Just in case you haven’t spent enough money on your PS3, there’s a hot new attachment, just in time for the holidays: a wireless keypad add-on designed to make communicating simple.
At $49.99, the add-on may seem a little expensive, particularly when most gamers gravitate toward voice-communication in online gaming, but sometimes a little typing is necessary. The keypad can also be used with the PS3’s web browser, which is where it’s likely to be most helpful. Unlike the Xbox 360’s Chatpad, which fits into the bottom of the controller, Sony’s keypad nestles into the top.
Sony’s wireless keypad is set for release December 15 and can be pre-ordered at Amazon. If you simply can’t wait, you can get one at Play-Asia right now for $49.90. If you could afford a PS3, you might just have the cash to burn.
I love my PS3, and I love a good game of Tetris, but unlike Oscar the Grouch, I don’t know if I can say that I love trash. Still, this offbeat new game in the works combines all three into a single, juicy delicious morsel of gaming that could be the most addictive garbage collection game this side of Katamari Damacy.
Spotted at the recent 2008 Tokyo Game Show, Gomibako is best described as “Tetris with Trash”. But it’s not just another rehash of the classic block-stacking puzzle format. Nope. Instead of dropping blocks, you’ve got to carefully arrange piles of (difficult to stack) falling debris in order to clear the board.
In addition to some beautiful graphics, the best part of the game is its amazing physics model. Every object in the game is completely 3-dimensional and has life-like properties. This makes the gameplay so much more dynamic than the classic colored block puzzle games of yore.
Items can crush each other, and you have to think quick to grab heavier objects to smash more fragile objects before the trash bin fills up. Items can be bent, broken, get wet and even catch fire and burn. Cool. To check out some actual gameplay footage, check out the 1up video clip below:
Gomibako is expected to be a downloadable game on the PlayStation Network, so you won’t even have to head to the store to get your hands on it when it comes out. No word yet on a release date (or if it’s even slated for North America). I’ve certainly got my fingers crossed for this one.
Don Reisinger published an interesting editorial today on News.com entitled “The Xbox 360 should win this console war”. Yes.. a sure fire way to start a flame war on a website! Without going too much into details of the article (which you should just read for yourself if you’re interested), Mr. Reisinger believes Microsoft should win the current next-generation console wars due to a few key things: price, third party support and of course content. Reading this article got my mind spinning a bit.. I started recapping where we came from in terms of the console wars and what the current state of reality really is like for the three major players. Ultimately, I found myself asking this simple question “does it really matter anymore who the real winner is?”. Each of these consoles might have started from a common background but the end results have been mixed and definitely not what anyone originally conceived of.
A look back..
Let’s recap first. Three years ago the buzz in the gaming industry was all about the upcoming next-generation console wars. Which console was better spec wise? Which console had more titles coming out? Which console was going to kick the living daylights out of the other in terms of raw graphics performance. Yes.. these were fun times indeed.
In fact, the three companies involved were coming from altogether different places in life. Sony was the clear leader in the console gaming market with the crazy success of the PlayStation and PlayStation 2 platform. Microsoft was playing catchup with the Xbox console and Nintendo.. well these good folks were just trying to stay relevant.
First out of the gate was Microsoft’s Xbox 360 console and yes.. the console got fairly positive reviews initially. Lines were long for the console and there were a decent number of solid titles for the Xbox 360. As time went by, the 360 grew stronger and stronger primarily due to the growing number of gaming titles and the ever increasing capabilities of the console. Every new Dashboard update brought with it many new features for the Xbox 360 console.
Sony, on the other hand, ran into problems with the PS3. It was late. It was hard to program against. It was expensive to manufacture. It had less than stellar launch titles.. and finally, it was a year behind the Xbox 360 and more expensive. Yet, when the PS3 came out in late 2006, things were not necessarily lost on Sony. It still had one thing that the other consoles did not have. It had Blu-ray built right into the console which would ultimately change the face of the console. However, along the way, Sony also changed the specs on the PS3 console. Originally, the system offered backwards PS2 compatibility. Then in cost cutting efforts, we saw the compatibility disappear. Then we saw delays in the online community for the PS3 (while we saw a growing and thriving Xbox LIVE community for Microsoft). Ultimately, Sony had to bite the bullet and offer cheaper PS3 consoles with smaller storage amounts which were still more expensive than the Xbox 360. Yet.. there was Blu-ray.
Then there was the little console that could. The Nintendo Wii. Who knew that this small non-descrip looking unit would capture the world’s attention thanks to the Wii Remote and the included WiiSports game? While the console was pitiful in terms of graphics performance, it won over hearts simply because it was fun to play with. Who knew that it would be fun to bowl at home with your friends? Who knew it would be fun for your girlfriend to strike you out in Baseball? Who knew?? Oh yes.. the Wii also was cheap.. and THAT my friends certainly helped the appeal of the device (not to mention that the inability to get one only drove up the hype for the console!).
So that brings up to today. The Nintendo Wii is clearly the numbers leader (in terms of number of units shipped) with the Xbox 360 and Sony PS3 bringing up the rear. Yet, the Xbox 360 is PROBABLY climbing up faster thanks to recent price cuts.. and thus quite possibly will become the eventual winner in the consoles wars according to number of units shipped. Thus yes, Microsoft will probably be able to say one day that they are the leader in terms of the console wars.
However, does this really matter today?
Reality Today
Let me explain why in many ways none of this matters.
When the Xbox 360 first came out, the talk was all about the graphics horsepower and the title breadth of the platform. When the PS3 came out, people instantly took snapshots between comparable games on the PS3 and the Xbox 360 to see which console was BETTER graphically. The argument continued as to which platform provided more horsepower. Yet when the Wii came out.. people realized that in many ways, graphics didn’t matter IF the game was utterly fun. Nintendo changed the gaming world to recognize that innovative thinking could out-trump raw horsepower. Nintendo also showed the world that you could be innovative AND cheap.. thus driving sales beyond what Microsoft and Sony could have imagined.
Yet, Microsoft quickly saw the opportunity to praise Nintendo - not necessarily compete against it. Executives from the company talked about how families would buy two consoles - the Xbox 360 and the Wii because they wanted two very different experiences. (oh yes.. the old joke was you could buy an Xbox 360 console and a Nintendo Wii console for the same price as a single PS3). The Xbox 360 would give a full reaching multimedia experience - everything from gaming to video on demand capabilities to Media Center Extender support while the Wii would be great for parties and fun simple games that didn’t require intensive graphics rendering capabilities.
Ironically enough, this segmentation is pretty much what happened. The three consoles are being purchased based on their strengths and weaknesses and thus, it’s not simple to declare a single winner in the gaming industry.. because in many ways, it’s not about gaming anymore. It’s about delivering some sort of entertainment experience.
Consider the PS3. Quality titles for the PS3 are somewhat woeful. Sure, there’s Metal Gear Solid but let’s face it PS3 fans - the Xbox 360 trounces your library. Yet there is one thing that the PS3 has that no one else has and that’s the built-in Blu-ray player. In fact, this ace in the hole is often how Sony markets the console player. Also, consider the following. If you’re thinking about getting into Blu-ray for the first time.. would you rather spend $400 dollars on a standalone Blu-ray player OR would you rather spend $400 dollars on the PS3 which delivers Blu-ray, gaming, and an online experience? I thought so.. the PS3 right? RIGHT.
Yes, the Xbox 360 and the Sony PlayStation 3 certainly overlap one another quite a bit when it comes to features and capabilities. Both platforms deliver video on demand; Both consoles play back a variety of multimedia files; Both consoles deliver an online community for gamers. Yet.. the purchasing audience is at times rather different between the two consoles. The Xbox 360 attracts more gamers simply because of the title breadth and the wonderful online experience that is Xbox LIVE. On the PS3 front, there are more families coming on board simply because the console has Blu-ray built right in.
Oh but wait.. if you have a little money left over after buying a PS3 or an Xbox 360, you could even get yourself a fun Nintendo Wii because well.. it’s fun!
So who’s the winner here folks? It ultimately depends on how you look at the big picture! Sony wins when it comes to Blu-ray (unless of course Microsoft releases a Blu-ray external drive which seems doubtful at this time). Microsoft wins when it comes to delivering an extensive multimedia experience. Nintendo wins because it’s affordable and some of the games are just fun to play with.
Thus perhaps… the real winner in the console wars is actually us the consumer. We’ve received platforms that are rich in capabilities yet diverse enough for us to possibly want them all. In the end, it really doesn’t matter anymore who will win the console wars. Publishers are delivering most of their gaming content across all the consoles so it’s a matter of which console meets most of your needs. Thus, it’s about matching the consoles capabilities with the needs of the individual and that my friends is different person to person.
Sony also announced a new Wireless Keypad accessory that snaps onto the top of a SIXAXIS or DUALSHOCK3 wireless controllers. Features on the this Wireless Keypad include:
Special mode that turns the main key area into a touch pad - similar to notebook touch pads
Two short cut buttons on the keyboard that will enabled users to go to XMB’s “Friends” icon and the “Message Box” during gameplay
Supports Bluetooth which means the keypad can support other Bluetooth enabled devices that have keyboard functionality (smartphones etc)
The new 160GB PS3 system will be introduced in the U.S. as part of a limited edition “The Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune” bundle which includes the console, a DUALSHOCK 3 wireless controller, the game “Uncharted:Drake’s Fortune”, and a PlayStation Network voucher for PAIN. The 160GB limited edition bundle will launch in November for a price of $499.99.
Now with regards to the newly announce Sony PSP-3000, the portable game console will be introduced as part of two entertainment packs - the Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters PSP Entertainment Pack and the new PSP 4GB Memory Entertainment Pack which includes a 4GB Memory Stick PRO Duo card.
Additional info on the new PSP-3000 from the blog posting:
“The LCD screen will have a wider color gamut and higher contrast ratio to deliver deeper, more vibrant colors, as well as anti-reflection technology so you can see the screen more clearly when playing outdoors. As you all know, the PSP’s screen is a key strength of the hardware, and this update adds an absolutely dazzling LCD screen to the handheld.
A built-in microphone allows for Skype calls and multi-player gaming communication directly from the hardware - eliminating the need for attaching a separate headset. “
The Ratchet & Clank Size Matters PSP Entertainment Pack will be launching in October for a price of $199.99 and will include a limited edition “Silver” PSP system, the game Ratchet & Clank Size Matters, a UMD movie, a PlayStation Network voucher to download echochrome, and a 1GB Memory Stick PRO Duo card. The 4GB Memory Entertainment Pack will also retail for $1999.99 and later this year, Sony plans on releasing a standalone PSP in the PSP Core Pack which will remain at $169.99.
Sony formally introduced the PlayStation Portable 3000 today at the Games Convention in Leipzig, Germany. The PSP 3000 will feature a new display which supports more colors and is usable outdoors. There will also be a built-in microphone which will make the device an even better platform for Skype users. The new PSP 3000 will go on sale in Europe for a price of EUR 199 ($294 dollars).
In other PlayStation related news, Sony announced two new storage SKUs for the PS3 in Europe - a new 160GB model and a new 80GB model. The 160GB PS3 will retail for EUR 449 and will be available starting on October 3rd. The 80GB PS3 will go on sale for EUR 399 later this month.
EA’s given me a reason to consider picking up the upcoming “Need for Speed Undercover” action racing game - the title will be featuring Maggie Q as the lead character in several live-action sequences for the story line. Don’t remember Maggie Q? She starred in Mission Impossible III and Live Free or Die Hard and well yeah.. just do a Google image search on her.
Need for Speed Undercover will hit the U.S. stores on Nov. 18th and European stores on Nov. 21st and will be available for Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, PSP, PC, and mobile platforms.
Just a little heads up in case you don’t follow the gaming world all that much. Sony has a new video store open within the PlayStation Store which is accessible to those with the PlayStation 3 console. The new service is now live and you can download movies, television shows or original programming for a price of course. Before you try out the service, make sure to get the latest Sony PS3 update for the PS3.
The new service will initially have roughly 300 movie titles and around 1200 TV episodes. A portion of the content will be available in both standard definition and in high definition formats. Studios that are a part of this launch include 20th Century Fox, Lionsgate Entertainment, MGM Studios, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Warner Bros. Entertainment.
Movie rentals will cost between $2.99 to $5.99 depending on the title and the quality of the video. If you want to purchase movies, that will cost you between $9.99 to $14.99.
My two cents on this - first the obvious - it’s about time Sony! It’s amazing how incredibly late the company is in getting a video service up and running for the PS3. The Xbox 360 and Apple TV have an incredible head start - both in terms of technology and in the number of titles. Secondly, what’s up with the size of the HD files? I just purchased “Hell Boy” to test out the service and I’m downloading 7.1 GB of data. WTH?!?!?!? Now I know it’s in high def and all.. but is the file size the same for the other services? Somehow.. I think not. I suppose I’ll have to compare the picture quality of comparable titles to see if the Sony service is better. Finally - I’m sorry… I’m a huge fan of the XrossMediaBar interface but the PlayStation Store UI is just a bit .. well.. ugly.
Unless there’s a compelling reason for me to download movies on the PS3, I’m going to have a hard time wanting switch out of Apple TV and the Xbox 360 console.
