Okay, here's the rundown. I'll simplify as best I can.
The Playstation 3 uses a new disc format called "Blu-Ray". this is a multimedia disc format that Sony is pushing to be the replacement for DVD. Nobody has much interest in the format, but here's the kicker. Blu-Ray discs have a small rewritable section on the inner ring, and Sony is rumored to be planning to use that sector of the disc to "sign" your games to your console. What that effectively means is, you would not be able to use your Playstation 3 games on any other PS3 than your own. What if your console breaks down? What if you want to play a game at a friend's house? If so, you're screwed. There are conflicting reports so far, and nobody knows for sure if Sony is actually going to go through with it or not. I would assume so because they loathe the used games and rental markets, and this would kill it off for PS3.
Next up, Sony wants to push digital distribution. What this means, is that they want to push the market to shift where people buy their games online rather than at stores such as Wal-Mart, Gamestop, or Best Buy. You would theoretically not have to leave your house to buy software, and would instead just pay full price at home to just download the game to your Playstation 3's hard drive. Here's the flaws. One, you don't actually physically own the game. If your Hard Drive dies, I suppose you could just redownload it for free "as long as Sony continues to support the PS3". You're good for the next seven years or so, but past that....what? Ka-Ching. All Hard Drive's wear out. It's inevitable. Now, the other factor is, your Hard Drive's capacity would limit how many games you could actually have on your system at once. Once you fill up the space, you're screwed. I suppose in theory, you could delete one to fill space, and download another, but that would only work if Sony allows you redownload games you already "paid for" later when you want to play them again. The Xbox 360 lets you transfer downloadable content to another Xbox 360, but when you delete it, it's deleated. Period. I don't see why Sony would be any different here. This is the thing Sony wants to push this generation. They will continue to sell games in stores for now, but what if those are being "signed" to your console? You're whole library depends on the lifespan of that box. Seems like a good way to get you to be more disapproving of discs in favor of something else huh?
Also, consider the fact that Sony plans to charge the same price for downloaded games as the actual store bought versions. This is a ripoff because with the downloadable version, they're not having to pay to distribute the disc, manfacture the disc, make the box, print the label, print the manual, nothing. They're just racking in more profits for something you don't even really own (just have as long as the hard drive lasts), and screwing you to do it. It's similar to the current situation with downloading music on virtual music stores such as itunes, but that's a rant for later.
Now, last but not least, Ken Kutaragi (CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment) has a new idea. If the simi-distant future (when internet speeds get fast enough, and believe me, we'll get there sooner than we all think), he has a plan to make it so that you never even get to downlaod the game at all. Instead, you pay full price, then the game is "streamed" to your system via the internet. The part of the game you are currently playing is downloaded to your system, but you never actually save it to a hard drive or anything. You just "pay to play", and you pay full price too. Also, Sony is raising game prices this generation to $60. What will they do when they've taken away physical discs and have you playing games off of their servers?
With this setup, you would have to have a fast internet connection that you pay for sepretately. Downloading games on current broadband speeds would still take upwards of two days, and you don't own it. If the future, he want to take away your ability to even have the game in any form at all. When it's done, it goes back to their servers. This is YEARS away, but if Sony gets their way....
The point is, as Gwg said, the PS3 is merely a device from Sony whose entire purpose of existance is to force the user to pay for things they don't really own, or have limited lifespans. The machine's main purpose is to get people to support the Blu-Ray format to replace DVD (which is COMPLETELY unnecessary) so that Sony can get licensing revenues off of every Blu-Ray movie sold in the world, because it is
their format.
Also, Sony is pushing a new video connection to replace Component video jacks. Component (high definition) & composite (red, yellow, white old style analog video) jacks are those multicolored jacks on the back of your TV that you hook the VCR/Tivo/Gaming consoles to. Sony's new format is HDMI. With it, they can dictate what home electronics can and cannot be connected to your TV. If that device could be used to pirate video in ANY way, it isn't allowed to work with your TV because the HDMI . Sony could abuse this any way they wanted if it became a standard. The possibilities are mindnumbing. Current video jacks can't do that, which is why Sony is so hellbent on pushing the industry to replace them. Thus far, they are the only ones pushing so hard, but that could change if the PS3 is suscessful as the PS3 is meant to push heavily twords this new video connection format. They backed off a bit after the negitive responce at E3, then pushed forward with their arrogance two weeks later.
This is why I am so hostile twoards the Playstation 3. The things Sony is doing are not just negitive for gaming, but for the whole entertainment world in general, as well as our pocketbooks. It's unnecessary, and justified. Plus, they intend to have only a couple of games available at launch. What did they ahve to say about this?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sony
We've built a certain brand equity over the years, so that even if there aren't any games available at launch, we'll still sell through the first 5,000,000.
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Yes, they really said. What is the point of a gaming console with no games? To be an expensive Blu-Ray trojan horse. The PS3 is a desaster, but it's an even bigger desaster if people support it.
I hope that clears up some of the issues at hand. :)
