This whole stupid Wii vs. PS360 controversy is childish, pointless and needs to end I hate PS360 types who are arrogant and treat Wii fans with contempt for preferring MK over GTA4. And I hate just as much Wii types who gloat and act like they have won some kind of personal victory over fellow gamers with different taste. This whole console war thing is a stupid media idea and contributed to this mentality of victory and defeat. There is no car war, just commercial competition, no peanut butter war; why are video games the only place where competition has to be a WAR. 

Last generation the PS2 grossly outsold the Gamecube. This generation the Wii is equally outselling the PS3 even though both are still offering mostly the same games in new versions, with either better graphics or simpler control. Commercial success is based on how each judged the market and the choices they made to appeal to the consumers.

Sony chose to go for power, HD graphics and to use their game platform to promote a video disk format that had almost nothing to do with gaming; and came up with a console that was just too expensive. They misjudged the appeal of HD graphics and what price the market would bare and dropped from first position to last. They pissed away their overwhelming popularity by the choices they made.

 Nintendo decided that HD graphics at this time raised cost too much and put their emphasis on reinventing game control to make it more accessible and games more fun for more people. They hit a mother lode of nongamers, exgamers, and current gamers who liked the new controls and defied all of the industry experts that had written them off. They came out with a machine that was more accessible and simpler to learn and had a very attractive price. They went from on-the-ropes to unprecedented sales and popularity from the choices they made. 

Where in there is anything to divide gamers into warring camps. Did any of you make these commercial choices?  Now that Sony is recovering from the DOA status they began with, all of the consoles are enjoying decent sales. If Nintendo lured away some customers, and they undoubtedly did, they also obviously grew the total market, brought attention back to video games and helped to prevent a wholesale defection to flash games on computers, handhelds and cell phones. Instead of destroying video gaming as the more hysterical PS360 fans claim, it’s more likely they saved it from the deadliest enemy, disinterest. Also by growing the gaming population, Sony and Microsoft can benefit in the long run if they make some decisions to keep costs reasonable and gaming control more accessible. Then they can lure some of this new and larger gaming population to “graduate” to their consoles. 

Isn’t it time to return to discussing how to make the gaming experience better for everyone by promoting good games on all platforms. 

The Only Thing That Makes A Video Games Good or Bad is How Much Fun You Have Playing It 

Oh thank god I'm a child. Then I can keep being childish and have a good time discussing the stupid PS360 vs Wii discussion.

I understand where you're coming from, Grampy. And you're right, the "console war" is just a marketing phrase (sort of like "price wars" between supermarkets, and "price wars" between gas stations; same general idea, same reality of situation). But while you will get the more open-minded and mature users to agree that bashing and gloating over consoles is pointless, you're not going to get the majority to agree to that.

Hmmm, if that's true I may have joined the wrong site. Anyone know where the grownups hang out? This is like a playground fight and I'm just not interested.

Grampy: I don't care who wins. Hell, I've got a 360 and a Wii. I just happen to think that there are better games for me on the Wii than on the 360. Don't get me wrong, I like Rainbow Six Vegas, and I like Gears, I like Forza, I like Hitman, and I even sort of like Condemned 2.

As far as GTA 4 vs Mario Kart goes, Mario Kart is a lot better. Take, for example, the extremely redundant GTA 4 shooting missions: you walk through a warehouse, or out of a bank, or through an old hospital. But the enemies always act the same: the vast majority of them stand in one spot, waiting to eventually be shot. The only wild card is that the targeting system is inconsistent and unpredictable. And the only challenge is that the cover system is the worst I've played with.

It just feels like a second rate experience. Maybe I've played too many good shooting games to spend time playing a crappy one.

By my count, there have been 2 great releases for the Wii so far (Brawl and Mario Kart). Mario Kart, in particular, has awesome online gaming. And by my count, there has been 1 good, but not great, release for my 360 this year. GTA4's online is good, but it's not as awesome as Mario Kart's where you can play game after game after game with little to no setup and good, fun competition every time.

Well they sure as hell aren't on Xbox Live, am i rite? 

The grownups hang out with the kids. No matter where you go though, the kids outnumber the grownups. That's just the way the cookie crumbles.

This forum is one of the better ones though. Welcome. 

Well you gotta hand it to them.. Some people just have more SPARE time than us.

I think more than anything else you have to choose what to ignore, as it becomes entirely emotional (and not remotely factual) for some individuals.

There is "GamerDad", and I think "Gamers with Jobs", but it is a different focus.

I wonder if the concept of "war" here is more so because the shooter consoles appeal to a stronger competitive nature type person (typically young male).

Part of the anti-Wii problem is their manly power systems were beaten by a girly SOCCER MOM system.  That's a blow to the ego and the nads!  

SORRY but its the console war thats keeps me going between day today stuff.

I just love it when someone is arguing with someone over a console it makes me laugh because some of them bring up some complete random shit.

As obieslut pointed out here: the console war is interesting to people.  The bottom line is this:

(1) The Wii won by a large margin, and the margin is getting bigger

(2) The PS3 and 360 have ultimately tied.  There is not enough time for one or the other to really prove itself dominant over the other.

(3) There are people who think the Wii has better games than either of the other two.  There are people who think the Wii has no good games.

A lot of people wonder whether you can be a hardcore gamer and only own the Wii, but I wonder if you can be a hardcore gamer without owning a Wii.  It's just such an interesting console with so many good games and an awesome, never been done before control scheme.  Like the DS, the control scheme (pointer in particular) allows you to do interesting and new things with games, simplify (improve) controls, etc.