When will you buy a PS3, if you do buy one?

[rahzel]

In between my Wii, Xbox 360, and the HD DVD add-on drive I plan to buy for it, I don't really see the point of the PS3, especially for games. There aren't any games that I play that won't be on the Xbox 360, unlike the old days with PS2 exclusive releases. I would just like to take this moment to say that Crackdown on the Xbox 360 is awesome!

Maybe I'll get one for Blu-ray testing, but I'll probably just get a standalone dual format player when it's a bit more affordable.

for me, there are plenty of great exclusives for the ps3. i'm really looking forward to MGS4, Uncharted, Ratchet and Clank, Jak and Daxter, Gran Turismo 5, Resistance 2 (already have the first), Motorstorm 2 (already have the first), Tekken 6, Lair, Heavenly Sword, Killzone 2, Ninja Gaiden Sigma. i'm not into RPG's, but FFXIII and FFXIII vs will be big hits as well.

i also think that if any format comes out on top, it will be blu-ray; thanks in large part to the PS3.

as for the poll, i voted that i already have one, and i really enjoy it for both gaming and blu-ray movies, as well as the other things it can do, such as fold, internet browse, play videos etc.

[admin]

The FF series will be a big draw card for the PS3, although I'm not into these games either. But other "big" games like PES/WE and GTA won't be exclusive to the PS3 for any time period (unlike before, when you get the PS2 version first and then have to wait a few months for the other versions), and if anything, the Xbox 360 is likely to have exclusive content for these games (downloadable episodes for GTA IV, for example). Even Guitar Hero II is already out on the Xbox 360, with no PS3 version in sight, and when GH III is out, it will be out on all platforms. And what about C&C 3 for the PS3? I know consoles aren't the best for RTS games, but it works well on the Xbox 360.

As for Blu-ray vs HD DVD, I think it's a bit early to say who will win. I suspect neither will win, and we'll live with dual formats just like DVD±. If it were up to more technically minded people like us, then I think HD DVD will win due to it's (current) technical advantages (VC-1/H.264 vs old MPEG-2) and a more relaxed view on copy protection (AACS being optional for example on HD DVD, and mandatory on Blu-ray). Recommendations to friends, family by people like us, plus general discontent with the PS3 (in terms of pricing mainly), could really hurt Blu-ray in the long run, as will the ridiculous pricing on Blu-ray hardware compared to HD DVD at the moment.

[rahzel]

the only reason the 360 has any advantage at all securing exclusivity to games, is because currently, the user base is larger. however, as soon as the PS3's user base gets large enough (not necessarily up to par with the 360's) Sony will secure more exclusives. it's already nearly a 1/3 of the way there in just 4.5 months. i agree that this generation will not be like last, where Sony dominated. the only reason Sony was the lead platform for the majority of the big titles was because the PS2 had, by far, the largest user base. this generation, no one will dominate like the ps2 did. the majority of the big name titles will be multiplat, simply because the cost to make games these days.

as for Blu-ray vs HD-DVD, HD-DVD has NO technical advantages whatsoever. if anything, the opposite can be said. Blu-ray can use ANY compression method HD-DVD can use (VC-1, MPEG4/AVC, MPEG-2 etc). only some older blu-ray movies used MPEG-2. the majority of the later releases have used MPEG4/AVC or VC-1 and are up to par with HD-DVD. Blu-ray has the advantage of more space (15/30GB vs 25/50GB) and the production costs of both formats are nearly the same.

ever since the PS3's release, Blu-ray sales have been significantly higher than that of HD-DVD, and i don't see this changing anytime soon considering the PS3 is a blu-ray player (and a good one i might add). Blu-ray also has considerably more support, more drives/burners/players and more media, made by more companies.

i agree it is too early to tell who will win the format war; by the end of this year, well see a clearer picture. however, i think blu-ray has the clear advantage at this point, and i see nothing HD-DVD can do to turn the tables.

[admin]

Warner has been shipping VC-1 Blu-ray movies for some time now, which makes sense because they also support HD DVD and they can basically use the same transfer for both formats. When this happens, there is almost no technical differences between Blu-ray and HD DVD, unless they use 50 GB BD media and pack in more extra features (25 GB of extra features? Yes please!).

Paramount is still using MPEG-2 for Blu-ray and VC-1 for HD DVD, which seems like quite a waste of time to me, unless they are deliberately trying to make Blu-ray look bad (in both sense of the word). Fox uses MPEG-2 as well. With that said, a 50 GB MPEG-2 transfer would look the same if not better than a 30 GB VC-1 transfer.

The space constraints will be less of an issue if everyone encodes using AVC/VC-1 and when triple layer HD DVD becomes available (45 GB VC-1 encoding? It should be near flawless).

The problem for the Blu-ray camp is that VC-1 is Microsoft's format, so I'm not sure how willing they are to support it. MPEG-4/AVC is then the sensible choice, and Sony Pictures have started using it.

Hybrid discs (Blu-ray/HD DVD on the same disc) seems like a way to solve the dual format problems, along with dual format players. If this happens, people will wonder why we needed two formats in the first place.

Sorry to take this discussion away from gaming (infraction for off topic discussion?).

I do agree with the PS2 user base argument, although Microsoft and Nintendo are eating into it quite aggressively. I've visited a few forums, and lots of PS2 owners are keeping their PS2s for now, and will only consider a PS3 ugrade when absolutely necessary, citing lack of PS2 compatibility and lack of proper titles on the PS3 as their reason (us Australian/Europeans are getting a raw deal when it comes to compatibility, although it's not as bad as it looked when first announced).

Being released almost a year after the Xbox 360, the PS3 really need to start showing that it is technically (graphically) better than the Xbox. Otherwise it's down to the quality of the games themselves.

Microsoft also has some advantages, Windows Live Messenger support and Xbox Live link-up with PCs for example. And developing games for the Xbox 360 means it can easily be ported to the PC at the same time. They need to add a web browser to the Xbox 360 though - the Wii equivalent is already great for watching movies and TV shows on YouTube/Dailymotion/...

Wii sales might grow stronger once the Mario games are released, not to mention the next Zelda (this time a proper Wii game hopefully, not just a "mirrored" Gamecube game). And if Lucasarts ever release a Star Wars lightsaber game on the Wii, I wonder what the reaction will be...

[rahzel]

well, the compression methods are there for blu-ray; it's just up to the studios in which they use. and 50GB may not be used up for movies or games, but there is potential there, and media will not only be used for movies/games, but storage as well.

Microsoft has had a years head start, and has only sold roughly 10m. there are already roughly 3m PS3's sold. 7m can be made up in a single year if Sony plays its cards right. Sony still has a lot of tricks up their sleeves that will sell tons of consoles, such as Home, Little Big Planet, MGS4, FF, GT and God of War 3. theres still another 6-7+ years before this war ends, and i just don't see Microsoft running away with the title like the PS2 did last gen. in the rate the Wii is selling, it has a shot, but i don't see the Wii as direct competition for Microsoft or Sony anymore. it's just a totally different machine, targeted at a different audience, inferior in power, and its cheaper than the other 2.

it's far too early to decide the outcome of the console or the format war, but i think the ps3 and blu-ray has a legitimate shot at coming out on top.

[fishboy]

i hate sony anyway ,if it was retro compatible i would think about getting won in a year or two but its not so why bother
i think the whole project is a big blunder for sony