Recently, all the companies seem to be copying each other. M$ is apparantly making Lips, which is meant to be a Singstar like think, Scene it is copying buzz. Sony is also copying them with acomplishments, trophies and copying Nintendo with the home avatars. M$ is also copying the Miis, or so it is rumoured

Personally, i don't particularily mind it, as people benefit from it. Sony is taking the miis and making it better (we hope !) with home and improving in the social aspects of Xbox live (we hope!). The main point is that it is clearly not just ripping off the others console, like the trophies could be accused of, though having a nice 3D trophy and the Star wars senate room like place to show them off is a great idea

Seems Nintendo are the only one of the three with a shred of originality left in them.

It doesn't bother me, as you suggest, the consumer benefits in the end. Besides, innovators have the advantage of a headstart. Indeed it's a compliment that so many stolen ideas and concepts tend to originate from Nintendo. (SNES controller design, analogue stick, rumble pack, wiimote, balance board etc).

Its competition and its great.

It drives innovation, innovation that is then adopted by the industry.

This generation, one company did everything right except perhaps going after third-party exclusives early on, and they got well paid for it.

One company had a horrible hardware design and paid the price for it with slowing sales. But at the same time it was saved by the single best push to get exclusives and great games on their system since Sony's attempt with the PS1. IT was also saved financially by its incredible online innovations (and price gouging).

One company was exceedingly arrogant and paid the price with massive losses and the need for substantial moneyhatting to keep even a few of its exclusives. Competition forced that company to reduce the entry price of its console by 33% in its first year, which is largely unprecedented.


Competition has forced all of these companies to start adopting the successful parts of their competitions models, whilst simultaneously forcing massive investment in new and innovative games.

i hate it cause sony and ms are copying everything they can from nintendo from motion sensing, miis to rumoured channels and balance board rip off and still claiming that they don't compete with wii(basically because they would look bad if we compare sales of each console).

Sony copied Microsoft's online, still are.  Nintendo's still trying to catch Microsoft in that arena as well (though they are not trying as hard). 

And everyone copied Sony's Blu-Ray.

Wait what?

 I thought companies only copied successful things?

I don't mind it but it makes you look like a copycat.

Do I mind? No. Although I think MS is a little more transparent in its efforts than others. It rarely adds or puts its own spin on stuff - just copies what works for others. I think Live is the closest its come to really making something its own - and even that is based heavily on PC online services.

While they don't always work Sony and Nintendo seem to mix more attempts at innovation with copying than MS - Nintendo in particular with DS and Wii.

I don't think you can really compared the Sony home people to a Mii. It's a completely different style. Home seems like it's been in development forever as well, probably before Nintendo released their Mii concept.

Companies copy each other. It's great. Means they have to keep innovating.