Topic: Console Wars - situational report

Following post is my contribution to the ongoing thoughts about Wii U, it's success chances and contains personal discoveries that I want to share.

The Situation is as follows:

3DS - out now - slow start - getting momentum finally
Wii U - out now - good (not bad, not grand) start - momentum fading, 1st year drought about to commence
360 - out now - in its last two years probably, going strong
PS3 - out now - in its last two years probably, going strong
Vita - out now - terrific hardware, not enough games, momentum slowly (real slow) pickung up
NVidia Shield - the WTF revelation of the CES 2013, probably high prices, out Q2 2013
Ouya - the 99,- androind and indie-game platform funded by a Kickstarter campaign
iOS - ipads and iphones, together with their android equivalents competing heavily for the casual crowd - going strong as ever
PC/Steam - being the most expensive yet most versatile platform of them all, steam with it's sales really does make an impact
Xbox720 - heavily rumored about, most likely cutting edge, expensive, rumored holographic capabilities, no-used-games-policy
PS4 - heavily rumored about, not much known, most likely shit expensive, rumored motion controls in sixasis, no used-games-policies
Apple - expected to shift to TV and/OR console/handheld market at ANY time, rumors are going for really long already after all they got into the handheld market without even trying...

So what I am saying is this, every system has up- and downsides - obviously - but I think coming console generation (that may have started with Wii U already) we might see the biggest differences in approach that we've ever seen and there will be competition left and right. Cloudgaming will become relevant, cutting cost for a high end system because all you need is a "receiving system" for streamed game content (and a shittily fast internet connection). Things are about the change. With the raise of the indies and the downfall of many big publishers (THQ...) we will see a shift in gaming and in what people expect from gaming. And ultimately - a personal discovery of my own - graphics won't matter too much really. I just recently got myself a gamecube (again) off ebay for a sweet 9 euro in almost mint condition with 2 controllers and memcard. Awesome. After a short gamehunt on eBay I am enjoying classics of the past and things I never got in the first place back then. I also noticed two things: with a premium scart or even component connection to my LG LED the gamecube still looks great, I don't mind 12 year old graphics one bit. The games are mad fun and I realised that Crytek sucks for not making a Timesplitters 4. I still love the controller and last weekend me and my mate had the most fun, literally, in the past 12 years of couch-multiplayer-playing.

Saying this I can just confirm what many people have been already saying, no matter if you prefer a PS or a XBOX or a PC or your Wii U, it all comes down to the games and having seen the various "coming 2013" lists on different gaming websites I have to say most things that are interesting for me come out on a Nintendo System - or PC. So whatever Sony or MS will bring to the table once they launch their new consoles, if it has the games you want, get it, if it just has more pixels, safe your money. At least that's my plan.

And I will pick up a Wii U in march with Monster Hunter release in Europe!
And I am happily looking forwards a console/gaming generation unlike we've ever seen before. Diversity and competition - the WINNER is YOU - the consumer!

I agree with you statistics and such, but getting more pixels, graphics, audio, and gameplay improvements is always good in my book. I'd say it will be worth getting the next PS and Xbox will be worth it, IF it really is max power. Whether or not it will be worth getting over Wii U, or even the current PS3 or Xbox 360 is yet to be seen, in terms of people being able to program for it if it's not too advanced, and it being ultimately user friendly. Wii U really is the best console out right now IMO, but I'm not biased in any console in any way so I think next tech out from other companies will definately be worth looking into once we have more solid details.

Who cares? /thread >:3

The more the merrier, I say.

I'll actually get myself a PS4 if the "no used games" rumor is false. I also hope the Ouya does well.

Who replies to something he doesn't care.
So why does this thread exist? I like computer games, I like to talk about computer games. Simple.

I'm pretty sure they are gonna lock the games to a console. Without GameStop, we would probably have twice as many games, or twice as much content in the ones we have now. Digital downloads are already taking off, not even allowing you to trade in/sell your games, so I can see it being true. It's already technically true looking at current digital content, which is exclusive in some most situations.

Screw the 720 and PS4, I'm getting myself a Steam Box and it will live happily next to my PS3 and Wii U (when I get one)

Evidently you didn't see his cute little smiley representing that he's just trying to be cute.

I seemingly missed it, true, since I was not fond of the smiley's meaning. I failed the Internetz. ;(

The PC isn't a gaming console, neither are tablet computers or smart phones. You should confine this topic to new dedicated gaming consoles. It will make things easier for you.

Wii U - 2 million.
3DS - 27 million
PS Vita - dead (but not forgotten)
Steam Box -Q2
OUYA -Q2
Shield -Q2
Xbox 720 -TBA
PS4 -TBA

Don't forget GameStick. The kickstarter still has 22 days to go but it's met its goal.

I don't understand the WiI U's "1st year drought about to commence." there are a handful of great looking titles that still have yet to come out in the launch window and after that launch window ends, E3 will practically be around the corner.