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General discussion

Yes, yet ANOTHER console opinion post.

Dec 22, 2006 10:07AM PST

The console war subject has been around for a while now, and it has been beaten to death. But like Apple vs. Microsoft or Google vs. Microsoft or Open Source vs. Microsoft or Good vs. Microsoft, these things never get boring and people still find it in themselves to ***** about it to everyone (family, friends, superiors etc). And here is me, seeing everyone b1tching, and thinking that everyone is getting it completely wrong! So I?m going to get up onto my high horse, and give my OWN, personal opinion out there into the crowd as to why I think x, y or z is going to succeed in the gaming console market.
(Please note that succeed is the most appropriate word in this case. Profit doesn?t work as the PS3 will never make any, Units doesn?t work as that never proves anything (i.e. iPod vs. other MP3 players), just because more have been sold, it doesn?t mean it?s better, I KNOW!!!)

*Cough*

Here goes?

I think, like many, that the Wii is going to be the most successful. What a surprise?
I think, like some, that the XBOX 360 is going to be second. What a revelation?
I think, like most, that that the PS3 is going to be dead last?

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In a market that appeals to most people, if not all with the Wii, it is crucial to understand that the market is the general public. You (Person of the Year), Me and so on, will or may buy one of these three consoles. This is a very general sweeping statement I know, but it is only the Wii that conforms to this idealistic scenario (with the controller), but it is the scenario none-the-less.
Why is it crucial to understand this? Because in this market, it is price, and price alone that is the major contributing factor to the purchase.

I understand that the fun, graphics and so on are very much so factors contributing to the purchase of the product. But generally speaking PEOPLE BUY CHEAP STUFF. I?d rather drink freshly squeezed orange juice and dine on organic foods, but price and price alone sway me not to, no matter how superior the product is in taste or nutrients. And thus by this example, apply it to the console market (not literally!). Because at the end of the day for any buyer, price matters, and quality rarely comes into play, unless you are a niche purchaser. Which is what many people here are, which contorts their view of the real world on these purchases, so please understand that price is possibly the biggest issue.
This argument dictates that many will buy the Wii based on price, not features. Understand that it is really a different scenario, but the DS has undoubtedly less features that the PSP, but its price is significantly lower, as is graphical quality. But its price beats the PSP, which translates so clearly into PSP?s mediocre to poor sales and the DS?s amazing sales. Transfer this over to the Wii (which is very much the same as the DS just in a different market) and we get the idea that the Wii will beat the PS3 because of price.

I understand that the graphical gap between the DS and PSP is smaller than between the Wii and PS3 (and that the features gap is actually less wide) when i make this statement. But I still stand by it because the price gap is so much larger, possibly in proportion to the gap that exists between the handhelds.

So just to clarify and restate what I have said, cheap = more people buy. We see it everywhere from laptops, to food, to cars to every gadget and most products in the world. Accept it, its a fact.
There are obviously other reasons why the wii will produce more sales. The very fact that the games are fun, and the concept is fun. (I dont need to go into why it is more fun and why the games are so much better and that people get far more involved in the said games.)

Understand that even if this is a quirk and after a few days of being super excited about the controller i get bored and go back to my whatever, or that the Wii will never be used in the house after a few months. I still bought the Wii and Nintendo made their profit of it, so to everyone in that company, to the the analysts and market statistics, my purchase makes the product more successful, even if i get bored of it. So this point is, well, pointless to make.

Apart from those two reasons, there are no general consumer reasons to buy a Wii. The other features, i.e. Virtual Console and the various other channels, are so unlikely to make the purchase more worthwhile especially when we have the entire media center functionality of the other consoles.
So the Wii is cheap and fun. Which it makes it the best purchase for all consumers, unless you somehow rich enough to not be mad to buy a PS3.

The reasons why the XBOX 360 will be second? Again, price is the issue. A consumer will look at the PS3 and see its price and its similarity of features to the XBOX 360 and buy a 360. Especially at this stage when the PS3 has so little exclusive content, and when the graphics in the in-exclusive content is worse on the PS3 and also that whatever exclusive content out there at the moment is boring. Okay, the PS3 may have great titles coming along. But a general consumer doesn?t look at game roadmaps, they look at what is on the shelve.

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I am now coming onto the PS3 and it was very difficult for me to decide exactly why this will be last, because I had to consider groups of consumers and what not, and really consider the price and the features.

There are essentially two groups of consumers buying a PS3. A teenager, relying on a parent for the purchase. A technologically minded modern (like 99% of) young adult(s). And Geeks.

A teenager relying on a parent is unlikely to see a PS3 in a stocking. Its a matter of price. It depends on the parents, and their price flexibility. So I would say that 50% of parents will not make the purchase because they will actively communicate with the child about the PS3 and will then, through the resulting conversations and considerations that are formed, not buy a PS3. Then there are the other 50% of parents who are told the child wants a PS3 and will simply get it, no questions asked.

The technologically modern adult is unlikely to buy a PS3, price is a matter and the fact that if they are reasonably intelligent (unlike the teenagers) they will go for another console (price, features, fun?).

Geeks are split into these groups, Geeks with a down-to-earth attitude about products, Geeks attached to a particular product, or Geeks who are gamers. The down-to-earth Geek will not get a PS3, because it is simply to expensive for the fact that it doesn't deliver. The attached Geek will buy a PS3 because they adore Sony or the Playstation brand, whatever. The gaming Geek will probably buy all three, which for market share is essentially the same as buying none of them.

I am trying really hard not to generalize, even though I force my opinions into the argument and don?t really argue about some points.

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People say that the PS3 will sell better than other consoles because it has the Blu-ray drive, media center capabilities, graphics, Cell, Linux and HD. These are not reasons why it will sell or be successful. Let me explain.

Blu-ray is dead in the water and not something people care about apart from geeks.

Media-center capabilities is not something many people care about for a TV. For a handheld, yes, placing movies on your PSP and being able to play them anywhere. That is a good feature. People simply do not play music off their TV or show photos to people. It is something that people commute around a Computer for (or listen to music while doing other things). And movies, well people watch movies on their TV anyway, so whats your point? Seriously, how many people rip DVDs (and then stream them) or have un-DRMed downloaded movies. Even for home movies, burning to DVD or CD, or simply watching them on the computer is so much more common!!! All the above doesn't apply if you are either a Geek or Rich and like to look fancy. Sorry, its true.

Graphics, especially when compared to the XBOX 360 are *meh*. You currently get WORSE graphics for a higher price. That doesn't go down well.

The cell processor (and that crap about communicating with other Cell devices in your house as per another post, I mean really, Sony wouldn't program a game that is designed to communicate with other products that may or may not be in your house.) is not a selling point, in the same way that the consumer doesn't care if its Intel or AMD, sure we Geeks like to think they care, those normal people. But they really have no idea what it is or that it even exists.

Linux is a Geek activity. Need I explain further?

HD is a fact of the future, market saturation is slim yet growing (in Japan so, US less so, EU no so), it isn't a selling point. Especially when the ?HD? console cant even handle HD in its various flavors very well.

So please PLEASE do not cite the above as reasons why the PS3 will be more successful than other consoles, because they are not. But yes some (graphics & HD) are obviously features that will generate sales.

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So yeah? Thats why I think the PS3 will be dead last and the Wii first...

Me, I am personally going for the Wii 360, I am getting a Wii for Christmas officially, a 360 may come along in the future, but I really dont see my household having two same generation games consoles.

I am not flaming, just trying to help people understand why the Wii will sell more. I am not attached to Nintendo, the GameCube was a flop and I know that. I just think that I understand more about the public and inject more common sense into my thinking than some of the other people here. I will listen to your opinions on my thoughts and will not get angry at your replies if you do not get angry at my article.

Thanks for reading.

Crampy20

Discussion is locked

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Wii isn't for me!
Dec 25, 2006 11:50AM PST

I don't like playing video games at all. Unfortunately my roomate does... and the worst part is he is partial to the Wii. He, along with the Nintendo Sales People, think they can attract non-gamers like myself. Well, I tried it and was not impressed or excited. If I had my choice there would be no game console in my home but I don't have that choice so instead I try to just sit back and enjoy watching someone play. The wii games are boring to watch and have lousy graphics. I went to my cousin's house two weeks ago and watched my nephew's playing X-box. Now, those games were entertaining and visually pleasing.

I've tried to be open minded about the Wii. But after this weekend I finally reached the conclusion that I HATE THE NINTENDO WII. The games are annoying and childish. The graphics - hmm... baseball players with no legs, A moving van with wheels that don't turn - they just sorta moon walk across the screen, a boxing game that you can instruct to punch five times and only get one actual response, and then Zelda which has more sequels than Friday the 13th or Rocky - same old thing everytime. The graphics are atleast up to par with the 1980's graphics of Dragon Slayer. The final straw though is that irritaing, annoying Rayman game. I'm either going to give away my LCD TV or buy an Xbox and hope my roomate will convert. I just can't another afternoon of it - I'd rather sit there in total silence and stare at the wall.

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Wii's not for everyone then
Dec 26, 2006 2:34AM PST

I think that the reason you dislike the wii may be becasue your a nongamer. The wii may attract traditional gamers who are looking for something new to play that will entertain their friends and family. I own a wii and i LOVE IT! I have to say super monkey ball fell down the drain, but you're right. Wii isn't for you!
as for the article, i completely agree. that somes up everything

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wrong
Dec 27, 2006 6:39AM PST

The Wii is made for the non-gamer type. Non-gamers want only a few buttons to control or a party-type game that uses the motion sensing. Why do you think there have been all these accounts of parents jumping in with their kids for rounds of golf on Wiisports? You have it all backwards...non-gamers and gamers who want a secondary console are buying the Wii.

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INteresting, but...
Dec 29, 2006 12:54AM PST

I appreciate the detail of your post, and understand your point. However, history has contradicted it.

Last gen (XBox, PS2, GC), The game cube was $100 cheaper than the PS2 and XBox. Despite near non-existent sales in Japan, the XBox beat the GameCube in total sales (by 2 million, if I remember correctly), had a much higher attach rate (games sold for that console), and was generally considered to be a more successful console than the GameCube (the GC came close to the XBox in total sales because of Japan - the XBox beat the GC by a significant margin in every other market).

So, we are back to the Wii-mote being the reason to buy a Wii.

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reply
Dec 29, 2006 4:58AM PST

That gen, PS2 a commanding lead, XB distand 2nd and GC a close 3rd behind XB. PS2 had a year's head start vs the other 2 consoles. As for XB vs GC, Nin lost alot of their 3rd party support by then, so by then, it was about Quality and not Quantity games.

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Sry, needed elaboration.
Jan 3, 2007 8:35AM PST

I didnt mean the traditional gamers from a while back who still play games and such. I meant the guys who found other interests and may be drawn back to games seeing their childhood again. But yeah, i meant nongamers who used to be gamers in their child hood. Sorry, i leave out stuff like that alot Silly