Post by trevize2888 on Jul 17, 2013 11:57:57 GMT
Ok so it's rant time. And no I will not be mentioning the next gen consoles this isn't what this is about...
It's about two massive companies that insist on competition with each other.
Firstly let's take a look at their key products:
Sony - The playstation series (Obviously), TVs, Hi-Fis, Laptops & PCs (I'll come back to that!)
Microsoft - The Xbox series (Obviously), Tablets, smartphones, PC software...
Now to me it looks like both of these companies make high end products that in some cases go hand in hand.
For example, You buy a brand new Sony Viao laptop with (drum roll) Microsofts windows 7 on it. Surely thats mutually beneficial?
In regards to the other stuff, It seems like Sony do hardware and Microsoft do software (I know that both companies do both just bear with me)
So in these regards surely any gaming console (as big as it is) is only going to be a portion of the business that these companies draw in.
Bearing that in mind, according to figures from 2012, both console sales have hit the 70 million mark (Almost neck and neck)
So here's the point I'm getting to:
These are two, massive, well established companies, both have gaming consoles that are hugely popular and despite the fact that the competition exists between the two of them, they both continue to sell.
I know there's a lot of bitching between the two groups of gamers but ultimately both consoles have a selection of games good enough that every player can find something they'll enjoy, graphics that eclipse all previous console attempts and millions of players online to join into or host games.
So if they're both in this position then why the hell do they keep comparing themselves to each other and trying to get one over. Every new release, every update, every design nuance is governed by what the competition is doing and keeping one step ahead.
The xbox360 didnt come with a blu-ray player, so what? The PS3 has less choice of games, and? Xbox charges for gold membership, big deal... PS3 has a shoddier version of achievements, sigh...
These companies should not be trying to compete with each other when they design their new consoles, they should be trying to meet the expectations of their fans. Let's face it, it's unlikely that one console is going to blow the other away. The more likely outcome is that both will sell, and in high numbers.
If that's the case then surely the designers should be listening to their fans and customers and creating a console that they want rather than what they think it should be to beat the competition.
I know I said I wouldn't mention next-gen but I lied a little.
For me Xbox360 is a gaming console and PS3 is a multimedia centre. (Admittedly both do work towards both of those ideals but generally speaking)
Xbox One and PS4 - Well aren't they essentially the same thing? They both provide the same services and function as each other now?
I may be mistaken but if i'm not then why the hell would I want to buy one?
I have a laptop for multimedia, a blu-ray player and on demand tv on my virgin box...I want a console for gaming...Thats it.
Anyway, back to the point...The people making the design decisions in both these companies are money-grabbing a-holes. Gotta make more money than the competition despite working for a multi-billion dollar company in the first place?! Or worse than that, they want that smug feeling that goes with being number one on the market...surely a more productive emotion is satisfaction that the fans are pleased with their new toy?
Personally I look forward to the "third-party" consoles that are upcoming.
The Google Ouya
And the Steambox
Check those out, no chance against the two big companies but they're building a console anyway, why? Because it's what the fans want!
The entire design process is spurred on by the customers need rather than the overpowering need to be number one on the market.
And that is my rant over...
What d'ya think?
It's about two massive companies that insist on competition with each other.
Firstly let's take a look at their key products:
Sony - The playstation series (Obviously), TVs, Hi-Fis, Laptops & PCs (I'll come back to that!)
Microsoft - The Xbox series (Obviously), Tablets, smartphones, PC software...
Now to me it looks like both of these companies make high end products that in some cases go hand in hand.
For example, You buy a brand new Sony Viao laptop with (drum roll) Microsofts windows 7 on it. Surely thats mutually beneficial?
In regards to the other stuff, It seems like Sony do hardware and Microsoft do software (I know that both companies do both just bear with me)
So in these regards surely any gaming console (as big as it is) is only going to be a portion of the business that these companies draw in.
Bearing that in mind, according to figures from 2012, both console sales have hit the 70 million mark (Almost neck and neck)
So here's the point I'm getting to:
These are two, massive, well established companies, both have gaming consoles that are hugely popular and despite the fact that the competition exists between the two of them, they both continue to sell.
I know there's a lot of bitching between the two groups of gamers but ultimately both consoles have a selection of games good enough that every player can find something they'll enjoy, graphics that eclipse all previous console attempts and millions of players online to join into or host games.
So if they're both in this position then why the hell do they keep comparing themselves to each other and trying to get one over. Every new release, every update, every design nuance is governed by what the competition is doing and keeping one step ahead.
The xbox360 didnt come with a blu-ray player, so what? The PS3 has less choice of games, and? Xbox charges for gold membership, big deal... PS3 has a shoddier version of achievements, sigh...
These companies should not be trying to compete with each other when they design their new consoles, they should be trying to meet the expectations of their fans. Let's face it, it's unlikely that one console is going to blow the other away. The more likely outcome is that both will sell, and in high numbers.
If that's the case then surely the designers should be listening to their fans and customers and creating a console that they want rather than what they think it should be to beat the competition.
I know I said I wouldn't mention next-gen but I lied a little.
For me Xbox360 is a gaming console and PS3 is a multimedia centre. (Admittedly both do work towards both of those ideals but generally speaking)
Xbox One and PS4 - Well aren't they essentially the same thing? They both provide the same services and function as each other now?
I may be mistaken but if i'm not then why the hell would I want to buy one?
I have a laptop for multimedia, a blu-ray player and on demand tv on my virgin box...I want a console for gaming...Thats it.
Anyway, back to the point...The people making the design decisions in both these companies are money-grabbing a-holes. Gotta make more money than the competition despite working for a multi-billion dollar company in the first place?! Or worse than that, they want that smug feeling that goes with being number one on the market...surely a more productive emotion is satisfaction that the fans are pleased with their new toy?
Personally I look forward to the "third-party" consoles that are upcoming.
The Google Ouya
And the Steambox
Check those out, no chance against the two big companies but they're building a console anyway, why? Because it's what the fans want!
The entire design process is spurred on by the customers need rather than the overpowering need to be number one on the market.
And that is my rant over...
What d'ya think?