Console Sales Numbers..

[Renegade 0]

No, as long as you don't fuck up modding is a wonderful thing.

[AndrewTS 0]

That "PS2 sales are higher only because PS2s break more" argument is such a joke. PS2's worldwide sales have been roughly four times as high as X-Box or Gamecube sales for most of its life. You really think that people have bought an average of *four* PS2s? That means for every person like me that has had one PS2 that never broke, there's someone out there that's bought seven of them?

[Anya 0]

I've owned 5 PS2s, only two broke though.

 

Ps2 has Tekken so it could break like once a month and I'd still buy them.

[AndrewTS 0]

Correction about the EB warranty--you can only get it for one year at first, but you can renew every year for it. It's cheaper than it was originally, too.

 

*proud owner of a new, slim PS2*

[Guest Vitamin X]

Just save time and buy yourself a nice Xbox.

 

Yeah, cuz having games to play on a system is overrated anyway.

Yeah because having an enormous library of games for a system liable to crash at any time is exactly what we all need. And slow loading times. And buying tons of memory cards. And a DVD player that'll screw up the system if you use it on a regular basis.

 

Funny thing is, yeah there's more games to play on PS2, but there's not that many games that are PS2-exclusive that are worth getting, aside from their RPG library.

 

I'll prefer my almost 10lb. fire hazard anyday, thankyouverymuch. Hell I'd take a Gamecube over a PS2.

 

Sony can suck it.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

Funny thing is, yeah there's more games to play on PS2, but there's not that many games that are PS2-exclusive that are worth getting, aside from their RPG library.

 

Thank you and good night.

 

I agree with AndrewTS here. There is nothing you can get on the X-Box that you can't get anywhere else. Even their two best games, KOTOR I & II are available for the PC. There is simply no reason to get an X-Box unless you plan on it being your only system (ie. you don't care about the exclusives on anything else). Since I mainly play RPGs, sports games (available everywhere), and the Mario theme games (Paper, Kart, Tennis, Golf, Party, etc.), there is absolutely no reason for someone like me to get an X-Box. Microsoft has to make more of an impact in Japan for me even to consider the X-Box.

[AndrewTS 0]

Yeah because having an enormous library of games for a system liable to crash at any time

 

Even when my warranty is gone, the class-action suit filed means Sony has to fix systems with only DRE problems free of charge. If I don't mod my system, it crashing is fixed on Sony's dime.

 

And slow loading times.

 

I had a Sega CD. I only recently got broadband. I get the idea you don't know what slow loading times are.

 

And buying tons of memory cards.

 

I've got 2 right now. I have all my PS1 saves backed up on one of them, too. Yah, tons. The XB hard drive is nice, though.

 

And a DVD player that'll screw up the system if you use it on a regular basis.

 

I have a separate DVD player now, so doesn't bother me. Hey, did you shell out the extra money for a DVD player kit for your XBox or don't you bother using it at all?

 

There is nothing you can get on the X-Box that you can't get anywhere else. Even their two best games, KOTOR I & II are available for the PC.

 

There's Ninja Gaiden, the best versions of games like Splinter Cell, online play for quality 2D fighters like CvS2 and SFAC. Plus, face it--a gaming quality PC isn't in everyone's price ranges, and if it isn't an X-Box will provide you with plenty of damn-near-perfect PC ports on hardware that's less than a couple of Benjamins.

 

Plus, the ability to convert the X-Box into a do-it-all retro console is nice--if you know the right people, but you need to know who to trust for modding, and it could ruin your ability to play X-Box Live.

 

I owned an X-Box. I was not impressed. For me, the X-Box is a worthless behemoth of a console with a couple of games I want to play. VX is more than pleased with his. But *for me* it wasn't worth a damn.

 

Funny thing is, yeah there's more games to play on PS2, but there's not that many games that are PS2-exclusive that are worth getting, aside from their RPG library.

 

Bull.

 

Fighters (despite the online play), platformers, RPGs, *variety* of sports games, tons of Japanese games--the PS2 library crushes X-Box's in those categories, which is plenty enough for me.

 

There's plenty of games that aren't PS2-exclusive, but *aren't* on X-Box.

 

Sony can suck it.

 

I hate Sony too, but I love the games I can play on their ****ty hardware.

[Use Your Illusion 0]

Sony loves you, Andrew.

[AndrewTS 0]

Sony loves you, Andrew.

No, but Sony sure loves somebody on the RottenTomatoes forums.

 

The guy said he went through 2 X-Boxes and 2 GCs, but he still has his original PS2 he bought at launch. Un-freakin'-believable.

 

I guess Jer, too.

 

I must have angered the Sony gods by modding my console.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Yeah because having an enormous library of games for a system liable to crash at any time

 

Even when my warranty is gone, the class-action suit filed means Sony has to fix systems with only DRE problems free of charge. If I don't mod my system, it crashing is fixed on Sony's dime.

That's good, although it shouldn't even have to have become something to file a lawsuit over to begin with. Sony should have taken care of its customers themselves, but something is something...

 

And slow loading times.

 

I had a Sega CD. I only recently got broadband. I get the idea you don't know what slow loading times are.

Au contraire. I also had a Sega CD, and only got broadband this past December (and it's not working now since my DSL provider said they couldn't put a port or whatever in my new place, which happens to be in the same complex as before, just a different building- so I'm waiting to get my cable installation kit this week instead). So yeah I know quite a bit about slow loading times- also had that PS2 for about 2 years until I got my Xbox a year and a half ago.

 

And a DVD player that'll screw up the system if you use it on a regular basis.

 

I have a separate DVD player now, so doesn't bother me. Hey, did you shell out the extra money for a DVD player kit for your XBox or don't you bother using it at all?

I did shell out the extra money for the DVD player kit. The way I saw it when I was deciding between the 3 systems was that I traded off buying a memory card for having to buy the kit for DVDs. I've found the Xbox can read a lot of discs that may be fucked to hell though.. A few CDs and a couple DVDs that had a couple scratches on mine for some reason have no problem playing on my Xbox whereas it would skip and such on other systems or on regular DVD players. I watch a ton of DVDs and have yet to have a single problem as a result of it.

Funny thing is, yeah there's more games to play on PS2, but there's not that many games that are PS2-exclusive that are worth getting, aside from their RPG library.

 

Bull.

 

Fighters (despite the online play), platformers, RPGs, *variety* of sports games, tons of Japanese games--the PS2 library crushes X-Box's in those categories, which is plenty enough for me.

 

There's plenty of games that aren't PS2-exclusive, but *aren't* on X-Box.

I think in the fighters area, the Xbox is catching up. You certainly see a lot more people with Xboxes than before, although they definitely are beat in the platformers, RPGs, and obviously Japanese gaming areas. Not sure what you mean by *variety* of sports games, since most if not all the sports games I've seen are multiplatform and available on both systems (sorry Nintendo).

[AndrewTS 0]

I've found the Xbox can read a lot of discs that may be fucked to hell though.. A few CDs and a couple DVDs that had a couple scratches on mine for some reason have no problem playing on my Xbox whereas it would skip and such on other systems or on regular DVD players.

 

I never used my XB for playing DVDs, but I have no doubts about this because IT PLAYED AN DEMO DISC THAT WAS SNAPPED APART! No joking--the label itself was the only thing keeping the disc together (and yes, I know the data itself is kept just a little under the label), but it played just fine with just a little skipping. Damn.

 

On the other hand, I probably had one of the better X-Boxes. I know for a fact that MS has gone through at least 3 different suppliers for their lasers--the different trays in the systems will give away which ones are different. I knew somebody whose X-Box wouldn't play a copy of Ninja Gaiden I picked up used that had a lot of minor scratches on it--nothing deep. Yet it played perfectly on mine.

 

I think in the fighters area, the Xbox is catching up. You certainly see a lot more people with Xboxes than before, although they definitely are beat in the platformers, RPGs, and obviously Japanese gaming areas. Not sure what you mean by *variety* of sports games, since most if not all the sports games I've seen are multiplatform and available on both systems (sorry Nintendo).

 

PS2 gets (or was getting) more Sega Sports, Midway, Activision, etc. than X-Box. Nowadays it's more even though, I suppose. And the Smackdown games have the Raw games beat with ease (don't know how the new X-Box wrestling game is yet, though).

 

PS2 has Tekken/VF to X-Box's DoA. Soul Calibur is multiplatform. PS2 has X-Box beat for 3D fighters right now, unless you *really, really* like DoA more than Tekken/VF.

 

X-Box is catching up though with the 2D stuff, and online play sort of gives them the edge. Recently they got GGX2 and SFAC, which is a big help, but not exclusives. Supposedly the X-Box version of the KoF 02/03 Double-pack is getting online play, too. So if you value online play heavily, than X-Box is either even or beats PS2 with 2D fighters. If not, then PS2 still has the edge.

 

(But the X-Box loses points for SVC Chaos. Ha!)

 

It was kind of nice that, save for English translation and online play, the "demo" version of Capcom vs. SNK 2 on the Exhibition disc was basically the whole damn game. Every character and offline mode of play on there.

[Guest Vitamin X]

I love DoA and GGX2, so it works out just fine for me, and I've been a fan of Soul Calibur since Dreamcast.

[Scroby 0]

PS2 has Tekken/VF to X-Box's DoA. Soul Calibur is multiplatform. PS2 has X-Box beat for 3D fighters right now, unless you *really, really* like DoA more than Tekken/VF.

 

 

From what I noticed with sells at the store is that Soul Calibur actually sold very well for Gamecube, then it went to Xbox and the PS2 version sat for awhile. Seriously we sold out of Gamecube first, Xbox second, and we never sold out of the PS2 version.

[Anya 0]

Last I looked at SC II sales(dec 2004) GC had sold the most, with PS2 right behind and Xbox in 3rd place.

 

Tekken is still Namco's #1 fighting franchise though.

[AndrewTS 0]

Oh, for the worldwide numbers, I found these. These are for the end of 2004, not the outdated end-of-2003 numbers that are more commonly found:

 

(NPD of course)

 

North America

PlayStation 2 - 32.86 million

Xbox - 13.2 million

GameCube - 10.11 million

 

Japan / Asia

PlayStation 2 - 19.47 million

Xbox - 1.7 million

GameCube - 3.78 million

 

Europe / PAL

PlayStation 2 - 29.06 million

Xbox - 5.0 million

GameCube - 4.13 million

 

Worldwide

PlayStation 2 - 81.39 million

Xbox - 19.9 million

GameCube - 18.03 million

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

So if you don't count North America, GameCube is outselling the X-Box, and the PS2 is so far out in front even in North America that there is no competition.

 

Japan / Asia

PlayStation 2 - 19.47 million

Xbox - 1.7 million

GameCube - 3.78 million

 

Microsoft will never come close unless they do something about that number.

[mister foozel 0]

I have a PS2 which I quite enjoy. I use it for DVDs regularly and have left it on overnight (unintentionally of course) several times and don't get any problems

 

I also enjoy my wide selection of games

 

I bought my PS2 used as well

 

If I were to get an XboX, it would be for the online play (Im assuming it would be better on an XboX, but I don't use mine on PS2 anyways), the hard drive (a couple of used memory cards aren't really that expensive though), and the ability to play with 4 people without having to upgrade to a Mult-Tap (this isnt a big deal for me either because most of the really good games are single player anyways, besides some sports games, and Dynasty Warriors)

 

I've been happy overall with my PS2, but I do have to agree that Sony makes some shitty electronics (TVs, car audio) I am thinking of buying a Sony mini system but Im having second thoughts because of their reputation

[AndrewTS 0]

If I were to get an XboX, it would be for the online play (Im assuming it would be better on an XboX, but I don't use mine on PS2 anyways)

Since, from what I understand, MS has their own servers or XBL, rather than expecting developers to set up their own (like with MKD and SvR), it's more inviting to developers to do online play with. So on X-Box you'll be able to play KoF 02/03 online when it comes out, you can play either of the SFAC games online, but you can't on the PS2.

 

Microsoft will never come close unless they do something about that number.

 

Bill Gates will have to turn Japanese.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

Bill Gates will have to turn Japanese.

 

I guess he needs gene therapy like in Die Another Day.

 

Japan still controls the video game market, as shown by Sony's success. Microsoft at least has to get up to GameCube levels in Japan, and even that isn't that great.

[AndrewTS 0]

Japan still controls the video game market, as shown by Sony's success.

True, but the X-Box has still been a success. It's been so long since a console has been able to "go it alone" without support from Japan that you can't deny MS has made massive gains.

 

Other companies tried: Panasonic with the 3DO, Atari with the Jags, and Sega themselves foolishly thought American developers alone would keep the 32X affloat.

 

Microsoft has been trying to bend over backwards to lure in the Japanese, but their resistance to a *gasp* Western product isn't going to be easily overcome as long as the machine is aimed at and primarily made for Western consumers. Plus, for every brilliant game producer they snag, there's about two dozen who are going to give them the finger (or whatever the polite Japanese equivalent would be).

 

Tecmo's the only gung-ho for X-Box developer, and that's because its most prominent game director is a round-eye wannabe. MS hasn't made any substantial gains this whole time, and it's probably just sheer stubbornness that's driving the futile push into the Japanese market.

 

With the Xenon, they'd need to have a huge start-up library of games that would appeal to Japanese audiences and sensibilities, keep the "Western" games to a minimum, give the Japanese wing of MS a good deal of autonomy and say in that country's corporate strategy, and expect to lose a hell of a lot of money before it does nearly as well in Japan as it does in the US.

[Guest Vitamin X]

I'd like to see more strategy games on all 3 systems. That genre has been severely lacking on console systems for a while.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

True, but the X-Box has still been a success. It's been so long since a console has been able to "go it alone" without support from Japan that you can't deny MS has made massive gains.

 

I didn't say it wasn't a success. I said it will never manage to get close to Sony's machines unless they manage to get a foothold into the Japanese market. And it isn't the sales from the Japanese market that is the big deal, it is that without it they won't get the top Japanese developers and they will have a games shortage for the system. The exact problem the X-Box has right now.

[Guest DVD Spree]

With the Xenon, they'd need to have a huge start-up library of games that would appeal to Japanese audiences and sensibilities, keep the "Western" games to a minimum, give the Japanese wing of MS a good deal of autonomy and say in that country's corporate strategy, and expect to lose a hell of a lot of money before it does nearly as well in Japan as it does in the US

I think the MS poaching of Hironobu Sakaguchi, Yoshiki Okamato and Tetsuya Mizuguchi should be able to come up woth a few things to appease Japanese gamers…

[Styles 0]

Well, my PS2 bought several years ago has stopped playing most DVDs, "disc read error". The thing is, I mostly use it now as a DVD player in my dorm and have basically stopped playing video games at least on a regular basis. Compounding this, I recieved a $25 gift card to GameStop from a relative who I guess didn't realise this. So, I'm thinking it might be a good idea to trade in the old PS2 at Gamestop, hopefully get a good return on it, combined with the gift card and buy a new slim PS2 (that should play DVDs again!) for not much more. Anyone who has recently traded in their old addition PS2 to Gamestop or similar places mind informing how much I can expect to get? Because I really don't want to have to cover too much to get the upgrade. Do they give you like, at least 50 for the thing?

[Guest Vitamin X]

They usually vary from location to location. Give your local one a call.

[AndrewTS 0]

Slapnuts!: If all that's wrong with it is the Disc Read Error, contact Sony and tell them. You'll have to pay about 10 bucks to ship it to them, but they'll fix the system.

 

Sony fixes DRE's for free assuming you haven't opened up your ps2 and broke the seal; this extends beyond the standard warranty.

 

I recently read on a MB where somebody got theirs repaired even though they'd broken the seal, but I wouldn't count on it happening all the time. However, since it sounds like you haven't, you should be fine.

 

They'll probably make you run through a bunch of tests first, then they'll have you ship it out to them for repair.

 

I got $30 trade-in on my broken PS2 at EB, but if I hadn't broken the seal I probably would have gone with Gamestop--they give more I'm certain. I heard $50, but not sure if that's every store or not.

[ragingfear79 0]

well, I have had my ps2 for about four years now, the only thing that started doing was giving me a few disc errors here and there but i opened it and cleaned it and now it works like new.

[Styles 0]

No, I haven't opened it. I guess if Sony repairs it, that's good but I don't want to lose it for 6 to 8 weeks or whatever. I'll inquire, like I said I have a gift card with nothing to do with too (like I said Ive totally lost interest in games) so if the price sounds good over the phone, I'll go with it and upgrade, if not, I'll call Sony...

[claydude14 0]

I'll inquire, like I said I have a gift card with nothing to do with too (like I said Ive totally lost interest in games) so if the price sounds good over the phone, I'll go with it and upgrade, if not, I'll call Sony...

A lot of Gamestops carry used DVDs too, as well as PC games and accesories too, if you wanted to use the gift card for something other then a console game.

[AndrewTS 0]

I'll inquire, like I said I have a gift card with nothing to do with too (like I said Ive totally lost interest in games) so if the price sounds good over the phone, I'll go with it and upgrade, if not, I'll call Sony...

A lot of Gamestops carry used DVDs too, as well as PC games and accesories too, if you wanted to use the gift card for something other then a console game.

Good idea. Mine even carries music CDs.