With October dimming its lights, November and December aren’t too far behind. Many have already started to buy holiday gifts for friends and family. The ones who are waiting are looking for a bigger prize this year. This holiday season is aimed toward gamers with two new gaming systems, Sony’s PlayStation 3 and Nintendo’s Wii.
Releasing Nov. 17, the PlayStation 3 has a buzz bigger than a swarm of bees. As a successor to PlayStation 2, the new system sports optimal new features such as a built in Blu-ray DVD player, precision graphics and exquisite sound. With only 400,000 systems being shipped to the United States on its launch date and 400,000 to follow that, many Americans are going to be left empty-handed when looking for one of their very own this holiday season.
The Wii, releasing two days after the PlayStation 3 on Nov. 19, opens up a new window of technology with its two-piece motion sensor controller. The controller feels all motion and can be used as a tennis racket, steering wheel and gun by just moving the controller.
Since the Dance Dance Revolution game series, this is the first system to incorporate exercise into gaming. The first system of its kind to use this technology, the Wii is speculated to bring Nintendo back into the console area, where it still dominates in the hand-held market.
These systems sound all well and good, but the realization is that most hot ticket items are going to sell out with all retailers across the country this holiday season. What is a smart consumer to do? The smart consumer needs to look at what is already on the market and not what’s new this year.
Last year Microsoft unveiled its newest system, the Xbox 360. Since its release, store inventory has been sparse until recently this year. While others clamor for the newest systems, still others are going after what’s in stock, and this year it’s going to be the 360. Also, what makes the 360 so appealing is the newest accessory, a high definition DVD player drive.
Now why, should we as college students, care? Because we’re going to want one. That’s why our generation is known as the video game generation, and this holiday season the gamers are finally being given a year of their very own.
While not all college students are gamers, everyone can find something to fit their wants with these systems. PS3 and the 360 have introduced the HD-DVD technology as well as Blu-ray DVD players within their systems at a price lower then the players themselves. By attracting the technologically savvy to purchase a gaming system, gamers have transcended to a whole new generation.
While I’m still an advocate for DVDs, books and other sentimental items for the holiday season, I think all systems should be given a fighting chance. Technology has reached new limits. A new generation has begun.
So please, don’t stay behind the times scouring discount bargain bins for VHD movies. Leap forward with the next generation DVD players and video game systems that are erupting this holiday season with you in mind.
Crystal Claussen is a senior journalism major and a weekly columnist for the Daily Forty-Niner.
