Game platforms...X Box/PS2/etc.

[jjs]

OK guys...having never really gotten into this newer gaming platform stuff I am starting from scratch on knowledge...

any preference between an X-Box, PS2 or other for general home game use? I am on information overload trying to figure this out from the zillions of sites on this and other gaming topics.

[Taha24]

I have all three systems (XBOX,PS2,GC) and at first the PS2 was my main system. But now the Xbox has become my most played system because of their online games.

If you are going to get Xbox Live (and have broadband internet) then you will love Xbox. Its so much fun to play online with real people and talk with them. I don't even play single player games anymore.

[PixelPusher]

xbox kills PS2 and gamecube is good for kids & a few games your girlfriends might have fun with.. I have had all 3 & still have xbox & GC

[First300COwner]

Before I was doing loans I worked at Toys "R" Us for 3 and a half years. It was my first job out of high school. I worked in the video game department and I was the man with all the answers. Before Toys "R" Us I was a hardcore gamer. To this day I still subscribe to video game mags. as well as car mags. Get ready to take notes.

1.) X-Box is the best system out by far. Keep in mind the best selling titles for the X-Box are the mature rated kind and that is what X-Boxs main marketing campaign is focused on because these are the games that make Microsoft the most dough. Don't get me wrong they have a ton kids and neutral titles but, when X-Box was just in its infancy stages 70% of their titles were adult oriented. "Graphics" on the X-Box are the best it gets for Home consoles at this time. On a side note I have a gaming computer that is about as strong as 2 X-Boxes When we buy an X-box we think ages 16 and up.

2.) PS2 is all around a good system. Though its getting old and is last in the graphics totem poll (1st X-Box, 2nd Gamecube, 3rd PS2) it has great appeal because of what they call in the industry solid 1st party and 3rd party titles. All this means is that the games Sony owns the rights to are exclusive PS2 titles and can only be found for the PS2. Also the 3rd party thing means that Sony has good relationships with other game programming companies, which give them exclusive rights to the 3rd parties gaming titles. One thing about 3rd party companies is that they are easily bought out with more money(I.E. Microsoft) So earlier on in the present day console wars 3rd parties kinda stayed with there first relationships, but as soon as things started to grow (like now) they went with whoever offered more money.

3.) Last the Gamecube. If you have to have Mario and Donkey Kong, and Zelda and other owned Nintendo characters then you better go with the Cube. If you can care less about those types of games then Gamecube should be on the bottom of your list. Most of the games on the Cube are for younger kids or like families. Don't get me wrong it has its share of mature titles but not as much as X-Box or PS2. Again comes the third party theory, when Playstation and PS2 was gaining superiority in the industry for the past 7 years it kinda gained a lot of third party support that was exclusive to Nintendo. And what's killing Gamecube right now is that they came into this present day console war a little late and a dollar short. So at the moment they are trying to stay above water. (they lost most of their exclusive third party support)

In conclusion I just covered the basics. If you have anymore questions just ask. I'm sure I missed a lot but you got the principles of the thing. Don't forget that there should be an "X-Box 2" coming out at the end of this year or early next so if you want to wait for that one it might not be a bad idea. But if you need something now go with the X-Box. Also expect the next generation of gamming consoles to be not what we are all used to. This is a different topic and would take along time for me to explain, but lets just say it might be a good or bad thing.

[jjs]

Great info!! Thanks! Especially about the upcoming XBOX release.

[Taha24]

Nice job First300COwner. I could have wrote all that, but i'm a lazy bastard :P You pretty much have the same opinion on the consoles as I do.

I should sell my GameCube though, I BARELY use it. What a waste of money.

BTW, i don't think you should wait for the next gen consoles. They haven't even been shown yet or talked about other than rumors (and some stuff from Sony). So even if they show it at E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) this year, the consoles will probably come out mid to late next year, IMO.

[First300COwner]

Originally Posted by Taha24

BTW, i don't think you should wait for the next gen consoles. They haven't even been shown yet or talked about other than rumors (and some stuff from Sony). So even if they show it at E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) this year, the consoles will probably come out mid to late next year, IMO.

Good point Taha24. For the past few months I haven't been able to really get in to my EGM's or my IGN and 1UP emails so last I heard we might see X-Box 2 end of this year. Now that I think it through I can bet we won't see it till mid to late 2006 like you said. I can almost be sure that X-Box 2 will be the first next generation console availible, followed by the new Nintendo console then the "PS3". As far as Sony's new system, we won't see that till early to late 2007. Sony wants to use a new super high definition dvd. That's right folks, get ready to buy new DVD player and all new DVD's. It not official but within the next couple of years don't be suprissed if you see a new DVD format. I know Sony, Philips, and some othe huge company is fighting for the design rights to this new super DVD. If Sony wins the battle expect this new DVD format to be used in the "PS3" This new DVD is really amazing but todays DVDs will turn into tomarrows VHS's and that's no joke.

[Taha24]

Heh, I used to be into videogames ALOT too. I also was a "hardcore gamer". But then Last year I started to ease on the games. I did start collecting DVDs and while getting more into movies, get less and less into games. I still do browse a gaming forum daily (GameSpot). But only to talk with the friends I have there, not much for news. IGN I go more for DVDs, even though I pay for the Insider subsciption.

BTW, the new format that Sony will be using is called Blu-Ray. It and another format which is called HD-DVD are fighting to be the next generation of DVD. I myself am rooting for Blu-Ray. It has 50GB of space which is more than HD-DVD (which is 25gb max I think). Plus Blu-Ray has the backing of pretty much every electronics manufacturer there. HD-DVD on the other than is being supported by Toshiba and NEC primarily.

And why are you scaring everyone man :P. Yes, you will have to buy a new player to play these new discs, but those players will be able to play your DVDs. So you don't need to purchase your DVDs again. Unless you want even better looking and sounding movies.

[First300COwner]

What I meant by buying all your DVD all over again is that its just like people did when moving from VHS to DVD. Pretty soon I stongly belive that once this super DVD comes in and really catches everyones attn. Companies are going to start producing certain movies only in this super DVD format to help it catch on. Just like VHS, standard DVD's will take the back-burner, and guys like you and me will be saying, "God why do they even make DVD anymore" LOL. Just think VHS has been around for almost 25 years, DVD's have been around for about 8 years and only 4 of those years have the majority of people began to accept it as a standard. In the next 2-3 year we're going to be introduced to another format. It's kinda scary, even though I think this new format should stick for awhile. I can't help but see DVD as only doing a little better than laser disc.

[Taha24]

I've heard that they have made discs which can be both Blu-Ray/HD-DVD AND DVD. So they could put movies in both formats, and you could put it in a new player and watch it in high-def. Or you can put it in a normal DVD player and play how we do now.

I'm sure they would have to do something like that or else it would fail because that many people still don't have HDTV's (myself included).