Earlier this week, 23rd March, was the PlayStation 3’s 5th Birthday in the EU. It released here back in 2007 on that very date. In that time it has come a long way in terms of the games and services it has offered.
I remember purchasing my PS3 fondly. Of course at its launch it was very expensive, I paid £460 for the machine at the time. A worthy investment I now believe. I also received a copy of Fight Night Round 3, an extra controller and a blu ray film.
The wonderful slick design of the launch PS3.
At the time of the PS3’s launch it was actually one of the cheapest ways of getting a solid Blu Ray disc player, which was one of the main selling points. This new disc offered stunning and crisp visuals for video playback. This offered a refined experience for watching films.
Of course the main jump from PS2 to PS3 was the drastic improvement in graphical capabilities. I remember playing Fight Night Round 3 for the first time and being left completely gob-smacked (if you pardon the pun) at the visuals of the game. I later purchased Resistance Fall of Man and Motorstorm for the visuals to be even better for these games. I was overwhelmed by the shear brilliance of the games and then hold some of my fondest gaming memories.
Something that was also new to Sony gaming but the Sixaxis function. Finally turning the controller and pretending it made a difference in racing games actually became a reality. Although it didn’t feel very responsive and wasn’t as well integrated as well as it should have been it could be considered a small breakthrough in gaming. Now most games included a Sixaxis function in one way or the other.
Motorstorm boasts brilliant visuals and breath taking racing. It is still one of the PS3’s finest racing games.
In terms of services at launch the PS3 didn’t offer much. Even the XMB menu was basic and unavailable in games. You had to quit the game to message friends on PSN. Also there wasn’t even a trophy system in place. 5 years later the trophy system is enjoyed by nearly all gamers, the XMB menu offers a handful of services. Netflix, Lovefilm, Vidzone, Mubi, iPlayer, 4OD and ITV player are some of the services on offer today and it can be guaranteed that there is much more to come.
The PS3 has also seen the introduction of new peripherals. The eye camera and Move are good pieces of equipment but a lack of supported games has meant they have sadly not really taken off.
It is fact that the PlayStation 3 (and the Xbox 360 of course) has been revolutionary for gaming. It has come a long way since its launch and now offers one of the best gaming experiences. Were you an early adopter of the PlayStation 3? If so what are your best early memories of the system, and do you believe it to be a worthwhile investment?
