High definition equals high prices
BY LEVI BUCHANAN
Chicago Tribune
(KRT) - Microsoft has announced plans to release its next-generation console, Xbox 360, this fall around the world, requiring that all its games be capable of broadcast in expensive high-definition. Sony's announced PlayStation 3 could be even pricier, with a graphics chipset based on a new NVIDIA RSX graphics card for the PC that is expected to debut at $500.
And to trump Microsoft's high-def claims, Sony revealed that the PlayStation 3 will be able to 1080p, a level of definition not even widely available on most HD televisions sold at mass-market retailers such as Best Buy.
Developing games for these high-def boxes is going to dramatically increase costs, with many companies expecting budgets for blockbuster games to reach eight-figures without blinking. Gaming retailer Electronic Boutique is starting Xbox 360 game preorders with $60 price points, as developers attempt to recoup inflated development budgets.
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BY LEVI BUCHANAN
Chicago Tribune
(KRT) - Microsoft has announced plans to release its next-generation console, Xbox 360, this fall around the world, requiring that all its games be capable of broadcast in expensive high-definition. Sony's announced PlayStation 3 could be even pricier, with a graphics chipset based on a new NVIDIA RSX graphics card for the PC that is expected to debut at $500.
And to trump Microsoft's high-def claims, Sony revealed that the PlayStation 3 will be able to 1080p, a level of definition not even widely available on most HD televisions sold at mass-market retailers such as Best Buy.
Developing games for these high-def boxes is going to dramatically increase costs, with many companies expecting budgets for blockbuster games to reach eight-figures without blinking. Gaming retailer Electronic Boutique is starting Xbox 360 game preorders with $60 price points, as developers attempt to recoup inflated development budgets.
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