By: Tim, Everett, WA

Tim, Everett, WA — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 17:50:39 +0000

To the guy who can only write in CAPS (get your keyboard fixed). 50,000 players at any given time for SOCOM 3 on PS3, while impressive, doesn’t come close to Halo (unless you’re referring to the original one and not halo 3). When the game first came out i saw as many as 1+ million unique users playing at the same time. I logged on two days ago and one of the 12+ game types had 30,000 unique users in it…crazy sony fanboy, get your facts straight.

By: Ohio

Ohio — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 18:12:11 +0000

Xbox 360 is the greatest. I love my xbox 360. It has the best classic games, Halo(1,2,3) , Gears 1 and 2, BIOSHOCK. It gets games and new conent(maps, updates thru xbox live) before PS3. Xbox live is greath, for $50 a year. The only thing PS3 has over xbox is the blue ray player. If the Xbox had a blue ray player on it, PS3 would be out of business or if PS3 did not have a blue ray player it would be out of business. Xbox 360 is for true video gamers.

By: eric, torrance, california

eric, torrance, california — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 10:15:15 +0000

My wife and I are both very casual console gamers (I’m a devoted PC gamer though), so the wii works well for us. My good friends all have 360’s, and they seem to be fine. Several of my coworkers have PS3’s, and they all like them. Like someone said below, pick your console based on what games you want to play.

Also, someone mentioned that small, high capacity audio players (ipod) have replaced compact disks. I agree, but you still can’t beat the sound quality of a CD. My car’s sound system allows me to play either (who’s doesn’t these days), and I can EASILY tell the difference between an original mastered CD and its legal (or illegal) downloaded MP3 equivalent.

By: Joe, Medford Oregon

Joe, Medford Oregon — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 00:53:47 +0000

What wasn't listed in the article is the titles that are are at launch or close to it, going to support the advanced 3d avatar system like Hearts Spades

By: Kyle Cox, Columbia MO

Kyle Cox, Columbia MO — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 17:58:22 +0000

I have a Xbox 360 and I like it, but as a candid observer, I can tell you exactly why the Wii is doing so well.
The Wii is a very novel concept with the motion wand and Sport/Fit packs that can appeal to all sorts of demographics. It is through that one little difference that a true gamer such as myself finds interest in the Wii. My wife, who when it comes to gaming systems is illiterate wants the Wii for those purposes. One Xbox and Playstation do the same with their controllers, as well as release some family friendly games (as well as their best sellers) the Wii’s sales will taper off.

There is also a number, though I am not sure of that number, of retirement homes that are purchasing the Wii for its residents who also love the Sport and Fit packages.
Both Xbox and Playstation can release these family friendly games, they just choose not to, it is not nearly as profitable as the Halo’s or God of War games each platform releases. They both will fight to over take Wii, but it will most likely be a futile attempt until the next generation, when Nintendos sucess will be duplicated by the others

By: Eric, Cincinnati OH

Eric, Cincinnati OH — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 14:54:05 +0000

The new XBOX360’s do not have the same issues as the first generation models did. Microsoft spent $3 billion to fix the problems and the new ones are not like the older models as they use a more efficient processor that does not generate as much heat. As for the ones that got stuck in a the refurbish game I think this is a bad move by Microsoft and they should have made some execptions for those that had to keep sending theirs back. I have played both consoles and the Xbox is tops, but the PS3 is nice. I am looking forward to getting my xbox here soon.

By: JAMES BRYANT, NYC, NY

JAMES BRYANT, NYC, NY — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 06:30:12 +0000

GOD I DON’T KNOW WHAT PLANET YOU GUYS ARE ON, PS3 HAS THE BETTER CONTROLLER (COMPARED TO XBOX360′S BIG CLUNKER), ALSO PSN NETWORK IS EASIER AND FREE, AND IF YOU THINK ANYTHING DIFFERENT, ASK THE 50,000 ONLINE PLAYERS WHO PAY SOCOM ON A DAILY BASIS, FOR EAST TO WEST (NOT TO MENTION INTERNATIONAL). THAT SINGLE GAME HAS MORE PLAYERS ON IT AT ANY GIVEN TIME THEN ANY XBOX GAME (INCLUDING HALO), TOP OF THE YEAR PS3 HAS A BETTER LIST OF GAMES COMING OUT (LIKE THE EXCLUSIVE NEW TEKEN AND MAX PAIN JUST TO NAME A FEW) PEOPLE WHO COMPLAIN ABOUT PS3 ARE THOSE WHO HAVE ONLY IN THE PAST PLAYED ON XBOX, PUBLISHERS HAVE FIGURED OUT HOW TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE PROCESSOR IN THE PS3, BUT ONCE THEY DO, XBOX LOOK OUT!!!

By: David, Columbus OH

David, Columbus OH — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 04:46:30 +0000

I have played all three systems and like the PS3 the best. So that is what I have now. The Blu-Ray, video chatting and the games (mostly shared titles with the XBox) make it worth while. And it does have a motion controller. Not exactly like the Wii, but you can use it on driving games, also to bowl, ski, skydive etc.

By: Ben, Bronx, NY

Ben, Bronx, NY — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 01:21:22 +0000

The Wii was the biggest waste of money for me. It feels too much like a child based system. I loved my 360… All 7 of them!! Since they all were sent back to get fixed and proceeded to send me refurbished ones that broke soon after I became disenchanted with Microsoft and it’s poor customer service and my 360 (I had to pay shipping charges twice without them sending me a box or RA tag). So I bought a PS3. Although I had a better experience game wise and online play was the best I am satisfied with my PS3. After all I had my PS2 since day one without it breaking on me and till this day it still works. Now that’s reliability!

By: Simon, Atlanta GA

Simon, Atlanta GA — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 23:44:36 +0000

Wii a fad? What planet do you come from? Do you even own a Wii? Until XBox or PS3 comes with a motion controller, Nintendo has nothing to worry about.

Our Wii has provided interactive entertainment for the whole family. It has been one of the best purchases that I have made.

By: Jay, Chapel Hill NC

Jay, Chapel Hill NC — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 22:19:35 +0000

These companies would do themselves a favor by keeping consoles under $300, lowering the cost of games under $50.00 and stop trying to get extremely high profit margins on peripherals.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 21:56:23 +0000

Each system has its benefits and drawbacks.

Wii – Fun and easy to pick up. Great system for family games. The WiiMote control scheme allows for some interesting gameplay mechanics that can not be mimiced on other systems.

The downside is the graphics/sound are not in the ball park when compared to the PS3/Xbox360. Outside Nintendo’s first party titles, there is not many “must have” games to purchase. It is also limited in its media capabilities which also hurt it.

PS3 – Blu-Ray drive, great graphics/sound and some user mods like upgrading the hard drive are great additions. The free online play is nice but is nowhere near Xbox Live’s functionality.

The downside to the PS3 is cost and rather limited console exclusives. If it was not for Little Big Planet, I would not even consider purchasing one.

Xbox 360 – Xbox Live, best controller, great graphics/sound, and some of the best console exclusives. If you are a gamer, you should be concerned about the games the most. Right now, the Xbox is the system with the best games. With its tight integration into Live, it is even better. It is also the cheapest at $199. (I recommend the Pro for $299 though). Plus, the New Experience adds Netflix and a cleaner interface.

The biggest downside I see for the Xbox is faulty units and lack of blu-ray support. I don’t believe blu-ray has a big need for gaming currently and has kept the price down but it is one area that the PS3 kills the Xbox. With the inclusion of Netflix HD streaming, that might be less of an issue going forward.

So in closing, if you are looking for a console for a family of casual gamers, I suggest you get a Wii. If you are looking for a great media centered system then I recommend the PS3. If you are looking for more of a gamers system, you can’t go wrong with the Xbox.

http://www.onebuttoncontroller.com

By: Micheal Jackson

Micheal Jackson — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 21:09:39 +0000

Look I own all 3 consoles and ppl complaining about $39 or $49 a year (depending on whether u buy from amazon or M$) is just stupid.

First PSN is not that great, second it’s $50 a year. Most people spend more then that for a weekend. $4 a month is nothing and you get far more out of xbox live than you do PSN.

Finally graphics wise PS3 is only marginally better for the price. If I didn’t get mine for free with my TV I wouldn’t have got one (the store was out of BD players so I asked them to sub it with a PS3 which was the same price at the time).

The wii dominates both these consoles and will continue to. Those hoping for a PS3 come back a dreaming. New consoles will be coming about in about a year, there is no way the PS3 will be able to top either the wii or 360.

By: Josh, Austin, TX

Josh, Austin, TX — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:34:50 +0000

Wii is not in the same market really as PS3 and X360. It’s going after an entirely different segment of the market – kids, women, and people who are more interested in casual gaming. That’s a big market – and they have the sales to prove it.

PS3 & X360 on the other hand – are exactly what MS and Sony contend – entertainment hubs for the living room. Their power and functionality blow anything that Nintendo has to offer out of the water.

Nintendo is competing circa 1996 whereas MS and Sony are anticipating your needs 5 years from now.

Nothing the Wii offers isnt something that can’t be easily replicated in either of the competitors. And what will nintendo do once PS3 and 360 offer motion controllers a la the Wii mote? Rely upon its existing user base and huge catalog of games… oh wait…

Some one else said it best – game consoles rely on content to generate sales – and the Wii is woefully lacking in non-nintendo produced content.

By: Lars, Albany NY

Lars, Albany NY — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:27:41 +0000

The problem with the Blu-ray argument…to enjoy it fully you need a 1080p TV over 32″ in size to “see” the difference. Even if some people see the subtle differences, when faced with the cost of the hardware setup and the price of those discs vs. regular DVDs or watching a HD movie in demand…it’s a no brainer to the vast majority of the public who aren’t videophiles. When I was 22 and had money to burn, sure…why wouldn’t I want the best setup for each pixel to hit my eyes. Now 32, married, a child and a mortgage? I’ll take on demand, low cost and “looks pretty good” for my taste and budget.
The Xbox wants to streamline the media experience into the one box for everything approach. It’s not perfect, but it’s going in the direction of the future. I can’t wait to see Sony’s Home network by the way…coming in 2085 at this point….

By: Ben - Portland, Or

Ben - Portland, Or — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:21:36 +0000

Updates to the software are all well and good, but in my experience (ower of an Xbox and now Xbox 360) Microsoft demonstrates a lack of understanding relating to hardware requirements and specifications, resulting in units that freeze up and die, then require repairs. If you’re unfamiliar with the Xbox/360 hardware issues, google “xbox 360 red flasing lights” and see what kind of issues consumers are dealing with. How many people are willing to gamble with their media by pinning the use on a shoddy product? Would you want to send your dvd player, music collection & stereo, gaming console and photo collection out for 6 weeks for repairs. How would you feel if, after 6 weeks, you got the system back and realized that all your saved info was gone?

By: Mike, Bakersfield, Ca

Mike, Bakersfield, Ca — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:21:13 +0000

I have a XBOX, and I use Windows Home Server for storage. I converted all my media to electronic and now I stream my music and movies wirelessly to the XBOX. I only use my BLU-Ray when I rent a movie from a brick&mortar.
PS3 is too expensive. Wii intrigues me but I don’t want to spend money on something that will be a fad.
There you go that my opinion

By: Perry, Pittsburgh, PA

Perry, Pittsburgh, PA — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:41:03 +0000

Wow, some serious dis-information running rampant on theses comments. Here are facts.
1 YEAR SUBSCRIPTION XBOX LIVE = $49.99
($39 on Amazon for card- free shipping)
WIRELESS 360 CONTROLLER = $49.99
($39 on Amazon – Free shipping))
360 WIRELESS NET ADAPTER = $99.99
($82.96 on Amazon – Free shipping)

To the guy claiming to have spent $1200 for Xbox and accessories; you are either stupid or a Sony Fanboy. (I’m guessing both)

By: Greg Ebert, Portland OR

Greg Ebert, Portland OR — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 18:07:40 +0000

With Wii sales surging, it’s about time for Microsoft (or a 3rd prty developer) to go wee-wee on the Wii and offer one of those silly motion-sensing controllers.

By: O, Chicago, IL

O, Chicago, IL — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 17:24:27 +0000

This move will simply appeal to current Xbox 360 users. I highly doubt it will cause any dents into Nintendo’s already dominant position. Having said that, I’ll enjoy the more streamlined interface.

Comments on: The Xbox 360’s holiday makeover