Dear Future Gamer,

Like everyone else, I'm drooling at the prospect of a machine as shockingly powerful as the PSX-2. But, you know, I can't shake the feeling that it's not really as good a thing to happen as we imagine.

Barring a miracle, the Dreamcast is going to end up like the Saturn, a hardcore Sega game fan's machine - the same for the N64's follow-up. Basically, between people myopically following the 'cool' PlayStation brand, or the mouthwatering specs, Sony have it all sewn up for the foreseeable future. Does anyone honestly think that, left commanding their own market, Sony won't gently up game prices while letting the quality slide? The word we're looking for here is "monopoly."

Sure, there'll be various 'classics' on the machine - after all, they'll want you to buy a PSX-3 - but if you don't like Tekken, racing games or footy games, you're more or less stuffed.

Different point. I suspect that, like Sega, Sony is going to release PC-style add-ons for the console which will, essentially, give you a hugely powerful PC for much less than a similarly specced IBM clone. Death of the PC? Possibly, since only beardy tech-heads will really care what exactly their 'PC' consists of.

As for me, I'll probably still buy a PS2, but, more importantly, I'm also going to get a Dreamcast and whatever Nintendo bring out. Why? Because I love all games, not just Namco's, and I don't want to see creatively brilliant companies like Sega and Nintendo leave the console scene. If you want these companies to live, I suggest you do the same.

D Ulrich

FG: Two smashing points there, "D." However, rather than fearing Sony, think VCRs. Unless Sony goes completely mad sometime in the next few months and starts imposing absurd licensing conditions, we're going to see everybody making PS2 software. It'll become, as you say, a brand. After the initial gosh-wow factor wears off, games are going to sell on the quality of the game, not how zappy or zingy it looks. (I hope, anyway.)

Here's an interesting thought. If the PS2 really does take over the entire world and genuinely is as good as is claimed, what's to prevent Sega and Nintendo writing games for it? (Except pride, I suppose.) Whatever, these are massively, massively exciting times.

As to your other point, yup, you're not the first person to think that Sony have big plans concerning the PC market. Taking your idea of building up a PS2 'PC,' think how luxurious it would be finally to have a PC that plays fab games and doesn't crash every five minutes. Mmmm.