It was due to happen, it had been too long since the giant known as Nintendo had been shrunk to almost a speck in the videogame market. The last two systems had been promising in paper but in reality failed to deliver the experiences everyone craved for. Sony had once been a random contender that ultimately finished Sega as a platform and threatened to do the same to our very own favorite Mario franchise. Microsoft later entered the game boasting a little thing called Halo and promising things even bigger than the grotesque original controller. Then rumors of Nintendo coming up with something different was heard, it was originally labeled Revolution and true, they wanted to make a revolution but the name was so bland and Xtreme geared that it sounded even more predictable than wrestling. Enter a new name, three letters that make a silly giggly sound that can make people from Sony have miscarriages. The Wii.
I may be of an odd sort but I’ve always loved the videogame wars and how one company vows revenge after getting ramrodded by another a certain year. Third party developers being stolen or signed to exclusive deals, software issues, buzz. I love everything. EVERY single thing in this battlefield fascinates me because it always has this happy go lucky feeling because hey, it’s just videogames. But it’s also business and quite a harsh one. You don’t believe me? Look up information on how Squaresoft and Capcom went against Nintendo for a couple of years and see if the loss of these game developers didn’t butt fuck Nintendo for a while. Remember Atari, Sega, 3DO, Turbografx, Neo Geo, and even the heinous iteration known as Phillips CDI? They all bit the big one in some way or another and though they often say it in class, a short epithet holds true for these wars as well: history serves mostly to show the mistakes that shall be made again.
Take a look at the picture. Three next generation systems start duking it out nasty-like. Each has an advantage or gimmick to buy but if anything, history has shown us that the market cannot maintain three game platforms for a long period of time. True, many of those other systems sucked ass, but when Sony faced Nintendo and Sega, it not only held its own, it demolished its competition thanks to the development of games people NEEDED to play. True, they didn’t have franchise faithfuls such as Metroid, Link, Starfox, Donkey Kong or everyone’s favorite plumber. But what they did have was the edgiest games out there that were just plain fun to play.
Exit Sega, enter Microsoft. Again, three platforms is a tad much for a limited yet hungry market. Simply put, there’re are too many games and too little money in the pockets of already bankrupt parents. Someone always seems to have to go but unlike Sega or any of the other bullshit systems, Microsoft seemed to have a shot. Edgy games exclusive to the system, better graphics (claimed but not demonstrated as far as I’m concerned). So Nintendo rode the portable wave for a while and with its Gameboy and Nintendo DS have demonstrated that no one can ever compete with these guys. Sorry PSP.
Now, the next generation systems face each other and the landscape looks to change drastically. While Gamecube was barely able to survive, the Nintendo Wii not only looks to hold its own it looks like its making people at Sony and Microsoft sweat bullets. Lets’ break down the systems for a moment shall we?
Microsoft’s XBOX 360
XBOX should be given kudos for having gotten a relatively loyal fan base in such a short time, but hardware deficiencies, high price tags and lesser than wow performance will probably hurt it. I won’t go into the performance or graphical department because although I’m a dork, I’m not THAT much of a dork. In essence, Microsoft pulled off a Sega and committed one of the most common crimes in business in general. They preempted the launch dates of both competitors by a full year. On the pro side, this means that they have a solid year of sales to put in the bank, but it also means that you had to rush your console and problems will ensue, and nasty bits with the warranty will be an issue to totally turn off buyers worldwide. That and not being able to totally blow PS2 titles out of the water signifies trouble for the system. It costs like a next generation console, but does it deliver? From what I’ve heard, it’s a resounding no. Maybe a bit better graphics but rarely anything to get your gamer hardons in a bunch.
Sony’s Playstation 3
With the biggest graphical dick of any next generation console, PS3 proves that if you want graphics, looking elsewhere is ludicrous at best. Games are designed on Blue Ray discs, have the graphical potency of a cyber Kong and will give you visuals and performance that’ll make Sonic the Hedgehog look like he has spida bifida. Now with Blue Ray technology comes Blue Ray costs. A whopping $500 for the shitty PS3 and an extra $100 if you want the whole sh-bang. That’s $600 not taking into account games that you’d need to buy. If you want a Blue Ray it’s actually a great deal since Sony loses about $150 with each console it sells. Look up the cost of the average BRDP (Blue Ray Disc Players) and you’re likely to see four figures or at least nearing four figures. So with such graphical prowess, there’s nothing to worry about right? Wrong. In the last few months, apparently someone leaked out to Sony about Wii’s control scheme and they bumped rumble play to opt for motion sensoring that although a nice add on, can’t beat Nintendo’s precision, just read the reviews. So in response, Sony has massively limited the distribution of the console, limiting supply and endlessly multiplying demand (basic principles of economics). People are willing to pay thousands of dollars for the consoles. Black market trading is offering the hardware for twice what it’s worth and people are buying. Clever initial strategy, but will it hold up?
Nintendo’s Wii
Graphically the weakest pup in the litter, what chance does this little white platform have of succeeding? About 100-1. The buzz generated by the system and how they’ve opted to commit to gameplay rather than graphics showcases a ballsy move that will payoff even more handsomely than I think many people predicted. The controllers are a mindfuck for anyone used to typical gameplay. Many games only require you to use one hand or mimic real life movements and they are intuitive enough to allow any player to pick up and play. Couple that with the most trustworthy franchise in the world and you know that marquis games will blow your mind. What’s surprising is that unknown games will also rock and might even ride a huge buzz wave for a time and be forgiven for many short comings for simply feeling so fresh, new and different. Add to this a future data base to download a vast catalogue that will have many old school gamers frothing at the mouth and the system itself letting you personalize avatars and you have quite a hell of a product to beat. Oh and did it slip my mind to say that it is selling for a price tag of $250? Check mate. I’m sure the millions Nintendo spent on R & D alone would cripple the economy of a small country, but we the gamers are getting treated to one hell of a ride because they will force everyone to produce such games that will be able to compete with it. And this being the weakest system graphics wise.
So what does all this mean? Yet again another proven epithet is put into practice it’s not the size that counts, it’s the motion of the ocean. And trust me, Wii has the motion to capsize its competitors. Don’t believe me? Pick one up and try for yourself and see if you can’t keep yourself from saying Wiiiiiiiiii.
