411 Games Fact or Fiction 12.07.06: Duke Nukem Forever, pity for PS3 eBayers, Sony becoming the next Sega, and more!
Posted by Tommy Coloma on 12.07.2006
Joshua Richey and Adam Smith discuss whether Duke Nukem Forever will live up to the hype, Nintendo’s Virtual Console releases, the 360’s ability to sell out, whether PS3 eBayers deserve pity, Wii reviews, and whether Sony will follow in Sega’s footsteps in this edition of Fact or Fiction Games.
Welcome back to another edition of Fact or Fiction. It's been two months since Joshua Richey and Adam Smith first went against each other. Some things have changed since then. As many of you already know, Joshua now writes Pressing Buttons, a column where he focuses on a number of different issues that are currently embedded within the Gaming Industry. He still writes reviews from time to time. Check out his review for WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007 for the Xbox 360 if you want to see him in action. Like Joshua, Adam also finds time to write reviews. His latest is one for the Power Stone Collection for the PSP. Is this port of the Dreamcast classic worth our money? Find out in his review. Lets get going -
1. When it is eventually released, Duke Nukem Forever will live up to the hype.
Joshua Richey : Fiction
I've been a Duke Nukem fan for a very very long time. Believe me, I would like nothing more than for this game to finally come out... but alas there is no way in hell that it will. Its been delayed on-again and off-again since 1997 for goodness sakes. Even if it were released by some miracle, at this point, the game wouldn't even be able to live up to the billing. Rumors of its release are beginning to pop back up, but we've been fooled too many times. I hope that we haven't seen the last of Duke Nukem, but I don't think we'll ever see Duke Nukem: Forever.
Adam Smith : Fiction
This assumes Duke Nukem Forever will be released. Joshua is right, no chance in hell it comes out. Assuming it does though, it'll have the same press as Prey did if its good. Prey was an ok game and then largely forgotten. Duke will be forgotten as soon as it's released even if it's great.
Score: 1 for 1
2. Nintendo has announced that it will release four Virtual Console games every Monday. They will be able to do this consistently for a long time without having to pad the releases with games of questionable quality (ie crappy games).
Joshua Richey : Fact
If Nintendo is smart with this and spreads out the big releases over a large time span--than yes, I have no doubt that they can keep this gimmick going for quite some time. They've got such a large catalog at their disposal that it would be difficult for even Nintendo to botch this.
Adam Smith : Fiction
Every week Nintendo? Doubtful. They have the library, but I seriously doubt it'll be four great games, every week. My guess is that there will be at least five or six games released each month that just aren't worth owning in any sense of the word "owning". This isn't a knock at Nintendo though. Nintendo will be relatively smart about this and pad the great games with a few crap titles. Releasing everything good in a trickle rather then a flood will keep interest in the Virtual Console high for a long time.
Score: 1 for 2
3. The Xbox 360 system will sell out in Japan this week - thanks to the release of Blue Dragon – making this the first and last time all 3 next-gen consoles will be sold out in that region in a single week.
Joshua Richey : Fiction
Personally, I never thought of Blue Dragon as a console seller. But then again, those Japanese are into some crazy things. Traditionally, Japan hasn't been very kind to Microsoft. They've yet to embrace the X-Box in the way that they have with Nintendo and Sony's consoles. And I don't see that changing now.
Adam Smith : Fiction
Blue Dragon will move 360s, but absolutely nothing has sold either the Xbox or the 360 in Japan. One game will not sell out 360s in Japan. There's nothing more to say about it.
Score: 2 for 3
4. You feel sorry for the man that got shot while waiting in line to buy four PS3s specifically for eBay.
Adam Smith : Fiction
Sorry, but I feel no sympathy for anyone willing to wait outside for anything. Anything! I say this having camped for a 360 and a Wii by the way. I'm a freaking idiot and probably deserve to be shot too.
Joshua Richey : Fact
Ouch Adam, that's harsh. Despite the general consensus, I am not a complete asshole. Of course I sympathize with the guy. Even under those circumstances, nobody deserves to be shot. Now if the guy were to have had the crap beat out of him—well then, that's completely different. I'm all for that.
Score: 2 for 4
5. It is fair for reviewers to compare the graphics in the Wii version of a game to the graphics of it's PS3 and Xbox 360 counterparts when reviewing a Wii game that is available on all three next-gen consoles
Adam Smith : Fact
It's a stupid comparison to make, but reviewers are perfectly justified in doing it. The problem is that writing about the mediocre graphics for the Wii version of a game is like writing about the GameCube and mentioning that the games don't have online play. It's a fair and valid criticism to make. It's also retarded.
Joshua Richey : Fiction
Hell no it isn't fair to compare these two; the Wii is significantly less powerful than both the PS3 and the 360. That's part of the reason as to how Nintendo can charge just $250.00 for it. What would happen if you were to judge all the women that you came in contact with—with the women that you see in magazines? You'd likely spend most of your life alone, right? The same can be said for the graphic capabilities of the Wii. Judge their other similarities; their gameplay elements, their sound, you know, those types of things.
Score: 2 for 5
6. The analyst that said that the recent "promotions" at Sony mean that there will be no PlayStation 4 must be on something. Sony will not follow in Sega's footsteps.
Adam Smith : Fact
The PS4 will exist. It took Sega two console cycles to go under (three if you count the 32X/Sega CD). Even if Blu-Ray fails, Sony will still be in the game for a little while longer. The analyst is on crack simply because the PS3 will sell more consoles then the 360 until the 360 is viable in Japan. So far it isn't so the PS3 will outsell the 360. That alone guarantees that the PS4 will exist.
Joshua Richey : Fact
I'm going to say fact… but only as of right now. Granted the PS3 launch was catastrophic, but it's not fair to count Sony out of the console business yet. Sony has a very impressive track record with their previous consoles, and for that reason alone, you have to give them the benefit of the doubt. Even if the PS3 continues to struggle, I say that Sony will release a PS4 if for nothing else as a last ditch effort to secure the business that they once dominated.
Score: 3 for 6
A final score of 3 for 6. Don't forget to join us next Friday for more Fact or Fiction! Don't think that you can get away with forgetting. Eyes of Gannon are everywhere.
