The question of the day, “Do HD graphics matter to gamers?” If you’re currently rolling with a PS3 or Xbox 360 and you’ve got HDMI and or sweet component cables you’re probably saying, “duh, of course they do.” What about everyone else, those Wii consoles for instance, there are so many of those. What about gamers that do not know what HDMI means?
Let’s face it, an estimated 21-million people are still using over the air TV broadcast signal and a large portion of those think that their TV is high definition because it doesn’t have an analog dial anymore. Recent Nielson ratings are showing most gamers are still pushing PS2 hardware, which isn’t high definition.
In the US, HDTV sales only reach 25-30% of the population. Couple this with the fact that one in five HDTV owners can’t tell the difference between standard definition and high definition content and you’ve got roughly 20% of the population utilizing HD. Looking at the number of gaming consoles out there and the rate of uptake, it’s clear that a large majority of gamers are not using HD resolutions for their gaming needs. (loot-ninja)
We’d like to think 1080p looks much different than 480p but some people don’t seem to notice because, honestly, they just don’t care. We’d also like to think a PlayStation 3 buyer would be aware of the HD content and already have equipment at home to take advantage of the system. Although there are no solid facts to state otherwise, there must be a group of individuals that have purchased a PlayStation 3 and are rolling with SDTV (ghetto).
High definition graphics matter to people who want a true HD experience. Wii gamers don’t care about high definition because they’re focused on the game play environment or are just following the wave of hype and desire to own the infamous white box. The Xbox 360 gamers may go either way, a gamer wants to own the system because they can get a lot of cool new games for it secondary to the HD experience. The hot games just don’t get designed on the Xbox classic or PS2 anymore. We’d presume a PS3 gamer really wants to play a high definition game because the cost of the console is more and you’re getting a Blu-ray player all bundled into one.
HD graphics matter to us, we see the difference, respect the detail and use the HD portion of the console as an excuse for paying so much for the technology. The United States, as a whole, isn’t fully ready or equipped (mentally) for a full HD experience. When will they be prepared to experience high definition at its fullest?
My guess, five years after Nintendo makes the transition to 1080p. Nintendo is capitalizing on the “average Joe” and the average consumer is still catching up on the high definition. Hell, many gamers are still playing the dial-up game!
Maybe we need to start a new government funded orgnization: The No HD Left Behind Act. Everyone should be in HD.
The Xbox 360 saw a
Hey guys. I’m back from commenting retirement forced to do so once again by your grim opinions on my favorite console 🙂
@Vita
The Vita isn’t going anywhere. While I already said that I partially agree with Jordan that there is no constant flow of exclusive games, I still can’t say that this means that there is nothing to play on the Vita. Especially now with the cheaper version and the PS4 Remote Play, people will think again about buying one. Heck, if Jonah is considering getting one… maybe… By the way – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:PlayStation_Vita-only_games sure, there is crapware there but there’s at least a dozen perfectly good, big games.
I also think Borderlands 2 isn’t really a system seller but it’s a well-known title that will make people look at the Vita and I believe that once you play it for a while, you realize how good of a system it really is for on-the-go gaming.
@PSNow
Obviously, people will,in general, not pay a subscription to play PS1 games, but PS3… I bet there are many people who would rather sell their PS3 and get PSNow for PS4 than keep the two consoles. It’s obvious to me that Sony shouldn’t be aiming at the latest releases to be available via PSNow. It’s going to be tough but if they play it right, they might be able to pull it off. I wonder if the games people own digitally will be available via PSNow for free… Also the ones obtained from PS+.
@QOTW
I didn’t really introduce anyone to video gaming. However, I convinced two friends to get a PS+ subscription for their PS3. I guess this counts. I also introduces some friend to board gaming and we meet regularly to play but this is easier since it’s intrinsically a more social activity.
Hey guys,
Don’t have too much to add this time but I’ll answer the QOtW.
I think I can say my wife and I introduced our daughter into Gaming. She loves to play Minecraft, Sims, Fable, and some other web based games.
Great show guys and keep up the good work. I also like it when you have 3 man team going with Paul or Dan.