Look, all of you can scream at each other through a video screen until your fingers fuse into claws. You can call each other names and smash and bash and act like typical idiots, 'cuz that's what the fanboy does . But the rest of us – the real gamers – who have always indulged in this hobby for the sake of entertainment, know the truth of the matter. In some ways, Sony and Microsoft can attribute some of their success to the opposition, as is almost always the case in business.
You know what eventually happens without competition? Stagnation. The complete and total lack of drive and ambition. Consumers scanning store shelves, desperately searching for something new, or something that can even be considered "innovative." Of course, companies do have internal motivation to continually top themselves with better products, but the absolute best result doesn't come unless a direct competitor pops up and challenges them. So for all you Xbots calling for the PS3's demise, pay close attention: Microsoft will own your asses for all eternity; it's the same thing that would happen if any one company "owned" any particular generation. And for all you Sony fans trashing the 360's lack of power or competing exclusives, you better hope the 360 continues to sell units. Sony is forced to scramble to catch up, yes, but how exactly is that "scrambling" bad for consumers? What, not interested in more hardware price drops?
If you've been at a press conference, you know that both Sony and Microsoft will take jabs at one another. They will make a boast of some kind and in the very next breath, compare it to their closest competition . They do this because, despite what some may believe, many important decisions made at each company are made to combat the decision of the other company. Oh, the PS3 lowered the price? We better lower the price of the 360 soon, then! If there was no direct competition in the PS3, do all you Microsoft fans honestly believe the 360 would cost what it does now? What if Microsoft or Sony simply cornered the market? If you wanted to play video games, you'd just have to pay the cost or not play at all. Right? Nobody wants this, and even though it may appear like "game, set and match" for any company that pulls this off in the future, it'd be a short-lived celebration.
Everything would change. Everything . And not for the better as far as the consumer is concerned. Some may say, "sure, it'll be easier because we won't have to think or make any more tough purchase decisions." You know, if there's only one system and one set of games, what is there to talk or argue about? Well, for one, we could talk about the lack of competition allowing the "winning" company to simply cater to a mainstream audience that will continually reward the same ol' same ol' because they don't know any better…because no other competitor is offering anything different (or better). See how this works? So all you loyalists and silly fanboys can smash each other around all you want, but if you honestly want either the PS3 or 360 to "die," you had best accept the fact that gaming suddenly may hit a roadblock. Just think about it this way-
The video game industry has advanced at an extraordinarily rapid rate over the past couple of decades. …at one point was only one company completely in charge? Was direct competition ever non-existent? Nope. So logically speaking, couldn't we easily attribute the aforementioned growth to that competition?
I don't see stagnation with one console, as long as there are multiple manufacturers for the hardware (looking at you HD DVD). Is DVD stagnant? Blu-ray? CD? If they could all get behind a unified architecture, like Blu-ray (just as an example), then everybody could still make money selling their console and everyone could play every game. And the only real competition today is in the games, which would still be trying to outsell each other.
…what are you talking about? There's no inherent quality increase from one DVD or CD to another. That's just a format. The fact that it's a DVD doesn't dictate the experience…it's just a wrong analogy.
I think what he is saying is that you can buy a sony dvd player, or a samsung dvd player, or any other brand dvd player. Then you are free to buy any dvd you want and it'll work on any of those machines. If it were like that with game consoles, we could play any game and only have to buy one machine.
But DVD players don't have SPU'S, GPU's, ect. The hardware determines how advanced the developers can code the software, and if any game could be played on any console ala DVD Movies, then developers would make games that are easy on the hardware so they could be played by all machines. Then you get into the controller, what if that is different for each machine? Just not a good idea from a gamers perspective.
you do have a very good point ben and i never thought of it like that. i do have to admit ive bin a bit of a fanboy over the years but i have owned multiple different consoles at the same time, i just prefer sony.
since i may be getting back to work very shortly ill look into an xbox but not before i do a LOT of catching up with the current games out there for my ps3.
Well duh. People that don't know this or deny it, think about it. Competition is usually always good for the consumer regardless of the industry.
Last edited by fundando on 1/22/2009 11:00:30 PM
I love the last couple lines in the second paragraph.
Keeping on topic, everyone loves a good debate. Problem with videogames is that most people just argue, eventually personal insults are thrown, and then it's who's flaming who, this console sucks, blah blah blah… most comments on sites that cater to all three consoles are insecure fanboys or damage control.
That is why it's nice to be able to post comments here, the community is great.
yes i concur
The best thing for any business is healthy competition. We are singing from the same hymn book there, Ben.
If I may paraphrase Hank Scorpio, CEO of Globex?
"Hammocks!? Where would you go to get hammocks?… There's 'Hammock World', 'Hammocks-R-Us', or 'Hammocks, Hammocks, Hammocks!' You'll find them all downtown in the Hammocks District!!"
Even Villians have respect for competition in business.
That was a good episode.
Off Topic: Just interesting if no one has noticed… from reports I have picked up on the web it seems the Wii has now been totally hacked…
This includes the easy installation of the Homebrew Channel, unsigned code can be run on the machine; with full access to the GPU hardware, and amazingly, the new Linux distro for the Wii can also run fully accelerated…
With the Wii you have a mini computer that you can do quite a bit with. They also have tools now to run DVD's on it and also you can play Wii games from any region.
Everything happened extremely quickly; really amazing!
Watch sales of the Wii continue to explode now!
Q!
"i aM hOMe"
Last edited by Qubex on 1/22/2009 11:38:10 PM
wish linux for ps3 would allow you to use all the cells BE and rsx.
I think Nintendo owned the market with the NES =) SNES had Sega to deal with lol
In the Nintendo NES era there was the Sega MasterSystem and it was beautiful
competition is healthy, ms will release a consel that will be more powerful than ps3 then sony will try to release a consel that is more powerful than ms's consel then ms or sony will release a new consel that will be more powerful than the previous, yes all is right. This is only good for the consumer and the costumer in some occasions. All I know is that 10 years from now there will be better consels, better TVs and better internet connections ,unfortunetlly though there has not being a better game than ff7 in the past decade so I am not so sure about the future.
I just wish their was one console period that had the architecture of cell, a wiimote like controller etc… basically my dream console is PS3's system mix with Wii's controller LMAOL!
If you're talking about the wiimote and nunchuck as a standard controller…no thanks. I'd rather have the 2 analog dongles setup. They do have a wii GAMEPAD that has the 2 analog dongles though but it's fugly.
ben your the man they way real game journalist should be
I have great balanced with my controller using the wiimote, it basically is just a portable mouse and keyboard setup, and with PS3's ways that would be crazy. Especially for FPS!
well this article makes alot of sense. good one.
Competition is always healthy. Who knows what the PS3 would be if the original Xbox hadn't slapped the PS2 in the face (in terms of performance).
I just think we MUST be weary of shoddy products, that is all. The worst thing is when the consumer gets the short end. I hope that 720 is built to last.
I definitely agree on that. If I had my way, Msft should pay up another billion to cover rrod problems for another 3 years. If they can make 4 billion profit in one quarter, then they can afford another 1 bil for 3 more years. That should cover the 360's lifetime.
Sony and Nintendo
THAT'S ALL WE NEEDED!
The great ps1 VS N64 days will forever be golden!
Microsoft ruined it!
lols
Yea i know MS get there hands in everything and it's kinda annoying but really come to think of it,their making PS3 work very hard this time,competition is good for growth,y'know?
thanks for the business lesson. it does seem like a valid point and i'll take that on board when i own sony.
good!
Mmmh, your´re right but anyway, it´s a good thing that the PS3 ist above XBox360 on the picture. ;->
Another anti-fanboy article? Wow, you guys seem to have a lot to say on the subject lately. Could you make an article summarizing all your anti-hater points? Maybe in bullet-point form? It'd be a lot easier to read.
I dislike fanboys and haters too, but it's starting to become rhetoric on this site.
Let's all just agree that fanboys suck and get back to what's important, playing games.
I second that motion.
This article has a lot to do with business, and how competition is healthy and even essential. It really doesn't have much of anything to do with fanboys; it's simply in the headline because…well, because it makes for an attention-grabbing headline.
The type that automatically wins a battle is the type that never realised there was a battle to begin with.
I wonder how many people don't realize that Monopolies are never good for the consumer…
What do you think EA is becoming. Aren't they tryna buy up every developer they can?
I think we are all for competition. But what happens when a company who has finacially secured itself by being a monopoly continues to pours money into a product line while competing with other companies who does not have the same monopolized cash flow? I do like the 360, but too bad it's backed by Microsoft.
And by the way, did something specific promted this write up?
Last edited by Jordahn on 1/23/2009 8:30:23 AM
TRUE!……MS throwing money everywhere isn't helping the industry!
"You know what eventually happens without competition? Stagnation." – yah, I agree completely!
Agreed Ben!
I embrace competition no doubt,yes we know fanboys are idiots but i think they also makes the games industry what it is,every new gen,we have console wars.
Did you ever here about a dvd system war? i don't think so.
There was an idea of a one universal platform for the next-gen,that all console manufacturers should join hands develop one architecture and make it available for production by any electronic industry,like we have with blu-rays,dvd's etc,y'know panasonic,alba,sony,toshiba,phillips blu-ray players.
I don't really back this idea,as Square already said it's bad for the industry.
I mean someone would have a Phillips PS3 and another a Panasonic PS3,having hardware problems will be associated with the manufacturer not ps3,how dumb!
Somehow am glad MS are competing Sony,i mean it makes them wake up.TRUTHFULLY SPEAKING,i've not being a die-hard fun of any system,i've had different consoles;from Sega Mega Drive II—Nintendo64—-Playstation 2——Playstation 3/Xbox 360. I was becoming a ps fanboy at first since ps2 proved a lot as a gaming console but am all neutral now.
Things like MS making moves with money like letting Square wait to finish 360 version of FFXIII before ps3's release is very bad for the industry.
I don't consider Fanboys as real gamers YES I hate the Xbox + Gears BECAUSE IT'S TRUE THEY'RE HORRIBLE!! . PS3 & the Wii is the way for me this gen
true indeed
Exactly.
PSN would not exist had Microsoft not created XBL. NXE would not exist had Sony or Nintendo not create Wii Avatars or PS Home. Would XBL subscription fee ever drop without the threat of Sony or Nintendo?
Competition is great for us, the consumer.
I thought PSN was older than XBL but Sony just kept it in shadows???
:S
I think for this instance, I could use the example of EA and their NCAA Football Franchise. There is no competition, therefore, the game is pretty much the same year in and year out with no major enhancements. The commentary is the same old stale phrases they have been using for 3 or more years. If there was some competition they would be forced to come up with some fresh ideas.
I agree. the fan boyism thing started when the PS3 came out. ( not its fault if its ssoo good that the adequate xbox owners get jealous) they started It LOL. childish but yea they did and their saying how Halo 3 is gonna whoop any exclusive ps3 can have ( ahem KZ2)
I support your arguement fully Ben. :O
i support the argument as well. Sony and nintendo is my 2 choices, M$ is just annoying
Are you sure about that? PS3 tried to emulate the wii's motion controls to make itself look better and at most reached mediocre results. The 360 is trying so hard to get into the casual gaming crowd now that they are bundling a kiddy/party/casual game like viva pinata: party animals with a 360 controller similar to the retardedly popular wiiplay which comes with a wiimote controller. It seems to me that even the Wii is forcing the 360 and PS3 to be "better" so to not fall behind from those 2 different aspects of gaming.
Last edited by ec0li on 1/23/2009 6:48:52 PM
here's my issue:
competition is great, necessary, and good for everyone, especially the consumer. MY beef is with the way studios approach multiplat development.
the big concern is "are the versions identical?" these days. The unintended consequence of that line of thinking is that, as far as multiplat games go, the quality of the PS3 version of the game is no better than the 360 version, although it is certainly able to handle the extra octane.
One can conclude from this that if one only plays multiplat games, i.e. COD or FIFA, there's no reason to own a PS3 over a 360. The graphics wont be better, the physics won't be any more sophisticated, no difference. The PS3 can take on the kind of burdens that the 360 would be crushed by, but nobody is taking advantage of that unless the title is a PS3 exclusive.
Having to cater to the 360 is holding mainstream development back so it can't advance, and it is doubtful popular games would look any different if the PS3 was simply removed from the mix. THAT is why I don't like the 360.
I think competition helps the hardware side but not neccassarily the software side. If the PS3 was the only console out there, granted it most probably wouldn't be as powerful. All the developers would be making their games for the PS3 only. Still Publishers like EA will still be competing for your money and would want to make a better product than Ubisoft. Especially when franchises are concerened. You have EA sports section which I think is now stagnant because no-one is competing with them in this genre, even with us having 3 different consoles out there.
How many devs are making action/adenture, FPS, 3rd person etc. compared to all the devs making sport games?
Its the developers you keep the competiton going regardless of what platform its on.
Let face it we really only had one console had last gen and we still got great games. All RPG's were competing against each other only on one platform.
Last edited by bamf on 1/24/2009 10:31:54 AM