This is the first of a three part series where we discuss the advantages of each of the three video game console makers.  Obviously, this first article is about Sony; here are six things the company has done brilliantly, six things that Microsoft and Nintendo should ripoff in an instant.

1. Build a Future-Proof Console

For some reason, people have been ragging on Sony for making such a technologically advanced console.  They say that because it’s so advanced, Sony can’t make the PS3 cost competitive with the Xbox 360 and Wii and that is the reason they are losing this race so far.  However, those people fail to see that Sony isn’t in this race for the short term; they’re aiming for a ten-year cycle and, by then, the PS3 will be affordable and not as dated as its competitors.

2. Make a Less Restricted Downloadable Game Market

At first glance, it looked like Microsoft and Nintendo were ruling the downloadable markets with XBLA and Virtual console.  However, when the dust settled, it was obvious that both companies have failed to capitalize on that downloadable market as much as Sony has.  Sony’s PSN is the least restricted downloadable game market other than the PC, which has led to huge, innovative games such as Flower that would be impossible to make on the Xbox 360 (because of Microsoft’s restrictions) or the Wii (because of the console’s storage issues).

3. Make Rechargeable Batteries the Standard

As you probably know, Sony’s controllers are the only controllers of this generation that have built in rechargeable batteries.  It’s amazing to think that in this era where we are surrounded by crisp, high-definition video and 7.1 Dolby Digital sound that we sometimes have to put that all on hold to scrounge from the remote replacement batteries.  Sure both the Xbox 360 and the Wii have rechargeable battery packs available for sale, but that’s just it: consumers shouldn’t have to buy something that should have been built-in in the first place.

(This one is very true, my friend just bought a X360 and he went through about 20 batteries in about two weeks! they were cheap crappy batteries but still.)

4. Implement Blu-ray

Another one of Sony’s controversial decisions that seems to have worked out was their decision to put a Blu-ray drive into the PlayStation 3.  Obviously that was a good idea because a major chunk of the PS3’s sales have come from avid movie watchers who are looking for the best and one of the cheapest Blu-ray players, the PS3.  Although it is probably impossible for Microsoft or Nintendo to implement Blu-ray into their current generation consoles, it is something they should do next generation.

5. Make a More Media Friendly Console

Without a doubt, the PlayStation 3 is the best multi-media console.  Not only does it play games and Blu-rays, but the PS3 also is compatible with a huge selection of video formats.  The Xbox 360 may play very nicely with Windows Media Center, but it lacks the huge variety of video formats that the PS3 has and the Wii… well the Wii can’t even play DVDs so it loses horribly in this category

6. Put a Hard Drive in Every Console

Buy a PlayStation 3 and you will have a 40 GB plus hard drive.  That’s it, no questions asked.  Standardized hard drives open up huge possibilities for developers, who can use that hard drive space in their development, something they can’t do on the 360 (because of its splintered user base) or the Wii (because of its lack of a hard drive).

http://secondstorygamer.com/2009/01/microsoft-nintendo-steal-sony/

I am sorry but half of these reasons are why the PS3 is last and continuing to lose ground. Ppl want a console just to play games solely.

LOL!!!!! The only thing microsoft and/or nintendo should steal from sony is god of war ;)

I especially agree with 2, 3 and 6. Not so sure about the others.

lol at future proof, there is no such a thing

Actually, Killzone 2.  That is actually the only thing at this point that I would need a PS3 for.  I have a Blu Ray player.

I have to disagree with 1, 4 and 5.

1: Future proof is nonsense in the hardware world. Already there are PC's more powerfull then the PS3. And when MS releases it's new console, you can bet your ass that they will pull past the PS3 (but probably barely and will be abel to launch it for just a wee bit higher in price then a PS3 by the time.)
A console will never be "future proof" in that many years.

4: Blu-ray: First of all they were damn lucky that it became the standard. Secondly, it needlesly drove up the cost with a drive slower then most dvd-playable devices.
Additionally, blu-ray players as a stand-alone device are already cheaper then a PS3. Why bother?

5: I buy a console to play games, as most people do. I don't care for added functionality, I want my games, nothing more, nothing less. Why care about a DVD drive if I can pick one up now for €20 which has a lot more functions?

He who attempts to make something "futureproof" will make what he has resistant to having a future.

1) At the end of 2010 the PS3's capabilities will be similar to what the Wii's capabilities were at the end of 2006 (when it launched).

2) Doesn't the Wii have far more downloadable games than the PS3?

3) It may be annoying to have to replace batteries for your controller, but it is equally annoying to have to wait hours to play a game because your controller battery has no charge ... On top of that, modern batteries have a life-span associated with them and replacing all your controllers every 3 to 4 years is pretty annoying too.

4) Probably will happen in the next generation anyways, when adding a Blu-Ray drive is as inexpensive as adding a DVD drive was in the current generation of consoles.

5) Not a bad idea, but I think videogame consoles should focus on adding features which improve videogames

6) Wouldn't this be something Nintendo and Microsoft copied from Microsoft? Beyond that hard-drives are amazingly expensive devices which don't see much in the way of cost reductions. It makes far more sense for companies to copy Nintendo's approach with the Wii in this generation and include flash memory as a standard being that 100GB+ of flash memory in the next generation will be very inexpensive.

Microsoft already has Ninja Gaiden, they don't need God of War (which is IMO much worse in every department except story).