Who will win the console wars?

[Darth Exile]

Well now that everyone's seen the systems and a little of what they can do who does everyone think will come out on top?

 

Here's my thoughts:

Personally I think it's going to stay pretty much the same with Sony on top, Xbox close behind, and Nintendo trailing although not by as much as they have in years past. The only thing I think might change is that because of the price tag on the PS3 the 360 might just move into first.

 

With a strong line up including games like Grand Theft Auto 4, Gears of War, Mass Effect, Halo 3, and others Xbox seems to finally have a strong enough line up to come after the top dog. Not to mention that they already have a head start on the PS3 and the Wii and even the top of the line 360 system is almost one hundred dollars less then the lower 20 gig stripped PS3.

 

Now even with all that like I said I still predict Sony to stay on top because even with the price hike it's still an awesome system and has a very loyal fan base in Japan. It also has like the 360 a very strong game line up with such titles as Metal Gear Solid 4, Assassins Creed, God of War 2, and Mercenaries 2. The only other thing people might not like about the PS3 is the new motion sensitive control without the rumble effect. It seems to me that when the news came out about the Wii controller for some reason Sony panicked and decided they had to have it too. I actually liked the first controller they had but the new one will be good too even if I will miss the rumble effect.

 

As for Nintendo the reason I think they still don't have what it takes to beat Sony and Xbox is the same reason the game cube didn't. The system is just not on the same level in fact if you look at the specs it's not much better then a current gen system. Their big thing seems to be getting new gamers with a simpler control system and this might appeal to new gamers but most hardcore gamers will tier of the lack of control in the games quickly. They also haven't changed the kiddy cube image as most of the games I saw out of E3 were pretty G rated titles.

[Commander Obi-Wan]

I think it will be the Wii.

 

PS3 is too expensive. IMO

 

Xbox 360.....we'll see.

[Samnmax221]

Probebly XBox 360, I think Nintendo has lost it and is never coming back

[Lynk Former]

Yeah Nintendo sucks, their crappy controls will never beat the awesome realistic graphics that Sony and Microsoft offer. I mean Mario is for kids man! Kids don't play videogames! They suck, and Pokemon sucks too cause it's for kids, no one will buy it. Zelda and Metroid are for kids too. It's just a kiddy system. The graphics suck and the controller is stupid. It's pathetic cause things look crap, I mean without graphics what else is there in a game? Nothing. Nintendo doesn't understand this and they'll die as a company and be bought out by Microsoft. The GameCube was MUCH weaker than that PS2 and Xbox so it sucked, but now that the Wii has these stupid controls, no one will want to play it. There's a reason why nongamers don't play videogames, it's cause they're nongamers... well whatever.

 

 

 

..................................................

[edlib]

Too soon to tell. Personally, I think most people will stick with the company that's currently their favorite now.

 

My bet in the long run is still with Sony, however. Everyone's making a big deal about the cost,.. but if you get the full 360 package, and the HD-DVD add-on when it comes out, it seems to me that it adds up to about the same.

 

Plus the people that have grown up with the PS 1 & 2 most likely have jobs by now and can afford the extra cost. And it seems highly unlikely that all those folks with extensive PS libraries already are going to switch brands at this point... they're going to buy the system that lets them play all their old favorites.

[Lynk Former]

edlib highlights the exact point why Nintendo is focusing on capturing the attention of new gamers rather than the current market.

[Darth Exile]

And it seems highly unlikely that all those folks with extensive PS libraries already are going to switch brands at this point... they're going to buy the system that lets them play all their old favorites.

 

That's a good point and another thing they have going for them fully backwards compatible not only for the PS2 but also the PS1. With the 360 you have to download a patch to play Xbox games and even then only some of the games work so it's not fully compatible. And as for the Wii finally upgrading to the CDROM none of their old games will be playable on the new system which is another big reason hardcore gamers won't like the Wii.

[Commander Obi-Wan]

edlib highlights the exact point why Nintendo is focusing on capturing the attention of new gamers rather than the current market.

 

Exactly...like me.

[Lynk Former]

That's a good point and another thing they have going for them fully backwards compatible not only for the PS2 but also the PS1. With the 360 you have to download a patch to play Xbox games and even then only some of the games work so it's not fully compatible. And as for the Wii finally upgrading to the CDROM none of their old games will be playable on the new system which is another big reason hardcore gamers won't like the Wii.

You don't actually know ANYTHING About Wii huh. Did you know that you can play all of the NES, SNES, N64 and GCN games on it? Not to mention the fact that you can also play Genesis and possibly other Sega games on it and also TurboGrafix16 games on it? When it comes to backwards compatability, Nintendo's goes further back than the PS3 and Xbox360.

 

And now that I've started correcting you I think I'll continue.

 

You should know that the Wii will be the cheapest console available and will be FAR cheaper than both the Xbox360 and PS3. In fact it's so cheap, representatives are saying "You'll be buying an Xbox360 and Wii" on one side and the other side saying "You'll be buying a PS3 and Wii"...

 

The GameCube is not weaker than the PS2. It is more powerful, a lot more powerful, it's just as powerful as the Xbox, how powerful a console is means jack since the PS2, the one with the weakest hardware outsold the more powerful consoles.

 

As for hardcore gamers not liking Wii, you should know that Nintendo has successfully convinced everyone who has gone to E3 and played Wii that the new controls ARE worth it. The Nintendo booth was packed, the line to get into the Nintendo booth broke all E3 records. Wii was the hottest thing on the showfloor and for good reason. Gaming isn't just about graphics, it's about gameplay and people apparantly loved the gameplay available with Wii.

 

Also you should know that Nintendo have a number of new franchises in the works and some of them aren't cartoony. They've made a clear effort to truly make games for everyone and they don't a good job with Project HAMMER and Disaster. Most of the games shown at E3 won't get a G rating, you can bet on that, but since when did the rating on the box determine if the game is good?

[Char Ell]

You don't actually know ANYTHING About Wii huh.

Since when did you start using the w word instead of Revolution?

 

IMO Sony is going to lose game console market share, no if's and's or but's about it. The question is just how much market share will they lose and to whom? Lynk Former is spot on about the attention the Nintendo booth received at E3. Nintendo's strategy of innovation coupled with a low-priced console is quite bold. It really seems like the Nintendo peeps are quite confident in their strategy and the success their strategy will bring. I'm not much of a console gamer so I really don't have a strong opinion on how the console wars will turn out but I do think it's fairly apparent that Sony will lose worldwide market share to Microsoft and Nintendo.

[Char Ell]

@ Darth Exile - I forgot to ask how you define "winning" when it comes to the video game console wars between Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony.

[Darth Exile]

You don't actually know ANYTHING About Wii huh. Did you know that you can play all of the NES, SNES, N64 and GCN games on it? Not to mention the fact that you can also play Genesis and possibly other Sega games on it and also TurboGrafix16 games on it? When it comes to backwards compatability, Nintendo's goes further back than the PS3 and Xbox360.

 

Yes I was wrong about that you will be able to play games from pervious systems but what I meant by backwards compatability was actually being able to take one of your games from those systems and plugging it into the new system. Something you won't be able to do with the Wii and unless you have a high speed connection to the Internet you won't be able to play the older systems games still.

 

You should know that the Wii will be the cheapest console available and will be FAR cheaper than both the Xbox360 and PS3. In fact it's so cheap, representatives are saying "You'll be buying an Xbox360 and Wii" on one side and the other side saying "You'll be buying a PS3 and Wii"...

 

I know it's going to be the cheapest I watched E3 too but that's not the question I was asking. What I was asking was who will win the console war as in who will sell the most systems.

 

 

The GameCube is not weaker than the PS2. It is more powerful, a lot more powerful, it's just as powerful as the Xbox, how powerful a console is means jack since the PS2, the one with the weakest hardware outsold the more powerful consoles.

 

I miss spoke on this point I wasn't actually trying to refer to the gamecube as being weaker then the current gen systems I was referring to the Wii being more like a current gen system then one from the next gen. And I never said weaker hardware meant they were going to lose I simply said that it wasn't on the same level as a PS3 or a 360.

 

As for hardcore gamers not liking Wii, you should know that Nintendo has successfully convinced everyone who has gone to E3 and played Wii that the new controls ARE worth it. The Nintendo booth was packed, the line to get into the Nintendo booth broke all E3 records. Wii was the hottest thing on the showfloor and for good reason. Gaming isn't just about graphics, it's about gameplay and people apparantly loved the gameplay available with Wii.

 

Yes I know this but for how long would they still enjoy playing it. In short sessions of game play I can see how the controller and the games could be fun but after a while I think some of the more hardcore gamers would get tired of both. The big thing I think most people aren't going to like about the Wii is the lack of control with the simpler controller which is geared towards making it easier for new gamers.

 

Also you should know that Nintendo have a number of new franchises in the works and some of them aren't cartoony. They've made a clear effort to truly make games for everyone and they don't a good job with Project HAMMER and Disaster. Most of the games shown at E3 won't get a G rating, you can bet on that, but since when did the rating on the box determine if the game is good?

 

I know this too but at the moment most the games from E3 for the Wii were still more suited for kids in a market dominated by young men 18 to 25. And to prove my point I actually heard an interview with a Nintendo executive where he talked about making Sonic The Hedge Hog more adult. It's Sonic the Hedge Hog how can you make that game more adult?

 

The truth of the matter is that the Wii isn't even in competition with the PS3 or the 360 something Nintendo has said themselves. They're after new customers with a simpler system and a simpler control system. The Wii is not designed for hardcore gamers it's designed for new ones and if you don't believe me ask Nintendo they'll tell you the same thing. So now you have to ask yourself how many hardcore gamers are going to enjoy a simpler system for a long period of time when on the 360 and the PS3 you'll be able to do a lot more with the characters in games because of their controllers?

 

@ Darth Exile - I forgot to ask how you define "winning" when it comes to the video game console wars between Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony.

 

Winning the console wars is who sells the most consoles so it could very will be the Wii because they are going to be so much cheaper.

[Lynk Former]

*edits entire HUGE post*

 

@ Darth Exile: Listen I don't want to go on a huge rant with this...

 

What I'm trying to say is that you have a lot of misunderstandings and misinterpretations about Nintendo. About who they're targetting, about their games, etc. I see a lot of half truths in your answers and explanations, but you're missing out on a lot of the big facts which is giving you a very different picture of Nintendo.

[Det. Bart Lasiter]

The XBox 360 can't possibly win.

 

[edlib]

Who's to say there couldn't be a 3-way tie?

[Commander Obi-Wan]

Who's to say there couldn't be a 3-way tie?

 

Me.

[Det. Bart Lasiter]

Who's to say there couldn't be a 3-way tie?

The sake of argument

[Lynk Former]

@ Darth Exile: I'm gonna try to answer the questions, which you didn't ask but it's obvious that you are missing a lot of information. I'll do it in little posts cause otherwise it'll end up turning into one huge rant no one would want to read and would be pointless.

 

So the whole kiddy thing. You asked how can you make Sonic for adults? A big thing to realise is that Sonic games have changed HEAVILY in the last few years. Sonic has been around for a long time now, those who played it as kids are now adults. When it was asked how can you make Sonic more adult, it was more of a question about how can you get Sonic back to his roots. Sonic Wild Fire is about all of the good things that were included in all of the 2D Sonic games. Speed and nothing but speed. All of those oldskool Sonic fans who are adults now will love Wild Fire because of this.

 

To risk making this longer I'll try to explain Nintendo's stance on its games. The rating printed on the box for a lot of Nintendo made games may be G. However that doesn't necessarily mean it's restricted towards children. A lot of core Nintendo franchises are made the way they are because the target is everyone. Not just children, not just teens, not just adults. Nintendo tries to cast a broad net rather than actively trying to pinpoint one specific group.

 

You will also be interested to know that the majority of Nintendo fans happen to be men 18 to 25, remember Nintendo have been around for a long time. In fact, while those who develop for Sony and Microsoft TARGET 18 to 25 who BUY these games, the people who are actually playing their games are in their teens. Teens who are convinced that the only good game is a game where you use guns and swords and kill things in a realistic fashion. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, I like that kind of thing too, but it's not the only kind of videogame that can be made.

 

There were a lot of general audience games being displayed for Wii, however there are a lot of games that target specific groups. For example Red Steel, The Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess, Metroid Prime 3 Corruption, Madden 2007 and Smash Bros Brawl are all targeting specific groups of people. There are also a lot of games in development for Wii that specific certain groups who aren't just children. There is going to be a Resident Evil game for Wii and another game from Grasshopper (the developer behind Killer7).

 

However in the end if you look at the list of Wii games, it is spread very evenly around compared to what you will get with the PS3 and Xbox360. While games on those two platforms are TARGETTED towards an adult audience and altogether are more violent and realistic, this is the point Nintendo is trying to make with Wii.

 

Nintendo doesn't want to have console that targets one group and ignores the others, they want to have something for everyone and in addition to that, they want to attract new people into the mix.

 

Sony and Microsoft will be very successful capturing the gamers that are already loyal to them. Nintendo will do well capturing new audiences while at the same time keeping true to the fans who already follow them. Again, to understand this more clearly, go back to what edlib said... "I think most people will stick with the company that's currently their favourite now."

 

Now finally... (guh, I was hoping I wouldn't make this too long but oh well...) The truth of the matter is that you've got it all wrong about Nintendo's stance in the industry. It is true that Nintendo is not competing with Sony and Microsoft, but you've missed the facts on what level this competition is and why Nintendo have chosen their path.

 

Nintendo is choosing not to compete with Sony and Microsoft on a purely technological level. The PS3 and Xbox360 are systems which are bristling with added extras that can do everything but pleasure the user sexually. Nintendo on the other hand decided to go about making their console differently. They looked at this from a creative viewpoint. So in a sense, they aren't competing with Sony and Microsoft, but that doesn't mean Nintendo isn't in the videogame industry anymore and that they should be counted out and dismissed.

 

I also see that you think that the only games you will be able to make with Wii are simple games. I have to tell you you're dead wrong. Metroid Prime 3 Corruption and The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess already proved you wrong on this point. Not all games will be like the Tennis game for Wii, they will not involve one small swing with the Wiimote to play the game. There are games that will be long and will be complex. This idea that games will only be simple is because the Wiimote is deceptively simple. You look at it and you see only a few buttons and what looks like a remote. That's the idea, it's not meant to look intimidating to new users, however like I said, and it’s deceptive that way because there's more to it than that. Games for Wii can be as simple or as complex as the developer would like it to be, that's the beauty of it.

 

I also like that way you use "hardcore" when you talk about hardcore gamers it sounds like you're referring to the PS3 and Xbox360 gamers specifically, as if no hardcore gamer buys a Nintendo system in the first place. You also make it sound like you need to be extremely physical with the Wiimote, but nope sorry you don't have to. Those who have played with it at E3 have said that you can choose to be as physical as you want with the controls, or you can just sit back and be as subdued as you want and it won't matter, it's your choice. What was also said was that each game has a varying complexity to the controls and that while the there is complexity it is still easy to learn and enables you to have a lot more control, with much less effort.

 

I also have to remind you that the people who were at E3 were hardcore gamers, and you can watch videos of them RUNNING to the Nintendo booth just to get in line to play Wii and when they finally did, walk away saying "wow, it's MUCH better than I expected, I had major doubts but they've all cleared."

 

As for the backwards compatibility issue, let me ask you this. How can you take advantage of the backwards compatibility if you don't have the older games in the first place? Being able to download 20 years of Nintendo, Sega and Hudson gaming is a big plus for Nintendo.

 

 

 

After saying all of that, no I am not saying Nintendo is gonna rip Sony and Microsoft a new one, I am not saying they're definitely gonna win nextgen or that they are superior.

 

All I have done in this post is try to clear up A LOT of fiction, half truths and misinterpretations that people have seem to gathered up about Nintendo.

[Char Ell]

^^^

@ Darth Exile - Since you appear to be a fairly new member of the forums I'll take the time to forewarn you that Lynk Former is a die-hard Nintendo supporter, a fanatic, "hard-core" even. Oh wait, you probably already figured that out from his last post. I guess I'm a little late then, heh-heh-heh.

 

There is no question in my mind that Nintendo is blazing a different trail than Microsoft and Sony with it's next gen console. How that will end up working out for them is IMO difficult to predict but if E3 is any indication then Nintendo will do just fine. Heck if the Wii sells for $200USD then I might even pick one up just for fun of it as $200 is much easier for me to justify to myself than the $400USD or more it will take to buy a PS3 or Xbox 360. I feel fairly confident though that the low price point for the Wii in comparison to its two competitors will get it into homes it might not have otherwise done if the Wii had been priced higher. So in terms of units sold I see the Wii really making some headway there on the merits of price alone.

 

 

There were a lot of general audience games being displayed for Wii... There are also a lot of games in development for Wii that specific certain groups who aren't just children. There is going to be a Resident Evil game for Wii and another game from Grasshopper (the developer behind Killer7).

Well mate, from this passage alone I can really see you have let go of the Revolution name and accepted Wii. I'm sure it was quite difficult...

[Lynk Former]

@ cutmeister: You make it sound as if I've never played or enjoyed any other console lol.

[Char Ell]

^^^

Eh? You mean to say that you play other consoles besides Nintendo's? shock1

 

Hmmm... I guess I need an inventory of the game consoles you currently own so I don't go misinforming anyone.

[Samnmax221]

Still sure the WII might bomb out, not Dreamcast bomb out but still bomb out

[Lynk Former]

^^^

Eh? You mean to say that you play other consoles besides Nintendo's? shock1

 

Hmmm... I guess I need an inventory of the game consoles you currently own so I don't go misinforming anyone.

I've always owned Nintendo, never needed to buy any other console cause all my friends get everything else. I've owned Nintendo but I'd always have access to Sega, Sony and Microsoft through my friends.

 

I love Metal Gear, most of Resident Evil, I used to like GTA for a while and I like Silent Hill, I've played Halo 1 and 2 a lot, it's not one of my favourites but me and my friends have been competitive on the FPS arena for a long time now. Silent Hill is also pretty cool as are a lot of other games that aren't available on a Nintendo console. I am also a big Sonic fan, oldskool Sonic fan, not any of this new crap.

 

Should I go on?

[Darth Groovy]

For the first time in my life, I have to say I am watching the next gen console war with much enthusiasm, because all of the big contenders have great pros and cons to contend with. Way I see it, it's anybody's game. It's going to be even more interesting to see who comes out the winner after the holidays. Managing a video game store puts me on the very frontlines in this war, as the ultimate observer!

 

Nintendo will have a good chance with the low price, and the browser download function, which will send nostalgia crazed fans (including me) head over heals. However, the controler is already scaring some people away, as well as the stupid "wii" moniker. And not everyone is a Mario/Zelda fanatic, so fanboys won't turn the tides...AND let's face it...the gamecube kinda blew it late last year/early this year, due to it's lack of games, as with the cancellation/push backs of others. Even though Nintendo is still going strong with it's hand held titles, they are going to have to push shock and awe tactics to sell the "wii" to new customers. Nintendo basically pioneered the home console to a mass consumer audience. They started this all, and they know this. I give them kudos for trying new ideas, but in the real world, you have to give in too the consumer, and be able to deliver what they want. Too often I see Xbox and PS2 neck and neck with alot of major titles that simply are not available on the gamecube....so much that I feel sorry for gamecube owners. Hopefully, the "wii" will put a stop to all that.

 

PS3. Other than MGS4, and Killzone 2, what do we know about the launch titles for this machine? For something supposedly coming out in November, there sure isn't much press on the launch list, and that scares me. Blue Ray, Schmoo Ray, Death Ray....who gives a damn? What will sell this uber expensive system, is the level of backwards compatability....something the Xbox 360 fumbled on in a major way. If this damn thing doesn't go back all the way to PS One, I can't be arsed with it. Why should anybody else?

 

XBOX 360. Let's face it, it STILL has the best live service that money can buy. People I know can sign into the live service on the 360, and see me signed into live on the original xbox. I find that really damn cool! And the machine works like a mini server. However, at the end of the day, I can only say one thing about the XBOX 360. For a machine that came out 6 months ago...it has a really BAD selection of games. Not many titles have really done the machine justice, and I have said it before a thousand times....at the end of the day it is the GAMES that sell the system. Your not going to run out and spend $399 on a system just to play Halo 2, which is a two year old game, yet still has the largest draw. Alot of the most demanding titles keep getting pushed back such as "Dead Rising", "Godfather", and "Gears of War". People might say they don't mind waiting for a better game, but that's a flat out lie. In my line of work, I am here to tell you that people don't want to wait for anything. XBOX 360 is going to have to launch alot of REALLY high quality games in time for the holiday, if they want to win anybody over. Even though the backwards compatibility list is updating on a monthly basis.....not all of the owners have XBOX live...especially those living in rural areas where they cannot get broadband or dsl connections. And some people just don't want xbox live....so they are basically screwed.

 

Man....I almost wish I could time travel to see who wins this one!

[Char Ell]

I've always owned Nintendo, never needed to buy any other console cause all my friends get everything else. I've owned Nintendo but I'd always have access to Sega, Sony and Microsoft through my friends.

So you play on non-Nintendo consoles because your friends own them but you don't own any console other than Nintendo. Interesting. I have one more question then. Suppose for a moment that you didn't have access to a game console you didn't own. You can play Nintendo games already because you own a Nintendo console. However if you wanted to play games like Halo 2 or Metal Gear and had to buy a Microsoft and/or a Sony console, would you do so?

 

RE: Darth Groovy's observations on availabiility of titles for Xbox 360 and PS3 - I think part of this stems from the fact that both consoles predecessors went from a single processor to multiple processors. It's going to take some time for developers to get a handle on programming for these two consoles and that's what I believe has caused the lag in game availability. But Xbox360 will end up with a year lead time so we'll have to see if Microsoft and Xbox360 developers can take advantage of that.