Patience 360: Ten Reasons to Wait for PS3
Reason #10: Xbox 360 Doesn't Have a Killer App
360's launch lineup is admirable; there are 18 games and five first-person shooters. It can even be argued that the 360's overall average quality of titles is greater than that of previous systems. And yet not a single game is Killer App worthy? Where's the Halo? Where's the Mario? Where's the Soul Calibur? Where's the frickin' interest?
It's true, though. PS2 launched with a sorry lot of games and PSOne featured a similarly disgraceful lineup, but with the advent of PS3, Microsoft may have wished it more heavily emphasized one game its new console could forever be known for. This is because PS3 has the Metal Gear potential, Warhawk, Tekken, I-8, Gran Turismo, Killzone, and a dozen other high profile games that may hit day one to put a smiling face to the splendid PlayStation name. And when you can associate Dante with PS3, will anything else matter?
Reason #9: Dual-Screen and 1080p Support
1080p! Sweet Marie! Even if most televisions don't support it, why limit yourself to interlaced images when you can experience the glory of 1080 progressive? Support is for the weak! PS3 is forward looking, if anything. This means when you invest in the ultimate display technology however many years down the road, PS3 will make good on your purchase by outputting the absolute best image available on the market. And according to boastful Sony reps, we'll see games running at 120fps, too.
The Dual-Screen support also adds some interesting 3D potential. Layering images is a great way to fake depth. But if Killzone in full 3D isn't your cup of tea, maybe panoramic F1 racing will be? The option is certainly there. If the next Ace Combat doesn't feature dual screen-in cockpit support, we know it at least could have if it wanted to. Boo-yah, 360. Where your 720p now?
Reason #8: Hefty Expandability / Connectivity Options
Have expansion, will travel. The best way to maximize a console's lifespan is by lining it with a thousand ports and interfaces of every type. In this way PS3 has expandability written all over it. Compact Flash, SD Card, Memory Stick, Blue Tooth, USB 2.0... If Sony ever wants to add-on, it need not limit itself to one standard. And if you ever want to jam something into your PS3, chances are you'll be able to, assuming it's not toast.
Moreover, PS3 will also be intimately familiar with the PSP, meaning cross-platform associations will be all over the place. Expect PS3 games to take full advantage of the little PlayStation Portable by offering unlockable content and new multiplayer possibilities. What if a PSP player could control Otacon's droid in the next MGS? Whoops!
Reason #7: You Can Still Pre-Order
It seems to happen during every system launch, but nobody ever learns their lesson. In the rush to be the first on the block to own a brand new console, mobs of people invade their local retailers while forming lines larger than what you'd see during Fourth of July weekend at Disneyland. It gets even worse once you're inside the store -- as people hurry to the videogame section eager to snatch up whatever overpriced bundle pack they can, so that the managers who decided to throw the promotion together can milk every last penny out of your paper route.
This can be avoided, however, if you just plunk down fifty or so bucks a few months ahead of time. All you have to do in this scenario is walk right into your retailer of choice, pay of the remainder of the balance and go home with a smile on your face. With a release date of just under a year away, the PS3 still lets you do this. The Xbox 360, on the other hand, does not.
Reason #6: Seven-Player Wireless Support
While being able to play with six of your buddies offline in addition to playing with a single system will only be appealing for a small number of genres, it can be especially important for sports games in particular. Being able to populate an NBA or NHL team entirely with human players is something that isn't possible on any system outside of the PlayStation line, and the PS3 will keep with this trend.
If you've ever played through a season of your favorite sports game with each of your buddies taking control of a single player for the season, you know how rewarding and fun this sort of setup can be. Again, it's only possible on a Sony system, and in the next-generation the only place to find multiplayer support of this kind will be on the PlayStation 3.