Microsoft seems to have lost touch with the gamers who helped make the Xbox 360 so popular. I enjoyed the years of games on my Xbox 360 but it seems MS is clearly not listening to what gamers want; only what the suits who make the most money in the corporate office want. By having a 24 hour check in, they have eliminated people who don't have an internet connection or whose connection is unreliable at best. Not to mention the people in countries who don't have internet altogether. Hopefully they will do some serious damage control because the PS4 is looking better and better to those who feel like MS is abandoning them as gamers. I never go online with my games with the exception to see if there is an update for the game I'm playing. Being told I have to be connected makes me want to not do it at all. We as gamers want to....wait for it....PLAY GAMES. We don't want to be told what to do and when to do it. Playing a game is a break from everyday life. We get told what to do at work or in school. We don't need to come home have our console tell us we can't play a game because we weren't connected to the internet for the last 24 hours or the game we borrowed, bought, or rented won't work because the console doesn't support used games. My prediction for the 2013 holiday sales? PS4 outsells the Xbox One 5:1 ratio. That is being optimistic at best for Microsoft. The Xbox One will sell no matter what because it is new but more sales will be because the PS4 is sold out.

This blog is cleary my opinion and may mean nothing to anyone but me.

Everybody seems to have a favorite console brand these days. When sales figures come out, the posts go crazy with rants about which console is better. It's hard to make heads or tails of which system is the better value. It boils down to one thing: Which console is best for you. My answer is simple and complicated: All of them. I say that because each console has something for everyone. People will always say that theirs is better because they own it, but doesn't make it better for you.

First off, the Wii wasn't designed to compete with the 360 or the PS3. It obviously is paying off for Nintendo by avoiding the High Def market, processor specs, and audio/ video capabilities. Nintendo has yet to tell people what is inside the Wii (probably because it is an overclocked GameCube). It has a very simple interface for kids and non gamers. It's strength is in it's control scheme, not processing power. Nintendo chose to make a simple console using existing hardware and that is paying off for them. It seemed like a gimmick at first, but people love it and it sells out everywhere.

The Xbox 360 is a great console, but has had it's fair share of problems with hardware failures (the Red Ring of Death or RROD). It has a great lineup of games for the older crowd, but lacks in kids games. It is displayed best with a HDTV. I don't think too many parents will buy little Johnny a Plasma TV to play their 360, but you never know. XBL or Xbox Live is it's strong point aside from the games.

The PS3 is designed to double as a Blu-Ray player and games machine. It gets confusing to me when consoles try to do too much. I like the fact that Sony included a standard hard drive in the PS3 unlike Microsoft (making it an option on one of the models). I don't like the multiple SKUs that Sony and Microsoft have. Right now Sony offers two different PS3 versions while Microsoft offers three Xbox 360 versions. It is very confusing for consumers in my opinion. The PS3 game lineup is a little weak right now but will increase over time. Most multiplatform games can be found on the 360 as well, but tend to run better on the 360.

I can't say that one console is better than the other because they all have strengths and weaknesses. It boils down to the games. In my opinion, the 360 has the best selection for older gamers, while the Wii targets the younger age groups. The PS3 falls somewhere in the middle; which may work to their advantage in the future. Now if I had to chose one console for myself, it would be the Xbox 360 (mainly because I'm older and the games appeal to me the most). If I were a parent, the Wii would be more appealing for my kids because it is simple and the price is right. The PS3 is priced a little too high right now for most gamers on a budget and it has too small of a game library right now, but give it time. Prices will fall over time for the PS3 as the install base grows.

The bottom line is to get what makes you happy, regardless of what others say.

What will the future bring for the three next gen consoles? Confusion, that's what. This isn't like last time. Prices are up as well as they stakes. Sony is going all out with a new format called Blu Ray in the hopes that  will succeed over HD DVD. Sony is forcing it on people in the form of the PS3 which may help them or hurt them. They also can't decide on one set system like Microsoft's Xbox 360. Both Microsoft and Sony are targeting the high-def market. Nintendo is passing on the high-def feature all together. Will it work for any of them? Only time will tell.