Sony has really tried to improve the gaming experience with the PS3 through new and innovative technologies, but unfortunately this mindset has led to a decrease in the number of quality games. That is just one of the things that's prevented the mass adoption everyone was expecting for Sony's latest console.
Blu-ray
The PS3 has long been touted for its superior inner components. Containing the highest level of technology and game media capacity, the Sony console would certainly seem to have the most potential. So far I have really not seen that potential captured however. The list of PS3 exclusives is kind of pathetic, which means that, even though Blu-ray Discs have enormously higher capacity than the Xbox 360/Wii standard of DVDs, most of the PS3’s games are essentially identical versions of titles on the other consoles. This means publishers, for the most part, aren’t using up those dozens of gigabytes allowed on the BD medium.
Also, I have gripes about the forced inclusion of a new media player. Blu-ray movies certainly do look nice on an HDTV, but the explosion of installed players (because of the PS3) has created a seemingly insurmountable lead for the format. This has left HD-DVD trailing since day one, even though I believe it has superior technology and much more innovative bonus features. Some of the Blu-ray movies cranked off of Sony’s express manufacturing line do not even have menu interfaces comparable to standard DVDs. This has created a real problem in the competition for the next home media format, as Blu-ray has done very little to innovate beyond an improved picture and capacity potential.
Online overhaul
There is no question that the PS3’s online system is leap years above what Sony offered with the PS2. A universal screen name, online elements that can be accessed outside of specific games, and a digital download store are all fantastic additions to the Playstation’s online repertoire. Of course, all of this is basically identical to Xbox Live. There’s little that is actually exclusive to the PS3.
Sony did catch my attention with Warhawk, because of its online-exclusive nature. However, it is difficult to find a full set of players ready to go at any given time. It was a bit too soon in the console’s life cycle to release a game like this because once there is a sufficient installed base and users are more aware of PS3 online, Warhawk will become antiquated and its potential will never be realized.
One thing absolutely worth commending, however, is Sony’s attitude towards external online features. A big part of that is the Playstation Store. Sony has shown an immense amount of devotion to downloadable online content, probably even more so than the Xbox 360, and definitely with a wider scope than Nintendo’s Wii. With the $20 Tekken: Dark Resurrection, and even a day-and-date release of Warhawk digitally and on Blu-ray, Sony has smashed through the capacity barrier of console-powered digital downloads.
Sony has also made available special themes to customize the PS3 main menu and downloadable game/movie trailers. The Xbox 360 also offers these, and perhaps even more notable is the Xbox Live Video Marketplace. So Sony’s downloadable library is not 100% better than those of its competitors, but it is certainly pushing the envelope.
The PS3 also includes a full-fledged Internet browser, capable of downloading movies, music, and images. The Xbox 360 has no Web browser at all, and the Wii’s browser has very limited saving capabilities. This makes the PS3 the console with the least restrictions, which is a vitally important designation when you consider that this generation is highly focused on creating a do-it-all machine.
Of course, Sony is really trying to re-mold the online experience with Home, but no one really knows how that will turn out. Based on various beta tester reports, many functions have been changed giving the feeling that Sony really doesn't know where to take this platform. It is certainly the most ambitious online console plan we’ve seen, but right now no one knows if it will actually be the killer app it is supposed to be. I am skeptical right now, simply because there seems to be no real strategy for the future of the service.
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