Malstrom: "the whimper of hardcore dreams".

[Squilliam]

superchunk said:

Squilliam said:
I described the actions as such as a gross simplification to distinguish the responses. It was easier to write a line, rather than 30 to detail which parts of the market each were going for. The areas I indicated were centres of weight to their strategies, which of course encoumpasses wider elements of the market.

Part 1/2 were never challenged, what I was saying was that Sony was mounting their challenge to part 3, Nintendo moving upwards. I was also saying that Microsoft was not challenging M+ directly, they were challenging Nintendos initial market.

Where we differ, I think, is that I don't see how Sony/MS can stop nintendo from moving up. Devs care only about profits and as Wii's marketshare grows so will Wii's control over larger core IPs. That has been demonstrated over and over again by history.

Your right, MS is definitely trying to capture that expanded market. Natal is not aimed for core games, but for Wii Sports/Fit, etc. But, that ship has sailed and MS didn't catch it.

I don't think Microsoft cares to try to stop Nintendo moving up and Sony is desperate to hold their higher ground and make some back. Hardcore gaming is actually outside of Microsofts core competency. Their company actually exists at the level of the expanded market, they were once a small player in the PC market too.

You can't define the expanded areas of the market where there were previously only Non gamers/part time gamers as Nintendo only territory because its so huge. Defending that area is like Russia defending Siberia. Microsoft are making the more credible challenge because they are challenging the Wiimote as it originally exists at its core concept. What they are trying to say to the market is that you don't need a Wiimote you can do without. You don't need WiiFit because you can do without. Its an extreme oversimplification, but if you want I can tell you what I think they are up to. I think I have one of the better handles on Microsofts strategy than anyone here.