XBox 360, Microsoft Comes Full Cirlce
Microsoft officially announced their Xbox 360 Monday. MTV viewers already had a chance to check the system out on May 12th, with the show "Next Xbox system revealed" aired. Powerful, sleek, some amazing features, and games are just what Microsoft was looking for to go head to head against Sony and Nintendo.
Some of the specifications, for the technology buffs, are quite impressive. IBM PowerPC-based CPU with three symmetrical cores running at 3.2 GHz each make this system run. A 20GB hard drive will be available for downloading content and saving games just like the current iteration. They also include a wireless control pad for easier gaming without all the cords. More of the specifications will be listed soon, however lets talk about what really makes or breaks a system, the games.
Everyone knows you play the games, not the system specifications. So Microsoft is planning to launch November of 2005 with approximately 25-40 games within the first 3 months. Perhaps one of the biggest announcements was the addition of Final Fantasy XI to the Xbox 360. This online only role playing game, continues to compete with the Everquests (1&2) and World of Warcraft which boasts over 3 million subscribers between them all.
Microsoft, not to be out done, also gave a glimpse into the backward compatibility. Microsoft would only say that the console will be "backward-compatible with top-selling Xbox games." This curious wording could mean that Microsoft will select which titles will run on the next-gen console. However, it could also simply mean that Microsoft is preparing us in case some original Xbox titles don't work on the 360, like the PS2 had compatibility issues with some PS1 games.
Playstation 3, The Next Dynasty?
Playstation 3
The next generation console from Sony made quite a splash as it debuted May 17th at E3. Sleek styling and the new "Alps pad" style controller say sexy just like the PSP. It will be available in three colors: white, black, and Sony's trend setting silver. Three times more powerful than the XBox 360, it begs the question, "Will it live up to its potential?" Just like a championship weightlifter who can lift 500 pounds, he still couldn't pick up a tree trunk. Why? It's just too bulky. So is PS3's bulk going to fall in the lap of the programmers, who will be unable to wield its mighty abilities. One thing is for sure. The next 12 months will change the face of gaming once again.
Nintendo Revolution, A New Outlook for their Next Gen Console
Nintendo Revolution
Nintendo announces their new Revolution system in Hollywood today as President Satoru Iwata holds the prototype above his head. Although a departure from previous systems, the Revolution is not nearly as sexy as Microsoft's or Sony's offerings. The controller was completely absent, but Nintendo says it will be wireless and unlike anything seen before. Based on Nintendo's track record, that puts a lot of possibilities into play.
When it comes to performance, the Revolution will be three to four times more powerful than its current iteration, while the PS3 will be twelve times more powerful. Nintendo told USA Today that, "it's not about having 'turbo power'. It's about what you do with it." The system will have onboard 512MB flash ram capacity with an SD expansion slot.
Eschewing the company's previous business ideas, the Revolution will be online-friendly and will support a broadband gaming service similar to that of Microsoft's Xbox Live. Its most significant contribution to online gaming will be the ability to download Nintendo's entire catalog of NES, SNES, and Nintendo 64 console games. As for GameCube titles, they have the potential to be downloadable, though it's not clear whether the games will be saved to storage devices or memory cards.
For those who would rather just pop in their hard copy of Mario Sunshine, Nintendo offers a simple solution: backward compatibility. As indicated before, the Revolution, like the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3, will be able to play all the games from the current-generation GameCube, as well as DVD's through its blue-LED-illuminated front-loading media drive, though the unit will require "an internal attachment" to play movies.
Nintendo announced that it has "big plans" for the Metroid franchise on the Revolution and that Mario and Zelda games are already in the works. Iwata also stated that Square Enix is working on a Wi-Fi version of Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles for the console.