The PlayStation 3 ain’t cheap – that’s for certain. With that thousand dollars, you could buy 307 Big Macs. Or go see Epic Movie 100 times. You could even buy yourself 300 Mr. Men books – despite the fact that there were only 43 of them (though you could always buy 7 copies of each… Mr. Greedy!) Of course, this is all just a roundabout way of saying: Yes, it’s a lot of money. We know. The price hasn’t changed since it was announced last year, and if you thought it was too expensive then, you’re not going to suddenly think it’s a steal now. Inflation doesn’t work that fast.
The point is that it’s all about value. 307 Big Macs is a lot of meat… Well, it’s not that much meat… (We are talking about McDonalds, after all). But is it of equivalent value to a next-generation gaming experience?
Conversely, from a purely component-focused perspective, the PlayStation 3 is a bargain. The system is crammed to the gills with premium technology, from the Blu-ray drive and Cell processor to the slot loading drive and touch-sensitive power and eject “buttons.” For Sony to merely break even on the system, the price should be closer to $1,200… which is patently ludicrous (sorry, New Zealand).
But again, it’s not about the cost of the components – it’s about the experience the system provides, and whether it’s of value to you, the consumer. So, is it worth it?
Short answer: “Yes” with an “If…” Long answer: “No” with a “But…”
If, like me, you own a PC that makes an abacus look high-end, or you’ve been holding off on buying a 360 and the most technologically advanced console currently sitting in your entertainment unit is a Colecovision, the PlayStation 3 represents a massive leap forward in gameplay and technology. If, on the other hand, you already own a 360 or high-end PC, there’s nothing on offer here that will blow you away… Yet.
As with all consoles, the PlayStation 3 is suffering from a well-known condition known as “Launchitis.” It’s a temporary condition, which afflicts the system in question with a lack of exclusive titles and iffy ports (which may or may not benefit from the use of a debilitating cream). Pain relief is available in the form of a 9mg dosage of downloadable titles (flOw, Blast Factor, Rub-a-Dub), and an IV drip of PS1 titles connected directly to your PSP. Symptoms should start to clear up in the months ahead, with the release of hard-hitting titles like Factor 5’s Lair and the divine Heavenly Sword.
In the meantime, you’re left with at least several great exclusive titles (Resistance and Motorstorm), as well as a huge range of titles which are/will be available on other platforms (most notably, Virtua Fighter 5 and Virtua Tennis 3 on Day 1). The wealth of other launch titles which have already found a home on the 360 and PC, of course, mean nothing to you if you already own said systems – and everything if you don’t (The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion alone will keep you busy for months).
Note: Not to scale... Probably.
If you own a HDTV, Blu-ray represents an incredible bonus, especially when you take into account that dedicated Blu-ray players can run upwards of $1,500. Blu-ray really is the wild card in Sony’s hand, and while the future is difficult to see (always in motion, is the future), it’s already proving itself to be the more popular format, whether in terms of adoption rate, sales or studio support. And, if it all goes to hell, there’s nothing stopping you from continuing to enjoy your new high-definition movie collection on your PS3 for years to come (providing you didn’t buy Click, in which case you’ll be lucky to get a few minutes).
But let’s be honest with ourselves here. Chances are, if you’re reading this article, you’ve already decided whether or not you’re going to invest in the system, and you’re looking for something to justify your decision either way. If you haven’t already come up with a plan of action on how you’re going to be paying for the console, you’re going to be working some intensive overtime.
Making any console purchasing decision is dependent solely on the purchaser, and what he or she deems to be good value. It’s within your own sphere of reasoning as to whether Console X is overpriced, or Console Y doesn’t have any “decent” games.
The question, then, is not so much “Is it worth buying it now?” but rather, “Why wait?”
If you have yet to take the “next-gen” plunge, there’s more reason to “wait and see” when it comes to the 360, especially with the recent revelation of the new "Elite" model, which will supersede the current Premium system. Likewise with the PC, if you purchase a new graphics card tomorrow, it’s likely to be obsolete by the time the cashier hands you your receipt. With the PlayStation 3 on the other hand, you’re getting everything you’ll ever need in the box (sans a HDMI cable, which you can pick up for $20). All the added functionality which will be added to the system in the years to come (DVD upscaling, for example) will come in the form of free firmware updates.
If you’re waiting for a price cut, you could be waiting as long as 2009 (or until a certain place undergoes a sudden decline in temperature.) In the meantime, whether the system is worth the money is purely a personal call. But, if you’ve spent over $1,000 on both a HDTV and a surround sound system (and unless you’re blind and deaf, you should), why should the central item in your entertainment system – the origin of those wonderful images and sound – be the thing you skimp on?
You... Want this. Don't you...
What it all boils down to is that if you’ve been waiting to see if the PS3 would be worth the investment, you can rest assured: it is – both in terms of current titles and features, and also in terms of future titles, both exclusive and multiplatform, as well as features like PlayStation Home.
As with all the new consoles, the best is yet to come, but there’s certainly no need to “wait and see” when it comes to the PS3. Is it good value? That depends on what you want. Is it cheap? Heck, no. But then why would you want it to be? You get what you pay for, and you’re getting it here in spades.
If your interests lie elsewhere, then that money could certainly be better spent. But there’s no denying the value inherent in the system.
It’s here. It’s expensive. It’s worth it.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have another 306 Big Macs to get through. (P.S. Can anyone spare some Mylanta?)
--------------------------------------------------------------
Want the other side of the story? Head to PlayStation 3: Wait and See.
That is the question that a lot of people should be asking.
Loading...
