This thread is to help consumers who are attempting to make a purchasing choice between the Sony Playstation 3, Microsoft XBox 360, and Nintendo Wii video game consoles.

All posts to this thread must strictly follow the Rules of the Forum. To further clarify:

no flames or trolls
no nastiness or personal comments about other DHCers
no slang terminology like "retard controller"
no colourful bold underlined italic fonts
no market-share comparisons
no excessive quoting (hint: use the Post Reply button instead of the Quote button)
no dredging up old arguments about the companies and their past products
there might me more...Remember, this thread is for helping consumers make the best choice for their own needs.

I think we will really only be able to know in 6 months to a year from now.

Unfortunately parents are getting earfuls from their kids now for xmas... I'm inclined to say that if a consumer doesn't know much about these game consoles they should keep in mind the age of the kids:

Wii - family and younger kids
XBox 360 and PS3 - teens, adults, experienced video gamers

Picked up a 360 premium for Xmas last year and it's been great.

The boy (now 11) and his friends and cousins have logged more than enough game time to pay it back.

Graphics are great, and game selection now is really good for older kids / adults and there are enough online games from the arcade to keep the young kids happy.

Haven't got the HD-DVD player yet but will probably get that in the new year.

Highly recommended.

Heres my breakdown for interest and age range:

Wii: Everyone of all ages. Fun controller, and fun games. Type of games to expect on this console: Family games, kids show games, platformers, party games.

Xbox 360: Preteen - adult. Excellent controller design, High definition content all over the place. Simply the best online service at this time. Type of games to expect on this console: Shooters, sports, racing, arcade games.

Playstation 3: Preteen - adult. High definition content, new online service, blu ray playback out of the box, highest price tag. Type of games to expect on this console: Sports, racing, RPG's, platformers.

That's how I would look at the three systems. Choose your age bracket and the type of game you're most interested in.

Just keep in note my list of types of games to expect, are the genre that are going to be the most prominent based off the console's previous generations.

I don't own any of these consoles, but would consider getting one after Xmas sometime. I know there are loads of factors to consider, most of which I can figure out for myself. But I'm clueless about their online services, and that could be an important enjoyment factor and an ongoing cost.

Question: What are the online features of each of these consoles like?
Specifically
- what is free, if anything?
- what is the fee/rate structure? (by the hour? flat monthly rate?)
- what do you get, besides online gameplay? (audio link? video? browser? other entertainment? shopping? community?)
- what accessories are needed in order to use specific features?
- any issues with reliability, overcrowding, etc?
- anything else about the online service I should know about?

There are probably not many people who have all 3, and I know PS3 and Wii are very new, but I'd appreciate any information/impressions. Thanks!

Yes, the PS3 and Wii are very new but that's really a non-factor. Remember, the PS3 was supposed to be released last spring - it wasn't because of manufacturing difficulties. The technology isn't a year "better" than the 360, it's just different. If anything, having been out for a year, the 360 has the advantage of having ironed out the "bumps". Also, its had time to develop a library of 150+ games.

To answer your questions (for the 360):
- what is free, if anything?
On the 360, there is two tiers of service. Xbox Live "Silver" and "Gold". Silver is free - it gives you access to the xbox live marketplace, lets you send and receive messages or chat with your friends. Gold is a pay service. It's about $60/year here in Canada. You can subscribe monthly, quarterly or yearly. Gold offers everything silver does with the addition of being able to play multiplayer games against other GOLD members and it also enables the video chat feature so you can video chat with friends...
- what is the fee/rate structure? (by the hour? flat monthly rate?)
As I said above, Silver is free. Gold can be paid monthly, quarterly or yearly.
- what do you get, besides online gameplay? (audio link? video? browser? other entertainment? shopping? community?)
The Xbox LIVE marketplace offers you "arcade games" to download - essentially old school games from the eighties, along with new ones. You can download trial versions, and then decide whether or not you want to purchase the full version. Prices range from about $5-$15 for arcade games depending on the title. Game demos are also released over xbox live allowing you to try out a game before you decide to go out and pay $60+ for it. Microsoft launched their new video marketplace in the US last week (yet to be launched in Canada - but it's in the works). With this service you can download standard and hi-def tv shows from them (for a fee, per episode, of course). Also, you can "rent" movies in SD and HD. The way the rentals work is that you pay a fee for the rental, it downloads to your system, then you have 14 days to watch it. Once you start watching it, you have 24 hours to finish it (or watch it multiple times). Your license then expires, and you delete it from the harddrive. No more trips to Blockbuster! Other things you get besides online gameplay are chat, messaging, video chat, a unified friends list (so even if they're playing a different game than you, or watching a movie, etc, you can still chat with them).
- what accessories are needed in order to use specific features?
To do video chat you need to buy the camera. It's $50. A headset comes with the console when you purchase it, however, MS released a wireless headset (the standard one plugs into your wireless controller whereas the wireless headset is just an earpiece - no wires). If you want to go wifi to your internet connection, you'll need a wireless adapter. MS has an xbox 360 one, but it costs about $100 (a/b/g protocols). You can also use a standard ethernet adapter (not USB though - the only USB adapter that will work is the 360 one.) The 360 has an HDDVD addon you can buy - it's $200 and is said to be very good. Faster than any other player on the market, with comparable quality.
- any issues with reliability, overcrowding, etc?
The service is very robust and reliable. Laggy multiplayer games only occur if you have a slow internet connection (or if the 'host' of the game does). The service is typically down for 1 or 2 days a year for scheduled maintenance. That's it.
- anything else about the online service I should know about?
Yes. It's been around since the 2nd year of the original xbox. It's constantly being updated and improved upon. MS releases two updates a year via LIVE to all the xboxes on the network - adding features and functionality to your console. The most recent one added the video chat feature, wireless headset support, HDDVD support, video marketplace (in the US), etc.

To answer your questions for the PS3:
- what is free, if anything?
The entire service is free, unless you want to download items from the online store. They charge for these on a "per item" basis.
- what is the fee/rate structure? (by the hour? flat monthly rate?)
As I said, no fee. You pay for content on a pay-as-you-buy basis.
- what do you get, besides online gameplay? (audio link? video? browser? other entertainment? shopping? community?)
Shopping for music/demos/trailers. The store is very slow/clunky and setup like a webpage. Sony is said to be thinking of charing for demos ($1 or $2 per demo download) but currently they don't. Although there's only one or two demos up since the current game library is very small.
- what accessories are needed in order to use specific features?
If you bought the 60gig PS3, you won't need an adapter for wifi, it's built-in. The PS3 doesn't ship with hi-def cables like the 360 does. You'll have to go out and buy an hdmi cable or component cables if you want HD. Also, if you have a 1080i tv (that doesn't support 720p) then your 720p PS3 games will get downscaled to 480p (the PS3 doesn't have a scaler chip in it). The 360 will scale resolution to whatever you want it to. The PS3 supports chatting and video, any bluetooth wireless headset SHOULD work - but there have been reports of some not syncing up with the console. The PS3 ships with a Blu-Ray player.
- any issues with reliability, overcrowding, etc?
Some people are having reliability issues. Connections being dropped, latency problems during games, etc. Whether this is a service hiccup or a result of their own connection is unknown since the service is so new. As I said before, the store is very slow and clunky. Also, the friends list/chatting/video feature isn't as accessible as the 360. You can only chat with friends or send them messages from your "dashboard" (ie: when you're not actually playing a game or doing something else - unlike the 360, where you can be doing anything and still chat/send and receive messages).
- anything else about the online service I should know about?
It's very new and lots of people feel frustrated with a "lack of feautres" since they've gotten used to (spoiled, maybe?) by the variety of features on the 360. It's free, but expect a more "pay-as-you-go" model than the 360 which is an upfront fee. Rumour has it that Sony plans on charging for things like cars/tracks on racing games, etc. Time will tell.

As with any system I would recommend going with the one that has the games that appeal to you. Both consoles have their "heavy hitters". Ps3 has Final Fantasy, for example. Xbox has Halo and Gears of War (absoultely stunning - probably the best looking game on any system to date, including PC).

Whatever you end up purchasing, I hope you enjoy it. PERSONALLY, I'd recommend a 360 only because it's had time to be refined and has proven itself. It has a good catalogue of games, it's online is robust, and it has several big name AAA titles coming out soon. Perhaps in a year or so the PS3 will be a worthwhile purchase, but to date there is no games that justify a $659 price tag and the service is patchy (as all console releases are). In my humble opinion, of course.

Good luck! ;)

As a PS3 owner and PC gamer who has no interest in the 360, I agree with pretty much everything Sanchinos said - great post! The only thing I'd explictly state is that online gaming is free with the PS3 and that the actual gaming part of the service works well from my experience. It needs better chat/friends support for large shooter games but from a technical standpoint I've found the games to be lag-free and quite stable with online MP. Right now games like hockey and racing would work much better online because they don't require the constant voice communication that a shooter would.

For me, basically Gran Tourismo was the key factor in ensuring that one day I'd need a PS3, and Blu-Ray was the impetus to put in the effort to get one at launch. The games out right now definately don't outshine those available for the 360, and in terms of selection are obviously far inferior. So if Blu-Ray isn't a factor, and if playing games right now is the most important to you, then the XBOX might make more sense (or Wii if you are looking for a family-oriented system). Having said that, COD3 and Resistance, some sports titles, and some upcomming titles like Oblivion will suffice to the extent that there's still gaming fun to be had on the PS3 in the interim until the games really hit their stride.

IMO the HD-DVD add-on is a great benefit if you already have an XBOX but not a reason in itself to buy one, unlike Blu-Ray with the PS3. I say this because the PS3 will do most of what a standalone player will do, whereas the add-on has a few key limitations. Component connections will be downrezzed if they start releasing titles with the ICT, and the add-on doesn't offer high-res audio which is a key benefit of the new formats also...

Thank you Sanchinos! And welcome to DHC, it looks like you'll be a great addition! Nice that you have experience with 2 of the 3 consoles and can compare. That is very helpful information.

And thanks Felgar too. I've been reading up a bit on all 3 consoles so I have some idea of features, games, media streaming, HD capabilities etc. But I haven't run across as much info about the online features and actual user online experiences, and I think that will be of growing importance in the future. For now I think I would mainly be interested in plain old multiplayer gaming, but since this will be hooked up to the main screen in my home I'm curious about how the online capability might be expanding in the future (eg. MS's video rentals).

No kids to worry about in this home, so I'm leaning toward a 360 or PS3. But maybe a Wii as a second machine just for the novelty of the controller.

A friend of mine spent an afternoon at a buddy's place playing the Wii and previous to this he was convinced that it was a dead end and because of the graphics.

After an afternoon of the Wii, total attitude change.

I know that this is a subjective opinion on his part and hearsay from me to you but believe me when I say that this guy is one of those "It can't be a fun game if the graphics are not like the Holodeck".

This has been most helpful. I am currently #2 at Toys R Us for a 60gig PS3 and I am even more excited about its arrival.

My wish is to be able to play Madden07 and something like CoD3 online with my brother in Michigan and be able to chat while doing so. We are both pushing 40 (scares the hell out of me to even write that) and would like to use this as quality brother time. Is this possible now or do we need to give Sony a little more time to work on the chat part?

Thanks,
Jason

From what I've seen, Sony needs some more time for the chat part. Though I don't have a headset so I haven't really explored what's currently possible with them.

Jason,

You shouldn't have a problem playing Madden with your brother and chatting at the same time. Provided you guys are already in a game and playing against eachother, you should be able to chat. (I emphasize "should" because I haven't played the game on PS3 yet, only 360, but this is my understanding...)

There are a few caveats though, unfortunately...

The way the PS3 online system works, you won't have any notification of when your brother is online unless you've arranged a time to meet online. What I mean by that is this: Say you're playing through COD3 one day and your brother logs into Madden. You'll have no way of knowing that he's done so (unless he phones you or something to let you know.) This is a limitation of Sony's friends system. In order to interact with your friends, you need to be in the XMB. (Whereas on the 360, you'll have a notification pop up that says, "Your Brother has just signed in" no matter what game you're playing and what game he's playing, if any.)

Also, I'm not sure how the "invite to game" feature works in Madden on the PS3. On the 360, I know that you just need to set up a game, open the dash blade, select your friend from a universal list, click "invite to game" and bam, that's it. However, on the PS3, I believe it's a much more involved process (perhaps searching for eachother through a server list or lobby of some sort?

Also, I haven't yet played COD3 on the PS3 but from what I've read they've disabled voice in that game. I believe the developers didn't have time or resources from Sony to implement it in time. So no, you won't be able to chat with your brother (or any other team mates) in that game.

A quote from IGN.com: "Based on criteria like this, it's hard to imagine COD not impressing. After all, it sounds exciting, so where are all the pitfalls? Unfortunately, they can be found everywhere... especially if you've played the Xbox 360 version released earlier in the year. A quick comparison reveals those differences right off the bat. Be it with multiplayer options and online capabilities (360 has a point system and voice support, PS3 doesn't), or the visuals (Xbox moves at a smoother framerate with few hitches, while the PS3 version stutters often and boasts a more "washed out" color palette)."

So there you have it. Hope this helps. ;)

An interesting video - compares the Sony PS3 promotional "gameplay video" with the final version.

http://www.gametrailers.com:80/player.php?id=15401&type=wmv

Some better ones for comparison:

Some of the clips are pretty short, but they have some shots of all 3 consoles at the same time for a good comparison.

PS3/Xbox 360/Wii comparison
Call of Duty 3 - http://www.gametrailers.com/player.php?type=wmv&id=15369
Marvel Ultimate Alliance - http://www.gametrailers.com/player.php?id=15399&type=wmv

On the CoD clip, I find the PS3 is a lot brighter. The 360 looks better on Marvel Ultimate Alliance, on the other hand. Kind of unfair to compare the Wii as it does not have HD.

As to the Motorstorm Gameplay vs. trailer video, this kind of stuff has been going on for ages. It's causing quite an uproar on the Sony.com forums right now, but most posters are kids too young to remember how long companies have been doing this.

We've seen it with Halo 2 on the 360 side.

To tell you the truth, I'm sure programmers will eventually tap into the PS3's full potential, but Motorstorm looks pretty good in its present form. More importantly, it's a LOT of fun.

I downloaded the Demo and while I hadn't planned on purchasing it, I think it will end up getting upgraded from a Rent to a Buy on my PS3 list.

I thought the CoD clip showed that in that particular instance that there is no definitively huge benefit between the three consoles. I also agree that the PS3 looked brighter than the 360 by a large margin.

With Marvel, I immediately seemed to notice some odd artifacting in the video clips of the Wii. To me they looked like interlacing issues. Makes me wonder if they were using component video cables for that or not.

I have now recently played Excite Truck on the Wii and it is fun. I was not in any way turned off by the graphics.

Either way, I will be waiting till after Christmas to be sure that there is no unfortunate glitch that shows up on either new console.

Maybe the darkness was just a setting??

Actually I was surprised at how good the Wii looked :)

...they have some shots of all 3 consoles at the same time for a good comparison.Here are the direct download URLs for those PS3/Wii/XBox 360 comparison videos:

PS3 Game Play Promo:

http://trailers.gametrailers.com/gt_vault/t_motorstorm_targetrendercomp_gt.wmv

Call Of Duty 3:

http://trailers.gametrailers.com/gt_vault/t_callofduty3_comparison_gt.wmv

Marvel Ultimate Alliance:

http://trailers.gametrailers.com/gt_vault/t_marvelua_comparison_gt_h264.wmv

Actually I was surprised at how good the Wii looked :)


I have to agree 100% with you on that one. I had a preconceived idea that the Wii would look very bad compared to the two other consoles, but I didn't find it that way based on those clips. Don't get me wrong, the PS3 and 360 look incredible, but the Wii didn't look "amateurish" beside them. it's actually put me in the mood to pick up a copy now.