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[Count Dookkake]

No one could even have dreamed the success the wii has had never mind predicted.:lol

Plenty of people knew it would "win."

By this much is a bit of a surprise, but the DS and Guitar Hero were all you needed to know about videogames to see 1st place.

 

[Chris FOM]

Looking at the number, from Nintendo's PR we know of at least 8 Wii titles in the top 30 (the five in the top 10 plus the 3 additional 3rd party games). This figure assumes that there's not a single Nintendo game in outside the top 10 and inside the top 30. This is likely not the case (Super Mario Galaxy, for starters, made the top 20 last month), so 8 is a minimum and it's probably but not confirmably more. Meanwhile, this leaves only 11 titles to be distributed among the 360, PS3, PS2, and PSP (assuming the PSP still has any titles in the top 30), and we know what 3 of them are.

So at absolute bare minimum 8 Wii titles in the top 30, and almost certainly more. 11 among the 360, PS3, PS2, and PSP. How do you justify ignoring the Wii again?

 

[CartridgeBlower]

I still argue the Wii sales wise is an anomaly, based on that definition.

But from a business standpoint and use of the word anomaly, it brings up different guidelines.

Fair to all? Or are we going to continue to dissect semantics down to a sub-mental level on this board?

 

[Evlar]

Plenty of people knew it would "win."

By this much is a bit of a surprise, but the DS and Guitar Hero were all you needed to know about videogames to see 1st place.

I think that most of everything you needed to know about the business side of gaming could be learned by taking a very careful look at the stock of any GameStop, circa 2004. Particularly the PS2 software stock.

 

[justchris]

There is nothing wrong with me using the word anomaly to describe the Wii.

Their sales 'deviate from the standard set before it.'

Just like PS2 sales deviated from other systems sales.

Just like the NES did from it's other systems.

This debate has hurt the inside of my bones.

There are several problems with this.

Are you attempting to state that PS3 and 360 "set the standard" before the Wii, for which the Wii is anomalous to?

The way it works is much like conservation of energy/mass. It only applies in a closed system. In the case of a closed system of the current generation, you can say that the Wii is an anomaly, yes, because it doesn't appear to perform the way everything else does.

If you then proceed to try to compare the 360, PS3 and Wii to prior generations, you've expanded the scope of your argument. Now the "standard set before it" includes the PS2, GC & Xbox. Under this system, the Wii is no longer an anomaly, but performing to standard within the system.

Again, there are lots of reasons to say the Wii is an anomaly, depending on the scope of the argument you define. Attempting to claim it is an anomaly under one scope, thus dismissing it from your argument, then compare the remainder to something outside that scope is not good science.

Although, I see the point you're trying to make, but that presents all sorts of other problems. The PS3 & 360 are performing pretty similarly to the Xbox & GC, but the performance of the Xbox & GC were pretty anomalous when compared to every prior generation. There are too many variables to make a good argument here.

 

[jts]

I can remember when Microsoft listed 480p as HD on the back of all of their original Xbox games. :lol

YES!!!! WII AM HD CONFIRMED! BUY UNCHARTED RAWR!!!!!1111

 

[MisterHero]

I still argue the Wii sales wise is an anomaly, based on that definition.

But from a business standpoint and use of the word anomaly, it brings up different guidelines.

Fair to all? Or are we going to continue to dissect semantics down to a sub-mental level on this board?

Iwata disagrees with you. To him, the Wii is a 'paradigm shift'.

Or is 'anomoly' a replacement for 'fad' which is a word for things that have 'phenomenal' popularity? [isn't one of the prior 3 terms still bannable?]

Why does it matter?

 

[boiled goose]

I think that most of everything you needed to know about the business side of gaming could be learned by taking a very careful look at the stock of any GameStop, circa 2004. Particularly the PS2 software stock.

How much % of game sales in the US does gamestop represent?
Has it changed btw then and now?

I really dont know...They do seem to have a lot of influence with their preorder crap....

 

[Mooreberg]

It'll be another 12 pages before he agrees on the same definition of the word. It's this month's version of "GTA is niche."

Has it changed btw then and now?

Did they own EB four years ago? If not, it has changed a lot. I'm still interested to hear what the long term plans are to combat used game sales. Companies will never be able to argue against the legality of it but it's costing them a lot more than people who were never going to be buy their game downloading stuff on bit torrent.

 

[Link]

How much % of game sales in the US does gamestop represent?
Has it changed btw then and now?

With the Wii around, I'm guessing they hold a smaller percentage of sales than they used to.

 

[Neo C.]

Wii: triple the PStriple (and a bit more).

Wow, such a short thread. Is this the new standard for the next months and years? Until the next generation hits the door again?

 

[TheGrayGhost]

The "anomaly" this gen is the split between hardware sales and where third party software sales are coming from. That is not something that was seen with the previous systems that outsold the other consoles on the market.

Disruptive technologies, according to Christensen, usually seize the market from incumbent competitors over stretches of time. Accordingly, it'll be some time before third-parties focus more intently on Wii. That said, Wii software sales in general are quite lucrative.

No one could even have dreamed the success the wii has had never mind predicted.

You are partially correct. As I said earlier, disruptive technologies, like Wii, usually rise to market leadership slowly and steadily. It is the rate at which Wii is disrupting the industry which is remarkable, not that it would disrupt it at all. But Nintendo did foresee a successful future.

 

[RBH]

YES!!!! WII AM HD CONFIRMED! BUY UNCHARTED RAWR!!!!!1111

:lol :lol

 

[Evlar]

Wii: triple the PStriple (and a bit more).

Wow, such a short thread. Is this the new standard for the next months and years? Until the next generation hits the door again?

I'd like to believe most of GAF is off playing MGS4 rather than reading this.

(I'm trying to decide whether to open my copy of the LE or take it back in exchange for the regular edition, or I'd be playing it too).

 

[kame-sennin]

...Wii has a future and will absorb every demographic into itself eventually. HD gaming has been disrupted, and unless the competition can become relevant and "co-opt" the disruption, they will retreat further and further upstream. And that's not necessarily such a terrible thing, upstream consumers and products provide the most business and the most money, but the disruptor will eventually seize the upstream from them.

On the first point, I don't think they can. Nintendo's asymetries of skill and asymetries of motivation are far too great for Sony and MS to overcome. Sony and MS simply do not want the new market values represented by the Wii to become the norm as it would destroy their business model and cut into their margins. Also remember that co-option is a double-edged sword. It can stop a disruptor in its tracks, or it can add momentum to the disruption by making the new values standard.

As to the second point, there is a very limited upmarket in gaming (remember that 360 had weak sales before Wii even launched). As far as hardware is concerned, the upmarket seems to have been wrung dry, or is at least in the process of becoming so. That leaves only software. But traveling upmarket with software on the HD platforms leads to the risk of massive bombs. I think for these reasons, Nintendo's disruption will be one of the most brutal.

No one could even have dreamed the success the wii has had never mind predicted.:lol

O Rly?

 

[Link Man]

I still argue the Wii sales wise is an anomaly, based on that definition.

But from a business standpoint and use of the word anomaly, it brings up different guidelines.

Fair to all? Or are we going to continue to dissect semantics down to a sub-mental level on this board?

The sales of the Wii are not anomalous when compared to every other disruptive product, of which there are many examples.

 

[Mooreberg]

Accordingly, it'll be some time before third-parties focus more intently on Wii

How much time? 360 is probably already halfway through its life cycle and it doesn't seem to be losing a grip on third party support. If it keeps up another year or two it would be the first time a distant second in one market was that far ahead in third party sales for the same region. That is an anomoly.

 

[The_Joint]

I still argue the Wii sales wise is an anomaly, based on that definition.

I think you've already lost that argument, based on your argument.

 

[CartridgeBlower]

The standard for this generation is 200k sales a month over the past 18-24 months, the time period for this generation of consoles.

As shown by the PSP, X360, and PS3.

The Wii differentiates from that at an unpredicted level (okay, maybe by Nintendo in their wildest dreams). But certainly not by any analyst or consumer.

How is that not an 'anomaly' by the exact definition of the word?

 

[Mooreberg]

This is worse than the Soul Calibur thread that turned into a rant on public education. :lol

 

[Evlar]

The standard for this generation is 200k sales a month over the past 18-24 months, the time period for this generation of consoles.

As shown by the PSP, X360, and PS3.

The Wii differentiates from that at an unpredicted level (okay, maybe by Nintendo in their wildest dreams). But certainly not by any analyst or consumer.

How is that not an 'anomaly' by the exact definition of the word?

:lol You have to be joking.

 

[MobiusPigeon]

i doubt you'll find many people on this board that have all 3 systems and will honestly say wii is their primary out of all 3. I still have 2 wii games i havent even opened yet. Oh and i bought planet earth instead of MGS4 today. :lol

 

[TheGrayGhost]

On the first point, I don't think they can. Nintendo's asymetries of skill and asymetries of motivation are far too great for Sony and MS to overcome. Sony and MS simply do not want the new market values represented by the Wii to become the norm as it would destroy their business model and cut into their margins. Also remember that co-option is a double-edged sword. It can stop a disruptor in its tracks, or it can add momentum to the disruption by making the new values standard.

Neither do I, for precisely the asymmetries of skill and motivation mentioned; I was trying to be diplomatic. Simply implementing disruptive technologies relative to the incumbent's business model undermines the disruption, which is why no success can be found in developing a similar Wii control-scheme for either the 360 or PS3. Disruption does not occur in this way.

O Rly?

Thank you. I've been trying to find Malstrom's previous work on Wiikly.

 

[Jammy]

This is a small thread... but like people have said, there have been quite a few bannings recently, not to mention the fact that MGS4 just came out today.
Anyhow...


-Great continued success for Wii and DS, although I think people were expecting Wii to do even better than that :lol . PS3 beats 360, but the feat is minute. HD gaming needs a kick in the balls.

-We Ski and Boom Blox! Iron... Man?

-Mario Kart Wii and Wii Fit sales are great, but the former especially. The game might as well be supply constrained, too, and it didn't drop much at all from last month - truly overlooked in terms of sales and staying power, just like previous installments.

-What I'm looking forward to in June? A little rise out of PS3 (MGS4 and bundle) and DS (Guitar Hero: On Tour and new color), continued sales for GTAIV, Wii Fit, and Mario Kart Wii, and a top ten that'll be quite shaken up with Ninja Gaiden II, MGS4, and Guitar Heroes.

 

[justchris]

The standard for this generation is 200k sales a month over the past 18-24 months, the time period for this generation of consoles.

As shown by the PSP, X360, and PS3.

The Wii differentiates from that at an unpredicted level (okay, maybe by Nintendo in their wildest dreams). But certainly not by any analyst or consumer.

How is that not an 'anomaly' by the exact definition of the word?

Okay, let me try again.

When defining the scope of your argument to call the Wii an anomaly insofar as sales is concerned, you might not want to include the PSP, as the PSP is a handheld, and therefore it's only appropriate to include the DS, which sells more like the Wii than the PSP, PS3 or 360, thus no longer making the Wii an anomaly.

 

[jakncoke]

This is worse than the Soul Calibur thread that turned into a rant on public education. :lol

:lol. wow that's insane.

This has probably been answered many times but I've never actually seen the answer. Why does NPD only release top 10 figures?

 

[CartridgeBlower]

Why is it so outlandish 200k is the standard for a console to sell in a month?

You think the standard is 600k? Only for Nintendo. Certainly not the standard.

And THERE CAN BE MORE THAN ONE ANOMALY FOR A GIVEN SET OF DATA. So include the DS all you want.

Each set of different data (like each hardware generation) has it's own unique anomalies.

Wii, PS2, Gameboy, DS, NES, etc.

All these systems deviated from the standards set beside them IN SALES.

That's all I meant. What I said never needed to be scrutinized down to this level by people with nothing better to do with their time then sidetrack another NEOGAF forum thread.

 

[beef3483]

i doubt you'll find many people on this board that have all 3 systems and will honestly say wii is their primary out of all 3. I still have 2 wii games i havent even opened yet. Oh and i bought planet earth instead of MGS4 today. :lol

Well, completely taking out personal preference of any kind, there is a 1/3 (33%) would pick it as thier primary. If 45% percent of those that own all three, said that the Wii is thier primary then that would still be good. And your point is still kind of meaningless anyways because most of the time one sytem is enough to cover most peoples needs.

Anyways, if I could afford all three, I still think the Wii would be my system of choice.

 

[TheGrayGhost]

How much time?

That is, as far as I can tell, unforeseeable. It may already be happening. But it took decades before digital photography disrupted Polaroid, Agfa, Fuji, and Kodak.

 

[Linkup]

I wonder what would have happened if the Wii would have gotten a halfway decent GTA4 port?

It's sales would have stayed the same, unless they stocked up for it.

Someone actually called for the 360/PS3 sales to go down with the launch of GTA4. At the time it sounded crazy, now it's reality.

 

[Blablurn]

Sony <3

 

[TheGrayGhost]

It's been obvious for awhile now that MS isnt too concerned about selling as many consoles as possible right now.

I don't think so, either. Remember, the PS3 was developed and marketed primarily as a "computer entertainment system," a convergence of media. In this sense, the PS3 is a disruptive product, and Microsoft, seeing the possibility of disruption, opted a defensive/reactive strategy toward SONY. Their primary goal is to prevent SONY from such disruption, but it seems they're failing.

Remember that Microsoft partly entered the game console business for defensive reasons,” Rosoff said. “The company was concerned that a PlayStation successor would become the default gateway to networked entertainment in the home—Ken Kutaragi promised as much—and cut into consumer PC sales.”

He continued, “It's very hard to calculate the worth of a defensive business. I personally think Sony will have a really hard time with the PS3—fewer games at launch, $200 price premium, and yet they're losing more money per console than Microsoft is on the 360. More long-term, imagine no PlayStation 4 and how Microsoft might profit from such an environment.”

http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3988&Itemid=2&limit=1&limitstart= 0

In other words, I don't think SONY or Microsoft are in the gaming industry to seize it, necessarily. Their interests are elsewhere. Which I find hysterical since it is Nintendo who is often criticized for moving in a "different direction."

Poor Microsoft. They've failed in every consumer electronics industry they've entered. Microsoft is a terrible, terrible business and they're ripe for disruption.

 

[Vyer]

The build quality/RROD problems are still a big deal out in the 'mainstream' world. A lot of non gaming boards I go to are filled with these concerns.

I think that, combined with a much needed price drop, are two things that are really, really stagnating the 360 sales right now.

You see a bump for PS3 because of the recent changes in price/bundles/other deals that are at least pushing those that were close to buying to go ahead.

But there are still a lot left who probably still hold the price as a barrier for picking up an "HD" system.

 

[jko]

O Rly?

People are thinking this is the beginning, but I am saying that this is the end. Much of this generation is already defined by the business strategies the consoles are launching with. “No!” says the hardcore gamer. “We must not allow the industry to become disrupted! The Wii, with all its untraditional new gamers, must be stopped!” Silly core gamers! Don’t you get it? The avalanche is already falling; it is too late for the pebbles to vote.

wow

 

[TheGrayGhost]

wow

He's the only analyst worth paying attention to, I think. He's predictions have been spot-on.

 

[boiled goose]

Why is it so outlandish 200k is the standard for a console to sell in a month?

You think the standard is 600k? Only for Nintendo. Certainly not the standard.

And THERE CAN BE MORE THAN ONE ANOMALY FOR A GIVEN SET OF DATA. So include the DS all you want.

Each set of different data (like each hardware generation) has it's own unique anomalies.

Wii, PS2, Gameboy, DS, NES, etc.

All these systems deviated from the standards set beside them IN SALES.

That's all I meant. What I said never needed to be scrutinized down to this level by people with nothing better to do with their time then sidetrack another NEOGAF forum thread.

I hate to keep beating a dead somewhat irrelevant grammar horse, but...

Id say the standard is to have high sales for the leading platform , lower sales for the losing platforms. Wii fits the mold.

 

[kame-sennin]

Disruptive technologies, according to Christensen, usually seize the market from incumbent competitors over stretches of time. Accordingly, it'll be some time before third-parties focus more intently on Wii. That said, Wii software sales in general are quite lucrative.

I've thought about this a lot, and the hypothesis I've come up with is that Nintendo's disruption is a greater threat to (some) third parties than it is to Sony and Microsoft. Or, at the very least, the threat is equal. Remember that third party demands have always provided Sony and Microsoft with a basic console strategy (perhaps MS more than Sony).

Taking this into consideration, we see that many third party publishers and developers were pushing for better graphics, high definition, and more complex controllers. These sustaining innovations support the business model of releasing "bigger better" sequels. So if Nintendo replaces the values of better graphics and complex gameplay, they will be disrupting the business models of many leading third parties. That is why, in my view, third parties have been reluctant to develop for the Wii in spite of its user base. Aiding in the Wii's success would be aiding in the disruption of their own business model.

Only smaller devs - who can ride the Wii upmarket, and more agile publishers like Sega, who can adapt to the new values - will aggressively develop for the Wii. All other publishers will avoid, or give poor support, to the platform. We saw a similar situation during the NES generation when the NES displaced the values of computer gaming. EA was not disrupted, but their values conflicted with Nintendo's, and they avoided the console for the entire generation.

How much time? 360 is probably already halfway through its life cycle and it doesn't seem to be losing a grip on third party support. If it keeps up another year or two it would be the first time a distant second in one market was that far ahead in third party sales for the same region. That is an anomoly.

Some third parties will never join Nintendo. But as Nintendo's internal games, as well as games from a select few third parties (Capcom, Sega, indy devs) move upstream - that is, move towards the hardcore - third parties will be attracted by the sales and will follow along. But Nintendo is starting from the bottom (non-gamers) up, so it will take time to work their way towards the most avid gamers. As for sales and life expectancy, the Wii is already overtaking the 360 in overall software sales and the console itself will have much longer lifespan than most.

I was trying to be diplomatic.

I see.

 

[MobiusPigeon]

i wonder how the wii will survive thru the summer. No big 1st party releases, next gen madden, atleast 1 price drop from its competitors. Will they drop the price? will they introduce a greatest hits line? new colors?

 

[Future PhaZe]

Meh. The console war would appear to be over. Doesn't mean much other than the prize though. Sure it'd be nice to capture gold, but at this point the HD companies need to focus on pure profit. Microsoft especially has made quite a few price drops and bundles, and its quite reasonably priced right now. They couldn't do much more other than to maybe cancel the elite and arcade bundles and just try to price match the Wii. Even then I'm not sure if it would overtake the Wii which is really selling based on pure hype at this point. Thats not saying that the Wii isn't a great console, but it seems that whenever the media jumps on a console and states it as "THE IN THING" then thats just that.

Price dropping can help, but at some point it begins to be worthless and your just losing out on cash. Just worry about maximizing profits and developing a quality name for your product. This is especially true for Microsoft imo, which has made quite a jump in brand recognition this generation. Lots of support from third parties and more original I.Ps to hold next to your name for next gen.

Things can change in an instant from one generation to the next and we've seen that throughout the years. It'll be interesting to see what these companies do to capture that non stop media hype that was circling the Ps2 and Wii. I think price point and innovation will be huge next gen.

 

[Link]

i wonder how the wii will survive thru the summer. No big 1st party releases, next gen madden, atleast 1 price drop from its competitors. Will they drop the price? will they introduce a greatest hits line? new colors?

They won't need to do shit.

 

[Mooreberg]

I don't think so, either. Remember, the PS3 was developed and marketed primarily as a "computer entertainment system," a convergence of media. In this sense, the PS3 is a disruptive product, and Microsoft, seeing the possibility of disruption, opted a defensive/reactive strategy toward SONY. Their primary goal is to prevent SONY from such disruption, but it seems they're failing.

Are a vast quanitity of people ditching their PC to use a PS3 for the same tasks? Microsoft's "failure" is wasting any amount of time on this stuff while they get donkey punched by Google. Fortunately this gave me the chance to play a bunch of games without spending half a grand on the hardware (and yeah, I know a lot of people did and continue to spend close to this). Their pain is my gain. Pain of course being only slightly less insanely wealthy than before.

 

[kame-sennin]

He's the only analyst worth paying attention to, I think. He's predictions have been spot-on.

Yea. Him being correct outweighs his eccentricities.

 

[MobiusPigeon]

They won't need to do shit.

i think they will. supposedly manufacturing has increased, they've released their biggest titles of the season, its becoming increasingly easier to find and in a month with wii fit and mario kart as well as a backlog of great nintendo titles they didnt crack 750k? You may think this is the time where they can just get lazy and watch the cash roll in but if they wanna keep MS and Sony at bay they need to keep it fresh.

If sony and MS truly do have waggle wands in the works all they need are killer aps to go with em. MS is already within price range of wii so it wouldnt be hard for them to swoop in on nintendos party.

 

[RagnarokX]

I've thought about this a lot, and the hypothesis I've come up with is that Nintendo's disruption is a greater threat to (some) third parties than it is to Sony and Microsoft. Or, at the very least, the threat is equal. Remember that third party demands have always provided Sony and Microsoft with a basic console strategy (perhaps MS more than Sony).

Taking this into consideration, we see that many third party publishers and developers were pushing for better graphics, high definition, and more complex controllers. These sustaining innovations support the business model of releasing "bigger better" sequels. So if Nintendo replaces the values of better graphics and complex gameplay, they will be disrupting the business models of many leading third parties. That is why, in my view, third parties have been reluctant to develop for the Wii in spite of its user base. Aiding in the Wii's success would be aiding in the disruption of their own business model.

Only smaller devs - who can ride the Wii upmarket, and more agile publishers like Sega, who can adapt to the new values - will aggressively develop for the Wii. All other publishers will avoid, or give poor support, to the platform. We saw a similar situation during the NES generation when the NES displaced the values of computer gaming. EA was not disrupted, but their values conflicted with Nintendo's, and they avoided the console for the entire generation.



Some third parties will never join Nintendo. But as Nintendo's internal games, as well as games from a select few third parties (Capcom, Sega, indy devs) move upstream - that is, move towards the hardcore - third parties will be attracted by the sales and will follow along. But Nintendo is starting from the bottom (non-gamers) up, so it will take time to work their way towards the most avid gamers.



I see.

You make some good points, but the port of Resident Evil 4 really throws a wrench in the idea that 3rd party upstream games have to commit a significant effort to these "new values". Resident Evil 4 is basically the exact same game it is on the last gen consoles, except with pointer aiming; and it sold a lot. If what you say is the case, 3rd parties are clearly overthinking the effort they need to make.

 

[Pachael]

This week has been a win-win for everyone!

Microsoft: JRPG reveals and timed exclusives
Sony: MGS4 awesomeness and PS3 beating X360 in NPD
Nintendo: Lots of cash in the bank and on the sales charts
Sega: 120K Iron Man PS2 sold! Great job Sega!

Are a vast quanitity of people ditching their PC to use a PS3 for the same tasks? Microsoft's "failure" is wasting any amount of time on this stuff while they get donkey punched by Google. And Apple. And Mozilla. And Nintendo. And Linux. Fortunately this gave me the chance to play a bunch of games without spending half a grand on the hardware (and yeah, I know a lot of people did and continue to spend close to this). Their pain is my gain. Pain of course being only slightly less insanely wealthy than before.

Fixed. Microsoft's getting a battering from everybody!

 

[TheGrayGhost]

I've thought about this a lot, and the hypothesis I've come up with is that Nintendo's disruption is a greater threat to (some) third parties than it is to Sony and Microsoft. Or, at the very least, the threat is equal. Remember that third party demands have always provided Sony and Microsoft with a basic console strategy (perhaps MS more than Sony).

Taking this into consideration, we see that many third party publishers and developers were pushing for better graphics, high definition, and more complex controllers. These sustaining innovations support the business model of releasing "bigger better" sequels. So if Nintendo replaces the values of better graphics and complex gameplay, they will be disrupting the business models of many leading third parties. That is why, in my view, third parties have been reluctant to develop for the Wii in spite of its user base. Aiding in the Wii's success would be aiding in the disruption of their own business model.

Only smaller devs - who can ride the Wii upmarket, and more agile publishers like Sega, who can adapt to the new values - will aggressively develop for the Wii. All other publishers will avoid, or give poor support, to the platform. We saw a similar situation during the NES generation when the NES displaced the values of computer gaming. EA was not disrupted, but their values conflicted with Nintendo's, and they avoided the console for the entire generation.

I would say that is a very compelling hypothesis. I have nothing further to add in that respect.

Are a vast quanitity of people ditching their PC to use a PS3 for the same tasks? Microsoft's "failure" is wasting any amount of time on this stuff while they get donkey punched by Google. Fortunately this gave me the chance to play a bunch of games without spending half a grand on the hardware (and yeah, I know a lot of people did and continue to spend close to this). Their pain is my gain. Pain of course being only slightly less insanely wealthy than before.

No. I also should've stated that SONY is failing, too.

 

[TunaLover]

Nintendo should secure some others exclusives from japan, with all that cash, maybe funding third party projects or so.

 

[laserbeam]

i wonder how the wii will survive thru the summer. No big 1st party releases, next gen madden, atleast 1 price drop from its competitors. Will they drop the price? will they introduce a greatest hits line? new colors?

Madden on the wii would sell like crazy if EA would give it the full feature set of the others such as full online league play etc.

The Hardcore madden fan loves his league play and the continued refusal to add it to the Wii means people wont buy it.

 

[Neo C.]

wait, where are the PS2 sales? I want to know if my yearly prediction is still in line with the current sales.

 

[Mariah Carey]

I don't think so, either. Remember, the PS3 was developed and marketed primarily as a "computer entertainment system," a convergence of media. In this sense, the PS3 is a disruptive product, and Microsoft, seeing the possibility of disruption, opted a defensive/reactive strategy toward SONY. Their primary goal is to prevent SONY from such disruption, but it seems they're failing.

The Sony threat appears to be neutralised for the time being. Right now Microsoft can focus on pleasing its shareholders and convincing them the Xbox line is worth continuing.