We recently ran an article that warned readers against misinterpreting opinion as facts because apparently, only loud-mouthed fanboys get any sort of attention in the realm of so-called video game journalism. Typically, the world of gaming news continues forward in much the same way it always has; we scan around, field the press releases in our inbox, try to find interesting scoops online, etc, etc, etc. But the recent trend, which apparently began with a new rash of PS3 hate - fueled entirely by jealousy - has assaulted the Internet, and we're already feeling the negative effects. You know, when narrow-minded idiots make certain inane proclamations in an ill-advised attempt to present their opinion as fact, everyone suffers. Now, they're actually trying to prove a point with completely irrelevant statistics!
Okay, here's a concept that everyone - everyone - needs to comprehend and accept. The Xbox 360 launched one year before the PlayStation 3. It has a larger user base. Depending on the source you use, Sony has sold between 18 and 20 million PS3s and Microsoft has sold between 26 and 28 million 360s. Now, we won't bother to show the obvious closing of the gap in the past two years; we'd rather stick to the point: when there are 8-10 million more of one particular console out there, the sales numbers for the corresponding software will reflect that gap. Therefore, this isn't anything like comparing the software sales between systems with equal user bases, and that instantly alters the numbers. This is fact #1. Here's fact #2: evidently, the only argument the Xbox loyalists have left revolves around sales numbers. And they're desperately trying to cling to it like a drowning fanboy clings to the life raft that's moments away from heading over the waterfall (God, if only).
Obviously, nothing else matters. No other aspect of the system comes into play. Blu-Ray doesn't matter. A free PlayStation Network doesn't matter. PlayStation Home doesn't matter. Faaaar better reliability doesn't matter. Hell, even the games don't matter. Has anyone been able to locate an equally retarded anti-PS3, pro-360 article that even mentions games? Hell, and here I was thinking that this industry is all about the damn games. According to just about every last major publication on earth, the best games of 2008 were MGS4, GTAIV, Gears of War 2, LittleBigPlanet, Left 4 Dead, Fallout 3, Resistance 2, Fable II, Valkyria Chronicles, Dead Space, and Devil May Cry 4. Sure, it's subjective, but I doubt most normal, unbiased gamers will disagree with that list. I see four PS3 exclusives, three 360 exclusives, and a bunch of multiplats; none of which were superior on the 360. And looking into 2009...yeah, we all know the PS3 has a gigantic advantage. We won't list off the games again. But let's just say that most all the games everyone is talking about right now - Killzone 2, God of War III, Gran Turismo 5 - are PS3 exclusives, and the others are multiplats. Are there any 360 exclusives that are in the impending spotlight? Seriously...any at all?
But hey, why should that matter to video game journalists? Why bother to use statistics that will equal out the argument? No, let's just include those that support our end of the argument, because the truth of the matter is, we're either high school or college kids pretending to be "journalists" but failing to cover up the obvious bias. Yeah, MGS4 has been "pushed" into the background. Sure, why even bother to entertain the notion that it outstrips anything on the 360? I'm not saying it does, but I guess sales are all that matter. Yeah, Prologue was just a demo so it must've sucked and GT5 might not come out until 2010...which immediately means it's not ever coming out, so who cares. LBP didn't perform so well in sales...despite selling 1.3 million copies so far (and despite a typically terrible Sony advertising campaign) and scoring higher on average than every last 360 game in 2008 with the exception of GeoW2. Blu-Ray? Yeah, who needs high-def movies and games? The Network is free but we'd rather pay for what amounts to the same service these days.
Reliability? Bah. Just because everyone you talk to says they're on their 63rd 360 doesn't mean anything! Hey, just as a final question; something to chew on here: that 8-10 million gap in user base...how many of those sold 360s are second, third, and fourth purchases from the same consumer because their previous console crapped out? I know warranties and the like will take care of some of them, but they can't possibly take care of all of them. Anyway, we apologize for the rant, but we're getting sick and tired of the irresponsible, horrendously biased, and completely unprofessional "articles" that we're seeing online.
