That's just my opinion concerning setting it at that level. I don't really care all that much as long as there is some kind of standard set for the games. But I doubt that will ever truly happen.

Was this expected and/or amicable?

It sounds like they just wanted the opportunity to increase their profit margin by breaking from MS itself. They also want the opportunity to develop other franchises on other consoles.

I believe that MS still controls the Halo franchise name, but this was supposed to be the final game of the trilogy. Maybe it will be like an 80s horror flick and come back from the dead.......Friday the 13th: Part XII - Jason Kills Even More People.

Not another Final Fantasy-like series! NooooOOOOoo1o!1!!

That's become even more confusing as their are different versions of the same chapter. It would be nice if they mixed up the names a bit more than just using numerics on some of these franchises.

As much bickering as there are at times about the 360 vs the PS3 (and the Wii ;) ) it's the best possible situation for the consumer. There is no way there would be the price drops there have been, or as much of a need to get out quality games asap. So no matter which system comes out on top (and it's way too early to say) everyone from the gamer standpoint wins. None of the systems are going to go belly up, and eventually all the systems will have atleast a dozen games that are in the must own category.

Until the PS3 or the XBOX360 drops to < $299, I will never believe this statement. :)

The Core 360 is below that price point already. Granted, it's "crippleware" since it doesn't have a HDD, but it is a 360 and sub-$300.

By next holiday season, both companies will have a system with HDD at $299 or less. You'll likely be able to get a used console with HDD for even less than that (probably around $250).

Anybody picking up MLB Power Pros this week?

Going to wait to see whether the Wii motion controls are screwed up. If they are, I'll just buy the PS2 version.

Which 360 games don't run on the Core?

Could Bungie going put a nail in Microsoft's ability to compete with the exclusives of PS3?

They all run just fine on the 360. Most people just buy the Premium (also called the Pro version) because it has a HDD drive which allows the multimedia stuff as well as saved games. The memory cards that you have to buy to save games on the Core system are pretty expensive. It's a lot better decision if you're going to buy a 360 to just buy the Pro or Elite systems.

Yeah, that's my fear as well.

More PS3 pricing information being leaked out of France. A price cut is coming there as well. The price in Europe has been confirmed by retailers in France to be 399 Euros. 10 months ago, the retail price at release was at least 700 Euros.

I'm planning on it, although some questionable player ratings and the lack of an editor have dampened my enthusiasm. Success Mode still looks interesting and it does have 10 year franchise mode. There's a big thread on operation sports if you're interested and haven't read it already.

$40 for the Wii version, $30 for PS2 isn't bad either.

So if everything works, what does crippleware mean to you?

Microsoft owns Bungie, so the most likely scenario is that members of Bungie are leaving to form their own company, much like Free Radical split from Rare.

The 20 GB PS3 was "crippleware" too. Hence the reason it's no longer being offered, despite being $100 cheaper than the $600 60 GB PS3 at launch. No one wanted it because the slightly reduced price did not justify the small HDD, lack of wifi, etc. When the value gap is much larger than the price variance between the two versions, I consider it "crippleware".

So, the 360 Premium ($350 system) has the HD-DVD drive?

More info off www.avsforum.com from a Aussie retailer. Interesting thing is that he says that the release date is October 12th. I'm thinking this may be a mistake in reference to the 'Big Bang' announcement that's already announce for that date. I'd guess that the release will be in late October with every other region.........

No, it doesn't.

No. That runs another $160 or so depending on where you buy it. If you want a system to play HD movies in addition to gaming, the new PS3 at $399 is the better option. Your previous posts had suggested you wanted a gaming-only machine.

I'll be going with the 360. I just was a little confused by your previous post of the HDD drive in the Premium system.

HDD = Hard Disk Drive

Just a FYI....make sure you have a wired ethernet connection available near your TV if you're going to play online.

I'm not saying that Sony's online service is bad, just that most independent reviewers looking at both system's online experience comment that Xbox Live is worth plunking down the $50/year.

Given that Core sales make up a small percentage of overall 360 sales, Core units can be upgraded with hard drives and the perception that the Core is being phased-out, it wouldn't shock me at all if, over the next couple of years, you start seeing games put out for the 360 that require a hard drive.

Hell, it sometimes can be found for 40 bucks for 13 months. I mean, that's a bangin deal no matter what, 3 bucks per month is nothin'.

Yeah. I misread that. I'm having one of those days.

What about with a wireless setup?

I won't be picking up a system until around the holidays. NHL 2008 is at the top of my list, along with 2k hoops franchises close behind.

I really didn't notice that the 360 has a competitor to GT series in Forza. I've assume that PG was the direct competitor. A good game, but I was hoping for the depth and simulation-style type game. Have the 360 developers adopted the high dynamic range imaging for the games?

The Pro 360 is ethernet connection only. Wireless kit on the 360 is another $90-100 depending on where you buy it.

But you don't have to use the MS adapter. My $35 D-Link wireless bridge works just fine.

Forza 2 is a damn fun game and a pretty respectable racing sim. The variety of customizing options available to you, as well as the numerous challenges with ever-increasing difficulty of restrictions gives the game a lot of depth IMO.

more PS3 pricing leaking out of Japan. Hirogoto-san, proprietor of a gaming store in the Saitama Prefect near Tokyo, inadvertently put a price of 44,699 yen on the 60GB PS3. When he realized that the price should have been 49,600 yen, he committed ritual seppuku to atone for the shame he brought on Sony and gaming in general.

Finally, someone doing the right thing.

I just don't agree at all. Unless you have infinite money, this is not the idea situation. Most people can't afford to support 2 but definitely not 3 consoles. So, while individual consoles are going down, game prices aren't since it's a oligopoly, and the cost to support all the good games + consoles is actually higher than what I consider the better scenario of 2 consoles.

SI

Full edit mode CONFIRMED, fuck yeah

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpnhpB2OvMs

Hopefully I can find this tomorrow but the gaming stores in my area aren't the best for getting games on the shelves quickly and I doubt I'll feel like driving 45 minutes to the next town after work so we'll see.

Wii version definatly supports Gamecube controller and I'm pretty sure the classic controller as well for those of you afraid of waggle.

I'll prolly pick it up at some point after I pick up a system. I was just wondering how well it works.

I have PG on the original Xbox and played a little of the lastest release of the PG on the 360. Beautiful game and fun. However, I've always been looking for a racing game that "career" mode similar to the GT series and a simulation-style game with the graphics to match.

Well, Forza 2 is a career game and it's far more of a sim than the PG series. It's the closest thing you're going to find to GT on the 360.

Epic initially announced that UT3 would be delayed until 2008, but then Marc Rein's comments were later removed from the official website. It appears that it may still come out before the end of 2007 now. One silver lining is that Epic will use the extra time to include all maps in the PS3 version. Earlier comments had suggested that two maps that are on the PC version would be left out of the PS3 version, but that is no longer the case.


Sony is now saying that there will not be a 'Big Bang' announcement on October 12th. Suspicion is that since the cat is already out of the bag, no need to bother announcing something that everyone already knows. A German retailer has also confirmed a 399 euro price point for release in that country.

Forza has damaging modeling as well, correct? That's one thing missing from the GT series that is sorely needed. It's supposed to be in GT5 (not Prologue) when it comes out later next year, but I'll believe it when I see it.

MS appears to be replacing the Core System. New unit will be same price and still have no HDD, but it will have some XBL Arcade games pre-loaded and may have HDMI. Release date is October 25th.

http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/14700/...ment-UPDATED-/

Sweet, full on motion control on a baseball game would get boring and tiring after awhile anyways. Home run derby, yeah, it'd be cool there. But to have to pitch a double header, not so much.

I think I'll probably just pick up the cheaper PS2 version. Sounds like there's not much difference between the two versions other than motion control and I'd likely abandon that after a few games anyway.

PS3 price drop may be coming next week. Confirmation that the 40 GB PS3 will go on sale October 10th in Italy for 399 euros. A starter pack with 2 games included will also be available for 499 euros.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/28423/PS3-...-last-in-Italy

Australia release date of October 11th for $699 AUD appears to be true as well.......

http://kotaku.com/gaming/99%278%25-c...699-306427.php

On the assumption that most people with a Wii will have Gamecube controllers, I think that it might make sense for some games to just port over without bothering to include motion controls.

For instance, I can't see how a basketball game would be enhanced by motion controls. For a game like that, I say make it for the 360/PS3 and then port it over to the Wii with lesser graphics and just use the Gamecube controller.

People who care about cutting edge graphics will have a 360/PS3. People who got a Wii don't care as much. But, with a minimum of work, you might be able to sell them a copy of your game with lesser graphics but the same gameplay. They got a Wii for the kids/other reasons. But they might pick up NBA 2K8 with Gamecube controls if you give them that chance.

The worst of all worlds would seem to be a port that trys to force the motion controls on a game that does not need/would not be helped by them. And to do even that badly.

So are the NBA Live 08 commercials featuring the PS3, PS2, and PSP Sony's response to the Xbox 360 Madden commercials? Gee, I wonder who will end up getting the better of that deal.

But my guess is that most Wii owners own a PS2 and would likely buy the game on that console instead if there was no motion control. I think the Wii games are in a position where they have to add on the motion controls if they have a PS2 version. It's what differentiates their products as a selling point.