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Surprises in store for the XBOX 360

Microsoft's Richard Teversham talked a lot without saying much in regards to anything important about the XBOX 360. Teversham continued to beat the corporate drum that the PlayStation 3 is priced too high and that the company is taking its fan base for a ride. That being said, he still feels that the Sony faithful will snap up the consoles as fast as possible -- at least in Europe. “Sony has got great loyalty and they are going to seriously use that loyalty to ensure that they sell a console. On day one they will have pre-sold most of what they’ve got. But the question is, will they actually be able to launch in Europe and if they do, what are the tiny quantities going to be in Europe," said Teversham to MCV.

Teversham went to say that the Wii is little more than a Gamecube with a DVD drive and the company likely wouldn’t have enough supply to meet demand. He also reiterated that Microsoft would not be dropping the price of its XBOX 360 before year's end. This should put a stop to some of the rumors that have been flying around recently. Instead, he threw the ball back in Sony's court, "The question is: When are they going to drop the price? I think a lot of gamers out there are going to be saying ‘I’ll wait for the price to drop,’ or even better they’ll buy a 360."

Teversham also promised a few surprises for its console in Q4, but failed to at least drop a hint as to what could possibly be in store. As far as we know, he could be talking about the already announced external HD DVD drive or some top secret, developed in a locked basement “killer game” that no one was expecting.


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Microsoft will fall behind.
By Araxen on 8/1/06, Rating: 0
RE: Microsoft will fall behind.
By Souka on 8/1/06, Rating: 0
RE: Microsoft will fall behind.
By RandomFool on 8/1/2006 5:25:45 PM , Rating: 2
I don't. A cheap console with a recognizable name and an innovate new control scheme. Nintendo is doing a ton of work to get third party developers on board and has done a great job generating buzz on the console. The Wii is setup to win this console war.


RE: Microsoft will fall behind.
By BioRebel on 8/1/2006 5:27:55 PM , Rating: 1
And what does Sony bring to the table other than fancy graphics?


RE: Microsoft will fall behind.
By Samus on 8/1/2006 5:49:25 PM , Rating: 3
Well, the PS3 is a full blown media center (much like the XBOX360) but incorporating bluray...which doesn't really mean much these days considering its limited success in the retail market.

XBOX360 is well priced, will feature an HD-DVD addon and already has a huge jump start. Halo 3 will ensure its success.

Wii will be successful no matter how you look at it because its targeting all markets: media center, backwards compatibility, new slightly improved gamecube graphics (which by todays standards are still adequate) and price. Don't forget its revolutionary control, either. There are going to be games developed for this console that were never possible, only time will tell what people come up with.


By ssvegeta1010 on 8/1/2006 5:55:50 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
And what does Sony bring to the table other than fancy graphics?


Not much. I don't need a "media center", I don't have an HDTV (I will at some point, but even then, I'm not a huge movie fan), and OMG GRAPHICS isn't good enough for me. I've seen Oblivion, HL2, FEAR, and all that, and graphics just don't do it for me anymore. Maybe if developers brought more gameplay depth to the table, then I would be happy. It looks like the Wii has some possibilities here. And for those who do like graphics, I've seen Nintendo do some amazing things with old hardware. They pushed the GBA to do some rather nice looking 3D. (If only they hadn't skimped on the resolution for the DS, I'm sure they could do some amazing things.)


RE: Microsoft will fall behind.
By Ard on 8/1/2006 6:32:10 PM , Rating: 3
I do. Nintendo had a recognizable name with GC and they even lowered the price to $99 and yet they still ended up in third place. What's any different now? Oh, that's right, the magical controller that will change the face of gaming. No, not likely...


RE: Microsoft will fall behind.
By mushi799 on 8/1/2006 6:45:24 PM , Rating: 2
nice statement, didn't work out so well with the gamecube now did it? GC was cheaper out of the three, it had a strong start but had a really bad finish.


RE: Microsoft will fall behind.
By Xavian on 8/1/2006 7:54:03 PM , Rating: 3
You also forget that the GC had really bad third party support compared to the Xbox (which brought third parties for exclusives) and the PS2 (the Thirdy Party wonder child).

This time round it seems the Third Parties are on Nintendo's side, plus they are also on microsofts side too. This leaves Sony and its Ps3 out in the cold. That is if the rumours that say that developers are cancelling development on the PS3 because of the incredibly bad reaction it got over the past 3-4 months (after E3).

Nintendo's achilles heel has ALLWAYS been the lack of good advertising, they are good at drumming up hype for Nintendo Fans but outside of that they are hopeless. But with the DS Lite we are seeing more advertising that usual and thus i believe we will see the same change for the Wii.

I personally believe Nintendo is pushing all the right buttons and none of the wrong ones this time round. They have the 'killer app' (the new control scheme which will inevitably be copied down to the last screw by Sony and Microsoft), they have a fantastic launch line-up, they are drumming up hype from outside the Nintendo fans and the fans themselves and they have exclusives for the Wii that are truely exlusives (would be very hard to port to other consoles).

They also have a lot of recent experience in getting the mythical non-gamer into gaming (see Brain Training, Big Brain Academy and various other titles, i believe theres a 'How to cook' game for the DS with real japanese recipes out in Japan). The big problem is the Wii is a wildcard, no-one really knows if it will bring in non-gamers, it could be a massive success that could bring Nintendo back to the top of the console market, or it could be a big flop. Its a big risk for Nintendo, but personally i think they will succeed.


RE: Microsoft will fall behind.
By FearlessUser on 8/1/2006 6:08:32 PM , Rating: 2
When are people going to stop referring to Microsoft as M$. That is the stupidest thing ever. Never was funny. Why can't anyone be original and call Sony $ony. That horse is dead. Stop beating it.
I know I contributed nothing with this post, but it had to be said.


RE: Microsoft will fall behind.
By BZDTemp on 8/2/06, Rating: 0
RE: Microsoft will fall behind.
By vortmax on 8/2/2006 1:14:18 PM , Rating: 3
You forgot to mention that Microsoft is the only company in existence to use those types of business practices and places it's profits over everything else....

That was sarcasm...couldn't resist.


By THEREALJMAN73 on 8/2/2006 8:33:00 AM , Rating: 3
When people stop being jelous of Microsofts success they will stop. That is not likely to ever happen so you should just get used to it.


RE: Microsoft will fall behind.
By Wegmans on 8/2/2006 8:47:41 AM , Rating: 2
I think the battle will be between Microsoft and Sony. Nintendo has been good at differentiating themselves from other consoles. Perhaps when looking at how the top three will finish, it could be said that Nintendo will probably be second, leaving MS and Sony to battle it out for first. Nintendo has an angle, and apparently MS and Sony just have prettier graphics and new games.

I’d also like to point out that the majority of the market is unfortunately not the people who read posts at this site. Whether you want a Blu-Ray player or not doesn’t reflect all the parents who are getting these things for their children and haven’t a clue what the components are. Just a thought…


RE: Microsoft will fall behind.
By kitchme on 8/2/2006 1:59:05 PM , Rating: 2
When you say battling for the first place, it usually means one will be First and the other Second. But you place Nintendo in the second place.


RE: Microsoft will fall behind.
By Wegmans on 8/2/2006 2:07:37 PM , Rating: 2
I'll clarify.

It will either be:

1:Sony
2:Nintendo
3:MS
-OR-
1:MS
2:Nintendo
3:Sony

Therefore Sony and MS are vying for 1st


RE: Microsoft will fall behind.
By 9nails on 8/3/2006 4:56:45 AM , Rating: 2
Considering Japanese buyers, you cannot have an American backed console system in first place. They're a closed minded society against buying foreign consumer electronic goods.

You're list, while likely true in the UK , AU or USA, will not hold true for JP consumerism. JP speaks for a minority of the console sales, but a sizeable portion of games are developed from there. So their portion is still significant to the game market.


RE: Microsoft will fall behind.
By Wegmans on 8/3/2006 7:53:27 AM , Rating: 2
That's a good call, I didn't think about that market. The market in Japan is very unique though; I wonder if throughout the world it will average out still having an American backed console in first?


RE: Microsoft will fall behind.
By ToeCutter on 8/2/2006 9:54:57 AM , Rating: 2
Six months ago, I would have completely disagreed with this opinion, but how times have changed. In talking with other console fans, I've noticed that for the first time......
EVER, enthusiasm for a new Sony console is simply MIA. At $500, it's simply too much of a gamble. Even those who have purchased XBOX 360 simply aren't that pleased with the lineup and are pissed they spent so much to get on board.

With regards to the media center approach, I just don't see gamers *that* intersted in this "feature". Most already have some type of streaming DVD player that does the media stuff FAR better than XBOX 360. What they really want are *games* (go figure).

You also have to consider the "Mom Factor". We've had 4 consecutive months of waning consumer confidence due to record gasoline costs. I think most Moms and Dads will tell their kids "It's Nintendo or nothing, I'm not spending 4 bills on a video game..."

I think Nintendo will just sit back and let MS and Sony duke it out while their cheap GAMING consoles fly off the shelves this Xmas.


By Locutus465 on 8/2/2006 12:42:26 PM , Rating: 2
Well, the uber 360 is a tad pricy, but the basic unit is actually right in line with the expected cost for a new game console (at least it matches the X-Box/PS2 launch). So the idea of parents getting their kids a 360 isn't that far out there, they'll just buy the basic one and a storage card instead of a hard drive. Soney is screwed because even their basic PS3 is out of line price wise, and I'm sure PS3 game prices aren't going to be much better. 360 games are already averaging $60/game.


RE: Microsoft will fall behind.
By 9nails on 8/3/2006 5:06:39 AM , Rating: 2
For Sony, I fear you're pretty accurate in your statement. Considering gasoline prices et al, consumers are finding savings more important than before. Considering that the Nintendo Wii will have less expensive games and a less expensive console initial cost, Mom's have a pretty easy choice to make this season.

This in now way will discount the hardcore gamer market. Sony met a middle ground with price and game selection the PS2. That ground is no longer where they stand with PS3 in mind. Simply, they now fight at the top of the game where the hardcore enthusiasts play, abandoning the casual gamer.




No really who is buying this crap??
By othercents on 8/1/2006 6:06:24 PM , Rating: 2
PS3 is going to be sucessful. The main reason why is because most people don't want to reinvest in all their games when they buy a different manufacturer's console. This is one of the reasons why PS2 was very sucessful.

Granted there are going to be many people who buy the 360 instead, but tell me what percent of people who owned a PS1 purchased a PS2 when they came out? I think there was less than 10%. Most people waited. They wanted to kinks to be worked out of the system before they purchased.

For some reason everyone believes that consumers are dumb. M$ wants us to think that PS3 is overpriced because of BlueRay. They also want us to think that Nintendo is a toy not worth buying. The truth is that PS3 with BlueRay is going to be the cheapest BlueRay player available. People will buy it because it has BlueRay, because it is supposed to have the best graphics, and it plays all their old PS1 and PS2 games. People will buy Wii because it is fun, and it will have a bunch of kids games that the whole family could play.

So lets look to see who will be sucessful because of market position. Xbox and PS3 are marketed to teenagers and young adults w/o children. Wii is marketed to kids usually under the age of 13 and for families (even grandparents might buy one to entertain their grandchildren). My question is which market is bigger?

Other




By modestninja on 8/1/2006 6:22:20 PM , Rating: 2
I'm pretty sure the backwards compatibility of the PS3 (or PS2) isn't that big of a factor in people buying them. Very few people I know with PS2s played PS1 games on them, they were always occupied with the more recent games that they got... Anyway, if the PS3 is as good as a Blue Ray player as the PS2 was a DVD player then you will definetely get what you pay for if you want the cheapest Blue Ray player out there.


RE: No really who is buying this crap??
By MADAOO7 on 8/1/2006 6:26:16 PM , Rating: 2
Wii is backwards compatable with Gamecube, and will be able to download hundreds of great Nintendo classics when launched, and Xbox 360 plays Xbox games. So I highly doubt backwards compatability is going to be a major factor.

The whole idea of Wii is to attract a larger market then ever before by introducing the innovative control. No other company stresses quality video games with great gameplay more than Nintendo. I think that the price point that Nintendo will introduce their system at will allow it to sell more units than Microsoft or PS3. I'm not saying that it will necessarily be the best system, but it's more of an impulse buy rather than a large investment like PS3. You also have to remember hardcore gamers grew up with Zelda and Mario and both titles look incredible on Wii. Also, the latest reports are that Wii has been in production for some time now, and will not have any shortages.

Just some food for thought....


RE: No really who is buying this crap??
By TheDoc9 on 8/2/2006 4:40:29 PM , Rating: 2
$250 isn't an impulse buy for me. plus a game and whatever other accesories. Little higher than impulse. Also, the backwards combatability is big, at least to me. There are a lot of ps2 games I've been wanting to play but can't since I had to sell my ps2.

The 360 backwards compatability is a complete and total disaster. It's a joke and a total let down. They really shafted 360 owners, myself included. I was looking forward to playing several old xbox games, none of which are compatable with the 360. 360 emulation is so pathetic, they actually make you download GIG's of data just to play one game. In other words, you download a 360 version of the game and use your disc for authentication.

honestly, to me there are a few good 360 games out but I'm not very impressed so far. I'm glad it was a gift.


By epsilonparadox on 8/2/2006 6:07:25 PM , Rating: 2
Wow for a 360 owner, you're very wrong about the size of the emulator for original xbox games. I d/led and played all the rainbow games on the 360 and I still have 13gigs of space on my 360. The only bad thing was to pay again for the maps and such.


RE: No really who is buying this crap??
By aGreenAgent on 8/1/2006 6:30:06 PM , Rating: 2
Since when is the Wii marketed to kids and families?

Have you seen Nintendo's list of games for the Wii?

Nintendo has HUGE base of internal design teams that make kids games, sure - but even if Nintendo were to design a system entirely with 20 year olds in mind, those teams would still make kids games for it.

Point is, Nintendo isn't making kids-game consoles, even if they do make a bunch of kids games.

But look at Nintendo's list of Wii titles - they're all games for 20+ gamers.

Most of the hardcore gamers I know (and trust me, I know a LOT of hardcore gamers) tend to be Nintendo loyalists, because Nintendo has always catered to the hardcore gamer. MS and Sony cater to the mainstream gamer (the kind who play FPS games all day), which is in itself a large market.


RE: No really who is buying this crap??
By mushi799 on 8/1/2006 6:49:41 PM , Rating: 2
nintendo isn't kid-oriented? dude wake up...

mario,metroid, link, mario party blah blah. It still is.


By Xavian on 8/1/2006 8:12:57 PM , Rating: 3
so what is your definition of 'mature' games? slitting someones throat with a knife?

'dude, wake up! you dont need to have excessive gore and violence to have a game for mature gamers'

Do you ever play card games? do you think poker is kiddy because it has no violence in it?

if you do then you are some serious problems with reality let alone with the Nintendo Console.


RE: No really who is buying this crap??
By TheDoc9 on 8/2/2006 1:43:04 PM , Rating: 2
I think you've got your definition of hardcore and mainstream gamers reversed.


RE: No really who is buying this crap??
By aGreenAgent on 8/2/2006 2:38:09 PM , Rating: 2
I think you've never seen a real hardcore gamer before, then. I see guys who have played nearly every console game (and probably PC game) released since original NES. They play video games maybe 18 hours per day. It's what they do.

I would consider a mainstream gamer someone who plays Halo or CS all the time (even though they would consider themselves hardcore).


By TheDoc9 on 8/2/2006 4:44:40 PM , Rating: 2
Hardcore Mario bros. players? Counterstrike is mainstream yes, but the comment was about fps's in general. Quake4 and UT are certainly not mainstream, but they are fps's, hardcore to boot.


RE: No really who is buying this crap??
By Loc13 on 8/2/2006 10:39:38 AM , Rating: 2
Please remember that Nintendo made the first video game console. At that time, they could had the capability to make games like Mario, and everyone was playing MARIO!! And guess what? Everyone loved Mario. If a game didn't sell and no money to be made, they wouldn't put the resources into it. It would be really stupid for Nintendo not a continue a franchise like Mario that everybody loves!! So we end up with all these "Kid games" that originated from the classic games like Mario, Donkey Kong. But I tell you what, lots of my college friends play Smash Brothers, DON'T YOU TELL ME THAT'S a kid game! You probably never played some of the jap import titles, which are not made for kids.


RE: No really who is buying this crap??
By Araxen on 8/2/2006 11:16:21 AM , Rating: 2
Nintendo didn't make the first video game console. Atari was making consoles long before Nintendo.


RE: No really who is buying this crap??
By on 8/2/2006 12:46:19 PM , Rating: 2
Showing my age here a bit...

In the 1970's before Atari, Magnavox had one of the earliest consumer "console" systems (pong-like games) -- which hooked into your own television and played in black & white. A multitude of 'Pong' players came to market spurred by Alan Bushnell's success with his coin-operated Pong machines.

Fairchild's Channel-F was the first to use removable cartridges for its games. Channel-F came to market just before the Atari VCS.


Ha
By CKDragon on 8/1/2006 5:08:16 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
Teversham went to say that the Wii is little more than a Gamecube with a DVD drive


Yea, except for that whole brand new control scheme that everyone and their little brother are interested in giving a whirl, Nintendo brings practically nothing new to the table!

Jeez, I guess these guys are not content with letting Sony have all the ridiculous quotes.




RE: Ha
By creathir on 8/1/2006 5:28:09 PM , Rating: 1
From a TECHICAL standpoint, he is accurate. It is a revamped Gamecube core and graphics chip, with a DVD drive. Sure the controller is something we all want to try, but from a Microsoft VPs perspective (a company that had motion controllers LONG ago...) it really is not that interesting. In all honesty, are hardcore gamers going to adopt this control style, probably not. Most hardcore gamers play at all times of the day (usually early morning/late evening) when jumping around is not something they really care to be doing. Who is it great for? 8-16 year olds and 35+ adults who hate all those buttons on a controller. Who is the Wii geared for, and marketed for? The casual gamer. (Usually in that 8-16 yr. old market or 35+ market)

I plan on purchasing a Wii, and I would consider myself a "hardcore gamer". (pre-ordered two 360s the day pre-orders started at Gamestop) I love games, and will always try new things, but to call this execs quote ridiculous is a ridiculous in itself. He is right... the Wii, is a repackaged, updated GameCube with a DVD player. That is what it is. It does not diminish the games that could exist on it... but facts are facts, and they are not ridiculous.

- Creathir


RE: Ha
By Josh7289 on 8/1/2006 5:35:15 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
Most hardcore gamers play at all times of the day (usually early morning/late evening) when jumping around is not something they really care to be doing.


You obviously don't have your own facts right. Show me one Wii game that involves "jumping around".


RE: Ha
By creathir on 8/1/2006 6:02:12 PM , Rating: 3
Given the movements noted on the Wii announcement, such as playing Zelda... I could see that as being called "jumping around"
- Creathir


RE: Ha
By Josh7289 on 8/1/2006 7:46:01 PM , Rating: 1
If slightly moving your wrist -- yes, only your wrist -- is "jumping around" to you, then I think you have more important things to worry about than what the "hardcore gamer" will think of Wii.


RE: Ha
By Teletran1 on 8/2/2006 11:09:51 AM , Rating: 2
If the control scheme is just slightly moving your wrist then how different is this thing from the power glove which was total garbage and made playing most games a nightmare. The new control is cool and all but I can see most people opting for a regular control scheme after the initial wow factor is over.


RE: Ha
By ssvegeta1010 on 8/1/2006 5:50:24 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
Most hardcore gamers play at all times of the day (usually early morning/late evening) when jumping around is not something they really care to be doing.


1 AM DDR is so much fun. Its also usually cooler out, therefore more comfortable in the spring/summer. I find myself playing DDR (a very physically active game, for those who don't know) whenever I would play other games, and if I'm awake enough to fire up CS, I'm awake enough to play DDR. Now take down the movement a couple notches, to mainly arm and hand motions, and I could see doing that all day. (Most of us gamers seem to have well exercised wrists ;) )


RE: Ha
By creathir on 8/1/06, Rating: -1
RE: Ha
By Xavian on 8/1/2006 8:21:34 PM , Rating: 4
you do know that 'hardcore gamers' are not playing Xbox games because they are sick of FPS's and sports games?

As far as im aware only Sony and Nintendo offer a wide range of titles (both via third parties). Microsofts Xbox 360 is an american system for american gamers, nothing more, nothing less. 'Hardcore gamers' would have far more chance on being a Nintendo or Sony fan then an xbox fan.


RE: Ha
By Xavian on 8/1/2006 8:06:21 PM , Rating: 4
Lets list the things that are different shallll we?

1) The New Control Scheme (Thats a given)
2) Thw WiiConnect24 feature (you'd have a tough time trying to make wifi always on, on the GC (cause it doesn't have Wifi!)
3) Bluetooth Connectivity to the Controllers (once again see 2) )
4) 512MB flash storage (yeah, are we running out of extension ports on the GC right about now?)
5) 2 USB2 ports for external HDD and flash drive extensibility.
6) 2 SD card slots for even more extensibility
7) "Hollywood" and "Broadway" are brand new chips, they have been redesigned completely, but can still operate and process GC code effectively
8) Virtual Console (which both old games and new low budget games will appear on)

Personally with all these things changed and added at what point does a console cease to be 'old but upgraded' and new?

For him to say the Wii is the Gamecube with a DVD, but be the same as saying the PS2 is the PS1 with a DVD drive. The graphics leap IS there, its just that those with SD TV sets (some 95% of the world btw) will be able to play a game thats optimised for them not the HD minority.

Infact the only reason why the PS3 and Xbox 360 look better is because they use HD for all the 'fancy' graphics.

Hell you could even say the PS3 is merely a PS2 with better graphics or even the Xbox 360 is an Xbox with better graphics, because lets not mix words here, that is all the new consoles are bringing to the table.


RE: Ha
By JNo on 8/1/2006 8:50:08 PM , Rating: 3
Wii can't do 720p... what a waste!
Makes me sad such a cool console won't be native on my 720 projector..
I agree that most people will still be SD but a) maybe not by the end of the Wii lifespan and b) so what? if you don't have hi-def, the console should downgrade the image appropriately, just like with the 360 and ps3


RE: Ha
By BZDTemp on 8/2/2006 7:00:00 AM , Rating: 1
You don't get it. Games are not about pixels they are about gameplay which is why I prefer Angband over Diablo and don't care if the Wii does HD or not.


RE: Ha
By Furen on 8/2/2006 7:58:05 AM , Rating: 2
Well, running at HD resolution requires you to have a better graphics chip. Since the Wii's graphics chip is anemic enough as it is, I think it's a good call to restrict games to SD. Personally, I hope the gamecube does require jumping around... freaking people need to exercise.


RE: Ha
By 9nails on 8/3/2006 5:19:30 AM , Rating: 2
The HD electronics need to downgrade it's picture quality to match a SD source. It's not the other way around! HD is still miniscule in it's availbility. To be effective at becoming a widly adopted standard HD needs to: 1. lower it's price points to those of SD electronics. 2. decide on a standard, be it 480p, 720p, 1080i or 1080p. But, pick one! 3. Improve backwards compatability to SD during these transition phases. 4. content, content, content!


I guess Microsoft really does like Nintendo
By Josh7289 on 8/1/2006 5:24:07 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
Teversham went to say that the Wii is little more than a Gamecube with a DVD drive and the company likely wouldn’t have enough supply to meet demand.


So since everyone will want one, Nintendo won't be able to keep up with the huge demand? I guess this is another hint that Microsoft really does like Nintendo, after their little Wii + 360 = PS3 price thing.




RE: I guess Microsoft really does like Nintendo
By Fox5 on 8/1/2006 6:10:20 PM , Rating: 2
Perhaps preparing for media for the inevitable buyout of Nintendo, thus no one can say "But didn't you say their product was inferior...". They also tried to buy out Nintendo before the Xbox launched. Hmm, would have been nice to see Nintendo as Microsoft's game division, a Gamecube with a harddrive, 64MB ram, and a 200mhz graphics chip would have been close to the Wii's current specs, and likely been much more successful than Gamecube and Xbox combined were. You could have all your fav games under one roof with the best hardware to boot, may have made a decent competitor to the Playstation 2.


By aGreenAgent on 8/1/2006 6:24:04 PM , Rating: 2
Nintendo won't sell, though, period.


By aGreenAgent on 8/1/2006 6:24:23 PM , Rating: 3
I mean the company, not the consoles :p


RE: I guess Microsoft really does like Nintendo
By Xavian on 8/1/2006 8:10:01 PM , Rating: 2
Indeed, Microsoft already tried to buy Nintendo in its darkest hour (when the GCN was not doing so good) and enter the market that way. Microsoft was promptly told by the Nintendo president to "suck his little yellow balls" are which Steve Ballmer walked out.

Thats a true story i swear!


By Josh7289 on 8/2/2006 12:27:12 AM , Rating: 2
Yeah, there is really no way a Japanese company will be bought out by an American company, especially Nintendo in its current state. Also, I believe Miyamoto once said that if Nintendo had to quit the hardware business, they would also quit the software business, but that is obviously not going to happen now. ^^


As I see it...
By Gatt on 8/1/2006 7:02:26 PM , Rating: 3
Nintendo's got 3 problems.

1. They've got a long standing reputation of being a kid console, starting with when they wanted the enemies in Wolfenstein turned into Zombies. They want market share, they need to get Adult. Fast.

2. The controller has alot of potential to become a gimmick, as Nintendo is well known for. Motion sensing tech is not new, and has not worked out well before. No reason to expect it to do so now. Especially since gyrating wildly in front of a TV is more likely to make one look like an idiot than anything else. It's also going to get tiring, real tiring, as people try to stand there for an hour performing the same repetitive action over and over.

3. Innovation. The controller has the potential to impede innovation because it would become to physically demanding and/or impossible to perform. Imagine trying to handle any given fighting game with this controller.

IMO, Wii will flare up and burn out fairly quickly in the market. IMO it's too much gimmick and too little substance, and once you get past the controller you're left with a last generation console which may or may not even have a fair number of interesting titles for the 20+ crowd.




RE: As I see it...
By Xavian on 8/1/2006 8:17:16 PM , Rating: 2
wasn't that the same argument given to why the DS was gonna flop?

As far as im aware its outselling the PSP by quite a lot nowadays (especially in Japan, where the PSP is being outsold by 220,000 units ever week).

Like i said before what is you definition of 'adult-orientated' games? games like 'somegenericFPS 55'? Personally i think you have to be blowing someone or something up to have great fun.

As i said before, do you think poker as a game is kiddy because it has no violence and doesn't have people blowing up?


RE: As I see it...
By Xavian on 8/1/2006 8:18:11 PM , Rating: 2
correction: i DONT think

whoops :)


RE: As I see it...
By TheDoc9 on 8/2/2006 4:47:30 PM , Rating: 2
I think the argument was that the DS had too many screens ;)


RE: As I see it...
By Loc13 on 8/2/2006 10:33:47 AM , Rating: 2
Have you ever held a Wii controller in your hand or even played a game with it at E3? I have not seen a motion sensing controller made by sony or microsoft that would sucessfully play a tennis game.


Quite impressive for Nintendo...
By Fox5 on 8/1/2006 5:22:45 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
Teversham went to say that the Wii is little more than a Gamecube with a DVD drive and the company likely wouldn’t have enough supply to meet demand.


Wow, if Nintendo can sell something that's a gamecube with a DVD drive, which should be insanely simple to produce, and then drive up demand enough that they can't keep up with it...well perhaps Microsoft is looking at the console industry all wrong.

BTW, if Xbox 360 sales start to lag, you can bet there will be a price cut anyway. Most likely they'll do some sort of bundle first though.




RE: Quite impressive for Nintendo...
By TheDoc9 on 8/1/2006 6:01:04 PM , Rating: 2
I agree that ther's probably a price cut or a bundle comming for 360. Certainly not a killer game or anything as dramatic as that.

I'm not convinced that Wii will sell that well. If it does it would be because it's a novelty item, certainly not something cool and interesting like a 360 or PS3. The games would probably move slowly as well (as in sell slowly).

I've decided not to buy one myself, unless it becomes a hundred bucks with free unlimited downloads of old games.


RE: Quite impressive for Nintendo...
By aGreenAgent on 8/1/2006 6:21:52 PM , Rating: 2
Normally I don't offer rebuttals to posts - but you're dead wrong on this.

You're the only person (who buys consoles) that I know that ISN'T buying a Wii.

Wii may not bring Nintendo to the #1 position again, but it will bring Nintendo ahead to #2 at least.


RE: Quite impressive for Nintendo...
By Teletran1 on 8/2/2006 11:19:01 AM , Rating: 2
At this point I would buy a PS3 or XBOX360 before I ever considered buying a Wii. I have no interest in nintendo's new system AT ALL. Nothing said or written about the Wii interests me in the least bit. That opinion might change once all of the consoles are out and actually have a decent selection of games. For now I can wait. I am not some impatient 10 year old.


By TheDoc9 on 8/2/2006 1:58:56 PM , Rating: 2
Agreed, The Wii may be on my list in the future, but only to play the games I've missed on the GC.

The old nintendo games need to be free for me though. They can be emulated at extreemly high resolutions and are completly free on a media pc. Plus they get boring after a short while, so it's not a big enough reason for me to buy a wii.

Only the GC and new Wii classic remakes like zelda and perhaps MAYBE mario (Mario's really tired) would tilt my descision on the Wii. Trouble is, the graphics don't look that great. The Fun might be there but realism is equally important to me. This is where the Ps3 and 360 will shine (and Pc for that matter).

+ I don't have time to play games all day. When you have a real job your priorities change :)

I think Nintendo is taking a huge chance by not upgrading the graphics. To me, I see the wii selling at first, but the games won't be as advanced looking. This is important to young people, it was to me and my friends. I'll never forget the endless discussions about who had the best graphics nintendo vs. Sega,super nintendo vs. sega genesis, ect.. Nintendo doesn't have it. Maybe the system would be good to have at your grandparents to play at a family reunion.

NOTE: ADMIN PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE TIMEOUT


The Surprise is Already in the Xbox 360...
By Engine of End on 8/2/2006 10:31:05 AM , Rating: 2
It just needs to be unlocked. Last November, Microsoft said that a "special feature" will be unlocked after one year. What exactly is the special feature? No clue. What is even more mysterious is that no one that has modded their Xbox 360 has found anything.

I'm sure the special feature isn't anything spectacular. Most likely, it will probably fall under the category of "good to have, but don't need it."




RE: The Surprise is Already in the Xbox 360...
By rupaniii on 8/2/2006 10:38:06 AM , Rating: 2
It can already Decode HDDVD or BluRay encoded discs, it just needs the Drive Attachment, which is imminent.


By epsilonparadox on 8/2/2006 6:31:23 PM , Rating: 2
It would be interesting if MS released the HDDVD drive as a bundle at the $399 price point 360.


By Sharky974 on 8/3/2006 7:30:58 AM , Rating: 2
I think that is surely the plan eventually. It's been hinted at many a time by MS. They want to come in with a HDDVD still way undercutting PS3 price. I think they will wait to see if PS3 starts getting momentum because of Blu-Ray.

Pretty smart really. With HDDVD players already at $500, whenever MS does include the HDDVD they will end up losing way less money than Sony because they waited for economies of scale on HDDVD to kick in (more with each passing day) and it was cheaper than Blu-Ray to begin with.


Still not convinced about Wii
By MrPieGuy on 8/1/2006 6:54:20 PM , Rating: 1
I think Im probably the only person in the world right now that isn't really interested in the Wii. Sure the design is cool, and I see the appeal for a lot of people. But the longer I think of it the more bored I am with the idea. Waving a stick around seems like a real novelty, and I think it may grow old too fast.
As it stands Im waiting to see what MS has to unveil for me. Im almost 100% getting the 360, as it provides everything I want, and I have almost no interest in PS3. Call me a fanboy, but I think Microsoft really got it right this time round. But come on everyone, can't we all be friends, its just a game... no reason to fight over which is better.




RE: Still not convinced about Wii
By threepac3 on 8/1/2006 7:02:11 PM , Rating: 3
What exactly is this thing...? PR Garbage? What do I care what some PR guy at Microsoft has to say about Wii and PS3. How about talking about there own stratigy.


By MrPieGuy on 8/2/2006 1:14:38 PM , Rating: 2
Hah no its a guy's opinion about the console. I like what the 360 offers, have been underwhelmed by PS3 since E3 (though before that I was actually looking forward to it) and I don't like the Wii. Apparently you can only like MS if you work for them.


Year by Year Prediction
By rupaniii on 8/2/2006 10:27:57 AM , Rating: 2
Year 1 2 3 4
XB360 1st 2cnd 3rd 2cnd
Wii 2cnd 1st 2cnd 3rd
PS3 3rd 2cnd(tie) 1st 1st (win)

The 360 has a headstart and the PS3 will probably have light availabilty. Wii will sell to Mom's for kids, young ones. Year 2, the PS3 catches XB360, and has better content, but Wii Price and innovative controls bring it accolades and it sells as everyone's favorite second system. Year 3, The High End choice is made and M$ falls behind the Wii in total sales, as everyone is still picking up Wii for the funfactor of games, and new Sonic and Mario, SSMB, Zelda, and old favorites. Year 4 Sony drops price dramatically due to 0.4 micron die shrink on Cell and parts, BluRay is either dead or dominant, and the Wii' peters out as most people who were buying 2 systems have them now and nintendo is happy with it's share. Also, MOST likely, Nintendo announces they will not make a new platform,and instead will bring thier innovative control system to either New XBOX or PS4. Microsoft will be a player, and likely will release XBox3. 3RD place won't be very far from the top but alot of people will eventually go to PS3 due to a lack of anything to play unique to 360 other than Halo3...




RE: Year by Year Prediction
By aGreenAgent on 8/2/2006 2:42:50 PM , Rating: 2
I would say you're entirely wrong.


RE: Year by Year Prediction
By TheDoc9 on 8/2/2006 4:49:56 PM , Rating: 2
Very close I believe. We'll have to come back to this thread in 4 years.


By mushi799 on 8/1/2006 6:51:18 PM , Rating: 1
...




By MrPieGuy on 8/1/2006 6:55:46 PM , Rating: 2
Hah, well maybe thats the big secret... Square going Xbox exclusive.... alright... maybe not.


By Sharky974 on 8/3/2006 7:52:22 AM , Rating: 2
better yet, ask if I care...


By leonowski on 8/1/2006 6:51:05 PM , Rating: 2
It would be neat if they pulled out the ability to work with Tivo's upcoming cablecard DVR.




By Xavian on 8/1/2006 8:25:54 PM , Rating: 2
With Peter Moore praising the Wii and pushing for the Wii60 alternative to the PS3 and this unknown guy shunning the Wii and saying its Inferior. What exactly is Microsofts stance on the Wii?

Dont they hate it or love it?




Still not sold on Wii
By jarman on 8/1/2006 11:34:23 PM , Rating: 2
Call me crazy, but I'm not wasting any excitment on the Wii. Anyone remember the stupid robot sold with the NES, or the power glove, or the virtual boy. Nintendo has had it's successes, but it has also had some major flops...




Marketing 1,2,3
By tozz on 8/2/2006 5:16:44 AM , Rating: 2
First of all, everyone should understand this is pure marketing. Considering how MS failed greatly with living up to their words the last time around I can't see how they can actually say anything bad about the other two with a straight face. This time around they promised huge asian support, still the 360 is selling worse than anything else (exept the original xbox) in Japan. Alot of people won't care, but I know there's plenty who like the style of games they do "over there" and this is a deal breaker for me.

Nintendo might be doing the right thing here, _nobody_ can know until 1-2years after release, the GameCube should speak plenty on that. GC was a great machine, had awesome support, in the beginning, and then it failed totally. I can potentially see the same problem with the Wii, alot of hype going on and people will get bored on hype alone if no games are delivered. Nobody can argue the launch, it's the coming months that's of importance. I have some fears about the difficulty of the games too, with there being too many failsafes. Take the tennis game for example, all you really do is wave your hand around (based on the demo on E3), you don't control movement and you're totally in the hands of the machine to read what kind of swing you're going to make (this system won't be 100%). Compared with Virtua Tennis or Topspin I prefer the classic control scheme over the wand, it brings more control to the game, ironic isn't it :)

Then we have the PS3, first, it's not too priced, it will go for that for a year without a problem (just as the PS2 did at a couple of dollars less). The issue seems to be games, there's essentially only crap for launch, but then again, so was the case with the PS2. What's interesting with the PS3 is the Linux section, that everyone seems to be forgetting. But knowing Sony they'll screw this up royally :/

I'm disapointed in all three machines, so I'll wait another year or two before deciding.




By ToeCutter on 8/2/2006 10:02:43 AM , Rating: 2
One thing that hasn't ben mentioned by anyone at MS or Sony: The yeild on Cell processors is EXTREMELY low, something like 20%. that means out of every 100 manufactured, only 20 function as designed.

Are we going to see another pathetic console launch due to limited quantities? PSP suffered at launch and that helped to sell an assload of GameBoys a few years back.

If Nintendo can keep production levels high enough to meet demand, that in itself might be enough to give them a significant foot hold over both XBOX 360 and PS3.

I can't beleive I'm predicting a Nintendo revivial. I considered them out of the game long ago...




Bundle
By Sharky974 on 8/3/2006 8:03:35 AM , Rating: 2
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned one of MS's rumored, semi-confirmed plans for this fall, a $399 bundle of the premium console bundle, + PGR3, 1200 MS points, and free 3 months subscription to Live card.

That's nice and all, but what I'd do if I was MS this fall is: eliminate the premium SKU, price the 20 GB HDD as an accesory at $49 (probably about cost), drop the core pack to $199 (or maybe even more realistically at $249), and if they really want to go for the jugular, pack in Gears of War.

I'd price the HDD basically at cost to ensure a lot of adopters which I think is important for Live. I think it would be a good strategy to give up some short term profits on the HDD in favor of hopes of long term recurring revenue over Xbox Live. It still works out tons better for MS than last gen where they gave the HDD away free. At least in my plan they are breaking even on it.

Also, this would pave the way for a $79 or $99 larger HDD SKU shortly later, so consumers might have options like, a 20GB $49 HDD (not much more than a traditional memory card) or a $79 100GB or so HDD for those who desire more storage.




amazing
By themusgrat on 8/1/2006 8:11:29 PM , Rating: 1
this is a bit OT, but i think its hilarious how much MS relies on halo to sell consoles. like we all know, the day halo 3 comes out, they will sell a million consoles. and also, no one would be even dreaming of price cuts if halo 3 was coming out this holiday.




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