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American Mcgee: Nintendo Wii is the only TRUE Next Gen Console

computerandvideogames.com — McGee told us he thought that Nintendo would be the true next-generation champion for gamers adding, " I sense that Nintendo is going to capture the hearts of gamers while Microsoft and Sony stab each other in the neck for market domination. Nintendo is focused on innovation and games. The others are focused on making money."

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  • alvinrod, on 10/12/2007, -4/+32I'm fairly interested in his comments about Sony and Microsoft fighting heavily for market domination. Considering the large amount of losses that Sony and Microsoft are reported to be taking on their consoles, I wonder if they might end up in a price war that could put both companies out of the game. It might not happen this generation, but what about next generation when even more powerful consoles will be needed so that they can claim to have something "next generation."

    Consider the scenario where both companies sell drastically fewer units over their lifetimes than predicted. For instance Microsoft only sells 30,000,000 Xbox 360's and Sony only sells 25,000,000 PS3's. The amount of money invested in these consoles would probably not justify such low sales numbers. The only thing that could possibly cause something like this in my mind is the Nintendo Wii being a runaway success more so than anyone could have predicted. There's also the fact to consider that the PS2 still moves as many or more units than the Xbox 360 in North America some months. Sony probably uses this to suggest that the 360 is a failure, but I wonder what they will say when the PS2 outsells the PS3.

    I somehow doubt that the above scenario would happen, but it does seem somewhat reasonable with the Xbox 360 costing $400 and the PS3 being $600, and the Wii being reported to come in somewhere between $150-$250. There's also the previous generation of consoles that all cost below $150 and the large library of great games that they come with.

    I think it will be interesting to see how it all plays out.
    • Jooced, on 10/12/2007, -19/+16Sony and Microsoft don't care only about the number of consoles they sell. They don't make money on consoles, infact they lose it. What they care about is selling games. Yes, selling more consoles will probably result in selling more games but you get the point. Everyone focuses on console sales but that's not where the focus should be.
      Saying one of the companies sold more consoles than the other just means that they lost more money than the other.
    • freexe, on 10/12/2007, -2/+11@rtbarnes

      Developers and stores care though. They will make more games for the console(s) selling the best. Just look at the gamecube, when it started selling badly all the shops reduced it's floor space, and the developers stopped making games for it.
    • Jooced, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5That's a good point but seems lately *most* games are coming out on all platforms anyway.
    • guice, on 10/12/2007, -2/+6@rtbarnes
      That's slowly changing. Sony has already lost a good 6+ game developers in the last 6 months. Who knows how many more they might loose in the next 3 months until release.

      Sony and MS make their money on licensing, but the problem comes into play; when a company looses so much money on consoles, they must increase license costs to compensate. This is why a good number of the developers Sony lost left; cost of licensing was too great. Which you can conclude, higher production costs == higher licensing costs. Which have a direct impact on game developers and over all game costs.
    • motang, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6"but I wonder what they will say when the PS2 outsells the PS3. "
      If that does happen, I wonder what Sony will do. PS2 has very nice track record, and if it outsells Sony's next iteration what will they do? I wonder if Sony has thought of this senerio yet.

      As for me I am going to replace my GameCube and will have my PS2 (slimline because the original broke on me (piece of crap)) and be happy with those consoles. 360 doesn't have much games I want on it, and the PS3 is way out of league in the price issue (us starving students don't have much to begin with).
    • popfrogs, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2@motang: In the incredibly unlikely event that they can't move as many PS3s as they originally planned, they'll either drop prices on the hardware or include games in bundles for very little additional money.

      Remember kids, initial console releases are loss-leaders for all these companies. It's software sales that make the money back on the first generation of new hardware. However, software is easy to manufacture and bundle..hardware is not. So, price drops on new hardware are highly unlikely. I'm betting on the bundle.

      What we're about to witness, as consumers, is a strange battle. Nintendo has their fanboys foaming at the mouth for lackluster graphics and yet another questionable (revolutionary?) control scheme. The low price of the unit will ensure that it ends up on alot of christmas lists. The XB360 just doesn't have enough (great) games but the price point is acceptable for most people as well as the Live online service. It has great graphics and is HD to boot. The PS3 is the dark horse of the lot, bringing the most muscle and a new HD standard to the table, but the price tag is enormous. Compared to stand alone BluRay players, however, it will look affordable, and make people think 'hey I can watch movies on this and maybe play a game!'. The critical junction here which Sony probably hasn't figured, is that to make sure those kinds of people buy it, they'll have to pack in a Blu-Ray remote. Not deliver it 6 months later, like they did with the PS2's DVD remote in North America.

      All I can really say is, it's going to be one hell of an interesting christmas this year.
  • imikedaman, on 10/12/2007, -28/+14What does making money have to do with the definition of a next-gen console? His argument is that the Wii is a next-gen console because the company that designed the console is focused on games? That argument is wrong on so many levels.
    • alvinrod, on 10/12/2007, -2/+26I guess that's just his opinion, for what it's worth.

      Technically any of the companies could have released the technological equivalent of an old Atari and still call it "Next Generation" simply because it is in the next generation. Then again that's just how I chose to define "Next Generation."

      Someone else can chose to base their definition on graphical prowess or online functionality. One is just as valid as the other considering how ambiguous the term can be.
    • invader, on 10/12/2007, -6/+24i was expecting him to say that the wii is next-gen because it brings new, innovative features.. while $ony and M$ are just releasing the same old crap with a little bit faster hardware...
    • CyberChrist, on 10/12/2007, -6/+15His comment is that the company is focused on innovation and games. To me, that means that they are innovating the gaming world, not just putting up the same tired retreads that Sony is doing. Sony, for example, is going to put some of their MMO titles online, so you're going to be able to play EQ, SWG, PlanetSide, and so on-- all games that you can play.... on your PC. Nintendo is not going to just have developers port their games from the PC to the Wii just to be able to make money from the licensing.
    • XxXoldsaltXxX, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4@CyberChrist

      I couldn't agree with you more.

      Sony thinks about money before their customers. As i saw when i was a avid SWG player, they showed this. They changed the entire game, didnt care about their already-made player base, all in the name of trying to get more subscriptions.

      They didnt listen to what the players said (to fix the bugs in their buggy ass game), and they just suddenly decided, "HEY, lets change the game completely and hope some idiots buy it just to try it out"
    • imikedaman, on 10/12/2007, -4/+6Wow, I didn't expect to get dugg down for pointing out that the definition of next-generation has nothing to do with the parent company's focus - it has to do with an evolution of a previous design. The guy is arguing over something completely unrelated.

      Of course, part of the definition of a fan boy is "blind to logic", so I expect this post to get dugg down as well.
    • celopes, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2And it will be my pleasure, even though I'm not a fanboy...
    • bash, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2@imikedaman: Money has a LOT to do with the evolution of consoles. Those who put money first tend to stick to the "safe side" and simply stick to tried-and-true formulas. The result? Stagnation.

      Nintendo is an exception to this. Not because I'm a fanboy, or I'm stupid enough to believe they hate money, but for the simple fact that they love to take risks. How else to explain the massive cash reserves they have? Those are for insurance purposes buddy.
  • Paktu, on 10/12/2007, -9/+32"The others are focused on making money."

    Heh, whatever helps you sleep at night. EVERY corporation is focused on making money, Nintendo is simply going about it a different way than Son¥ and M$. Nintendo, BTW, has done its share of evil in the past:

    "By the end of the 1980s the courts found Nintendo guilty of anti-trust activities because it had abused its relationship with third-party developers and created a monopoly in the gaming industry by not allowing developers to make games for any other platforms."

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo#1983.E2.80.931989
    • tomkin, on 10/12/2007, -8/+33Yes, Nintendo has had their faults but have been a better company since presidency has changed hands. People think that the Wii and the DS are just a phase for Nintendo. Gotta remember that aside from presidency -- marketing departments, devel teams, etc have all changed quite a bit. This is the NEW Nintendo...And 100% of the NEW Nintendo's ideas have been successful thus far. Let's see what the future holds.

      I also agree with the Mcgee comment. I don't call my PC "next gen" when I put a new video card in it, or hook up a new monitor -- I don't see why the rule should apply to anything else either.
    • ilyag, on 10/12/2007, -4/+20tomkin:

      The reason it's the "new" Nintendo, as you put it, is because they're now the underdog, and are marketting and branding themselves as such. As soon as they're the leader again, they will market themselves as the leader.
    • staticneuron, on 10/12/2007, -3/+8"next gen' in refering to consoles are normally judged by the games. It does not matter what Sony and MS want to do with thier consoles or the direction, it is all about thier games. And if the PS3 has games that llok and play like dead rising, I am fuly into this "next gen" marketeing crap they are spewing. Everyone thinks that Because sony and MS made thier systems it is a bad things... 'they don't care about the games' is the statement I hear the most. It is a foolish sentiment that will quickly get squashed when the realize that these companies are banking on potential and leaving the games up to the game devs...... and it seems as if they are up for the task.
  • Klowner, on 10/12/2007, -17/+4I loves you American!
    (hire me)
  • anamanaman, on 10/12/2007, -20/+5Right... Nintendo doesnt care about making money.

    Sure they're console is cheaper, but they are going to be making a profit on each one. I see Microsoft and Sony as fairly noble for giving us a console worth hundreds more than we have to pay for it.
    • gonephishin, on 10/12/2007, -1/+17Nobility my eye. Sony and Microsoft aren't pricing below cost out of the goodness of their hearts (if any can be found in either company). They just know they would lose even more money if they priced too high and the console was a complete flop. This way, they'll hopefully still be in the console game by the time production costs are lowered to where they can make a profit.

      All three companies are striving after profit just as much as the next guy. They're just going about it in different ways. I'd prefer Nintendo making a profit on my 250 bucks rather than getting an "underpriced" PS3 at 500.
    • GT35R, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1"Nobility my eye. Sony and Microsoft aren't pricing below cost out of the goodness of their hearts (if any can be found in either company). They just know they would lose even more money if they priced too high and the console was a complete flop. This way, they'll hopefully still be in the console game by the time production costs are lowered to where they can make a profit.

      All three companies are striving after profit just as much as the next guy. They're just going about it in different ways. I'd prefer Nintendo making a profit on my 250 bucks rather than getting an "underpriced" PS3 at 500."

      Neither is Nintendo. They arent selling their console at a cheap price to be nice, their hardware is cheap and not as powerfull as the PS3 or the Xbox360 and therefore costs less to make it. Atleast when I get a PS3 I get my moneys worth in hardware and games.

      ...and dont give me that crap that developers are ditching the PS3 for the Wii. Almost every, if not every, developer that was onboard with the PS2 is onboard with the PS3.

      Im ready to be dugg down.
  • NetPhantom, on 10/12/2007, -1/+12If you think isn't worried about making money you're fooling yourself. Every companies one goal is to make money, thay just have their own way of going about it.

    From liquor companies to the most organic tree-hugging place out there, they both want to make money, it's just a matter of what they do getting it.
  • fustanella, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9Okay. Money, meet mouth. When can I expect Alice for the Wii?
    • meshgiath, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1given alice's controls on the PC, that'd be an EXCELLENT port. I still pick that one up every now and again.
  • celotil, on 10/12/2007, -6/+32I can just imagine the sort of Apple-esque advertisement...

    Two heavyset gentlemen stand near each other in front of a white background. Taking turns they introduce themselves.

    `Hello, I'm an XBox 360,'
    `And I'm a PS3.'

    Both turn, glare at each other, draw knives and leap at each other, screaming,
    `Die!'

    While they fight, a little kid on a go-kart zooms passed in the foreground squealing happily,
    `Weeeeee!'
  • dgcrazykid, on 10/12/2007, -2/+19Nintendo is doing so many things right that it is hard to say that they won't be successful. Nintendo is going to dominate the competition. Just look at all the positive press it is getting. It is a guaranteed success.
  • baldr, on 10/12/2007, -15/+8To me next-gen means something that is new and hadn't existed before (like the next generation of children, chipsets, or in this case gaming consoles).

    With this definition I would find it hard to call the Wii "next-gen" at all due to the fact that the majority of its technology was available 5 years ago.
    • DarkXanthos, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5It might have been available but no one of any consequence was using it... until now. Welcome to the next generation. Get it?
    • NSMike, on 10/12/2007, -4/+8Yet you would call the PS3 and XBox 360 "next gen"? Honestly, both of them are just beefed-up versions of their prior consoles. No one calls a PC the PC360 or PC3 whenever a new generation of processors comes out, or a new video card gets installed. That's essentially all both companies have done here.
  • pidge, on 10/12/2007, -21/+4"The only truly next-gen console out there is the Wii. Everything else is just a video card and processor upgrade."

    What? And what is Wii? Its just a new controller upgrade. Give me a break.
  • bsalus01, on 10/12/2007, -9/+9nintendo is the next gen console because it focuses on innovative interactivity that blows all the other consoles away.

    http://wii.nintendo.com/home.html

    click on fresh experience video link.

    basically, it's gunna blow your mind. lol
  • Lorddaveron, on 10/12/2007, -4/+11What makes a good game? Graphics or Fun? I just traded in my PSP to get a Nintendo DS. I'm a hard core Sony fan but hey, there just aren't many fun games on the PSP. I loved lumines, but I'm having much more fun playing Mario and Brain Age. If Nintendo can make games that are fun to play on the WII that's all I'm interested in. I still have my PC to play hi graphic games.
  • MonkeyLives, on 10/12/2007, -6/+2Whatever American...

    http://www.oldmanmurray.com/longreviews/56.html

  • DrGalt, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7I don't think his reference to 'next gen' has anything to do with technology or graphics cards in this case. I think McGee is saying - Wii will go where other game systems have not, and are not going. Wii will be innovative in ways PS3 and 360 will dream about - for now (or so Nintendo's PR agency would like us to believe).

    The term 'Next Generation' is closely tied to the term 'innovation'. 360's innovation is Live. PS3's innovations is..... graphics and..? Blu-ray can hold more information... which will all go to graphics, graphics, graphics. Unless Sony is pouring countless dollars which they don't have into a network (ie Live), or countless dollars into add-ons to compete with Wii (wich we will have to spend more money on), they have little innovation in PS3 with respect to actually fun and games. There is likely a factor of diminishing returns when it comes to how 'cool' it is to have good graphics in a game, and how closely graphics correlate to actual 'fun' which just might be the whole point in playing video games.
  • Suchmann, on 10/12/2007, -3/+11Let me begin by saying that I plan to buy a Wii as soon as it becomes available. With that out of the way, I'd like to remind you all of how evil Nintendo WAS when they did have the top seat. Censorship being a particularly big issue.

    check out this article.

    http://www.filibustercartoons.com/Nintendo.php
    • MouseCircus, on 10/12/2007, -4/+6I don't personally find them evil for the massive amounts of censorship they used to do. No matter how absurd and ridiculous.

      You can't blame them for it. At the time, the gaming industry was fairly new, and America's culture is/was much more conservative than Japan's. Nintendo wasn't willing to risk all the trouble involved with putting something obscene in an American video game.

      Now the other things they did, a few of those were actually evil.
  • crash331, on 10/12/2007, -10/+5Wow, a company whos goal is to make money? Who would have thought. BURIED.
  • VeganG, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3Has anyone else ever wondered if American McGee is just a figurehead who was lucky enough to have a funny name, and doesn't actually design games?
    • spyrochaete, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I'd have wondered the same thing had I not seen his name in the Doom credits. There's few higher honours than being listed in the credits of that game.
    • sgtawol, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1American McGee's Alice game was delightfully twisted. It's a bit older now, and the controls werent the best, but it was a cool take on things.
  • TimDigg, on 10/12/2007, -5/+4People keep saying graphics over fun when really all that matters is the games and the developer support

    Virtua Boy is far more innovative than a GBA........which is more fun though?...GBA

    Virtua Boy is more innovative GBA has better graphics....thats why discussion relating to graphics and innovations are irrelevant until we talk games PSP fails because of ***** dev support...

    even if you take away the games that needed the touch screen...DS still has a better library than the PSP

    Dev support is the key....We give waay too much credit to the consoles, when really its the developers that make this all happen
    • MouseCircus, on 10/12/2007, -5/+2Virtual Boy was essentially an original Game Boy you could play on your TV. GBA was the next, next gen of handhelds. Of course it's going to have better graphics.

      Innovation != fun. Not all innovations are good.

      Back then, graphics were better than innovation because graphics WERE an innovation. Each console was a huge leap in graphical power. And as each generation has gone by, that leap has gotten smaller and smaller, to the point that a lot of people just don't care now. It's getting stale and boring, and innovation is/was needed in the industry to liven it up. Nintendo provided that with the DS, and will soon provide it with Wii.

      For the most part, your entire argument holds no water.
    • TimDigg, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1You brought up a point I hadnt considered....

      "because graphics WERE an innovation. Each console was a huge leap in graphical power."

      good point....graphics are still an innovation just not as severe..
    • DarkXanthos, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Virtual Boy was not a game boy you played on your tv!!! *sigh* It was it's own unit. You looked into a visor and saw 3d images. It was the first home console devoted to true 3d graphics. It was all in red and kind of cumbersome to play but a definite classic novelty.

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_Virtual_Boy
    • primecut17, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Agreed. First of all, the handheld is a completely different market than the console market. It's apple to oranges. And like the above poster mentioned, even if you take away the stylus AND the dual screen, I still guarantee that the DS would sell more. It has nothing to do with innovation of game-play, it has to do with nintendo games traditionally and continually being more fitting for portability. Regardless, saying that the PSP failed because the DS sold more is an ignorant argument, consider that the PSP costs 2x as much and targets a complete different audience. Would you say that the Toyota Camry is a success and the BMW 3-series is a failure because the Camry sold more? I think not. The PSP is selling huge number of units in its own right.

      Now for the Wii. I think we all agree that the great games make or break the console, so the developers need as much freedom to innovate as possible in order to create great games. So while Sony and MS are creating powerful machines that gives the developers a flexible and powerful foundation to innovate, Nintendo decides to impose a control scheme on the developers instead. If the developers choose not to concede to such a controller, then they are left with a mediocre system. Now you tell me who developers will innovate for the next gen?
    • spyrochaete, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Gameboy on TV was the Super Gameboy. It was a special cartridge for the SNES.
    • theBrink, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Uh MouseCircus, you do know the Virtual Boy was the head mounted VR unit with black/red 3d sprites? It's not related to the gameboy player that fit inside the snes console...
    • jeremdow, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@MouseCircus
      You were thinking of Super Gameboy.

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Gameboy
    • MouseCircus, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Yeah, I just realized that mistake, which is really stupid, considering I even looked it up on Wikipedia before hand so I wouldn't make that mistake. But I did anyway. Thanks for the correction though. That's what I get for posting on here when I'm supposed to be moving boxes.
  • evilcow, on 10/12/2007, -2/+9How about Nintendo is the only console company offering something you can't already easily do with a PC?
    It used to be consoles were a better value in price/performance to a PC and they were simpler and easier to use. Console prices are going up, the boot up times are increasing, the load times are increasing, they can use the same HD displays, menus are becoming more complex with network setups and logins, gamers have to deal with hard drives and file management, and consoles now have similar operating systems. Why should I buy a proprietary console when the games run better and are cheaper on a multiuse PC? So far Nintendo looks like they only company that can answer that question
    • TimDigg, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1This isn't as strong of an argument anymore considering that alot PC-ish titles are now console only

      also modern video cards cost a fortune ...see for yourself http://www.newegg.com/ProductSort/SubCategory.asp?SubCategory=48

      computer hardware in general is expensive...

      keeping up with the new PC games for the 6 years will involves tons of upgrades, not just the video card, but also the OS(for DX10), ram and processor and mobo

      keeping up with the newest console games for the next 10 years basically means you 2-3 consoles...even with the fees you will incur online(with XBL)......consoles are still the cheapest solution...

      Also Windows XP will not run games I bought a decade ago.....whereas my NES will still play NES games from 2 decades ago

      With advances in UI design from gaming industry(see BFME2 on 360)...we're starting to see PC gaming go away....personally I'm glad

      People are using their pcs alot more these days...my pc simply overwhelmed with all the tasks I have for it, I need a separate dedicated gaming machine....same goes for music...none of the music devices have enough space though...

      end poorly written rant.......
    • sgtawol, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2@ TimDigg
      dont have time to refute all your points, some are valid. However, the statement:

      "Also Windows XP will not run games I bought a decade ago.....whereas my NES will still play NES games from 2 decades ago"

      Is horribly false. That's like claiming Windows XP is the same as Windows 95. Or in console terms, Wii should run all NES games by just plugging them into your Wii in some port on the back or something. I'd like to see you download an emulator on your N64 that will play NES games. You can do that on a computer with little or no effort.

      As an alternative, you could keep an old Pentium 3 laying around with Win95 installed, just like you could keep your original NES laying around to play retro games.
  • dodeja, on 10/12/2007, -5/+2I wonder why Sony and Microsoft are wasting are spending their resrouces in offering a feature packed system while loosing money on a system. How are they making money here. Lets see here Ninendo is offering a nice system that is NOT as feature packing as the other two. I don't think it has much to do with innovation. I think both sony and microsoft are perfectly capable of innovating and infact they are. Just look at Xbox Live. As far as i see it, Wii is hyped.
  • JohnCrichton, on 10/12/2007, -3/+4FTA: "I sense that ninnytendo..."
    What does this guy think he is, a jedi?
  • demonmonkey, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6Am I the only one who does not care about American McGee?
  • spyrochaete, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8FWIW I recently (finally) bought a Gamecube and was immediately aware of the tactile advantages of their gamepad over the PS2 and Xbox. Uniquely shaped buttons in smart locations make for a very immersive gaming experience. Resident Evil 4 uses all the buttons, but because they're all different shapes that I can feel with my fingers I learned the controls MUCH faster than an average PS2 game.

    Nintendo is researching and implementing in the right areas and I salute them big time. I thought my PS2 was a high tech gadget until I tried my Gamecube. Computers will always get faster so it's not really fair to call that next gen anymore. The innovation is in humancomputer interaction and Nintendo has had this in mind for years and years.

    I can't wait until the Nintendo WooHoo comes out in 2011 with integrated wang sensors!
    • Jooced, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Best to put a really good surge protector in front of that unit!

      Pun!
  • Joeymarshmallow, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3The PS3 and Xbox 360 are in a different league than the Wii, they're fighting eachother for a different market, hardcore gamers that want the latest technology and the most powerful system overall. I think the Wii will sell more because of the price combined with the innovative controller, of course no one knows, game developers might screw up the use of the controller and kill the Wii, or it could thrive.

    Plus, a lot of people will buy a Wii and a 360/PS3.
    • TimDigg, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I think he means hardcore gamers in the sense of people looking for alot of their favorite polished series...like MGS, Resident evil etc
  • Jooced, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1. Oops dual post.Sorry
  • VladDrac, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1"The others are focused on making money."

    Exactly how is Microsoft "focused on making money" in the console business when the Xbox lost a whopping four billion dollars?!

    http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=26497

    Plus the fact that Nintendo is the only next generation console that will not lose money on sales of the hardware. If anything, Nintendo is succeeding because it's focused on gaming and not on power to the detriment of profit.
    • P5ycHo, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2Yeah, right. MS is loosing money on XBOX because they like to give 'm away?
      Sorry to burst your bubble, but this has got EVERYTHING to do with economics.
  • P5ycHo, on 10/12/2007, -7/+4The only next gen thing on the Wii is the controller.......
    • Joeymarshmallow, on 10/12/2007, -4/+7Some crazy people actually value gameplay more than graphics, believe it or not.
    • crimsonalucard, on 10/12/2007, -3/+4Some people think that a gimmicky controller means good game play believe it or not.
    • sp00nz, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@Joeymarshmallow

      You don't know what the gameplay is like.

      That being said I really want one.
    • emjaymj, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2You're missing the point completely. It's not just a new controller. It is an entirely new way to play games, allowing for all sorts of possibilities that were until now impossible. How is that not "next gen". Sure, the ps3 and xbox360 have improved graphics and hardware, but the reality is that they don't offer anything new. We will get the exact same gaming experiences we've always had, just with better graphics. Like somebody pointed out, I don't call my PC "next-gen" every time I upgrade my video card.
    • staticneuron, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2"It is an entirely new way to play games"
      Woah there big nelly. This is the first time a console is using this as a basis for playing thier games but this tech has been around for quite some time. Especially in the arcades.
      And in the arcades they provide only short burts of fun followed by the players walking of to play on another game cabinet with rehashed versions of "the same old, same old".
  • mtwmike, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Yeah I want good game play. The reason why the PSP sucked is because the same is just down right BORING . My DS totally rock with the game play
  • progman445, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2IMO "next-generation" doesn't mean a new system that comes out every 5 years. It means making strides in the video game technology that hasn't been done before. I have a xbox360 and love it, but I have been playing COD2 and Oblivion type games on my PC for years now. I just like the fact I can play it on my hi-def tv now. Give me something diferent that I can say "WOW" to, like when I played NFL 2k for the first time on the Dreamcast.
  • Harabeck, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2M$ and Sony depend on game sales to make moneys. They lose money horribly at first but make it up later. But even there Nintendo has them beat. It's much cheaper to make Nintendo games.

    Innovation? Microsoft: Oh please, the Xbox 360 is like and Xbox 1.2. The graphics are a bit sharper. Xbox live? So what? the competition has caught on. (Think DS's online capability going to Wii)
    Sony: Best graphics? Definately. Blue ray is a joke as of now. It could be sometime before the format war is won.
    Nintendo: New control scheme. Some seem to think that its scaring devs away. Everything I've seen seems to indicate that they love it. WiFi. Just like the DS's system which works great. The wii's only lack is graphics. And even then, that depends a lot on the developer.
    • crimsonalucard, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3I agree with you, except I think "xbox 1.2" is a bit of an exaggeration. The 360 is a significant graphic upgrade.
    • RealityMonster, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Not only is it cheaper to make games, they actually MAKE MONEY on each console sale. By using cheaper components, they keep their costs down well enough that each console isn't a loss-leader. The first few consoles out only break even, but as the fab process ramps up and makes all the components cheaper, Nintendo makes a profit no matter what you do. The moment you buy a Gamecube, they're taking something to the bank.
  • lostboytexas, on 10/12/2007, -8/+2I'm funking sick of the Wii already. Nintendo havent made a decent console since the SNES so I doubt this one will be any better. Theres no way in hell it will be able to compete with PS3 and Xbox360. One play of Battlefield 2 in HD on 360 and you'll see what I mean.
    • ASoggyWaffle, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3ppl who say HD doesnt matter prolly dont own an HDTV, because they are so great
  • skrowl, on 10/12/2007, -4/+2The only TRUE next gen console doesn't even support HDTV while the other two FAKE next gen consoles do?

    How does that work? Isn't HDTV next gen?
    • RealityMonster, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3The problem is that most people don't own an HDTV. Nintendo ends up being able to sell to people that didn't already shell out an enormous amount of money for a new TV before buying a console. Sure, you can play XBox 360 games on a standard TV, but most people agree that HD is the way to go there. In the NEXT generation after this, that's when HDTV will be a required, useful feature.
  • Harabeck, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2@lostboytexas Most of that is just fanboyism (I lol at anyone who thinks PS3 will do well). As for BF2 in HD, I can play it on my comp and it looks the same.

    @skrowl HDTV next gen? Meh, it's sort of a novelty and almost a non-factor to consoles, hardly anyone has it. That may change down the road, but it hasn't yet.
    • lostboytexas, on 10/12/2007, -4/+0Harabeck, im not a fanboy. The PS3 is gonna do real well regardless of what we all think. The 360 needs more games, it has what 20??? But lets face it, people are rooting for Nintendo just because theyre the underdog and have no chance of success.

      PS I've played BF2MC on the PC and was far more impressed with the 360 version running through my HDTV. Calling HD a novelty is a little silly seeing as your rooting for the novelty of the year, the Wii!!!
  • kristenondigg, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3i totally agree with this story, the wii is going to cost about 250 us dollars. the ps3 is going to cost 500-600 us dollars, and the xbox 360 was around 400 us dollars. all of the consoles have some soft of souped up graphics, but the wii is so much more advanced in creativity and originality. the ps3 and xbox360 continue with the original mundane video game format, but the wii takes gaming to a whole different level...sorry for the long rant....i had to get it out of my system ; )
    • lostboytexas, on 10/12/2007, -4/+1The Wii isnt even out yet and the info about it, and its games, is sparse at the least. Your jumping the gun there bud! Im not impressed with what i've seen so far.
  • Harabeck, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6The PS3 do well? I have heard absolutely no possitive predictions for Sony that did not come from Sony. And how do you get that Nintendo has no chance for succes, they are the only ones getting positeve PR right now.Everyone else in the industry thinks that Sony is going to lose market share. And noone really talks about the 360 much.

    It's great that you liked the 360 version of BF2, I prefer the computer one. I see little difference in the graphics and the mouse and keyboard control scheme works better than dual analog sticks. Which is why the Wii is so intriguing. Its control setup should be extremely fun in its own right. And btw, your last sentence is still more silly fanboyism.
    • lostboytexas, on 10/12/2007, -8/+1The PS3 is gonna do what the PS1 and PS2 did and thats ***** on Nintendo and Xbox. Those Wii controllers are nothing but a novelty which I predict maybe 5 games will use then it will die off like all that other crap Nintendo put out. Remeber that robot that spun around your NES doing nothing? Or the numerous light guns and scopes? What about the power glove? Nope? Neither do I!
    • Ashkc88, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4@lostboytexas

      You need to check your sources, for that theory is already wrong, There are already far more than 5 games announced for the Wii to come out at launch that support the use of the controller. Why dont you see for yourself:
      http://www.gamespot.com/wii/index.html?tag=nav-top;wii
  • Harabeck, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4This clearly shows how uninformed you truly are. There are already far more than 5 games which will use the Wii's motion sensing abilities. And how you keep denying sony's mistakes is beyond me. $600 and $60-$100 per game?! That's rediculous. And for what? Better graphics (if you have spent even more money on a really good TV), The new Blu-Ray format (Remeber Sony's other succesful formats? Neither do I.), and some non-exclusive games which will eventually come out on the other systems. That leaves it with Final Fantasy. Nothing else. And who knows? Square-Enix is already giving ground against exclusivity, before long, Sony may not even have that.
    • kristenondigg, on 10/12/2007, -2/+0my point exactly
    • Ashkc88, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3There has also been a digg a week or two ago, proving why the PS3 cannot render graphics better than the 360.
  • kristenondigg, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1good point lostboytexas, but i still respect nintendo for trying to do something different, if i were in their shoes, no way i would bet my future on some controller. however other companies are taking risks too. sony is betting its future on blu ray disks, which the ps3 uses, instead of the standard dvd format, i guess thats why im not head of a gaming mogul
    • lostboytexas, on 10/12/2007, -5/+2I do respect nintendo for trying and I really hope they can get back to their glory days but theyve been playing it too safe for the past decade. Theres only so many times I can watch them come out with a console who's launch titles are mario, zelda, metroid and tetris sequals. Where the ingenuity there???
  • Harabeck, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2If Nintendo is doing something so risky, why is there so much positive hype about the Wii? Why are there so many devs excited and ready to be making games for the Wii?
    • kristenondigg, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0thats true, and i hope nintendo kicks butt with the wii but just as is shown in buisness today people are resistant to change, and thats the risk nintendo is taking with changing its controller. some people might say "that controller looks weird, im just gonna buy a ps3 after the price drops" i know i am going to buy a wii because the games and the controller look really cool, but other people may not want to change how they game, using motion sensors and all that jazz, and will stick with regular mundane controllers and consoles.
  • evilware, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Graphics Whores = Non gamers
    Gamers are people who care only how good the game is.
    I bought my 360 because all the computer games i owned are coming out for it aka F.E.A.R. plus it has a lot of the game types i like. i would get all three systems but i went with the one that had the games i liked.
    i will say give me a nintendo and super mario bros three and i will play all day.
    • TimDigg, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3the irony of your post is that F.E.A.R is considered a "Graphics Whores" type of game...a game that wouldn't play on the Wii...only on a 360/PS3

      which is exactly why "Graphics Whores = Non gamers" makes no sense just because a game has eye candy doesnt mean it's a bad game

      Resident Evil 4 is a "Graphics Whores" dream....also one of the best gameplay experiences I've had in a long time

      In fact if you really look at the facts ....if you look at the last gen of consoles(GC/Xbox/Ps2).....which system had the most old school games?...certainly not gamecube....where was my Contra, where was my street fighter, where was my hard as nuts ninja gaiden?, where were my old school hard as nails rpgs?, where was my King of Fighters?, Where was my Metal Slug?.........certainly not Gamecube

      I hate when Nintendo is posed as the "Gamer's Choice"....

      I'm buying a Wii, but not because it's the "Gamer's Choice"....but because I'm interested in some new experiences...not because I expect traditional gaming experiences, thats why I'm buying PS3...partly because I skipped PS2....but also for tradition...
  • woodenturkey, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4 It still kinda amazes me that we have conversations like this now, I can remember when the SNES and Genesis launched , there was no press coverage,no mainstream financial speculation about the ultimate profitability of a system. and yes i know the net wasn't around like it is now (and i couldn't find a BBS about it with my 1200bps C64) i think Nintendo is going back to the 1980's was of thinking when it comes to games,yes profit was a part of that business model, but i feel it was also more about making interaction with video games fun. The crash of 1983 forced the industry to re-evaluate how it attracted the consumer. Nintendo and Sega addressed the problem with better graphics and deeper game play. Now graphics only go so far, and until VR becomes a marketable reality,the depth of gaming using a TV/monitor has almost reached its peek. Look at Elder Scroll Obliv. there is hours and hours of non linear things to do, but it wears thin after so long. Now Nintendo is swapping graphic for a new physical experience. I have a 360 but I feel like I'm still playing XBOX except that it looks prettier. I don't feel like it a new experience. It may sound stupid but when i first held a NES pad, it felt so new and different from my Atari Joystick, from the D pad to battery/password game saves it was all new. Today other than better graphics and more buttons (and i didnt mention on-line because SNES and SGen both had on line aftermarket ad ons, yeas the sucked) but its still the same feeling that i had in 1986
    • TimDigg, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2"Now graphics only go so far"....

      not true, its more so that graphics cause games to price themselves out of the market....we're finding that enhancing the graphics ramp up the cost more than in previous gens...

      so visually we were facing linear increases.....now they're exponential
  • lostboytexas, on 10/12/2007, -7/+1Get over it, the Wii controller is a sad gimmick. The games are gonna suck ass as usual.
    • Ashkc88, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3As usual? When has another console use a different experience in gameplay like the Wii? Besides the successful DS that is.
    • bash, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Shhh...if you reply to the troll it'll only get stronger.
  • yoitsbruce, on 10/12/2007, -5/+0yeyejfjukafw
  • Harabeck, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2lostboytexas, I suggest that you try facts instead of flames. Fact: numerous devs are already making or planning games for the new controls. Many people are excited because of the new controller. If people buy it for this, then devs will make games using it.

    p.s. Instead of another flame, try to use a fact as a rebuttal.
    • meshgiath, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Gotta give it to lostboytexas tho, it takes alot to come onto a board anonymously and admit that you have strong enough feelings for your 360/ps2/etc... So strong that good press for other systems makes woo angwii. Aww

      +1 Harabeck. It is sad that PS3 game devs are dropping PS3 development for the Wii, but PS3/360 and the Wii are in totally different categories.

      As far as I'm concerned there IS no console war. Nintendo has the only gaming console. Everything else is a PC based multimedia box.
  • piratearggghhh, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2What I want to know is where are all the AAA titles for Wii? So far everyone is thrilled with the controller but where are the games? Zelda? That's a gamecube game converted to a Wii launch title. I always thought gaming should revolve around the software, not the hardware. It's hard to get excited about this console just because it's cheaper and have a wand controller when games like Halo, Metal Gear, Grand Theft Auto, Mass Effect, Final Fantasy, Gears of War, etc. are in the pipeline for its competitors.
    • woodenturkey, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0i just dont care about graphics anymore, i can play Zelda Orc of time and not even think about the difference in gfx in that game and my 360. i want to have FUN again
  • Harabeck, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2@ piratearggghhh look here: http://www.gamespot.com/games.html?type=games&platform=1031

    Smash brothers, Rayman, Zelda (it's on the wii, it counts), Mortal Combat, Prince of Persia, and Mario to name some popular return franchises.
  • MM005, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Nintendo has been the ONLY company making money to think they aren't in it for the money is just pathetic!!
  • Harabeck, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Of course theyre in it for the money, they are a company. The point being made was, Nintendo's focus is gaming. They benefit from the betterment of gaming as a whole. Microsoft and Sony see gaming as a branch into which they have expanded to exploit another market. All they care about is the biggest tech specs on their machine. But if they fail, they can always fall back on something else. This means they don't really care to push the industry forward.
  • negativenancy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Hmmm... so Nintendo is a non-profit organization now?



    If it isn't than shaddap about this "Nintendo isn't focused on making money" *****. Some of you sicken me.
    • darkgarlic, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1give it a rest, lostboytexas. Digg him down.
  • lostboytexas, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1From Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_Revolution

    Reported for launch

    Avatar: The Last Airbender
    The Ant Bully
    Blitz: The League
    Cars
    Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2
    Elebits
    Excite Truck
    Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers
    Madden NFL 07
    Need for Speed: Carbon
    SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature from the Krusty Krab
    Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam

    Most of those are kids games. Looks like their aiming low and judging by the douchebags in these comments then the games will be on your level. The Wii is going to be a bargain-basement low rate console aimed at children, retards and old people. Nintendo just cant compete with the evolution of videogames. Most people dont want fat plumbers running around and stupid metroid ***** when they can have guns, fast cars, titties and some dirty cop action. Nintendo's niche is the "family" so you'll find the Wii in the kids section next to the yu-gi-oh cards while the PS3 and 360 will be located in the electronics section for your convenience.

    we'll see if 6 months how much of a piece of crap the Wii is
    • darkgarlic, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Hey, in six months they'll have Metroid, Zelda, and a whole crapload of other games. Murder, virtual sex, and drifting aren't my ideas of fun.
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