Ben D.

Ironic as hell, especially after the GameCube. If you had told me back in early 2006 that Nintendo would be leading this race hands-down after the first year, I'd have thought you needed professional help.

But kudos to Nintendo...even though I remain firmly convinced it's a gimmick that will die out with age, and they're facing the same GC conundrum: a significant lack of software. I can name about 25 great PS3 and Xbox 360 titles arriving in the next 6 months...I can name about 3 for the Wii. Furthermore, the graphical gap will continue to widen, and before long, I think the Wii appeal will wear off. They will finish third again, IMO.

But hey, take nothing away from Nintendo. What they did to resurrect their hardware life is pretty damn unbelievable.

__________________
"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools talk because they have to say something."
-- Plato

"Small minds are interested in the extraordinary, great minds in the commonplace."
-- Elbert Hubbard

The Benny (Macho)

What I like about Nintendo is the kind of thing GamesIndustry.biz brought up in a recent article, that even when losing the console battle they make money:

I think part of the Wii's problem with the lack of software is simply that they caught everybody off-guard. Nobody expected them to come close to dominance this time round so publishers weren't giving them much thought, and it will take a while for them to adjust to that. It's no guarantee that they'll do it well of course, tacking on poorly thought-out motion controls where they aren't needed. The fact that Nintendo aren't using them in every game (such as Brawl) should prove they're an extra, not a necessity. But again, strong first-party titles aren't going to win it for them, third-party support is key.

Darth Koth

I think the Wii has only done as well as it has cos its cheap same as the DS, the amount of people I know with a DS that don't play it anymore is silly, but because they don't play it anymore doesn't mean the sale doesn't count, I don't think alot of the casual gamers don't know what thier getting sometimes "ooh thats the in fad right now" and end up not liking it or maybe they can't get into it as they should but like I say using it or not the sale still counts.

__________________
The Force Is With Me.......And I Still F**k Everything Up
Lightsabers: When you've absolutely, positively Got To Kill Every Motherf**ker In The Room
I'd Love To Knuckle-F**k That Punk Right In His C**cksucker - Ryan H.

The Benny (Macho)

As much as I love Nintendo and am glad to see them succeed the Wii's games selection just doesn't justify it right now. It can only stem from the same place as the PS2's popularity among the casual gamer; being round a friend's house playing the likes of Wii Sports (insert Guitar Hero, Singstar, Buzz etc, for PS2), preferably with a bit of alcohol consumed. After a great deal of fun with it, find out the following day that it's rather cheap and make a purchase.

It's sorely lacking titles for the hardcore gamer, and aside from the third-party shovelware-esque casual games it isn't really littered with decent casual games either. Of course, Smash Brothers Brawl on it's own is shaping up to be well worth the price of entry.

Ben D.

I agree entirely, although I'm not a SSBM fan.

It's not that I WANT the Wii to fail or to slip a long way, but as you say, there just aren't enough games for it. And the thing is, even if publishers were caught by surprise, they've had sufficient time to respond. We would've heard about more promising titles by now; it's almost a year later, after all. But all we ever hear about are the big-name titles, and 95% of them are on the PS3/360.

Ultimately, this is why I believe the Wii will finish third. It has been, currently is, and will continue to be...all about the games.

__________________
"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools talk because they have to say something."
-- Plato

"Small minds are interested in the extraordinary, great minds in the commonplace."
-- Elbert Hubbard

flarp

One could argue the PS3 was always the better deal. It really is an amazing amount of technology crammed into a little box.

It's the lack of content for the PS3 that is hurting the platform most, and that is something that Sony, has not yet done enough to offset. Several of the Playstation's most recognized exclusive game franchises aren't due out until mid to late 2008. The PS3 sales will really take off at that point, but that's another 6-12 months away.

In terms of which is the better deal now, Sony is still pretty far behind. At $250, the Wii gives you the novelty of motion-sensitive controls and a wide selection of party games. At $350, the Xbox gives you the most popular FPS games and a highly rated online gaming experience. At $400, the PS3 gives you a fancy DVD player that plays movies priced 30-50% higher than standard DVDs.

Sony would ask you to "invest" in the PS3 now, but that's also a losing proposition. Technology tends to get better and cheaper over time. Unless you have a pressing desire to get Blu-ray right now or play one of the few games available on PS3 now, the best "deal" will probably be to wait another year. There is no shortage of PS3 units at brick & mortar or online reatilers, and prices are unlikely to go back up as time passes.

Darth Koth

whoops, sorry double post

__________________
The Force Is With Me.......And I Still F**k Everything Up
Lightsabers: When you've absolutely, positively Got To Kill Every Motherf**ker In The Room
I'd Love To Knuckle-F**k That Punk Right In His C**cksucker - Ryan H.

Darth Koth

lol "with a bit of alcohol" you make the Wii sound like the girl you'd do only if you were drunk. seriously tho I see you point and agree

__________________
The Force Is With Me.......And I Still F**k Everything Up
Lightsabers: When you've absolutely, positively Got To Kill Every Motherf**ker In The Room
I'd Love To Knuckle-F**k That Punk Right In His C**cksucker - Ryan H.

The Benny (Macho)

Heh, I was referring to people being a little tipsy and less bothered with making a fool of themselves, but that works too.

My fondness for Nintendo definitely stems from my school days, when there was lots of free time between lessons and my friends and I would all go back to my place, either playing something on our LAN or the N64. With its four control ports there was just so much more multiplayer support built in by default and we had a blast playing things like Goldeneye, WCW/nWo Revenge and Smash Brothers. Smash Brothers in particular took us all by surprise and I've yet to see anybody else make a better four player fighting game, especially in the traditional 2D plane.

Welcome to the forum Flarp. I agree with you to an extent, I'm still very far away from being tempted to buy a PS3 myself because the exclusives just aren't enticing me, but at the same time there are lots of people who were interested in the likes of Lair, Heavenly Sword, Folklore and Ninja Gaiden Sigma while also being aware of the big games coming within the next year. For them the only obstacle was the high price point, and these price cuts and cheaper versions will be exactly what they were looking for. It's especially true if they don't yet own a 360 as all the third-party titles are an additional factor.

show2007

PS3 just had a price cut in Australia. its down to $650AU. SO i might invest in one soon.