Over the past few months, much of the talk inside the video game market has surrounded Sony and its rumored PlayStation 3 Slim. The product, if it exists, promises to be smaller and, a lot more importantly, less expensive.

I''ll be the very first to admit that I''m excited about the possibility of the Slim hitting store shelves. I''ve known as on Sony several times to drop the price of the PlayStation three. I believe that it''s the key to Sony staying relevant throughout this generation of game consoles.

But as the PS3 Slim kept us guessing, a report hit the Internet on Wednesday claiming that Microsoft may possibly be planning to ditch the Xbox 360 Pro in favor of offering just two Xbox 360 models--the Arcade and also the Elite. Terrific. But what about a refresh

The Xbox 360 is really a beast. It is enormous. Its DVD drive is highly loud. And its power supply is both huge and heavy.

The Xbox 360 is also not practically as reliable as competing goods. Given that its release, we''ve been inundated with story immediately after story about the "red ring of death"--an problem that occurs when 3 red rings around the Xbox 360''s power buttons start flashing, indicating that the console is inoperable and will need to have to be shipped back to Microsoft to have it fixed. link between video games and violence

The number of reported RROD instances has dropped in recent months, however it has left Microsoft having a black eye from which it has however to recover.

So as Sony improves its hardware offerings, I think that it''s clear that Microsoft wants to do the very same. It requirements a slim Xbox 360.

Why it''s essential I feel that a slim Xbox 360 would help solve just about all of Microsoft''s difficulties. It would potentially fit nicely into existing home theater set-ups. If it lived as much as its name, the Slim would also ditch the power brick. Its new power supply could be smaller and much a lot more manageable. Those two updates alone would make lots of current Xbox 360 owners pleased.

But it goes beyond that. A slim Xbox 360 can be Microsoft''s "do-over." It is going to address the problems the console has experienced, like that awfully loud DVD drive. It is going to also fix the Xbox 360''s failure issues that just don''t appear to go away. Extra importantly, it could address one of the console''s greatest shortcomings: a lack of an HD drive. research on video games and violence

Yes, I think that a slim Xbox 360 ought to feature a Blu-ray drive. I know that it would be like giving cash to the enemy, format backer Sony, but given Blu-ray''s rise in popularity this year, I don''t feel that Microsoft has significantly of a option. Until streaming HD content has reached essential mass and entered millions of homes, Blu-ray is still the leading, next-gen home entertainment format.

Even though we can at present access streaming content via the Xbox 360, it is not sufficient. A Blu-ray drive makes it possible for Microsoft to fend off Sony''s core argument, which states that for the reason that the PlayStation 3 has a Blu-ray drive, it''s worth its $400 price tag. It''s a valid argument. It is also an argument to which Microsoft, with out a Blu-ray drive in its Xbox 360, doesn''t have an answer. That is unacceptable.

Looking ahead At this point, I''ve no doubt that Sony will likely be releasing the PS3 Slim sometime in the near future. It makes best sense for the provider, due to the fact it is attempting desperately to regain lost marketplace share. Microsoft really should follow suit. The Xbox 360 is a great console. I appreciate playing games on it. But it''s not ideal. It is in desperate need to have of a refresh. Along with a slim Xbox 360 could just be the solution to make extra customers happy. Extra importantly, it could help Microsoft fend off Sony''s rise inside the market if a PS3 Slim is released. rarest video games

Source: http://blog.gameyeeeah.com