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redsamurai
Banned
Microsoft and Sony.....they've pretty much subverted the free market in their favor, not ours. Here's why I think this.
When the original playstation came out, it did really well because graphically it was the most powerful system, but it also came at a price point that made it competitive with sega and nintendo. No $400 3DO shit for sure. Now I realize that even Sega and Nintendo took losses on their hardware sales.....this was a given, but Sony could take so much more because they made their money in the consumer electronics business. They had the capital to cover more of a loss than either Sega or Nintendo who were dedicated to the game industry. Enter Microsoft.....who also made their money in a field other than the video game market. So after two generations of truly next gen consoles.....3 if you count the original playstation........Sony and Microsoft combined have pushed the smaller companies out of the market or close to it......if the Wii doesn't do well, which it looks like it will, Nintendo would have had to get out of the console market. Now look what we're seeing.......Sony and Microsoft thought nothing of the Wii.....so they roll out their next gen consoles at previously unheard of prices. Microsofts jump in price was not nearly as dramatic as Sony's though......to think that sony is still losing some money on their hardware despite it selling for $700 retail is ridiculous!! This business model has been bad for gamers. Some will argue that it's been good because Sony and Microsoft have pushed each other in the graphics dept....but game quality is so low now I almost don't care about video games anymore. Both of these companies are so desperate to make back their hardware losses that they'll liscense any old crap for their system. Flood the market with crap huh?? Great.....but I'm not shelling out $400 for a 360 or god forbid $700 for a piece of shit 3, to play like 2-3 games that I actually think are good gaming experiences. The other thing that is making me sour is that microsoft and sony will start, and already have, discouraging split screen games. The reason for this being that they want you to go online to play multiplayer instead of playing split screen with your friends at home. Now I have no problems with them pushing their online play, it's a money maker for them I understand.....but I don't accept being strong armed into it. Rumor has it that Halo3 might not split into 4 screens.......and "maybe" not even 2.....although there would be riots. So basically to play with 4 guys you'll have to link 4 machines and 4 tv's......unacceptable. Nothing beats talking shit to your buddy whose face you just attached a sticky grenade too, and having him right next to you to bask in the chagrin on his face as he flails around helplessly waiting to die. It's not the same talking over a headset by yourself......fucking lame. If I buy anything this time around it "might" be the wii.....I'll have to see how games pan out. But the Wii is the first innovative system to come out in a couple generations......so what if it's graphics aren't as good, they're still really good. I"m really hoping that sony takes too big of a loss this generation and has to get out of hardware because they're not making any money from any other of their divisions. Microsoft I don't see going anywhere because I don't see windows going anywhere anytime soon........but maybe if sony goes sega will come back?
So there's my long winded opinion of why sometimes the free market doesn't work to our benefit.......but hopefully the free market will eventually weed out the guys not making the superior product. I want to see a return of console and game makers who are "exclusively" in this business.....and not able to draw on capital from other ventures.
When the original playstation came out, it did really well because graphically it was the most powerful system, but it also came at a price point that made it competitive with sega and nintendo. No $400 3DO shit for sure. Now I realize that even Sega and Nintendo took losses on their hardware sales.....this was a given, but Sony could take so much more because they made their money in the consumer electronics business. They had the capital to cover more of a loss than either Sega or Nintendo who were dedicated to the game industry. Enter Microsoft.....who also made their money in a field other than the video game market. So after two generations of truly next gen consoles.....3 if you count the original playstation........Sony and Microsoft combined have pushed the smaller companies out of the market or close to it......if the Wii doesn't do well, which it looks like it will, Nintendo would have had to get out of the console market. Now look what we're seeing.......Sony and Microsoft thought nothing of the Wii.....so they roll out their next gen consoles at previously unheard of prices. Microsofts jump in price was not nearly as dramatic as Sony's though......to think that sony is still losing some money on their hardware despite it selling for $700 retail is ridiculous!! This business model has been bad for gamers. Some will argue that it's been good because Sony and Microsoft have pushed each other in the graphics dept....but game quality is so low now I almost don't care about video games anymore. Both of these companies are so desperate to make back their hardware losses that they'll liscense any old crap for their system. Flood the market with crap huh?? Great.....but I'm not shelling out $400 for a 360 or god forbid $700 for a piece of shit 3, to play like 2-3 games that I actually think are good gaming experiences. The other thing that is making me sour is that microsoft and sony will start, and already have, discouraging split screen games. The reason for this being that they want you to go online to play multiplayer instead of playing split screen with your friends at home. Now I have no problems with them pushing their online play, it's a money maker for them I understand.....but I don't accept being strong armed into it. Rumor has it that Halo3 might not split into 4 screens.......and "maybe" not even 2.....although there would be riots. So basically to play with 4 guys you'll have to link 4 machines and 4 tv's......unacceptable. Nothing beats talking shit to your buddy whose face you just attached a sticky grenade too, and having him right next to you to bask in the chagrin on his face as he flails around helplessly waiting to die. It's not the same talking over a headset by yourself......fucking lame. If I buy anything this time around it "might" be the wii.....I'll have to see how games pan out. But the Wii is the first innovative system to come out in a couple generations......so what if it's graphics aren't as good, they're still really good. I"m really hoping that sony takes too big of a loss this generation and has to get out of hardware because they're not making any money from any other of their divisions. Microsoft I don't see going anywhere because I don't see windows going anywhere anytime soon........but maybe if sony goes sega will come back?
So there's my long winded opinion of why sometimes the free market doesn't work to our benefit.......but hopefully the free market will eventually weed out the guys not making the superior product. I want to see a return of console and game makers who are "exclusively" in this business.....and not able to draw on capital from other ventures.
