Timbo acting like a retard douche, again, and losing an argument, again Options

[Throwdown]

i saw this in the austin american statesman today. you have to register to view the article so i just pasted it here

The new generation of video game consoles from Sony Corp., Nintendo Co. and Microsoft Corp. have more than zippy processors and flashy graphics in common: They're also getting serious about online services.

Although earlier models also provide the necessary plugs to enter most online worlds, they've done little to capitalize on them.

That's changing with the upcoming PlayStation 3 from Sony and the Wii from Nintendo, as well as the Xbox 360 released by Microsoft late last year.

All three contenders in this round of console wars have announced broad plans to turn their systems into networked hubs that deliver an array of content and services beyond just games — features such as videoconferencing and downloadable movies.

Just how they will stack up should be a central theme of this week's Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles, the game industry's de facto annual conference.

As always, the overall focus of the expo, E3 for short, will be actual games, many of which make their debut at the show. But the days of unconnected gaming are numbered.

In fact, a new AP-AOL Games poll of 1,046 gamers finds that among the four in 10 Americans who play games on computers or consoles, 45 percent play online. And they spend more money and time on gaming than those who only play offline.

The market for game downloads on consoles and PCs, meanwhile, is poised to grow from less than $1 million in 2005 to nearly $4 billion by 2011, according to ABI Research.

"It is the future that we have to move toward," said Denis Dyack, whose company, Silicon Knights, is working on "Too Human," a sci-fi multiplayer game for Xbox 360. "What you get online cannot be duplicated. When you play with your friends, that creates something intangible that can't be done in any kind of linear experience."

The shift to online comes four years after Microsoft took the first step and debuted its $50-per-year Xbox Live service for the original Xbox.

Back then, according to Microsoft, less than 10 percent of gamers played online. Today, about half of the 3.2 million Xbox 360 units sold so far are connected.

Even with more than 2 million paying subscribers, Microsoft's early lead is not insurmountable for its rivals, said Josh Larson, director of GameSpot Trax, an industry service that measures emerging trends in gaming.

Sony has a shot at convincing gamers that the PS3 can deliver a comprehensive online service that's simple and affordable, Larson said, despite the company's history of releasing proprietary, hard-to-use standards.

"The software is really the killer app," he said. "We know roughly what the systems are going to look like. Now it's just 'show us what we can do with it.' "

Though full details haven't been released, Sony executives have positioned the PS3's online service as a family media hub with voice and video communications over the Internet. Players will be able to buy downloadable extras such as game demos and virtual weapons and armor used in play.

Sony also has access to the vast library of music and motion pictures owned by its entertainment subsidiaries.

Nintendo, meanwhile, will stick to games and dip into its decades-old library, offering a "Virtual Console" download service to play classics such as "Mario Bros" and "Zelda."

Sony and Nintendo haven't announced prices for their online services or consoles. As with Xbox Live, players will need a high-speed Internet connection and related networking gear.

that is absolutely ridiculous imo. call me old school or a dinosaur, but i enjoy just sitting down, turning a system on and playing a game. i've never played online, nor do i have a desire to ever play Madden against a frenchman. they're saying that of the 40% who play games, 45% play online. that's only 18% of gamers, and they're now trying to make all consoles online only? sounds like another ploy to screw gamers out of more and more money