I Won't Be Buying a PS3 Anytime Soon

Last night, I got to talking with a couple of guys, each telling me that the Playstation 3 they received for Christmas was amazing. I listened to their stories of the crisp, lifelike pictures displayed before them when they popped in some Blu-ray movies. I walked away with an admission that it indeed sounded awesome, but then slowly realized that neither of them really talked about the games it was capable of playing.

Those conversations further validated my stance on not getting a Playstation 3 anytime in the near future.

While Sony reinvigorated the general public's perception of video games as a viable entertainment juggernaut with their original Playstation, and later, the Playstation 2, they are now finding themselves dead last in this current console race. It's not without reason.

Kudos to Sony. They've managed to turn something that would have practically sold itself on name recognition alone into a product casual video game consumers, and even some former Sony fanboys, are avoiding the way Pac-Man avoids colorful ghosts. It's not hard to notice the sales difference between the PS3 and it's predecessor. In December of 2000, finding a Playstation 2 on store shelves was like discovering Atlantis in a bottle of Poland Spring. Conversely, finding a Playstation 3 on store shelves in December, 2006 was as remarkable as looking down and seeing your own shoe.

So why am I, an avid video game consumer, taking the Playstation 3 off my shopping list indefinitely? Where should we begin? Oh, I know. I'll make one of those bulleted lists with bold headings that are always fun and informative. And here we go with that thing:

• The pricing and retail configurations are damned ridiculous!
  
  In May of 2005, a hush crowd at an E3 conference awaited the announcement of the hotly anticipated follow-up to the successful Playstation 2. A walking suit steps up to the podium and utters the three numbers that will haunt the once powerful electronics company for a good long time: "$599". Oops, I'm sorry. I think he was confused and gave us the price eager parents were willing to pay some opportunistic scalper on eBay. No? That's the retail price? Oh... geeze...
  
  But there's some good news. You can also get it for $499 for the 20GB model with slightly less features than the $599 60GB model. But, the 20GB would soon be discontinued in North America and a cheaper, 40GB would take it's place for $399. Okay, sounding a little better. But that 40GB has all PS2 backwards compatibility stripped from it, meaning you'll have to keep your old system around to play those games (assuming it actually still works, which it probably doesn't).
  
  If you're at all interested, there's a chart over at Wikipedia's Playstation 3 entry. Be forewarned, it's still damn confusing and all the options lead to you getting reamed violently in the poop-chute by a major corporation.
  
  
• I didn't remember asking for Blu-Ray playback.
  
  Right now Sony is in the middle of a format war (edit: Sony recently emerged victorious). It lost a big one a long time ago when their Betamax format was pushed aside in favor of VHS. They're not going to let it happen again, and they don't care if they have to use their beloved Playstation brand as a Trojan Horse to drum up sales of Blu-Ray DVDs.
  
  Hey, you know what? That's a cool extra bonus. I'm not opposed to it. But wait... that's essentially what is responsible for the inflated price tag!? Fuck... me...! Can I get a PS3 without the Blu-ray player to save a few bucks? No? But I just want to play games, after all and the regular old DVD format was fine for game storage. I mean, c'mon! You'll jettison the backwards compatibility and a couple of USB ports for a cheaper base console but not some high definition movie playback format? Jesus, Sony. When I buy a car, they don't include the spinning gold rims on every model and make the brakes optional. Wait, what? "Inapt analogy" my fuzzy ass, Sony!
  
  So now, you, the consumer, are a casualty in Sony's stupid little format war and you weren't even enlisting. You just wanted to play games with advanced graphics. Sucks, doesn't it? Most of us learned from the Playstation 2 that these systems aren't ideal for watching movies anyway.
  
  Sony, if I want a Blu-Ray (or, heaven forfend, an HD) DVD player, I'll go out and buy one (for much cheaper, I might add). I was looking to the Playstation 3 for a fun game, not a Blockbuster night.
  
  
• Bland exclusive games.
  
  You know what Sony, give me that one game that I simply MUST play (that I can't get for any other system) and I can overlook your major flaws. Okay... ready? Tickle my fancy! Ratchet and Clank? Well I'm sure it's a fine game, but I'm not buying a PS3 for that. Keep trying. Motorstorm? I'll pass, thanks. Metal Gear Solid 4? Yeah, the series kind of lost me after that convoluted affair we call Sons of Liberty, and besides, that isn't even out yet. I'm trying to help you help yourself here Sony, but you just keep putting dog food in my Waterford crystal bowl.
  
  I hate to break it to you Sony, but Gears of War and Halo 3 are enough incentive to purchase the cheaper XBox 360 hardware. And the Wii's pack-in game alone kept the household amused for a good month before I moved onto Super Mario Galaxy and Metroid Prime 3. You're just giving me promises that are still unfulfilled and are trying to appease me with a library of "whatever" exclusives.
  
  Again, I don't feel like watching any Blu-Ray movies right now Sony. Thanks anyway.
  
  
• Sony just plained pissed me off!
  
  All of the above is basically summed up in this last bullet's header. Sony got stupid and cocky and began seeing their potential customers as mindless droolers that'll devour anything they serve up, regardless of insanely inflated price or feature bloat. The casual gamers were the ones that made the fledgling Playstation brand a success, and their the ones being left out in the cold. But don't feel too bad for them. They're just buying the Wii instead.
  
  And again, it's a shame that Sony sacrificed it's star quarterback for their precious Blu-Ray cause. That's the pricey anchor keeping the otherwise promising console down at the bottom. Now Sony is scrambling to offset the lack of sales by trying to offer up "budget" pricing with too many obscure configuration choices to consumers who may not know better, none of them perfect for anyone and all of them a raw deal.
  
  And speaking of raw deals, don't think I haven't forgotten that every time I walk into the store to get a new PSP game, I gauk at the boxes for a half an hour before leaving, empty handed and unimpressed. That's why my PSP is currently acting as my portable Nintendo Entertainment System. It's like you're intentionally trying to avoid piquing anyone's interest with an outstanding game actually worth the asking price.
  

Lest anyone thinks I'm just arbitrarily kicking Sony when it's down, I'll admit that I may end up buying one much later in its life cycle when prices are way, way down and their library picks up some decent titles. As for right now, though, I'm having hours of fun with Nintendo's Wii. Later on this year, when I'm hankering for some hardcore gaming, I'll pick up an Xbox 360. If I have time in between, I may go outside and get some fresh air or spend time with the girlfriend.

Don't be too upset with me Sony. As much venom as I dished in your direction, I still have my faithful Playstation 2 hooked up ready to amuse me with the fine selection of last generation's titles when I'm looking for some good old-fashioned fun. At least now I know I wouldn't have been able to replace it anyhow had I been planning to purchase the cheapest PS3.

Seriously, removing the backwards compatibility was a real harsh move, Sony.