Why Sony (Playstation) is not doomed

[DanneSandin]

RolStoppable said:

DanneSandin said:

Well, considering the rising costs of developing games nowadays I understand the paid DLC idea. But, we could also blame MS for the high costs of developing games since they launched the first HD system. But then again, Epic really pushed them to make Xbox360 as powerful as possible. So, really, it's Epic's fault all this!!! And really, developers could have chosen to release the DLC for free on the PS3 - if they wanted to.

And it's not really evil by MS to turn the Xbox into a useless PC; it would just be stupid by costumers to buy it if it wasn't what they wanted.

Microsoft introduced paid DLC in the sixth generation. Most third parties will not decline a chance to charge more, so it's basically the responsibility of console manufacturers to keep these companies in check. After all, it was the behavior of (unlicensed) third parties who led to the video game crash in the USA in the early '80s. But because Microsoft allowed it, Sony followed. And because both allow it, Nintendo felt forced to follow as well. There are examples of good paid DLC, but more often than not it's used to rip people off, making people pay for stuff that used to be included as unlockables.

Ultimately, I think gamers don't like being used as tools, so Microsoft may be in for a rude awakening next generation. Just like Sony was in the seventh generation when they put the burden of Blu-ray adoption on gamers by including the format in the PS3. Sony may have taken about a $200 loss on every PS3, but to gamers the $600 price tag felt like they had to take a $200 loss (as it was at least $200 more than they expected to pay/were willing to pay). So gamers shouted "screw you" at Sony and let them crash and burn.

Back in the sixth gen xbox wasn't that big, so Sony could simply have ignored paid DLC's back then. And I'm not quite convinced that it's up to the console makers to keep 3rd party money hating in line. Just look at Capcom, or EA; they've taken a lot of heat for their DLC's. But I do agree that lots of DLC's is quite a simple and greedy way to make some easy money...

What do you mean that MS will have a rude awakening? In what way? Consumers gonna say no to DLC's and MS will crash and burn?