The Life of a Simple Gamer

The Big Three - Who Will Succeed in 2006?

Anyone familiar with my blog knows that I rarely talk about current events in the video game industry. I figure that, if someone wants to learn more about the Grand Theft Auto San Andreas "Hot Coffee" mod controversy, or catch up on the games revealed at the recent German Games Convention, he is better of going to a gaming news website such as IGN or Gamespot (both of which have links on this page). It's not that I don't like talking about current events, it's just that providing deep analysis of gaming news and developments is usually beyond the scope of this humble blog.

Still, with E3 long since over, and the aforementioned German Games Convention having just concluded, I figured I'd share a few of my feelings regarding the three giants - Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo - and conjecture a bit about what awaits us in 2006.

First off, I think Microsoft is wise to jump ahead of the competition and release its new console, the Xbox 360, by this Christmas. Yes, being the first system out of the door is a gamble, a fact many a poor Sega Dreamcast owner will attest to, but I honestly think the 360's early entry will work to Microsoft's advantage. Despite the 360's shameless and ostentatious revealing on MTV a few months back, plus another iffy E3 presentation, the system still seems to be generating a good amount of buzz among gamers, and the two price points - a $299 and $399 version - will help anyone who wants the system to be able to afford one. Let's just hope the launch titles are as good as Microsoft boasts them to be. And incidentally, buy the $399 model if you can, it's by far the better deal.

Next is Sony and its cleverly named Playstation 3 (note the sarcasm here). To be fair, I think the design of the system is the most original of the three coming consoles, and if Sony is to be believed, it should also be the most powerful. Still, footage of actual games for the system has been scarce, and the videos that have been shown have been largely criticized by the press as being merely prerendered movies (and thus not true representations of what the system can do). Also of concern are the rumors regarding the system's price - estimates range from the reasonable ($350) to the astronomical ($600). With the already powerful Xbox 360 at $300, why would anyone pay an extra $100-300 for a PS3? One can't help but feel Sony may be trying to make the system too powerful, and thus more expensive, than it really needs to be.

Finally, there is Nintendo's enigmatic Revolution, the system the Big N promised would be released before or at the same time as the PS3, but now will likely be the last of the three consoles to hit the market. Unlike its competitors, Nintendo is not focusing on sheer hardware power but is instead concentrating on another important element - interaction. Supposedly, Nintendo has adapted a "revolutionary" technology to the system's controller that will provide gamers with an unprecedented amount of control and feedback in their experiences. Unfortunately, Nintendo has been characteristically secretive in regards to what the controller or the technology might be, leaving gamers and the media scratching their heads in wonder (and frustration) over what the company is hiding. Is the technology really so great that it justifies the Big N's seemingly endless silence? My hunch is that when the controller is finally revealed, people's expectations will be so high, they're going to be at least mildly disappointed by what they see. In any case, at least the Revolution will boast on-line capabilities, a crucial feature GameCube owners more or less missed out on.

So, which system will ultimately reign? It's a tough call. I suspect the Xbox 360 will give the PS3 a good challenge in America, but will still lose to Sony in Japan. The Revolution, no matter how great (or not) the controller turns out, will likely place third in America, although it will still be popular with the kids (in part to a relatively low price point) and a sleeper favorite among the hardcore. Besides, it's supposed to have an on-line Smash Brothers game at launch, which is reason enough for any self-respecting gamer to give it a chance.

So, which system(s) do you plan on getting? Until next time. . .

posted by GamerDan @ 8/28/2005 11:59:00 PM