PS3 Momentum

Some time back I wrote a blog about the ever increasing success of the PS3. I use the word “success” as an expression of improvement, as with 14.4 million sales the PS3 is far from a “success” with the Xbox 360 at 20 million and the Wii at 30.

However, from where the PS3 started November 2006, vast improvements have been made. The phrase “Sony have finally gotten the finger out” is probably the most suitable one for this situation.

When launched, the PS3 faced much criticism; high price tag, no rumble, lack of games, PSN not as good as Xbox Live to name but a few. Now finally, after 2 years later (based on US release dates) these issues have been addressed if not solved completely. The expression most commonly used when describing the PS3 is that it was “over-engineered”. It did a hell of a lot of stuff, most notably being a Blu-Ray player. Upon its release that didn’t really matter as there was also the HD-DVD format. Since the “format war” is now over, Blu-Ray is king, and the PS3 is undisputedly the best Blu-Ray player on the market. Score number 1.

I recently got hold of a Dualshock 3, prior to release of MGS4, and my god thank Jesus H. Christ rumble is back. Playing games on PS3 used to feel very like there was something missing. And it was rumble. After getting hold of the DS3 my first game Resistance: Fall of Man felt like a whole new game, it was incredible. Really it actually was. Rumble gave R:FOM that edge it was missing, firing a gun felt right. And now that the DS3 is available all games now come with it featured as standard, and older games have since implemented it via an update.

It is also a strange history with the Playstations regarding games. When they first launch they always face criticism, and generally don’t have the greatest games in its first year. And then something happens. A Metal Gear Solid is released. MGS did it for the PS1, MGS2 did it for the PS2 and MGS4 has certainly done it for the PS3. The release of a new Metal Gear seems to kickstart not only sales of Sony’s consoles, but also the number of quality games that follow it. Already in the next 3 months there are 4 guaranteed quality games coming out, the latter 3 being Playstation 3 exclusive: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (September), LittleBigPlanet and Bioshock (October) and Resistance 2 (November). There are others of course like Motorstorm but I don’t plan buying it simply because it doesn't interest me. The idea that the PS3 had no games was more of an argument used by people who were too embarrassed to say “I can’t afford it, it’s too expensive”, and the masses have spoken…

Already, since last October, the PS3 has been outselling the Xbox 360 month by month, with some experts expecting the PS3 to overtake the 360 by next summer. Many people wonder why console sales matter, and it’s that the more sales, the larger the install base, therefore the more likely a company is to make a (good) game for that system. Is it any wonder why the PS2 is the unchallenged greatest console of all time?? 140 million sales to date = lots of $$$ = lots of quality games. Perfectly balanced.

With the success of more sales Sony has finally given people what they want. I wrote a blog earlier in the year about Firmware 2.40 which gave access to the XMB in game. Most recently Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune was patched with trophy support and I believe by the time this blog is posted, Warhawk will also have received its trophy patch. Trophy hunting is quite addictive and has added a great amount of replay value to Uncharted. With Sony saying that ALL previous PS3 games will be patched and all new games coming with trophies as standard, the difference between PSN and Xbox Live has been 90% eradicated, with the last 10% (i.e. game invites and chat) set to be eradicated with the release of Playstation Home which may in fact create a new gap between the two with the PSN out in front. And the great thing about PSN is……..it’s FREE!!! Microsoft’s justification for charging $50 for Live a year is coming under increasing scrutiny when PSN can do it for free and offer no lag for online games.

Actually I think I’ll take this moment to have a dig at some of the dickheads at Microsoft…

At E3, Microsoft claimed that both Sony and Nintendo were slacking off, whilst they were the only company innovating. The irony there possibly being that the only stuff they showed off was 1. a blatant copy of Nintendo Mii’s, 2. a 99.9% rip off of Singstar and 3. games which use a camera which seems remarkably like Playstation Eye. More recently, Cliffy B has come out saying that in comparison to Gears of War 2 – his game – Resistance 2 on PS3 simply falls short. That’s great how he knows a game that doesn’t come out till November is worse than his. What makes his dickheadedness even better is that when the CEO of Insomniac (the people who make Resistance 2), Ted Price, was asked the same question, he said “I couldn’t tell you, but what I do know is that if you own both an Xbox 360 and a PS3, you’re going to have a great Christmas”. Ten points for who can guess who the gentlemen is!

To sum it up, forget what I said last time about “then” being the best time to own/buy a PS3, NOW is! So go on, get out there now, they’re only €350. Go on, what are you reading this line for? GO NOW!!!!

~The Damo