SM Editorial: Straight Shooting on the Console Wars

LincLinc OwnerDetroit Icrontian
edited January 2007 in Gaming
Read Thrax's Straight Shooting on the Next-Gen Console Wars, just published on Short-Media's front page.
The market we have all benefited from since then has been one of heated arguments, razor-thin profit margins, FUD, nonsense, pontificating CEOs, and forum posts that could only be defined as barbaric disrespect for the English language.
I am not here to quibble with graphical superiority, the perception of game maturity, or any other subjective facet of console arguments that plague any and all forums that post on or have a section dedicated to platform gaming. While those variables are all well and good, they play a second fiddle to the ability to even purchase the console in question, in addition to what organ must be black-marketed to afford it.
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Comments

  • Sledgehammer70Sledgehammer70 California Icrontian
    edited June 2006
    Wow, that was hard core Thrax. But I do think PS3 will become more welcome in the coming months...
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited June 2006
    A good, fairly balanced opinion piece, but you don't seem to take into consideration the huge mega-market that is Japan. The 360 is doing quite badly there, and the contest will be between Sony and Nintendo. Nintendo loyalty is seemingly at an all time high in the homeland. In the end, the money made there is just as important as the money made here, especially when R&D time rolls around for the 4th gen. I think Nintendo is going to sweep Japan, personally. The Wii is going to win the hearts of those gamers to a degree not seen since the Famicom.
  • Sledgehammer70Sledgehammer70 California Icrontian
    edited June 2006
    Prime I think your right to a point, But Japan has a huge Sony following also.. I think it could be down right 50/50 with the main factor splitting the 2 being cost.
  • rykoryko new york
    edited June 2006
    good read, but you forgot to mention about the wii's capability to download every previous nintendo game ever made. i believe that will persuade quite a few potential buyers.
  • GargGarg Purveyor of Lincoln Nightmares Icrontian
    edited June 2006
    Good article. I also think that the PS3's price and late availability will be extremely difficult for Sony to overcome. Despite that, I'll probably still buy one, providing that it has at least one of the game franchises important to me (Final Fantasy, Suikoden, or Soul Caliber).

    As far as the other two go, I'm more likely to buy a Wii than a 360. I don't see a "killer app" for the 360 that doesn't have a PC equivalent in terms of gameplay. I need a console for RPGs and fighting games, but not for FPS games.
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited June 2006
    Good article, but you forgot to mention... oh, wait, you specifically said that you refused to argue on any points besides the ones you covered... you didn't forget to mention anything... ;)
  • WingaWinga Mr South Africa Icrontian
    edited June 2006
    Solid article Thrax. Well researched, well written and very informative.
    Time will certainly tell to see how close to the mark your predictions are...
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited June 2006
    Thrax, even though I don't game and don't really care about game consoles, I so enjoyed your article. Bravo! It was refreshing to see a well thought-out, well researched piece on game boxes from a consumer-level economics stance. Thank you.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited June 2006
    At the time of this article's writing, the game download service hadn't been officially announced, it was merely a rumour and I don't generally deal in those for consoles. However, I don't think it will sway those people who are already in favour of the other consoles. I feel as though it will only reaffirm the people who are already interested in the Nintendo product.

    Additionally, to address Prime's point, while Nintendo-JAP and Nintendo-USA both use the same brand name, they might as well be independent companies. They both appeal to separate markets, and generate enough revenue to sustain themselves separately, even though there is intra-company cooperation across borders. :)
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited June 2006
    Excellent article Thrax. Really superbly written. Concise and not over opinionated with a very positive conclusion. Well done! :D
  • lewicronlewicron Glasgow
    edited July 2006
    Excellent article Thrax, a pleasure to read.
    I had another thought as to why the 360 is likely to win, in the states at least. This may be a misconception, but an impression that I get of americans is that they like to 'buy american'. I think this might have an impact on sales west of the atlantic. Similarly, I think the Japanese would probably be less likely to buy a foreign console when there are homegrown alternatives.
    Not sure if this is relevant cultural insight or ill-eduucated cultural stereotyping, but that's my tuppence worth.
  • LincLinc Owner Detroit Icrontian
    edited July 2006
    lewicron wrote:
    but an impression that I get of americans is that they like to 'buy american'.
    I don't really think that's much of a trend, actually. Companies try to play that card in their advertising, and I'm sure there's some rhetoric thrown about, but at the end of the day... everyone goes to Wal-Mart because price trumps where it came from every time. If Americans have any loyalty to a brand, it's probably Nintendo because we all grew up playing on their original console. :) If Wii can get the games, I think their pricing and simplicity will win them the day.
  • NomadNomad A Small Piece of Hell Icrontian
    edited July 2006
    The "Buy American" ideal was more of a '70s and '80s deal, nowadays if you plan to buy American, plan to pay more.

    In my opinion, the PS3 is just too expensive for me to ever consider purchasing, and the Wii has the same problem I've always complained about with Nintendo since the end of the N64--their games are not built for adults, or at the very least not for me. I probably wouldn't go out and buy an XBox 360 either any time soon though.

    Microsoft should really focus first on edging out Sony and Nintendo in the American markets before they try in Japan though.
  • lewicronlewicron Glasgow
    edited July 2006
    lewicron wrote:
    Not sure if this is relevant cultural insight or ill-eduucated cultural stereotyping, but that's my tuppence worth.

    Fair enough, second category then. You've all got guns and drive caddies though, right? ;)
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited July 2006
    More typically is to own guns and drive Toyotas or SUV's. I have guns and drive old GM vehicles (330,000 miles combined for two vehicles).

    Buy American? If they are the same quality and close to the same price as foreign, I'll purchase domestic goods. I'd gladly pay a little more for a Honda or Toyota over Ford or Chevrolet, the latter of which I currently own. American/Canadian cars and trucks are much, much better quality then they were ten or twenty years ago, but the Japanese haven't stood still. As for electronics, scarcely anyone makes finished electronics goods such as computers, stereos, and gadgets outside of Taiwan and the PRC. There are some HP and Dell assembly facilities in the US and I think, Ireland, but not very many. The components, for the most part are made in China and Taiwan.

    XBox 360? It may have a US (Microsoft) name, but I really doubt it's made in the US. (correct me if I'm wrong)

    EDIT: BTW, Honda, Toyota, and Nissan have plants in the US (and so does Mercedes/Daimler-Benz, BMW, and a couple others).
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited July 2006
    Actually, Honda is slipping in the quality rankings lately. They've actually taken backward steps in the past few years (since 2003 I think) and lost their place at the top of the charts to Toyota and Hyundai a close second. Honda is at about #3 now. (Hyundai actually has a plant in the US as well now)

    In my case, I own guns and drive a 30+MPG Ford Escort. For the record, I haven't killed anyone with my guns.
  • lewicronlewicron Glasgow
    edited July 2006
    GHoosdum wrote:
    For the record, I haven't killed anyone with my guns.

    Reassuring to hear that, GHoosdum. Wish I could say the same for me and my Claymore. The screams still haunt me to this day. Then again, there can be only one........:ninja:
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited July 2006
    GHoosdum wrote:
    For the record, I haven't killed anyone with my guns.

    Well that's just downright unamerican. Get out!
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited December 2006
    On June 13th, I wrote:
    Wii - The verdict: Great price, wide audience, but market volume alone will destine this console for second place.

    PS3 - The verdict: Last in equitability, last in production volume and last in release date do not amount to much more than last to me.

    360 - The verdict: Good price, highest market volume, an advanced title library, an attractive feature package and long advertisement bodes well for Microsoft, and puts them at #1 in my book.

    November sales numbers:

    "While it was expected that the almost impossible to find PS3 would come in last in terms of sales last month, the numbers for the Wii were very good coming in a close second to the Xbox 360."

    Right down the market volume lines, as I called it.
  • pseudonympseudonym Michigan Icrontian
    edited December 2006
    I'd give up my 360 for a Wii right about now.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited January 2007
    2006 is done, and NPD is reporting that my predictions, based purely on market volume, were correct: http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/01/02/us_console_sales_npd/
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