Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot ” PlayStation 3 | Today On the Spot – Dante's Inferno, Lead and Gold ” was posted by DanM on Thu, 10 Dec 2009 15:51:13 -0800. More: PlayStation 3 | Today On the Spot – Dante's …
Over on The Magic-Box comes details, via Square Enix, on the visual/audio differences between the upcoming PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 title Final Fantasy.
See: Cheap Wii Systems For Sale
Sony is a company whose fame extends throughout the globe. They are one of the most impressive companies in existence and one of the leaders of many industries within the electronic device market. They make devices from video cameras to car radios, from CDs to televisions, from cell phones to their latest device, a handheld e-book reader. One of the product lines Sony is most famous for, however, is their video game console, the PlayStation. Years ago, Nintendo, Sega, and Atari were considered the “big three” of the video game industry. The battle for dominance between them was fierce, until one event changed the gaming world forever.
Sony is a pioneer of the modern compact disc. CDROM/XA, a development that both Sony and European electronics company Philips were both working on, greatly interested Nintendo. They knew very well that these discs were far more convenient than the bulky cartridges they were using at the time, offering better picture and sound quality to boot, and having less of a chance of system failure due to dust getting into a cartridge or cartridge bay. They allowed audio, video, and computer information to be accessed simultaneously by the console, allowing for better, faster gameplay. Nintendo struck a deal with Sony to integrate their technology into their console, entitling the new device the “SNES-CD.” They chose Sony because Sony and Nintendo had worked together in the past, when Sony had allowed Nintendo use of its SPC-700 processor in the SNES (Super Nintendo Entertainment System) console. The contract was signed and the project continued.
Meanwhile, Nintendo was noticing a major problem. The contract they signed allowed Sony complete control over all games for the SNES CD-ROM drive. Rather than professionally calling off the deal, they went to Philips behind Sony's back and created a different deal with the European company that would allow Nintendo control over all games on their systems. Sony was furious. They decided to launch a new console, the PlayStation, which would solely use their CDROM/XA technology. The new console completely dominated the video game industry, and continued to do so through the reign of the PS2 and the handheld PSP, both of which are still in production.
Unfortunately, Sony's latest version of the PlayStation, the PS3, has not been doing nearly as well. It boasts a very impressive amount of processing power, graphics that completely enthrall consumers, a highly entertaining line of games, and, in the recent “Slim” release, incredible features that allow users to do everything from playing games to downloading movies and music. Unfortunately, the PS3 and its accessories have consistently held a very high price. Computing giant Microsoft entered the video game industry with its Xbox (derived from DirectX Box) in late 2001, creating the new big three of the video game industry. Nintendo's revolutionary Wii console and Microsoft's Xbox 360 have relentlessly outdone Sony in console sales due in part to the PS3's high price. Sony attempted to get back in the game recently by lowering the price of the PS3 Slim to $299 USD, lower than the high-end Xbox 360 elite, but Microsoft caught on and lowered the price of the Xbox to about the same price. Only time will tell from here whether or not Sony's valiant efforts will be rewarded or Microsoft will manage to keep Sony as the last of the gaming world's big three.
Tommy Thomas