Feature: The Ultimate Multiplatform Guide Subscribe to this RSS feed
Generation 4: Sony PlayStation 3 vs. Microsoft Xbox 360 vs. Nintendo Wii
GTA IV: This gen's biggest multiconsole title?
While the latest console war has just begun, the multiplatform battle has taken some strange turns. The strangest? The more-powerful PS3 has consistently lower-quality ports. A famous side-by-side comparison of Ridge Racer 6 and 7 showed a higher-detailed Xbox 360 version, while Tony Hawk Project 8 traded online play for weak SixAxis control. The Xbox 360's biggest benefit right now is also one of the most trivial--Achievements and Gamerscore points have added a layer of replayability the PS3 has yet to replicate, though the trophy system shown in Home demos may be the key.
This fight is far from over, though. If developers start playing to the PS3's strength and Sony beefs up the system's online structure, then ports could start becoming Sony's bread and butter again. It seems as though the mandatory hard drive on the PS3 could soon work to the benefit of multiplatform releases, as Rockstar has complained that development of GTA IV on the Xbox 360 has been troublesome due to the fluctuating specs of the system. As for right now, a few instances of exclusive content like Fight Night 3's first-person view are all the PS3 have to brag about when it comes to multiplatform games.
The Wii Remote: Made for bitch-slapping
Where does the Wii stand in all of this madness? It seems as though Nintendo has learned from its past consoles that played second fiddle in the multiplatform band. Just as the company has learned that innovation can trump feature lists and fancy graphics, the ports that have landed on the Wii may lack the high-def visuals of the 360 and PS3, the games have shown promise in motion-sensitive controls that offer immersiveness the other systems just can't match. So far, there have been a few instances of tacked-on controls making the Wii worse (like TMNT and Spider-man 3), but once developers learn to tailor ports to the vastly different system's strength like EA did with Godfather: Blackhand Edition, we could start seeing the worst-looking ports become the most sought-after versions.
Despite all of the attempts of console giants to snatch up developers and exclusive ports, multiplatform releases will continue on as long as multiple platforms are produced. It only makes sense to distribute your product to as many consumers as possible, and hopefully companies will learn that in this age of choice, that distinction must be made when promoting your products to different audiences, and that playing to a system's strength and its audience's wishes will make the most business sense.
