Obviously there is all this hype about console gaming rivaling computer gaming these days (at least in the Western world), but how well does M'sia fare?

It seems the M'sian console market is stuck in some sort of time warp outside major cities. It's all PS2s. And if you want one of those current gen consoles, you have to order, which is a bit of an inconvenience. The only things in stock are PS2s.

Even the PS3, which is supposed to be a successor to the PS2, is nowhere to be seen in you local mom-and-pop video game store. It's all PS2s. Back in 2000, it only took less than half a year for the PS2 to appear on store shelves, when the PS1 was still king. It's been a year since the PS3 was launched.

Neither have I seen any GameCubes, Xboxes, Wiis or Xbox 360s in said places. It's all PS2s.

Rented consoles? It's all PS2s. All the kids and teens play are WWE, Naruto, Digimon, and football, football, football games. I have never seen anything besides a PS1 or PS2 for rent in backwaters.

It's all PS2s. We should be switching to next-gens by now. WTF.

For the record, I live some 20km from Kuala Lumpur.

Well things aren't too bad, you know. We have a sizable Xbox 360/Wii/PS3 community here. Stores like Gamers Hideout in Cineleisure have been providing next gen goodness for a while now - with Halo 3 large screen events at cinemas to boot.

Then there are the other shops around KL who have Wiis/360s/PS3s...so you sure you've been looking, bro?

I do have to add that outside of KL it makes no financial sense for sellers to sell these next gen consoles. For one, while you CAN get pirated Wii/360 games outside KL the price for the console itself is much too high. Parents in the heartland don't wanna spend RM 1500 on a console for their 12 year old. A PS2 is RM 450-500 these days, and as gaming is still a luxury hobby is it a surprise it's not high on our MUST HAVE list?

This post has been edited by Lord_Ashe: Nov 15 2007, 06:50 PM

oh....no wonder u said so...i assumed u live in some kampung area sorry if i'm wrong, but in kl,wii,x360,ps3,psp,ndsl is everywhere...i can say kl has caught up with the market,slow but not delay too much

Things will never change. The reason why the PS2 was/is king is the great abundance of pirated games. Same with the PS1. The average Malaysian believes that the rightful price for a game is RM5.

This post has been edited by madmoz: Nov 15 2007, 06:51 PM

madmoz is right too..from rm3 till rm10 is acceptible price for a game..better yet free

So my question is, since the console couch has been active in LYN for a long time, has brother parrot noticed that SOME of us ARE catching up, or is he waiting for the whole country to have next gen consoles?

I was referring to places outside major cities, such as a satellite town within 30 km of such place. A sizable distance away from major development areas clearly indicate that interest towards console gaming is reduced to very simple entertainment. Besides, from where I live, PS2s used to show up on display and operation faster after launch than any following consoles, including the PS3. I also found it odd the PS2 is currently the only console immediately available in places like these. That's really boring.

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Added on November 15, 2007, 6:58 pmWatching a person play a PS3 or Xbox 360 game in my town should satisfy my need. My town isn't exactly a kampung. In fact, it's within Klang Valley.

It's more like old Kuala Lumpur. Lots of pre-war shophouses, and lots of pariahs.

This post has been edited by Parrot: Nov 15 2007, 07:00 PM

Well, this will start a flame war but unless brother parrot buys original games then he has nothing to gripe about. You reap what you sow afterall

I think then madmoz's reply will fit the bill.

Gaming is a luxury hobby, and will continue to be seen as such because most Malaysians have other er, priorities. You want to see next gen consoles in your hometown, you can - when the pirates win.

Until it is proven to be a need rather than a want - M'sia will remain backwards on games.

I couldn't even afford a console. That's why I'm a PC gamer (who recently earned a decent salary to buy originals).

Please don't kill me.

PC gamers are a lucky lot. Enough of you guys buy originals, hence the prices have come a tumbling down. Good for you.

Blame it on the insane cost of getting a next gen. I still recall the 360 and PS3 costing above M$1000 this month. If you try selling something like that in a smaller town or kampung, you'll probably get pelted by rocks instead. Few lower-income folks would want to spend a cent on a thousand dollar entertainment machine for kids. Some of them are even having a hard time earning a living, so why spend their hard-earn cash on something of little use? To me, next gens will probably be stuck in KL for a while.

That's why its called a " Luxury " Hobby

This post has been edited by aiyish: Nov 15 2007, 07:14 PM

^Agreed. The problem in Malaysia is that it's such a bloody expensive hobby. I'm sure I'm not the only one who gets shocked looks from friends when I tell them how much I pay for a PS3 game.

Matters are made worse by the fact that our population has a fairly low average income level, allowing pirates to thrive and discouraging companies like Sony from even officially launching the PS3 here.. it seems at the moment it's just not worth their time and effort

this statement is ridiculous.. u're saying as if other parts of the world is cheaper thn it is here in msia. its either u dont know a thing about exchange rates.. or u're jus jumping the gun.

it memang is a luxury item man.. get use to the economic terms.

LOL it is expensive as it is imported ..do know some facts about the exchange rates...USD 1 = RM 3.25..so, no wonder lah, it's quite expensive, but it's better than buying cheap "ahem" games...u get what u paid!!

on XBLM and PSN, there are hundreds of downloadable game demos - free & legal. i think any "mom-and-pop video game store" can set it up for customers to try. i can see Wii with its casual games and easy piratability slowly inheriting ps2's position as local favorite

This post has been edited by acougan: Nov 15 2007, 09:12 PM

nope, isn't it the DS and the PSP that's on top at the moment?

whats too hard to think about?
if you cant afford one, dont buy it
ofcourse ppl here want cheap or free games, who doesnt? ( dont aswer )
if you think games are expensive, wait and buy it 2nd hand here lol.

all i can see Gamescubes and Wii support is not that much when
you compared with PS3 and the 360. i myself having a hard time
finding gamecube games here.

i totally disagree with you TS, which shop are you looking at?
i can find all of them, especially Wii in KL.

AND WITH ALL DUE RESPECT,

We console gamers get enough shafting by the PC gamers...

+ Local tournaments: PC oriented
+ Original games sold by legal distributors: PC gamer oriented

i know i may sound...for the lack of a better word...territorial...i have all 3 current gen consoles. You may think of me as some sort of rich guy who has all the games, but bro Parrot i like everybody in this thread work for our games, either we perform well on our exams or we get allowances, it still boils down that a considerable amount of funds go to our console games.

I agree its a LUXURY HOBBY, but saying that console gaming in Malaysia is struggling is kinda of cold.

Ask yourself this....How many "kampung folk" play Crysis?
How many have the latest nvidia graphics card?
How many have Hellgate subscription?
As far as I know, in the village areas of Malaysia, gaming there is dominated by old but very reliable game consoles like the PS1 Or microgeniuses ...