While I haven't written about games in a while, Tom Samiljan (who I once had the pleasure of watching Ultimate Fighting Championship with, live in Atlantic City) has a nice piece that runs down the next gen console offerings. Here's my take:
At first glance, the Wii is your console if you're looking to get onboard with the new gaming market without breaking the bank or ruining your sex life. It's got the lowest price by far, and if you're reading this blog, you might as well accept that you don't have an easy $600 bucks to spend on a gaming console. It also offers some truly new things... like the motion sensor interface and Wi-Fi and a downloadable library of new titles. It also offers a great launch title: Twilight Princess.
Do not, though, count out PS3 or Xbox 360. These systems have had rocky starts, but that's for two basic reasons:
1. Most people aren't gearheads who give a crap about 480p vs 1080p. If you're not someone who worries about component cables or HD TV, etc, etc...then you won't be able to tell much of a difference graphically. Are you jonesing for Blu-Ray, or have you never heard of Blu-Ray? That's what I thought.
2. Games. Consoles do not sell themselves...people buy games. Wii, for its pittance of a price, offers up a great launch title that people will want to play. When will most gamers surrender to Microsoft or Sony? When Grand Theft Auto and Halo come out, respectively, for the next gen. They'll buy the consoles to play those games...and not before.
In the end, it's fantastic to see Ninetendo primed to take up some of the market real estate they lost to the messy release of the Gamecube. PS3 is stalling in its launch, and Xbox 360 is grand, but its launch titles failed to captivate. Neither of these giants are about to go anywhere, though. They're just going to have to settle for hardcore gamers until their most popular titles hit the streets. Wii, though, won't have that problem.
Mario Party anyone?
About Me
- Freeman
- Matthew Freeman is a Brooklyn based playwright with a BFA from Emerson College. His plays include THE DEATH OF KING ARTHUR, REASONS FOR MOVING, THE GREAT ESCAPE, THE AMERICANS, THE WHITE SWALLOW, AN INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR, THE MOST WONDERFUL LOVE, WHEN IS A CLOCK, GLEE CLUB, THAT OLD SOFT SHOE and BRANDYWINE DISTILLERY FIRE. He served as Assistant Producer and Senior Writer for the live webcast from Times Square on New Year's Eve 2010-2012. As a freelance writer, he has contributed to Gamespy, Premiere, Complex Magazine, Maxim Online, and MTV Magazine. His plays have been published by Playscripts, Inc., New York Theatre Experience, and Samuel French.
2 comments:
Ill settle for just kicking your ass in boxing. No need for fancy bells and whistles.
Never been a gamer. Ever. Never owned any game console in my life, not an Atari, not a Commodore, certainly nothing made by Nintendo. And even I'm intrigued by this Wii thing. Clearly I'm the target demographic for this gizmo, and I just might look into one. After the initial launch hoopla is over, though.
Post a Comment