Jack is Back: You Don't Know Jack in 2011 for the PS3

This makes me really happy! It will be so much better sitting around the living room playing this instead of being hunched over a computer. Hopefully it will be Playstation Network Compatible? Sweet!

Peek into my crystal ball and see the future of video games

I believe that we have reached a point where making games more pretty will no longer classify them as next-gen games. Both the 360 and PS3 are capable of building outstanding visuals in the hands of talented developers. You don't have to look much further than Uncharted 2 on the PS3 to see that as the case.

What will make the next next-gen console truly next-gen (say that ten times fast) will be fundamental hardware changes and subtle yet impressive software changes.

• An internet connection will be required to use the consoles - I know that high speed internet isn't everywhere just yet, but companies are pushing day one downloadable content and regularly patching their titles online. Another reason why the will be required is that
• Game saves will reside in the cloud. - By leveraging cloud storage, gamers can be confident that they won't lose saves if their hard drives or flash drives fail. Also, by eliminating user access to system memory there is a lower likelihood of modded games ruining the online experience for all. Which leads to
• Online Communities will be supported by the consoles - What I mean by this is the hardware makes it easy for you to find and connect with people who have the same interests as you and allows those who organize communities a way to become known. Think of not just bigger friends lists but the ability to group your friends so that if you want to get a Halo Reach session going, you send a message to everyone in the group instead of everyone on your list. By encouraging people to play together, I would think the likelihood of running into griefers would diminish.
• There will be dedicated hardware for AI and physics - Not just a chip, but boards with RAM that support that functionality. Imagine games that truly ramp up and get better at playing as you do. Games that recognize and react to your play style. Games with NPCs that understand the same rules as players do and can act on them spontaneously in the proper context.
• Increased motion control functionality and decreased emphasis on 3D graphics. - 3D will be a novelty because it costs so much to take advantage of the technology. Systems like Kinect and the Move will allow for more novel ways of interacting with the console with a much lower cost to consumers.

My crystal ball is fuzzy on whether or not we will be downloading full titles directly to our machines, but I will say that there will be more downloadable games that rival the quality of the triple A titles and will command $30 or 2400 microsoft points to download.

The future of video games is a pretty picture, but it's no longer about making pretty pictures.

Should Microsoft be in the hardware business?

Historically, Microsoft has been very very successful at developing software. It's track record with Windows and Microsoft Office in particular is unmatched. Even before they took the leap into gaming consoles like the Xbox, they had some success with entertainment software as well such Age of Empires, Flight Simulator, Links and Mechwarrior for the PC.

Lately though, hardware produced by Microsoft has taken a pounding in the press. The warranty for Xbox 360s has been extended to three years to address flaws in the console that were apparent to everyone else but Microsoft. As a precautionary measure, Microsoft is offering a free refit of its wireless steering wheel to address a possible overheating issue. Even the original Xbox had an issue with its power supplies, requiring replacement power cords.

These events aren't the result of a string of bad luck, they are the result of a lack of experience in the design of hardware and devices. While they can compete with Sony and Nintendo in the marketplace, both Sony and Nintendo have dozens of years of experience combined in creating devices and have not had any issues similar to what Microsoft has experienced recently.

Should Microsoft be in the hardware business? While the company has deep pockets, it can't afford any more issues with its future systems. Yes, the company needs to grow its product line but hardware may not be the best way for this company to go. We could see the Xbox division go the same direction as Sega in 2000, software developers and not console makers. Can you imagine how many units of Hal0 would be sold if it were to be made available on the PS3?

New id Game Engine levels playing field for multi-platform game development

With all the talk about inconsistent frame rates between consoles for games such as Madden 08 and All Pro Football, id has developed a solution that will make a game perform consistently between the Mac, PC, Xbox 360 and PS3.

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Splitting hairs at 30 frames a second - revisited

Last month I blogged about the frame rate difference between the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of Madden 08. I still think it is much ado without nothing.

Apparently though, it makes a difference. In a Gamespot review and a USA Today review of the game, mention was made of the frame rate. The Gamespot review did briefly touch on the frame rate saying that it was noticeable but the game was still playable. USA Today wasn't as kind calling the PS3 gameplay sluggish compared to the Xbox 360 version.

EA Sports went on the defensive in direct response to the USA Today review, saying that development time was the difference maker for the title.

If development time was the dealbreaker, should EA have held off Madden 08 for the PS3 until the same standards were met as the Xbox 360?

Show of hands...PS3?

I'm not in the market for a PS3 because I have to use the money for diapers and formula for the three amigos. Recently though I realized that not many people I have come into contact with have one either. I have come across a lot of folks with a Wii, a 360 or both.

Show of hands....do you have a PS3?

Is the Playstation 3 a victim of the Playstation 2?

I ask the question because while everyone is looking at Sony's competition to understand why it is "struggling" in the next gen console race, I think Sony can look in the mirror to find their answer.

Microsoft took a lot of heat for quietly discontinuing its support of the original Xbox. They seemed to think that supporting two consoles was not beneficial to their business, even though the black box had a lot of life left in it. Looking at the success of the 360 since that decision it is easier to say that they were right.

Nintendo made a similar decision with the Gamecube. Although I think that the overwhelming demand for the Wii, made discontinuing the Gamecube a no-brainer.

Sony is trying to support two systems, the Playstation 2(PS2) and the Playstation 3(PS3). Take a look at these numbers from 2003 taken from a Gamespy report on the gaming market in Japan. Sony has a huge install base for PS2 owners. It is very lucrative for them in the short term to continue support for PS2. Sony is also still strongly supporting the PS2 with titles like God of War 2.

Short term support is where Sony is short sighted. After launching the PS3, the system is still lacking killer software that make the system a must have, Resistance: Fall of Man being the exception. The recent price drop is making the console more attractive to consumers. At this point though, people are basically buying an entry-level blu-ray player and not a game system.

Should Sony have halted the support of the PS2? On one hand, if Sony had titles like God of War for the PS3 at launch people would be more excited about the system. On the other hand, they would be leaving tens of millions of dollars on the table if they completely walked away from supporting the system. If ten percent of their user base purchase a new game at $50, that is roughly 300 million dollars for the company.

What do you think? Is the Playstation 3 a victim of the Playstation 2?