Mike Musgrove
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, November 20, 2006
2:00 PM
Washington Post staff writer Mike Musgrove, a
A transcript follows.
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Mike Musgrove: Hi -- Looks like it's about 2 pm, so let's rock. I spent last week hanging out with campers waiting for the PS3 and this past weekend actually playing games on both the PS3 and the Wii, so hopefully I can answer some of your burning questions about the new game systems....
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Arlington, Va.: I was one of the lucky ones to get PS3 but I didn't have to wait in line over night. In fact we just waitedf for 2 and 1/2 hours. Why do people wait over night for days if you only have to wait a few hours like we did? We got the PS3 at Pentagon City at Sony style. We played the Fall of Man and it is a great game. The Wi FI also works very well and better than I thought it would.
Mike Musgrove: Well, you lucked out, I guess. Tell us more..?
The Resistance: Fall of Man game is slick, but it doesn't feel like any brand new type of game experience to me. I'm not sure I'll play it through to the end, even if I had more spare time...
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Springfield, Va.: This relates to the PS3; Given the delays in release, the initial problems of some backwards compatibility, the problems it has with some HD TV's (scaling 1080i down to 420p), much smaller release library than compared to the PS2, its ambitious but yet not quite complete on-line plans, so-so sales of its PSP, and the X-Box 360 having a full year of sales and already established X-Box Live system set up, do you think that Sony will fall to the number two slot in the "console wars"?
Mike Musgrove: I think it could happen. For the reasons you list as well as for the reason that the thing is expensive and you have to have an HD set in the first place just to appreciate the slick graphics. That's in the short term, and by "short" I mean 1 or even 2 years. Longer term, it depends on whether Sony is able to cut the price, whether Blu-Ray catches on and whether there are any unique and supercool games in the works.
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Ken Kenif, Conn.: Mike, great coverage about the console war. What I am wondering is should I ditch the old Atari 2600 and Vic 20 and upgrade? I was thinking about the Intellivision (which I hear has a great baseball game), but all my friends have pushing the Colecovision. Which one of the new consoles is going to a vast improvement over these evergreen gaming consoles. Also, which one has the most cartridges? Thanks for doing these chats
Mike Musgrove: Don't sell the Sega Dreamcast short, now. Also, I think Mattel makes some nice LED-display handheld football games. Is this really Ken Kenif from Connecticut??
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Fairfax, Va.: Can the Nintendo DS interface with the Wii?
Mike Musgrove: That is one of the features Nintendo has mentioned, but I haven't seen this in action. I'm not sure any game takes advantage of this feature just yet. Sony has also made the PSP linkable with the PS3, but, again, this is a neato feature where we may only see the potential down the road.
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Ham Lake, Minn.: What does Wii stand for?
Mike Musgrove: Wii doesn't stand for anything. Nintendo got mocked a lot when it unveiled this name, but seems like people aren't making fun of it so much anymore. The conversation seems to have shifted to how fun the first batch of games are. I think Nintendo was hoping for a name that is "fun" and "inclusive" -- and that doesn't put off non-gamers by having the word "game" in it.
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Washington, D.C. - Wii Owner: Mike:
I picked up the Wii yesterday (I pre-ordered it) and I have found it to be a great GAMING device. The new controller really makes the games a lot of fun and well, more calorie burning as well. Nintendo has able to get rid of buttons and complexity and make it much more instructive to control the game.
We only have the Zelda series now but we are looking forward to getting more.
Are the graphics as good as a PS3 or 360? No way! The graphics are about as good as a souped up Gamecube but that is ok with us. The Wii has a low profile that blends in nicely with our entertainment area and doesn't clutter up the area.
I think Nintendo might have a hit here!
Mike Musgrove: Congrats on getting one before they sold out -- you may have only purchased Zelda, but the disk that comes with the console, "Wii Sports" is plenty entertaining, too. I had some folks over to play the new systems this weekend and that one was a hit...
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Chicago, Ill.: I went to several stores Sunday morning to buy a Wii, but all were sold out. When can we expect subsequent shipments of the Wii in the U.S.?
Mike Musgrove: Nintendo says, today, that another shipment is already en route, but they weren't specific as to where or when the next batch will be available.
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Fairlington, Va.: Do you think Microsoft made a mistake in not moving production of Halo 3 up? It's been two years since Halo 2. I'm sure that given enough money and a few more people, Bungie could have produced a game quicker, then no one would even want to buy a PS3.
So when is Halo 3 coming out, anyway? how about Halo wars?
Mike Musgrove: I believe Microsoft has only said that the next Halo is coming out "in 2007." If someone has seen the company get more specific on a release date, please chime in.
I think the PS3's limited supplies were going to sell out no matter what, and the release of the next Halo wouldn't have changed things much for this season. It would be in Microsoft's best interests to get the next Halo out before PS3 shipments/sales start ramping up, but it's more important for them to put out a good game and not tarnish that franchise. People will buy that sucker whenever it comes out, you can be sure.
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Washington, D.C.: I still have a fully armed and operational Intellivision, why should I bother upgrading to some silly $600 system? Astrosmash is still possibly the most addictive game ever invented.
Mike Musgrove: Yes, but new Astrosmash contains vastly improved enemy artificial intelligence. Also, when you are not fighting aliens, you get to manage your character's mortgage and 401(k). All this, and a fresh hip hop soundtrack.
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Third Tent on the Left in Line for the PS3: We've been enjoying your coverage of the Console Wars on our cell phone browsers. Now that the PS3 and Xbox 360 are high-def, is that the final nail in coffin of the PC as a gaming system?
Mike Musgrove: Hey, camper. That's a great question, but I've been seeing "PC games are dead" stories for years and years. True, though, PC games have been declining against consoles in the market. But, then again, Windows Vista is about to come out and there are some possibly-good new features Msft has put in for gamers. I also wonder if people put off by the PS3's $600 price tag might decide to re-discover their desktop computers as a game platform, you know?
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Pineapple City, Md.: Which system is best for meeting/impressing women?
Mike Musgrove: Ok, this is a joke question. But the answer is the Nintendo Wii.
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Ft. Myers, Fla.: I dismissed the Wii until my wife, who hates video games, saw a commercial for it and said "I would play that." When I explained to her more about the functions of the Wii and the Wiimote she said "let's get one." I'm convinced. Nintendo will make a legitimate go of it in this round of the console wars.
Mike Musgrove: I can testify that a lot of people who have no interest in video games get a real kick out of playing Wii games. And that definitely includes wives & girlfriends.
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Wii?: OK, seriously. When will Nintendo put some more Wiis on the market? I spent the weekend playing my friend's and it was ridiculously fun.
Mike Musgrove: This must be one of my friends, I think, who spent some time at the Post's game testing laboratory this weekend...
The Wii is going to sell pretty quickly, but Nintendo says it has a decent supply. They say they're giving retailers 4 million units to sell this year, which is twice what Sony says it will be able to do for the PS3.
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gburg, md: What games does the PS3 have on the horizon that make it a must get system? Or am I buying it because it's the cheapest blu-ray DVD player out there?
Mike Musgrove: Erm, I don't know what game is going to be the must-buy game for this system. I haven't seen it yet, in any case. Many people I talked to last week, I mean the ones camping out, said they wanted the thing because it's a "cheap" Blu-Ray player.
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Washington, D.C.: So, Mike. Do you practice what you preach? Got a game?
Mike Musgrove: Yeah, actually I spent as much time with the PS2 and the Xbox 360 as with the new systems this past week. Guitar Hero 2, Legos Star Wars. I like the Excite truck game for the wii a lot, even though the graphics are almost retro compared to the 360 or the PS3.
The Xbox 360 really has a strong catalog of titles going for it this season, though I haven't gotten my hands on the most-anticipated title there, Gears of War.
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Arlington, Va.: Is it true that the Wii console included 2000 points for the Wii shop channel? If so, where is it in my console!? Where can you get information about points?
Mike Musgrove: This is the response to your query, straight from Nintendo:
Not true. The only place to buy Wii Points is at retail or in the Wii Shop Channel. It's about $20 for 2,000 Wii Points, which can then be redeemed in the Wii Shop Channel to download classic games.
NES games start at 500 Wii Points, Super NES games start at 800 Wii Points and Nintendo 64 games start at 1,000 Wii Points. Sega Genesis games start at 800 Wii Points and TurboGrafx16 games start at 600 Wii Points.
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Fairfax, Va.: Does the PS3 come with a remote to control the bluray feature? If not can you program a remote like the logitech's harmony to control the bluray player? How's the picture quality of the bluray player? I'm thinking of buying one as a bluray player...
Mike Musgrove: No, you have to use the game controller as the remote control for watching movies. Yes, it's a little clunky. I would expect Sony to start selling a remote for the PS3 in the next year or so, as they did with the PS2.
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Olney, Md.: I have heard the next batch of PS3's won't be here until March 2007. By then any idea if they will they ship enough to avoid the some of insanity that happened with this first round?
Mike Musgrove: I wish I knew. I mean, I knew people were going to freak out for the PS3 and everything, but I never would have guessed people would camp out for three nights or whatever to get one. I think people will go a little less nuts for the second shipment, but who knows.
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Blu-Ray: Is there any chance at all of Blu-Ray taking off? Aside from the rather ridiculous name, it's backed by Sony, the same ones who brought us Betamax, Minidiscs, Memory Sticks, SACDs, UMDs, and probably more that I'm forgetting. (I suppose they do have the 3.5" disk in their favor, though.) I just think buying a PS3 because it's a "Blu Ray player" is a bit premature. Though it will look nice next to your Betamax player.
Mike Musgrove: I agree with you. I'd be wary of backing either with my own $$ at this point.
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Arlington, Va.: I really don't get the folks who bought the PS3. Never thought the PS2 was that cool, but at least it was cheap. This one is $600? give me a break.
Buy a Wii for a good time, or the 360 if you want graphics and -- best of all -- Halo.
I expect Sony to lose a lot of money on PS3.
Mike Musgrove: They certainly will lose a lot of money in the short term. We are a couple of years away from seeing whether this gamble eventually pays off for Sony.
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Falls Church, Va.: I'm pretty sure the Wii is going to be a monstrous hit in Japan and it seems to be doing very nicely so far here in the States. Do you think Nintendo has a chance at regaining their market leader status in the USA, based on the Wii's low price point and targeting of casual and non-gamers?
Mike Musgrove: I think it has a good chance of doing that, especially in the short term. In the longer term, as HD TVs get more ubiquitous, it might turn into more of a race between Sony & Msft. Especially if those guys cut their prices...
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Coopersburg, Pa.: I'm shocked you don't gave Gears of War yet, but honestly if you had it, when or why would you have even tested the PS3?
Mike Musgrove: Yeah, it's a bummer, but I'm not lacking for toys to play with. If the rave reviews are accurate, I imagine that title will eventually suck up the remaining free time I have, not that there's all that much.
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Tacoma, Wash.: Mike, I've been having a lot of trouble with the Demon's Lair section of "El Diablo Gigante 3." When you're battling the flying elf, do you press the X button or the triangle? Thanks.
Mike Musgrove: Do NOT press the X button. That button unlocks a secret level where you have to work as a salesperson in an electronics store for a 12-hour (real time) holiday season shift.
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Alexandria, Va.: If Sony really worked hard, they might have been able to screw up their market position more than they already have, but I'm really not sure. Let's see, first, we'll give our closest competitor a year's head start in the market. Then, we'll effectively give said nearest competitor a $200 price break by overpricing our new console. THEN, we won't have enough supply for the people who are duped into buying one. Oh, and we'll claim the price is due to Blu-Ray, and Sony has been on the losing end of format wars before. The PS3 seems more like a case study for a college marketing class on how NOT to launch a new product.
Mike Musgrove: just putting this out there...
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Washington, D.C.: How many people actually own HD-TVs? To me, it seems that the video game and movie companies are pushing the next HD format onto people who don't actually own the hardware to play it.
Mike Musgrove: Yeah, it's a bit crazy. The PS3 is expensive, at $600, but that doesn't even take into account the price of a high end TV you'd need to enjoy it...
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Re: The Wii and wives & girlfriends: I was one of the few "parents" standing in line for the Wii on Sunday. While it's true that the majority of the "campers" were males in late teens/early 20's, I also saw a a handful of wives and Gaffs hanging out with their significant others. Agreed with you, Mike, on the potential popularity of the Wii.
Mike Musgrove: putting this out there....
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Ashburn, Va.: As someone who just got into the Xbox 360 world this summer, do you think it's better to wait a year to see how the PS3 shakes out? There were so many problems getting it to what it came out as and they only shipped out 400K units. It just seems too shaky to start canvasing the country for a PS3 this soon.
Mike Musgrove: Yes, I'd stick with the 360 for a while. The PS3 has some potential, but I wouldn't knock myself out to buy hardware with "potential".... I'd wait to see if the next generation of games or so pull ahead of the 360...
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Washington, D.C. Mike, if you had to choose just one of the next-gen systems, which would it be? The 360 obviously has the advantage of first release, so it already has a healthy library. However the Wii looks amazingly fun and refreshing. The PS3 is also promising due to Sony's dominance in the last two generations coupled with its bleeding-edge technology.
Mike Musgrove: At this point, I'd probably stick with the 360-- because of that library.
The Wii looks like it's going to be a lot of fun, that would be my second pick.
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Not exactly your topic, but...:...Nintendo DS or Gameboy Advance? I'm not a serious gamer but enjoy these portable games on airplanes and such.
Mike Musgrove: The DS is great... I like it more than I ever like the GBA...
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Washington, D.C.: Are people really getting $25,000 on EBay for the PS3?
Mike Musgrove: I really doubt anybody is paying that much when there are plenty of auctions have the PS3 available for the low low price of $2,700.
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Alexandria, Va.: I am a 42 year old guy that hasn't played video games since he was a teenager (though I did like them a lot back then). I probably could get interested in playing EA golf, or some of the other sports games. I might also get laugh at some of the other games, though I doubt I will become a result player. I need to buy a new DVD player, but I am thinking about one of the new game consoles, provided it can play DVDs (which will be the main use.) Which gaming machine would you recommend to buy (and take price out of the equation for the time being, although it will get considered later.) Thanks, John
Mike Musgrove: Sounds like an Xbox 360 might be the way to go.
There's a sports game include with the Wii that is plenty fun, but the Wii does not play DVDs.
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Mike Musgrove: Ok ... like everybody always says at the end of these things, there were a lot of good questions submitted that I wish I'd gotten to. But, I gotta run. Deadline.
If anybody reading this got their hands on a Wii or a PS3 and wants to tell me what they think of it so far, please drop me a line. (musgrovem at washpost dot com). (and on Xbox Live, it's: MikeShotgun).
Seeya later....
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