PS3 Killzone Video is real. Exclusive.

It's my pleasure to exclusively announce to you all, that the PS3 video, which was released at the beginning of this year, is in fact real. It is a real video. But, whatever the origins of it's material... are still a mystery. What, for me, the footage demonstrates, is the fundamental difference between the PS3 and the xbox360, between Sony and Microsoft, between what the differences are, and will be, between the two systems.

My belief, is that a product should do what a product is good at. Integration is not always a good thing; while combining technologies, is a clever way to reduce the life span of any one single product (while of course trying to corner the market for your own company), "TV with PS3 BUILT IN, for the most perfect display. No loss of signal through bad connections. The PS3TV is the next generation of console entertainment integrated to a perfectly maching HD Display, one, in perfect harmony with the other. The future center of your world"... anyone care to place an order?

Now, I know my mobile phone does have a camera, to be honest I even use it from time to time. But only as a novelty, it is never going to BE my camera. If I need a camera, I'll use one. My phone is a point of contact most of the time. On the other hand, there is the fridge with a TV in it? I can't think of an idea that could be any more stupid. Yes people buy them, perhaps, but only because it is a Fridge with a TV in. What next? A TV I can use as a toilet. Probably.

So. Why? is the question then; do I need a GAME console, that is essentially a PC, with no real functionality, as it only has a small hard drive, no keyboard, and lives in the living room. No place to use a home computer. Does that excuse it for the fact that actually, as a games console on it's own it's not that good? "Ok, so the games aren't great, but I can download simple arcade games and trailers... oh oh, look... I can plug my MP3 walkman in to it, imagine that... I can plug a sony device in to my xbox ha ha" (*I don't need to know if sony walkmans really work when connected).

But, that is exactly what Microsoft is pushing. ‘The Media Hub’, concept. All we hear is "power of the xbox" in their marketing speak. We hear no talk of revolutionary controls, or games/game design, new emotions or ideas. Simple, power, and connectivity. It has been the same since the start of their marketing, till this day.

What the Killzone Video represents however, is something different. In the past, I have been disappointed by 'concept' videos, sure. Some time before Gamecube, there was a 'realtime' demonstration of a forest, with lush trees, lighting and fog.. With a deer, I believe... running free. Some distance from the reality of the Gamecubes prowess graphically. However, this was soon forgotten. Gamecube brought us some truely classic game experiences by the way.

I don't recall anything like that from Microsoft this time. And we could summise that they have learned their lesson. Nintendo realised long ago, I think, that their marketing route is now 'Innovation' and pure game design. Microsoft, learned about power. And Sony, hard to say, but maybe their reputation is being 'part of the game', which is interesting thinking out loud about it.

So, Nintendo have it covered, it's just now a matter of reminding people that games should be the strongest aspect of any console.

Microsoft are off and running with their power.

But where does this leave sony. Wide open. They know it is about power, but they realise what any amount of power should bring us, is 'experience', the feeling of 'being there' that no one ever realised before. It's about dust and grit, smooth and complex animations, fabrics that will flow naturally and winds that blow all things that move with perfect physical properties.
What the Killzone video shows us, that is real, are Sony's intentions; and this is the demonstration of it to us. That, whatever the PS3 games will be like... their (Sony) vision and their challenge to any developer willing to take the bet, is "make it as much like THIS as possible".

It is a killing move. That should, as they intended (I hope), inspire the developers, as this is their reference point. Many developers (for other systems hopefully) are making the fatal error of simply dismissing the footage as rendered, and therefore not possible and therefore not relevant. But to their credit, it IS hard to tell either way, and it displays a supreme amount of skill on the part of its actual creators.

Ironically it doesn't matter if the footage is real'time' or not. And even if developers fall short of this... it is the vision, the 'brief' from Sony, if you will. “Make GAMES like this!” they are saying.

Now go and watch the killzone footage again.