In case you’ve been living under a rock, let me bring you up to speed. Both the 360 and the PS3 are planning price drops around E3 time. If you don’t own either one of these consoles, they just became that much more affordable. If you already own one, but not the other, which I’m sure represents the majority of our readers, then you could be tempted to purchase a second console.
I don’t know about you, but even 5 years ago it would seem alien to me to even contemplate owning more than one gaming console. You were either with Nintendo, Microsoft or Sony and that’s it, but with this latest price drop, I’m beginning to think that this could mean the beginning of a new era for console gamers.
The bi-console era. Let me explain, after the jump.
Is there even a console war? Or is it media made and fanboy driven? It seems to me that since the dawn of the console wars, every generation had its “people.” Before the current generation of game consoles, gamers were either “with” Nintendo, or Sega. Nintendo or Sony. Nintendo or Sony or Microsoft. That doesn’t seem to be as prevalent with this generation.
Could it be because of the disparity in what each console can do? Is the Blu-Ray player appealing to Xbox 360 fanboys? Is the Wii that different enough that its worth picking up, even though you love your first-person shooters on the PS3? Do you love online gaming, but also love high definition movies?
I think so. I believe that the latest generation of consoles has ushered in a new gamer. The bi-console gamer. Now, gamers own not just one console, but two, or perhaps all three of the latest gaming consoles, and become tri-consoled, if you will.
The latest price drop rumors from Sony and Microsoft could cement that shift toward a bi-console future. When you have consoles that have such different feature sets, and less cross over between games, especially between the Wii and the 360 and PS3, and as the console prices drop, I believe it’s inevitable that a gamer, that was once die-hard for Sony or Nintendo, would branch out to see if the grass is greener on the other side.
What does this mean for gaming? It means more consoles getting sold for sure, and more people playing games, obviously. On the other hand, multiplatform games take a big hit. Let me explain. When someone owns an Xbox 360 and a PS3, they’re not going to buy a CoD4, or a GTA IV for both systems. They’re only buying one copy, meaning that theoretically, if we assume that the same amount of games were manufactured for each console, one copy for the other console will remain unpurchased, because the gamer would be buying one copy of the game and not the other. This could drive down the over all market for multi-platform releases, which is what we’re already seeing with the lower sales of multi-platform releases for the PS3 with GTA IV, regardless of install base. Perhaps this is the real reason Valve doesn’t want to make multi-platform games? One can only guess…
One things for sure, as more and more gamers become bi-console, with hope, the ridiculous fanboy flame wars between the console owners will hopefully cease. Ah, who am I kidding, they’ll just find someone, or something, or someone else to bitch about…
Maybe these bi-console owner fanboys are the reason for Dennis Dyack getting ripped on message boards over Too Human?
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13 responses so far ↓
1 Mike // Jul 9, 2008 at 12:11 pm
The end of days for flame wars? NOOOOO!!!!!!!
2 Eddiemilz // Jul 9, 2008 at 12:36 pm
great article, i agree. I’ve got a ps3, and i’ve looked into getting a 360 for quite some time.
3 Krelith // Jul 9, 2008 at 1:04 pm
I’ve always been a Sony fanboy and I USED to be more than happy to admit it. However, with the 360 popping out games like Dead Rising, Gears, and Mass Effect… well it suffices to say I felt I was missing out by only owning a ps3. So I picked up a 360 I haven’t regretted it in the slightest. Now I can play each consoles exclusives and by owning a 360 I can play online without a ridiculous number of complications (I still adore my ps3 but jeez it needs some work on the multiplayer front - hopefully PRIOR to Resistance 2).
Haven’t got around to buying a Wii yet… primarily because I’ve only ever enjoyed playing it drunk. And since there’s one down my local pub my mates and I can quite happily spend a couple of hours playing Extreme Wii Sports!
4 Roger // Jul 9, 2008 at 1:17 pm
I have been into xbox products solid for 5 years,that price drop does sound tempting to try the ps3,im thinking of getting a blue-ray player anyway for my 1080p.How bout the game makers just create a universal disc that plays in either of the big three.A big money loss perhaps or just not possible?
5 Tom // Jul 9, 2008 at 1:19 pm
I don’t care how cheap they get I would only upgrade the system I have or get a 1080p flat screen to use it on or buy more stuff for the one I have.
6 Chris M // Jul 9, 2008 at 1:54 pm
Only the most hardcore of fanboys will do anything to avoid owning the other system like two of my buddies but one is just a casual gamer who thinks he’s hardcore just cause he turns his ps3 on every day even though he don’t play everyday. The other just bought a house and can’t afford a ps3 so he tries to downplay the 360. Either way they get don’t like to talk gaming with those of us who have two or more consoles…. Go figure.
7 Steve // Jul 9, 2008 at 1:54 pm
No console war with me. I picked up a PS3 for me, cus it was the system I wanted after looking into the pluses and minuses with each system. I also picked up a Wii for my kid. Since she’s 3 and interested in gaming already, I feel more comfortable letting her play with a cheaper system that’s got more cutesy games. It’s not the start of the 2-system household. I had a Sega Genesis/Sega CD with a Super NES way back when. Some games only came out on certain systems and some were better on one than the other. PS3 and X360 releases are too close together for graphics and games that I’m only ever going to own one of the 2. But the Wii offers up a totally different gaming experience that it’s worth it to have the extra system.
8 Tom Sawyer PhD // Jul 9, 2008 at 3:11 pm
I agree Lono, I already owned a 360 when I bought my PS3 (just after HD DVD sunk). I bought the system because it was a) a great blu-ray player at a cheap price and b) I wanted to play a few Ps3 exclusives like MGS4 and Drake. To be honest, I use my 360 for about 90% of my gaming, especially for on-line play. Having Netflix blu-rays delivered to my door, the PS3 really was worth the price and with a few great exclusives every now and then, I’m a happy gamer.
9 Kiltman67 // Jul 9, 2008 at 3:52 pm
I think you’re right that we’re going to see more Bi-console gamers. Since about the fourth generation I’ve been strictly one console per generation with the PC being my alternative. Right now though I have two consoles (and considering picking up a Wii at some point) and both handhelds.
What I think is causing it though is the rise in the numbers of hardcore gamers. With the increase in blogs and podcasts and undoubtedly Halo more people are becoming what we could term “hardcore” and with that comes a lot of knowledge. Once you begin to find out that each console has their own catalogue of great games most people will pick up as many consoles as they can afford.
I’m not entirely sure what the future holds for multi-platform games though as developers seem to be getting more and more keen on them. Right now we’re probably at the most extreme point multi-platform gaming has ever been, where you can easily find games released on all 7 platforms (PS2, PS3, PSP, DS, Wii, 360, PC). I suspect though that there’s always going to be enough casual gamers and brand loyalty to keep the market pretty strong. The lack of multi-platform multiplayer will probably help this too, there’s always going to be the Bi-gamer whose friends only have one and so picks up the game on that console so they can play with them.
10 ShoNuff 71 // Jul 9, 2008 at 7:33 pm
I’ve been a multi-console owner going back to the Atari 2600 / Intellivision / ColecoVision days. One thing I’ve noticed was that there was (to me) more of a reason to own multiple consoles in generations past as opposed to now.
If you wanted arcade games, you turned to Atari / ColecoVision. If you wanted sports, you went to Intellivision. The best home versions of 2D fighting games were on Saturn / Dreamcast / NeoGeo, and 3D original IPs were on Playstation.
Now, with consoles that can do all genres well, the lines defining one system from another (with the exception of the Wii) are narrower. Sure, Xbox LIVE and Blu-Ray HD are defining points, but since third party support is such a huge part of the console market these days, and they seem to have solved the PS3 sub-par port problem. LIVE and Blu-Ray are the only real differences between Sony and Microsoft.
I think this will be the last console generation in which I will own multiple systems. BluRay will obviously be in the next Xbox, and PSN will have matured to meet, or surpass LIVE by the time the next Playstation rolls out. The differnce maker will be what it was in the early days of home console gaming–exclusives, and cost of the hardware.
11 8bitBass // Jul 9, 2008 at 11:23 pm
As an avid gamer, I feel the only way to win is to ultimately own all of the consoles. How else am I going to be able to play Zelda, Halo and MGS4?
I have been multi-console sinse the SNES days due to exclusives. If the exclusives stop and all games become multi, then I will own only one system.
Gaming has become more expensive if you CARE about playing the best of what each system has to offer.
12 fluffy_nuts // Jul 10, 2008 at 6:55 am
I bought my self a PS3 because I had a PS2 in the previous generation, so yes, I sold in to fanboyism (if thats a word), but if you look at both systems logically for a second and you’ll see that the only difference is a small variety of games, Since i have the PS3 already, the only thing that appeals to me about the 360 is XBOX Live and thats not a good enough reason to pay $700 for a new console, I’m not saying that the XBOX is bad, both have problems, but there is no need for 2 major consoles, If anything I would buy the Wii as a second console because as it is not enough on its own to satisfy my gaming needs but it is something new and different enough to have on the side.
13 Rock // Jul 11, 2008 at 1:50 am
I agree with “fluffy_nuts”… though I wouldn’t agree on fluffy nuts. >_<
Bi-console owners have always existed, but I don’t think this generation will be much different.
Within a year or two, we will see the majority of gamers migrate to current gen. They will obviously not be buying both consoles at the same time. So it will be crucial as to which system they buy.
Those who chose to buy the “minority console” will sooner or later have to switch to the “majority console”. While those who chose the “majority console” will stick with it for the rest of its lifespan.
Meaning the console that people are the most interested in within the next 1-2 years will be the ultimate winner.
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