1.8 has big implications in the "wars"

[ps3andlovinit]

Been thinking a bit about what the 1.8 update means in regards to both 360 and HD-DVD wars. This update may have the biggest most lasting impact on everyone involved in the next gen "wars"..some of it's obvious but wanted to get it written down somewhere anyway. Long ... but here is why I think it's a game changer both above and below the surface...

360

One of the points being used against the PS3 is the game quantity (not quality) vs the 360. With this update they have struck a major blow against the 360...

Upscaling Ramifications

1. The PS2 libary is massive and still has more new games being released than any of the next gen consoles.

i) All of a sudden upgrading sooner to the PS3 just became *significantly* more attractive to existing PS2 users due to upscaling. GOWII upscaled - hell yes. Only on PS3.

ii) PS2 users upgrading to next gen have even less reasons to consider the 360. None really. It has seriously neutralized the only advantage/draw the 360 had over even the PS2 (that's TWO) never mind the PS3. Next gen graphics. The chances of those people now upgrading to the 360 and not the PS3 has gone to about < .1%. And that's before considering the DVD upscaling as well.
New console users deciding are in a slightly different but a remarkably similar place to existing PS2 users. The libary size advantage of the 360 over the PS3 has been seriously damaged with this update.

iii) Now that the graphics advantage/draw is gone the 360 looks even more like a xbox 1.5 with it's DVD technology. Less than 1.5 really to consumers. $500 bucks for what? Only PS3 is really next gen now - plus adding value for exisiting product library.

iv) 360 games are short in comparison to other consoles because they went with DVD for hi-def content. Therefore PS2 games are much better value since they will have now have "good enough" graphics to match the 360 plus much longer gameplay and....360 really hobbled themselves with DVD.

v) PS2 games are cheaper than next gen games as well..and

vi) Yes even the Wii, 360 and PS3 will be effected by point v)...but it's a transition to the PS3 - not the others. Over the medium to long run they lose..would even expect a spike in PS2 software sales as a harbringer of things to come.

viii) It's a wierd psychological barrier - but there are PS2 games I would now go and buy that I wouldn't have previously. Why? Because they now qualify as being next gen enough. IOW they now meet my expectation of what's "allowed" on the next gen PS3 - I don't think I will be alone in thinking that way. The BC was important in our initial decision but the upscaling brings a huge library forward now.

Upscaling Ramifications for developers

Given all the above - If your a developer the Playstation brand and the future PS3 market just took a *huge* boost over this..and your risk just went down significantly in developing for it now and in the future. That will take developer resources away from the other consoles as well.

Any uncertainty about what PS2 users will eventually do has pretty well been put in a coffin and nailed shut. That's another 120 million console market in the making. It's simply too dangerous to ignore after this update. It's pretty well guaranteed to be in that range over the long haul..keep your less capable developers churning out PS2 cames for PS2 AND PS3 consoles - and accelerate your brightest ones to PS3 development - to stake out your claim and reap the benefits or early knowledge. This ludicrous idea of developers giving up an existing 120 million console market in the PS2 for a 6-7 million Wii market is just that - ludicrous. Especially given the PS3 at double the price cuts that Wii market in half again anyways..

It's not just BC anymore - now consumers are also going to get a major graphics boost with their PS2 games - even future games. That is damn sexy for a consumer`instead of being just a utility like BC was. That's a big hook for consumers and devs alike while they transistion to the next gen.

HD-DVD/DVD

One of the points being used against the PS3 was the "I can't upscale my *huge* DVD collection". And it was always huge . With this update they have struck a major blow against both the 360 and the HD-DVD camp last remaining leg to stand on. Not really much more to say on this other than ...

1. The PS3 does it for BOTH movies AND GAMES (PS1/PS2)
2. It's in software for future upgrades - who knows whats down the road.
3. The audio flexibility over the 360 add-on is clearly superior. Again next gen vs last gen.
4. The "equivalent" PS3 is cheaper than the 360 plus add-on for more capability - all in one sleek box.
5. Also related: 24Hz support, Full RGB, etc. Any videophile claiming it's not a big deal for *those interested* in it is a shill/troll for the HD-DVD add-on camp and anybody that would matter/interested in this feature immediately knows they are. Use it to out them on AVMS.

Multimedia Server/Streaming

Again one of the points being used against the PS3 was the "I can't access my *huge* PC media collection". And it was always huge . With this update they have struck a major blow against both the 360 (and the Wii to a certain degree). Not really much more to say on this..except the 360 has no bullets left in the chamber.

Global Remote play over the PSP

Competition has nothing like it. Not even close or on the horizon. Now people can access all that *huge* quantity of media they were previously talking/crowing the PS3 couldn't and one ups it to being mobile. That's way more than the competition can claim. Where are the PS3 haters now? Sony just expanded it way Beyond something as limiting as console to PC in the same room of a house that the competition is stuck with.

And not just media stored on the PS3 but also on those PC media servers connected to it as well.

At half the price of an iPod and access to all your media at home, games (including multiplayer), browsing/feeds - I will have very little use for my iPod anymore. Need a shuffle for going to the gym but that was the case with an iPod as well.

This was a major friggin update...and it was only point release . Caught all of us off guard didn't it...including the competition? You think? Maybe that 2.0 leak was intentional to throw them off? Maybe marking it as point release was intentional? Maybe Sony isn't as stupid/lost as some so called "experts" want people to believe. Maybe they have a plan...

And I wonder what they mean about full body gameplay when talking about the new Eye camera...nah..crazy.. just like they didn't/couldn't ever upscale because the hardware wasn't capable. Dummies. Remember that one?

Couldn't/wouldn't act as a real media server because they would have to play nice with PC's and that evil "proprietary" Sony would never do that..only MS would give you that choice - remember that one as well?