Xbox 360 was my first xbox back in late 2007. I didn't have much games throughout the year, why? Cause I was too busy spending money to fix the console after it kept breaking down to RRoD. Over here we don't have warranty for the consoles, and each time I had to shell out 100$ or so which was crazy. When it broke down the 2nd time, I knew I had enough. I fixed the console for one last time, packaged it and sold it at a loss. It was a huge sigh of relief. By the time I got PS3, GTA IV just came out and Metal Gear Solid 4 was on the horizon...it was perfect. As I look back, selling the Xbox 360 for the PS3 was one of the best decisions I've made, if only I had sold it sooner to save a ton of repairing costs or even better...went straight for the PS3 from the start.
After almost 6 years, I can fondly look back at some of my favorite gaming memories only made possible because of the PS3. I witnessed some great stories unfold in front of me along with characters that came alive. It is not just the great games PS3 offered me, but through it's online network service called the PSN, I met some genuinely great people and in time they moved on from being just my internet friends to be being friends.
So, what happened at this year's Sony E3 press conference? I loved how the console design clearly shows the PlayStation heritage and plays well with the recent focus of taking the brand back to it's roots. I was pleasantly surprised how compact the entire system was. The half matte and gloss finish seams to be the trend for this generation.
As for the presentation, I really liked how at first they focused on the PS3 and showed some genuinely great games that are coming this year. It is amazing that for a 7 year console, PS3 just can't slow down and some of the games like Beyond: Two Souls are rivaling that of next-generation of consoles in terms of technical prowess which is just crazy if you think about it.
Sony basically in gaming logic, saved all it's power ups and heavy weapons and unleashed them all at once at Microsoft during two thirds into their conference. During a 3 minute window Sony announced:
- No DRM
- No need for always online
- No Used games restriction
- Smaller, sleeker, more powerful console
- Gaikai providing backwards compatibility from PS3 to all the way to PSone
They didn't focus on it on the presentation. But from this video you can get an idea what the interface looks like. I really like the lightweight and minimalist approach to it
So, what sells consoles? Games, exclusive games. Battle of next-gen console exclusives 'shown' was a tie between Sony and Microsoft, I felt Sony didn't show most of their games this E3 even though their lineup was much more diverse than that of Microsoft's. It is very safe to assume Sony's first party lineup is much bigger than that of Microsoft's. But, the battle of winning gamer's hearts undisputedly goes to Sony.
This E3 taught me something very important. It is not just about the games that wins the heart of gamers as I previously thought, no, but also the relationship between the companies and the consumers. People hardly like giant corporations and why would they? They treat us consumers like peasants and leach out money from us to the point we are cut and dried. Sony reminded us that, behind those big corporate masks...they are all just people just like us. They understand the trials and tribulations we consumers are forced to go through, more so than previous years and being always at the mercy of corporations behind our favorite past time. They showed us that they care and understand us. This is the biggest contrast between Sony and Microsoft. Microsoft delivered their messaging in such a way that it is hard not to feel that we are nothing more than a $ sign to them. To Sony however, we are actual people who are passionate about their products and services and in their part they felt it was very wrong to actually punish us for doing so.
Congratulations Sony, just pre-ordered PS4 and can't wait to have it!
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