Sunday, October 08, 2006

Why buy a PS3?

Haven't updated this blog in a while... but I've just been busy with other stuff. Will get back tot hat in another post though.

Today I wanted to bring the topic of PS3 up. Why should anyone buy one? When it was announced together with Wii (revolution back then) and 360 I ruled Microsoft out as a competitor. I knew Nintendo would succeed because of their smart audience targeting strategies. But comparing the Xbox to the Playstation the Playstation looked like a winner. On the paper.

Today we know better.

I am actually not gonna debate this myself, because others have don it so well before me. One of my most favourite arguments are those of Gaming Steve. Here's a post he did the 2nd of October:

As the PS3 launch fast approaches I keep asking myself a very simple question ... why would I want to buy a PS3? And if I'm asking this question, a person who has owned every single game console released since the Telstar, the so-called "hardcore" segment that Sony is banking on to buy their $600 monstrosity, I have to wonder who is going to buy the PS3 and why? I keep thinking to myself, why do I need to buy a $600 console which doesn't offer me anything I don't already have?

Blu-Ray? I already have hundreds of DVDs thank you very much.

Online access? I already have the Internet and Xbox Live.

New games? I already have more games than I can play for my Xbox 360/PC/PS2/DS. The last thing I need is more games.

Unique PS3 titles? I will say that Resistance: Fall of Man looks and plays great ... but so does Gears of War. And Gears of War doesn't require me to buy a new console to play.

So why do I need to buy a PS3 exactly? Why should I kill myself looking for a PS3 this holiday season and spend $600 for this system? Why?

I can not think of a single reason that I would want to buy the PS3 right now. Not a single one.

Perhaps in a few months if/when the PS3 gets its legs and finds its place in the console landscape. But right now all I see when I look at the PS3 is a bloated, overpriced console which offers me nothing new. I truly hope that Sony manages to get their act together and releases some awesome unique content in 2007, but right now I just don't see the need.

Now the Wii ... that's a different story.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wii rocks! I'm not really sold on the PS3, too expensive.

Anonymous said...

Let's face it, I am probably going to buy a PS3. But only if the price drops down to 250-350 dollars.

After all, Sony has a couple of series I wouldn't want to miss. In the same time I am going to be a realist - 600 dollars is way too much and nothing I could afford.

So here's hoping for massive Sony panic and massive price drops to save the system.

Although the situation with the PSP isn't giving me a lot of hope...

Johan Eklund said...

I never followed any PS-game series (that didn't make it to other systems in the end) really, so that's a dilemma I personally don't suffer from ;)

However I do still hope SOoy looses it's dominance and that the PS3 does suffer some kind of fluke, so that gamers do get a fair price for the console.

But as you say "the situation with the PSP isn't giving [...] a lot of hope..."

Anonymous said...

I can't see one exclusive launch title that is worth it. All I see is reruns and license games.

Wii for teh win, or something like that.

Anonymous said...

well.... my friend's dad went on a business trip to taiwann, and the next time i saw my friend, he told me he had 2 PS3's.

naturally, i dismissed the idea, stating that there is no way that Sony has got their act together yet.

the following day he brought both the user manuals to school with him (which are about an inch thick).
He really did have 2, but he wasnt allowed on them untill christmas (and this was around october/november time)

the day after boxing day i saw my friend. his dad had sold both consoles to someone in another leg of his business, because they were so dissapointing that he wanted his money back (and he obviously didnt want to go back to taiwann for it, because it would cost him a lot of money to get there).

nuff said