Console Wars
When the Xbox 360 was released in 2005, touting its HD DVD player and a multitude of fantastic games, it was clear that Sony would have to manifest one hell of a next generation gaming console if it was to hold its ground.
Finally, in late 2006, Sony released the PS3. However, being one of the first devices to make use of the new Blu-ray format seemed too little, too late. The 360 had its foot deep between the cheeks of the video game market with a variety of smash hits like Halo 3 and Gears of War.
The fact that the 360 had gained simultaneous release of games that were planned to be PS3-exclusive, like Grand Theft Auto 4 and Ace Combat 6, didn’t help Sony’s game either. At this point, the PS3 cost more and had fewer games with no real hits. Things weren’t looking too good for the company that released the PS3’s award-winning predecessor, the PS2.
Finally, toward the end of 2008 Sony began announcing and releasing some PS3-exclusive hits that could potentially put them back on the scoreboard. Games such as Killzone 2 and Metal Gear Solid 4, some of the main reasons gamers purchased a PS3 to begin with, promised a pickup in the PS3 market.
On top of this, the Blu-ray vs. HD DVD ‘format wars’ had finally come to a close with Blu-ray on top, leaving PS3 the victor in video playback features.
Still, waiting on some of the more promising feature PS3 games like Killzone 2, it seems as though PS3 may have fallen off the map, leaving Xbox 360 still dominating the market between the two consoles.
The 360 simply had its foot in the door first and pumped out as many games as it could before PS3 ever had a chance. With some hits, and some bombs, the 360 seems to still have the majority of the popular vote from gamers today.
Sony has done all sorts of new things to bring the gaming population back to its side, including drastic measures like lowering prices, ditching smaller hard drive models, changing some of the specs to include more eco-friendly parts, making a Second Life knockoff called PlayStation Home, and even bringing backed the famed Rumble Pack.
Yet, despite the crashing and overheating issues that the 360 has been enduring it still hasn’t looked good for Sony, even in light of 2009 and its pending releases.
But where does that leave PS3 fans? Is loyalty enough? Or will many defect to the dark side (or the light side)? What about the other consoles? What about the PC? Nintendo’s Wii has been holding its own against both the 360 and the PS3 with its new game, Wii Fit. With many of the glorified new games being released on the PC as well, will some just simply go neutral like the Swedish in World War II and play on the PC? Or will they tough it out and pray that Killzone 2 is Sony’s messiah?
Sony still has PS4 and PS5 to retake its ground.
Published on January 27, 2009 at 12:00 pm
