Anyone buying a 360/PS3 *ONLY* for RB?

[angry_jonny]

I can't believe I'm actually considering doing this, but...just because of RB, I'm looking into picking up a 360, thanks to Harmonix not releasing it for the Wii. Total cost: $350 + $100 (wifi) + $80 (extra warranty b/c of 30%+ failure rate) + $170 + $70/yr for XBL Gold + tax = ~$800. I'd rather go PS3 b/c of the reliability and built-in wifi (though I'm less sanguine about Blu-Ray, which feels like Betamax all over again), but I have a few friends with the 360, so...c'est la vie. I'm not too into the FPS genre, so basically it's this and Viva Pinata (I have kids), and maybe some XBLA stuff that's worth a look. Nothing of interest at all on the PS3 front (it's like they marketed it *only* to males age 13-19). So basically ~$800 for one game, or ~$600 if I go PS3 and don't do anything online except DLC. Ouch.

Any other madmen out there considering this? Maybe I'm underestimating these other next-gen consoles. Or maybe I'm overestimating how great RB will be, but so far it looks just phenomenal. Someone talk me out of this!

(edited b/c I forgot that M$ charges for XBL Gold, so there's $70 more, and only for one year!)

[AVC808]

if i didnt have my ps3 im not sure if i actually would go out and buy a console just for rock band, although i dont doubt i would be really tempted to, especially after getting a taste of it at best buy.
if i were to buy one, id probably end up with an xbox cuz it seems to be the cheaper alternative.

[Emo_Reaper]

Dude,your totally over pricing stuff for 360,plus all systems have a 3 year warrenty anyway or something like that. Wi-fi is a no need,and you can get like a 3 month of gold for 20.
But i only got a 360 for RB

They invented credit cards,and I beleive that XBL Gold for a year is a firm $50

[TK-757]

My girlfriend & I fell in love with Rock Band when we ran into the tour at the Def Leppard concert here in Seattle, and we decided to get at 360 just to be able to play RB. :)

[Jack_Harvard]

Well, one of the main resons I bought my PS3 was because of Rock Band. However, it IS eventually coming out on PS2, so if you don't want to pay that much, just buy it for that.

[icantwaitforrockband]

I'd rather go PS3 b/c of the reliability and built-in wifi (though I'm less sanguine about Blu-Ray, which feels like Betamax all over again), but I have a few friends with the 360, so...c'est la vie.

I'm going with PS3 because I'm a fanboy. But I am concerned if it's the right decision. As for the Blu-Ray...at least it comes with it. Even if it loses out to HD DVD in the end, what does that mean? You have to buy an external HD DVD player? Fine, you have to on the xbox anyways...so Blu-Ray vs HD DVD is really a non issue depending on what you want out of your system...



if i didnt have my ps3 im not sure if i actually would go out and buy a console just for rock band, although i dont doubt i would be really tempted to, especially after getting a taste of it at best buy.
if i were to buy one, id probably end up with an xbox cuz it seems to be the cheaper alternative.

I almost decided to get the xbox 360 'cause of that reason, but I know down the line I'll be happier with my PS3


Wi-fi is a no need,and you can get like a 3 month of gold for 20.
But i only got a 360 for RB

why is it a no need? I want it! That is part of my deciding factor!
...plus 3 mo. gold for 20 dollars =80$ for a year?? I'd rather pay nothing!!!

[Bizkit]

Someone talk me out of this!


Nop...:D

I will wait till RB is available in Europe and buy a PS3. At first i will just use it to play RB but i think there will be some more good games in the future which will excuse the price of the package.

Right now i own a PS2 (more or less just for the partygames). So there is anyway time to get a next gen console...

So, ur not the only one who spends a lot of money to play this game. ;)

[espher]

Yes and no?

I bought a 360 because of Rock Band, but it's not the only thing I want a 360 for -- I would have just held off for a couple of years (like I did with the PS2) and picked everything up then.

[angry_jonny]

Dude,your totally over pricing stuff for 360,plus all systems have a 3 year warrenty anyway or something like that. Wi-fi is a no need,and you can get like a 3 month of gold for 20.
But i only got a 360 for RB
What am I overpricing? The xbox is easily the more expensive alternative, as if I want it networked (and for DLC and online play--which requires Gold--I do) I have to either run cables (ugly, and a long piece of cat-5 isn't free) or use my existing wireless. I guess 3 months of Gold for $20 is OK, but only if I play RB for 3 months! Surely you plan to play it longer than that. I guess the extended warranty isn't strictly necessary, but the failure rate does look to be around 30%, and I'd rather get a new unit than the pseudo-repaired junk M$ sends back when you hit them up on their warranty. How many threads do you see with people on their 3rd xbox (or more)?

Anyway, genuinely curious if I've missed something on the price, as I think I'm actually being somewhat conservative.

[stiper327b]

Well, I'm not exactly getting one solely for RB, but it's the main reason I'm getting one right now. As it stands, I'm playing games on my girlfriend's ex's. Yeah, I know, it's odd, but it's a free game system. But since she is not a fan of GH, I'm certain she's not going to take kindly to RB. And since it's technically not my 360, I can't really lay down the law. So I'll buy my own damn system.

There are other 360 games that I want to play as well, but really, I'll only be playing RB for the majority of the time, with some Arcade titles thrown in here and there for good measure.

And to the OP, you are over estimating the costs of the 360. You're not gonna need an in-store replacement plan as all systems sold have a 3 year warranty. The only reason you would need a replacement plan is if you didn't want to want to wait for your 360 to go to and fro in the mail. And the wi-fi isn't really needed, as you can just go wired or get a cheap wi-fi bridge which will do the same thing. And $70/yr for Live is kinda high. I'm pretty sure you can buy a card at Best Buy which gives you a year subscription plus a free year or something, and that's only like $50.

So, yeah, $350 + $170 +$50 is only $570. That'll get you up on your feet rocking immediately.

[angry_jonny]

As for the Blu-Ray...at least it comes with it. Even if it loses out to HD DVD in the end, what does that mean? You have to buy an external HD DVD player? Fine, you have to on the xbox anyways...so Blu-Ray vs HD DVD is really a non issue depending on what you want out of your system...
You're quite right, and I didn't mean to imply that Blu-Ray was a negative factor. I'm just not sure I'll ever want to spend money on BR discs, as I bet HD-DVD will win the war (though BR may be winning the battle). So BR isn't helping sell me on the PS3, but it certainly is a better value than what the 360 brings to the table, no question.

[Coldplayer]

What should I say.

I have a 360, but I just bought a PS3 just because I know I will import Rockband and I can only access the US PSNStore with an european PS3 and not the US Marketplace with an european Xbox. And I want to download songs.

So, yeah, I kinda bought the Ps3 just for Rockband, but I know there will be awesome titles someday, like MGS4, FF13 and the games of Team ICO.

[AVC808]

What am I overpricing? The xbox is easily the more expensive alternative, as if I want it networked (and for DLC and online play--which requires Gold--I do) I have to either run cables (ugly, and a long piece of cat-5 isn't free) or use my existing wireless.

just to warn you, the ps3's wireless isnt exactly the greatest thing in the world (unless it improved. i have a launch 60gig model). ive seen people say it works great, but i think it depends on your set up, how far away it will be from your router, and what kind of router you are using. i could get away with my wireless at a 40% connection, but on some days id get below 20% and have network connection issues so eventually i ended up just going wired. monoprice is a good place to get any cable for cheap.

i'll also add that a couple friends also prefer to go wired because it seems to perform faster in data transfers and for using tversity or whatever (im too computer illiterate to know how to run that). all of us only have ps3s so we're not knocking the ps3 because we're haters. just telling it the way we see it.

and yes. i initially got my ps3 for the HD aspect. i felt blu ray was the better format and still feel that way. hopefully it lasts and will eventually gain all titles. im not a gamer. so in a sense i sort of got the ps3 just for rockband :) although ive been really impressed with resistance, and although ncaa wasnt the most impressive title, it satisfied my college football fix.

[icantwaitforrockband]

You're quite right, and I didn't mean to imply that Blu-Ray was a negative factor. I'm just not sure I'll ever want to spend money on BR discs, as I bet HD-DVD will win the war (though BR may be winning the battle). So BR isn't helping sell me on the PS3, but it certainly is a better value than what the 360 brings to the table, no question.

Ah..cool. As much as I want Blu Ray to win (beacuse I'll have a PS3) I agree and think that HD DVD will eventually come out on top. Sure, BR sales are higher, but so are costs to manufacture, and therefore sell. Also, Paramount recently announced it's only producing for HD DVD. Blu ray is superior however, because it has double the capacity, and better quality...I guess time will tell!

[crivit]

If the OP wants to buy the in store warranty, that's his decision, but it's really not needed. Everything on the 360 is covered by MS 1 year warranty, and the red ring of death is covered for 3 years. The newer 360's also have an extra heatsink and a cooler running chip, so they shouldn't have as high of a failure rate as the original models. As far as the other costs go, Xbox live gold is only $50 a year, not $70. The wireless adapter is the easiest way to go, but there are cheaper wireless alternatives that can be found online with a little searching.

To answer the question of the topic though, GH2 was what made me finally decide to buy a 360, and I'm glad I did, since now I already have it for RB :D

[CableCarrier]

Rock Band is going to be my excuse for upgrading to a 360. There's other games for it that I'd like to get eventually, and most of my friends have 360s as well. I'm undecided as to getting the Elite version or not; on one hand, saving that extra money could be a boon, but on the other, the stand-alone HDD is hells of expensive anyway, and it's black.

[bmore007]

Well, i'm thinking about getting a ps3 and Rock Band is one of the major reasons why. The other is socom(even though that series has gone to **** after S2. Blue Ray is a cool addition too.

[Thrashdragon]

I had been toying with the idea of getting a 360 for months, news of Rock Band pushed me over the edge. I've been pleasantly surprised by the console and some of the games available for it.

TIP - If you do get a 360, shop around for the wireless networking adapter. I got mine from NewEgg for $85.

[rockst01]

I can't believe I'm actually considering doing this, but...just because of RB, I'm looking into picking up a 360, thanks to Harmonix not releasing it for the Wii. Total cost: $350 + $100 (wifi) + $80 (extra warranty b/c of 30%+ failure rate) + $170 + $70/yr for XBL Gold + tax = ~$800. I'd rather go PS3 b/c of the reliability and built-in wifi (though I'm less sanguine about Blu-Ray, which feels like Betamax all over again), but I have a few friends with the 360, so...c'est la vie. I'm not too into the FPS genre, so basically it's this and Viva Pinata (I have kids), and maybe some XBLA stuff that's worth a look. Nothing of interest at all on the PS3 front (it's like they marketed it *only* to males age 13-19). So basically ~$800 for one game, or ~$600 if I go PS3 and don't do anything online except DLC. Ouch.

Any other madmen out there considering this? Maybe I'm underestimating these other next-gen consoles. Or maybe I'm overestimating how great RB will be, but so far it looks just phenomenal. Someone talk me out of this!

(edited b/c I forgot that M$ charges for XBL Gold, so there's $70 more, and only for one year!)


You have your costs all wrong. You can get a wireless bridge for like 20 dollars and that will allow you to connect to XBL wirelessly, microsoft has a free 3 year warranty for system failures so that in store warranty would be a waste, and also 1 year of XBL gold is 50 dollars. Go for the 360. It actually has good games besides Rock Band. Why spend 500 dollars on a PS3 that would essentially be for Rock Band for a good while, when you can get a 360 for cheaper and have a large library of AAA titles along with Rock Band.

[AVC808]

if we're going to be offering tips, my tip is to buy with american express :) im pretty sure regardless of what level card you have, they all offer the double warranty. so your one year manufacturer's warranty will be good for two years through american express. that way you wont have to buy in to those in-store warranties...unless of course you want those extended 5 year plans...

[Shadyoc]

I'm thinking of buying a PS3 over here in the UK so I can import it, but there will also be other great titles I want for it [i.e. Killzone 2 & MGS 4]

[AVC808]

You have your costs all wrong. You can get a wireless bridge for like 20 dollars and that will allow you to connect to XBL wirelessly, microsoft has a free 3 year warranty for system failures so that in store warranty would be a waste, and also 1 year of XBL gold is 50 dollars. Go for the 360. It actually has good games besides Rock Band. Why spend 500 dollars on a PS3 that would essentially be for Rock Band for a good while, when you can get a 360 for cheaper and have a large library of AAA titles along with Rock Band.

maybe he's planning to get the $399 ps3? it still has a 40g hard drive...i think? the only extra cost would be a hub because i think i read that they got rid of two of the four USB ports.

[rockst01]

maybe he's planning to get the $399 ps3? it still has a 40g hard drive...i think? the only extra cost would be a hub because i think i read that they got rid of two of the four USB ports.

My point still stands because the 360 is still cheaper than that.

[AVC808]

My point still stands because the 360 is still cheaper than that.

it's good to present all the info so the OP can make an informed decision, but i hate how any time you post something with 360 ps3 in the title it will inevitably turn into a console war thread. luckily the blu-ray HD-DVD debate ended before it started :)

...how much longer till the lock ;)

[angry_jonny]

The only reason you would need a replacement plan is if you didn't want to want to wait for your 360 to go to and fro in the mail. And the wi-fi isn't really needed, as you can just go wired or get a cheap wi-fi bridge which will do the same thing. And $70/yr for Live is kinda high. I'm pretty sure you can buy a card at Best Buy which gives you a year subscription plus a free year or something, and that's only like $50.
The warranty means you'll send it back and MS will send you a "repaired" version that has at least as high a failure rate as the original. Anecdotal, sure, but check the official 360 forums; I don't want to go through that. It's a shockingly poor consumer product at this point, and the new 65nm Falcon chipsets don't appear to have fully addressed the problems.

Good to hear about the cheaper Gold price; my friend paid $70, but it must have been one of those value-pack deals with the headphones, etc. As for wifi, the official adapter is $100. How cheap can you find a bridge? I've looked at sites for alternatives, and it's still ~$50, all said and done, and a PITA with setup.

[Bullseye]

I think I'm the stubborn SOB that's stickin' with the obsolescent PS2. I'll probably be immensely disappointed with the outsourced port of RB for the PS2, and I'll constantly rue that I can't D/L "Who's Next", but I just don't want to spend all of the extra $. Even if the OP's pricing is a little inflated, it's not far off the mark for the 360. Plus, he forgot to factor in $60-$80 for the 2nd guitar peripheral for your bass player (my friends have PS2 also). The fact that you have to pay for XBox Live to me is anathema-- and considering you'd be paying for the DLC seems a bit of a scam. There are a couple other 360 games I'd like to play tho.

As for the PS3, it sounds a little iffy as to whether the PS2 controllers work well w/ it, so again, it's another $600 to $800 start up cost w/o getting the 2nd guitar And I didn't even get into the HDTV compatibility and HDMI fiascos that'll plague my 3 yr old set. And of course the game selection is minimum at the moment. I think my wife is luke warm at best to console gaming in general, so justifying that for one game is a stretch.

So, alas, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that RB for the PS2 will live up to it's Next Gen brethen. So far, the couple of multi-platform games I've seen haven't been that different on the 360, but, heck this is one of the 1st exclusively designed for Next Gen games that has a PS2 version (up till now, everything has been ported over from "last gen" tech).

[BathTub]

Yes I am buying a 360 pretty much for Rock Band, But because of that I will also pick up GH3 for the 360 as well instead of getting it to play on my flatmates old PS2.

[Supergeek]

I bought a 360 for Rock Band, but my wife and I have played the games that came with the bundle; Marvel Alliance and Forza 2 (I like racing games.)

I was on the fence for a while because of the price of Live, and the included Blu Ray player with the PS3, but I don't know anyone with a PS3 that I could play with online, but I do know people with 360's I can play with, so that decided it.

[angry_jonny]

My point still stands because the 360 is still cheaper than that.
OK, I was flat wrong by $20 on the Gold price, and I appreciate the other informative options to reduce the 360 price. I also don't want to start a console war. I'm not saying the 360 sucks, it's just risky, and it costs more than it seems on the surface.

My point with all of this was just to see where the wind was blowing. Dropping $600 to $800 (depending on your situation, tolerance for risk, repair vs. new, etc.) on one game is a lot, but I guess I'm not alone in thinking RB might be worth it.

[espher]

I, for one, am cutting down on my wireless costs by doing a little bit of hack work with my Nintendo Wi-Fi Adapter to make it into a soft access point and picking up a cheap third-party bridge for my 360. ;)

[Apples]

I bought a 360 ONLY for GH2 last year... haven't regretted it.

Along the way I found out I didn't need to buy the console only for one game... the 360 has a top shelf collection of games to get into. :cool:

[IbanezBassist_v2]

As it stands, I'm playing games on my girlfriend's ex's. Yeah, I know, it's odd, but it's a free game system.

That is just ****ing wrong! I hope it craps and gives you the ROD!

[toefer]

I don't think either Blu-Ray or HD-Dvd will really win. Too few people really care about it right now, and I think PS3 is the reason why Blu-Ray is winning. If anything I can see the two sides eventually calling a truce.

As for Paramount being HD-DVD exclusive, that doesn't mean too much. Other huge studios (Disney, MGM, Fox) are currently Blu-Ray exclusive.

As for having kids, I think it's a toss up. To me a 360 seems like the system geared more toward a younger, teenage crowd, simply because of the price (making it more available to them, and their parents). Games wise, I don't know if there is much for young kids though. Also, don't discount Sony just yet, because they have/will have games like Ratchet and Clank, and Jak and Daxter for kids to play.

[AVC808]

That is just ****ing wrong! I hope it craps and gives you the ROD!

well if you think about it. the ex had his fun with the xbox and the gf. so he's getting two used items. fair trade off :o

[RokBand]

I'm on the fence. Have a PS2, but really don't want to miss out on the DLC. There's really an endless possibility of songs and if one of my favorite albums gets put up I'll be heartbroken. Considering buying a 360 just to avoid that.

However, it is a lot of cash to drop down especially for a poor college student. And I'm sure the PS2 version will be just as good, except for the DLC of course.

Does anybody know to download songs do you need to pay for XBL gold? Because I know they have a silver, and I find it kind of dumb that they would make you pay to have the option of paying them more money.

[LavatoryLoveMachine]

I can't believe I'm actually considering doing this, but...just because of RB, I'm looking into picking up a 360, thanks to Harmonix not releasing it for the Wii. Total cost: $350 + $100 (wifi) + $80 (extra warranty b/c of 30%+ failure rate) + $170 + $70/yr for XBL Gold + tax = ~$800. I'd rather go PS3 b/c of the reliability and built-in wifi (though I'm less sanguine about Blu-Ray, which feels like Betamax all over again), but I have a few friends with the 360, so...c'est la vie. I'm not too into the FPS genre, so basically it's this and Viva Pinata (I have kids), and maybe some XBLA stuff that's worth a look. Nothing of interest at all on the PS3 front (it's like they marketed it *only* to males age 13-19). So basically ~$800 for one game, or ~$600 if I go PS3 and don't do anything online except DLC. Ouch.

Any other madmen out there considering this? Maybe I'm underestimating these other next-gen consoles. Or maybe I'm overestimating how great RB will be, but so far it looks just phenomenal. Someone talk me out of this!

(edited b/c I forgot that M$ charges for XBL Gold, so there's $70 more, and only for one year!)

Well, I already have a 360, so...

Dont buy it for Rock Band, but dude, the 360 has awesome games. Halo 3, Mass Effect, Too Human, Age of Conan online which eventually will be released on 360, eventually, theres gonna be Star Wars Battlefront and KOTOR 3....I mean, the 360 is cheaper than the PS3, and I dont think lots of third party companies are gonna stay exclusive with the PS3 because of it.

[Apples]

I'm on the fence. Have a PS2, but really don't want to miss out on the DLC. There's really an endless possibility of songs and if one of my favorite albums gets put up I'll be heartbroken. Considering buying a 360 just to avoid that.

However, it is a lot of cash to drop down especially for a poor college student. And I'm sure the PS2 version will be just as good, except for the DLC of course.

Does anybody know to download songs do you need to pay for XBL gold? Because I know they have a silver, and I find it kind of dumb that they would make you pay to have the option of paying them more money.


You don't need a gold subscription to download additional content. The free silver one is perfectly fine. As you yourself said, it would be ridiculous to have to pay for the option of paying for something.

[TheREVALOProject]

I'm currently saving money for an Xbox 360, but i think i'll buy the xbox first, then save for rock band or just get it for my xmas or b-day.

[angry_jonny]

I mean, the 360 is cheaper than the PS3, and I dont think lots of third party companies are gonna stay exclusive with the PS3 because of it.
This is the odd point that some of you keep repeating, but doesn't make sense to me. It's $350 for a 20gb HD 360. Add wifi, $50. Online gaming, $50/year (DLC, no fee, of course). Or you go $450 for the Elite, with 120gb drive.

PS3, $400 or $500, wifi enabled, 40gb or 80gb. Seems about the same price to me, basically spot on, except with Blu-Ray thrown in.

As for games, Mass Effect and possibly Halo look OK, I'll grant you. But nothing like RB, to me.

[Nazriel]

Concerning Live subscription, you can get it even cheaper than $50/year.

Unless you have a local store that discounts the price now and then (I hear Circuit City does at times), I would recommend ordering a 12 month card from Newegg

Microsoft Xbox Live Gold 12 Month Subscription Card for $40 ($45 w/ shipping) (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16874103030)

And actually, if the card says 12+1, then you have a free month added on that; I believe.

Saving $5 is something to consider. :)

[JesterOC]

When I heard RB was coming out, I got the 360 the instant the price dropped. There is sat for 2 weeks. I eventually got Worms for it, and Bomberman, and I got caught in the Halo hype and got it too (I don't regret it, it was fun) but now I bought my special edition fender wireless Rockband Bass (GHIII :) ) and I am all set for The Goodness that is Rockband.

Jester

[Mushroom]

Well, my copy of Rock Band is coming free, so that doesn't feature into the costs, but yes, I will be picking up a 360 purely for Rock Band. At First. I will get other games/borrow them off friends, but seeing as I've won Rock Band I'm going to need something to play it on!

[hankmallon]

Xbox Live is $50 a year and don't bother getting a warranty since there was so many failure rates that all Xbox 360's now come with a 3 year warranty. 360 is definitely the system to get it on though because Xbox Live always has the best downloads. PSN is pathetic, and I have all 3 systems.

[BacchusDisciples]

Yes, I am buying a PS3 strictly because of RB. I could wait for the PS2 version, but the prospect of late night jam sessions with friends, family, and complete strangers is just too enticing. I am now on a campaign to get the previously mentioned friends and family to upgrade their PS2's this holiday season. I'm hoping the in-person demo/concert/party at my place on Thanksgiving will help influence their purchasing decision.

[brauks]

I've been thinking about getting a 360 for a while now, but RB has definitly cause that thinking to become an intense desire. :) I've got a 360 and RB on my Christmas list, and if that doesn't pan out, I'll be making the purchase on my own. RB won't be the only game I play on the 360, but it's the game that has sealed the deal for me.

[psyborg]

Nope, but RockBand is the main(pretty much the only) reason why I'm keeping my 360.

[TK-757]

I'm so glad that I'm not the only 'tard buying a 360 just for this game. *laugh*

To be sure, I'll enjoy playing all the other games I've been getting excited for too, but Rock Band is the cream of the crop.

[DeadHeadFred]

I've been floundering back and forth on this issue for quite some time, as well. But I think have finally decided to stick with the old PS2 and wait until RB comes out for it.

My reasons for such are as follows (in case this might help you in your decision-making process)

I'm getting kinda long in the tooth (mid-30s) with a wife and 2 young ones. I'm not much of a gamer anymore, outside of Guitar Hero and most likely Rock Band, and even if I was I wouldn't have the time on my hands to play as much as I'd like.
$700+ is a lot to fork over for 1 game. Hell, for that I'd be better served buying a nice drum kit or new acoustic guitar (amateur guitarist here) and play these tunes for real.
Online play, as far as RB is concerned, is overrated in my opinion. I don't think you're going to get true satisfaction out of this game unless you can get 2+ people in the same room to play along with you.
I have a feeling that there will be a lot of people buying this thing for the PS2. If this is the case, don't be suprised to see some expansion discs (a la "Rocks The 80s"), because that's where the real money is for these cats.

[lithiumkc]

When I heard RB was coming out, I got the 360 the instant the price dropped. There is sat for 2 weeks. I eventually got Worms for it, and Bomberman, and I got caught in the Halo hype and got it too (I don't regret it, it was fun) but now I bought my special edition fender wireless Rockband Bass (GHIII :) ) and I am all set for The Goodness that is Rockband.

Jester

What he said.. Basically i've bought halo, orange box, thats it. I was gonna get GH3 but it's nothing special.. rather wait a couple weeks and save money.

[angry_jonny]

Thanks for the advice and comments, everyone (I'm the OP). Just to follow up on this thread, I'm unenthusiastically going the 360 route (I guess I'll have a Wii60, wheee!). No perfect solution, but I think I'll be reasonably happy with it, and who knows, maybe I'll actually enjoy Halo or Mass Effect someday. Certainly excited about Settlers and Carcassonne on XBLA, and my kids are very excited about Viva Pinata, having played it at a friend's house many times. So that's all good.

I'm definitely going to take my time finding a Falcon unit, though. I'm still shocked the more I find out about failure rates and the steps taken (or not taken) to fix the problem. Had I not had friends with a 360, I just don't think I could pull the trigger.

Anyway, thanks again for the useful thread.

[BacchusDisciples]

I went and bought one of the new 80gb PS3 models last night. I did the software update to version 1.93 and messed around with MotorStorm. I then put in GH2. The screen flickered a few times, then popped up a message saying it was incompatible and gave a web address to check for compatibility status (http://www.us.playstation.com/Support/CompatibleStatus). According to the web page, it should work. I put in Rock the 80's and had the same issue. I put in GH1 and had no issues at all. I double checked the software version, but never could get even the title screen to load.
I took it back to Best Buy this morning and exchanged it for one of the 60gb models (hardware backwards compatibility instead of software) that they are trying to close out. They have a deal on the 60gb where you can get Heavenly Sword or Lair for free with purchase. I set it up and put in GH2. It works like a champ (except for the previously mentioned adapter issues).
If you are thinking about going the PS3 route, you may want to jump on the 60gb before they are gone.

[angry_jonny]

I took it back to Best Buy this morning and exchanged it for one of the 60gb models (hardware backwards compatibility instead of software) that they are trying to close out.
What in the flying hell are these console makers thinking? So they phase out the best PS3 product for two with limitations? It's like each of the big three feels like they have to cripple their product in some way, otherwise consumers would get spoiled with too clear a choice. :mad: :D

[axe990]

i got a 360 for rock band