Don't Believe the Hype Part 1

Let's get one thing straight. The first Xbox, was capable of displaying up to a resolution of 1920x1080. This is 1080i. The 'Next Generation' of xbox360, which will deliver us unto a new and exciting 'HD Gaming Era', is capable of displaying a resolution up to 1080i, which is 1920x1080.

So, I pose the question, what is so next generation about that, and how is this HD gaming when the previous xbox wasn’t? (Before you start, I am ignoring Europe, which was never 'offered' such a luxury in the previous xbox incarnation) I will tell you.

HD is the new dawn for electronics companies. It is the new 'DVD over Video', 'CD over Cassette and vinyl', 'MP3 over CD'. Without 'advances' in technology, there would be nothing to sell. My father has a Sony CRT for as long as I can remember, it still operates flawlessly and has done so for, I guess, 15 years. Still, as far as I can remember I never had a single problem seeing the action, making out the expressions of faces or enjoying the richness of a movie... but apparently it wasn't enough, I need High Definition. And why do I need it? Because the marketing bodies tell me I do, and how do they tell me I do? By giving everything deluxe sounding names, which fill me with shinny dreams of a future in the arms of technology.

All Microsoft have done, is marketed a product which now claims to be the Hub of an HD Era, for which the average Jo will need to buy (of course) a High Definition television, while probably running their old xbox through a standard TV. So now it easy to be impressed, plugging your 360 into your £3600 flat plasma TV, and your friends are all very impressed with you, so no one is really disappointed.

The benefits of the HD era, and the adoption of this term by the common man, for the technology manufactures are 3 fold.

1. They get to resell everyone who ever owned one, a new TV, thus recreating the market from scratch.
2. Shipping costs are slashed, as the real estate and physical weight of a 32" LCD or Plasma compared to that of a CRT are quite considerable less.
3. Larger profits can be made as technological 'advances' can be sold at a high premium to the savvy consumer, quick to adopt the new.

I would be surprised, given the fact that this past Christmas was a critical time for the marketing of HD television, if Microsoft (who's 'partner' for the launch of 360 is Samsung), did not take this in to consideration, and push to launch a product, which is frankly neither Next Generation, nor actually finished, on to the market, in order to benefit the sale of HD Televisions. HD gaming is much more likely to convince people to invest in an HD set, than watching "Will and Grace" in HD.

But I strongly believe this fact and will communicate it clearly in a manner that is easy to understand. Xbox360 is in no way, shape, or form, a ‘Next Generation’ console, and frankly I am not convinced it is any good at all. The graphics are not much better than they were before (by before I mean xbox), sure… there are advances in processes which facilitate a more natural feel, lighting effects and such, but they are not a huge leap.

The argument is that ‘these are first generation games’ only. Well, I remember seeing DOA (a launch fight game for original xbox) and thinking to myself “I HAVE to get an xbox”. DOA remains to this day, one of the smoothest, fastest, most graphically impressing games on the system. The new 360 version of the game offers ‘slightly’ better visuals, but no real and shocking advancement.

So, what does this all mean? Well, I found myself needing an Xbox360 this time, and went to great trouble to actually get my hands on it, but at the end of the day the question arises, “why?” As Microsoft has not really given me a product, which is, what it aspires to be, “Next Generation”. The only thing I am experiencing now is the “Next Generation” of marketing practices. Which are far more powerful than any 3-core processor. I can’t help but feel my 360 is a ‘stopover relationship’ as I just wait for Miss perfect who I will hopefully be introduced to next year. She looks pretty at first, but it’s all just make-up, and I can tell you… the next one whoever she is, knows the problems with this relationship, and she is damn sure she won’t make the same mistakes.