Yesterday we had an article about how the Wii didn't deserve to win, now we have one that for the millionth time tries to explain that the Wii is not a competitor to the 360 and PS3. And oh yeah: he uses sports to make his point!

Fortunatelly he also doesn't explain how the industry should survive the massive decrease in gaming from last gen to this.

Oh, and also for this article: You might want to have your 3 minutes back...

ony And MS Can Ignore Nintendo

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So there are these two basketball teams going at it on the blacktop; at first, one team just continues to throw down rim-rattling dunks and continues to dominate. It's like the Globetrotters goin' nuts. Then, the other team starts to recruit some star players, and now, the once-trod-upon team is rapidly making a comeback and cutting into the lead. Now, across the way, there's a baseball team practicing; no game going on, just a practice. They've already won a championship, and they're just breezin' along with an easy workout.

In this scenario, if you couldn't already guess, the Xbox 360 is the first b-ball team, the PS3 is the comeback competitor, and the baseball stars represent the Wii. The point is obvious: the PS3 and 360 will continue to do battle for quite some time while the Wii won't even factor in because, contrary to popular fanboy belief, the Wii is not a direct competitor. Why? The PS3 and 360 caters to gamers while the Wii caters to non-gamers; the families, the gadget-lovers, the trend-followers, etc. All one has to do is check the marketing campaigns for all three interested parties, and that should be more than enough evidence. The Wii commercials so far have featured senior citizens bowling, parents and children playing together, two adult women wandering around in Animal Crossing, dozens of people in the background trying out the new Wii instruments, and the like. All of this indicates one common focus. It's the worldwide appeal of something accessible, and there's nothing wrong with that, but...

In any Wii commercial you have ever seen, would you ever locate someone you would perceive as a "gamer?" Honestly? Furthermore, it's painfully obvious Nintendo isn't interested in producing impressive software; it's all about the gimmick and always has been. Just look at 2008. Of the top 25 titles of the year, how many are on the Wii? 1? 2? Any? Or perhaps the better question is, will any Wii titles be considered for Game of the Year against the likes of MGS4, GTAIV, Gears of War 2, Fallout 3, Dead Space, LittleBigPlanet, etc.? The Wii defenders will instantly play the "yeah, we like to have fun" card, which of course implies that those who prefer the PS3 and 360 aren't having fun. ...yes, that's a water-tight argument there. You Wii lovers certainly can't hide behind a tower of top-notch software; it's basically all on the PS3 and 360, so that's a waste of time. The titles that push the envelope and make this generation what it is aren't possible on the Wii.

And that's because the Wii kinda operates in a weird parallel universe outside the gaming industry. Yes, they're video games...um...kinda. They're appreciated so long as the gimmick is appreciated. Look, I will forever applaud Nintendo for going a different direction in this new generation and deciding not to challenge Sony and Microsoft; they simply targeted a demographic that - as far as I can tell - is the exact opposite demographic that would buy the PS3 and/or 360. While I'm aware it's purely anecdotal evidence, let me just say that everyone I know who owns a Wii most certainly isn't a gamer, and would never own either the PS3 or 360. They saw the commercials and thought it'd be a cool electronic toy for themselves or the kids; the last video game they played was Pac-Man. What, with the trillions of Wiis around the world, do you really, truly, honestly believe we're talking about the sudden explosion of gamers? Or, and I'm just tossing this out there, we're talking about everyone else...?

I hold nothing against Nintendo, nor do I care if you're a Wii fan. If you're having fun, great. It's all entertainment, but no logical human can ever say that the PS3 and 360 are in direct competition with the Wii. Totally different target audience, and a totally different method of delivering entertainment. One is a video game, the other is more like one of those old Tiger handhelds brought to life in your hands with a fancy peripheral. The point is, Sony and MS should just focus on themselves and each other, as should those who follow the industry. And I'll tell you this- the more we move through this generation, the more my theory will become accepted...the more everyone will start to recognize the distinct difference between the PS3/360 and the Wii.

http://www.psxextreme.com/ps3-news/4234.html

That wasn't so bad...

There's a bit of overlap but it's obvious that the people who buy Wii's and the people that buy HD consoles belong to two very different markets.
Call of Duty would never sell 7 million copies on Wii just like you wouldn't see WiiFit selling 11 million copies on ps3/360.

Yeah, that's obvious.
But saying "And that's because the Wii kinda operates in a weird parallel universe outside the gaming industry." is completely ridiculous. At least one could say that but would then also have to explain why the industry is shrinking like hell, but that never happens. Also he should want to explain that if Wii operates outside the game industry why it sells more games of certain core-genres then the HD consoles.

Sick of these pathetic lame excuses. Good God ! Just because the wii is dominating does not mean thier competing.

Because of course they are, since when or EVER has a console war had a console that sits by itself in the corner somehow excluded from the group and being considered as not competing ? Its just bloody stupid. People get payed to write this crap ?

Ive got a new one. Ps3 and Xbox360 aren't competiting with each other because one is black and one is white. Its true , i read it somewhere.

Is there any way you can sum this up in one nice efficiently typed sentence, Benga?

*sigh* I skimmed this much like I did that inferior Wii article... really? I mean can we please stop your fishing for hits on your site? So it's not fanboy arguments that are saying Wii is not competing with PS3 and 360 it's fanboys saying the Wii IS competing with the PS3 and 360... Brilliant way to twist things around if I ever did see one!

I bet PS2 wasn't competing with GC or Xbox either... it tapped into a new market Nintendo didn't tap into back in SNES and N64 days the dumb jock and average male joe that needs his fix of Madden and imMATURE games filled with blood, guts, and violence with no real value, story or artistic or adding to the industry, wise in the least... just shallow games with no thought put behind them, that's why PS2 wasn't competing with GC or Xbox...

/end sarcasm

The real interesting question is... Would they "be competing" if the Wii was losing?

The problem is their is almost complete overlap.  Hardcore gamers own the Wii for the most part.  But then the Wii has an additional market that the HD consoles don't have.  If their was a Call of Duty for the Wii that was exclusive and optimized for the Wii with great controls and graphics it would sell millions.  Maybe not 7 million but the problem is that hardcore gamers always have at least 2 options and the Wii option is not typically the optimal experience. 

Additionally, I believe that a well marketed WiiFit during the PS2 boom would surpass 11 million.  The game was new and that innovated.  And many of the Wii casual gamers started with the PS2 because it was cheap and offered the best casual experience last gen.

My left hand isn't competing with right hand.

My left lose big time due to lack of exclusivity.

What?

I'm getting ready to get stabbed here, thankfully this is the last post of the night for me so i won't have to take any burns until I' am back from college.

You can say the wii is stealing some sales from the other two consoles. I'm not gonna lie it is, but what it is stealing is the 10 year old pokemon gamer. Kids and adults love mario. This goes back to the mario is a whore argument i tend to have all time which you can ask ghost of rujang about or whatever his name is. Parents see the wii as something they can get into, and video games that are "mostly" friendly instead of mature.

A pokemon gamer has a main interest in nintendo games at the time and may evolve into a nintendo gamer lol....but they might go a more mature route and play something a little more violent. Point being is pokemon gamers know what games come out....so those core games are selling cause this kids telling his mom what he wants for his birthday, or just wants in general which would explain why these core games are selling so well.

As the article stated, look at the comercials, look at the titles. I honestly don't think we have so many core gamers lining up to get carnival games, and look how much that sold.

I still say the consoles a gimmick and spits entirely in the face of gamers. I personally hate having to talk to someone while working saying how much of a gamer someone is and they say there favorite game is wii sports, and they don't even know what Metal Gear Solid is. It pisses me off to have people label themselves with a title they don't deserve. To me that is like having someone say they're a war veteran and the most they held is a damn squirt gun.

Many core gamers own a ps3/360. That is where there war is at. Many core gamers could care less about the wii. Not to say all of them I'm saying most. I have a wii, unopened but i have it.

Here is the best representation I can think of....you have Barbie....then you have GI Joe......try selling barbie to a boy and vice versa...Same thing, but marketed towards different people.

Disclaimer: Alright i know i pissed a few people off with this. Lets just say I'm not happy with Nintendo's direction. I lost all hope for them at E3. A part of me died that day. This is the first year I have actually declared hate for a console as I had liked all three of them last gen, while slightly favoring my ps2 for controller and games. I realize there are lots of core gamers on the wii, my rant is not on you, it's simply nintendo at the moment.