Forbes: How Sony Should Respond to a Disruptive Attack (PS3 vs. Wii)

[Bodhesatva]

TheSource said:
Those games appeal to people who already game. There will always be a market for that, but if companies like EA are concerned about future stagnation (90% of resources going to sequels qualifies as stagnation) you have to believe there is a way to capture the larger audience. Like it or not, videogames will eventually reach billions of people, not millions, as all forms of entertainment do. Nintendo seems to be the only company equipped to appeal to non gamers and gamers.

It may sound crazy, Source, but it's possible they will choose this route.

The simplest parallel would be Toyota and Ferrari -- the classic example many PS3 owners use to show that their console is better. Toyota makes relatively low tech cars that are durable and efficient. Ferrari makes high tech cars that have all the bells and whistles. Would everyone like to be the size of Toyota? Sure, but there is a market for automobile enthusiasts, and several companies have carved out a niche serving that market.

Similarly, I can imagine gaming to divide between the enthusiast -- not the "hardcore," but more like a technophile, someone wanting to always be on the cutting edge of technology -- and the person simply looking to have simple fun. Is the "simple fun" category more profitable? Like Toyota, it probably will be, yes. But that doesn't mean that there won't be a market for high end products too, and Sony may end up feeling that's their best approach.