While not the biggest issue or an easy one to fix it is very impactful. Consumer opinion can effect sales dramatically, it doesn't matter whether the information is true or not. People can be manipulated rather easily especially when promoting negatives about something since we are wired to accept news of something being bad or to stay away from rather than something good. It's a survival instinct. You are far more likely to remember or change your behavior if you are told something is bad or harmful. You can right it off as only mattering on the internet but that is not true since everyone on the internet is a real person and if anything the internet is a far more powerful tool of manipulation than we have ever had in human history. We have started wars through word of mouth and print, the internet is communication on crack. If I put forth a concentrated effort using some time and a bit of money I could negatively impact a product's sales.
This article might be hypocritical at the start but the rest of it has value. The hatred has caused two rough console launches already, 3DS and Vita, next could be the Wii U if its "opponents" drag it through the mud enough.
Before the PS3 everyone was nice to me :(
