Sony CEO: I've played the Wii..an expensive niche device

[SaviorX]

Impulsivity said:

It's quite simple the point he's making. The PS3 is a multifaceted machine that plays blu rays/dvds, works a a network hub for any video or music you want on your TV, in some markets works as a DVR now, can run a full fledged OS (Linux is really easy to install), can use 3rd party items really easily (UPnP devices for content, 3rd party hard drives for 320GB PS3s, a ton of blue tooth devices ect.). On top of that it plays high end cutting edge games that rival the best in the high end PC world.

The point is not that the Wii doesn't make money or isn't a gaming device, but rather it is nothing compared to the PS3 on most fronts, which quite simply, it isn't. If you want a really simple gaming toy thats great! The Wii does that perfectly. It is, however, a toy with very limited use beyond simply playing games hence niche. Even the PS2 had more media features then the Wii (and still does). Many niche devices sell well, its not a sales comment. The point is that its highly overpriced for what it delivers and it has very limited value for the cost relative to the PS3 or even the 360. For 250 dollars Nintendo is basically selling a PS2 with slightly updated hardware and a new controller that has very poor support for anything beyond playing games that were current in 2002. The Wii should really be more like 150 for what it provides whether or not Nintendo can charge more.

If you don't think that the value provided by the 400 dollar PS3 vs the 250 dollar Wii is greater then really, you have no concept of overall value. You can say "OMG I love Mario Kart and Wii!" But that is separate from the relative value of the systems. The PS3 is basicly a computer in the living room, the Wii is a toy that just plays games, its as simple as that. If you don't WANT a high end HD device then fine, but don't pretend that the PS3 isn't a better value for those who aren't satisfiedwith 480i/p (which was current 10 years ago) as the top resolution output.

 

And for all you Nintendomination advocates, in dollars of gaming devices sold Nintendo and Sony are basicly equal given that millions were willing to pay twice as much for a PS3 because they realized the PS3 is more then twice the value of the Wii (in terms of feature set, capabilities and hardware I would peg it at around 3 times the Wii). Price isn't the same as value, value is the relation between what you pay and what you get. The Camary is a better value then the Yaris even though the Yaris costs a lot less because the Yaris is feature poor and clunky even if it still runs.

Hmm....you make a long post that looks like it would back up your case with so many details. However, it screams "bias!". Not many people get $5 for lifetime internet. Although it only has Adobe Flash 7, I've been able to do research for many homework projects, and didn't have to pay for internet every month. My friend who is a PS3 owner has told me that his PS3 internet has been lacking as of late. Whether it's his connection or not (I doubt it is), he has some dissatisfaction with it.

You, Impulsivity have done this before. I don't remember the topic but it was long winded, and didn't really show both sides of the spectrum, just the dark side, where the Wii was chillin at. People value things differently. Just because the IPhone has 100 features doesn't mean I want to buy it. That's the thing that actually discourages me from buying it (besides it being expensive to own). It has the value, but you must keep paying for it. The Camar(y?) may be better value, but what about its upkeep and MPG. In the long run, I bet the Yaris would be of more value.

The Wii doesn't even need DVD. Standalone DVD players are cheap nowadays. No one really knows how much Nintendo makes off a single Wii unit in profit (it is assumed as $50-$75), so you saying the Wii is only really worth $150 has no evidence of proof. At $250, adding a DVD player to the Wii would've probably raised the price of it to $300, the price of the PS2 at launch. Only a minority of people actually download movie trailers and such from their HD consoles and watch Project Runway on them.

As for the Wii's strength, we all know it is 2x as strong as the GameCube, which was 1.25x stronger than the PS2, making the Wii 225% stronger than the PS2, two of them and a disc tray taped together. As for the Wiimote, its more intuitive than an analog controller and has shown to be more than capable of producing things considered impressive today. There are games that are of poor quality (3rd parties) but as I recall, not every PS2 was a visual masterpiece either. Some reeked of some Sega Saturn Wack Juice on the graphics side. The Wii is a toy no doubt, but the way you worded it by saying the PS3 was an important computer for the important living room while the Wii is just a simple toy is a low blow.

480 display being available for 10 years obviously doesn't bother that many as much as you think it does. There are about 25 million+ people who could care less, an the number grows every week rapidly. The 480 resolution was high enough for them to play videogames, not to run Linux. Nintendo has been making profit since 1981. Unfortunately, PS3 development set back the Sony gaming division back a few billion dollars. So you could say they are similar, but not the same at all.