Dear Future Gamer

With regards to the 'Sony are Dead' letter (FG66) and whether or not Sony deserve a little leeway with their PS2 launch line-up, a few months ago I would have been willing to let them off the hook. Over the past couple of months though, I think we've met a very childish, petty side of the company, Of course, I'm referring to the affairs involving the symbols on controllers and the word "PlayStation" in magazine titles. Sony are getting just a little too big for their clown shoes at the moment and I don't think we should allow them to make such mistakes as this launch line-up farce.

The problem at the moment is that a lot of people continue to see Sony as the future of the industry. Why might you think this? Well, don't forget our beloved videogame industry has exploded exponentially during the past few years, with the majority of newcomers buying the Sony machine. A large percentage of consumers naturally see Sony as the industry leaders, which at the moment they are. However, we all know how the mighty can fall when it comes to releasing a new console. Seven years ago Sega were the main players in the UK and Nintendo led the world in the industry. However, with the videogame industry being as dynamic as it is, a lot can change in a relatively short period of time.

I look at the PS2 cautiously. I'm worried that the talk of it being the machine for everything and not just games may dilute the number of quality titles. At the moment, I honestly believe that Sega's Dreamcast is the gamer's choice.

Rob Wilson

FG: I've a sneaking feeling that a lot of new PlayStation owners - casual gamers, we'll call them - won't actually be rushing out to buy PlayStation2 as soon as it's released. They've just invested in a PlayStation, they're not dedicated gamers and they're not bothered by brand loyalty. The playing field may look clear for Sony but there are still a few divots there to stumble over.