The PS3 is now $299. Has the Sony just won the console war? That’s what I’ve been pondering the last week or so since Sony announced a price drop for the Playstation 3. No matter what system your loyalties fall to or what you thought of the system in the past, there is no denying that right now, Sony’s system is the best value in the console market.
The comparison has been done a million times before, so I won’t get too in depth, but indulge me a little bit.
With the new, slim Playstation 3, consumers are getting a machine that is capable of wifi, more powerful than the Xbox 360, and includes a bluray player. Add in a free online service as well as a host of media viewing options and you have a pretty attractive product.
Compare with the Xbox 360 Elite, which also dropped to match Sony’s price and be the PS3’s most direct competitor. Unfortunately, with the drop, some standards have also been dropped from the Elite bundle. Namely, not only has the HDMI cable been dropped from the bundle, but it does not even contain component cables anymore. The Xbox is also without a bluray player, wifi connectivity and is has a bit less power under the hood. Taking into account these deficiencies, it’s a wonder anybody would choose to buy a 360 over a PS3.
To be fair to the Xbox, it does have a much better online structure for it’s system. It feels like a community that is as much a part of the system as the game library. Conversely, PS3 online gaming feels like an added feature that I will make use of once in a while. That said, I would expect Microsoft’s Live service to be better because I am paying $5/month for it. (Also, if you’re in Canada, I have been seeing “Elite bundles” for $330 that include Halo 3 and a wireless adapter. I’m not sure if that is the new standard or a limited time special, but these bundles are much better deals than the standard US Elite.)
I won’t spend much time on the Wii system bundle except to say that, everyone knows that now, more than ever, it is an overpriced piece of hardware. I don’t blame Nintendo for capitalizing on the craze created about their system, but I hope they see that it won’t last forever, and I think it’s about time they drop the price.
Now, does all of this mean everyone will immediately go out and buy Playstation 3? Probably not. $300 is still plenty of money to a lot of people. But I do suspect that within the next few months we will see Sony’s console begin to close the gap between it and its opposition. Some may say that the Wii is so far ahead in sales that it may be uncatchable. The Xbox, though. It’s not such a stretch to think that the PS3 could eventually surpass that system in sales.
Aside from price, perhaps the number one reason people did not purchase a Playstation 3 was the appearance of a lackluster game library. As good as some of the exclusives have been for the console, the overall variety has not been there for much of the PS3’s life. This has been changing slowly, and the next 7 months are arguably the most impressive and important lineup Sony has had thus far. The Uncharted franchise has grown through word of mouth, and the second in the series is one of the most anticipated games this holiday season. A new Ratchet and Clank game is also on track for an October release. Couple this with the possibility of Gran Turismo 5 finally being made available in early 2010, God of War 3 set for March, as well as many high profile third party titles including exclusive Heavy Rain, and this is one important holiday for Sony. Finally, there are quite a few reasons for Playstation fans who have been holding out to pick up a PS3.
Another big weapon in the PS3’s arsenal is the inclusion of a bluray player. Much of the PS2’s early appeal was that it included a DVD player. Sony took a similar approach this round with the PS3, and though adoption has been slower than the previous movie discs, awareness is starting to spread. As more and more people understand what bluray is and how it works with their new HDTVs, this trojan horse has the potential to tip the scale in Sony’s favour.
The one thing I am sure about is that this price drop is good news for all gamers. It has instantly created a more competitive market. With this change, all three companies will have to try that much harder to earn our dollars. This will breed better products and innovations for us all. Isn’t that what we all want, anyway?
