• 25May 06

  What a difference a decade can make

  
  
  

  Things change over time. I know that statement is as obvious as saying the sky is blue, but really how much has changed in the video game industry? It has been almost 10 years and I find myself back to the same place. I'm not referring to puberty or Junior High I'm talking about watching the underdog do something special in this often-evolving industry. I am excited because if history is any indication of things to come, we're in store for something really special.
  

  Roughly 10 years ago a newcomer entered into a Nintendo dominated industry with the simple aspirations to make an impact. They believed in heavy third party support along with supporting a media format that had previously failed to make any significant impact. The odds were against Sony and it's Playstation console but they proved they were a force in interactive entertainment, and a surprisingly dominant one at that. This console helped a number of third party games to flourish and really did more for third parties than arguably any other console that proceeded it. Along with the introduction of the dual analog controller Sony was a trailblazer in the mid to late 1990's. The video game industry has done a lot for Sony this past 10 plus years but I'd be lying if I didn't believe Sony has done a lot for the same industry.
  

  So what has happened since then? Sony's PS2 dominated this generation of consoles with a tried and true formula, Nintendo's Gamecube had it's bright moments but ultimately underachieved, the DVD format became the standard, Microsoft entered into the picture with the Xbox and getting players connected again with Xbox Live, was the first to launch in the "next generation" of gaming with the Xbox 360, etc. Now we're on the eve of the next wave of consoles. So who is the underdog? Truth is I don't know. You could honestly make a case for all three. Some could argue Sony is the underdog this time around with it's steep price tag and new media format it created, or Microsoft with it's inability to jump to another media format with larger storage capacity or their unproven success in the Japanese market, or even Nintendo's radically different console that deviates extremely far from the norm with it's new input device. Really only time will tell. I'm excited because I know roughly every 10 years something special happens. If you look back even further to Nintendo and its NES launched in '85 and I don't think I have to say how huge that was for video games.
  

  So am I cheering or hoping Sony will fail? Absolutely not, in fact I hope they succeed along with Microsoft and Nintendo. It has been proven that competition is good for the consumer. Some may swear by Sony, others may be a Hardcore Xbox fans, and there will always be those die hard Nintendo faithfuls. I am excited for many reasons but the biggest being that after every publisher/developer/retailer makes its money the people who stand to benefit the most from this is us.
  

  
  
  • Posted May 25, 2006 11:49 am PT
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• 5May 06

  A fight worth fighting for.

  
  I've read articles over the past several months with politicians and lawyers seeking to destroy developers, publishers, retailers, the ESRB, and even the video game industry as a whole.
  
  I remember when Night Trap and Mortal Kombat were the faces of evil as far as interactive media is concerned. Joseph Lieberman along with other Congressman went on to fight for a ratings system. We now have one in place with the ESRB. The system continues to go through tweaks and adjustments but for the better. Joseph Lieberman went on to say that the rating system is a model for other industries to follow. So why after so many years are we still having problems? Why are video games being blamed for crimes such as murder?
  
  Our first amendment rights are often blamed for this. Our freedom of speech and expression are things that set us apart from other countries, and is one of the things that make America a great place to live. Both lawyers and politicians need to get off their soapbox and recognize this. There are way too many other issues that need addressing that are of far greater importance. Parents who blame video games for their child's poor decisions need to look in the mirror to start blaming anybody. Just like every American has the freedom of speech, you have the freedom to know what your child is watching, listening to, who they hang out with, and what video games they play. You know the freedom of being a responsible parent.
  
  If these same individuals spent half as much time and effort on actual issues like poverty and drug abuse. This country would without a doubt be an even better place to live.
  
  • Posted May 5, 2006 9:32 am PT
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