Comments on: Does the Xbox 360's 'lack of longevity' matter?

Sony's Kaz Hirai claims that the video game console "lacks longevity." But does that even matter?

[drmatt87]

Well I'm of the opinion that if Microsoft releases the Xbox 720 before 2010 not only will PS4 come along and trump it in 2012, but no one in there right mind would buy a Microsoft console as soon as it hits the market... Seriously I know several people who have went through 6-8 360s with the Red Ring... i would be scared to plop down $300+ for something that's straight garbage at its inception.

-Side Not I myself have went through 3 Xbox 360s finally got a good one, but they all sound like a Jet taking off.

[magillmo]

My buddy let me borrow his PS3 while he was in AF basic training and I was able to get familar with its games and media options. In terms of media options such as Blu ray, downloads, demos, and decent hard drive capacity the PS3 is very good although I do not like the operating system's interface or GUI, I find it a little confusing and difficult to work with. I am not a hardcore gamer or even a core gamer, I am what you call a very casual gamer who is still stuck in the past playing my NES although I own an origional Xbox and PS2. I like the Xbox 1 and the Xbox 360 and Halo was one of my favorite last gen games but the 360 or the PS3 has simply not impressed me enough to justify a $500 purchase. I know you can get a 360 premium for $199 but you have to buy the HDMI, games, and other accessories, these can become costly. In terms of longevity, the technology market changes so rapidly it would be impossible to predict what would happen in ten years, I beleive this is simply wishful thinking. Second, and I'm sure I am not alone here, the PS3 has great features and an okay library of games but for all of its features it dosen't seem to do any of them very well. I found myself dissapointed that my old, out of date, 10 year old PC was more user friendly in terms of media storage and playback. I beleive the 360 is on par with the PS3 graphically (PS3 has bad gamma correction on my TV and everything is way too dark) depending on your video set up, and the 360 simply has more quality games and, isn't that why we buy consoles in the first place, the games! If I wanted stunning graphics and blazing processor speeds I would build a Core i7 but that is more than I am willing to spend. The fanboys will argue to death but it comes down to personal choice and I want a game system that is awsome for playing games. I love my PS2 and I'm not sure Sony gets it when it comes to simply playing games. By the way it took GTA4 an hour and 1/2 to install game data, not cool.

[Unsaneworld]

Longevity does matter whether any fanboys like it or not. In a couple years, PS3 will have amazing looking games put on a blue ray disk, while xbox will have less amazing looking games put on several DVD disks.

The PS3 was clearly built to last, literally and technologically. What Don is talking about doesn't apply to many people at all. Most people buy the consoles years after its release date when its cheaper, when its a better value. More than half of the sales of the PS2 came when the prices dropped to dramatically.

[jsnowbordr47]

Yeah, longevity is great and all, but this article definitely hit it, sure the PS2 is still in production today, but who really cares except for Sony?

I had an NES in the early 90's when the SNES first came out, and I was sure envious of all my buddies with the SNES despite the fact that they were making games for both systems. It was all my friends talked about, no one cared about the NES. The minute the SNES came out the NES became irrelevant, just like when the PS2 came out the PS1 was irrelevant.

And when the next generation starts, whether it be with the Wii 2 or Xbox 720, all of the current gen consoles will become less relevant, they may last for a few more years, but they will no longer be the media attention grabbers they were. Sony can cling to the whole 10 year thing all they want, but they will most likely still be coming out with a new console (if they can afford to) around the same time Microsoft and Nintendo do. Just like with the PS3 the initial release overlaps lifespan of the previous generation console


I'm sure the PS3 will stick to the 10 year lifespan, and I'm sure the Xbox 360 could stick to a 10 year lifespan, but I still believe the next generation will start by 2011 or 2012 and that's a 6-7 year console lifespan with alpha previews of next-gen consoles beginning mid-2010.

Then again, in this global economy, I still hold on to the hope that all 3 manufacturers will eventually just make a BoxStationWii 720.lol

[Unsaneworld]

You're very clueless to the world around you. Not everyone can afford the latest greatest and are just fine playing the PS2. There are still more PS2 users than x360/wii/PS3 combined.

In 10 years there will still be many people playing the PS3 while the PS4 is out. Who is playing the xbox now? PS2 still has games being released, consoles being sold (1.1 million in December).

The problem with American companies and American culture is they want everything NOW, not later, NOW (even if they can't afford it). M$ wants the sales and profit short term, but Sony will eventually take over in user base and profitability. Sure xbox360 is in the early lead but it's no sprint, it's a marathon.

[gotta_love_tech]

I really appreciate both sides of the story but there were a few things that caused me to swing toward the 360.
1. Online gaming/friends-haven't seen sony step this up yet but i am sure they will. Negative on the pay for xbox though.
2. Netflix-the new integration of netflix to the 360 was incredibly smart. It is free to current netflix users (who isn't one) and thus allows for your 360 to really act as a media portal (not saying sony doesn't but they need to step it up here)
3. I am actually an advocate of the PS3 for longevity but I actually don't see the Blu-Ray as the format of the future-look at Apple and iTunes (everything is going online)-why pay outrageous prices for Blu-Ray when 5 years from now the PS3 may still be around but Blu-Ray is still expensive b/c no one buys them...
4. Looking at the update MS put out for the 360 I think they are really starting to see its power as a media center, sony's update finally got them to where the 360 was...
5. Sony is just starting to use its FREE online capabilities but they are a bit behind (they love exclusivity-they need to place nice with others in the gaming business)
6. RROD vs. PS3 issues-a little overblown, my friend finally got his RROD on an original 360. sent it in. got it fixed. end of story. What would bother me more is not accepting responsibility.
7. Halo (everyone is right, sony needs their Halo game)

[rouse51]

I like seeing all the fanboys out clai,ing this and supporting that. Well her are some facts. The Wii is #1 and that is that. I don't care how many of you say yours is collecting sust or what ever. Fact two is the 360 has a real problem with the red ring. I work at a store were at least a third of the consoles were returned. Is it better now. Yes. Is it up to standards. No. Is it the best product Microsoft has out today. Heck Yes. It has good gaming support and a company with deep pockets that don't care if it takes a loss to kill Sony. Once it does will the next console be released at a loss proce point. No microsoft has a history of putting companies out of business and then overcharging. Office used to be free, Windows was the cheapest thing out. Trust me you don't want this company to be the only one around.

This leaves the subject of the article as last. it is cash short and money poor and it can't stop microsoft from stealing exclusives by throwing millions around. However this console is truely a technological beast. It has the best blu-ray player, best upconverter, its reliable and its cell processor has not even been figured out yet. Pound for pound it is the cheapest console around. Yes I know the Wii is cheap but it was designed for families. Once you buy 3 other sets of controllers you could have purchased a PS3 or 360 elite. Do I love my Wii, yes, best purchase i ever made for the family. What about the 360? Won't touch it, no parental controls online, no way to get 13 year old pervs kicked because MS won't give up the revenue. no value in it becuase I would have still needed to buy a blu-ray player. Great FPS system, but not as good as the PC which has Live for free. PS3 was the way to go for me and I love it. PS Home, lame, quit while you are behind. Get a good PC client like gamespy and call it a day. Live is over rated for anyone but a pimple faced nerd. Gaming not about talking trash with a 10 year old. Its about owning people in the game.

[shhhonuff20]

All I have to say is I've gotten the both kinds the red rings and E74 and I've owned a 360 since launch and I've gone through at least three or four. It's not like I overwork my system, I play maybe only two hours a day max and my console is in a nicely ventilated spot so I just don't get it Whatever.

I'm no fanboy but if Microsoft wants me to become one the constant need of shipping and repairing is starting to push me towards becoming one.

[crusadex]

You know i have to agree with the need for titles on the Ps3.The 360 has a much higher % or really great games out than Sony or Nintendo.The same was true of the Xbox compared o the Ps1/2.Sony has always pumped out games like crazy,most of wich were garbage.
Heck my Wii was fun for a month until i played all the good titles,it has collected dust for a year.Even wii fit for my woman can't get it turned on.My 360 gets 2 hours a day on a slow day FOR 3 YEARS.
As for the systems i love the Xbox 360.My release model broke after 2.5 years,sent it in and got it back within the week.
I believe MS's plan is to continue with the 360 for a few more years then release a new model.
Makes sense.Max out the the 360 and move on to something that is as far beyond the 360 as the 360 is to the xbox.That would also make the PS3(wich will hit it's stride when prices drop someday) Old news and old less capable hardware.
Next xbox a VR/holographic system??? Yeah that would make the PS3 seem like a really old dvd player.

[MovieScouse007]

There are three reasons Microsoft is selling more 360s in the USA than Sony are selling PS3s (Note that I said USA. All these posts seem to forget that there is a world outside the US borders)

1:They stripped the 360 down and sold it with nothing on it to gullible gamers who, having bought this awful and unreliable machine, find they have to shell out almost as much again buying components to make it usable.

2: Microsoft is propping this disaster of a console up with its own money, hoovering up PS3 titles by waving millions of dollars at developers, something it won't be able to do for much longer having just announced that it is shedding 5,000 people from it's staff.

3: Americans want to buy American and on this point I can't fault any American, as a Briton I would always prefer to buy British, but sadly Microsoft are exploiting this natural and creditable trait in an attempt to get market share by any means fair or foul.

Microsoft is a greedy, lazy and wholly despicable company that bullies, cheats and cons its way to vast wealth by trampling all over it's competitors and it's precious customers. The world is stuck with its horrible operating systems because it has removed all the competition and now doesn't need to make any effort to provide reliable software. It is trying to achieve this with the X Box. Microsoft it is still envious of the success of the PS2 but what it fails to realise is that the PS2 was impressive technology that worked, and still does, but the 360 isn't. I implore you all to wake up and smell the coffee. You are being exploited; to quote rouse51 ?a company with deep pockets that doesn't care if it takes a loss to kill Sony. Once it does will the next console be released at a loss? No. Microsoft has a history of putting companies out of business and then overcharging. Office used to be free and Windows was the cheapest thing out. Trust me you don't want this company to be the only one around.?

iPod sells well because it?s the best and most desirable portable music player on the market. Not because it marketed itself better, it just made the best product. The PS3 will overcome the 360 for the same reasons, the world financial crisis has just lengthened this process, not prevented it.

I don?t want to buy music online, I don?t want to buy movies on line and don?t want to buy games online. Downloads are too fragile, connection speeds too slow (I have 2mb broadband and it still takes too long to down load a decent game,) connections hang up and you have to start the process again, you may even have to pay again. If you download all your games to your Xbox and it dies, as most of them do, you have to re-install all of them again (I?m not sure about games saves, do they transferred to your replacement console? If not you?ve potentially lost days of gaming) and I actually want the box and manual.

To all those criticising Home, get a life, it's in Beta for crying out loud so stop complaining. Online gaming is easy with the PS3 and it's FREE, yes that's right FREE!

[stanorlaski]

Wow, the Eurotrash can't help themselve sometimes!

The Arcade is sold the same way the Wii is, do you hear anyone complaining about that?

Microsoft's game division is actually now making money (for the first time granted), not unexpected when entering a new business

Microsoft is no more or less "greedy" than any other business that is (and should be btw) looking to make a profit, expand its business and take care of its shareholders. Wow what a bizarre notion!

Btw, MS Office has never been free, MSDos or Windows have never the cheapest option (I bought DR-Dos myself several times)

XBL and PSH are not comparable, remember XBL Silver is free, free updates, access to movies, arcade games, chat etc. For PSH to match XBL Gold you have to pay for certain features as well, the only free advantage is free gameplay, which I almost no one defend as better than Xbox Live.

Also, Apple=Marketing, there have always been better mp3 players. Apple just found an opening and made a product that it could fill it, namely providing a seamless solution to downloading songs to it. I was completely unimpressed when my son purchased a Nano, I couldn't figure out what all the fuss is about. iTunes is ok, on Windows it's intrusive and somewhat awkward to use.

[robvme]

Yeah Yeah...Sony is in dire straights and the PS3 failed to pull them up. Fact is, in this economy nobody wants to spend that kind of money on a console that doesn't have a very large library of games, doesn't have a robust online experience, and nobody really cares that it doubles as a blu ray player. Blu ray is proving to be a non issue as it will become antiquated more rapidly than previously thought.

And honestly, do you really expect Microsoft to wait 10 years before driving another console to market? Expect the next one out sometime in 2011. I dumped my PS2 a long time ago, I could give a rip about longevity.

[NCTARHEELS]

I agree with the article, disagree with Sony's CEO, and disagree with other reader comments.
My 360 has gone without a hiccup for the last two years, and frankly it shows no signs of stopping. I'd say the Xbox has plenty of longetevity, especially considering the advanced software Microsoft's shoving into the thing.

I honestly don't care about longetevity, but a difference needs to be made between longetevity, and irregular malfunction. Yes, if you're on your seventh Xbox, you'd be more willing to buy a PS3, but it also means you've got to take care of your hardware. Keep it ventilated, for god's sake. If my Xbox goes 3 or four more years, I'd probably be a little upset, but not disappointed; how can any manufacturer guarantee such a long life? (They can't)

[raindog469]

"To find out, we need to look back at the top consoles from each generation of the modern gaming era--the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), PlayStation, and PlayStation 2--and determine if they had longevity."

Actually, you need to look at the #3 (or #2, if there were only two contenders) console in each era. The Sega Master System took second place in the NES era. Sega produced it for 5 years in Japan and 6 years in the US. The 3DO took third place in the SNES era. It lasted 3 years in Japan and the US. The N64 took second place in the PS1 era. It lived for about 6 years in both the US and Japan. Finally, the Gamecube took third place in the PS2 era. Nintendo discontinued that one after 6 years too. (The second-place Xbox actually only lasted 4 years.)

While the Genesis started strong and eventually lost out to the SNES, no third-place console has ever come back to take first place in market share. Even fanboys have stopped saying "Just wait for _______" (MGS4, LBP, etc.) and nowadays they're just making vague, hopeful predictions of "all the best games will be on PS3 someday."

So I think we can expect Sony to introduce a new console and discontinue the PS3 sometime between 2010 and 2012. Maybe sooner, since it's more than 2 years into the cycle and they're still losing 50 bucks a console.

[Shaun822]

Sadly my PS3 gets more playtime as a Blu Ray/DVD player for my HDTV. I buy the PS3 exclusives but other than that I buy most of my stuff for 360. My biggest pet peeve with Sony's system is the online interaction. It fractured and varies game by game whereas the 360's dashboard is pretty much seemless. I used to be one of the guys who scoffed at pay to play online but now I see its benefits. I also, think that the key isn't better hardware, and sometimes its not even better titles, it is first and foremost being first to market. The Xbox was the technically superior system in almost every way to the PS2, but the PS2 already had a few million system install base before Xbox saw the light of day. Same thing this generation 360 was already 5 million units (example number I don't know the actual install base) ahead of Sony.

[sludog]

Although I did not read every post word for word, did anyone mention that the 80gb ps3 will cost $299 in April? This has been confirmed by Sony. Is it possible that Sony will be losing $150 on each PS3 made? Cnet has said repeatedly that the PS3 is the best bluray player on the market so I think that that the price drop will double sales this year. Also this year will have the best game releases since the unit came out in 2006 will help sales as well. If Killzone is all it is hyped up to be, Xbox fanboys will buy a ps3 just for that game.

[not2worried]

Ps3 is good hardware... But they need to really get some good games out there..
A price drop as painful as it would be, really needs to happen.
I have a 360...
I do want a Ps3, but not at its present price point and not with out some games...
Buddy has a Ps3 and an Xbox...
And the Ps3 is for playing movies.. Other wise it gets no use.. unlike the 360 which is used at least 5 days a week.
Also people tend to have only one system in there home ( I know many have 2 or 3) But once there get their Xbox or Wii in the door.. the can't justify another system. No matter how nice it is...
The xbox is pulling away in the latest numbers. Sony wants the market.. but get moving!

[ccmike72]

The problem with the idea of becoming the leader by being on the market longer is that the previous systems that led the market in their respective generations did it long before their competition moved on. NES, SNES, PSX, and PS2 didn't take the lead after the others failed or after their next generation counter parts where being produced. They had the lead well before that. If sony is gonna win this round they have to pick up ground fast and soon.

I'm not bashing sony, the PS3 is the only current gen system i own, but the evidence is clear that they are lagging in third right now and need a lot to overtake the others momentum.

On another issue can we really even consider the Wii in this competition i mean so much of the games on it are novelty junk targeted at the non gaming masses. Outside of the few games the Wii doesn't even really exist to serious gamers. I still think 250 is far to much for a lack of decent titles, almost always being forced into using motion sensing controller even though some games would be much more enjoyable with a standard controller and graphics that barely beat out the gamecube. When the Wii hits 150 maybe i will care.

[TCrimson05]

Fanboys everywhere...terrible. Can everyone please be objective for once? What he wrote makes complete sense. If everyone wasn't so busy trying to defend "their" system you'd actually hear what he's saying. All he's saying is that your average consumer doesn't buy their system for "longevity" and that even if Sony decides to start these "10 year cycles" (which no one cares about), Nintendo and Microsoft will still release their next consoles (what ever they may be) regardless because they aren't the ones playing catch up. Of course Sony will claim it likes long cycles...they better if they wanna make any money off the PS3. They act like the long shelf life of the PS2 is deliberate. Yeah Right. You never know how things will end up when you release a system. (Wii?) I'm not saying who will win the "Console Wars", I'm just saying Sony can trump up all the longevity it wants...the other two consoles will still come out 2011 or so. And I don't care how much of a fanboy anybody is....75% of ya'll have own more than one system so you'll probably end up buying the next ones regardless of the PS3's "Decade Cycle".

(really..."my system has a shelf life of ten years".....who cares?)



"T"

[Unsaneworld]

You obviously don't know squat about anything. There are still more PS2 users than xbox360/PS3/Wii combined. Millions of PS2's are still being sold. The majority of people wait atleast a couple years before they buy the "next-gen" console when the prices fall. I'm of them. I know for a fact that'll get a PS3 but I just can't afford it yet because I'm a student and on a limited budget. Not everyone has the money to get the lastest things all the time.

To most people, longevity does matter. But to the people that bought their consoles very early will probably buy the next console very early also. Ps3 wins in the end because it will be simply the best product for the price.

[peterwhite]

by Chaosthoery January 22, 2009 12:47 PM PST
What sony needs to do is not compare the two systems.

Microsoft is in it for the money .

Sony=true gaming platform

MAC= better than Microsoft but more expensive

Ps3= better than 360 but more expensive

HAHAHAHAHA - yeah, you may be right after posting a 1.1 billion dollar quarterly loss, Sony must be in it for the good of the gamer - clearly they're not concerned about turning a profit. Listen kid, there's only one reason to start a business - making money - even non-profits like the Red Cross pay their CEO's millions of dollars. So yes, MS is just in it for the money ... luckily for us, the better the hardware & games, the more ad hoc investors - so a superior product is better for us and translates into more sales for them. List 10 must have PS3 EXCLUSIVE titles ... if you can.

[amber0728]

Cnet has said repeatedly that the PS3 is the best bluray player on the market so I think that that the price drop will double sales this year.

That's an oft referenced remark, keep in mind CNET made that statement at a time when the average BluRay 1.0 device was retailing for around $400. The idea being 'value' allowing you to get a BluRay player that was built for firmware updates AND play games too. These days you can buy a great BluRay player for a couple of hundred bucks and even get one installed in your gaming laptop for a little less. That said, I have a BDP7200 that looks great and channels 5.1 (w/ BASS) set-up in the master bedroom - unfortunately I only have a handful of movies that were on deep sale and primarily use it as an HTS for my massive DVD collection. Likewise, I think a ton of the PS2 sales are from original owners replacing damaged devices, I seriously doubt Sony wants us to believe that 1.2 million NEW PS2 users joined the gaming family.

I am confused over the backlash between posts, the reality is this ... for now Wii is number one, because of ease of use, low cost, access to some popular older games. 360 is two because of high definition games, media center, great UI, and a managed online gaming service. (BTW, I keep laughing over the comments regarding young immature gamers ... yes, most of us are Gen X / Y adults but these are games ... right :) Besides, I know a few ppl at MS and trust me, the banhammer really does come down and there are 'clans' to suit any gamer if they choose to isolate themselves. Personally, I almost always play with friends so it's not really an issue). PS3 came in late and overpriced but even worse they lack that 'must play' game.

The console war will rage on with or without our comments but the reality is that the winner will need deep pockets to survive and a host of great games to keep people happy. Right now, that all points to MS coming out on top ... unless we see a radical partnership between Sony / Nintendo for a next generation / backward compatable (for both companies) system ... than MS would be in dire straits.

Son mis dos centavos! H .A. N. D.

[hardikhrs]

First of all, a #3 doesn't exist in the market. Nintendo Wii has it's own 'niche' (could hardly call it that) in the market and that's where it will stay while Sony and MS fight it out for the top console crown. So, in that regard, 360 is #1 and PS3 is #2. That's a fact and no one can deny this...not even Sony. The Wii, for all it's multi-million sales figures and profit margins, is not competing with the 360 or PS3.

Developing a new console (with a new technology-design-processor combination) is a huge investment. So, for MS to bring the successor to the 360 in 4-5 years' time would mean abandoning a product which is currently doing quite well, has a wide install base, has an excellent game library and great online capabilities. I don't see that as a rational move. Whether a successor to the 360 will be launched around 2012 depends on the next 2-3 years' performance of both the 360 and the PS3. If the PS3 continues to disappoint, there is no need for MS to worry but if PS3 outperforms the 360 in the next 2 years (and I think it will) MS will have no choice but to move to a new Xbox system.

Now, talking about longevity, many people fail to realize that Xbox360 has
already had an upgrade to the 65nm manufacturing process from 90nm when it was launched. So, If MS really want to see the 360 through on a 10-year lifespan they can very conveniently perform a few tweaks on the CPU/GPU combo, derive tangible improvement...and still call it the Xbox360. Same goes for Sony. And this is where the PS3 with The Cell has an advantage. It's an oft used word called scalability. The 360 has almost reached the limits of its processing power while the PS3 is just getting started.

It's a trickier proposition for MS than for Sony since what next-gen technology could MS incorporate in the 720?? Better CPU/GPU? Definitely! Blu-Ray drive? Forget about it (but they might as well have to). Motion-sensing and/or 3D? It's already being done. Holographic discs? No chance (and even if they do, would anyone in their right minds think it will come cheap?). Microsoft isn't quite known for innovation, so don't expect something mind-blowing from the 720.

The real problem for Sony's PS3 is CONTENT. Once that arrives, the 360 will find it exceedingly difficult. Sony is taking baby-step towards that...what with the likes of MGS4, LBP, Killzone 2, God Of War, Uncharted 2, Heavy Rain to name a few. PS3 is also consistently seeing improvement in its online+multimedia capabilities. What it needs is that well-debated price-cut in April. But for now the PS3.vs.X360 war continues. Things will be a lot clearer post-2009.

Now, moving a little away from the topic...
I am by all means a Sony fanboy. Their's no doubting the quality of Sony products - be it Bravia or Vaio or Cybershot or Handycam or Walkman among others. But, I think the biggest boon for the industry (not just gaming but electronics as well) will be those billion-dollar losses Sony is facing. That bodes well for everyone. What I really want to see is a humbled Sony so they can finally lose their arrogance, start over with a clean-slate and do what they do best - make the best products...