Is the Xbox 360 Elite really a better deal than the Playstation 3?
After several weeks of rumor and speculation, Microsoft finally "officially" unveiled the Xbox 360 Elite - a new version of the company’s system that will come in black, include an HDMI ps3ps3output port and cable, and (probably most importantly to most gamers) include a 120GB hard drive, offering six times more storage space than the current 360 "Pro" system offers. A data retention cable will also be included, allowing gamers to transfer their existing data to the new drive. The price for this new version of the 360 is about $480 US, roughly eighty bucks more than the Xbox 360 Pro system.
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It's like, you ask yourself "How much more black could it be?" and the answer is "None. None more black."
This news has already raised a number of questions (and eyebrows) across the industry, with much speculation surrounding in what way this new system will affect Microsoft's overall market share and is it "the nail in the coffin" for the PS3?
It's interesting that so many people think in those terms. In fact it almost seems that everyone in the industry with the exception of Sony believes that the PS3 is dead but is just too stupid to know it yet. I am not one of those. I'm the first to point out that the Japanese giant has made some (well, a lot) of bad calls since the release of the PS3, but the system is far from dead. It will take a lot more than these recent events to completely destroy the PS3 - and who said that anyone is trying to do that anyway? Microsoft or Nintendo can come out on top of the so-called console wars without completely destroying the competition. After all if we look at the last generation of consoles as a console war gone by it is a war that Nintendo lost. Yet they are still here and healthier than ever.
Everything you see here is in the box.
This new console war is being fought a little differently, however, and Nintendo seems to have positioned itself in a separate category altogether from Microsoft and Sony. This new Xbox 360 may not sway the market as much as some think. In fact, GWN recently ran a news story in which market analyst Billy Pidgeon was quoted from a Gameindustry.biz interview as saying "The Xbox 360 Elite may sway some gamers waiting to decide on a new system, but I don't expect the Elite to have much an effect on the 360's market share this year.” In short, Microsoft probably can't expect droves of Xbox 360 owners to line up for the new system, shelling out another nearly $500 US when they already spent $400 presumably in the last year. Considerable numbers of current Xbox 360 owners probably will be buying the separate (and overpriced) 120 GB hard drive, however.
So the real question at hand is how does the new Xbox 360 Elite stack up against the PS3? What factors are gamers going to consider when buying a new system that will lead them to one or the other? Let's break it down a little.
Price Point
This is the one most people will see first. The Xbox 360 Elite is going to run you $480 US. The top-end PS3 is $600. This factor alone is going to make many people choose the Elite 360 over the PS3. It is the same factor that made many people choose the Pro 360 over the PS3. Think of the non-gamers who are buying these systems. The parents buying them for kids' birthdays or graduation gifts aren't going to care much about the online capabilities, the HDMI, or even the games available for either system.
They're going to care about what this thing is going to cost them. The grandparents are probably even more detached from the gaming culture and will most assuredly vote with their wallets unless specifically directed to the PS3. In fact, they’re more likely to pick up a Wii if they can. The price is still the biggest sway either way and Microsoft is going to win this one over Sony every time. Considering that the 360 Elite is still less costly than the lower-end 20GB PS3, there's no way Sony can compete on the pricing front without a serious change to the PS3 marketing and pricing strategy. It seems that this is unlikely to happen anytime soon in the US, so Microsoft has this one sewn up for the time being.Hard Drive
The 120 GB drive in the 360 Elite is going to turn a lot of heads. It offers double the storage of the PS3's 60 GB and the system still comes in at a lower price. As pointed out in a recent Joystiq podcast, the Elite's price seems like a good deal because the Xbox 120 GB drive sold separately costs a whopping $180 US. That’s pretty freakin’ expensive for a 120 GB drive when 500 GB PC drives can be found for the same price. Many people will see this as getting the 360 system with a $180 drive for a mere extra $80. The Joystiq podcast also pointed out that PS3 owners have the ability to add a regular hard drive to their PS3s if they so desire, purchasing say a 200 GB PC drive and connecting it to the PS3 at a much better value than the 360's pricier drive - but that does mean that the PS3 owner is looking at $600 for the system and then another $100 or so for a separate hard drive. Considering that most people are going to be more interested in what comes in the box, those interested in the size of the system's drive are going to choose the Xbox 360 Elite.
The Xbox 360 interfaces very well with a PC network, and can especially take advantage of Windows Media Center PCs. The new Elite also includes an HDMI port and cable to enable data streaming. The PS3 has included HDMI all along and Sony was quick to point this out in a public response to the Elite announcement. Either way it's something that a small percentage of gamers are going to be that concerned with. Standard USB devices can be connected to the PS3 system, however, including Flash drives and mass storage devices such as an external hard drive. The PS3 can also interface with Sony's PSP handheld unit.
Both systems will play DVDs and CDs, but the PS3 famously includes a Blu-Ray player standard while the 360 offers a separate HD-DVD drive for about $200 US. This alone could be a deciding factor for the PS3 in some people's minds - it all depends on how important the ability to play high definition format media is to someone and whether they're more interested in the HD-DVD or Blu-Ray format. Blu-Ray is currently outselling HD-DVD, but it is still too early in the game to declare a winner and decide whether one or the other will wind up being the industry standard. This is VHS vs. Beta all over again and those who invest heavily in one or the other at this time may be sorry for it later.
Online Capabilities
Online gaming is now. It's that simple. Any game that is released which could include online play should include online play or it will likely be overlooked by the masses and, if not ignored, perform significantly lower in terms of sales and critical reception than it could otherwise. The PS3 offers an online service at no charge and is attempting to rival Microsoft's pay-service Xbox Live. Both systems offer downloadable content (some free, some for a cost), a single global user ID that identifies the gamer both on the system and in whatever games he or she plays, friends lists, text and voice messaging and chat. The PS3 also includes a web browser for surfing the internet.
Games
This is what it’s really all about, isn't it? Gamers want to play games and will likely turn to the system that has the most games available. Right now that is the Xbox 360, simply because it has been available longer. It also has some of the most popular games. The Halo juggernaut is a Microsoft property and will never be available on the PS3. Gears of War is also an Xbox 360 exclusive. These two games alone are strong arguments for the Xbox 360 Elite while there currently aren't very many such reasons to buy a PS3.
To make matters worse for Sony it seems that the PS3 is losing exclusivity with a number of current and upcoming titles every day. The popularity and critical success of the PS2's God of War 2 means that the inevitable God of War 3 will be a draw when it finally comes out (2009 maybe?), and a good number of gamers are anxiously awaiting Metal Gear Solid 4 which is still a PS3 exclusive as of this writing. A much larger number of franchises once thought of as Playstation games have jumped ship, however.
It's been confirmed that Devil May Cry 4 will appear on the 360, for example, as will Virtua Fighter 5. It’s a safe bet that the 360 VF5 will offer online play as well. The PS3 version does not. There have also been recent reports that longtime Playstation exclusive Final Fantasy (all the "new" [rather than re-released] FF games have been Playstation and PS2 or PC only, with the exception of Final Fantasy XI which appeared on the 360 last year) may even be up for grabs. In a recent story on Game Informer's website it was revealed that Sony Computer Entertainment France President Georges Fornay recently told a French publication, "As far as Final Fantasy XIII goes, I can tell you that the exclusivity is in discussion."
There are even rumblings that the heavily anticipated Metal Gear Solid 4 could also defect. While nothing official has been announced, Hideo Kojima was recently quoted as saying he'd be interested in developing for the 360. Even if that doesn't mean a 360 MGS 4 or other MGS game you can guarantee that Sony and Microsoft both perked up their ears at this one. Sony probably started growling like a cur stray about to be denied a meal while Microsoft started salivating like one of Pavlov's famous pooches.
Microsoft also has a leg up on the competition with its system of Xbox Live achievements. Gamers like being rewarded for playing their games and the achievements available on Xbox Live are a method of doing just that. They serve no real purpose for the gamer other than bragging rights and a way for gamers to get an idea of other gamers' play skill (the guy with the 10,000 ranked match player kills achievement in Gears of War is one I want on my side), but they add replayability to games and provide a reason for gamers who own multiple systems to buy for one rather than the other. F.E.A.R. is coming soon for the PS3, for example. If I have both systems and am standing in the store looking at the PS3 F.E.A.R. and the Xbox 360 F.E.A.R. I am going to realize that they are pretty much the same game and that the Xbox 360 version is going to allow me to raise my gamerscore. I'm leaving that store with the 360 version of the game.
Sony has traditionally had strong third party support and there is no reason to think that this is going to change - even if that support is no longer exclusive. There will be plenty of games available for the PS3 very soon. Whether gamers are willing to continue to wait for them is another matter.
Backwards compatibility is also an issue here, and an area where both companies have struggled slightly. While the PS2 was groundbreaking in its ability to play any and all PS1 games from the start, both new systems do not support all of their companies' old games. Each is adding more games to the list of compatible titles all the time, however, and if both succeed in making their entire back catalogues compatible, Sony will have a real advantage with its impressive lineup of old PS1 and PS2 games. This is, however, a real "if" and will be impacted by other factors.
Other Factors
A few other things that may come into play with a gamer's decision on one system or another will typically include things like available peripherals, customer service and support, word of mouth, and numerous other factors which may be nearly impossible to consider or track.
The fact that the 360's headset plugs right into its controller is a nice feature while Sony offers Bluetooth wireless connectivity for its controllers and headsets. Microsoft also offers a wireless 360 headset, but that always seemed odd to me. How far is the average gamer likely to be from his controller? Since the Elite comes with a wireless controller (as does the Pro system), a wireless 360 headset seems to be a moot point. I know that I've been personally treated to the sounds of gamers carrying the controller to the restroom and wearing the headset (and not being courteous enough to mute the damn thing) while in there during marathon Gears of War sessions, so who needs a wireless headset?
Sony's Sixaxis controller features motion sensing technology that, while nothing like the Wii's controller, is something that can be put to interesting use in upcoming games. At this point Microsoft has nothing like that. This is a potential score for Sony, especially if some developer comes up with a really interesting take on the control scheme. The upcoming Lair for the PS3 is said to make good use of it for steering massive flying dragons, so we'll have to see how that works out when the game is released.
Due to legal issues Sony was unable to include any vibration technology in the PS3 controller. This seems like a relatively small feature, but ever since Sony introduced the Dual Shock controller for the PS1, vibration has been a part of console gaming, so much so that we don't even think about it. If you want to realize that there is a difference, however, play any game that allows you to turn the vibration feature off and do so. You'll notice right away how much this seemingly simple feature adds to the gaming experience. It's an admittedly small thing (after all, we were gaming for years without any kind of rumble, we can do it again if we have to), but it is still a strike against the PS3.
The lack of vibration technology also affects the PS3’s backwards compatibility. Gamers will not get to witness Psycho Mantis telekinetically moving the PS3 controller when playing Metal Gear Solid, for example, completely killing one of the most interesting and humorous encounters in that game.
Microsoft had some definite issues when the original 360 launched. All consoles do, but there were people who experienced their Xbox 360 consoles overheating and literally melting before their eyes. There hasn't been such a report in some time, but one wonders whether the same thing will happen with a number of the limited-edition Elite systems. I guess we'll find out in April. Say what you will about the PS3, I've never heard of one of them melting. Not yet anyway. Instead, they melt bank account balances and, in a weird meshing of economics and science, use the same methods to inflate credit card balances.
Microsoft also recently announced plans for an IPTV system, effectively turning the Xbox 360 into a TiVo like device for those who have the service available in their areas. The new larger drive will go a long way toward making this service useful to people. While this Microsoft service may be limited at first, it serves as an interesting way in which a gaming console can be so much more than a gaming console. Sony, which was making all sorts of wild claims about the PS3’s capabilities prior to its launch, has nothing like it at this time.
Verdict
For my money I think I would buy the Xbox 360 Elite over the PS3 if I were standing in the store considering such a purchase today. I do think, however, that Microsoft could have added considerable bang for the buck if they truly wanted to make the system "elite" and really give Sony something to worry about. Why not include a rechargeable battery pack with the black controller as well as a charge and play cable? How about including a few full-version Xbox Live arcade games on the new, meaty hard drive? Maybe include a three-month freebie subscription to Xbox Live Gold? Add another $50 US to the price tag and throw in the HD-DVD drive. All of these things could have been done to make the Xbox 360 Elite really stand out as the obvious choice above the PS3. It may be a better choice right now anyway, but Microsoft has left room for that to change in the not too distant future when they really could have hammered that wooden box shut tight and still come in at a lower price point than the 60GB (and perhaps the 20GB) PS3 if they really wanted to.
Price Point
This is the one most people will see first. The Xbox 360 Elite is going to run you $480 US. The top-end PS3 is $600. This factor alone is going to make many people choose the Elite 360 over the PS3. It is the same factor that made many people choose the Pro 360 over the PS3. Think of the non-gamers who are buying these systems. The parents buying them for kids' birthdays or graduation gifts aren't going to care much about the online capabilities, the HDMI, or even the games available for either system.
Yes, the controller is black too. It looks good in black.
They're going to care about what this thing is going to cost them. The grandparents are probably even more detached from the gaming culture and will most assuredly vote with their wallets unless specifically directed to the PS3. In fact, they’re more likely to pick up a Wii if they can. The price is still the biggest sway either way and Microsoft is going to win this one over Sony every time. Considering that the 360 Elite is still less costly than the lower-end 20GB PS3, there's no way Sony can compete on the pricing front without a serious change to the PS3 marketing and pricing strategy. It seems that this is unlikely to happen anytime soon in the US, so Microsoft has this one sewn up for the time being.Hard Drive
The 120 GB drive in the 360 Elite is going to turn a lot of heads. It offers double the storage of the PS3's 60 GB and the system still comes in at a lower price. As pointed out in a recent Joystiq podcast, the Elite's price seems like a good deal because the Xbox 120 GB drive sold separately costs a whopping $180 US. That’s pretty freakin’ expensive for a 120 GB drive when 500 GB PC drives can be found for the same price. Many people will see this as getting the 360 system with a $180 drive for a mere extra $80. The Joystiq podcast also pointed out that PS3 owners have the ability to add a regular hard drive to their PS3s if they so desire, purchasing say a 200 GB PC drive and connecting it to the PS3 at a much better value than the 360's pricier drive - but that does mean that the PS3 owner is looking at $600 for the system and then another $100 or so for a separate hard drive. Considering that most people are going to be more interested in what comes in the box, those interested in the size of the system's drive are going to choose the Xbox 360 Elite.
Of course this one is also black.
MultimediaThe Xbox 360 interfaces very well with a PC network, and can especially take advantage of Windows Media Center PCs. The new Elite also includes an HDMI port and cable to enable data streaming. The PS3 has included HDMI all along and Sony was quick to point this out in a public response to the Elite announcement. Either way it's something that a small percentage of gamers are going to be that concerned with. Standard USB devices can be connected to the PS3 system, however, including Flash drives and mass storage devices such as an external hard drive. The PS3 can also interface with Sony's PSP handheld unit.
Both systems will play DVDs and CDs, but the PS3 famously includes a Blu-Ray player standard while the 360 offers a separate HD-DVD drive for about $200 US. This alone could be a deciding factor for the PS3 in some people's minds - it all depends on how important the ability to play high definition format media is to someone and whether they're more interested in the HD-DVD or Blu-Ray format. Blu-Ray is currently outselling HD-DVD, but it is still too early in the game to declare a winner and decide whether one or the other will wind up being the industry standard. This is VHS vs. Beta all over again and those who invest heavily in one or the other at this time may be sorry for it later.
Online Capabilities
Online gaming is now. It's that simple. Any game that is released which could include online play should include online play or it will likely be overlooked by the masses and, if not ignored, perform significantly lower in terms of sales and critical reception than it could otherwise. The PS3 offers an online service at no charge and is attempting to rival Microsoft's pay-service Xbox Live. Both systems offer downloadable content (some free, some for a cost), a single global user ID that identifies the gamer both on the system and in whatever games he or she plays, friends lists, text and voice messaging and chat. The PS3 also includes a web browser for surfing the internet.
F.E.A.R. on the Xbox 360.
It’s hard to argue with the success of Xbox Live and Microsoft has a considerable head start over Sony in this area since the system was initiated with the original Xbox and has only improved with the 360. That said, free is a big word with some people and if Sony's service proves itself to be as good as Microsoft's, some people buying new systems may indeed choose the system with the free service. Sure the PS3 costs more, but they could consider the ability to play online at no cost years from now as being worth the extra initial investment. Should Sony start charging for its service or if Microsoft should suddenly make Xbox Live Gold memberships available for free, that could change drastically.GamesThis is what it’s really all about, isn't it? Gamers want to play games and will likely turn to the system that has the most games available. Right now that is the Xbox 360, simply because it has been available longer. It also has some of the most popular games. The Halo juggernaut is a Microsoft property and will never be available on the PS3. Gears of War is also an Xbox 360 exclusive. These two games alone are strong arguments for the Xbox 360 Elite while there currently aren't very many such reasons to buy a PS3.
To make matters worse for Sony it seems that the PS3 is losing exclusivity with a number of current and upcoming titles every day. The popularity and critical success of the PS2's God of War 2 means that the inevitable God of War 3 will be a draw when it finally comes out (2009 maybe?), and a good number of gamers are anxiously awaiting Metal Gear Solid 4 which is still a PS3 exclusive as of this writing. A much larger number of franchises once thought of as Playstation games have jumped ship, however.
It's been confirmed that Devil May Cry 4 will appear on the 360, for example, as will Virtua Fighter 5. It’s a safe bet that the 360 VF5 will offer online play as well. The PS3 version does not. There have also been recent reports that longtime Playstation exclusive Final Fantasy (all the "new" [rather than re-released] FF games have been Playstation and PS2 or PC only, with the exception of Final Fantasy XI which appeared on the 360 last year) may even be up for grabs. In a recent story on Game Informer's website it was revealed that Sony Computer Entertainment France President Georges Fornay recently told a French publication, "As far as Final Fantasy XIII goes, I can tell you that the exclusivity is in discussion."
There are even rumblings that the heavily anticipated Metal Gear Solid 4 could also defect. While nothing official has been announced, Hideo Kojima was recently quoted as saying he'd be interested in developing for the 360. Even if that doesn't mean a 360 MGS 4 or other MGS game you can guarantee that Sony and Microsoft both perked up their ears at this one. Sony probably started growling like a cur stray about to be denied a meal while Microsoft started salivating like one of Pavlov's famous pooches.
F.E.A.R. on the PS3. Notice any drastic differences? Oh yeah - no Achievements.
When games are available on multiple platforms it translates into less reasons to buy a specific system. If Final Fantasy XIII does become available for the 360 (or, worse for Sony, if the much anticipated remake of Final Fantasy VII does) it will almost definitely translate into fewer PS3s sold.Microsoft also has a leg up on the competition with its system of Xbox Live achievements. Gamers like being rewarded for playing their games and the achievements available on Xbox Live are a method of doing just that. They serve no real purpose for the gamer other than bragging rights and a way for gamers to get an idea of other gamers' play skill (the guy with the 10,000 ranked match player kills achievement in Gears of War is one I want on my side), but they add replayability to games and provide a reason for gamers who own multiple systems to buy for one rather than the other. F.E.A.R. is coming soon for the PS3, for example. If I have both systems and am standing in the store looking at the PS3 F.E.A.R. and the Xbox 360 F.E.A.R. I am going to realize that they are pretty much the same game and that the Xbox 360 version is going to allow me to raise my gamerscore. I'm leaving that store with the 360 version of the game.
Sony has traditionally had strong third party support and there is no reason to think that this is going to change - even if that support is no longer exclusive. There will be plenty of games available for the PS3 very soon. Whether gamers are willing to continue to wait for them is another matter.
Backwards compatibility is also an issue here, and an area where both companies have struggled slightly. While the PS2 was groundbreaking in its ability to play any and all PS1 games from the start, both new systems do not support all of their companies' old games. Each is adding more games to the list of compatible titles all the time, however, and if both succeed in making their entire back catalogues compatible, Sony will have a real advantage with its impressive lineup of old PS1 and PS2 games. This is, however, a real "if" and will be impacted by other factors.
Other Factors
A few other things that may come into play with a gamer's decision on one system or another will typically include things like available peripherals, customer service and support, word of mouth, and numerous other factors which may be nearly impossible to consider or track.
The fact that the 360's headset plugs right into its controller is a nice feature while Sony offers Bluetooth wireless connectivity for its controllers and headsets. Microsoft also offers a wireless 360 headset, but that always seemed odd to me. How far is the average gamer likely to be from his controller? Since the Elite comes with a wireless controller (as does the Pro system), a wireless 360 headset seems to be a moot point. I know that I've been personally treated to the sounds of gamers carrying the controller to the restroom and wearing the headset (and not being courteous enough to mute the damn thing) while in there during marathon Gears of War sessions, so who needs a wireless headset?
Even the freakin' box is black... well, kind of.
Sony has experienced some problems with its Bluetooth controllers as well. There were plenty of post launch reports of the controllers cutting out mid-play, something that most gamers will find very frustrating.Sony's Sixaxis controller features motion sensing technology that, while nothing like the Wii's controller, is something that can be put to interesting use in upcoming games. At this point Microsoft has nothing like that. This is a potential score for Sony, especially if some developer comes up with a really interesting take on the control scheme. The upcoming Lair for the PS3 is said to make good use of it for steering massive flying dragons, so we'll have to see how that works out when the game is released.
Due to legal issues Sony was unable to include any vibration technology in the PS3 controller. This seems like a relatively small feature, but ever since Sony introduced the Dual Shock controller for the PS1, vibration has been a part of console gaming, so much so that we don't even think about it. If you want to realize that there is a difference, however, play any game that allows you to turn the vibration feature off and do so. You'll notice right away how much this seemingly simple feature adds to the gaming experience. It's an admittedly small thing (after all, we were gaming for years without any kind of rumble, we can do it again if we have to), but it is still a strike against the PS3.
The lack of vibration technology also affects the PS3’s backwards compatibility. Gamers will not get to witness Psycho Mantis telekinetically moving the PS3 controller when playing Metal Gear Solid, for example, completely killing one of the most interesting and humorous encounters in that game.
Microsoft had some definite issues when the original 360 launched. All consoles do, but there were people who experienced their Xbox 360 consoles overheating and literally melting before their eyes. There hasn't been such a report in some time, but one wonders whether the same thing will happen with a number of the limited-edition Elite systems. I guess we'll find out in April. Say what you will about the PS3, I've never heard of one of them melting. Not yet anyway. Instead, they melt bank account balances and, in a weird meshing of economics and science, use the same methods to inflate credit card balances.
Microsoft also recently announced plans for an IPTV system, effectively turning the Xbox 360 into a TiVo like device for those who have the service available in their areas. The new larger drive will go a long way toward making this service useful to people. While this Microsoft service may be limited at first, it serves as an interesting way in which a gaming console can be so much more than a gaming console. Sony, which was making all sorts of wild claims about the PS3’s capabilities prior to its launch, has nothing like it at this time.
Verdict
For my money I think I would buy the Xbox 360 Elite over the PS3 if I were standing in the store considering such a purchase today. I do think, however, that Microsoft could have added considerable bang for the buck if they truly wanted to make the system "elite" and really give Sony something to worry about. Why not include a rechargeable battery pack with the black controller as well as a charge and play cable? How about including a few full-version Xbox Live arcade games on the new, meaty hard drive? Maybe include a three-month freebie subscription to Xbox Live Gold? Add another $50 US to the price tag and throw in the HD-DVD drive. All of these things could have been done to make the Xbox 360 Elite really stand out as the obvious choice above the PS3. It may be a better choice right now anyway, but Microsoft has left room for that to change in the not too distant future when they really could have hammered that wooden box shut tight and still come in at a lower price point than the 60GB (and perhaps the 20GB) PS3 if they really wanted to.
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