"I'm still broke from paying it off," says Nick Inzeo, a College of Communication sophomore, while remotely turning on his Sony PlayStation 3.,”
With Shakespeare textbooks scattered among usual dorm necessities, a glossy piece of entertainment hardware naps along side a dusty VCR and Super Nintendo.
"I'm still broke from paying it off," says Nick Inzeo, a College of Communication sophomore, while remotely turning on his Sony PlayStation 3.
Some students like Inzeo have begun the expensive next-generation adventure with the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 or Nintendo Wii, but other students have chosen a less glamorous path.
Inzeo initially attempted to sell his investment, but the market quickly became saturated with unsold and overpriced systems. He decided keeping the unit would provide the best value.
"Bad choice?" Inzeo says. "Probably. Am I happy? Yes."
According to a Sony Computer Entertainment America announcement at this year's Consumer Electronics Show, more than 1 million PlayStation 3 systems have shipped to North American retailers. Nintendo released a statement saying the NPD Group, a retail market research company, confirmed more than 1 million Wii systems being sold.
Inzeo disagrees with the media dubbing the PlayStation 3's launch a disaster.
"Did anyone play the PlayStation 2 at launch? Of course not," Inzeo says while explaining video game system launch issues and why he kept his purchase. "The PlayStation 3 will have all the games I've always liked, like 'Metal Gear' and 'Shadow of the Colossus.' "
Also, the PlayStation 3's backwards capability allows Inzeo to enjoy his library of obscure titles like "Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution" and "Contra: Shattered Soldier."
Right down the hall, Sean Gannon, a sophomore in the College of Engineering, thinks the PlayStation 3's rival is delivering happiness with "Fight Night Round 3" and potential future hits.
"The little icon for my Xbox Live tag is now the guy from 'Mass Effect,' " Gannon says. Inzeo can only hope "Mass Effect" releases on the PlayStation 3 at some point.
On the other hand, the Nintendo Wii's mainstream popularity does not carry over to Inzeo and his hope for more innovative third-party Wii titles.
"There are just not enough games for it yet that work with the controller," he says. "I want to see if other companies use the controller creatively, besides Nintendo."
A few blocks away, David Graham, a sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences, wishes he could leave the "I want a Wii, but unfortunately, Nintendo cannot ship enough" camp.
"Out of the three systems, it's the cheapest and it's simply fun," Gannon says. When comparing the Wii to previous Nintendo systems like the Nintendo 64 and GameCube, Graham says "it's going to be the party system."
Finding a PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 is simple, but Graham says his Wii search will most likely continue until it is easily seen on store shelves.
His roommate Ted Chung, a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences, says he can't argue with Graham, and together they ridicule the recent string of bizarre "Wii-Mote" accidents.
However, a lack of urgency emanates from Chung's aspirations to join the next generation. He feels completely content with the previous consoles and this diminishes his passion to drop $400 into a register.
"I'd like a Xbox 360 by the time 'Halo 3' comes out, but I can wait, Chung says. "My money has priority elsewhere."
Freebies like "GunZ: The Duel," a Korean-developed title reminiscent of "Max Payne," grasp Chung's attention and fatten his wallet, even if the visuals scream 1999.
The North American "GunZ: The Duel" released last November, and according to developer MAIET Entertainment, the game's community of players will find support through frequently updated role-playing features.
"If it doesn't have those rad
3-D graphics then most people think it's crappy," Chung says as his on-screen character destroys a foe.
Also, Chung and Graham both see the growing popularity of "World of Warcraft," an online role-playing game, as an interesting phenomenon.
"All my friends back home play 'World of Warcraft' now," Chung says. "They're not nerds, they're normal people."
On campus, Chung says he is surprised to see "World of Warcraft" players.
According to a recent press release from "Warcraft" creator Blizzard Entertainment, there are more than 2 million "World of Warcraft" players in North America and 8 million subscribers worldwide. And the recently released "World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade" shattered previous day-one PC game records by selling 2.4 million copies.
Tim Bindas, a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences, is excited with the recent surge in popularity of "World of Warcraft," especially considering the monthly fees following the initial cost. Bindas believes people realize the maintenance and quality control Blizzard applies.
Plus, "World of Warcraft" could help change the stereotypes tied to gamers.
"I have a group of six close real-life friends who got into the game around the same time I did," Bindas says. "A day or two a week we meet at one of our houses and play together."
Currently, Bindas only knows a few Marquette students who play "World of Warcraft," but with its present momentum anticipate seeing laptops in the library glowing brightly with Molten Core raids.
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