I would say that Microsoft is the more dangerous of the two other companies to Nintendo. The motion+ and Sony Moto 2.0 are game interface technologies. Natal on the other hand isn't specifically a game interface its more a general human interface. If you consider the HD controllers as they stand as gamer contriollers, the Wiimote is an interface for potential gamers, the Natal interface is for what people would refer to as not gamers or never will be gamers. So the Sony thing and Natal are designed for two different purposes. The Sony thing is a Miitoo type approach and the Natal could be considered a counter disruptive approach.
Microsofts business strategy is to act as a facilitator or the middle man. Their clients are both the consumers which use Microsoft devices and the businesses which use Microsoft solutions for their products. Its a flexible approach, with Windows they are the operating system suppliers and their clients are both the OEMs and the end users. With consoles they are the hardware/interface/software solution whilst their clients again are the consumers who buy the end product and the businesses which use their solutions.
Nintendo is just interested in gaming and Sony has too many conflicts of interest with their consumer electronics businesses, so both infact are vulnerable. Microsoft doesn't care which label is on the box that the consumer buys, it can be Sky, Samsung, or Sony. Microsoft doesn't even care about gaming in the way Nintendo or Sony care about gaming. All they are interested in is creating an industry standard, a monopoly on interface just as Blu Ray is a monopoly for HD media. If your TV converges with computers, they want it to use a Microsoft interface. If you download a movie, Microsoft wants to manage your DRM rights account. If you Log into a messenger on that TV, Microsoft wants it to link with their MSN service.
Microsoft is dangerous. Not to gaming itself, but to Nintendo and Sony because their entire business philosophy is dangerous to each company. Nintendo and Sony are at fault for the danger Microsoft poses to them. Sony invited Microsoft to be a greater part of the industry by directly challenging Microsoft. When asked about what his biggest competitor in the industry was, Ken Kutargi said 'Its Microsoft and I will destroy them' Well great work Ken, you invited Microsoft in and they are whipping you. Nintendo on the other hand bought consoles in line much closer with PC world that Microsoft dominates. They created a mouse-like interface and that let Microsoft leverage their PC domain and research and development. Natal uses Windows 7 voice interface technology, it uses the surface PC interface technology and Microsoft has already forged many of the links with other businesses like Sky TV, Netflix, Internet Radio, Gaming, TV manufacturers, I saw the NXE, gesture interface and game download service running on a TV at the CES this year.
Microsofts roots in the console business are in deep now. They have a profitable business structure that they can build on and they have forged enough links and established the credibility to really move on the console business. They are approaching their end game where if they aren't shunted out now, they can and probably will control over 80% of the gaming market along with every other related field. For people who think that Microsoft is simply not agile enough to pull something like this off, you're looking at it the wrong way. They aren't a company built for agility because their strategy is designed so they don't have to be. They rely on third parties which are just as much their consumers as the end users are to do it for them.
Tease.
