BAS (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} brokenattitude) wrote,@ 2006-11-13 10:47:00 |
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Development updates
It's been a long time coming, but I finally got around to starting this dev blog up. In here will be posted development progress at Broken Attitude Studios as well as other industry editorials and opinion pieces.
For today, I'd like to address those of you out there who are looking into getting a new videogame console system. Mostly, I'd like to address those of you who want to get a PS3 because of its Blu Ray technology.
As of right now, Blu Ray and HD-DVD are starting a format battle, which I am sure that you know of by now. The PS3 is offering its system, with a Blu Ray player, for $600 US. Microsoft is offering a $200 HD-DVD add on for its Xbox 360. Are these the best solutions? I say no.
Why, you might ask? It's simple. As of right now, there isn't a "must have" for either format, unless you are a home theater geek, and even for them, there's a better option. Many people have missed this article:
http://www.informationweek.com/industri
To sum it up, there are chips being made that will allow for a universal system, which can come out as early as next year. Why dish out money for one format when you can have a system that will play Blu Ray, HD-DVD as well as your current DVDs and other writeable media formats? Its only a year away, and there is only a TINY library of Blu Ray movies available this year. It'd be better to hedge your bets and get one of these universal systems.
It is in my opinion that Sony shot themselves in the foot by forcing Blu Ray onto people through its PS3. All of their production delays are because of the Blu Ray player inside the PS3, which are causing a very limited amount of units for launch. Also, Sony could have put out the PS3 for a much lower price, something in the $300-$400 range if they had a version of the PS3 that didn't have Blu Ray inside it. This would make it be a direct price competition with the other systems, and Sony would have clearly outsold.
A lot of people in the development industry are excited about the Cell technology in the PS3, but are put back by the cost of development for the system as well as the cost to the consumer. A lot of people are willing to pay $300 for a game system these days, but a lot of people are going to sit and wait for major price drops on a system that is $600. The game developers know this, and ultimately, unless people are willing to dish out that kind of cash, or are spoiled kids with rich parents, the number of units sold isnt going to impress these game developers. In turn, this means less games being made for the system.
Now, don't get me wrong, the PS3 games do look great, but do they look $600 great? THis also has to be factored in with the concept that the cost of game development is increasing with this system, which in turn is cost passed down to the customer. games are expected to reach as high as $75, which isn't something we have seen since the days of Nintendo 64 cartridges...and we all know how that turned out for Nintendo. Could the PS3 cause the same fall from power for Sony that Nintendo faced 2 game generations ago? Everyone in the industry says give it 2 years to determine that, so we will watch and wait.
Problem is, in the meantime, Microsoft and Nintendo are opening doors to independent developers like Broken Attitude, making it easy to develop for their systems. With these systems pulling all the new developers in and building good rapport with them, who does that leave for Sony except the standard bigshots like EA, Rockstar, and Activision? How many sequels to Grand Theft Auto before you want to play something new and original?
Sony needs to come down from the cloud its floating on, back down to earth. They might have to get burned by the industry and the fanbase in order to do that, though. A non-Blu Ray PS3 would be a step in the right direction, cheaper development kits for developers and an online distribution method for independent developers would be the security they need to maintain first place.
It's been a long time coming, but I finally got around to starting this dev blog up. In here will be posted development progress at Broken Attitude Studios as well as other industry editorials and opinion pieces.
For today, I'd like to address those of you out there who are looking into getting a new videogame console system. Mostly, I'd like to address those of you who want to get a PS3 because of its Blu Ray technology.
As of right now, Blu Ray and HD-DVD are starting a format battle, which I am sure that you know of by now. The PS3 is offering its system, with a Blu Ray player, for $600 US. Microsoft is offering a $200 HD-DVD add on for its Xbox 360. Are these the best solutions? I say no.
Why, you might ask? It's simple. As of right now, there isn't a "must have" for either format, unless you are a home theater geek, and even for them, there's a better option. Many people have missed this article:
http://www.informationweek.com/industri
To sum it up, there are chips being made that will allow for a universal system, which can come out as early as next year. Why dish out money for one format when you can have a system that will play Blu Ray, HD-DVD as well as your current DVDs and other writeable media formats? Its only a year away, and there is only a TINY library of Blu Ray movies available this year. It'd be better to hedge your bets and get one of these universal systems.
It is in my opinion that Sony shot themselves in the foot by forcing Blu Ray onto people through its PS3. All of their production delays are because of the Blu Ray player inside the PS3, which are causing a very limited amount of units for launch. Also, Sony could have put out the PS3 for a much lower price, something in the $300-$400 range if they had a version of the PS3 that didn't have Blu Ray inside it. This would make it be a direct price competition with the other systems, and Sony would have clearly outsold.
A lot of people in the development industry are excited about the Cell technology in the PS3, but are put back by the cost of development for the system as well as the cost to the consumer. A lot of people are willing to pay $300 for a game system these days, but a lot of people are going to sit and wait for major price drops on a system that is $600. The game developers know this, and ultimately, unless people are willing to dish out that kind of cash, or are spoiled kids with rich parents, the number of units sold isnt going to impress these game developers. In turn, this means less games being made for the system.
Now, don't get me wrong, the PS3 games do look great, but do they look $600 great? THis also has to be factored in with the concept that the cost of game development is increasing with this system, which in turn is cost passed down to the customer. games are expected to reach as high as $75, which isn't something we have seen since the days of Nintendo 64 cartridges...and we all know how that turned out for Nintendo. Could the PS3 cause the same fall from power for Sony that Nintendo faced 2 game generations ago? Everyone in the industry says give it 2 years to determine that, so we will watch and wait.
Problem is, in the meantime, Microsoft and Nintendo are opening doors to independent developers like Broken Attitude, making it easy to develop for their systems. With these systems pulling all the new developers in and building good rapport with them, who does that leave for Sony except the standard bigshots like EA, Rockstar, and Activision? How many sequels to Grand Theft Auto before you want to play something new and original?
Sony needs to come down from the cloud its floating on, back down to earth. They might have to get burned by the industry and the fanbase in order to do that, though. A non-Blu Ray PS3 would be a step in the right direction, cheaper development kits for developers and an online distribution method for independent developers would be the security they need to maintain first place.
