nextgengamingtoday

“Next Gen” console gaming…  What is that?  Technically it would be the next generation of gaming consoles and games.  Yet, strangely, it is widely considered to be this generation of gaming.  It seems to be odd that we (gamers) would widely accept that this is the next generation when we could never be truly in the next generation of gaming.  However, for the purposes of this blog we will call “This Gen” “Next Gen” if for no other reason than to avoid criticism from the fanboys.  Typically when one thinks of “Next Gen” games they think of games with better than average graphics and sound, bigger than life storylines, (hopefully) innovative gameplay, and (most often) poorly written story’s with only a handful of exeptions.That brings us to the next term.  

Fanboys.  Next Gen consoles seem to have really divided camps of devoted gamers into frothing lunatics that can recognize no fault in their chosen gaming system, and realize not redeeming value in a competing system.  This seems to be most evident between the Xbox 360, and the Playstation 3.  Both sides have their fans that will do anything to tear down the other side, quite often irrationally.  These fans are commonly called “Fanboys.”  Fanboys can rarely be reasoned with, and seldom show much logic in their arguments.  I’ll address the fanboy issue in later blogs… 

There are three major camps in the gaming world:  

Nintendo:  This Japanese giant was thought by many to be absolutely insane when they first announced their newest console, the Wii.  Many (myself included) thought they had lost their mind when they showed that motion sensing controller, and odd looking avatars (Mii’s).  However, the Wii has become the juggernaut of this generation that just can’t seem to be stopped.  It has made gaming into a casual experience that the whole family can enjoy and play together.  Nintendo also makes the most popular handheld gaming device in the world, the DS.  

Sony:  Sony makes the seemingly ubiquitous Playstation systems.  The Playstation 2 (PS2) is still one of the bestselling gaming systems, even beyond it’s successor the PS3.  The PS3 is a powerhouse of graphics and features.  Sony made a very interesting and somewhat controversial move by placing a Blu Ray player into this console which wound up paying off in the end.  The placement of the Blu Ray player is attributed by many to be a major factor in the demise of HD DVD by allowing for wider distribution of Blu Ray in a shorter time frame, since it was purchased by gamers and videophiles alike.  The PS3 games use Blu Ray discs which can hold substantially more data than a standard dvd.  The PS3 was sharply criticized for its high price tag upon release, but has sold well nonetheless.  Sony also sells the PSP handheld gaming device.

Microsoft:  Microsoft entered the console gaming arena in 2001 with its Xbox game console.  This console immediately made a splash with its aggressive online strategy (starting in 2002) called Xbox Live.  Initially this was just a place for gamers to play games online together.  The Xbox 360 furthered the online strategy by allowing for more content available for download online, arcade games (classic and new) for purchase, movie/tv show downloads, and later this year Netflix streaming.  The Xbox 360 has proven to be a powerhouse in the graphics and features departments as well.  It also has the most solid online experience at this time.  However, the Xbox has been plagued since its release with what is called the “Red Ring of Death” (RROD).  This is a hardware failure that occurs when the Xbox becomes so overheated that certain soldered connections break.  Upon its initial launch this was a problem in approximately 30% of all units sold.  Ultimately Microsoft acknowledged the problem and started a replacement program, but this was after many denials and excuses.  However, most of the Xbox 360gamers stayed faithful and stuck with their platform.  I personally know some people that have had to have their box replaced 6 times, yet they still go back to the Xbox 360 for their gaming.  Newer Xbox 360’s have different, cooler, chips on the inside that prevent the RROD from occurring.  At this time Microsoft does not offer a handheld device… though rumors have been flying for years that one is in development.

Each of these camps have their strengths and weaknesses.   Each of these has a different strategy on how to market themselves, even though Sony and Microsoft are clearly competing for the same market. Next time I will dig more into the consoles, some gaming history, and a little bit about who I am, and why I blog.

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