PS3 Fanboy

Greennpeace, an environmental organization, had put together a report on how environmentally friendly a number of leading companies are. Each company is given a score out of a possible 45 points; the higher the score is, the greener the company is deemed. Included in them are the big three video game manufacturers: Sony received a 24/45, compared to Microsoft's score of 15/45 and Nintendo's abysmally low score of 4/45.

So why does Sony deserve the higher score? Speaking to Edge Online, Greenpeace's toxics campaigner Iza Kruszewska cites a number of reasons, including high marks for "chemical management and take-back initiatives." Sony is the first company to introduce a take-back recycling program for all their products in the US, according to Kruszewska.

But what about all those reports which indicate each PS3 uses as much power as a fridge? Kruszewska admits they are true, but reminds us that "there is a wider picture to look at than just the power consumption of a console." He offers this in the PS3's defense: "If you look at the graphics processor that your PS3 or 360 will have, it's hard to put them into exactly the same category [as the Wii]. I mean, the PS3 is being used by universities globally when they have lots of number crunching to do because it's that powerful. We're talking about a 9-core processor here."

Well, there you have it, environmentally-conscious boys and girls -- now you know the PS3 is Mother Earth's console of choice.

An article published by Bloomberg today concludes that the PS3 "is gaining ground" on the Xbox 360. The article cites the PS3's ability as a Blu-ray player and software exclusives such as Metal Gear Solid 4 and LittleBigPlanet as reasons why it will "hold onto its lead" after outselling the 360 in the first five months of 2008. According to the NPD Group, the PS3 sold 1.2 million units while the 360 sold 1.12 million units. Of course, Microsoft isn't about to give up so easily. When asked about the PS3's dominance over the 360 so far this year, Microsoft spokesperson David Dennis claims the race is "far from over and we are confident that we have a winning strategy."

Remember back when Insomniac's Ryan Schneider created controversy by saying they were "extremely flattered" by Super Mario Galaxy's supposed borrowing of the spherical world design that Insomniac first created with Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando and Up Your Arsenal?

Well, Miyamoto has finally found the opportunity to weigh in on Schneider's claim, and apparently, the Mario creator hasn't even heard of the series at all, including the PS3's newly released Tools of Destruction. When asked his thought's on Schneider's comment, Miyamoto said, "I'm sorry, but I have to admit that I've never seen the game in question. Is it a PC game?" Ooooh, burn!

Continuing, Miyamoto expressed his surprise by the claim and even said "In terms of the spherical worlds and anti-gravity, we had the original idea as soon as we finished the development of Mario 64 and had been experimenting with it for many years, even on the N64." So there you have it. If Miyamoto is to be believed, and why shouldn't he be, Nintendo didn't borrow anything from Insomniac. Both companies make brilliant games, and we see no reason to think that both couldn't have come up with such a design concept entirely on their own.

The Nintendo DS and Wii continue to print money, and the stock prices have demonstrated Nintendo's incredible success. Both systems continue to be top-sellers this holiday season, so why has the stock stagnated? The PS3, according to some financial analysts. "People's perception of the PS3 is improving from an underdog to something better, and part of the money that used to flow into Nintendo shares is now going to the Sony stock," said Yoshihisa Okamoto, fund manager at Mizuho Asset Management.

"The PS3 has been doing better recently. But that's partly because there are not enough Wii machines to go around in the United States and Europe," noted Rakuten Securities analyst Yasuo Imanaka in a report by Reuters.

It's interesting to see analysts finally turn around in their assessment of the PS3, no longer thinking it the underdog it appeared to be at the beginning of the year. With a strong lineup of games coming in 2008, PS3 has a strong chance to start chipping away at the lead that Microsoft and Nintendo have earned. Fanboy flame wars are going to get a lot more interesting next year.

[Via GameDaily]

Read the title again, then think about Blu-ray. The small fraction of people taking advantage of a console's video playback function? We're almost certain most of that market is centered on the PS3 crowd. We're driving the Blu-ray format home. The Diffusion Group, however, isn't looking at the PS3 alone, but the three next-gen consoles together. How much do people use video playback on those? Apparently, "80 percent of console owners have the option, only 30 percent realized it was part of its feature set, and only 13 percent actually utilize it." Chances are we are the bulk of that 13 percent.

We know that many parents who may buy game systems for their children are largely uneducated to the video game industry and all the functions available not only to their kids, but to themselves as well. Thus why people still have parts of their homes dubbed "dens" or "game rooms". The PS3 deserves front-and-center attention to a family's media center and these results reflect that many are not even aware of the awesomeness of Blu-ray movies. Or nobody watches DVDs on the 360 or the Wii ... well, the 360. Wii owners don't exactly have a choice.

In a recent interview with Reuters, Sega Sammy VP of Marketing Scott Steinberg spoke about the Wii and his hypothesis that the PS3 will emerge victorious. He admitted to being "a little concerned about the creative depth of the Wii pool ... The Wii will start to look really dated in a couple years when developers get more value from the 360 and learn more and more about the PlayStation 3." It is a good question -- how much more will developers get out of the Wiimote in five years that isn't derivative of something else that's already been done?

The same could be said of the Sixaxis. However, Steinberg insists that "We know the PS3 pool is pretty deep. There's a lot to exploit there." Which is also rooted in truth. As Factor 5 said, the potential is limitless. It will just take some exploratory surgery time, so to speak. Steinberg also predicts the PlayStation 3 growing into the ultimate winner this console generation due not only to graphical prowess and hidden potential, but the inclusion of Blu-ray will be a great addition in the coming years. Time to sound off your own thoughts to his words. Can the PS3 really last the 10 years claimed by Sony?

[via Gamasutra]

This is another incredibly interesting read thanks to avid gamers over at the PS3Forums, specifically Doc Evils. Screen Digest has opened up their hearts and minds to the state of the gaming industry and released some fairly entertaining and truthful observations about all of the next-gen consoles. This is in no way meant to fan any flames -- it's meant to show all of us how our beloved consoles are stacking up around the world. Are you curious to read on?

• "For Xbox 360, European hardware sales seem to have hit a wall." Screen Digest says Microsoft's console focuses too narrowly on the young male demographic, inundating the market with shooters and other testosterone-ridden titles. The lack of diversity in genre is crippling its sales worldwide, questioning the validity of the console on a worldwide basis. SD says "without year on year sales improving across the rest of the region, the platform could be in jeopardy on a global basis." Of course, most people's anticipated titles for this year are 360 games, so don't worry Xbox loyalists, your system should be fine.
• "The Wii's target market could be saturated more quickly than its competitors as the technology looks increasingly tired by comparison." Caught on the collar of many other analysts and hardcore gamers, Screen Digest feels the Wii will reach as many consumers as it possibly can in a short time, then putter away just as rapidly. With a historical 3rd party abandonment policy, it's up to Nintendo's 1st party devs to keep the system alive. Japanese publishers have even said they don't plan to try very hard on Wii games, planning only to make whatever profit is possible with mediocre ports.
• Regarding the PS3, "the education of consumers as to what is in the box and what its benefits are has not been forthcoming from Sony." Basically, Sony's marketing has really taken a toll on what could've been showcased as the greatest piece of home entertainment ever created (we say this while we stream Arrested Development from our computer to our PS3 and onto our PSP while visiting a friend's house). Aside from that, European developers feel the PS3 will win out due to the strong brand image in the PAL territories. Also, a lineup unparalleled this Fall should bolster sales. SD goes so far to say that Sony "could reveal some unrivaled games which are exclusive to PS3, not least because competing platforms would be technically incapable of offering them."

Wow! Regardless of where you stand in the console "war" you've got to take all this information in as objectively as possible. It is true about the PS3's marketing -- it's been a joke. Nobody knows what makes it so unique. It is true about the Wii -- most third party companies aren't going to try very hard to make standout titles. It's also true about the 360 -- outside of America, it's suffering. It's choking on a narrow genre that can only get so many fans. What do you guys think of the state of the consoles? Let's be nice about it. Will there be any dynamic shifts by the end of this year?

[via PS3Forums]

Popular retailer HMV reports that every console is selling as expected. Nope, no flamebait here. This is an opportunity for all of us to pat one another on the back. Let's break down how the store reports each console is performing. We'll start with our namesake, of course.

• The PlayStation 3 is meeting sales expectations, sometimes exceeding them! When games start dropping, sales are anticipated to improve. If the price drops, they expect an even larger sales boost.
• The Wii is, as always, in high demand. However, Nintendo has upped the ante and supplies are reportedly starting to stabilize.
• Microsoft's Xbox 360, despite being on the market for a lot longer than the competition, is still performing well. Like with the PS3, sales boosts are expected should the pricing for the console change.

Hats off, all around. We're all doing well (some more than others) and we all deserve praise for actually having a gaming market where three consoles are all doing relatively well. It's impressive. Perhaps the HMV spokesperson Tim Ellis put it best: "From a retail and customer perspective it's great to have three games heavyweights relatively matched and vying for market domination. This creative tension is leading to fantastic innovative technology and brilliant games."

The Los Angeles Times has posted a quote from Kyoshi Shin of the IGDA (International Game Developers Association) regarding developer interest in the PlayStation 3. It isn't good. While it isn't good, that doesn't mean it isn't true. In fact, the quote pretty much explains exactly what I'm thinking in food terms. Shin said: "When people talk about the PS3 on chat forums they say it's like going to a very expensive restaurant and not getting anything to eat." This is an obvious play on Kutaragi's previous quote about the PlayStation 3 being a fine restaurant.

The context of Shin's quote relates to developer interest -- namely, they're leaving the Sony restaurant and taking some drive-thru from Nintendo's Wii window (so to speak). If devs focus on the Wii, we've got a problem. Games will reverse engineer themselves to lesser graphics and scale. More minigames isn't the only issue to arise -- porting from the Wii would be nearly impossible due to the control scheme.

It's a waste of the PS3's power, too, as Kojima's quote from a long time ago will explain: "The PS3 is like the theatre, it's a little bit high-priced but it has to be high quality as well. The 360 is a DVD, it still needs to be high quality but you need more variations, while the Wii is almost like a TV channel, because every game you have it with your family." We need games that will take advantage of the PS3's power and Wii titles simply may not do that. If devs leave, there's no reason to buy a $600 console when most games are on a $250 one.

[via Gamasutra]

Namco Bandai shot out a statement recently that went over their latest software plans for the next-gen consoles. Citing slower sales than expected from the PS3, they imagine their Gundam Musou title (Dynasty Warriors: Gundam outside of Japan) will only sell 300,000 copies instead of their previously estimated 500,000.

From their statement: "PS3 did not make a good start, which will make the transition from the old game console to the next generation system more prolonged than we had earlier thought. This will keep a lid on sales of our video games in the first half, although we believe that sales of PS3 will increase in the second half (to March 2008)."

Namco Bandai announced a total of 23 PlayStation 3 titles in that time frame (24 for the 360) and the Nintendo Wii gets the majority of 37 titles. This translates to one thing: multi-platform. If the PS3 sales are slow, which they are, then Namco Bandai isn't going to stick around and keep making exclusive titles on Sony's platform. Why else would there be more for the 360 than the PS3? They've got one exclusive, we think, and most of the others will be multi-platform. Whatever the case, let's hope sales pick up so Namco Bandai can make a fantastic game utlizing the full potential of the PS3.

Here's another rumor to satisfy your hunger for all things curious and interesting -- Command and Conquer 3 might just make its way onto the PS3 and Wii, in addition to its upcoming release on the 360 and the couple-of-weeks-age release on the PC. Since the game is getting tossed around by EA, we're hardly surprised. About the PS3 version, Senior Producer Mike Glosecki said: "I don't see why it's not feasible," citing also how the controls are nearly identical.

The Wii version really does add a new breath of life to RTS titles -- in our opinion, it would be the best console version to get. Why? The motion sensor would really make moving around the map simple and highlighting groups would be a snap (just think, holding the trigger button and using another button to select specific troops, kind of like how ctrl+click works on the PC). Wait. Is it ctrl+click? The last RTS game Nick done played on the computer was Dune 2000. Well, you get the idea. The issue with the Wii version is the lack of power. The game won't look as good, says Glosecki. Which version would you guys ultimately buy if your PC somehow exploded into tiny bits?

Business Week just published their yearly list of 'The 50 Most Innovative Companies', and Sony came in at number 10. They seemed particularly impressed with Home, stating:

"This traditional tech hardware maker is devoting more resources to software. To turn its PlayStation 3 console from living-room box to virtual gateway, it created a 3D online world that simulates the real one."

Sony beat out Nintendo, who came in at a lowly 39th, but lost out to Microsoft, who came in 5th on the strength of the Vista launch. Apple dominated them all though, staying in first place for the third year in a row.

We're not giving this an official title, because we've heard time and again how unreliable VGChartz is when it comes to hardware sales. Regardless, it'll at least give you a ballpark range of the US hardware sales for the week ending April 29th. PS3 fanboys beware, the numbers, as usual, aren't that good.

• DS: 168,541
  
• Wii: 100,222
  
• 360: 54,331
  
• PSP: 47,275
  
• PS3: 25,240

These numbers haven't shifted all that much from the site's previous week estimations, but no matter how you try to spin this, the numbers for the PS3 are still low. But there are 300 million people in the US... if these numbers hold, all we've got to do is wait about 1,000 weeks, right?! We kid, of course. That's a really, really long time. Games are coming and, for some reason, all come out around Fall. Some developer should realize "hey, Summer is an untapped market -- people beg for games. Maybe we should release a decent title at that time". I'd buy it.

If you want to get nitpicky (or nit-picky, if you're especially nitpicky), Hironobu Sakaguchi (the father of Final Fantasy and by default, the success of Square Enix) let his tongue fly recently against the father of PlayStation -- Ken Kutaragi. Heck, the lord of newly-formed Mistwalker bashed pretty much every system out there except for Nintendo. He didn't compliment it, really, but he danced around anything negative.

EGM asked Sakaguchi why Mistwalker currently had no plans for the PlayStation 3. He responded quickly: "The machine's architecture is tricky, and I don't like Ken Kutaragi." Fair enough, good sir. Even though a lot of the devs for PS3 claim that if you just sit down and try, the potential is limitless and that you're lazy if you don't try.

About the XBox 360, Sakaguchi said, "Microsoft has to change its marketing strategy in Japan. There are a lot of excellent games on the 360, far better games than what's on the Wii or PS3. But not a lot of people in Japan have a clear idea what games like Gears of War are all about. Just look at the Windows Vista commercial -- it's terrible." Fair enough, again.

How about Nintendo? He doesn't have anything planned for the Wii, does he? "The system is intriguing, but right now, I have no plans on making a game for the Wii." It seems like he doesn't want to take any risks and he doesn't like anyone. Well, Mr. Sakaguchi, would you rather make your own console and see what happens when there are four systems in the market?