Worlds within Worlds

I read in the New York Times today about Microsoft's newest introduction, The Xbox Elite. This new gaming system will be Microsoft's newest artillery in the vastly competitive video game war.

Supposedly the Elite will hit stores in April, will retail for just under $500 and will feature a 120 GB hard drive, HDMI (High-definition Multimedia Interface) port, wireless controllers and a new look for the game systems external casing.

These next generation consoles, including the Elite and Sony's Playstation 3 (launched last year), take the video gaming experience to an all new level. These "entertainment hubs" also incorporate full Internet compatibility and the ability to download game demos, music and videos easily.

I have read about someone who actually removed the 60 GB hard drive from their Playstation 3 and replaced it with a 160 GB hard drive and actually installed the Windows Vista operating system. With the PS3's cluster of USB inputs, a USB keyboard, mouse or any other computer related device can be easily implemented.

That's not all, because the next generation gaming consoles are also state-of-the-art movie players. Sony's PS3 has "BluRay" technology, which is basically a next-generation optical disc format that can play high-definition video (HD) and store large amounts of data. The format offers more than five times the storage capacity of traditional DVDs and can hold up to 25GB on a single-layer disc and 50GB on a dual-layer disc.

The current Microsoft Xbox, the 360, also has a HD DVD player. It's similar technology, with the common purpose of high definition display and image. With either of these technologies and a television with the capability to display the true power of these new formats, the user has the opportunity to truly have one unique experience.

While Microsoft and Sony are tapping into high end gaming consoles, companies like Nintendo are aiming at expanding the fun of gaming with more interactive technologies. The Nintendo Wii for example comes complete with a motion sensor controller than encourages the user to become much more animated during game play. Although the Wii lacks the graphics and other higher end technologies that the PS3 and Elite will offer.

Over all these new entertainment monsters will now give our generation their own world. A infinite playground to interact and mold into multiple outcomes and experiences. Worlds within our own world.

With the largely popular and expanding universe of online gaming, where anyone with a fast Internet connection can fundamentally hook their next generation console up to a live network, the possibilities seem endless. You can not only play in an online world 24/7, but now you can interact with more than computer generated characters... because online you play with other real people.

Imagine a time in the not so far away future where kids and adults alike sit in their living rooms fixed on a couch or sofa, leaving an indentation on the cushion; playing as a character they created from scratch and designed from their personal preferences... in an online world with images so real, you forget that it's past your bedtime.

Imagine now if that same concept is not in the future, but right now. We are facing Generation-I, the Internet generation of expanding technology and infinite possibilities. So sit back and enjoy your future... no... your present.