I'm just curious about which way people are swinging with this next generation of consoles.

PS3: Ultra-powerful, a little spendy ($500-$600)
Features - plays Blu-Ray discs, partially motion-sensing controller
Notable franchises - Metal Gear Solid, God of War, Final Fantasy

Xbox360: Pretty powerful, middle-range price ($300-$400)
Features - good online system
Notable franchises - Halo, Perfect Dark, Dead or Alive

Wii: marginally more powerful than the current generation, least expensive ($250)
Features - full motion-sensing controls, large backlog of classic games
Notable franchises - Mario, Zelda, Metroid

We already have access to the Xbox360 and at about November we'll see the other two launch.

Zelda and Metroid always end up convincing me to get the Nintendo system, and I don't think this time is any different, especially given the prices we're seeing. But I might actually get one of the others. Xbox360 isn't off to a bad start, though PS3 has a chance if it can do something incredible enough to justify its pricetag to me.

What system(s) do you plan on getting?

PS2

XBOX (XBOX live)

NINTENDO 64

GAMEBOY SP

GAME BOY ADVANCED

GAMEBOY COLOR

GAMEBOY POCKET.

You're planning to get a Gameboy Pocket?

Oy.

Yes i like smashing old cheap junk, got a problem with it?

Xbox 360 and the Nintendo Wii. I just have Sony.

I'm thinkin' the PS3 would be all I need, so long as it can play games from the PS and PS2...

I know I'm going to get the Wii, I can afford that after saving for a month, and getting my employee discount (I work at T.R.U). I think it's just going to be an awesome system - plus, I've seen the LoZ demos. So awesome.

After that, as far as saving for a system goes, if I choose to, I'm leaning towards a 360. Square-Enix is supportive of the 360, so maybe a FF game on that platform - plus Halo, and the current Zombie game. As far as PS3 goes, the only reason I'd consider buying it is for FF, especially if they decide to make a FF7 remake.

I'm such a fan of the Wii.

I'm getting whatever system plays Smash Bros.

by 2009 i intend to have all of them.

viva la wiivelution.

oho, wiitarded joke.

I think Square-Enix are supporting Xbox 3600000001. I don't know if this means FF, but it's certainly one less plus point for the PS3.

Don't count on it. Square/Enix goes multiplatform only when it best suits them financially. So far, there are no plans to bring any new or official entries into either the Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest series to the Xbox 360. Square/Enix even stated the new Final Fantasy games simply aren't possible on the new Xbox due to space constraints. Not to mention they cater to the Japanese market and in Japan the Xbox 360 is already a massive failure.

Personally, I'll be getting all three. I will offer a word of warning, though. The Xbox 360 is not in any way cheaper than the PS3. You end up paying the difference one way or another. I picked one up recently and Microsoft really loves to nail you on the "optional" accessories.

.: isukun :.

Wii. No reason to get any other crappy systems.

I'm sticking with my SNES...

Wii definately. And maybe the PS3 eventually. I'm not touching the 360.

Wii first and then perhaps a PS3 later, once it's been released for a while and all the 360 developers start looking for get out clauses so they can re-release for the PS3.

I won't by either 360 or PS3 at full release price, because they aren't about games. They're about using games to sell Microsoft/Sony technology.

LIZARD_B1TE
Wii definately. And maybe the PS3 eventually. I'm not touching the 360.

But you will touch the wii? Wii toucher! ewwwwwwwwww :P

Ohoho, that ozone is a master of the wiit!

Wii will rock you.

Titch
I won't buy either 360 or PS3 at full release price, because they aren't about games. They're about using games to sell Microsoft/Sony technology.

That's an interesting point. Not that I don't think they're capable of releasing good games because of it, but yeah, they are just trying to get out new technology (like Blu Ray. I don't think DVD has been around long enough to necessitate replacement)

Blah, stupid consoles... I'll always be able to play great games on my PC. Consoles are a waste of money, they always release new ones every two years or so and never deliver all that they promise.
Blargh. :P

Inkmonkey

Titch
I won't buy either 360 or PS3 at full release price, because they aren't about games. They're about using games to sell Microsoft/Sony technology.

That's an interesting point. Not that I don't think they're capable of releasing good games because of it, but yeah, they are just trying to get out new technology (like Blu Ray. I don't think DVD has been around long enough to necessitate replacement)

If you talk to anyone who knows flip about hardware architecture (sp..) they would tell you that the way the PS3 and XBox 360 are designed is geared towards pretty graphics and away from gameplay. Resources that could be used for, say AI, are being used for graphics. If that isn't proof that they don't care about thier core market, I don't know what is.

At least Nintendo openly stated they aren't aiming to sell to gamers any more.

ozoneocean
Blah, stupid consoles... I'll always be able to play great games on my PC. Consoles are a waste of money, they always release new ones every two years or so and never deliver all that they promise.
Blargh. :P

I went through a phase for a while when I really felt like PC was the best place for your games... but right now I feel like PC gaming is in a slump, and its selection of games is not as good. Well, if you like World War 2 FPS games, that's not the case. I know there's other games, but not as much is interesting to me.

Thankfully the console cycle is more like 5 years, though... Because if we really did have to buy a new console every two years, I wouldn't bother.

I'd go for the ps3 and wii... but depending on the money I have and how much people are willing to pay for me on my birthday and or christmas... we'll have to see.

If you hadn't heard, the Wii is launching November 19th (two days after the PS3) and at $250. It comes with one remote, one nunchuck attachment, and Wii Sports. It will launch in the white color only.

While still cheaper than the Xbox360 and PS3, I feel like $250 is a bit steep for that "2 to 3 times stronger than a Gamecube" technology, even if it comes with a game. Not too steep though. I want to get it, but later on when they release it in black and we know how well the remote works.

Hey, if you haven't been paying attention to the Tokyo Game Show, Kutaragi announced some noteworthy PS3 stuff.

- The PS3 will be able to download and emulate Sega Master Drive, Genesis, and Turbografx games.

- Both SKUs of PS3 will come with HDMI out, not just the $600 one.

- The price of the 20GB PS3 has been lowered in Japan.

equinox
I don't care about graphics. Real gamers don't care how good the game looks. They play games for fun and entertainment.

Yeah, I agree with you. I'm just saying that the price of a console should be proportional to the level of technology inside it, and based on the Wii's technical ability I think the price should be a little bit lower. I do understand if some of the price is that advanced controller.

- The PS3 will be able to download and emulate Sega Master Drive, Genesis, and Turbografx games.

That's not that big a surprise. Sega and Hudson are pretty friendly to all platforms. Add that to the PSX and PS2 downloads and it sounds like a pretty comparable service to Nintendo's.

- Both SKUs of PS3 will come with HDMI out, not just the $600 one.

It's kind of odd. When it was first announced without it, the nay-sayers were really harping on the lack of HDMI and claiming the system was crippled because of it. Now the $500 system has the HDMI port and they're all like "whoopie, doesn't make up for the other losses." It really depresses me that people get so wrapped up in their devotion to one company or another that they're willing to totally write off when one company is actually catering to their fans while another is shafting them.

- The price of the 20GB PS3 has been lowered in Japan.

Unfortunately this doesn't mean a whole lot for us in the US. This is actually a pretty common occurance in the console market. Japan will get a price reduction right before launch and the prices stay the same in the US and Europe. Microsoft did the same thing, which I foundreally weird. They lowered the prices in Japan, but the people in their home country still had to pay more.

I do understand if some of the price is that advanced controller.

I really hope not. I don't like this new trend of selling controllers that are more expensive than the games. $70 for a controller on the 360 was inexcusable, Sony and Nintendo better not follow suit.

.: isukun :.

Expensive controlers discourages actually having friends.

online play is nothing compared to drinking shitloads of beer and crowding round a screen that is far too small and smashing your friends to bits at something, man those were the days, online multiplayer makes me sad.

I totally agree. Plus, most of my friends are into fighting games and nothing is more pointless than playing a fighting game online.

.: isukun :.

Plus you can shout at people without it getting garbled while sending (except from all the beer of course) and throw stuff at your friend who is being a rocket whore in real life, you can throw things over the internet...yet.

isukun
It's kind of odd. When it was first announced without it, the nay-sayers were really harping on the lack of HDMI and claiming the system was crippled because of it. Now the $500 system has the HDMI port and they're all like "whoopie, doesn't make up for the other losses." It really depresses me that people get so wrapped up in their devotion to one company or another that they're willing to totally write off when one company is actually catering to their fans while another is shafting them.

There isn't too much difference between the two different SKUs now, is there? I mean, isn't it just that the cheaper one will have ethernet instead of wireless internet, 20GB drive instead of 60GB, and... Well, I'm not sure of any other differences.

Isukun
I really hope not. I don't like this new trend of selling controllers that are more expensive than the games. $70 for a controller on the 360 was inexcusable, Sony and Nintendo better not follow suit.

Unfortunately, it's looking like Nintendo is. Their controller is $40 for the remote, $20 for the nunchuck attachment. Sure, some games don't need the nunchuck attachment, but I can only think of a few. This means you'd be paying $180 to fill out those four controller slots. I'm sure it's a sophisticated controller, but where's that mass-market price point you were talking about, Nintendo? I guess I'll be buying those extra controllers gradually.