This is disappointing. I got a PS3 as a blu-ray player but hoped for better games. Things just seem to be getting worse. The online experience is way below the Xbox, the games are more expensive, and its falling behind a a media player. The whole Netflix thing really pissed me off. Why doesn't Sony just shoot themselves in the head and get it over with.
The only way they could salvage things at this point it to really open up to new applications. Get full Hulu support. Go back and get Netflix running. The hardware has so much to offer but Sony is acting way too much like...Sony.
Sony has been adding in features. Things have been much better in 08 than they were in 07.
The biggest complaint with the PS3 was a lack of games. Sony responded with Resistance 2, MotoStorm: Pacific Rift, LittleBigPlanet and Metal Gear Solid 4. Those are all top quality games, and they're all exclusive to the PS3. On the non-exclusive front, the PS3 also got Fallout 3, Grand Theft Auto 4, Call of Duty, and loads more top quality games. In 2009, we should see Killzone 2 heading up another very good list of games.
The next biggest complaint with Sony was the online services. I've never used a 360, but I feel entirely satisfied with the PS3's online gaming experience. There's no gaping hole as far as I'm concerned, other than the disparity between EU and US stores. Sony tried to add to their offering with a video store and Home. The jury's still out on Home, but from my experiences with it, it'll be a fun addition once more content gets added.
Whilst all of that's been going on, Sony's added in-game music and XMB access and trophies (which according to reports are going to be mandatory next year). They've also added Flash 9 support to the browser, revamped Folding@Home, held numerous beta code scrambles, and cleaned up the XMB's account management features. The PSP has gained access to the PS Store from the device, and from next year all first-party releases will be available to buy online as a download.
Sony's made massive improvements to their gaming line-up. They've done well to address the biggest two parts of the PS3 that fell short. The one issue where they should have done more is the issue of price. The PS3 has dropped quite a lot over the year, but it still can't compete with cheaper consoles in an environment where people are in high debt and have little or no disposable income. The comfort Sony should take from this is that people likely aren't rejecting the PS3 because it has little to offer. Traditionally, Sony would continue to add new features and leave the price alone to try and make the purchase worth it. I don't think that will help them this time. People aren't buying not because they don't think it's worth it, but because they just don't have that much money, however much they would like to own one.
You say you have never used a 360, if you had, you would realize how extremely lacking the PS3 is in the software department. The 360 is incredibly smooth in its integration and how things work. The PS3 seems incredibly awkward in comparison.
The online experience, the music and video integration, friends, achievements etc, are all done so much better on the 360.
The games are getting close, and the PS3 wins on hardware, but it is not enough considering its poor software and higher price.
Between the two consoles it is so obvious which one is built by a software company and which one by a hardware company. Too bad the two couldn't join forces, they could team up and build the perfect console.
i've own and have used both and the only thing i like about the 360 is it's exclusive titles. my ps3 is older (first gen 80g) and it's quiter and has a bettter menu (IMO). The 360 which is a holiday pro is loud (damn dvd drive) and the menu is more confusing then learning linux.
I know Karl has not used a 360, and I don't know if Dusty has used a PS3, but the differences are slim these days. PS3 doesn't have (native) Netflix support, but you can browse Hulu over the fully functioning web browser. It's not a media center extender, but it's codec support is far and away better than what the 360 offers, including full, certified, DivX support. It also supports DLNA, which is as easy as sharing your WMP library with it. It's harder to stream from a Mac, but that's true with the 360 as well. And the stupid NXE is terrible compared to the XMB in my opinion.
As for online, Xbox Live leads PSN in a few areas, not the least of which is voice chat abilities. It's really a shame that you can't talk to other people while playing games, unless you're playing games with them. Also, the message center is not quite as streamlined. On the other hand, it's free, and online games run just as smoothly, and isn't that the main point?
As for games, Engadget's statement of a "lack of exclusive game titles" is the most ridiculous thing I've heard in a long time, and it's a sad argument that has long run it's course. Motorstorm, LittleBigPlanet, Metal Gear Solid 4, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, and Resistance 2 all are exclusives and all have done well either critically or in sales or both. And that's just this year. Last year you had Rachet and Clank and Uncharted, and next year you have Killzone, inFamous, Uncharted 2, and God of War 3. Xbox 360 has some exclusives too, but some of those (Gears 2) will eventually make their way to PC anyway, so they're only marginal exclusives. And the days of cross-platform games being better on 360 are long gone.
Sadly, it's obvious that price is the main thing holding the PS3 back. It's really a shame considering that (IMO) it is a high quality piece of hardware (and much more reliable than the 360 in my experience, not to mention quieter). But all these statements of lack of games and features is really old, and is just FUD spread by people who don't really know what they're talking about. If the PS3 drops to $300 next year, it will become quite a bit more competitive, and things may begin to turn around, especially as PS2 sales dwindle and people move on.
Now, if you want to complain about lack of software, features, and lots of delays... then point to the PSP. Sony has had tons of problems there and they are mainly to blame. But they're doing what they can for the PS3.
Netflix doesn't mean anything to anybody outside the US. Flash 9 support in the browser is arguably better. It means that, as a UK user, I can watch TV with BBC iPlayer, and US users can watch TV through Hulu. Oh, and as a UK user, I've also got PlayTV allowing me to watch Live TV on my PS3, upscaled much better than my MacBook with EyeTV does.
If Sony really are falling behind in the PS3 being a media machine, there's still lots that can be done, such as providing a native interface for these streaming web services. An application-like interface for Hulu or iPlayer straight from the XMB would ease navigation, and use the same Flash 9 streaming that is already supported on the PS3.
am i the only non retard here that actually knows that ps3 games and 360 games are the SAME PRICE. the only console games that are cheaper are ps2, and wii. am i the only one thats no drinking the koolaid here?
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This is disappointing. I got a PS3 as a blu-ray player but hoped for better games. Things just seem to be getting worse. The online experience is way below the Xbox, the games are more expensive, and its falling behind a a media player. The whole Netflix thing really pissed me off. Why doesn't Sony just shoot themselves in the head and get it over with.
The only way they could salvage things at this point it to really open up to new applications. Get full Hulu support. Go back and get Netflix running. The hardware has so much to offer but Sony is acting way too much like...Sony.
Sony has been adding in features. Things have been much better in 08 than they were in 07.
The biggest complaint with the PS3 was a lack of games. Sony responded with Resistance 2, MotoStorm: Pacific Rift, LittleBigPlanet and Metal Gear Solid 4. Those are all top quality games, and they're all exclusive to the PS3. On the non-exclusive front, the PS3 also got Fallout 3, Grand Theft Auto 4, Call of Duty, and loads more top quality games. In 2009, we should see Killzone 2 heading up another very good list of games.
The next biggest complaint with Sony was the online services. I've never used a 360, but I feel entirely satisfied with the PS3's online gaming experience. There's no gaping hole as far as I'm concerned, other than the disparity between EU and US stores. Sony tried to add to their offering with a video store and Home. The jury's still out on Home, but from my experiences with it, it'll be a fun addition once more content gets added.
Whilst all of that's been going on, Sony's added in-game music and XMB access and trophies (which according to reports are going to be mandatory next year). They've also added Flash 9 support to the browser, revamped Folding@Home, held numerous beta code scrambles, and cleaned up the XMB's account management features. The PSP has gained access to the PS Store from the device, and from next year all first-party releases will be available to buy online as a download.
Sony's made massive improvements to their gaming line-up. They've done well to address the biggest two parts of the PS3 that fell short. The one issue where they should have done more is the issue of price. The PS3 has dropped quite a lot over the year, but it still can't compete with cheaper consoles in an environment where people are in high debt and have little or no disposable income. The comfort Sony should take from this is that people likely aren't rejecting the PS3 because it has little to offer. Traditionally, Sony would continue to add new features and leave the price alone to try and make the purchase worth it. I don't think that will help them this time. People aren't buying not because they don't think it's worth it, but because they just don't have that much money, however much they would like to own one.
@ KarlW,
You say you have never used a 360, if you had, you would realize how extremely lacking the PS3 is in the software department. The 360 is incredibly smooth in its integration and how things work. The PS3 seems incredibly awkward in comparison.
The online experience, the music and video integration, friends, achievements etc, are all done so much better on the 360.
The games are getting close, and the PS3 wins on hardware, but it is not enough considering its poor software and higher price.
Between the two consoles it is so obvious which one is built by a software company and which one by a hardware company. Too bad the two couldn't join forces, they could team up and build the perfect console.
i've own and have used both and the only thing i like about the 360 is it's exclusive titles. my ps3 is older (first gen 80g) and it's quiter and has a bettter menu (IMO). The 360 which is a holiday pro is loud (damn dvd drive) and the menu is more confusing then learning linux.
@ Dusty and KarlW
I know Karl has not used a 360, and I don't know if Dusty has used a PS3, but the differences are slim these days. PS3 doesn't have (native) Netflix support, but you can browse Hulu over the fully functioning web browser. It's not a media center extender, but it's codec support is far and away better than what the 360 offers, including full, certified, DivX support. It also supports DLNA, which is as easy as sharing your WMP library with it. It's harder to stream from a Mac, but that's true with the 360 as well. And the stupid NXE is terrible compared to the XMB in my opinion.
As for online, Xbox Live leads PSN in a few areas, not the least of which is voice chat abilities. It's really a shame that you can't talk to other people while playing games, unless you're playing games with them. Also, the message center is not quite as streamlined. On the other hand, it's free, and online games run just as smoothly, and isn't that the main point?
As for games, Engadget's statement of a "lack of exclusive game titles" is the most ridiculous thing I've heard in a long time, and it's a sad argument that has long run it's course. Motorstorm, LittleBigPlanet, Metal Gear Solid 4, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, and Resistance 2 all are exclusives and all have done well either critically or in sales or both. And that's just this year. Last year you had Rachet and Clank and Uncharted, and next year you have Killzone, inFamous, Uncharted 2, and God of War 3. Xbox 360 has some exclusives too, but some of those (Gears 2) will eventually make their way to PC anyway, so they're only marginal exclusives. And the days of cross-platform games being better on 360 are long gone.
Sadly, it's obvious that price is the main thing holding the PS3 back. It's really a shame considering that (IMO) it is a high quality piece of hardware (and much more reliable than the 360 in my experience, not to mention quieter). But all these statements of lack of games and features is really old, and is just FUD spread by people who don't really know what they're talking about. If the PS3 drops to $300 next year, it will become quite a bit more competitive, and things may begin to turn around, especially as PS2 sales dwindle and people move on.
Now, if you want to complain about lack of software, features, and lots of delays... then point to the PSP. Sony has had tons of problems there and they are mainly to blame. But they're doing what they can for the PS3.
Netflix doesn't mean anything to anybody outside the US. Flash 9 support in the browser is arguably better. It means that, as a UK user, I can watch TV with BBC iPlayer, and US users can watch TV through Hulu. Oh, and as a UK user, I've also got PlayTV allowing me to watch Live TV on my PS3, upscaled much better than my MacBook with EyeTV does.
If Sony really are falling behind in the PS3 being a media machine, there's still lots that can be done, such as providing a native interface for these streaming web services. An application-like interface for Hulu or iPlayer straight from the XMB would ease navigation, and use the same Flash 9 streaming that is already supported on the PS3.
@ Johnson,
Yes, I have used the PS3 quite a bit. Multiple friends have it.
You are right that the PS3 can do most of what the 360 can, it is just so much EASIER to do it on the 360. Everything just works more seamlessly.
I agree with the games is a wash anymore, which I think I mentioned.
am i the only non retard here that actually knows that ps3 games and 360 games are the SAME PRICE. the only console games that are cheaper are ps2, and wii. am i the only one thats no drinking the koolaid here?