Gaming Console Wars Continue
CONSOLE TRI-WAR: THREE GAME CONSOLES WILL BATTLE FOR DOMINANCE
The 2007 holiday shopping season is coming up, and this is the first year that three major gaming console makers are competing for market share with their next generation systems. It is also the first year that two of the three have introduced their new models to the market almost all at the same time. But who is going to win the battle? And what market will each console dominate? Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo have their armor ready, and each have something different to offer.
Sony Playstation 3
Sony got brave with their next-generation PS3. The company has introduced this console at a whopping $600 per unit, something that parents are balking at as they begin running through their Christmas lists. Sony justifies the price by stressing that the PS3 will basically be a functioning computer as well as a gaming console. You will be able to do basic functions like check your e-mail, and I’m sure that with that feature is some limited internet access. (Will we browse Google on PS3? Probably not.) But the real seller with the PS3 is the new processor, simply called the Cell. It’s basically a supercomputer on a chip. When I researched the dynamics of this puppy I was blown away, as the Cell runs over 4 GHz and makes 256 billion calculations per second. But how hot does it run? Has Sony made the steps to keep this processor from burning up? The Cell will introduce movie-like graphics to the PS3, but the chip is apparently capable of a lot more. However, movie-like graphics are also available for XBOX 360, so I don’t see the true advantages here. However, the final sell for the PS3: the unit comes with a Blu-ray drive. Now that can be tempting for someone hunting for a Blu-ray player and gaming console all-in-one. Especially since standalone Blu-ray players are $1,000 apiece. My recommendations? Leave the PS3 for twenty-something gamers with deep pockets. Children may enjoy the graphics, but a $600 present for a fourth grader is overkill.
Nintendo Wii
Nintendo has a new bag… the Wii. As in… it’s literally pronounced “we”. It’s not a beauty by any means compared to PS3 and XBOX 360. It’s a reasonable price, $249 for the whole set-up, and it looks as though Nintendo is trying to make a comeback from its failed Game Cube, squashed by XBOX and PS2. Nintendo’s secret weapon isn’t a killer processor, it’s actually a mother-load of child-friendly games (hardcore gamers wouldn’t get caught dead playing Super Mario, unless they are on a nostalgia binge), and a motion-sensor controller. The controller will follow your motions. Swing the controller like an upper-cut while playing boxing, and your character throws an upper cut. Not too bad for a game console company that’s been around since 1985. But the Wii isn’t really for the underground gamers out of college or in high school. I recommend it for children. Most of its games are family-friendly, and it’s a reasonably-priced Christmas gift. Enjoy Mario, and save Princess Zelda one more time. (Personal note: If I were Link, I’d let Zelda deal with her own issues by now. And Gannon just needs to get over wanting Hyrule.)
XBOX 360
I own one of these now. I held out for eleven months and just couldn’t take it anymore. XBOX 360, like PS3, is a sleek, well designed gaming console. It looks good in the living room. It was built with three Power PC processors (now we know why Apple went Intel), and sports ATI graphics. One of the best features of the XBOX 360 is free XBOX Live membership, also called the Silver Membership (you pay for Gold Membership, but not much.) That includes VoIP, and free XBOX Live Arcade downloads, although most arcade games are trials. You can purchase Microsoft points from the XBOX Live dashboard for full versions, as well as trade on Windows Live Marketplace. XBOX 360 also integrates with a Windows Vista PC, and comes with HD DVD support. But the biggest advantage of owning an XBOX 360 is Halo. Halo has become the most popular FSP game of any console, gaining millions of faithful fans who do battle on Halo multiplayer online on a daily basis. Halo 3 and Halo Wars are due out next year, taking full advantage of XBOX 360’s graphics capabilities. And Halo fans don’t convert to other consoles. That’s an advantage you can’t beat. Microsoft offers XBOX 360 in two versions: Full and Core. Full packages are $399, and Core packages are $299. The Core package does not come with backward compatibility, a hard drive, XBOX Live Silver membership, a head set or a trial membership for XBOX Live Gold membership. The Full package will drop in price next year, and it’s hard to judge whether the Core package will even remain available. Nonetheless, the 360 is a good console for both twenty-somethings and teenagers. Not pricey, but not cheap.
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