NEXT-GEN CLARITY: COURTESY OF THE TOKYO GAME SHOW

At last, over the last few weeks, the next-gen landscape has become much clearer. Wii's price point and release dates per territory have been announced, PlayStation 3's release date has changed for Europe, and we've learned a bit more about both offerings. That includes some information on Sony's electronic distribution system -- known as EDI -- which is scheduled to be unveiled this week at the London Games Festival. We also have details on the current retail price point for PS3 full-price games.

Meanwhile, Xbox 360 is about to enjoy its one-year birthday, a period in which the platform has been able to bask in the glory of #1 hits like “Oblivion,” “Dead Rising,” and “Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter.” Microsoft is about to put all its eggs into one basket called “Gears of War” and critics (me included) would say it's not without good reason. And, with the release of a new camera peripheral for video messaging, recently announced 1080p support, and an affordably priced USB HD-DVD drive attachment, the Xbox 360 appears positioned to enjoy a healthy holiday season.

Meanwhile, PlayStation 3 managed to win fans back at the Tokyo Game Show last month with a considerable visual improvement in titles like “Motorstorm” and “Resistance” that make them worthy of being called “next-gen.” The previously flawed “two SKU” model, was rectified by the format holder announcing HDMI support in the 20-GB SKU, and X-Fire was revealed as a potential partner for the online service when a file was leaked showing that “Untold Legends” would use X-Fire for its online component. If X-Fire use across all online PS3 games turns out to be the case, then it's a positive move for Sony as that service has proven buddy list capabilities, which Sony will no doubt need for its presently unknown online offering.

Blu-ray is still in doubt as HD DVD vs. Blu-ray tests in various AV magazines are still of the opinion that there's barely any difference between the two. But this may be because the disc format is not fully capable yet in its dual-layer guise.

Lack of force feedback will be missed in feedback-heavy titles like “Black 2” and “Call Of Duty 3,” but the gyroscopic controls are also a blessing, with “Warhawk” and “LAIR” delivering positive experiences with the control scheme.

More importantly, we've recently discovered that PlayStation 3 is aiming to push online distribution in a big way with an initiative called EDI , the codename/acronym for a Steam-like digital delivery component. A number of episodic games are in the works for this system, and full-price retail games will be made available on the service.

In addition, we've learned that the current price for full-price retail software is aimed at $80 (as revealed to us a month ago by a highly placed SCEA employee who prefers to remain anonymous)! Is the market ready for $80 games? Probably not.

Additionally, a patent was recently filed for a concept called “Entitlements.” Those who anayzed the patent hypothesized that it would be used to register a game disc to a specific gamers' profile, much like Valve's Steam service. If the owner of the game wishes to sell it, the buyer would have to pay a fee to move the game's registry to them and the previous owner would get a cut of the fee as would the game's developer and publisher. If that hypothesis is correct, then stores like Electronic Boutique and GameStop would no longer be able to profit from the second-hand market, at least for PS3 games.

Overall, PlayStation 3 looks like it has the potential to enjoy initial success in Japan with “Virtua Fighter 5,” a number of Japanese RPGs, and later success with “Ninja Gaiden,” “Devil May Cry 4,” and “Metal Gear Solid 4.” The currently known U.S line-up is regarded by critics as minimal and derivative but solid, with “Motorstorm” and “Resistance” enjoying the most favorable response.

Meanwhile, Nintendo recently hosted a Wii conference and the common perception by critics was that enjoyment of most Wii titles was “not for us.” Lucky for Nintendo, “Zelda” still has the power to create fan buzz, as do “Mario” and “Metroid.” The controller's relation to game design still seems misunderstood by many -- particularly the developers of “Monkey Ball” who have yet to come up with a solid control feedback solution. We hypothesise that the first wave of games is simply the teething stage and the “true” games designed with the Wii controller in mind will likely surface in the second cycle.

The price of the console -- $250 or just $50 short of an Xbox 360 -- was a slight shock to many, especially since the pre-launch games have a Gamecube quality to them. Some also found the controller's full price hard to swallow with a controller-plus-nunchuk-attachment hitting the $60 mark. If you want to be equipped for four players, expect to shell out an additional $180 for the controllers alone. Previously, three additional controllers for a PS2 or Xbox would cost you $90-$120. (Though Xbox 360 wi-fi controllers plus all the recharge fixins' aren't cheap either.)

Overall, both of these machines seem promising, especially the Wii which is a great concept. But game designers will need to take more time to understand the Wii controller's strengths and weaknesses, and not be afraid of taking risks.

The PS3, on the other hand, is pricey and still lacking a clearly defined online experience. That may all change by the time the system launches in late November, but at present Sony appears to be betting that the strength of the Playstation brand and much ballyhooed features such as Blu-Ray and 1080p support will mitigate consumer price concerns.

Meanwhile, Xbox 360 is keeping me very happy with “Dead Rising,” “GRAW,” and, soon, “Gears of War.” A loss of “Virtua Fighter” to PlayStation is short-sighted on Microsoft's part, especially since it's the most successful arcade title of the last few years by a long shot. I may buy the Wii for “Mario,” “Metroid,” and “Zelda,” but will probably wait a year or two before buying the PS3.

Want another opinion? Respected online journalist Luke Smith of 1up.com summed up his feelings on the new consoles in a 1upYours podcast: “No matter what console you buy, you're buying into potential.”

If you disagree and intend to buy a next-gen console immediately, here's the full rundown on how much it'll cost you:

Microsoft Xbox 360
Available: Now, everywhere.
Price of console: Xbox 360 core pack (console, one wired controller, HD AV cable, Ethernet cable, and basic online service) is $300; Xbox 360 premium pack (adds second wireless controller and hard drive) is $400.
Price of games: $50-$60
Price of Xbox Live Arcade games: $5-$15
Ease of purchase: Finding one is relatively easy now.


Sony PlayStation 3
Available: November 6 in the U.S. and Japan ; March 7 in Europe.
Price of console: PS3 core pack (console, Blu-ray drive, one Bluetooth controller, HDMI slot, and 20-GB hard drive) is $499; PS3 premium pack (expands hard drive to 60GB) is $599.
Price of games: $80 (speculation)
Price of online/downloaded games: Unknown
Ease of purchase: During the first six months, may the Force be with you. Expect to see a lot of pricey units on EBay, not many in stores.


Nintendo Wii
Available: November 6 in the U.S. and Japan; December 6 in Europe
Price of console: Wii standard pack (console, one wireless controller plus nunchuk attachment, built-in hard drive, Wii Sports 5-in-1 compilation, and Virtual Console service) is $250
Price of games: $30-$50 (speculation)
Price of Virtual Console games: $5 for NES, $8 for SNES, $10 for N64
Ease of purchase: Unknown, but if it's anything like the DS, expect them to sell out fast.

Daniel Boutros