Lately there have been a lot of threads discussing whether the Wii is directly competing with the PS3 and the 360.

It's very easy to prove that the Wii is directly competing with PS3 and 360. The PS3 and 360 combined are selling nowhere near what the consoles of the previous generation did at the equivalent point in time in the last gen.

Going by aligned launches:

Japan: The PS3 is selling worse than the PS2 (losing by 3.5 million). The 360 is only winning by 150k vs the Xbox.

Europe: The PS3 is losing by 1.2 million vs the PS2. The 360 is winning by 1 million vs the Xbox.

America: The PS3 is losing by 4.5 million vs the PS2. The 360 is winning by 2.4 million vs the Xbox.

As you can see, the HD consoles combined are selling nowhere near what the consoles of the previous generation did (if you count the Gamecube it's even worse)... This means you have two theories to explain the situation:

1- The video games market is experiencing a horrible crash.
2- The Wii is stealing sales from the 360 and the PS3.

Which one are you going with?

Note: You can check the numbers above by using this tool.

This whole subject will never be resolved, you know that right?

I still think that it is more focused on casual games and on Nintendo's traditional fannbase. Sony and Microsoft are focusing almost exclusively on hardcore gamers. So, they are competing to a degree; their target crowds overlap, but are not entirely the same.

But that would mean *HD console of choice* is being outsold by two GameCubes duct-taped together. And since I'm incredibly self-centered, it's impossible for something I like to be less popular than a competitor. Ergo, the Wii is not in competition.

So I'll take market crash, thank you very much.

/ obvious sarcasm.

PS3 is doing well. It is starting to line up with the PS2 in terms of sales worldwide and at a higher price(not bad for a "failed" console). Stop trying to say the PS3 is doing bad, when its not. Its just that the Wii is doing a lot better than even the PS2 was, so it looks bad for the PS3. The market is growing and the PS3 might actually sell more in its lifetime than the PS2 if it can overcome the hurdles in Japan.

Wii is in the same market as the PS3/360 but it is targetting non-gamers. They have stated this many times.

PS3/360 - traditional gamers
Wii - everyone else

Yes, they are in the same market. Yes, the Wii is destroying the others in sales. But all the games I want to play are still on the PS3/360. So does it really matter?

Corrected.

When they release some decent core gamer exclusives for the Wii, then I will consider it for everyone.

Isn't the 360 attempting to target casual gamers also?

The Wii isn't just targeting non-gamers, but, /all/ gamers.

My self-centered thing above was meant as a joke, but this is what I mean.

"When they release game that I like, then I'll consider it for everyone."

Try to imagine that you are may not be the arbiter of traditional gamers' tastes, and that ther are plenty (including myself and others on this site) that I enjoy Wii games.

What big casual games can you name for the 360? All I hear about is Gears of War 2, Ninja Gaiden, and Too Human.

http://vgchartz.com/games/game.php?id=6963

http://vgchartz.com/games/game.php?id=6962

http://vgchartz.com/games/game.php?id=6969

http://vgchartz.com/games/game.php?id=6163

http://vgchartz.com/games/game.php?id=4573

http://vgchartz.com/games/game.php?id=7667

http://vgchartz.com/games/game.php?id=6971

http://vgchartz.com/games/game.php?id=12367

http://vgchartz.com/games/game.php?id=7666

http://vgchartz.com/games/game.php?id=12971

http://vgchartz.com/games/game.php?id=12534

http://vgchartz.com/games/game.php?id=682

http://vgchartz.com/games/game.php?id=6974

http://vgchartz.com/games/game.php?id=12811

What's your next excuse?