J Allard has broken down the directions that the big three hardware manufacturers seem to be taking for the next generation. Speaking to Eurogamer, he has responded to claims from Sony’s camp that the Xbox 360 is insufficiently future-proof, he challenged the assertion that the PS3 will dwarf the MS console in terms of graphical power. Pointing out that "...there's no special silicon that you can go and buy", he said that component costs and availability would make it impossible for any one system to be capable of performance that their competitors couldn’t very nearly match. He also suggested that Sony’s decision to use Blu-Ray discs might be a stumbling block in the run up to launch, opining that the use of this very new technology might lead to complications, as the drives would not be widely available and therefore expensive. Blu-Ray discs are able to hold up to 7 times as much data as a standard DVD.
Commenting that he had enjoyed the Sony tech demos of Motorsport and Killzone greatly, he said that he did not doubt that the new hardware would be capable of such feats, but that he dismissed that such quality would be seen in launch titles, "...in terms of theoretical performance, maybe five years out, maybe it's possible".
Microsoft’s entry to the console hardware game with the Xbox was accompanied by much bombast. It seemed to many that the software giant’s agenda was nothing less than to dominate the games industry in the same way that it dominates the arena of PC operating systems. But Allard’s stance is much more one of providing support and service for the many existing Xbox fans. Echoing the beliefs of many gamers, he said that he felt there was not much further for graphics to go, especially in terms of drawing in support from customers. "It's not the thing that's going to sell to the next 100 million people". As far as Microsoft’s edge went, he pointed to its online service, by far the best currently available to console owners.
Microsoft’s more modest, less bullish stance was further underlined by his explanation on why MS had not sought to make Quake 4 and Call of Duty 2 Xbox exclusives. "A ton of our gamers are dual gamers meaning that they have PC and console because they prefer some aspects of PC, especially in FPS's", he said. Well, quite.
J went on to say that, as a gamer, he was very excited by the fierce competition between the companies, and their various stances: "I think it's great that all three companies are all taking really different approaches and are bringing gaming to the next level in different ways. That's good. That's good for competition, that's good for the consumer, that's good for the industry", he said.
J Allard helming the development of the Xbox 360 is a Good Thing. Microsoft will remember that no console can be all things to all people. MS has carved out a niche for itself which it will wisely spend its time maintaining and slowly expanding. Nintendo, too, has many loyal fans, particularly in Japan. The Kyoto giant has also made it clear that a demographic they wish to explore is non-gamers. The Big N will wish to have something to offer the people in a household who still don’t use consoles despite having shared their home with one for years. Sony, with its impressive spec sheet and tech demos, was for many, the victor of this year’s E3. But as Allard says, "People don’t buy tech demos". Perhaps the PS3’s hand isn’t as strong as some think.