ConsoleWars

Their primary candidate to carry out this mission: The PlayStation 2. A console that has been in the media for the last two years. A console that has even turned the heads of such acclaimed individuals as George Lucas. As Lucas described, the PlayStation 2 can match, or even exceed the technology used in the creation of The Phantom Menace film.To team up with the PlayStation 2, we also have Sega's Dreamcast. The console will be available today in stores across North America, and it will take the head-start attack against the PC market. Supporters of the PC platform continue to make bold statements indicating that PC's will outmatch both the Dreamcast and PlayStation 2 consoles within the next few years. With the advent of nVidia's GeForce 256 Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), insiders claim that the PC will actually exceed the PlayStation 2 hardware even before it's releaseJust announced a few days ago, was Microsoft's first ever entry into the video game console industry: The creation of the X-Box. The X-Box would not only compete with the likes of the PlayStation and Dreamcast, but would also support the advanced GeForce 256 GPU technology: The very same technology that is expected to make the PSX 2 outdated upon it's release.But why the move to consoles? Is Microsoft unfaithful in their trusty Personal Computing technology? Did they realize that maybe, they simply couldn't deal with Sony's new console? That possibly, consoles are the true way to go?Microsoft's entry into the console industry might as well be a backlash to the entire PC Gaming world as we know it. But then again, Microsoft has never been the company that makes allies with other corporations -- but rather a company that strives on being a cold-hearted monopoly. This is only one step towards ruling the world: A task that Microsoft may very well accomplish in the next few years.. Unless Sony beats them to it.

On Wednesday, we asked you to e-mail us your comments on Sony's PlayStation 2 announcements. Needless to say, it was overwhelmingly positive. The amount of excitement that this announcement has generated is amazing - and this is just the beginning. With more than a year away until the system launches stateside, it's time for gamers to strap in and wait for the day when we can all enjoy what we could only drool over earlier this week.If the response we got is any indication, the announcement dealt a sizable blow to the Dreamcast's hype machine. Reader Kevin Hallaian said, "I personally was shocked by how much this system kicks Sega's ass! I had been really looking forward to getting a Dreamcast when it comes out, but I put those plans off and am waiting it out for Sony."Price is always a factor, but most people we heard from said they'd pay any price - as long as it's under $500. Jordan Prieto said, "I don't think $400 is overpriced, considering you're paying for a DVD, a music player, and a system that is ahead of its time. I will pay whatever the price whenever PS2 comes out, but then again, I have a job so I have the money."While Sony hasn't said one way or the other if the new machine will add this feature, DVD movie playback got positive response, for the most part. The only thing people seemed to be wary of is its effect on the price of the machine. Scott Wightman said "One of the things I am most excited about (and there's a lot to be excited about) is the possibility of playing DVD movies on the system. Even if it does play movies, it won't be the best player out there, but that doesn't matter. It will save me at least $200, not to mention the space!"But not everyone was completely satisfied by the announcement. After all, only tech demos were shown, and no one outside Sony knows what the system will look like - and the price of admission could be too much for some gamers to handle. Mark Steelman said, "I am not motivated at all by what I've seen so far about the new Sony PlayStation 2. The graphics are beautiful, but so were the graphics in Lost in Space. That doesn't mean the movie was any good. More realism won't motivate me, more innovation in gameplay will. The biggest thing to me is that the specs throw up a red flag in my mind that says, 'This baby is going to cost you.'"
Paul Baumgaertner told us "I think the price is the most crucial aspect of the release. I think Sony's best bet would be a $300 starting price. This would allow the PlayStation 2 to be within a margin of the Dreamcast, but with the additional options, seem like an acceptable increase in price. Anything around the $500 mark is ludicrous, and, I'm sorry Sony, but the people draw the line somewhere, and I think most people draw that line around $200."But through all the e-mails we read through, the short, sweet tag lines of excitement stood out in our minds the most (and if Sony's listening, maybe it could used these as "testimonials" to the power of the system - like they do in commercials for movies).

Playstation2 vs Dreamcast

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