Did You Buy Your PS3 Just For Home?

 

 

Something that has recently come to my attention is a frequent complaint I have seen when viewing various forums. No, it isn’t that the PS3 has no games. That has been dealt with already. It is about Home. Not only are people upset with the lack of information (I am one that would love for Sony to shed some light on this situation), but they are upset that it hasn’t been released as of yet. I can understand the complaints. There is just one complaint that I want to get to the bottom of. “I bought the PS3 because of Home and it isn’t out yet. I hate you Sony.” That’s the one.

 

It fair for someone to want something. A feature such as Home, is one of a kind. Originally announced for an October release, it has since been delayed as many of you know. Last we were told, Home would be coming this Spring. Spring has come and Home isn’t out yet. Remember that there are several days of Spring left. So far we’ve seen yet another update to the beta build and an exploit that allows you to download the Home application through the use of a proxy server. All of this, and still no word of when Home will officially be released to the masses save the last announcement that it is supposed to be released this Spring.

 

Now let’s look at the PLAYSTATION 3. It has been out since November 2006 in North America and Japan. (Europe and other regions received it in March 07 and other subsequent dates). In this time we’ve seen the PS3 grow immensely. Originally a system with only a few titles, Resistance being one of my personal favorites, now has many titles. Ratchet and Clank: TOD, Uncharted, Unreal Tournament 3, Heavenly Sword, Motorstorm, Call of Duty 4, Metal Gear Solid 4 (Coming June 12th), and Resistance 2 (Coming this Fall) to name a few.

 

Not only has the PS3’s library of titles increase, its functionality has increased as well. The PS3 is currently the first Profile 2.0 (BD-Live) player on the market. This is a great feature especially due to Blu-Ray having won the high-def format war. (Thanks to PS3 in my opinion, another day for that discussion). The PS3 can stream media, is able to play Divx files, browse the Internet, have VOIP conversations with other PS3 owners, install Linux, DTS-HDMA decoding and a host of other features. (PSP interaction is also a big one). A feature set that I feel is unmatched by any competitor that is currently on the market. With Home coming very soon according to an article in OPM, this will only further distinguish the PS3.

 

Some have said that Home will be a system seller. I disagree to a point. I’m not saying that Home will not be a feature that people will not only want, but use. I’m saying that Home, will be a feature that will add further value to the PS3. In the modern gaming industry, we are seeing a great deal less exclusivity due to high development costs. Many will argue that Home will cause individuals that own both systems to buy the PS3 version. This argument depends on how much attention 3rd party developers pay to Home. If the developers invest time into making the Home integration a major component, I do believe that multi-console owners will have added incentive to purchase the PS3 version. This does not necessarily sell systems though. In this argument, the individuals considering which version to buy already own a PS3 and another system.

 

I personally bought my PLAYSTATION 3 because of my love for many of the titles that are exclusive to or are mainstays PLAYSTATION consoles. Tekken, Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy, Star Ocean, Ratchet and Clank, these were some of the titles that made me want a PS3. I knew that I would likely only be able to experience them on the PS3. The new titles that have been introduced since the release of the PS3 have only confirmed my original reasoning for buying the console. It is the games. The games are varied in the type of experiences that they allow a gamer to enjoy. I personally love RPGs, which are a PLAYSTATION staple, (don’t worry the PS3 will be seeing RPGs soon enough), and the announcements of Final Fantasy 13, FF Versus 12, and White Knight Story, set the stage for me to be in RPG heaven. I had never played a shooter heavily (played a little Socom, but not much) until I first played Resistance: Fall of Man. The list could go on forever.

 

I’m not discounting the multimedia functions of the PS3. Those definitely have a been a great benefit to me. Did they factor into my reasoning for camping out and buying a PS3? Yes. Having a Blu-Ray player was something that I truly valued. Even before I had an HDTV. Seeing a Blu-Ray in 1080p glory is a magnificent experience. I’ve loaded my HDD with music and video clips to watch and listen to whenever I choose as well.

 

Keep in mind, all of this is all before there was any mention of Home. Did Home make me happy that I purchased a PS3? Yes. I was and am happy that Sony is attempting and will bring a service such as Home to the PLAYSTATION community. Will it change gaming as we know it? It could if it is implemented and its potential maximized. But when you look at Home and then look at everything else the PS3 has to offer, you’ll realize it is only a piece of the puzzle.

 

So….what did you buy your PS3 for?

 

Thanks for reading.

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