Console War-XBOX 360 vs. Playstation 3

When it comes to the gaming industry, the company that develops a game console with the biggest and baddest hardware will usually be declared the winner. However, in recent years, two companies have jumped ahead of all others and become the “kings” of the gaming industry. But, as everyone knows, there can only be one true “king”. Those two competing kings are currently the Sony and Microsoft companies. The PlayStation 3 is Sony’s weapon and the XBOX 360 is Microsoft’s weapon; and with their weapons, the two are going to fight an all-out war.

Many believe that the new Nintendo Wii should/is a valid participant in this gaming war, and no one can blame them for that line of thinking. Although the Wii has great innovation and has made a splash in the gaming industry, it doesn’t have the firepower or fan base that the XBOX 360 or PS3 currently have. So he can sneak into battle once or twice with a good game, but he won’t hold out against the big guys for long.

Most players are familiar with this war and know that it will probably last for quite a few years. Although players claim to know a lot about this war, no one really knows what cards will be played next, by which company it may be. Even though both companies have the “Big Game” card, which they pull out occasionally, they both have their own tricks and tactics to attract more players. For example, instead of Sony going for a normal controller for the PS3, they developed the Sixaxis controller; which happens to have motion detection capability. It may not be as innovative as the Wii controller, but it adds something special to the PS3 experience.

It’s obvious that the XBOX 360 has a lot more going on than the PS3 right now. The reason is that the XBOX 360 has been available for just over a year, while the PS3 has just been released (November 17, 2006). That means anyone who wants an XBOX 360 already has one or can go to the store and get one in minutes. The PlayStation 3, on the other hand, is still in the “list” phase, which means it’s nearly impossible to get your hands on one without being listed. But, in a few months to a year, the PS3 will leave the listing phase and be available to buyers; allowing many more people to get their hands on the console system. The playing field will be leveled a bit more for the two consoles.

From a visual point of view, the PS3 and XBOX 360 don’t seem to differ much. Some would say PS3 graphics look a bit more detailed, and that may be true, but the difference is barely noticeable. In terms of hardware, the PS3 seems to pack more punch, which would explain its higher price. This is due in part to the fact that the PS3 has a built-in Blu-ray Disc player that supports HD resolution. The only problem with that is the fact that gamers want to play, and the ability to play movies (be they DVDs or Blu-ray Discs) is a plus, rather than a necessity.

The XBOX 360 didn’t try to push its movie-playing software onto its fans (which is an HD-DVD player). The XBOX 360 came/doesn’t come with the HD-DVD player. That’s because it’s a complement, which can be perceived as a good thing or a bad thing. Either way, making it an add-on has saved money for people who don’t care about watching movies on their gaming system. Many gamers believe that the same approach should have been taken with the PS3, which would have allowed people to make their own decision on whether to buy a Blu-ray Disc player or save some money.

As anyone could have guessed, this battle is not going to be won that easily. Every company is going to do whatever they can to keep going and get more followers. Whether gamers know it or not, this is actually a good thing for the gaming industry. Two competing game companies will only strive to create more innovative and fun games for their fans. This means that consumers will see more games that are more fun, more often. It’s true that these gaming titans may be fighting an endless battle, but end or no end, it’s still going to be one hell of a fight to come out on top.