When did the most expensive videogame console ever end up ..

I am curious here. Is there ever a documented case in videogame
history that the most expensive videogame console released at a certain
time was the top seller?

Playstation 2? Wasn't the XBox a similar price?

- The Rich

Probably not, I guess in its day the Atari 2600 was the only console
choice and say it was the most expensive and the top seller.

The SNES was a bit more pricey than the Sega Genesis when it came to
maket and it immediately became the top seller. I the price difference
between the Genesis and the SNES was pretty nominal (around $50 if
memory serves).

When the original Playstation came to market it was pretty hot. I
remember there was a lot of speculation if Sony could even make it in
the game industry, I tink that lasted about six months and then Sony
had smooth sailing.

All eyes were on Nintendo and after they released the N64 all eyes came
off Nintendo pretty quick.

The problem Sony faces is that Microsoft beat them to market and it
turns out the XBox 360 can do pretty much anything the PS3 can, many
key areas (on-line gaming) Microsoft has got a better system for and it
turns out all this hype about the cell processor and amazing graphics
just weren't met with the system Sony actually shipped.

So you have all that working against it, but wait there's more...

Let's talk about Blu-Ray. Go into any Best Buy and take a look at
Sony's Blu-Ray demo display, it's set up on a $3000 1080p capable high
end Sony televsion, the BluRay demo disc transitions from BluRay
quality 1080p HD back to 480p DVD quality, the difference is not even
noticeable on Sony's $3000 set! You see a little bit of clarity
enhancement, you'll notice the fames in A Knights Tale are a little
less blury, but it's laughable that they want $1000 for that little
nuance of variation in video quality.

The problem with true HD media formats is that on paper 1080p HD is
much better than 480p, technically it's better. The problem is to the
human eye that difference just isn't that noticeable. So you have a
device with a very high-end price tag that does not add any significant
advantage to most consumers over DVD and the consumers it does benefit
the difference is so nominal only the high-end tech buffs buy it for
the status of it. That's the absolute truth of it.

The DVD player had its start the same way, but look at the advantages
DVD had over VHS. 5.1 theater sound, high resolution video, digital
format that wouldn't wear out, menus, the list goes on. HD-DVD and
BluRay only picture quality enhancements.

Here's the ugly truth, Video games don't need BluRay to run at 1080p
HD, they don't need BluRay at all. But Sony needed PS3 to help push
BluRay and that thought was the beginning of a very political maneuver
that adds a lot of fuel to the burning fire that is Sony Computer
Entertainment right now.

If Sony had brought the PS3 out at the same price points as the XBox
360, they would have still had a big battle to fight, as it stands now
there is no battle, they've had their ass handed to them. The demand
isn't there, the games are being canceled, the third-party developers
have lost faith, the company is losing a ton of money and the
competition is in high demand.

Sony is a sinking ship in flames. If you think otherwise you are
selectively ignoring all the negative press that company has gotten any
many accounts (not just SCE) or you believe the Japanese government is
going to bail them out. The later is a possibility, but regardless
buying a PS3 right now is a pretty foolish thing to do.













usually in the game industry that works out because you come in a year
later and you have the noticeably better graphics and features.







getr....TakeThisOut@1upandup.com wrote:
> I am curious here. Is there ever a documented case in videogame
> history that the most expensive videogame console released at a certain
> time was the top seller?
>
> Playstation 2? Wasn't the XBox a similar price?
>
> - The Rich