hardware requirements for what Sony intends to offer online, just how large are these Sony downloads going to be?
If everybody who owns an Xbox 360 or a PlayStation 3 also has a Wii, who's in first again?
The only thing Sony needs to do to create an "Xbox Live killer" is either make it free or add dedicated game servers, both features sorely lacking on Microsoft's network.
Aside from that...
Every time a Playstation3 article pops up, you've got boatloads of people lining up to spout off complaints, followed by the familiar "Who's going to buy one of these?!"
I am. Somehow I doubt I'm the only one. If the price tag is too much for you, by all means, don't take out a second mortgage just to get one. I don't feel the extra $200 beyond what an Xbox360 costs is unreasonable, and this is coming from a college student complete with empty wallet. Compare the feature sets if the difference in processing capabilities don't interest you. Some people want real HD out of their console; I'm guessing if you can afford a $6000 TV you can also afford a $600 gaming console for it. Wireless networking, built-in. Linux, pre-installed. Motion (or tilt) sensors in the controllers. And a Sony console, which will let you play any forthcoming Sony-exclusive titles. I don't think asking for an extra $200 is unreasonable. endrant.