I had the dumbest argument about Console Exclusives, today...

[Screamapillar]

Runa216 said:

Screamapillar said:
I think in general, arguments about console exclusive are pretty much always "dumb" lol. I mean, it just depends which console maker has the first-party exclusives that appeal more to someone's individual sensibilities. It will vary with every single person.

Well, as far as I can tell, the issue wasn't WHAT exclusives to root for, or which console had the best exclusives, it seemed to be an argument about whether or not using exclusives in an argument about what console to get was acceptable.  

His argument was that it was silly to use software to decide which console was better, since both consoles ran about the same or similar specs.  

In short:  HArdware mattered more than software, so don't use software to sell a system. 

Well, I think that hardware is meaningless without unique software to play on it. Otherwise, it's just a $300 paperweight, right? It serves no other useful purpose than to play software. Of course, some would argue that systems nowadays also have video streaming and social features, and that is true, but the fact remains that if all you want is Netflix and Hulu, then you could just get a Roku or Apple TV.  So, with that in mind, you then have to decide which console does (or will in the future) offer software that will be more suited to your tastes.  If it turns out that there are two systems with software that is relatively the same, then it may come down to controller preferance or possibly system horsepower.  I still think that's a cop out though, because even similar consoles (PS3/360) still have large libraries of first-party software that is very different from one another.   Of course, in general, I'd say system horsepower is the very last thing the vast majority of consumers look for in a console.  Just look at Wii's dominance, Playstation One's dominance, Nintendo's handheld dominance since the beginning of handhelds, etc.  The console/ handheld with the lowest specs usually is the dominant platform in it's generation.  What I believe that means, is that for most of the addressable market for consoles and handhelds, the software library as well as the price point is what determines success, and not system specs.

I had a similar argument with someone on neogaf once... they were trying to tell me that Wii sold well because of the Wii Remote.  I tried to tell them that it sold well because of the unique software that was made possible by the function of the Wii Remote, but they didn't seem to grasp what I was saying.