PS3 vs 360 vs Wii

[Docpepper]

Sony fudged up the launch for the PS3 , and I won't be buying one at launch . I'll wait a few months to a year before I buy one. The main reasons I'm going to stick with Sony is simply because I have an extensive collection of of PS1/PS2 games and I'll be able to play them on the PS3 . Plus I'm loving what I've seen from Resistance Fall of Man , MGS4 , Heavenly Sword , Killzone and several other games.

I never could get into the Xbox , the controller hurt my hand and it seemed like to me it focused more on graphics than anything else . I played Halo , Halo 2 and toher games and thought to myself I could play stuff like this on my PC. The 360 has some interesting games that I'd love to play , Oblivion and Dead Rising spring to mind right now. The two main reasons I'm not jumping out to buy a 360 right now is because of the systems design(The controller just weirds me out and I can't play for long periods of time without my hands cramping) , and the Online gaming setup they use just isn't appealing to me . I like being able to go online whenever I want and play aginast friends and not have to pay for it.Even though I feel the PS3 will adopt a similar plan.

I'm skeptical of the Wii's remote and the fact the only games that look like they will be fun are Super Smash Brothers , and Twilight Princess.

if I do buy another system before the PS3 , it will be a Wii because of the ability to play old Nintendo games and such

[Corizzle]

Already got a 360, it's great.

I will possibly get a Wii at launch, if not then I will when enough good games are on it.

As much as I like to diss the PS3, I know I will probably buy one sooner or later, but it will probably be later with the price tag and not enough games that interest me.

[stokeriño]

I see people saying "I've got this, going to get this one, and I may possibly get the other one later". Maybe it's just a perculiar type of frugality bred into me from a young age, but the concept of buying two, let alone three, consoles from a single generation seems an extravagent outlay to me. I've only ever had one console from any single generation (Mega Drive -> Playstatation -> PS2), aside from when I was given a SNES for free and the SNES kind of proves my point. It was enough for me to keep up with buying all the games I wanted for the Mega Drive at the time, that the SNES fell to the wayside and I only ever owned four games for it in total. Frankly, some people have too much money. >_>

[Thatz]

I'm not really quite sure yet.

The PS3 is too expensive for me to get at launch, and it doesn't really have a ton of "must-have" games for me really, other than MGS4. There's a good chance that I'll get one, though.

I'm not entirely convinced that the Wii is the way to go, either. It's cheap, but I still enjoy the traditional way of playing games...I don't really care for the Wiimote. There's a decent chance of me picking one up.

The 360 is an alright option, though it doesn't really seem to do much for me. I might pick one up because it's cheaper than the PS3, and it's still pretty powerful. The chances of me buying one are slim, though.

To be honest, I don't really want any of the three very badly, which makes me sad. This generation I had a PS2 and a GCN, and I would've been satisfied with any of the three consoles. They all had good points. This generation, it's almost like I'm choosing which one has the least things that I dislike.

[MDP]

At launch, I doubt I will be getting any of these consoles. Eventually I will be getting the PS3 because it looks amazing, and the online feature for free is definatly something I lvoe about PlayStation, which is the only thing I sue my PS2 for, online play.

The Wii doesn't entice me with the interactive controller "wand" because some of the games that are compatible with it, are cheaply put together. However, even with the regular controller, I don't see any games that really appeal to me. But I think it's safe to say that Nintendo is back, after a third place finish in the last next-gen competition.

I actually got my first look at the 360 yesterday at a friends' house. The games look amazing and in HD, it would look even better. The gameplay was good, and I'm definatly going to get that to go with the new HD capabilities I just got. Although, some of the gaming titles don't quite entice me.

The PS3 is probably going to be the best selling console with great games like MSG4, and GTA4, which is one of the best franchises ever IMO. At a $600 tag, it really doesn't seem worth it. If it were $400 I would be buying this the day it launched, but I won't be touching it until it at least drops near there.

[zero]

especially since there's talk of future Guitar Hero games being multiplatform.

No talk, it's been confirmed.

Sony unveils a very interesting fact: the PS3 will be able to download PS1, PS2, Genesis and TurboGrafx games. Seems like everyone’s in on the retro.

Why would I need to download PS1 and PS2 games when I can probably find them much cheaper at used game stores and play them on the PS3? I suppose there's a convenience factor there, but that would be like downloading GameCube games when the Wii is backwards compatible with it.

Anyway, I have a 360, already a great system, but severely lacking in the Japanese-style RPG department. Also, as much as I love XBox Live, there is not enough of a focus on single-player gaming, hopefully the success of Dead Rising changes that.

I'll get a Wii, I've owned every Nintendo system ever, and I doubt I'll stop now. I don't do it because I'm a Nintendo fanboy, in fact, I've been nothing but disappointed in Nintendo since the N64. But they always give me a reason to buy their systems, the N64 had all the amazing multiplayer games like Goldeneye and No Mercy, the Cube had Eternal Darkness, Metroid, Resident Evil, etc. The Wii is a bit of crapshoot, but even if the system lacks the third party support like they have for the last two generations, there's still the huge library of old school games to download and not having to drag the SNES out of storage whenever I get a wild hair up my ass to play Super Mario RPG.

As of right now, I see absolutely no reason to buy a PS3. "Cell processor, Zero! Blu-Ray! 1080!" These things mean nothing to me. With all this horsepower, why do all the games look just like anything the 360 can do? Show me a must-have exclusive title besides Metal Gear. Show me something besides the THIRTEENTH Final Fantasy. Give me something original, give me something to justify blowing an entire paycheck just for the console itself.

[Hellfire]

But my problem with it is having to pay to play online. I have a fairly stable job, and even that way I cannot afford Xbox live. Imagine what it is like for teenagers without a job or rich parents?

[EWRFan]

Ok, some more specific questions regarding the consoles that will help me out a lot.

Is online gaming a deciding factor for purchase?

Is charging for online gaming a deciding factor before purchase?

The more powerful the better, or do you consider that great games is what counts?

For you to like a game, does it have to look really good?(in other words, graphics)

Is hard drive size a deciding factor before purchase?

Is DVD playback a deciding factor before purchase? (for movies and stuff)

Are game prices a deciding factor before purchase? (360 and PS3 games going for $60, Wii for $50)

Is HD support a deciding factor for purchase?

Those are some of the ones I like to know. I want to possibly split this article up in two or three entries and go over this issues and others indepth.

[TheCrippler]

I'll start with the Xbox 360, since I bought one yesterday (Y)

I'm impressed so far. I like pretty much everything about it, except for the bloody size of it and the fact that it's fucking LOUD. I have PGR3 which is very good. I'm not a particularly big fan of racing games in general, but it's an impressive game. Graphically it's stunning, and it's good fun to play. The online play is good too. I also picked up Elder Scrolls : Oblivion which I've got stuck into today for 4 or 5 hours, and it's really good so far. I like the look of several of the games already available (Dead Rising especialy) and there's some good stuff in the pipeline too. Also, it's already available and it's not 'ridiculously' priced (I paid £300 for the full setup, an extra wireless controller and the 2 games). The live membership doesn't bother me, £30 odd quid a year is just a few pounds a month, it's not gonna break the bank. It seems well supported by microsoft and it was real easy to set up (literally just plugged it in and I was away).

Downside seems to be that the majority of the extra content you can download costs money. after paying nearly 50 squid for most of the games, it irks me somewhat to be expected to pay extra for stuff that's probably gonna be free on other systems. Apparently EA sports games are terrible for this.

Wii

Looks interesting. I'm not convinced yet though. It seem's very original (which I like) but it also kinda runs the risk of being a bit of a novelty. I can see the motion senser thingy being overused and not enough 'normal' games being released. I just can't see a serious adult gamer choosing this over a PS3 or and Xbox. It seems like more of a second console to me. On the plus side it does have Mario and Zelda games guaranteed, and they never dissapoint.

PS3

For a long time I was mostly looking forward to this, not really bothering about the Xbox at all. It just seems now though that it's being delayed more and more all the time. It's also had a ridiculous price tag slapped on it (I really don't give a shit if it's blue-ray or not). I've kinda given up on it at the moment, hence the Xbox purchase. It's not being released untill march though I belive, so I'll reserve final judgement untill then. Hopefully if it is any good I'll have the funds to pick one up.

Overall I'm liking the Xbox the most, then PS3, then the Wii.

[Lord Nibbler]

Ok, some more specific questions regarding the consoles that will help me out a lot.

[stokeriño]

Is online gaming a deciding factor for purchase?

Is charging for online gaming a deciding factor before purchase?

The more powerful the better, or do you consider that great games is what counts?

For you to like a game, does it have to look really good?(in other words, graphics)

Is hard drive size a deciding factor before purchase?

Is DVD playback a deciding factor before purchase? (for movies and stuff)

Are game prices a deciding factor before purchase? (360 and PS3 games going for $60, Wii for $50)

Is HD support a deciding factor for purchase?

1. I'm not a fan of online gaming at all. I'd rather not mess with it for the near future at least, and I'd certainly hate to be forced into it. ¬_¬

2. And I'd REALLY hate to be charged for it. I already pay £40p/m for my broadband. It's the same as why any PC games (like MMORPGs, football managers etc.) that charge you monthly for online play get a big "fuck you" from me.

3. Obviously it's the gameplay that matters. Why do I still play on my Mega Drive? But if you can essentially get the same level of gameplay with better graphics...well, why not? >_>

4. Not really. Disgaea, for example, isn't all shiny. It has a basic isometric deal going, and the battle effects are cheesy as hell. It's still one of the most awesome console RPGs around though.

5. I've never had a console with a hard drive, so don't really understand what I'd use them for and how much space I'd realistically need. Sorry.

6. No. I already have a PC, a laptop, a PS2, and a NORMAL multi-region DVD player that can do that. I'm not intrested in things like Blu-Ray until they become more mainstream either.

7. I never pay more than £30 for a game these days. Whether that means I have to wait 4 or 5 months for it to show up second hand somewhere, then so be it. Prices of games at launch therefore mean little to me.

8. I haven't even shelled out for a £20 Freeview digital box yet. HDTV is years away for me.

Man, I sound like some sort of semi-technophobe, when all I really am is lazy and cheap.

Edited September 24, 2006 by stokeriño

[zero]

Is online gaming a deciding factor for purchase?

Absolutely. I don't want all games to be online, but I can't imagine playing a sports game, first person shooter, wrestling game, or fighting game without an online component. AI will never beat playing against a real person, look at the Smackdown games for proof of that, the AI is retarded, but online provides a challenge.

Is charging for online gaming a deciding factor before purchase?

It's a pain, but if you look back, it's quite similar to the arcade experience. And I paid a shitload more than $50 a year when the arcades were big, I spent that in two weeks. I'm willing to pay as long as there's a reason to. I'm not willing to pay extra though. I'll pay the $50 for XBox Live, but I'd refuse to pay an additional $10 a month to SquareEnix in order to play Final Fantasy online or something like that. The XBox Live fee should cover all online gaming.

The more powerful the better, or do you consider that great games is what counts?

It's all in the games. The XBox was the most powerful system last generation and I felt it was the weakest of the three when it game to a fulfilling gaming experience. It's all about the games.

For you to like a game, does it have to look really good?(in other words, graphics)

It depends. Imagine Halo without those graphics, it just wouldn't be the same. On the flipside of that, Dead Rising and Grand Theft Auto aren't the most visually appealing games ever and they're great. Same goes for timeless games like No Mercy or Fire Pro. It just depends on what kind of game it is.

Is hard drive size a deciding factor before purchase?

Not really, I'll buy what I want and then likely get the largest hard drive I can. For instance, I'm not going to buy a PS3 because of its huge hard drive, but if I decide to buy a PS3, I'll get the model with the biggest hard drive.

Is DVD playback a deciding factor before purchase? (for movies and stuff)

Not anymore, I have a DVD player. But it probably will when they decide which high-def format is going to become standard. If Blu-Ray takes off, I'm not going to pay $1000 for a Blu-Ray player when I can just get a PS3. But, by the time the war between HDDVD and Blu-Ray is settled, I'm sure most actual players will be more reasonably priced.

Are game prices a deciding factor before purchase? (360 and PS3 games going for $60, Wii for $50)

I wish it could be, but the consumer screwed themselves by buying those $60 "special edition" games the last couple years. Game prices are fucking ridiculous and unfortunately nothing will be done about it. I just don't understand how I can pay $20 and get a movie that cost over $100 million to produce, yet I have to pay $60 for a video game that didn't even cost a tenth of that to develop. I'm not saying games should be cheaper than DVDs because the audience isn't as big and there's the interactivity factor, but I don't see why games can't cost $30-$40

Is HD support a deciding factor for purchase?

Even though I have an HDTV, no, it's not. But once HD becomes mandatory for all television broadcasting (which is only a few years off), this question won't even be a factor.

Edited September 25, 2006 by Zero

[Fanku Kaibutsu]

The reason I brought up HD in reference to the 360 was that I've heard several times that there are some games(Dead Rising, specifically), where the font can't be read on normal TVs.

I think people are putting too much worth into the PS3 and Wii's launch titles(it's not as big of an issue here as on some other places I've seen, but still). The best games for a system, the games that make a system great, are almost never launch titles, and usually don't come out for a few years after launch. When the PS2 launched, the best games were, like, Timesplitters, SSX, Tekken Tag Tournament and Armored Core 2. Xbox had Dead or Alive 3, Halo and Max Payne. Gamecube had Smash Brothers... and that was about it.

So, to say '_____ isn't going to have enough good games to warrant buying it' before it launches is somewhat ignorant. It's going to take a couple years for any system to build up a good library of good games.

[zero]

So, to say '_____ isn't going to have enough good games to warrant buying it' before it launches is somewhat ignorant. It's going to take a couple years for any system to build up a good library of good games.

Yeah, but even past the launch, there were games on the horizon. What I was saying is the only game the PS3 has that looks worth a damn is MGS4 and that's not even coming out anywhere near the launch. At least with the PS2's weak launch, there were still tons of games to look forward to: Metal Gear, Twisted Metal, Grand Theft Auto, Gran Turismo 3, Final Fantasy X, and many more were all announced before the PS2's launch. And what are the major games we're waiting on now, almost seven years later? Metal Gear... Grand Theft Auto... Gran Turismo... Final Fantasy. See the problem? Not to mention GTA isn't even exclusive anymore.

[GoGo Yubari]

- Is online gaming a deciding factor for purchase?

Nope.

- Is charging for online gaming a deciding factor before purchase?

See above.

- The more powerful the better, or do you consider that great games is what counts?

The latter. I could not care less about having the most amazing state-of-the-art graphics on the market. As long as the gameplay is great, who cares? Video games are meant to be played, not to be stared at.

- For you to like a game, does it have to look really good?(in other words, graphics)

See above. Whoops.

- Is hard drive size a deciding factor before purchase?

Not really.

- Is DVD playback a deciding factor before purchase? (for movies and stuff)

I kind of have a DVD player and a laptop for that.

- Are game prices a deciding factor before purchase? (360 and PS3 games going for $60, Wii for $50)

A little, but not immensely so.

- Is HD support a deciding factor for purchase?

I don't have an HD TV. As long as it works on my normal TV I'm fine.

[Quom]

Is online gaming a deciding factor for purchase?

Since I'll be on dial-up for the forseeable future no it isn't. Although it would be nice if you could get games using the Wii's virtual console on dial-up which might be possible since they should be fairly small in size.

Is charging for online gaming a deciding factor before purchase?

If the service is good then I wouldn't mind paying. From what I've read the Xbox had a much better online service that was smoother than Sony's which to me would make the cost justifiable. Provided it was no greater than the price of a game per year. But like I said without BB It doesn't apply to me.

The more powerful the better, or do you consider that great games is what counts?

I have no idea what you mean by power? Graphics? If so they don't matter a turd to me. Provided they are better than current gen then I'm not too fussed.

For you to like a game, does it have to look really good?(in other words, graphics)

Nope provided it suits the gameplay graphics can be beyond simplistic and keep me happy (Animal Crossing for instance)

Is hard drive size a deciding factor before purchase?

To a degree, I want something to be able to save onto that won't cost additional money. However it's something that gets weighed up against the cost of the machine.

Is DVD playback a deciding factor before purchase? (for movies and stuff)

Nup because I already have a DVD player. The Blu-Ray may tempt me into a PS3 though depending on the price of stand-alone players.

Are game prices a deciding factor before purchase? (360 and PS3 games going for $60, Wii for $50)

Is HD support a deciding factor for purchase?

To a degree, but i have a feeling the market wil sort itself out. Plus over here you can pick the 360 games up for under $100 (which is the usual RRP of new PS2 games) a week after they come out anyway. HD support will only be a factor once I have a HD television. Once I can afford one I'm sure I could afford to grab a 360 anyway.

At the moment I'll be trying to grab a Wii on release (mainly due to the fact that Toys'r'us are giving a free game away with it (plus Wii sports obviously). Plus I was planning to get one eventually anyway. Out of the other two I'm undecided, but the Sony doesn't seem to have a hell of a lot more going for it than the 360 but costs twice the price. Beyond that most of the games I'd be likely to pick up seem to be multi-platform or can be balanced off by what the other machine offers i.e. Halo vs. God of War or whatever. So basically I'll be getting a Wii and then waiting to see who is going to win out of the 360 and the PS3 and grabbing it when it's much cheaper and all the bugs+extra shit is sorted out.

Edited September 25, 2006 by Quom

[crazedfan]

TOKYO - Sony Corp. said Friday it will slash the price of its much-anticipated PlayStation 3 video game console in Japan by 20 percent, heating up the competition in the next-generation gaming war against rivals Microsoft and Nintendo.

The announcement comes just days after Microsoft Corp. announced that it would roll out an external high definition DVD player for its Xbox 360 in an effort to match the PlayStation 3, due to be released in November with its own Blu-ray DVD technology. (MSNBC is a Microsoft - NBC joint venture.)

Sony Computer Entertainment President Ken Kutaragi, speaking at the Tokyo Game Show in Makuhari, just east of Tokyo, said the move was in response to consumer complaints the upcoming console was too pricey.

Sony will cut the domestic price of its basic PlayStation 3 model to 47,600 yen, or about $410, from an originally planned 59,800 yen, or $515. That puts the PlayStation 3 in the same range as the combined basic Xbox 360 and HD DVD player in Japan, where the duo will sell for 49,600 yen, or $427.

There are no plans to lower prices in the U.S. or other markets, Sony spokeswoman Nanako Kato said. In Japan, the game will hit stores on Nov. 11.

In the U.S., it will go on sale Nov. 17 at $499 for a 20 gigabyte hard drive version and at $599 for the 60 gigabyte version.

The decision could give Sony a badly needed boost at a time of embarrassing delays for the highly anticipated upgrade. Rival Nintendo Co. is also scheduled to release its next-generation Wii gaming system by year's end, while Xbox 360 has been selling in Japan since December 2005.

PlayStation 3, initially planned for earlier this year, has been postponed twice. Sony now expects to ship only 2 million units by year's end instead of an original projection of 4 million.

The price cut affects the basic PlayStation 3 model, which comes with a 20 gigabyte hard drive. Another upscale version of the PlayStation 3 will have a 60 gigabyte hard drive, but Sony is leaving its pricing to retailers.

Xbox 360 was rushed to market last year to get a headstart on its rivals, but it has seen sluggish sales in Japan, which is one of the world's biggest video game markets but one in which players have a deep loyalty to homegrown Sony.

Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft's decision to launch an HD DVD peripheral in Japan on Nov. 22, based on a rival format to Sony's Blu-ray, is seen as one attempt to eat into that base. The basic Xbox 360 doesn't come with any high-definition DVD capability.

Nintendo said last week its new Wii game console will arrive on schedule in the final quarter of the year, priced below both rivals, the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3.

Edited September 25, 2006 by crazedfan

[Quom]

Dude the PS3 is region free. If you buy a Jap one you can play American games. However it will have no warranty. Plus in certain countries you need a step-down power converter and what-not.

[Guest We Are Robots]

Is online gaming a deciding factor for purchase?

Not a massive one. My PC takes care of most of my online needs, I just want to play fun games and don't really care if they've got online or not. I am more concerned with offline multiplayer.

Is charging for online gaming a deciding factor before purchase?

Yes. Totally. I'm not paying to play a console online. Not a chance, that is BS.

The more powerful the better, or do you consider that great games is what counts?

The latter. The first choice... well, let's not even get into what I feel about the first choice. (It's not positive.)

For you to like a game, does it have to look really good?(in other words, graphics)

No. It has to play really good. On the other hand, a bad choice in art style can ruin a game for me (I don't care what you say, Wind Waker Link is not a character I can get behind as a hero, he is an annoying little imp).

Is hard drive size a deciding factor before purchase?

No.

Is DVD playback a deciding factor before purchase? (for movies and stuff)

Nah, I've got a standalone DVD player so I don't really care.

Are game prices a deciding factor before purchase? (360 and PS3 games going for $60, Wii for $50)

Yes. A big one.

Is HD support a deciding factor for purchase?

No. Don't have it, don't want it.

(Heh, anyone care to guess what console I'm getting?)

[stokeriño]

Dude the PS3 is region free. If you buy a Jap one you can play American games. However it will have no warranty. Plus in certain countries you need a step-down power converter and what-not.

I thought I read that that was confirmed as a lie...