J Allard chat transcript

[StriderKyo]

The 360 doesnt have HD-DVD. Just standard dvd.

Has this been confirmed?? That's even more underwhelming if true.

I used to be so excited for this thing.

[Prince Planet]

Has this been confirmed?? That's even more underwhelming if true. I used to be so excited for this thing.

Yes (as in, yes, there's no HD-DVD drive).

[g0zen]

I really don't want to buy a Revolution, but these fuckers aren't really giving me much of a choice here.

[SonofdonCD]

Because it was the most powerful hardware on the market, with several unique features and the best version of every multiplatform game. Now it's inferior technology, has nowhere near the number of exclusives the competition will, doesn't have a standard HDD to take advantage of, uses inferior media, limited backwards compatibility, no 1080p compatibility, no HDMI, peripheral and game costs are either increased or through the roof, and HD-DVD may end up dead in the water while Blu Ray is the next standard. The two situations aren't comparable at all.

I understand the realities of why they did this, and they have enough marketing muscle to make the system work, but anybody who's not planning on spending $2000 on gaming the next 12 months will have to choose either PS3 or 360, and it's pretty obvious which is the better system at this point.

I understand all of this. And while it's not the ideal situation with the two SKU's and all, you can yourself just get the $400 system and eliminate a lot of expense of getting a ton of peripherals and a HDD.

I personally didn't get the Xbox because it was the most powerful system (though it was a perk). I got it because of Halo. I got it because of those early Sega games and Splinter Cell. DOA, Ninja Gaiden and the promise of Fable (not all was delivered, obviously). You get my point.

Power is fine, and being future-proof is a wonderful perk. But if the games aren't there there's no reason to get any system. Say you want the PS3 because of the exclusive games, and I'll respect and agree with you. But most of what you said is conjecture; it's just too early to say either way if the system's power is inferior (or if it'll even matter, just like the PS2->Xbox situation), whether MS can aquire more exclusives to battle Sony or not, whether devs will use the HDD if the system detects it or not, whether the DVD-Rom will be just enough or not enough for devs, if the BC will be great or not (or whether it will matter or not), whether Blue-Ray will be a boon or bust for Sony. There are just too many things to take into account here. Plus, you know that since MS set the stage for more expensive console and accessories that Sony will follow suit. They've only been harping on it for the past few months.

I wish MS could swallow the HDD expense in the $300 system. But we all should have seen this coming. This industry is starting to rival the movie industry in revenue, yet MS did a lot of taking it in the chin last round to get in the game. They can't afford to do it again.

And if you think the 360 is inferior tech in every way, do you honestly think Sony will charge less or even the same for their superior tech?

I think we're all overreacting just a bit. We need to wait a little bit, see how the games are coming along around launch and after, and then see if the games make the system worth the initial starting price. I don't know about everyone else her, but that always was and continues to be my main deciding point.

[Josh]

I laugh that the budget "core" system doesn't come with a memory card.

Systems do not come with memory cards. This is nothing new.

[1CCOSA]

The chat members who asked the obvious "What incentive do devs have to use it if the HD is no longer built in?" made Allard look like a complete fool with his NOA quality PR crap non answers.

Lessee here:

Extremely limited backwards compatibility (what is the point of writing a few emulators for a few of the older games???) - check

Costs $100 more to get it with the HD - check (why not make a system that is $50 cheaper with the HD? Meet people halfway)

A former N64 game from RARE is the big FPS launch title

Hmmmm. Some serious blandness happening here. As others have said it really does look like they have made some serious mistakes and completely cancelled out what made the XBox hardware such a success this gen. I smell a Saturn sized mis step as well.

If Nintendo can at least get their crap together and have Mario and Metroid at Rev's launch maybe they could regain second place. MS is taking some serious risks by sacrificing user functionality/friendliness with the system.

[Diff-chan]

Extremely limited backwards compatibility (what is the point of writing a few emulators for a few of the older games???)

Uhh so you can play a few of the older games? More people want to play Halo 2 than Pulse Racer, so they're accomodating that. I'm sure with enough time they could get a fully working emulator but time is a luxury they dont have.

A former N64 game from RARE is the big FPS launch title

I dont think a Perfect Dark sequel was ever supposed to be on N64... considering the original came out in the twilight of the N64.

Costs $100 more to get it with the HD - check (why not make a system that is $50 cheaper with the HD? Meet people halfway)

You get a lot more than just the HD with the $399 pack. Don't be retarded.

it's pretty obvious which is the better system at this point.

Sony hasn't shown anything of the PS3 except a few graphs, hardware specs based on components that havent even been built, an ugly-ass controller, some prerendered demos and a list of stupid Japanese games that may or may not be coming out in some form. The system is riding on the internet's hot air right now. It worked for PS2, and its working again - but that doesnt mean the PS3 is the "better system". Im still waiting for some real info/games. Kuturagi's talk of aging videos and shit certainly isnt making me rush to EB to preorder.

[Schlep]

...has nowhere near the number of exclusives the competition will

Stop pulling shit from your ass.

doesn't have a standard HDD to take advantage of

MS has said that games will load faster on systems with HD's...unless you have some better source?

no 1080p compatibility, no HDMI

Who cares about 1080p? It just came out, and the cheapest one that does it is $3200. I'd wager that by the end of this gen, if even 50% of people have HDTV's, about 5% of those will do 1080p. Who gives a shit. And on HDMI, I dunno what kinda TV you have, but mine and most recent TVs only have 1 HDMI connector, and I can guarantee that's being used for DirecTV and not a game system.

will have to choose either PS3 or 360, and it's pretty obvious which is the better system at this point.

Unbelievably obvious. Except we don't know what all is coming out for 360, and what all is coming out for PS3, or even what is coming for the Revolution. The PS3 could be the greatest thing ever, but right now all it is is a slightly more powerful spec that apparently costs $490 to build.

[stormy]

They said long ago there would be multiple packages, it's just that they are now having 2 at launch, instead of having it down the road.... We're all blowing it up to be way more than it is. If parents buy the wrong system (of which they will have much less available for), it's the salespersons fault, and not theirs.

Most people don't shop at EB and Gamestop, they shop at Wal-Mart. Try asking Bubba and Beatrice from Wally World what the differences are between the $300 and $400 XBoxes are. That is if you have time between the fights in the ailes at christmas time. Even the stores with knowlegeble salesmen will not have the time to consult on system purchases for 15min per person.

[Yoshi]

Wait. EB and GameStop have knowledgeble salesmen?