Media Players in Consoles: Simple Perk or Do Gamers Actually Care?

[SpoodBeest]

During the course of the sixth generation era of gaming, some of the competition have decided to include the addition of media players such as, DVD/HD-DVD, and Bluray players to their consoles. It started when Sony released the PlayStation 2 the first major console that was able to play DVDs as well as it's average console games. Microsoft also followed suit on this, but you had to purchase a special DVD Movie Playback Kit. Due to this Sony had a better deal when it came to playing media as well games through a console. Nintendo on the other hand has stayed traditional, and by that I mean releases straight up consoles that only play games. The ability to play different media is still not a function Nintendo has put into one of their consoles, but who knows they may decide to do so in the future.

Now we skip along to this era, which happens to be the seventh generation of gaming consoles. The PlayStation 3 (from Sony) and Xbox 360 (Microsoft), have once again brought back the use of media players in consoles. Xbox now allows you to use this function upon buying it, with no extra bull shit. This player also has the function to play HD-DVDs as well. Now the PlayStation 3 on the other hand has brought this of this function to a new level. It's player allows the owner's of the console to watch regular DVDs as well as Bluray discs. However this will now lead me to my third and final paragraph.

Are these just nice perks to get consoles sales up? Or do the gamers of these consoles actually care about the media players that are available for use within their console of choice? Is this a way to get non gamers to buy a console just for the media benefits? Like a PlayStation 3 would people buy it not for the games but for the ability to play Bluray discs? Are media players an addition to game consoles that the gamers themselves actually care about? That is the question at hand of this discussion.

 

[Cracka Jack]

Definitely, they do matter, or least they do to me. While I probably would have eventually bought a PS2 anyway, the fact that it could also play DVDs is what convinced my parents to buy it, as it was a pretty good deal for a DVD player at the time. That also factored into me currently owning a PS3. Though I had no way of predicting who would win the format war, I would have been pissed if it hadn't have been Bluray. Also, I'm pretty sure Bluray holds a lot more space on its discs than other type currently available.

 

[Rhonda Rousey's Sports Bra]

Of course they matter. I wouldn't really consider myself a gamer by any means, but a big selling point for me was the DVD player in the PS2 and the Xbox 360(those are the ones I own) It helped my desicion because I don't need a DVD player to go along with a gaming console. Saved about $100 at least because of this. So yea the media functions are important.

 

[Davi323]

Yeah. Having a DVD playing game console not only saves space in your entertainment center in some circumstances, but it also means you can save cash. A lot of people put their game system in a bedroom, so others can watch TV in the main living room. A lot people have a standalone DVD player in the living room, but if you have a TV in your bedroom, hooking up a PS2 or other media capable game system, you kill two birds with one stone. This is also a major plus for college students, who have very little space in their dorm rooms.

As far as blu-ray goes, the PS3 is still one of the top rated blu-ray players out there, and the cost savings of buying one machine to play blu-rays and HD capable video games can mean a savings of 150-200 bucks. That is a HUGE factor when it comes to what gaming system I buy.

Then, add in the netflix capability, the ability to play ripped DVDs, etc, and the game system isn't a game system anymore, it is in reality, a multimedia hub, as important to your entertainment needs as the cable box is. Heck, for some its even a more critical component.

 

[WestsideWonder1992]

Yes,I don't even own a dvd player anymore due to it conking out on the supposed "surround sound" lol but with my ps3 I can don't have to do anything but put the disc in instead of having to switch to a dvd player,it also saves space and works better than my old dvd player and runs smoother.BluRay movies are a plus aswell.