It's amazing how far the Xbox has come, though. Prior to, and directly following it's release, it was considered a complete joke. Microsoft wasn't a particularly popular company at the time, and having a third console on the market that far into the generation seemed very unnessecary. Even after Halo came out, the standard response to someone mentioning their Xbox was "Wait, there are people who actually BOUGHT that thing?" Owning an Xbox was such a completely ridiculous concept in those days.
Granted, the 360 had the fortune of being the first console on the market, rather than the last, but it's still fascinating.
You forget - and EGM was a big wheel in those days - their editors picked 7-6 XBOX over GC as they both launched. PS2 had a year head start THAT gen. I am not sure they have come that far at all - I am not trashing them, but they have always resembled what they are - a PC type home gaming console.
In my opinion, I feel a lot of gaming publications are in awe of Sony and most recently XBOX - as in - 'the gamig industry 'MATTERS" now, look even M-Soft is getting into the game! SEGA and Nintendo are so SCREWED!'
The whole 'too big to fail' thing, they are inevitable because they are. Sony and MS represent the literalist graphics and narrative movement in gaming, and editorial has always cut at Nintendo for not embracing either of the movements, with few exceptions. Nintendo has always been about controller development and Nintendo game design. Now they are 'back' in a big way again, and it has been a fun turnaround in my view. But of course it would be 'nonsense' to think that Sony or MS have the wrong vision - (that is Nintendos department, to be wrong) - so the editorial changed from 'clueless, kiddie, irrlevant' Nintendo (can't wait till their 3rd party!) to 'sell out' Nintendo.
It has truly been amazing the market share Nintendo has grabbed and held with just a few select, blockbuster franchies and new IP's. Just look at the Wii attach rates for Wii Play, Wii Fit, Mario Kart and Smash Brothers, on the DS side you have Nintendogs, the Brain Ages, New Super Mario, Mario Kart again, etc. Those brands have huge market awareness now, that is key. And unlike a lot of Sony or MS blockbusters, you do not find them in the PC gaming aisle. Nintendo software exclusitivity (often to platform even) is very key in moving so much hardware.
And the immediate future is bright, with Sports 2, New Super Mario, Wii FIt Plus, and Galaxy 2 on the horizon....
Some interesting facts and figures their Eugene, but did i read that right that Nintendo as a whole company has made more money than Microsoft as a whole company since 1998? If that is true then i find it quite incredible.
In Fact - MS still has not had a clear dollar of profit in all their years of console game business - and that is BAD for the industry they are in!!
That is categorically untrue. Even just when Halo 3 launched, Microsoft's EDD posted profits over 160 million for one quarter alone. In 2008, they reported a $426-million operating profit.
As for Microsoft as a whole, the year after the Xbox launched in NA, their fourth quarter profits (one quarter alone) were nearly $3 billion and exceeded analysts' predictions. In fact, this year is the first in 23 years for Microsoft to see quarterly sales fall. And that was only because of the economy and netbooks, according to them.
This also shows how pathetic it was for the media to predict that Sony/MS would force Nintendo out of console making ala SEGA - they have more profit since '98 then does the whole of MS coporation.
That's very misleading. First, I'm not sure where you got your numbers. I would suspect that the PC maker has larger revenues overall, considering they make nearly three billion per quarter. But that doesn't even matter. Profits aren't all there is to a business. You can be profitable on paper and still not have enough money to throw around.
How much reserve money is really the question. Sega didn't have much of that - they couldn't sustain a marketing and ad campaign against them. They just ran dry. Microsoft has huge reserves. Nintendo probably has significantly less compared to Sony and Microsoft, and most definitely had significantly less coming out of the 6th gen. Didn't Ninty say that the Wii had to succeed or they'd be in serious trouble, and that's why they changed their game plan with the Wii?
Nintendo has it made right now - their software promotes the Wii, and when people buy a Wii theybuy overwhelmingly Nintendo software. What can derail them?
If 3rd parties abandon them like they did during the 6th gen. Both MS and Sony are getting on the motion control bandwagon. With systems that produce HD graphics and use motion controls with superior tech, it's possible. Ninty would need to release an HD Wii at some point (probably 2011), and their success might not carry over. Phenomena are hard to replicate when you don't fully understand them, and Ninty really doesn't.
Ms has NOT made any profit on XBOX and 360 - they are still over 7 billion in the hole. THos are the numbers they made public...What good is one profiable year when you had 6 highly unprofitable years???
ALso there is ZERO market pressurr for Nintendo to release HD Wii. They have at least 4 non-hd games that will dominate the rest of this year and the beginning of 2010 - Sports Resort, New Super Mario Wii, and Wii Fit Plus, with Mario Galaxy 2 to follow....
3rd parties are going to start abandoning Wii, the highest selling console? Great idea? A lot of big publishers whos big name games bleed ink on 360/PS3 need lower cosr Wii games to essentially fund the big budget games....PS3 should worry about losing support...PSP already has.
You miss the point on motion tech as well. They do not even have release dates or prices or SOFTWARE set, and you think they will triumph. Sony has had 6 axis since launch, and have done little with it. Nintendo, leading the way with EAD, has had most of the industry adopt the motion wimote, and now motion plus. Its the software baby. and Milo aint going to cut the mustard....
Have we seen anyone replicate Nintendos mainstream success with games like Wii FIt, Brain Age, Nintendogs, Wii Sports, Wii Play, etc, etc?
Hell no. Any why should that change? The Wii was supposedly 'underpowered' when it launched, why is it going to suddenly matter now?
Heard all this before, used to be MGS4 and GTA4 were going to turn the tide, how could Nintendo compete? Oh, I dunno, EAD anyone? Not being arrogant, but that is the reality. Just look at a top 50 worldwide sales chart and look at all of the Nintendo titles, (probably 20, give or take) many who have neen on there and continue to sell for 3 years or better. Its a new world. order.... And another 10+ are 3rd parties on Wii and DS. They have the momentum. Trying to play catch up with computer type consoles will likely not cut it. The general public prefers simplicity, not installs. The g.public prefers local multiplayer, not buying XBOX LIVE suscriptions. The general public wants to play videogames, not watch a narrative game.
In short, they prefer Nintendo, who week in and week out sells 60% of the consoles in a given month..... MS taking 10-15, and Sony the rest....you only believe it is 'close' because of media bias that is not relative to factual data.
IGN: The holiday Wii lineup looks thin for the hardcore crowd. We see this. Gamers see this. What, if anything, is Nintendo planning to address it?
Oh good, I am neither a gamer or hardcore. Saves me from having to be IGNorant. Right, Down, A, Down, Right, Up
I just thought that this is notable. I am sure the media would have a completly different angle if MS was selling 60% of the consles and had around 20 (1rst party) of the top 50 games on the worldwide sales chart week after week. And if Nintendo had lost 7 billion in the last 7 years, I do believe that would be much discuused as well.
I am just saying their is major bias and hype mongering in the gamig media. They are a hell of a long ways from unbiased and neutral. Their is precious little in general that is factual based reporting, most is editorial, and it is reflected on message boards.
It does not hurt my feelings, but why criticise people for discussion of the facts of the current generation?
FACT: The Wii-Version of Twillight Princess is a mirrored version of the gamecibe version. ('cause link is a lefthanded person and most people are righthanded. so they decided to make him reighthanded for the motion control.)
FACT: Nintendo used the same password to secure all "hack-Gates" as in the Gamecube.... it was just all written in BIG LETTERS!
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Topic: Wii: Myths and Facts
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