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- shinythingy, on 02/13/2008, -22/+161It was/is a deciding factor in the format war and it was a good move on their behalf.
- ProKid, on 02/13/2008, -50/+158I never understood all the hate behind the BluRay drive. Sure it did drive the prices up, but at the same time it was an evolutionary step in Video games. As was the PS2 when it came out with a DVD drive. SONY was right, the next gen starts when they say so.
- xTRUMANx, on 02/13/2008, -22/+109Digg won't give Sony any credit until they Sony beats MS in number of consoles sold. Then I suppose, Digg will turn into an xbox bashing site.
- Shogi, on 02/13/2008, -20/+63It'll never get credit, because now that the Sony bashers are wrong about Blu-Ray losing, they're just going to choose some other reason to bash Sony.
- EatingPie, on 02/13/2008, -4/+45Sony did NOT start the format war. You didn't pay attention to the HD-DVD group at the beginning...
Blu-Ray was to market two years prior to the format war, proving Blu-Ray a viable recordable format in Japan. Sony -- and somewhere between eight and twelve others -- wanted Blu-Ray adopted as the next gen DVD. Toshiba and NEC rushed out their spec for AOD because they didn't want Sony (and others) to get the huge royalties that the future format would bring. Read that again, Blu-Ray was first, had support, and AOD was rushed.
A vote for format was forced twice for AOD, both times shot down due to abstentions -- even Sony abstained. Finally, Toshiba became the leader of the DVD group -- not unscrupulous, this was a scheduled leadership change. What WAS unscrupulous, Toshiba added several companies to voting capacity in the DVD group -- all of which supported AOD. They ALSO changed the rules so that abstentions were not counted at all in the percentage of votes. Then they called a vote, and lo and behold AOD won and became HD-DVD.
THEN the Blu-Ray supporters formed the BDA and went it alone against HD-DVD.
As evidence of the AOD rush... try buying an HD-DVD burner. Currently you can only get them if you purchase a ~$3000.00 Toshiba Laptop. That's the ONLY way to get an HD-DVD burner, and it only does single layer (15GB). While Blu-Ray burners were available from Day 1, have at least 3 companies making them, can do dual layer (50GB) and 6x.
We can argue all we want about the move to form the BDA. But understanding that Toshiba, NEC, et. al, played very dirty pool is imperative. To think that Sony was the sole "culprit" in this, with Toshiba coming out as some "Golden Child" (as the article says) is the height of ignorance.
-Pie - etruscan, on 02/13/2008, -16/+54It's a good article that nicely tidies away some of the (now) illogical arguments against the PS3. Sony's console may have looked like a dark horse in the beginning, but they've turned a corner. The PS3 is now on par with the 360 in terms of pricing, but you get a blu-ray player in the process.
The PS3 doesn't have as many games (yet) but they have the more intriguing lineup for 2008 so far, with exclusive titles like MGS 4, Killzone 2, LittleBigPlanet, GT5, Resistance 2, and Wardevil coming at us. I know... Gears Of War 2... gonna be a great game - Halo Wars... tired franchise now, but could still be fun. Aside from those, however, the Xbox doesn't have very much to look forward to (speaking in terms of exclusives).
I look forward to seeing how far Sony can push the PS3 and how far devs are willing to go to accomodate it, especially if the sales numbers continue to rise. - theaceoffire, on 02/13/2008, -9/+37Its expected. There was a lot of angry fans on both sides of the fence, throwing some hateful things around. Xbox fans cursing and laughing at Sony fans propagandizing and deriding.
I am just glad that it has settled down now, and we can finally start gaming. - need2digg, on 02/13/2008, -17/+45Sony actually sold more PS3s to customers last year than Microsoft sold 360s to customers. Forget the 'shipped to distributors' figures - the sales-to-consumers numbers show that the PS3 was in second place for 2007. The Wii outsold everyone 3:1, but then it is also three times cheaper. Both MS and Sony made more revenue on their sales. Forget the internet anti-hype - the facts speak for themselves. Blu-Ray was an inspired choice and with the news that Netflix have moved exclusively to BD, the war s all but over.
- Abno, on 02/13/2008, -7/+34Blu-ray is not just one company, it's a consortium as well.
And Blu-ray was also the first group formed to offer a technological solution for the growing demands of extra space needed to hold HD content. 'HD-DVD' wasn't formed until over a year after blu-ray announced their plans to create a format.
Just because you haven't seen a game that can't be done on dvd doesn't mean they don't exist. You'll likely make an assumption that all those exclusives whose developers claim blu-ray is needed is biased(Insomniac, Rockstar, Naughty Dog, Kojima productions, Square Enix). And then you'll ignore the developers of open world games who admitted the storage capacity of dvd has been a hurdle for them (Assassin's Creed, GTA4).
Load times? They won't be faster with a simple install (Devil May Cry 4) or games that use a streaming tech like in Uncharted (no loads, no install thanks the blu-ray and guaranteed HDD to cache data). - Topher06, on 02/13/2008, -11/+36Hmm, not sure which brand of crack your on, but your delusion is grand. I agree that the PS3 was overly expensive on release, but anybody that doesn't believe that Sony had more then a 3 month gameplan with the PS3 is smoking some pretty strong sh*t. Sony dropped the price to $399 less then a year later and sold 5 million units in just 3 months because of it (i.e. most people freaken want the PS3!). There are suggestions that with a new smaller CPU and cheaper Blu-ray hardware costs the PS3 could drop to $299. The PS3 is already becoming a very affordable game console only 14 months after release without comprimising on features, with the exception of PS2 compatibilty which Sony found out was not as important a selling point as price. It offers much better value then the Wii or 360 because it can handle next generation multimedia without an expensive add on (or at all as in the case of the Wii, not even DVD support), and many game companies are starting to complain that their ability to innovate and create compelling next generation games is severly limited with capacity of DVD media. 25gb > 9gb, and any game developer is going to start wanting more space as larger gaming worlds are created full of rich high def content.
IMHO, Sony created the ONLY next-generation game console because they put some forethough into the hardware. It will suppot a new generation of Blu-ray movies, has the ability to support multimedia streaming when that takes off, and has a lot of untapped potential under the hood that game developers are not even aware of yet. The most sophisticated games to date on the PS3 are only using about half of the Cell processing power and most ports that are easly handled by the PS3 are not even tapping into its full potential (i.e. it can handle anything designed for the Xbox without breaking a sweat). Pretty much Sony has stated that they intend the PS3 to remain relevant for 10 years, you can't maintain a decade of innovation using last generation technology. Sure, Sony could have released a cheaper game console using yesterday's technology and off the shelf components just like Nintendo and Microsoft did, heck, neither of them used HDMI on release, but I think both Nintendo and Microsoft are going to find they are going to have to release a new game console within 5 years just to compete with the PS3 as it will slowly and surely dominate them if they don't. A lot of the same complaints were made about the PS2, and it went on to sell over 120 million units worldwide in over 8 years and STILL rivals all next generation consoles in sales, neither Nintendo nor Microsoft can claim those numbers for any single generation of game platform.
The bottom line is, Sony know a hell of a lot more about what they are doing in the game industry of all the anti-PS3 naysayers do, I am putting my money on Sony that they have created the winner in this generation of console wars. - charlescheese, on 02/13/2008, -10/+35Maybe, but I think the long term prospects of the PS3 are MUCH greater now because it's a bluray player and game device. I also think there is a LOT of horsepower under the hood that has just begun to be tapped.
- krische, on 02/13/2008, -8/+31Quit acting like HD-DVD didn't have DRM.
- joshcxa, on 02/13/2008, -8/+29MGS > SC
- charlescheese, on 02/13/2008, -15/+36I love that my PS3 does it all and is a high def game AND movie player. That's why I bought it. I love my devices to do more than one thing. That's why I use my computer for business, pleasure, and to play games. Anytime a purchase can do more than one thing that I'll use, I'm all for that.
- evozero, on 02/13/2008, -5/+25I don't think a lot of playstation gamers felt used and betrayed. Everyone I know except myself with ps3's use them for ps3 games and as a blu-ray player.
I think the whole price thing is a significant issue. Many people won't touch it until it gets to $299 or even $199 but as it was indicated before it's release the ps3 will quickly come down due to a drop in component prices. I still think a 60gb ps3 is a better value at $500 than a wii is at $250 but to each his own. - wild, on 02/13/2008, -2/+22Crazy thing is, LittleBigPlanet is the reason I want a PS3. That game looks fantastic.
Its like when I saw Geo Wars for the first time. Its the little games that get me excited for the big consoles. Who knew? - rothbart, on 02/13/2008, -6/+24@chris9902: But from the get-go, Blu-ray _always_ had superior studio and manufacturer support. From the get-go it looked like a slam dunk decision. Then HD-DVD beat them to the market, they faced blue-laser diode shortages, early BR players were really expensive and early BR movies were Mpeg-2 encoded. At _that_ time, HD-DVD had a huge chance to dominate but apparently failed to lure the right partners to their side... they grabbed Paramount and Dreamworks and still had Universal (who had the option of being format neutral from the start). Despite being first to market, having combo discs, having cheaper players with arguably more features (until recently), HD-DVD blew any chance Sony gave them... so it wasn't flawlessly played by either side, but the decision was sound and it looks like the outcome is as originally suspected but damn if there wasn't a mess in the middle (that consumers ultimately have paid for).
- santaliqueur, on 02/13/2008, -1/+17"The Wii outsold everyone 3:1, but then it is also three times cheaper"
3x cheaper? I'd love to see your math on that one. - Zamfir, on 02/13/2008, -6/+22Personally, I prefer to watch movies in my entertainment room on a large HDTV...
- krische, on 02/13/2008, -3/+19Yes, but sitting on a couch with a mouse and keyboard to play games is awkward. Trust me, I've tried.
- Haohmaru, on 02/13/2008, -3/+17Sony took a gamble. And it looks like it's going to pay off.
I'm sure MS is glad their HD-DVD player isn't internal. - Dgen_X, on 02/13/2008, -11/+25I'll give Sony credit for this risky move that looks even more like a great move every day.
I just don't have the need, right now...to pick up a PS3 to supplement my 360, yeah the 360 cost just as much as the new 40gb PS3. But the exclusives just don't justify the cost right now (MGS4 and Blu-Ray winning the 'war' might change things..but we'll see) - spoiled1, on 02/13/2008, -1/+15Isn't iTunes songs DRMed? And still they get so much love.
- inactive, on 02/13/2008, -5/+18wrong wrong and wrong
*Format is no more unfinished that HD-DVD.
*Spec is upgradeable if 1.1 spec was followed. Blame Samsung for your 1.0 Bluray spec player.
*Region coding? Not required by spec. As it is games are not encoded regionally anymore. - roxya, on 02/13/2008, -8/+21Oh the bitter tears of someone who bought a HD-DVD player...... heh.
- chris9902, on 02/13/2008, -14/+27Hindsight is 20/20.
NOW it looks like a good idea but in 2006/2007 it was a very poor idea. They had no idea blu-ray would be the "winner" of the format war so were asking customers to take a massive gamble. That's why they've lost so much respect and so many sales.
Will the Ps3 outsell everything? of course. But it's given Microsoft and Nintendo a way back in. Something they never should've had if Sony had done a better job with the Ps3 launch. - inactive, on 02/13/2008, -5/+17do you know how much workaround they have to do if they put a game on multi discs?
- dasdef, on 02/13/2008, -3/+15get off your high horse. no one cares
- inactive, on 02/13/2008, -9/+21fail along with hddvd
- triplehelix, on 02/13/2008, -1/+13elint, blu-ray brings it down to just 3 regions, and it allows movies to be released on disk in one region, while its still in theaters in another. with hd-dvd movies had to be delayed before they were released on disc until it was out of theaters globally. also the blu-ray consortium has dictated that region codes have to be absent from new pressings a maximum of 1 year after release, so if you hate region codes that much, go ahead and wait like you would with hd-dvd for a region code free version to be released.
- mdaize, on 02/13/2008, -4/+16how is it NOT a smart move...
We are close to maxing out the current DVD9 format for gaming as gfx and gameplay becomes more involved and detailed.
Haveing 25/50gb over 9gb is more of a blessing then a hinder for gamers as it'll allow deeper field of play without losing quality based on size limitations... - Ndiggnation, on 02/13/2008, -2/+13You're right about MGS being on it's 6th or 7th interation, but they all do play differently and are nearly all in different settings..
MGS and SC are both good games in their own right too..I have all the of the up to current (even the GameCube remakes) versions of each and still play them regularly. - triplehelix, on 02/13/2008, -3/+14alien, i'm assuming your not aware that blu-ray is out selling dvd's at the same point in both formats life? i'm also assuming your under the impression that dvds replacement of vhs happened "overnight"? i'll also have to assume that you think your personal access to broadband is somehow indicative of the majority of the country, not realizing that the incredible lack of infrastructure will prevent hd-downloads taking the top spot for quite awhile.
i think there is an excellent chance that downloads are the format that replace blu-ray, but if i were a betting man, i'd bet that blu-ray enjoys the average 10 year or so lifespan that media formats normally enjoy before that happens. - traveler19, on 02/13/2008, -3/+14You act as if microsoft doesn't do evil either. Their both ***** companies. If microsoft was in the Movie/music industry as well, you'd see the same ***** on the 360, and rootkit galore on their Operating systems.
- fallenrayne, on 02/13/2008, -1/+12@slicecom
You are kidding right? I am mostly a console gamer due to the convienence, but to say that PC has no where near the selection of games is kinda silly. They have a lot of the games that are released on consoles plus a lot of exclusives that never come to console or they come years later. If you get bored of those there are a ton of games that have been released over the years that are pretty amazing games. If you get bored of all of those there are a million flash games to play on various sites. I would hardly say that PC has a smaller selection of games than the consoles. - superkendall, on 02/13/2008, -4/+15Lots of us knew Blu-Ray would be the winner of the format war in 2006. Sony knew at that point the 360 would not have an HD-DVD drive so between the greater studio support and other Blu-Ray advantages, so including Blu-Ray in the PS3 was a very obvious way to ensure victory for the format - even being more expensive Sony knew that a lot more people would buy game systems than standalone HD players, at least initially. I've been saying this same thing for over a year and I don't have the resources Sony has to examine the market - you don't make a "bet" on that scale without being pretty sure of the outcome. At least you don't if you are Japanese (cultural thing).
- macromorgan, on 02/13/2008, -0/+11Please research better. Every PS3 sold can play PSOne games. It's the PS2 backwards compatability that varies.
- wild, on 02/13/2008, -10/+21The faster load times because of a perception in slower drive speed has been shown to be minimal at best. Its just not there.
And while we're on the subject of load times, lets compare Devil May Cry 4, where the PS3 having an HDD standard allows for an install that drastically reduces loading.
Sony should get some due for sticking to their guns and setting a high bar. And this comes from someone with 30 Xbox360 games and ZERO PS3 games. I don't even have a PS3. Yet. - triplehelix, on 02/13/2008, -4/+14so did you feel the same way about the ps1 including the CD drive, and the ps2 including the DVD drive?
- jacksons98, on 02/13/2008, -6/+16Charging people for something that has always been free and still is everywhere else. Good for X360 owners. You guys can keep that future to yourselves. I enjoy gaming with my family and friends for free.
- Ndiggnation, on 02/13/2008, -5/+15Blu-Ray isn't the only thing with DRM..
- dasdef, on 02/13/2008, -16/+26sorry, but no. Sony's GUI is definitely better than xbox 360's slow and clunky GUI. Its so much easier to get to where you want with the XMB
- PleaseJustDie, on 02/13/2008, -1/+10I buy them, they play fine, so works for me. Honestly I don't think I'd want to start ripping blue ray disks anyway, I'm not made of hard disk space.
- superkendall, on 02/13/2008, -2/+11Look at PS3 sales the week after the Warner announcement for obvious proof.
- dafragsta, on 02/13/2008, -4/+13Is it just me or is "Sarcastic Gamer" a terrible name for a site. It lacks creativity and humor and smacks of "we really didn't put much thought into this." It's almost a generic title used to parody sites like PA or SomethingAwful who beat them to the punch at being both sarcastic and gamers.
- triplehelix, on 02/13/2008, -1/+10so the cd drive in the ps1, and the dvd drive in the ps2 didn't benefit gamers? of course it did, and the blu-ray drive will be no different.
- drlha, on 02/13/2008, -2/+11I have an 32" HDTV and can tell the difference between DVD and Blu-Ray. Specifically I have compared the difference between the DVD and Blu-Ray releases of "Planet Earth" and the differences are very noticable, especially when there are a large number of small things on the screen (e.g. flocks of birds, wildebeest on the move from above). That said, I do sit pretty close to my TV as my living room is small (hence the 32").
- inactive, on 02/13/2008, -4/+13But I mean....Sony designed and developed Blu-Ray after the creation of the blue-laser diodes. Once it was viable, of course they were going to put it in the PS3. Keep in mind, the PS3 is what launched Blu-Ray and propelled it to its current status. So why does Sony need additional credit? It would've been silly to develop BR and then include HDDVD or some other format on their premier gaming station. This is just another example of a pointless digg entry that made it to the front page but does little or nothing above confirming common sense.
I mean, really. - Abno, on 02/13/2008, -5/+14Blu-ray was the first HD format planned out of the two, not the other way around.
- volacide, on 02/13/2008, -0/+9I fail to see how they screwed us? How did we not benefit from Blu-Ray and amazing 1080p picture quality? I don't have the HDD space to download 1080p quality movies from some digital delivery service.
Sure they're making tons of money and a lot of profit, but what industry doesn't overprice their products and make lots of money? That's the way of the world. No one's getting screwed if they enjoy what they're purchasing. Value is in the eye of the beholder. -
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