So I read from a few users and articles that they consider buying a Wii as an "impulse buy." As a Wii user, I would not think of myself that way. I'm not going to bother listing the future Wii games, you all know what they are, but there are PLENTY of up-and-coming Wii games that well worth the buy. But most of you would agree with that anyway. A few PS3 fans say that in 3 years, people won't care about the Wii as much anymore, and they'll have to focus on the PS3 and 360. However you guys don't seem to realize that Nintendo has the ability to make a new system. Nintendo is the company that released the GBA, and then the GBA SP, and then the Micro. And they made the DS shortly after the DS came out. Nintendo gets a profit on every Wii they sell, so it won't be hard to make a Wii 2.0, or a totally new, next-gen Nintendo system. The profit Nintendo makes from the DS and Wii sales combined will allow them to make a great new next-gen system. Basically what I'm saying is... So what if the Wii is an impulse buy. It's a great impulse buy that'll last a few years probably. It'll have a few great games that last, and the rest will probably fade away. And in a few years, Nintendo will have the next system. It's that simple. And I like that. I like that better than having to buy a system that I'm stuck with for nearly a decade. My gaming tastes change with the times, and so do my consoles.

Well are you saying that Wii will have a shorter lifespan than PS3 / X360?

I'm almost sure it will have a shorter lifespan than the PS3/360. But the benefit is that Nintendo can jump straight into a new version or new console immediately. I'm just sayin, people bash the Wii for being an impulse buy, but when the Wii gets old, there will be a new system to replace it, so the Wii's probably short lifespan should not be an issue to gamers. Sure it's great that the PS3 is "an investment" and will be around for many years, but I think it's also good that the Wii will probably end in a few years and a better system will replace it. And with Nintendo's low prices on consoles, it's not a big, scary, major investment every time the next generation comes around.

OMG! A Wii fan that understands that the Wii cant compete long-term with the big boys. Thank you. You admit the Wii will falter in 2-3 years, and then nintendo will launch a new console. I expect it. I might even buy it. (Let me list Nintendo stuff I have/had) NES, SNES, GB, N64, GBA, GBA SP, GC, DS, DS, Wii. That's almost everything nintendo ever made. I bought the Wii for Zelda. I think Zelda is a great game. I'm just getting tired of spending so much for so little. Also, I dont think it will be a Wii 2. Maybe Super Wii or something though. The Reason I say that is because the hardware in the Wii... well... it's not fast enough to do much physics. I think when the PS2 is streamlined. (optimized gameing) the PS2 has more power. Wich is my point, the Wii will either a) keep very simple games that are entertaining at partys and cost 50$ b) fail. A is a surefire way to make people hate the system becuase I dont like paying 50$ for small budget games. I can buy low budget games for the PS2 for 30$. Why I pay 50$ for lower budget games on the Wii? That is why I'm upset with the Wii. The priceing. The Console compares to the 360 in price. And the games are the same price as half the 360 games. Yet, the games have 1/10th the content. If I could buy Wii games for 10-20$/new. I would buy every one that came out. They would be great fun, and I would enjoy them lots. I just dont feel their worth 50$. And in 2-3 years... the PS3/360 games will be another notch higher. I'd say 30-40million$ budget for big games, and the Wii will be looming around 5-10million. I dont think it's right to pay 60$ for a 40million$ game, and 50$ for a 5million$ game. Your not getting what your paying for. I dont mind the 10$ price increase in modern games... look at inflation. in 1996, a top end game was 50$. in 1996, a top end car was 25,000$. in 2007 a top end game is 60$ a Top end car is 40,000$. I'm just happy top end games arent 100$. Because if they followed american inflation, that is how much they would cost. :) The Wii games should start at 30$, except for the few big budget games. eg: zelda, mario, metroid prime, SS, etc. Games like Warioware, shouldnt cost more than 19.99. and the new WiiPlay, shouldnt cost more than 9.99. (alone, should be free with controller) If they did stuff like that... Nintendo would take this generation by storm, and outsell both consoles and games by 3fold. If they dont do that. in a year, the PS3 will take off, and beat nintendo a 3rd time. (not saying it will beat it in sales 2007, but monthly sales I expect to be higher starting 2008, and by the end of 2008, have more sales in europe/america. and by the end of 2009, be ahead of the Wii even in japan.

I agree for the most part...DS games like Cooking Mama only cost 20 bucks...a lot of Wii games shouldn't cost so much. I don't think it'll be a flop by any means though. The Wii will have a fun and exciting life. It'll just..."finish" in a few years. Nintendo's new system might be Wii-like, or it might be traditional-controlled, or it may be something new still, but I think the Wii will stick around as a fun party system to keep when your friends come over. It's not so bad that the Wii is only expected to last a few years. Nintendo makes so much money off the Wii and DS that they can go straight into another console whenever they want. Shoot, the Wii sales could stop right now, at this very moment, and Nintendo could jump into another console right away. And calling just the others "big boys" is hardly correct, just to you let you know. Nintendo is in it for the long term along with the others. The Wii may not be long-term, but Nintendo's gonna be among the top 3 console developers for many a year.

Kwaad, I thought I dealt with you on a previous board. Whatever. Waste your life as you wish. Your statements about the Wii's power vs. the Ps2's power are ignorant and without any true merit. The original poster does not, as you say "understand that the Wii cant compete long-term with the big boys." (ROFL at the pun you made. The wii definitely can NOT compete with such behemoth-sized systems. Having a Ps3/360 is like having another refrigerator in the house.) BK88, I agree that the Wii will see a shorter life than perhaps the 360/Ps3, but it won't be a 2-3 year thing. The Wii's steadily increasing appeal will have the majority of non-gamers who really couldn't give a half a damn about "anti aliasing," "1080p," "triple core processing" or "AI" pining for more original titles. Yeah, Nintendo isn't just targeting the casual/hardcore gamer, they're targeting everyone. Anyone with a television and arms (be it only one arm). Think about it: the non-gaming community is vastly larger than the gaming community. If the media attention about the Wii spreads, and more non-gamers adapt to this quiet, bite-sized system, Nintendo will have no reason whatsoever to make a new console any time soon. (Oh, and for the love of God, play all systems. Don't freak out and immediately scream FANBOY FCKING FANBOY!!!!!!! FLAME HIM!!! I am a fanboy. A video game fanboy.)

Kwaad, you have your opinions, but I'll say they're completely lacking in a more detailed understanding of the gaming marketplace as a whole. 1) 83% of the market does not have HDTV, we don't expect 33% of the market to be HDTV users 'till 2009/2010 2) At least 33-40% of the US market cannot get broadband 360 - Truthfully I think Microsoft has done well for offering a $400 console (don't try to argue the crippler system), but with their offerings they're almost exclusively catering to the serious gamer, even moreso the online gamer (I can count on 1 hand really good single player games for 360). I think they need a better variety of single player, non-fps/sports/race games, casual and non-gamer games along with a significant price drop if they want to hit larger sales numbers to be #1 this generation. I won't even get into the problem with the enormous failure rates they're having currently...... PS3 - If they want to have ANY shot at first place, at this point they may have the most work to do. Despite it's brand name, the PS3 barely aims at the same market that the PS2 did, if at all. They're a bit too much focused on Blu-Ray and multimedia instead of the games, which it really needs right now. And even with a fair serious-game variety they're offering, practically none of the companies are offering any games for younger/nongamers/casual gamers, and at it's current price point, most consumers won't even bother, either sticking with the PS2 or looking at the Wii's new offerings. Wii - I actually think the Wii has the easiest shot at #1 this generation (hardware/software sales, I mean) but I have little faith that Nintendo would take the necessary steps to reach that pinnacle. They need to form a serious alternative online network (that can be seperate from their friends codes system, keep that for those who won't do online seriously), spend a bit of their budget for some significant big game names, as well as advertise them effectively. I'll post a bit in IMHO what I think Nintendo should do specifically to get the best chance at #1 this generation, I hope you'll enjoy reading my thoughts on this. :)

What I think Nintendo needs to do with the Wii/DS 1) Online system - Create a 3-layered system (similar in some aspects to xbox live) A) The "bronze" system uses the current idea friends codes system to keep the strain off the servers while still offering online multiplayer, bare essentials and free access to download or play online-only nintendo games that can't be accessed by non-wii/ds systems. B) The "silver" would be 1 step up and offer access to online tournaments (bet/entrance fee with wii points!) while limiting those tournaments to online family-based titles (yu-gi-oh, pokemon, maybe batallion wars, etc). C) The "gold" system would be a fee-based system like Xbox Live and linked directly to your "Mii" that uses a credit card to validate a "high-end" account, one that offers a full online ID system, easier-to-use friends list with instant message system, and complete access to rankings/tournaments for all online games. Make it *optional* to set a small password/login system to prevent other people from using your "Mii" account. My hands are beginning to hurt already. ;) 2) Spend a bit of their budget for some significant big game names. Here's some "investment ideas" A) Konami - Hire them for 2 exclusives, a new Zone of the Enders and Suikoden VI (extreme wiimote potential), both exclusive to Wii. Castlevania probably wouldn't go according to the creator's words, so how about a totally new Contra-style IP with 4-player online capability (or 2 per console). Don't forget a Wii version of Winning Eleven that's online! ;) B) Capcom - new cell-shaded style Megaman Legends for Wii (with same-console or online co-op!) as well as a new side-scrolling Megaman game designed a bit like New Super Mario Brothers, 2d gameplay with 3d characters and stages with a full map system, also utilizing the wiimote for 360 degree aiming. Try to get them to make a "Resident Evil - Pre-Negative" game that goes on during the process of gathering the "ingredients" to make that uber-virus. ;) C) Atari - Pay some $ to make the DBZ fighting games exclusive to Wii. (no more PS2 releases) ^_^ D) Square-Enix - Kingdom Hearts 3 on Wii exclusive, pay the big $ if necessary. Try to have Square resurrect the Bushido Blade series for Wii as well as Front Mission for Wii. If possible how about a new Final Fantasy Tactics game for Wii, with full orchestra and all? ;) Don't bother them with the regular FF series, but fund it to try to maintain and build-up the FF:CC games into a legitimate spin-off series, hopefully one that appeals more to the old-school FF gamers that don't care too much for the FF-movie style gameplay. E) Bioware - How about a new Baulder's Gate/Icewind Date-style game with online co-op and downloadable missions. :) F) Sega - If the new Sonic game is sucessful try to help coax them into making the "secret rings" into a mainstay series on the Wii, also try to hire them to make a new IP fighting game for Wii, the Namco-Sony bonding recently doesn't bode well for a Soul Calibur on Wii, and the Wii definitely needs more than Super Smash Brothers/Bleach/DBZ fighting games for a "darker" variety. Unofficial sequel to Skies of Arcadia with big-fleet battles would be very cool, make it an action RPG with single player story co-op functions sharing controls of the battleship (pilot, gunner, captain) or sharing the battlefield. G) Ubisoft - Try to make sure Red Steel 2 is tweaked up a bit more and offers full multiplayer options, also try to hire them to make spin-off IP's of both Splinter Cell and a new sub-series of Rainbow Six that are both exclusives. H) Sid Mejier - Civilization Wii with online, make it so! ;) I) Sierra - Have'em remake Homeworld (the original) with a full online multiplayer system where players fight over the galaxy in a clan-type setup. (best 3d RTS ever, would work very well with wiimote) J) EA - Battlefield Cold War, (alternate reality 1970-1980 era) goes a bit worse for the US, rebellions across europe & south america become violent and cause war with communists right after US President successfully assassinated, US off guard driven out of of mainland europe, new Battle for Britan failed, but still try to fight off the communists on Britan soil, they also start invading through Alaska, full single player campaign with coop, massive online system with changing map battle lines per regions with random map generator. Invest in the new sports games to have their own graphics engines that take advantage of the Wii's hardware (no more PS2 engine ports), full online functionality. I dunno what current Wii exclusives EA has in the works other than SSX Blur. K) I don't recall who does them, but try to re-establish Digimon as a "more mature" Pokemon series, also exclusive to Wii/DS. Series had potential to fit between pokemon and bigger series, but didn't "oomph" enough. J) Disney - offer them some incentives to make more movie-games "Wii only" 3) ADVERTISE - Make that initial $200 million advertising budget quite a bit bigger, help 3rd parties advertise their nintendo-console games considerably better. A) Start hitting Cartoon Network/Disney Channel/Nikelodeon and websites occasionally with the commercials for wii/ds exclusive pokemon/yugioh/dragonball/disney games as well as some "middleground" games that appeal to non-casual gaming youths as well as young girls. ;) B) Start putting ads up on 1up/ign/etc websites for bigger name serious series for wii/ds, try to change game adds every month for newer/alternative titles. C) Start hitting prime time occasionally with non-casual game adds, like advertising Cooking Mama and the DS Chef Assistant program on food network during some big shows, the sims wii during reality shows, etc. 4) Wii/DS Connectivity A) Take the connection potential up a notch or 3, allow the DS to be used as a secondary screen to show maps, inventory, and other useful aspects during the gameplay, but nothing that would absolutely require it to play though (none of that Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles GBA multiplayer crap). B) Create games that allow the player to play the same game on the Wii or DS, moving your character back and fourth with you when necessary so you can keep playing while at home or on the road. Pokemon and action RPG's would benefit greatly from this. :) If Nintendo could do a considerable amount of this, which would essentially offer a fairly solid selection to serious gamers while totally dominating the casual and youth markets, Nintendo could completely obliterate the 360/PS3 and blow the lid off of the size of the console market without allowing Sony or Microsoft to barely touch the added gaming population.

Great ideas. It just requires Nintendo and 3rd party develepors to work together and make the effort. It's going to take a lot to get Nintendo to get into an "Xbox Live" type online system though. It's just not their style...but I think it's possible. I probably wouldn't mind a fairly priced fee. More advertising is very important as well. And yeah, some great RTS's would be awesome on the Wii...

I wish Reggie and Iwata would read this thread, it'd make my throbbing hand feel better.