ConsoleWars
Latest
PS3: This is marketing?
Joystiq notes that Sony has a new slogan for their European PS3 marketing campaign: "This is living."Hmm. The phrase has a familiar ring that I can't quite place. It's oddly remeniscent of weight loss ads aim at aging yentas. As I suspected "This Is Living" is the title of actress/old people hero Lynn Redgrave's autobiography. Redgrave was the 80s era spokesfrau for Weight Watchers and I swear to God they used the same tag line in an ad campaign back in the day.Just another shining example of Sony's originality. When Sony brings this campaign stateside they should hire Kathy Lee Gifford and shoot her with a few blue hairs milling around a Carnival Cruise ship."If you could see me now, I'm playing a PS3."
Sony: Lack of innovation = value
Sony Entertainment President Kaz "Riiiidge Racer" Hirai says the $600 PS3 is a "very good value." Why? Because, thanks to Sony's geological approach to console development, it only costs you $60 per year of faithful service (This is the only answer he came up with):I think that we are offering a very good value for the consumers. We look at our products having a 10-year life cycle, which we've proven with the PlayStation. Therefore, the PlayStation 3 is going to be a console that's going to be with you again for 10 years. We're not going to ask the consumers to suddenly buy another PlayStation console in five years time, and basically have their investment go by the wayside. So for all those reasons, I think at $599 we're offering a very good value to the consumers.To put this in perspective, by the time you take home a PS4, your girlfriend's breasts will be three inches lower and that illegitimate glint in your eye will be in the 3rd grade. But it explains alot. Sony thinks their lack of innovation is actually a plus for the consumer. By this logic, why not stretch the cycle out to 30 years. That way, PS3 fanboys could still be dusting off their super-duper value in 2036 while our grandkids play with their "Xbox Classic" Home Holodecks.The world is just turning a little too fast for Kaz these days.[Thanks KingOfGods]
PS3 "Exclusive" plays on 360
This is what passes for a "PS3 Exclusive" thesed days. Notice anything wrong with the picture? Xboxic has a full analysis.
Analyst downplays Wii, gets eaten by Nintendo fans [Update 1]
Oh, look. Another independent analyst stepped up to predict the outcome of the console war. This time it's Boston-based Yankee Group, and they're in with a win for Sony. According to their report, Sony will outsell the competition with 44% of the market share, and Nintendo will suffer a devastating loss in the "war" with 16% market share. They have Microsoft closing in on Sony with 40%.The biggest (it was a tough call) problem with this report, from our fan-centric perspective, is not the numbers or the predictions or anything else. It is the fact that Wii is being compared to the GameCube. Sure, there are similarities in hardware. But for the purpose of comparing market share? That's not the same ballpark. It may not even be the same game. If a comparison must be drawn, look instead to the Nintendo DS. Nintendo has opened a new world of potential by looking beyond just the gaming community. The proof is in the DS -- and unless there's some outrageous mistake on an epic scale in Nintendo's future, it's probably a safe bet that Wii will be nothing like the GameCube. Whether or not it'll fare better in the console wars is still somewhat up in the air (though it has price on its side), but comparing the two from a marketing perspective is something of a stretch. And predicting that the Wii will sell fewer units than the GameCube's 21 million? That's laughable.As for all these predictions ... in 2011, if anyone was right, will we even care?[Update 1: 12 is totally not 21.]
PS3 entitled to mockery
In the July 19 EGM Live Podcast, editor Dan Hsu reported that Sony's new, yet oddly familiar, points system will allow gamers to pile up "entitlements" by achieving certain goals in PS3 games. Set aside, for a moment, the fact that this entire concept is a blatant rip-off of Microsoft. It doesn't even make sense. Last I checked, entitlements were something the modern welfare state sent your grandmother in the mail, not things that you earn through toil and tears. Microsoft calls them "achievements" because you're..um...achieving something. This is a hilariously awkward attempt by Sony to avoid using their rival's nomenclature that denotes both a lack of creativity and a failure to comprehend the English language. I guess "goals" and "accomplishments" were also taken. Leave it to Kutaragi & Krew to come up with a reward system that sounds like they're doling out government cheese to the indigent. Then again, if you plunk down $600 for PS3, you better be entitled to something besides a hefty credit card bill.I almost can't believe this will be in the final product. Is Sony as dense as they are shameless?[Thanks Geof]
Wii to crush gaming industry, shoot kittens
As fall approaches, bringing with it the imminent lauch of the Nintendo Wii, some of the press seem to be going a little doomsday on us. Over at The Age, Jason Hill has decided that if Wii succeed (that pun just really never gets old), it will kill the entire gaming industry and probably beat up your mom afterwards. We here at the Wii Fanboy offices think that may be totally insano overstating things just a tad. Here's the deal: some people are crying because they didn't catch Nintendo's third party development train quickly enough. Now that Nintendo is looking to make a very good showing this year, they're scrambling to catch up. Jason Hill seems to think it will be too little, too late, particularly considering Nintendo's less-than-stellar track record with third party developers. Okay, sure. Perhaps a few companies will take a slight monetary hit by not developing for Wii if Nintendo decimates the competition this Christmas. But that's hardly the sound of a death knell for such franchises as "Grand Theft Auto, Pro Evolution Soccer, Prince of Persia, Final Fantasy, Need for Speed, Metal Gear Solid, Resident Evil, Burnout, Guitar Hero, Elder Scrolls, V8 Supercars, [and] Splinter Cell." After all, some of those games are already slated for Wii release! And the support of such industry heavy-hitters as Ubisoft and EA apparently isn't enough to convince Jason Hill that Nintendo really isn't out to cap Solid Snake from beneath the cover of a cardboard box. Hill says, "A successful Nintendo is great for gamers and the entire interactive entertainment industry, but a dominant Nintendo is not." I guess he forgot about all those years when Nintendo was the gaming industry. [Via Go Nintendo]
The business end of the console wars
The console wars are everywhere these days -- even in Businessweek magazine, and the Wii and PS3 aren't even out yet!Nintendo's high numbers in the market haven't been missed by stockwatchers; the Businessweek article points to the incredible success of the DS when projecting how the Wii will fare. But the article ventures behind the numbers and into surprisingly apt analysis, considering the type of publication. But perhaps that just goes to prove the widening of the gaming market, and its emergence as a true force in the global economy. While the piece kicks off as a look at projecting the business side of the console wars, it quickly becomes a Nintendo love-in. We understand that mentality around here and can't help but fawn over the Wii ourselves. However, there are some interesting tidbits therein. Why Wii will succeed (according to Businessweek): Unique and innovative system offers developers more latitude Price point -- no one can argue that Wii're cheaper! Wider market -- count on the business-minded to pick up on Nintendo marketing to everyone, not just gamers The glowing praise drops off near the end with the article's projected sales numbers for the PS3 and Wii. Despite the PS3's exorbitant pricetag, Businessweek expects the console to outsell Wii. Wii may just have to prove them wrong on that one.
Japan, does the big M need it?
In Gamasutra's latest "Analyze This" column, Howard Wen asks industry analysts a question that's been popping up a lot lately, "Does Microsoft really need Japan?" or, more specifically:"So how important should the Japanese market be in [Microsoft's] overall strategy for the 360? What do you think Microsoft specifically did wrong in Japan? Can they fix things before (or during) the arrivals of the Wii and PS3?"Wen also asked whether or not Microsoft needs Japanese games to entice North American's and Europeans who grew up on Japanese consoles.One of the best responses comes from analyst Ben Bajarin of Creative Strategies:"I am not sure Microsoft did anything horribly wrong with Japan. The problem they face is that this is a market dominated by Sony, who employs many people in that country and are loyal to those products. If Microsoft has done anything wrong that needs to be fixed, it is a lack of understanding of the Japanese market."The article contains responses from several analysts and is worth a read. So, do you think Microsoft needs Japan to succeed in the world market? Are a few titles like Bullet Witch or Blue Dragon (or this one) enough?
Memoirs of a Gaijin Console
The story of the Xbox 360 in Japan should never be told, but Microsoft is still officially counting on a Hollywood ending:"We're committed to Japan for the long run, and we're off to a solid but not spectacular start, and I think that's what we expected to happen," Microsoft's Shane Kim told Kikizo recently.Kim pointed out that success in Japan is dependent on game makers making games specifically for the Japanese audience.One of these, Ninety Nine Nights by ex-Sega developer Tetsuya Mizuguchi, is already out, and sales have been underwhelming. The big games in the offing include Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey - both RPGs developed by former Square Enix developer Hironobu Sakaguchi.I'd like to think it's all about the games and not some fundamental hatred for American consoles. Can the Xbox 360's fortunes in Japan be revived with one kira app?
Sony exec says PS3 games won't work on 360
While hilariously bragging about the PS3's groundbreaking online distribution plans, some Sony exec decided to talk trash about their first-party games:"Certainly being able to sell globally on-line makes it easier to reach international and remote markets," said John Hight, Director of External Production at SCEA Santa Monica. "On the business side, it also lowers our cost of sales and eliminates inventory risk. It should help curtail used game sales and piracy."He added a few more points, saying "This new form of distribution will lower the barriers of entry for new developers." "We can try out new ideas in a low risk, quick feedback environment."Sony is looking for fresh game ideas that will release the true power of the PS3."Our first party projects are all unique to PS3. Some of our games, by virtue of their design and hardware demands, simply couldn't work on Xbox 360." Plus they come in a PS3 box.
PS3 complexity could hinder yields
That's a fancy way of saying analysts don't think Sony can make enough oh so complicated machines to keep their well-heeled fans happy this Holiday season. Having suffered through manufacturing-related shortages ourselves, the Xbox 360 community looks forward to feeling their fanboy pain--while we kick back and play Gears of War.[Thanks SuicideNinja]
Clash of the Consoles: a sneak peek!
Here's a sneak peek of the monumental face-off we're going to be experiencing firsthand here at E3 soon. Of course there is still a lot of work to do before Wednesday, as you can see. But so far, so good!
PS3 European pricing not what it seems
With the recent slip-up by a Sony Europe VP regarding the PS3's European pricing, Americans have been exposed to one of the most annoying aspects of being a European gamer (when we're not waiting ages for games to arrive): unfair console and video game prices. Naturally a lot of American readers will be angry when they convert Mr. Fornay's €499 and €599 price range to dollars; $613 to $736 is a lot of dough when compared to the console's main competitor.Fortunately for U.S. gamers (and unluckily for Europeans), no console manufacturer ever bases the price of its consoles on the currency exchange rates. The chances are that the US dollar figure of the PS3 will be equal to or lower than the euro numbers, not in line with the currency exchange rate. Don't believe us? Check out the Xbox 360's European pricing. For some reason the Xbox 360 price in U.S. dollars is identical to the price in euros -- working out to a €60 or €80 premium depending on which console you purchase. Based on the example of the Xbox 360 it follows that if the European pricing outlined by Mr. Fornay is real, then the American pricing for the PS3 will be between $499 and $599 and not the crazy numbers that you get after converting the currency. Crappy for European gamers, we know, but at least the American PS3 Fanboys will stop crying!
