| With Sony's PlayStation 3 finally launched | | | | Sword, which has games journalists very |
| across the globe, the next-gen videogames | | | | excited, but apart from this its near-future |
| wars can start in earnest. Microsoft already | | | | release schedule is quite embarrassing. |
| has a reasonable installed base for Xbox 360, | | | | |
| but not enough to guarantee dominance, while | | | | Microsoft on the other hand has a machine |
| Sony's consumers' brand loyalty is being | | | | mature enough to be expecting its second-wave |
| tested to the limits by the PS3's high price | | | | of titles, games which should really be |
| point. | | | | starting to take advantage of the next-gen |
| | | | hardware (to date, only Gears of War has |
| Nintendo, meanwhile, has carved out a nice | | | | really shown its next-gen credentials to |
| niche for itself by making next-gen not about | | | | gamers). And its line up is looking OK, and |
| hi-def, with its ridiculously named, but | | | | not just first party: Bioshock, from 2K, Mass |
| extremely popular Wii. | | | | Effect, a highly anticipated game from |
| | | | Bioware, who can do no wrong, Halo 3 to |
| Within the industry though, most pundits are | | | | arrive one month after GTA IV on both |
| expecting a much more level playing field | | | | platforms - you don't have a bucket big |
| this time around, with Microsoft and Sony | | | | enough to describe how many bucketloads this |
| battling it out, but neither gaining | | | | game will sell, Fable 2, from the well-liked |
| significant domination over the other. This | | | | Lionhead Studio and then later more Project |
| is, frankly put, a disaster for Sony whose | | | | Gotham Racing and Halo action. |
| PlayStation 2 console defined a generation, | | | | |
| and not just of consoles. | | | | Essentially, this year Xbox 360 has some good |
| | | | triple A games, with 2 tent pole releases in |
| What is the reason for this shift? One word: | | | | GTA IV and Halo 3. Sony has GTA IV and |
| exclusivity. In the good old days, games | | | | Heavenly Sword and then many more third |
| publishers were convinced to launch their | | | | party, multi-platform games. |
| game on a single console, and then perhaps | | | | |
| later allow it to grace the competitors' | | | | So, expect Microsoft to shift some units with |
| machines, and so Lara boosted the original | | | | their line up, but Sony will also be hoping |
| PlayStation and GTA helped the PS2 explode. | | | | for a GTA effect on its console. This |
| With the next-gen, exclusivity is all but | | | | pinkish, if not rosy, outlook for Microsoft |
| gone. GTA will launch on both the Xbox 360 | | | | could change next year though. Sony has more |
| and PS3 and Lara is two-timing the | | | | development staff than anyone else, and while |
| PlayStation all over the place. There are | | | | it might be taking its time, you have to |
| even rumours that Snake will turn tail and | | | | expect its first party games to start coming |
| that Metal Gear Solid 4 will not be a | | | | through. |
| PlayStation 3 exclusive. In fact, the only | | | | |
| games that remain exclusive to a format tend | | | | All of this, of course, is only considering |
| to be those developed by the console | | | | the games consoles as just that, and it |
| manufacturers themselves, first party games | | | | remains to be seen what effect, if any, the |
| as they are known. | | | | Blu-Ray (PS3) vs HD-DVD (Xbox 360) |
| | | | hi-definition formats for videos have on |
| So, what do Microsoft and Sony have up their | | | | sales. |
| sleeve? Sony has a game called Heavenly | | | | |