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Domestic | Feature

Feature: Game Console Report Card -- Fall 2007 edition

Feature by Blake Snow & Vicious Sid | 08/14/2007 | 14:54:51 PM PST

A new school year is creeping ever closer, and it's time for the editors of GamePro to grade the year in gaming.

CURVE ALERT

Eagle-eyed readers may notice a few small score changes between this online report card and the report card featured in the September issue of GamePro magazine. We adjusted the scores to take recent events, such as the Xbox 360 hardware flaws, into account. The result is a more timely report card -- a curve, if you will.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page 1: Xbox 360

Page 2: PlayStation 3

Page 3: Wii

Page 4: DS & PSP

Page 5: PlayStation 2

Page 6: Overall Winner!






Xbox 360: great games, lousy hardware

Xbox 360: great games, lousy hardware

Xbox 360

Grading Criteria

Consoles will be graded on seven subjects according to the 2006-2007 calendar year Grading criteria are as follows:

  • Games represents the quality and quantity of currently available titles.

  • Price includes hardware price, game pricing, and other fees.

  • Online Play refers to Internet playability and online game support.

  • Graphics means the visual and technical appeal of a system's current games.

  • Innovation specifies the introduction of new ideas or gameplay to the gaming experience.

  • Hardware Design reflects the overall quality and visual appeal of the console hardware.

  • Extras include bonus functionality, such as media center abilities or download services.

  • Overall is the final grade, taking everything into account. It is not an average.



Comments: The Xbox 360 had a slightly less successful second year amid rising competition from its next-gen classmates, particularly the Wii. Rather than drop the price, a common strategy amid rising competition, Microsoft effectively raised the price of the Xbox 360 when it released the $480 Elite edition on April 29 to little fanfare given its ho-hum feature set. Microsoft did, however, secure several key third-party exclusives over the last year and negotiated several others away from Sony's clutches. When combined with its one-year head start, this support gives the Xbox 360 an edge in terms of available games.

However, the Xbox 360 hardware itself desperately needs a revamp, particularly in light of widespread reports of system failures (some unofficial estimates pin system failure rates as high as 30%). This is inexcusable; though Microsoft's customer support has proven to be excellent, and the company must rectify the problem through an immediate hardware redesign (which are trickling into stores as we speak). The situation is better when it comes to the Xbox 360 controller. It keeps a proven design and responds well during extended gameplay sessions, though it skips out on innovative new features. And when it comes to online services, Xbox Live, as usual, leads the pack...though the subscription fees are getting harder to justify given Sony and Nintendo's free offerings.

Overall, the Xbox 360 is in a strong position: it has the games and the technology to pose a major threat to Sony's lead in video games. But Microsoft must continue to set the pace through exclusive games, price drops, and hardware revamps if the Xbox 360 is to win long-term. The next two years will be crucial.


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