Next-Gen.biz has an interview with Capcom USA’s Charles Bellfield, where he asks for more positive coverage of the PS3 in the media. This actually got me thinkin’ for a bit. Is their too much negative publicity for the PS3, and is it justified? Sure, some may spit at the $600 price tag, but has anyone thought of the positive things that the PS3 will bring to the table? Well, I guess I’ll be the one to bite that bullet.
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First, you have all those exclusive games that are coming out for it. Level 5’s White Knight, Konami’s Metal Gear Solid 4, and Capcom’s Devil May Cry 4 are just a few of the games that will probably blow our socks off, and they’re only for PS3.
Second, you have the next-generation of video game graphics. The PS3’s Cell and RSX hardware configuration is the most powerful in terms of raw computing power. 2nd and 3rd generation PS3 games will probably be the best looking games ever created.
Then you have the newly christened “SIXAXIS” controller. Even though we all see the half-assed attempt at stealing a little bit of the Wii’s limelight, it still brings a new dimension to playing games. It gives you the complete control that traditional controllers always had, while adding a bit of freshness to the fold.
You also get the first console that has an HDMI video output. Any videophile has probably already jumped for joy at the prospect that all PS3’s will have a built-in HDMI out, and for good reason. HDMI is simply amazing. If you have the funds, then you can do no better than HDMI. The colors are vibrant and the picture is crystal clear. You’ll never go back to composite again.
Then there’s Blu-Ray. You now have the ability to watch next-generation movie-playback with the power of the PS3. Some may not want it now, but who knows what the future will bring? You also won’t have to worry about paying $1000 for a stand-alone player, either.
And let’s not forget the downloadable PS1 and PS2 games. You can even send your PS1 games to your PSP (whew, that’s a lot of P’s). It all may sound a bit too Virtual Console-ish, but gamers still make out on the deal.
Even though we all want to become businessmen to somehow work our way up to Sony’s boardroom and yell at them for pricing the system so high, we should still look at what their doing with open-ears and arms. Sony’s done a lot for this industry. If they weren’t around, our passion for games would still be considered a hobby. Think about that when you start a topic in a forum with “PS3 suxors!1!” as the title.
I’m glad someone wrote something positive about Sony since I so frequently bash them. My gripe is that I will go back to composite. I regularly go from S video to composite and from either to RF in order to play a wide range of systems. Maybe I won’t ever hook up a PS3 with an RF cable, but most of the PS3’s pros seem to be "look at how good this looks" stuff and it’s hard to be a retro gamer and care that much about graphics.
I have an HDTV with 2 component and one HDMI output options. Right now, the component "black" levels are really messed up, so when the repair guy comes this week I can give you a good impression on component picture quality. Using an HDMI output, however, is amazing. When I have to go back to composite for my Xbox playback, I can easily see the difference. Color depth can really make a picture look a lot better, especially with 3D games. The depth of a 3D field is far more noticeable. Resident Evil 4 in Progressice Scan is euphoria for me. I’ve also played FF: Advent Children in both video options, and HDMI clearly destroyed component and composite. The only problem with all of this is money. An HDMI cable alone is around $100, if you want good quality. Then you need a TV. I have a Samsung HDTV CRT that cost me $800. Then you need the PS3. Altogether, the least amount of money is $1500. That’s a big chunk of change, there.
He’s right, videophiles will love HDMI, and they’ll love blu-ray. The sad part is that about 9% of gamers are videophiles. That’s the problem. Take away blu-ray, and you’ve got an amazing competing system. Sony needs to stop trying to invent the next format, and give the people what they want. How’s that little 8 year old going to come up with $600? His mother who lives from paycheck to paycheck? Nope. These ‘100 Million’ consoles Sony constantly boasts about were mostly sold when it dropped down to $200. $600 > $200. ’nuff said.
Well yeah, if you think about it, Sony is asking us for a lot by setting the price so highly. $600 is more than my rent, which keeps me alive. And I’m pretty sure "survival specialist" isn’t in the spec sheet for the console. But if you do have the funds, they you sure do get a lot. But also think about how enticing this console will be when the price goes down? It it becomes to around $300, this thing will be the next crack. If Nintendo wants to take back the throne, they better do it now, or they may never have another chance.