UMD is fading out and the PSP isn't a failure. Care to explain that logic.

"Going by that argument (that something isn't "necessary" would mean that you still farm your own food and raise your own chickens?"

Except that it takes less effort to buy those things from a store, while it takes more effort, and money, to use up the extra space on a blu-ray.

Simple. The PSP may be the only UMD playback device, but UMD playback is not the only function.

It still has games, for one thing. Now even though piracy is a problem, games still sell on the system, even if at a lower rate than its predecessors.

For another thing, its WW sales trend makes it likely (not absolute, but likely), that it will outsell the Genesis (it's only got 10 million more units to go). And since the Genesis is the lowest selling system, that is still considered a blockbuster, that would certainly paint the PSP as a sucess, even if it wasn't the dominating force like its predecessors. 

It doesn't take less effort overall. It takes less effort for you, yes. But it doesn't take any more effort for you to buy a game on DVD or BD. It does take more effort for the farmer that has to raise that many more chickens or plow that much more field so you can buy it from the store. It makes your life better, and my original argument still stands. BluRay can only make your gaming potentially better.

See you all next week when this ban is dropped. FYI, Critisize consoles = ok / Critisize mods or the site = not ok. One offense = ban... for a week. *shrug*

blu-ray can only make gaming better as far as potential goes, but when it raises the price of your system by $200, it alienates customers and in this case is causing the system to lose that otherwise may not have. When a system loses it doesn't get as many games, and the company takes huge losses because it can't sell systems.

The topic is why blu-ray is bad for the ps3, i dunno how anyone can deny that it isn't right now. The PS3 would be in far better shape without it.

 doesn't creating a new acct to go around a ban extend the shelf-life of the original ban?

Cost to Benefit ratio. Yes, the added space is good. However, is the added cost that goes with this worth the added space? Thats the point at hand Andir, not wether or not it makes the gaming experience better for you, or wether or not its necessary.

I firmly believe that the PS3 could have hit a substantially lower price point if it wasn't for BR, and it follows that sales would be significantly higher - likely better than the 360 week to week.

Well written Starcraft - I pretty much agree. But there are a couple of other issues at hand:

 - sales of standalone BluRay players are terrible (PS3 is cheapest - why pay more for less?)

 - PS3 owners don't necessarily want to buy/watch BluRay movies

 - PS3 owners don't necessarily want to buy/play PS3 games

...

The PS3 is awesome for those that want a BluRay player AND want to play PS3 games. Its not so great for everyone else. As has been said countless times, it forces technology on consumers - that they may/may not want to use/own (or pay for).

For everyone else - it pushes up the price of BOTH game devices AND BluRay players.

It worked a treat with DVD (PS2), because there was only ONE format.

...

Sony got greedy. They didn't need to OWN the format. They could have LET HD-DVD win (cancel BluRay), save dev costs - still get a cut of hardware - and release the ONLY console that supports the ONLY next-gen DVD format.

They have dug themselves a nice, big, FAT hole.

 - the PS3 is more expensive than it needs to be

  - BluRay players are more expensive than they need to be (and standalone players aren't as cheap as they should be)

This makes is harder for them to compete on BOTH fronts - and if either front falls over - it almost destroys the other. 

This thread is just pointless. As a lot of people have pointed out already, the PS3 as a BD player is one of the best players on the market right now. There are better ones, but they cost far more than a PS3....3 times as much actually. As for the BD not needed nonsense, its already proven usefull and needed as most games coming out right now use way more space than double layer DVD can provide......and yes, thats with compression. BD is the better format. The reason is because it has more space. Thats it. It does or has the ability to do averything that HD-DVD does. It has a protective coat that HD-DVD doesnt, but in reality its all about space. Thats why it will win. The movie studious see this now and will continue down the BD path because of it. The computer manufacturers will see this as well. The more space the better.