The Game Plan 04.26.07: The Death of Exclusives, Part 2
Posted by James McGee on 04.26.2007
In the second part of this feature, we highlight what Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo bring to the table in terms of online features.
Dig, if you will, this picture: You hop into your time-traveling De Lorean, hit 88 mph, and next thing you know, you're in 1992. After trying some Crystal Pepsi to see if it's as bad as you remember, you happen upon a couple of pre-pubescent gamers having one of those "heated" discussions we talked about last week.
"Sonic could out-run Mario any day, you turd wacker!"
"Yeah, well Mario would explode him with his fireballs, poop head!" [Obviously, the language has been toned down, this being a family column]
Being from the future and all, you strut up and decide to drop some knowledge on these little dudes that will blow their minds. You explain that, in just fifteen years, you'll be able to play Sonic games on the newest Nintendo console, and that there'll be two new companies making game systems, and you'll be able to play Sonic on those, too. You go on to expound on such wonders as online gaming, motion-sensing technology, and 3-D graphics. These kids call you a crazy old-fart, kick you in the shins, steal your wallet, and leave you lying on the ground remembering why you hated elementary school so much.
Ah, those were simpler times. Today, with many games going multi-platform, there's so much more to think about besides which system has the best games—things that would have seemed ridiculous to gamers as little as fifteen years ago. Now that games feature amazing graphics, motion controls, and can be played with someone on the other side of the world, first-party console manufacturers are forced to cram as many incentives into their systems as possible, especially considering that gamers have to worry less and less about whether their favorite franchise will end up on that system. For the next few weeks, I will be exploring all the factors that modern gamers have to think about when choosing a console. I am James McGee, and here's the Game Plan.
Last week, I started by looking at movie-playback, and though I don't think it's an issue that will make or break any company, I gave the edge to Sony with their support of the Blu-Ray disc. Early numbers seem to favor this particular high-definition format, and considering that the Playstation 3 will also be using Blu-Ray and its larger storage capacity for games as well as movie playback, it seems to have the advantage over Microsoft's Xbox 360—which requires a separate device to play HD DVDs, and no game support—and the Nintendo Wii, which has ignored movie-playback all together.
Another way systems like to multi-task nowadays is through online functionality. While the Xbox, Gamecube, and PS2 all supported online gaming, Microsoft was the only company to realize its full potential. Xbox Live—which allows gamers to pay a flat monthly or yearly rate for the ability to participate in cooperative and competitive experiences with other players online—really revolutionized console gaming as a whole. Online gaming was nothing new to PC owners, but it had never been pulled off on consoles (despite some early attempts by Sega). The importance of Xbox Live cannot be overstated—it literally changed everything, and online console gaming has proven to be much more than a fad. The 360 introduced the Xbox Marketplace, which allows consumers to buy additional content for their games—everything from new clothing for characters to maps for use in multiplayer games—download classic games, and recently added movies and TV shows to the mix. Of the three systems, Microsoft has the most robust and effective online service, hands down.
But Sony and Nintendo are doing their best to catch up. Wii offers a simple internet browser, as well as several "Wii Channels," such as news and weather. But Nintendo has a reputation for being game-centric, and so the biggest draw for their quirky little system is the Virtual Console, which allows players to download a multitude of titles from Nintendo's excellent back catalogue, as well as titles from former rivals Sega and Turbo Graphix 16. However, the Wii doesn't seem to have the same dedication to current-generation online gaming as the other two consoles. Some games which were released on other systems with online play (like Call of Duty 3 and Marvel Ultimate Alliance) showed up on the Wii without the same ability. Even if online play is incorporated in future games, not having at least some capability set up from the beginning just doesn't make any sense to me, and I imagine that it could really discourage some players from choosing a Wii when they could play the same games online with another system. As for the Virtual Console, the ugly truth is that resourceful gamers can find the same classic games online for free. Granted, these emulated versions aren't always legal, but they're also very poorly policed. Xbox Live Arcade often updates graphics and offers players Achievement Points (a scoring system the 360 implements for all of its games, rewarding players points for accomplishing certain goals) for these classic games, which at least gives people some incentive to purchase them. Getting online with a console means having a high-speed internet connection already, which almost guarantees gamers will already have computers, and so giving them another way to browse the internet and gain access to the same information they can get from their PC just isn't going to cut it. Nintendo is way behind the curve in this regard.
Sony fares a little better, but still has a long way to go if they want to beat Microsoft. Unlike the Xbox 360, Playstation 3's online service is free, which is certainly an advantage, though users report that it's pretty clunky and generally nowhere near as polished as Xbox Live. Part of this is undoubtedly because Microsoft has had a lot more time to perfect the whole online thing, so Sony's problems may eventually work themselves out. The big news that has recently emerged for the PS3 is "Home," a kind of virtual world where players can create a 3-D representation of themselves (what the cool kids are calling "avatars") and go traipsing about in Sony's online community. The service is free and starts out with a basic apartment and set of customizing options, but players will be able to pay to expand their choices and create the ultimate mansion for their little digital selves. The system will apparently boast all kinds of interaction possibilities, such as online games like pool and bowling, the ability to host parties for all your virtual friends, virtual theaters to watch streaming video content, and much more. Several critics have accused Sony of copying both Nintendo (which allows players to create little avatars called "Miis") and Microsoft (as Sony will also begin offering "achievements" and media content online), and I think those critics are right. But, hey, if Sony can take two good ideas and make them better…well, that's what business is all about. However, I don't think people should get too bent out of shape about this "Home" stuff. It all sounds very…interesting, but I hardly think its going to sell consoles. "Home" strikes me as a fun feature to play around with, but I doubt very seriously that people will be saying "Wow, I can pay $10 for a virtual Tommy Hilfiger polo shirt to wear to my virtual party in my virtual mansion? I have got to run out and plunk down $600 for a PS3!" Just like Nintendo, Sony isn't currently doing anything online that Microsoft isn't doing a lot better.
It makes sense that Microsoft is so far ahead of the game in terms of online functionality, given that they essentially perfected the whole concept of online console gaming during the last generation. Sony has a lot to offer, but for now, they seem to be putting a lot of their eggs in the "Home" basket, and I just don't think it's going to mean much to people who haven't already picked up a PS3 for other reasons. Still, Sony is allowing people to game online, which Nintendo has so far ignored. For a company who prides itself on being "all about the games," it's an odd move that could prove to be a big mistake.
What kind of movies you can play and how you can knock around online are both important factors in the console wars, but it really is all about the games. Next week, I'll be getting more into the gaming side of things as I examine the unique "x-factors" each console brings to the table. Tune in to see where the Death of Exclusive leads our beloved game companies, and in the meantime, drop me a line and let me know what you think about these issues. Feedback is always welcome.
