Nerd Alert!!
Like it or not, this is a big week for those for whom video games are a guilty--or not so guilty *mark*--pleasure. The PS3 drops on Friday, and the Nintendo Wii on Sunday.
While I'm not at all surprised to see all the hype and clamour surrounding these two new products, I am surprised by the number of people who are apparently willing to shell out the big bucks for a PS3. When the Xbox 360 came out last year, I was slightly offended by the price. Who has $400+ to spend on a video game system that doesn't come with any games?! Well, clearly the good people at Sony think we have quite a bit more than that; you'll need to shell out at least $650 to get your hands on a mid-range PS3 bundle. Each game is going to set you back at least an additional $50 a pop.
As far as I'm concerned the PS3 has only two things going for it: Stunning graphics, and Final Fantasy. Sure, both of those things are pretty incredible in and of themselves (let alone together!), but are they really worth that kind of money? Sony is touting the PS3's backward compatibility and a built in Blu-ray player as value adders, but the system is already showing some flaws in performance.
The Wii, on the other hand, is getting nothing but rave reviews. With games like the long awaited Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (lame name, I know) launching simultaneously with the system and receiving rave reviews, virtually no risk of a pre-Christmas depletion of inventory, and a totally innovative new controller, the Wii would be an attractive system at any price. But when you consider that a mid-range bundle will only set you back about $330, the Wii is almost irresistible. AND it even comes with a game!!
Clearly the Wii and PS3 are totally different offerings which will almost certainly appeal to very different crowds, but I'm not among those who are impressed or satisfied with the path down which Sony has gone with their new product. Microsoft can get away with selling a computer that only plays video games for $400 because they're a computer company and they want to offer their customers new ways to play computer games. And Nintendo is continuing their glorious history of doing what they've always done within the growing video game industry--their own thing. But while Sony would have us believe that they're being innovative by building a gaming system with their flashily named "RSX Reality Synthesizer," really they're just sticking a tricked out Vaio desktop computer in a curvy plastic case and selling it for the same price as a (more powerful) Dell.
My guess is that Sony, and their stock price, will continue their downward trajectory until they stop trying simply to outdo their competition, and start developing products which bring something new to the table. Props to Nintendo for pulling an Apple by bringing attractive, interesting, and imaginative products to people like me. To show my appreciation I'm going to buy a Wii on Sunday and consider trading in my low-end MacBook for one of the new black ones. I'd spend less doing both than I would if I bought a PS3 with two games.
While I'm not at all surprised to see all the hype and clamour surrounding these two new products, I am surprised by the number of people who are apparently willing to shell out the big bucks for a PS3. When the Xbox 360 came out last year, I was slightly offended by the price. Who has $400+ to spend on a video game system that doesn't come with any games?! Well, clearly the good people at Sony think we have quite a bit more than that; you'll need to shell out at least $650 to get your hands on a mid-range PS3 bundle. Each game is going to set you back at least an additional $50 a pop.As far as I'm concerned the PS3 has only two things going for it: Stunning graphics, and Final Fantasy. Sure, both of those things are pretty incredible in and of themselves (let alone together!), but are they really worth that kind of money? Sony is touting the PS3's backward compatibility and a built in Blu-ray player as value adders, but the system is already showing some flaws in performance.
The Wii, on the other hand, is getting nothing but rave reviews. With games like the long awaited Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (lame name, I know) launching simultaneously with the system and receiving rave reviews, virtually no risk of a pre-Christmas depletion of inventory, and a totally innovative new controller, the Wii would be an attractive system at any price. But when you consider that a mid-range bundle will only set you back about $330, the Wii is almost irresistible. AND it even comes with a game!!
Clearly the Wii and PS3 are totally different offerings which will almost certainly appeal to very different crowds, but I'm not among those who are impressed or satisfied with the path down which Sony has gone with their new product. Microsoft can get away with selling a computer that only plays video games for $400 because they're a computer company and they want to offer their customers new ways to play computer games. And Nintendo is continuing their glorious history of doing what they've always done within the growing video game industry--their own thing. But while Sony would have us believe that they're being innovative by building a gaming system with their flashily named "RSX Reality Synthesizer," really they're just sticking a tricked out Vaio desktop computer in a curvy plastic case and selling it for the same price as a (more powerful) Dell.My guess is that Sony, and their stock price, will continue their downward trajectory until they stop trying simply to outdo their competition, and start developing products which bring something new to the table. Props to Nintendo for pulling an Apple by bringing attractive, interesting, and imaginative products to people like me. To show my appreciation I'm going to buy a Wii on Sunday and consider trading in my low-end MacBook for one of the new black ones. I'd spend less doing both than I would if I bought a PS3 with two games.
posted by B S Goldsmith at 11/15/2006 11:02:00 PM
5 Comments:
PS, check this out Nelly.
There's a flyer hanging up at school that offers one of two PS3s hand deliverd the day it comes out for the fair price of $2500. Fucked up thing is some rich Columbia brats will probably buy.
Zelda > Final Fantasy.
And the next Final Fantasy will not be coming out for at least another three years.
Samuel: eBAY has placed heavy restrictions on PS3 pre-sales online (so much for a perfect market!); the dude is just rendezvousing it old school.
Twenty-something males in having too much disposable income SHOCKAH.
"It found that each $600 console costs Sony $840 to make. ISuppli notes that it's common for manufacturers to take a loss on the hardware, calculating that they'll make it up with game sales. Also, component costs should come down in the future."
Seriously, WTF was Sony thinking? They should have released the console for $999.
Goldsmith, prepare to flip your shit: Zelda reviews.
This game is going to get a perfect rating on Metacritic.
I was just checking ebay, this was the most expensive one I saw that looked legit.
$9100!?
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