Now, i'm sure people have heard about the various issues with Christmas over the past couple years. Cabbage Patch dolls, Furby... something else... the PS3 and the Wii. Over teh past couple years there have been these "MUST HAVE HOLIDAY ITEMS" that seem to drive people to do stupid things in teh christmas shopping season.

Heck, last year a guy got shot for his PS3 and there were a number of other violent crimes, that's not even counting the completely random violence that seemed to be pure mob frenzy. you heard about people being trampled and hospitalized while trying to shop on at least 2 or 3 occasions between thanksgiving and Christmas.

Now I've always been sorta disgusted with this whole phenomina myself. Which is why this year struck me as rather odd.

I haven't heard of ANY cases of violence breaking out over a must have gift or someone getting hurt or pushed through a display stand or anything this year. On top of that, the one "MUST HAVE" item this year basically seems to be the Wii, yet the worst I've heard happen has been a minor theft from a retirement home. while it was a total jerkoff thing to do, it wasn't a violent robbery or a murder or assault or anything.

I realize that there's still a few more days left unitl Christmas, and I've hardly been watching the news at all, but usually something at least filters through teh forums or gadget blogs or something.

So what I'm wondering now, has Nintendo managed to somehow completely shift teh spirit of Christmas back out of consumerism and into the family setting? If you think about it, Nintendo has constantly been stressing that they're working on meeting demand so that as many people as possible have a chance to get a console. The price of the Wii has always been at a more family friendly $250 compared to what seem to be the more extravegant purchases of the 360 and PS3. And even teh games that the Wii tends to be associated with are not the blood and guts type games but teh family friendly minigames and group activity games.

Could it seriously be that with the Wii getting media attention over the past year, that the family mindset; kids and elderly and parents and children, siblings and SOs, these more harmonious themes are also getting more attention, and have managed to affect the very atmosphere of the holidays?

Has anyone else noticed that there seem to be less incidents, or has anyone noticed cases of holiday related violence just as bad that I have somehow missed? 

agreed.

I also think the age group and type of people who would be in want of a PS3 are the ones who would mug someone, or whatever.

How many soccer moms, grandpas, Middle aged dads, or whatever are gonna mug someone for a Wii. The PS3(360) demographic (15-21 males) are the ones most likely to do the things you mentioned.

Actually, I thought Nintendo WAS the grinch. Just took it 3 generations to reform. Better late than never, I guess.

/sigh

Correlation does not imply causation.

What a strange topic. Carry on soldier.

 Gigantic advert for Trauma center:new blood for the Wii, on the front page waves hello

 QFT

@ Grey Acumen

Nintendo i suppose did help cut back on violence....but what about greed?
people selling there wiis off the street for double what they paid?....getting ripped off to make your kid happy doesnt seem very christmasy to me...but i suppose there probly never be a christmas without someone making a huge profit somewhere *sigh*

¿Acaso esta fue una paradoja temporal o algo asi?

En fin/ Anyways 

QFT 

Actually, Nintendo helped cut back on greed by getting that Wii certificate thing in at gamestop. Kids may not get the Wii RIGHT AT CHRISTMAS, but the kid can live. It doesn't seem very christmasy to me when the success of christmas is being judged on what presents you got.  Quite frankly, with how hard it is to find a Wii, and every kid knows how hard the wii is to find, if the kid really wants it, they're going to be happy just knowing that they WILL be getting a Wii.