For a swift backstory concerning me, I was a vehement Sony fangirl when the Playstation 2 was released, as I was when the PSX was released and I finally got my brother’s hand-me-down when he got his PS2. I was convinced with all of the software that Sony had to offer, that it was the best console in regards to conveniency – its library had a large range of different genres, different ESRB rated games and was quite affordable during that time. Hands down, I still consider the PS2 to be one of the best systems til date, even with this movement of next genre gaming.
I’m pretty sure anyone who’s an avid gamer understands that there are console wars – be it solely based on console power, graphics, or the developers that hype a specific system because of its developmental capabilities or affordability. I was anti-Microsoft. I thought gaming exlusivity was a necessity in regards to video game competition in order to create more expansive additions to the RPG genre (specifically, since that’s the majority of games that I play). It was an aberration for Final Fantasy games to ever be on the XboX because of its home with Sony (which is obviously hypocritical because I leave out Nintendo in everything, and FF was on Nintendo’s console first). We need competition to create better products, am I wrong?
Now, people are still having console wars – primarily between Sony and Microsoft because of their marketing presence in the gaming industry. And I believe I have evolved as a fangirl. I don’t argue “graphics,” because “graphics” do not make a game. I do not argue a system’s capabilities, because rarely do developers utilize the full capabilities because of monetary investment and revenue that needs to be made. I don’t give a rat’s furry ass about how a controller is (based SOLELY off of opinion) better created for the capabilities of gaming, or how a system looks. The XboX 360 has a 20% failure rate (1/5 systems, as for example: my brother had to get his XBoX 360 replaced 4 times, and this time they’re “air shipping” him a next day box) but the 360 has dramatically took a step in the industry in regards to getting developers on their systems and the library they currently have is something to be reckoned with, with the next gen system – arguably it has a dumbed down and less year-experienced versatile library the the PS2 was able to rack up with the years. The Playstation 3 has super-expensive hardware and is the most expensive system besides the latest Gig 360 models with HDMI that is and are out right now; the Playstation 3 currently had poor marketing and because of the expense of the system, the availability of a variety of developers is dwindling and they’re not getting any big named titles to bring in skeptics to purchase the system – but they don’t have any mass issues hardware-wise like the 360 (isn’t that ironic, considering the PS2 vs. XboX?? Heh).
So maybe. Just maybe, right now – multiplatforming as an expansive marketing strategy is very good just for gamers. Maybe not for systems, but for gaming. I’m still under the impression that exclusivity still means a lot in the industry for people who still have those ongoing console wars, and I’m still undert the impression that software exclusivity creates more competition for brand-new spunkier games to come out (ever since GTA was multiplatformed for example, what newer gameplay additions that were big sellers besides NAME, did Rockstar make to its games? . . . . . ). But with the prices in the American market, the drop of the US dollar, the increase in bigger media items and graphics, maybe multiplatforming is a good thing. Oddly enough, I don’t see many popular titles among the huge 18-35 range (Mass Effect, GTA, Final Fantasy [#] titles, etc) being multiplatformed to Nintendo’s Wii, but whatever . . they’re presence in my gaming experience is little to none. Final Fantasy XIII on the 360 may be a good thing – certainly the.. day of sales would be interesting to see, considering the larger majority of RPG gamers haven’t upgraded their PS2 to a PS3 because of price, but who knows. But will gaming companies get even more comfortable in just big named games to sell their systems, or will they finally strive for that uniqueness they had during the PS2/XBX era?
