Is the PS3 Slim hype justified? – Let’s look at the facts…
So the rumors were all true. The PS3 Slim is not only real, it’s due to be released next month. Which is nice. But is the hyperbole being spouted justified? No, no it’s not, at least in my opinion. And here’s why.
A new slimline version of the Playstation 3 was always on the cards. It was really just a matter of when it would show up. Pictures of the thing showed up in May, and Sony’s threats of legal action seemed to prove they were of the real thing. And then at the beginning of this month the evidence mounted up, and it looked odds on that the PS3 Slim would be unveiled at Gamescom in Germany. And so it transpired.
Reactions to the announcement have been nothing short of amazing. PS3 owners have been talking it up, would-be PS3 owners are now stating they’ll definitely be buying one, and even some Xbox 360 owners are considering turning to the dark side. But why all the fuss when the PS3 Slim really isn’t all that great.
First there is how it looks. The PS3 Slim is one ugly mofo and no mistake. It looks as though it’s been hit with the ugly stick until it can take no more. Gone is the glossy black look and feel of the original PS3 to be replaced by a frankly cheap and cheerful matte look. Oh, but it won’t collect fingerprints like the old one. So what? How many times do you handle your PS3 anyway?
Then there is the whole reason for its existence. The PS3 Slim is smaller. Fine. The PS3 Slim is lighter. Fine. Those two changes justify the name but what real difference is it going to make to your average PS3 owner? Since buying my PS3 it has sat in the bottom space of my TV cabinet quite happily. Is the smaller, lighter PS3 Slim going to make any difference to me? No. Maybe I’m unusual in keeping my PS3 in the one place but I assumed these days of online gaming meant you no longer had to lug a console round to a mate’s. Which is why I don’t. Plus I haven’t got any friends, which helps.
The new lower price is nice, but it’s well overdue and still not enough to make the PS3 an essential purchase, particularly when we’re slap-bang in the middle of a recession. And $299 is not the sweet spot for a games console, however small and light it is.
There’s also the fact that Sony have once again ignored its fans and left out PS2 backwards-compatibility, which would have made the PS3 Slim a much more attractive option for me. The cost of the components needed to manufacture the PS3 has been reduced, so why not use that to add backwards-compatibility back in to the new console?
I’m not saying the PS3 Slim is a bad product. It is, after all, just a redesigned PS3 that will do exactly the same thing our existing machines do. But that’s the crux. It only does exactly what our existing machines do. Nothing more, nothing less. Which means this is one machine being massively overhyped.
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136 Responses to “Is the PS3 Slim hype justified? – Let’s look at the facts…”
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August 20th, 2009
“The PS3 Slim is one ugly mofo and no mistake.” Back up chief, now after seeing this thing on video clips im much more pleased than looking at the prototype boxes so im more shocked how good it looks…overhyped? don’t make me go through what you are getting right out of the box… the wii is overhyped my friend, still at launch price
August 20th, 2009
dave’s gonna go to a best buy and purchase a slim and tell the clerk “show me the carfax” LMAO
August 20th, 2009
Kevo,
I have to agree with Dave your not really getting anything new with the slim you can’t get with the existing system except the 120GB harddrive.
TBH, I think leaking all this info ahead of the announcement was Sony’s strategy to get the hype built up.
Ascetically, the matte black for the PS3 Slim looks nice next to my black Elite. But I hate the buttons on the Slim looks tacky compared to the touch sensing buttons.
August 20th, 2009
okay, so your not getting what…an operating system in this model compared to old stock…hard drive is still upgradable…old stock is less appealing to launch stock thats what you get when you want a price drop…less features, and the reason it’s getting so much hype is the fact its coming in 2 weeks…its all thats being talked about in the world of gaming…
August 20th, 2009
Well I agree about the looks. My Big Baby looks more sexy to me anyway. And the touch-sensitive buttons are cool, again IMO. But to be honest the only reason they came out with the slim was to get people who have not bought a PS3 to go and buy one. And since most people this Gen likes cheap made and cheap looking Consoles (X-Box360) Sony decided to make a slim but reliable ugly machine. Now with that being said I think CAD,CON,Harry, and whoever else that cries about the articles wrote on here ought to be satisfied. But I am sure they will still find something to bitch at? I guess Dave and Mike are Pro Gay-Box now since they wrote about the uglyness of the new slim? (Flipping the Bird)lol.
August 20th, 2009
‘I have to agree with Dave your not really getting anything new with the slim you can’t get with the existing system except the 120GB harddrive’
Ain’t it meant to be cheaper aswell? Ain’t that it’s main reason for it?
August 20th, 2009
Mike, you’ve already got one?!
August 20th, 2009
Yes that is the main reason.
August 20th, 2009
The slim and Sony now have a new logo. And apparently unless “John Koller” doesn’t know what he is talking about the BC for PS3 is never going to come. Which I think sucks ass, even if I didn’t use it much it would be nice to have that option. Also if any of you guys want the original design “Fat PS3″ you have better buy one before they sell out because Koller also says that once they are gone there gone for good and only the new slim will remain. He said the 160gb was always ment to be limited time only anyway. But they are not going to be making anymore Fat consoles. And regarding the move away from Linux he said and I quote “There are a couple of reasons. We felt we wanted to move forward with the OS we have now. If anyone wants to use previous models and change the OS, they can do so.” Koller said. “We wanted to standardize our OS.” If anybody knows what that means feel free to explain it to me. So there is three positives for the new slim 1. It uses a third of the power. 2. The cooling system has been redesigned. 3. The Cell processor has moved from a 65nm process to a 45nm process.
So conculsion the new PS3 Slim is here to stay whether we like it or not and is the future for Sony.
August 20th, 2009
If ur not worried about a large black ps3 sitting in ur tv cabinet collecting dust, then why do you want backwards compatability? surely you;re not fussed if 2 oversized noisy substandard games consoles are in your tv cabinet either?! Just use your ps2 ffs.
August 20th, 2009
Ghost:
“And regarding the move away from Linux he said and I quote “There are a couple of reasons. We felt we wanted to move forward with the OS we have now. If anyone wants to use previous models and change the OS, they can do so.” Koller said. “We wanted to standardize our OS.” If anybody knows what that means feel free to explain it to me.”
They want to focus now on they PS3 OS from now on, The XMB or what ever they called it. I bet they will be bringing more APP’s for the XMB (ex. iPhone)
August 20th, 2009
before it was “too expensive” and now “it’s too ugly”
well the Wii is “cheap” and it “looks cool” but “IT SUCKs BALLS”
August 20th, 2009
It’s still too expensive.
I’d also wait until it launches (or very shortly after) to see what Microsoft & Ninty do.
I expect the differential to remain as big as it ever was between them all.
August 20th, 2009
Happy: “It’s still too expensive”
yeah considering that it was $600 US (cost Sony $800) when it launched I have to say it is a bargain.
it took M$ 4 years to go from $400 to $300 for a Pro ($100 difference). on the other hand it took Sony 3 years to go from $600 US to $300 ($300 difference) $1,000 to $400 ins Australia ($600 difference).
August 20th, 2009
did you also take in that it runs alot cooler using less energy mikey or davey…mu fat ps3 gets louder than a 360 cause the fans kick on and it gets rather anoying quick
August 20th, 2009
But Kevo/SCA08, you obviously seem to be missing the “facts”… it doesn’t have ” the touch sensing buttons” and it doesn’t look pretty to some people like Dave who keep it shut away in the bottom of their entertainment center anyway.
If people are so obsessed with looks in their console then they should get it customized for their own tastes or go ahead and get the old one, the rest of the world just wants to play games on a game console and get in on PS3 exclusives for $100 less with 40 more GB and could give a rat’s ass about “touch sensing”.
August 20th, 2009
@ CarlB
“But Kevo/SCA08, you obviously seem to be missing the “facts”… it doesn’t have ” the touch sensing buttons” ”
lmaooo…now that u mentioned it, I barely use those buttons as I can eject the disc with the controller and I can also turn the system on and off with it
August 20th, 2009
So what if it was originally $600?
That just shows how ludicrously over-priced it was back then.
August 20th, 2009
Dave, I think the hype is more for the price drop then the redesign. That and the fact that it is ugly may be the reason there is so much internet chatter.
I’m glad they dropped the price and really don’t care what the Xbots think about it. It looks like you wrote this article to please the xbox girls.
They are really dragging this site down with all their hatred towards you, Mike and Sony.
So much so I may look for a new gaming blog. And you xbox girls, don’t bother responding to the fact that I may stop coming here. I don’t care what you say or think.
August 20th, 2009
Agree with Carl. It’s pretty silly to focus on the finish of a console. When it’s in the entertainment center, does it really matter? Also I don’t think it’s a wide spread problem, but didn’t SW say he had issues with the touch sensing buttons on his PS3?
I’m happy with my ol’ phat girl, but if I was in the market for a PS3 I would get the slim in a second. I really like the new design.
August 20th, 2009
Well I happend to like the touch sensitive buttons, I agree with Roca that I don’t use them much since you can do everything with the controller. But if and when you have a game freeze up on you, that little touch button comes in handy. Now I think the new slim is a good deal and would take one over a 360 anyday, But if I were going to buy one right now I would buy a fat one at the new price there offering. I just think IMO that they are made better.
August 20th, 2009
The price drop is what people asked for, if it looks ugly it doesn´t matter at all, you watch the screen while gaming not the console.
Roca:
“well the Wii is ‘cheap’ and it ‘looks cool’ but ‘IT SUCKs BALLS’”
O_O Really!?
Now that´s an interesting feature I haven´t found! =P.
August 20th, 2009
Well the Wii is $249 (plus a million add-ons)
for $50 dollars more ill take a PS3 (everything included) any day
August 20th, 2009
Wow if a ball sucking feature came standard on my console, I would never have to leave the house again.
August 20th, 2009
I will get a 360 over a wii any day even if it come with a 33%-50% failure rate.
the Wii comes DEAD out the box
August 20th, 2009
IBM has revealed that the Cell processor under the newly matte-ified hood of the PS3 Slim was “manufactured using an advanced 45-nanometer manufacturing process” that will deliver “many performance improvements while drawing less power than earlier chips.”
*So the slime will actually have a faster chip.
August 20th, 2009
My girlfriend is giving me her 360 Elite by months end. That should keep me busy for a while. With the PS3 and 360, I don’t see myself really needing a Wii. There are a small handful of games I’d like to check out, but it’s not worth the $250. If it drops by $100 I would maybe consider it.
August 20th, 2009
nice gift!! is she gonna pay for Live too?
August 20th, 2009
Ivan/Roca
“the Wii comes DEAD out the box”
Yet it continues to – and has done ever since it launched – beat all seven shades of sh*te out of the console you believe to be so amazing.
Go figure.
August 20th, 2009
Believe it or not… yeah. I told her to cancel it, since I didn’t really need it. She said “it wasn’t that expensive”, so yes – I get free Live
August 20th, 2009
Ivan/Roca
” is she gonna pay for Live too?”
I guess to trailer trash those few pennies a day really matter so much, eh?
August 20th, 2009
This generation has proved one thing without a doubt – high sales do not have any correlation to quality. Case in point: Wii Play, Wii Fit, Wii Sports… anything Wii related for that matter. Bottom line is that: cheap sells in a bad economy.
August 20th, 2009
Barnabe Jones:
She said “it wasn’t that expensive”
LMAO
Good one.
You woman clearly has a sense of proportion and obviously isn’t some kind of trailer park desperate penniless type.
HIlarious (instant) answer to the resident troll btw.
August 20th, 2009
I presume that due to this new price, MS and (finally) Nintendo will take action and drop prices too before the end of the year.
I wonder how low can they go. If Sony could go from $600 to $300, is a $125 Wii possible?
Roca:
Looking for a silly “Undead Wii” comeback pic I found and fell in love with this:
h**p://technabob.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2006/11/nes_wii_skin.jpg
Now I can be rejoice in my nostalgic Wiitardness.
August 20th, 2009
“I presume that due to this new price, MS and (finally) Nintendo will take action and drop prices too before the end of the year.”
Nintendo is going to probably wait until Sony and M$ unleashed their motion controller/pheripheral
August 20th, 2009
Barnabe:
Your girl has a Wii and a 360? Awesome! What kind of games does she like to play?
August 20th, 2009
“I guess to trailer trash those few pennies a day really matter so much, eh?”
Go here Happy: h**p://blorge.net/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=26
**** From a M$ rep ****
“I feel one way Microsoft could really promote their consoles would be to perhaps think about reducing the cost of their Xbox Live service, or perhaps make it free, whilst this is not very likely I feel that this is one of the easiest ways to kill some of the PS3 Slim’s hype.”
August 20th, 2009
And. So. What.
However you look at it free would be nice but it’s still only mere pennies aday day you’re wetting your Ys over.
FFS get over it and get a job if it’s that big a deal to you.
August 20th, 2009
I bet the M$ rep who said it has a pretty good job!
August 20th, 2009
I don’t recall anyone saying anything about Dave?? Only Mike when he simply deletes awkward questions he can’t answer.
August 20th, 2009
Why didn’t sony just make the ps3 smaller? The original looks good, it’s just a bit too big.
The ps2 slim looked great
August 20th, 2009
@ncaissie:
Now how’s being a little bitch?? lol
August 20th, 2009
‘Why didn’t sony just make the ps3 smaller? The original looks good, it’s just a bit too big.’
I agree. I am wondering if they skimped on every penny they could tho, from the finish to the buttons. Sucks, but I guess it doesn’t change the end experience.
August 20th, 2009
“Since buying my PS3 it has sat in the bottom space of my TV cabinet quite happily.”
But Dave, you forget the millions of potential owners who have smaller cabinets than you. They are onto something here.
August 20th, 2009
This def seems to have split ppl but just wondering from a ps3 users point of few. I you had to buy a ps3 console all over again which would you choose???????
August 20th, 2009
*If
August 20th, 2009
they were all at $299 I will get a $60.
But that doesnt have anything to do with its looks…I can care less what my console look like. But I will take the 60GB with BC, 4 USB ports and multiple memory cards readers.
But it I chose one for the looks it will be the Slim.
August 20th, 2009
I hear it’s also lost USB connections?
Only 2 now, is that right?
If you use an external drive that sounds pretty limited to me.
August 20th, 2009
I’d chose the slim seeing as it uses less power, and actually looks better IMO.
I’ve never used the Memory Stick, SD or Compact Flash Slots in my orginal 60gb, and never used PS2 B/C either.
But now Sony have cut all that stuff out, it means I have a pretty rare PS3 that fetches good money on eBay…so it shall be getting sold soon
August 20th, 2009
they were all at $299 I will get a ***60GB***
Edited above comment***
August 20th, 2009
I would buy the fatty (if it was at the new lower price of course
)…
I have the space and it looks way wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy better imo.
August 20th, 2009
Ivan/Roca
What has the (I presume you meant) 60gb mk1 version got to do with anything?
That SKU is long dead.
The choice now is between the 80gb or 160gb ‘fat’ version
(which were recently on sale…..and at a push the 40gb version which some stores might have one or two of knocking around).
The 60gb doesn’t come into it.
August 20th, 2009
Happy: “I hear it’s also lost USB connections?
Only 2 now, is that right?”
uhmmm that’s old news (2007)
August 20th, 2009
“The choice now is between the 80gb or 160gb ‘fat’ version”
ok sounds fair…then I buy a Slim! if those were my options
August 20th, 2009
Only 2 USBs?
That’s rubbish, I think the Xbox is really stingy with only 3.
August 20th, 2009
i $aid ounce ill $ay it again, if m$ had free online with wifi…id buy it in a heartbeat. ill be looking for $ome flying pig$ in the meantime…but hey you never know atlea$t about the free online. Sony did something epic and m$ i$ pi$$ing in their pant$ right now so they’ll try to do something good of their own:))
August 20th, 2009
You can always get a USB extension. it works on the PS3. not so sure you can do that on the 360
August 20th, 2009
Make it good m$ im “B.S” proof, i got my bs flyswatter(role models)
August 20th, 2009
@Kevo
if you ps3 users are so stingy that you can’t afford to pay for LIVE any wonder why the software sales are so poor for your console
August 20th, 2009
@Ivan/Roca
“I can care less what my console look like”
Learn how to speak english….it’s I “couldn’t” care less. You’re contradicting yourself lol
August 20th, 2009
“if you ps3 users are so stingy that you can’t afford to pay for LIVE any wonder why the software sales are so poor for your console”
uhmmm maybe it is because the 360 install base is almost double of the PS3 in the US.
15M 360 vs 8M PS3…who you think is going to sell more?
August 20th, 2009
I didnt know this is a English Grammar blog CON
August 20th, 2009
“anything Wii related for that matter”
I haven’t played any game on it so far, but I am looking forward to Galaxy, Twiight, Prime Trilogy, Muramasa, No More Heroes, Madworld, and the new Super Mario Bros. These at least have “some correlation to quality” and are Wii related Barnabe, not to mention some quality VC titles.
I still think $250 is too high for it at this time however. Of course they could drop it to $199 and people that haven’t yet would still snap it up.
August 20th, 2009
Kevo/Sir_Chubs_Alot08
So what is this big deal over wi-fi anyways?
I have it and I am getting rid of it.
Plug-point networking is so much easier, faster, accurate & reliable.
XBL?
Come on, pennies a day.
You’re surely not that fussed either way.
Of course free would be nice but a huge deal over pennies a day?
Please.
August 20th, 2009
Akaro – She has all three. A ton of Wii games: Galaxy, Smash Brothers, Zelda, Mario Party, etc…
I’ll be inheriting: Lost Odyssey, Fable 2, Viva Pinata, Overlord, and a few others.
August 20th, 2009
Ivan/Roca
“You can always get a USB extension. it works on the PS3. not so sure you can do that on the 360″
It’s a USB connection, not a Sony or a Microsoft connection.
It works as a USB port.
Either with a powered hub or without but fundamentally it is a USB port and either way and will work like one.
August 20th, 2009
Ivan/Roca
“I didnt know this is a English Grammar blog CON”
Go on, admit it.
You think your doing an incredibly cool ’street’ patois, don’t you?
(even if it is completely unintelligible far too often)
August 20th, 2009
Carl – I can tell you from first hand experience that Galaxy and Twilight are amazing. That was more or less directed at Wii play, Wii Fit, etc
I’ll get one when the price/time is right.
August 20th, 2009
well, i may be wrong but doesn’t wifi allow you and someone else in the house hold be online at the same time while wired connection takes up the internet? idk but thats what i figured
@ carlb…Whats goin to be your 1st ps3 title?
August 20th, 2009
it’s not about penny’s a day…it’s the principal of the matter that xbl cost when i believe it shouldn’t…
August 20th, 2009
Sir Chubs – That and if I have the PS3, I don’t really see the need to have to pay for XBL. Most of the 360 games I want to check out are offline anyway.
*New PS3 game: 3D Dot Hero looks awesome! It’s like a 3D NES RPG game. Take a look at the gallery.
.joystiq.com/2009/08/20/from-softwares-3d-dot-game-heroes-does-pixel-art-ps3-style/
August 20th, 2009
Kevo/Sir_Chubs_Alot08:
“well, i may be wrong but doesn’t wifi allow you and someone else in the house hold be online at the same time while wired connection takes up the internet?”
Yes you are quite right, you are wrong.
(Unless you’re using ye olde dial-up and not a broadband connection)
August 20th, 2009
Wow, some people have used more than 1 usb port in thier console at the same time?!?
I rarely ever use the 360 one, and my PS3 port is used to charge my controller only (I also use a USB powered fan that only draws power).
In fact, now that I think about it, I use my Wii’s USB connection more than any other consoles, but even then, still only 1 port.
August 20th, 2009
Plug-point networking is by far the easiest cheapest way to configure your entire home with no dead-zones, drop-outs or signal fluctuations.
You just load the software disc into your PC, plug the network cable into your Modem router/router and then into the ‘main’ plug-point unit and then shove that unit into any close by electrical wall socket.
You then use your other plug-point units in any other electrical sockets that are near your Xbox, HD TV and/or HD disc player.
1 cable connection per unit
(I have 2 in my living room now and a 3rd spare, of the same type, tucked away for hooking up my next HD TV).
It couldn’t be easier (and they are sold in twin or quad packs pretty cheaply.
It certainly beats tearing up carpets and/or floorboards to network the house.
It’s far far better than wi-fi.
August 20th, 2009
SW
What if you want to hook up an external drive?
You need another for a pad and that’s your lot with just 2.
Of course a USB hub negates any problem but even so, 1 or 2 ports?
That’s pretty mean (and I’m not thrilled at Xboxes 3……although now I’m ditching the wi-fi I get the 3rd one back, which is useful; I’ll be able to leave the external drive hooked up).
August 20th, 2009
HH – Routing is just a myth, YOU LIE!!
On a side note… Home plug stuff is neat. I even managed to use it to create a network between 2 buildings with it… Got shot of it in the end tho in favour of running good old fashioned cat5.
What speed do you have? The last time I looked thier were only two speeds available and the higher end stuff was expensive (200mbps)…
August 20th, 2009
okay then, now wired connection is justified. now the reduce price/free of online and a price cut, id def consider one
Barnabe, i assume you wanna play some of the exclusives on 360 so what games that are exclusive that arn’t online besides fable 2, i can’t think of any
August 20th, 2009
oh srry mass effect also
August 20th, 2009
HH –
I get your point I really do, and I’m not arguing or anything. I’m just suprised that many people require more than 2 at all on a console.
And I do agree about external drives and such, in fact my external drive is hooked upto my Wii! It is by far a superior media player to my PS3 and 360
August 20th, 2009
Ha, Amazon is(has) going to limit slim sales in the US to one per household.
I’m sure thats going to crush Ivan and the 2 other people in the US who were rushing to buy 5
August 20th, 2009
Sir Chubs – mainly the few RPGs.
I’m surprised we haven’t seen Ivan lately. I would have thought he would have been all over the price drop thread.
August 20th, 2009
“What if you want to hook up an external drive?”
you know u can make external HHD wireless now…but then u need wi-fi for that.
Upgradable HHD for PS3 will reduce the need for external HHD though
August 20th, 2009
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Oh look!!! There he is…right on cue!
LOL
August 20th, 2009
CarlB:
They are worthwhile I tell you, haven´t played Madworld but will next month. I can´t believe I wasn´t aware of Muramasa until reading your comment.
Barnabe:
Cool, she is seriously into it! My girlfriend will game as long as she doesn´t have to follow a complex story. =S She can get into racing, fighting, puzzle, shooter, etc; but she can´t stand RPG´s or the like (yet).
Neither her cousin (PS3 owner) nor I have convinced her to get a home console. She got herself a DSLite though. She was an total “no-gamer” last gen, so I say “one step at a time”.
August 20th, 2009
SW
I used to have 200Mbps ones, then I thought with the wi-fi I’d not use it and so I gave them all to my brother.
So, I’ve had to get another lot and got a real bargain set of 85Mbps ones on ebuyer, they’re always having deals.
4 for £60.
85Mbps; I’ve yet to notice the speed being a problem, it seems to be perfect for the Xbox & Blu-ray player.
If I want to switch back I’ll wait on a deal for the 200Mbps jobs (I got 2 of them for £24 when I bought them).
Damn my generousity!
I do still use wi-fi streaming between my main PC & the HTPC.
).
I used to use a Netgear 300Mbps ‘n’ class wireless connection but my ISP gave me a lower spec wireless modem router to use
(and it’s just easier to use that and not burn up mine…..they’re hot little blighters
That’s the G+ spec, 100Mbps.
Works perfectly.
My nephew has a Wii, I must ask him about it’s media capabilities (it seems to be something thatt gets over-looked in any discussion about this stuff).
You rate it then, SW?
Ivan/Roca
Why would anyone choose a wi-fi external HDD over a simple USB connection?
It’s so much less hassle.
With a wired connection the simplest thing to do (assuming I’d run out of USB ports) would surely be to plug it into my PC and stream on the wired network.
You’re also assuming wi-fi is for everyone and works in every home everywhere.
That is far from the case.
Many houses (especially the older and more solid construction types) do have dead-spots and poor reception in different rooms.
Admittedly not everyone has spare power sockets to use plug-point networking (you are advised not to use multi-plug extensions or adapters) but as more and more houses have their wiring updated it’s pretty easy to specify sufficient wall sockets.
(personally I expected to need more than would be perhaps usual when I had my house rewired and specified 8 double sockets in the living room alone.
)
…..the ironic & funny thing is that I now run 2 ‘conditioning’ & filtering multi-plug extensions for all my a/v gear and have lots of free wall sockets
August 20th, 2009
DSLite ftw
August 20th, 2009
DS and Wii are definitely a good place to start. She has a DSLite, but has been eying up the DSi… I might pick that up for her for Xmas maybe.
August 20th, 2009
Antone else play the WET demo yet?
It’s on the UK store… I really liked it. The wall run mechanic isn’t quite as versatile as tomb raider or Price of Persia, but what a kick ass demo! Rubi is like Lara Croft on steroids and whiskey.
Loved:
+Game Play
+Combos
+Theme
+Music
Disliked:
+stiff wall run mechanic
August 20th, 2009
@BJ
I was wondering if that game(Wet) would be any good.
What do you think about Dragon’s Orgin???
August 21st, 2009
@Kevo/Sir_Chubs_Alot08,
“@ carlb…Whats goin to be your 1st ps3 title?”
I think Uncharted, then MGS4, then Valkyria Chronicles, by that time Uncharted 2 should be out.
@Barnabe,
“don’t really see the need to have to pay for XBL. Most of the 360 games I want to check out are offline anyway. ”
I agree, if I didn’t have Netflix I would have no reason to keep Gold. That said, if you live in the states and do not have Netflix on your 360 you are missing out on an incredible deal. Unless you are a TV junkie, this can easily replace cable at a fraction of the cost.
@Akaro,
Muramasa definitely looks sweet. A similar looking game I’m looking forward to picking up for a couple of bucks later this year is called Dust: An Elysian Tale, coming up for Indie Games on 360:
youtube.com/watch?v=fUTZOvwIcyQ
Right now, Shadow Complex is where it’s at.
August 21st, 2009
I know this may sound funny, but Shadow Complex reminds me of Uncharted.
August 21st, 2009
nice carlB u’ll like uncharted especially the funny storyline but how much is gold?
August 21st, 2009
KSCA08,
I paid $38.99 for 13 months through Amazon when I came back, which works out to about 9 cents a day, or $2.99 a month. This combined with a $9 a month Netflix subscription (1 DVD at a time and unlimited HD streaming) lets me save about $8 a month over my old 2 at a time subscription, and about $20 to $30 a month over my old basic cable subscription (I really don’t miss cable).
August 21st, 2009
Is the PS3 Slim hype justified?
Yes.
August 21st, 2009
I think the major point of the slim is the price. It’s now at an almost affordable price here which should see them go off the shelves faster than they were previously. Sure you are sacrificing asthetics, but at the end of the day people want to play games.
August 21st, 2009
im sorry i have to say this “The new lower price is nice, but it’s well overdue and still not enough to make the PS3 an essential purchase, particularly when we’re slap-bang in the middle of a recession. And $299 is not the sweet spot for a games console, however small and light it is.”
do u think that it would be 299 right now if we weren’t in a recession?? Dave goes on to say it’s way overhyped …HOW? give sony some credit for making a system that’s both affordable for both them and the consumer…your article didn’t state the fact that it runs cooler using 45nm chips using like 34% less energy saving u on electricity.
im just stating facts.this article is whack! i agree to you “xbot family” you’ve not been getting alot of pro articles or any articles about 360 news worth reading but im sayin my 2 cents that this is all opinion, few facts
August 21st, 2009
There wasnt any hype about the new PS3 being different…. they hype was all about the Price cute and Sony delivered!!
so the hype was justified?
CarlB,
“That said, if you live in the states and do not have Netflix on your 360 you are missing out on an incredible deal.”
I had a blockbuster account (2 years ago) then I switch to netflix they the streaming service came out. But the thing is that I didnt see my sefl watching/streaming movies all that much because when im at home I spend most of my time Playing PS3 and the only I watch on TV is TV shows (Prison Break, Dark Blue, 24). and I always like to watch those as soon as they come out and since I have a DVR I can record them (or any movie) for later. The problem that I had with netflix is that I go to the movies almost every weekend so there was nothing on netflix that I havent already seen. So I cancelled my Netflix account.
On the other hand you seem like a guy who like to rent games and wait for movies… then Netflix is just right for you.
August 21st, 2009
Here’s something good I’ve found to say about the new PS3.
It now bitstreams HD audio (DTS HD MA & Dolby TrueHD) properly.
At long last.
August 21st, 2009
does that mean ur getting one?
August 21st, 2009
Ghost – Dragon’s Age Origin looks pretty good. I’m interested, but with all of the other games coming out, I’m not sure I’m going to get it right away.
August 21st, 2009
Somebody mentioned before there are bound to be some people that are just a little miffed that this came out when they might have paid twice as much or more for the fatter, clunkier, noisier, less efficient, slower version not that long ago.
Naturally, some (not necessarily anybody here) will revert to a state in their minds to try and justify the excess money they spent early on, like they like the way it looks, etc. Essentially, the aesthetics choice now boils down to personal opinion, but for this and everything else that comes with the slim (smaller, lighter, faster, more quiet, more efficient) I believe the majority (speaking of the small window before the old versions sell out) will (and have so far) still purchase the new slim version over the old fat version.
If $299 isn’t the sweet spot for a games console now, it certainly is for a game console and blu-ray player combined (not to mention free PSN, internet browser, etc.). People here were talking only a $25 to $50 price drop, or that the Slim would even be more expensive. They dropped it by a whole $100 with essentially all the same features and increases in performance and efficiency. It seems like Sony can’t do anything right in some people’s eyes here.
August 21st, 2009
my buddy mentioned the price drop as a negative. I’m like you got it for Christmas……last year…
August 21st, 2009
the consumers will judge if it’s worth the hype. according to mike ferro and the other ps3 zealouts, NOTHING will keep the ps3 from outselling the 360 now that they’re the same price…
let’s watch….
August 21st, 2009
I don’t even remember how much I paid for my 40 gig… I think it was $399. That’s the way it always is with tech items though.
August 21st, 2009
carlb – $299 is not a sweet spot for neither a gaming console nor a bluray player. the fact you have to lump them together and TRY to formulate a sweet spot is funny…..
sony hasn’t done anything right? let’s see:
1. they launched a $600 toy to a customerbase build primarily on $199 sales.
2. they lied about launch dates, hardware, and capabilities.
3. they forced gamers to pay for something most gamers couldnt’ take advantage of (1080p movies) or didn’t necessarily need (wifi).
4. they created fanboys built on hype lies and promises of “just wait” who do nothing but further the lies and hatred to other, more appealing, game consoles (360, wii) while hiding behind “blogging”.
5. they didn’t see MS or Nintendo for the threat they really are. complacency will get you killed in industry.
6. they approached this generation with huge amounts of arrogance that will never be forgotten by gamers.
7. they forgot about the impact of releasing faulty ps2’s to the masses. Many have decided to forgo the ps3 as it’s just too expensive to replace once it goes down. Many gamers have not forgotten about the poor ps2 hardware, or sony’s firm stance that there was nothing wrong with the ps2…
8. sony got lost in the fanboy theory that “exlcusives” is all a console needs to be successful. with the most exclusives and the largest fanbase from last gen, there is no reason why the ps3 wouldn’t appeal to more.
9. their “me too ” attitude dealing with their online model. if they had been smart last gen, created a better online business model, they would have at least looked comparable to xbox live, yet PSN is sorely lacking in features that should be standard and are standard in xbox live.
maybe sony has done some things right, Carlb, but when they’ve done soooooo much wrong, it’s hard to find the right….
August 21st, 2009
Kev – do you just copy and paste that comment over and over?
August 21st, 2009
you can keep watching all u want..i have a life and i dont really care who sells more than the other
August 21st, 2009
barnacle – wtf are you talking about? link the other comment i’m supposedly duplicating….
roca – you only say that because the ps3 is PROVING to be the trainwreck we all said it was….
it’s funny tho; the FIRST article these fanboys post about sucessful ps3 sales, you’ll be first in line to celebrate, as usual…. let’s watch..
August 21st, 2009
Even then Sony has a better reputation than M$.
your just an ass Kisser hating because your buddy carlB is getting one ur not.
August 21st, 2009
trainwreck??? how come is has outsold the 360 worldwide since it launched
The 360 had a 10 million unit lead when the PS3 launch and now it has a 6.8 million lead.
you do the math and keep trolling all you want Ninja boy
August 21st, 2009
roca – how come sony can’t produce any official numbers to back your fanboy claims outselling the 360?
until you provide some actual data, it’s just more wishful thinking….
once this quarter is over, you’re in for a rude awakening…
actually, sony’s reputation is trash. the poor sales of the ps3 kinda proves that.
August 21st, 2009
Roca – don’t feed the troll
August 21st, 2009
I agree with CarlB.
The hype is justified. I never really expected a $100 price cut.
While I own one already and I may pick one up for the bedroom, sales mean little to the average gamer. It will be nice to have more people from Blorge to play games with
August 21st, 2009
I play with Kevo/ SCA all the time…
Barnabe and I have been playing alot of Fat Princess and Street Fighter.
JogaMang and I went at it in Street Fighter 4
Arvis is always playing Madden lol
**but I never see you on Phranctoast???
August 21st, 2009
I hardly play during baseball season. I see you online all the time when I’m watching a movie.
August 21st, 2009
You people need to shut up about SF4 because it makes me want to buy it, and I don’t want to buy it
I hate you all.
August 21st, 2009
why dont you want to buy it?
August 21st, 2009
I hope SW never gets to see this awesome custom suits for the PC version:
h**p://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGH5ienozxQ
h**p://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNL9nuF_uCk&feature=related
August 21st, 2009
yea i want to play with everyone here(not in a gay way) i got my mic up and runnin, been playing cod5 with ivan 4 a lil bit…
August 21st, 2009
SW, just a fair warning… it’s f-ing hard! And everyone who plays online is either really really good, or really really cheap. I win about 1 out of 20 matches
I gave up on trying to use the characters that have the Chun Li move set (Blanka, M Bison, Ziengief, etc) The super/ultra combo is impossible to pull off.
I use the Ryu move characters (Ken, Cammy, Sakura, etc). So much easier to do there super/ultra.
August 21st, 2009
@ Kevo,
“yea i want to play with everyone here(not in a gay way) i got my mic up and runnin, been playing cod5 with ivan 4 a lil bit…”
I was playing Nazi Zombies with him but he doesnt like to waste money/points on new weapon so we kept getting killed by the 10th round
August 21st, 2009
I don’t know about SW, I’m just not into fighting games… I might give SF4 a rent, but I doubt I’ll have the time.
@kev,
“carlb – $299 is not a sweet spot for neither a gaming console nor a bluray player. the fact you have to lump them together and TRY to formulate a sweet spot is funny…”
I don’t have to lump them together or find a sweet spot, Sony already did for many (including me), and they both work fine. I’m not going to buy a separate wi-fi adapter, scanner, fax, copier, and printer when I already have an $85 Lexmark all-in-one which (for my purposes) does just as good a job as separate devices that would cost much more altogether.
I feel the same way about past iterations of consoles. I didn’t need a separate cd player for my entertainment system when I bought a Playstation because it already had one. I didn’t need a separate dvd player when I bought a PS2/360. HD-DVD was a bargain after it’s fall, so I went ahead and got one for cheap in addition to the 360. However, now with the PS3, I won’t need to get a separate Blu-ray player because it is already built in. I won’t buy many, if any blu-ray discs, but I will rent them through the existing service I have with Netflix. So when I am not HD streaming on the 360, I can watch a blu-ray movie/show on the PS3.
As for your list of issues with Sony, I’ve gotten over them, just as I have gotten over the fact that my launch 360 started having problems during and outside the warranty period. So I bought an Arcade and sold my launch unit to GameStop for $40.
Your issues:
1. “$600 toy”. It is now $300 with much more capability than it had at launch. I don’t consider the blu-ray player a toy, but I am not a videophile either. Regardless, $300 is the right price for me, though I can understand why it may not be for you.
2. “they lied”. Well, if they are lying about this then I will give this one to you. I think chances are they are not. At this point many of the major titles that were delayed have come out or are due to shortly, so I will have more than enough to enjoy for the foreseeable future seeing as how I also need to catch up with past releases.
3. “forced gamers” to pay for things they won’t use or can’t take advantage of (1080p, wifi). Well, nobody ever “forced” me to pay for anything, as I chose the 360 in the past, and I am choosing to pay for the PS3 now. Personally, I can take advantage of the 1080p movie playback (I’ve done it before w/360), though I may only experiment with the wifi. Either way, I know what I am getting into and am willing to pay for it. For those that still don’t have a HDTV, there is still PS2 and Wii, but all present gen consoles will still work (though some text may be hard to read).
4. “created fanboys” based on “just wait”. Why do you think I got the 360 first? Because I didn’t want to wait, however, I have waited for the price to come down on PS3 and believe it is more appealing than the Wii (unlike you). Either way, my parents are sending back the Wii I bought them for Christmas (for my birthday… I asked them to for my present) because they prefer PC flash games instead, so I will be able to explore the smaller pool of titles on that platform as well.
5. “They didn’t see MS or Nintendo as a threat”. Well, they do now, and they have been adjusting ever since, to the benefit of the gamer.
6. “they approached this generation with huge amounts of arrogance”. They paid the price for this, and they probably won’t make the same mistake again. While I haven’t forgotten about this, I’m not going to curse them forever for it, especially if they are making the necessary efforts to improve their product and better support their customer (Slim, price drop, free PSN, more reliable hardware, quality exclusive titles).
7. “releasing faulty ps2’s to the masses”. Sorry, I never really had a faulty PS2. My PS2 Slim still works fine. Though I did have to replace my 360.
8. “sony got lost in the fanboy theory that “exlcusives” is all a console needs to be successful.” I am glad they did, as I now get to enjoy some great titles that are exclusive to the PS3.
9. “their ‘me too’ attitude dealing with their online model”. This was a big issue with me as well, but they have improved the service exponentially since it’s launch, included trophies, and it’s still free, so I’m not complaining.
“maybe sony has done some things right, Carlb, but when they’ve done soooooo much wrong, it’s hard to find the right….”
Not really, just look at what they have done wrong in the past and how they have fixed it since. Pretty easy for me to see.
The only thing I see left for them to fix is BC, which is still a sticking point for me, and one of their original promises, but I still have a PS2 Slim in perfect working condition, so it isn’t a huge problem at this time. Even if it doesn’t come though, I’m pretty sure I’ll still be satisfied with my PS3 Slim years from now… Who knows? It may even last longer than my launch 360 did? However, if it does YLOD, I will be the first to let you know.
August 21st, 2009
“However, if it does YLOD, I will be the first to let you know”
the YLOD was a heating issue with a small percentage of the “launch 60GB” you wont see any other PS3 getting the YLOD. Even Sony encourage PS3 to leave their PS3 “ON” 24/7 while using Folding @ home.
August 21st, 2009
I doubt it will even be an issue with the slim. There smaller, cooler, and use less power.
August 21st, 2009
Sounds like witchcraft to me… I’d be on your guard…
August 21st, 2009
lol
August 21st, 2009
“particularly when we’re slap-bang in the middle of a recession.”
I want the recession to end so I don’t have to see dave use this expression yet again.
August 24th, 2009
Nice post CarlB.
August 24th, 2009
Indeed, you share the title of “Most reasonable and open minded 360 Owner on Blorge” with Harry. I of course am ignoring those of you that own both consoles already, heh.
Good show, gamers should play games, and enjoy the games they play.
August 25th, 2009
Thanks Spideydog, JofaMang… I guess I just feel that Sony has made some vast improvements in just a few years. I know it is not out of the goodness of their hearts but rather to succeed, though I can’t fault them for that as a corporation. Part of that drive seems to have come from listening to it’s customers, and the biggest example I can think of this would be when they made trophies standard this year.
On the flipside, Sony was very vocal when criticizing the 360 early on for it’s inferior BC, and now they are saying they are not going to incorporate full PS2 BC. I can’t help but think they are going to incorporate that rumored firmware update for PS2 titles to be sold over PSN only, and not to read discs out of the tray.
Maybe I’m wrong, but if Sony has one thing, it’s a fanbase that isn’t afraid to let Sony know what is wrong or what they want. I hope that if PSN PS2 titles do start to pop up without the hardware BC, this could have the same turnout trophies did, i.e. the fans don’t let them forget about it until it gets changed.
That said, I recently powered up the PS2 for the first time in a long time, and I have to say FFXII and God of War looked fugly on the 47″ 1080p HDTV, RCA cables or component, though Odin Sphere looked slightly better because it has simpler graphics. I guess I’ll get a smaller TV/monitor for the PS2, though I can’t help but imagine what these titles would look like if they were updated for HDTV. If they did this, I could see myself paying for the titles over PSN.
I would say one of the smartest moves Sony could make is to go ahead and put the software emulation BC (improved) back in PS3 for the majority of favorably reviewed PS2 titles, with PS2 level or slightly improved graphics… then have HD versions of the same titles (PSOne/PSP titles as well) made available over PSN. If done right, I don’t see how they could stop the boatloads of cash from coming in.
Then again, it would be pretty sweet if you could just put in your PS1/2 disc and have the PS3 be able to play an HD version outright, but I guess that’s just wishful thinking. Of course, they do still sell a lot of PS2 and even PS1 games at retail… so why not? Sure, it may be a huge front end investment, but the renewed interest would bring in plenty of ROI and even refresh the industry at almost all levels.
August 25th, 2009
CarlB
Interestingly I’ve seen a lot of 60gb PS3 owners on various sites saying that the b/c is not a big deal to them, a lot of games look blocky and very poor.
My bet is they’ll resell them (tidied up & upscaled) on PSN.
August 25th, 2009
There’s also an a/r problem with more than a few too I believe.
Many if not actually most PS2 games are in 4:3, not 16:9/16:10.
August 25th, 2009
I have done side by side comparisons of my BC ps3s (80gb soft BC and my now-sold 60gb Hard BC) and there is almost no difference. If anything, the PS3 looked worse because of the internal upscaling is clearer, and the PS2 fuzzes out the edges a bit with component video. Ghetto AA, hah.
August 26th, 2009
Is Wii only slightly less crappy when blown up on a similar size HDTV?
August 26th, 2009
Not really, looks better on a smaller screen, but I am fairly elitist when it comes to my display quality. Best to judge for yourself, heh.
August 26th, 2009
Jaggies galore if you run the thing at 480p.