Now before you read this, please read the Newsweek Article on the Playstation 2 and Video Games. OK, now that you read that we can continue. I liked the article, although you or I did really learn anything new, but it is always cool to see you favorite hobby having it's time in the limelight.
But there are somethings I didn't enjoy (excluding Trip Hawkins often used hyperbole!) such as the fact that they couldn't do the article without mentioning the Columbine incedent. Always in the media, they have to go for the headlines and articles that "scare" the reader/viewer. I beleive that Doom or any other "bad" game had anything to do with the shootings. Violent people will do violent things, case in point is the explosion in popularity of such activities as Paintball and Pro Wrestling.
OK, back to the acticle. I liked that they added the comment about Video Games being a $7 billion a year industry and will pass movies this year in revenue. But keep things in prospective, Dog Food is a $9 Billion a year industry. Sure Video Games is getting pretty big but conpared with many industries, it is tiny. Baby products (diapers, baby food etc.) is a $20 Billion a year industry. Yet then again those are all neccessities while Video Games is a form of entertainment. And is there a non-recriational form of entertainment that makes more than Video Games?
Another thing I didn't like was that they are making the Playstation 2 the be all and end all. It is a 128- bit system, so is the Dreamcast, Dolphin and soon to be X-Box. If anything the Dolphin and the X-Box will be more powerful than the Playstation 2. Also, Sony is in no means starting the Video Game console internet revolution. Sony has shown a passive response to the internet and doesn't even include the modem with the console. If anything Sega is the one who is leading the way. Sega will have a huge selection of internet games available before the Playstation 2 even gets a modem. In that entire article, they don't mention the great Chu Chu Rocket once!
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