[quote name='mykevermin'] Let's be honest: it is chic to adore Nintendo and hate Sony. That doesn't bother me, but let's not pretend who the underdog is here.
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I dunno. It's been cool to hate Nintendo since the N64, with their hubris cost them a bevy of prizes - third party support, userbase, brand loyalty/recognition, etc. It's only with the DS and the Wii that they've come back into the limelight. I'm not really interested in this as a point of contention - I'm just saying there's a lot riding for Nintendo now as opposed to 6, 12, 18, 24, X months ago.
I guess you could classify that as underdog status. Which is an odd moniker considering Nintendo's constant profits, but this is something no one wants to change their mind on.
Once PSX games can be downloaded directly via the PSP, then you'll have a more equal comparison, if you want to talk cost.
This is more or less what I've been saying, hence the need to worry about it.
When we see games like those, which will surely test the ceiling of what gamers are willing to pay for downloadable content, then we'll have another basis of comparison.
New era in the console warz - all have the ability to deliver digital content. Difficult in trying to figure out who is doing it best. Right now it is obviously Microsoft. In a year we'll have hotter lines to draw.
I genuinely think we'll see price wars on downloads - it's Nintendo's move to make, since Sony's pricepoint is sitting pretty at the moment (but their available consumer base is what suffers). Whether it's bargain prices on Wii points cards or the change of a games' cost (while Zelda: LTTP is an amazing game, I'm *NOT* paying $9
ing dollars for it), it will be interesting to watch. Nintendo just needs to get more consoles into peoples' hands, and Sony needs to work to get the downloads into the hands of people who own a PSP.
'Kay.
I only took note of your post because of the peculiarity of "worry." That's the kind of word someone with a vested interest (typically financial, or, in your case, psychological) in the outcome of one of the performers. The way it is set up at the moment doesn't look conducive to price increases, so what would there be to worry about on the end of the average user? It was a very strange, and very deliberate, choice of words from a person who fervently denies that they are, indeed, a fanboy (and, instead a "supporter" of Nintendo, or some other semantic sleight of hand).
I've been using it solely in regards to discussion on the matter. I don't think the console warz really benefit or are changed all that much from the inclusion of one machine downloading CoolBoarders and the other giving Ice Hockey. Now when we get FF7 versus Chrono Trigger, we're hitting some hairier situations. But even then I don't think this factors much into sales. It
might but I have my doubts, and until we see advertising directed at it
and sales figures, it's not really worth debating.
And still
even then I'd have a hard time worrying about it. I'd have to see
legions of people buying a system only for downloadable content, and that would have to be their prime interest, and until I see that happen I have no idea why anyone would care enough to bring it up. It's just that I know it
will come up.
EDIT: Let me offer one last question to try and understand where you are coming from. Suppose you are worried about the PSP download pricepoints. What would you be worried about and why? Fanboy debate can't be all...that's like worrying the sun will come up.
Well by being 6 bucks they are very reasonable, assuming that stays the course for big names like FF7, Vagrant Story, etc. They'd have to be variable and/or a higher base price for me to worry.
So let's assume they are at least one of those things. From Sony's standpoint, I'd be worried that they were destroying the potential for a big market for the retro gamers. Granted, PS1? Not retro. But it's considered that to several million people who began with it. And having been gaming for over some 20 years, that sort of thing is appealing to me, as the thought of having an entire library is delicious.
('Course, I can homebrew my PSP to do such a thing, but I don't carry it around with me enough to want to, especially when I'm mostly interested in NES/SNES/GB/GBC games, and I think the DS can handle all of those, let alone a Micro with a loaded card.)
The point for VC and Downloadable retro games should be less focused on marketing buzzwords against each other, and more as a convenient way for gamers to enjoy things they want to keep around them. That's the entire point to begin with. And this is exactly why some people have no problem paying five bucks for Pinball. Maybe it was their favorite NES game, poor son of a bitch they might be. And there's at least one person out there where Pinball
is their favorite NES game, whatever the reason might be (first NES game, nostalgia in general).
The point is that I don't want to see Sony bomb their VC by requiring a PSP anymore than I want to see Nintendo bomb theirs with high prices, refusal to release big names like Chrono Trigger/Sin and Punishment, and/or other archaic ways of stifling that market.
What I want is to find out I can finally play Snatcher and have a copy to myself, even if it is just a digital one. Or some company taking the time to translate various titles so that games can be enjoyed by more people.
This is all very idealistic, and from a business standpoint, preposterous. Which is fine, cuz I don't give a crap about the business models in play here. Just give me access to the damn games - I'll decide if they are worth it to me or not. But it would be awesome if you met me halfway and didn't throw a bunch of obstacles in my path and effectively almost told me to piss off
before I even buy the damn game.
This all hinges on whether or not one thinks Sony's VC is in direct competition with Nintendo's. Clearly they can't be - they offer different titles entirely. This is why the PSP at least is able to exist alongside the DS. I imagine the situation will be similar here - we'll see someone getting more sales, but the other people are still around and are still profitable.
Same thing with MS. They offer up indie PC games. That's pretty awesome, actually, and it helps people reach quality stuff they'd otherwise completely miss and overlook.
So that's kinda the deal. Are all three against each other? Sure. But personally I'm less worried about that and more curious about whether or not in one hand I can play Symphony of the Night and the other play Mario 3 without hanving to blow into a damn cart.
If Sony and Nintendo made cereal, the "main event" is which cereal you buy. The prize in the box is a cheap POS and doesn't matter ultimately, and can only marginally be calculated into the choosing process. It's a bonus. That's how I think the VCs are - just bonuses. Hence, not worried.
. Frankly, I pretend that option isn't even there and wasn't even aware of it until the first time I logged into the VC. I'd much rather buy Wii Points cards at EB or GR where I have credit from various promo trade-in deals. That credit was obtained at anything from 25 - 50% of face value. So that Mario 64 I got cost me less than $5. If I use a CC it costs me $10.
