Is the Phantom a Game Console? I say 'no' Opinion?

[Ze_ro]

They said they aren't targeting people like us, so to speak, people who have nearly every console, plus a PC. So who are they after? If it plays PC games, the people who would want that already have PC's to play those games.

 

Not necessarily... my friend Brian has tons of game systems, but he absolutely refuses to even bother with PC games, because it's such a hassle having to get everything configured and installed, not having a real controller other than keyboard+mouse, having to worry about system requirements, and all the other pain in the butt when it comes to PC's. He'd much rather just be able to turn on the system and be able to play. He's the kind of guy who would appreciate this thing. I'm not sure there's enough of him to make a market for this machine though.

 

We're not objective enough to understand people's complaints about computer, since we've used them for so long that they've become second nature to us... but there are quite a few people out there that won't even bother with computers because it's too complicated. They look at a PC and see it as something to do work on, not something to play games on. There is a market for this thing... but it's a small one to be sure.

 

The Phantom doesn't have [exclusive titles]

 

You're right... and that will probably hurt it. Without exclusive titles, it'll be mired in that small market. If it gets some nice games that are ONLY available on Phantom, then maybe it'll broaden it's user base... but that's unlikely. Unless Infinium themselves plan on making games, there's very little to convince a company to make an exclusive title... especially when they could port it to the PC is about 1 minute and reach a much wider audience.

 

--Zero

[Foxy Cleopatra]

They said they aren't targeting people like us, so to speak, people who have nearly every console, plus a PC. So who are they after? If it plays PC games, the people who would want that already have PC's to play those games.

 

Not necessarily... my friend Brian has tons of game systems, but he absolutely refuses to even bother with PC games, because it's such a hassle having to get everything configured and installed, not having a real controller other than keyboard+mouse, having to worry about system requirements, and all the other pain in the butt when it comes to PC's. He'd much rather just be able to turn on the system and be able to play. He's the kind of guy who would appreciate this thing. I'm not sure there's enough of him to make a market for this machine though.

 

 

 

--Zero

 

Hmmm, I never thought of that. But as things stand at the present, this thing doesn't look like it's got a chance.

[RCmodeler]

We're not objective enough to understand people's complaints about computer, since we've used them for so long that they've become second nature to us... but there are quite a few people out there that won't even bother with computers because it's too complicated.

 

I'm one of those people. I get totally frustrated when I buy a new game, pop it in my PC, and then it doesn't work... or else works and then frequently crashes. And yes I have a top-of-the-line P4. While I could reconfigure my settings to make these broken PC games work, I don't feel like wasting time. That's really what it's all about..... my time is precious and I don't want to waste it changing my settings.

 

So I play consoles instead. Plug-n-play instantly.

[Jasoco]

Same reasons I prefer console games.

[Albert]

Assuming this is the case, then all it would take to "port" a game to the Phantom would be to configure the game for the proper sound/control settings, and package it up for download. One person could probable do about 15 or 20 games a day easily, and since the release date is sometime next year, I can easily see them having quite a few games available at launch. Maybe not 32,000... but I'm sure they'll have a respectable amount.

 

I'll stick to my opinion that this console will *NEVER* have that many titles available, either at launch or during its short lifespan (should it make it off the ground). Even if they could port 100 titles a day, it would take considerably longer to work out the licensing arrangements to get those titles on the Phantom. Trust me, from experience, that hashing out licensing arrangements between two companies is not something that happens overnight. They might get some smaller publishers, but I doubt any large publishers will even talk to Infinium until they prove there is more to the Phantom than a poorly chosen name.

 

..Al

[Video]

I still laugh when someone comes and acts all excited about the phantom. I mean, it was intended as an April fools joke. It was first mentioned at the begining of the year, and said there would be more info on, you guessed it, April 1st.

 

Even if for a second, anybody was serious, think of the problems?

 

A person like me, I use a computer for the internet, it's seriously a piece of crap for gaming in my honest opinion. (A dedicated PC like Phantom would be like a console, or a C64)

I collect games and systems. Where's the collectability of a system that has no hard copies of games?

For that matter, once it's service dies, what do you do to play games on it? Like Sega Channel, you stare at the thing cause it's not going to work.

I think ahead about what my collectiong of games and systems, and honestly, I wory about X-Box because of the hard drive that won't be available or fixable in 20 years.

Didn't some people dis X-Box for going Broadband only, saying a small user base would hurt it (and here it's the strongest online at the moment) What about a system that not only needs Broadband for online, but requires it just to play games?

How about the great lie? 32,000 games? No way, there isn't a single computer, no matter how good, that will cover that range of games perfectly enough to justify people paying for the privelage of playing the game. They're talking an emulator that can run anything from 2600, up till now, every game, no hitches. It simply has never been done, for a reason, it can't be.

 

If keyword, if, this thing ever comes out. I'll be laughing my arse off when less than a month later, the few IDIOTS who bought it, figure out what it is and drop it and it dies(and are pissed about it because they paid what for it?). But to tell the truth, the thing is vaporware. I feel sorry for people not able to figure that out on their own, but it is.

[Ze_ro]

Even if they could port 100 titles a day, it would take considerably longer to work out the licensing arrangements to get those titles on the Phantom.

 

Well, I'm no lawyer... but I've sure they've thought about this. Depending on what they do, they could probably get their content delivery system classified as a store of sorts. Amazon and EB don't have to worry about licensing arrangements, so as long as these games are unaltered, they could probably get away with calling their machine a computer and saying that they're no different than any other software store... except, of course, they deliver over the web instead of retail.

 

Of course, I could be wrong... but it seems like this would work to me.

 

I collect games and systems. Where's the collectability of a system that has no hard copies of games?

 

No offense, but we're dorks. Us AtariAge people collect games, but most "normal" people don't. When the Playstation 3 comes out, lots of people will simply sell their PS2 and buy the new machine. Hell, a lot of people sell their games back to EB after they beat them (At least, that's what I assume, since there's so many used games there, and they keep asking me to sell them stuff every damn time I'm there). In this single-serving, disposable world, a system like this makes sense. Blocking out a small demographic like hardcore collectors is the least of the Phantom's problems.

 

For that matter, once it's service dies, what do you do to play games on it?

 

Again, that's a concern most people don't have. In theory, the service will outlast the system (PSO servers lasted longer than the Dreamcast), so by the time Infinium gives up on things, people will have lost interest in the system anyways.

 

Of course, in reality, it's entirely possible that Infinium will go bankrupt a month after the system is released, and have to pull the plug (Which is a fairly serious concern of course).... but I assume you're talking about the long-term situation.

 

Now, I'm not a huge fan of this thing myself, and the chances of me buying one are incredibly slim... but it always surprises me when people want something like this to fail. Wouldn't you rather see it succeed and provide competition that will (in theory) push Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo to try to innovate even more, and outdo them? Unfortunately, it's almost certain that Infinium will follow Nokia, but I see no reason for this to be a good thing.

 

--Zero

[Jasoco]

Part of me knows it isn't real. But the bigger part of me hopes it IS real so he can buy up one really cheap on eBay later down the road when the company goes under. Sure, it's a Paperweight, but keep it in box and you got something that may be worth something one day. Or a story to tell your grandkids when they come to visit you at your Video Game museum home.

[Albert]

Even if they could port 100 titles a day, it would take considerably longer to work out the licensing arrangements to get those titles on the Phantom.

 

Well, I'm no lawyer... but I've sure they've thought about this. Depending on what they do, they could probably get their content delivery system classified as a store of sorts. Amazon and EB don't have to worry about licensing arrangements, so as long as these games are unaltered, they could probably get away with calling their machine a computer and saying that they're no different than any other software store... except, of course, they deliver over the web instead of retail.

 

If they are selling an electronic version of the software, then they are distributing it in a new form than that offered by the original publisher. Basically they are "copying" the software in the same way that you or I would be if we made it available on a website. Without coming to terms with the original publisher, they would quickly be sued out of existence. There is no way they are going to be selling any Phantom games without first hammering out a contract with the original publisher of each and every game available on their servers.

 

Again, that's a concern most people don't have. In theory, the service will outlast the system (PSO servers lasted longer than the Dreamcast), so by the time Infinium gives up on things, people will have lost interest in the system anyways.

 

Once Infinium pulls the plug on the system, they are not going to be under any obligation to keep the servers running. Your example is not a very good one, as Sega is still a viable company and kept the PSO servers running for some time to keep fans happy in hopes that they'd migrate to a different version of PSO down the road. If Infinium goes belly up, those servers will disappear very quickly.

 

This is a very real concern, especially given that Infinium has stated that games would be priced similarly to retail packaged games. Who wants to pay $50 for a game that wiil cease working once Infinium goes out of business? I sure as hell don't, and neither will most other gamers. If the games were priced more reasonably it might be worth it, but right now they're just trying to take advantage of the fact that people are "used to" paying $50 a pop for games.

 

..Al

[MegaManFan]

Sounds like the DIVX debacle to me, redux. As that flopped, so too will Infinium.

[RCmodeler]

Depending on what they do, they could probably get their content delivery system classified as a store of sorts. Amazon and EB don't have to worry about licensing arrangements...

 

Amazon - The World's Largest Book Store

 

Amazon was sued and forced to change its name, because it's *not* a bookstore. Neither is the Phantom's online content. However, there's an easy way to get around it..... just put up 35,000 titles of PD games plus older games like Battle Chess or Wing Commander that are easily licensed.

 

 

 

And no, this isn't an April Fool's joke. If it was, it would have been revealed last April 1.

[Avid Fan]

This is the DIVX of the videogame industry. Not to be confused with DivX