Edit: in that last post I meant "were" before "popular".

At the end of the day it is the price of the console that attracts the most buyers. Nintendo Wii at $249 is far more attractive than a PS3 at $399, $499 or $599. Nintendo Wii launched at $249, whereas the PS3 launched at $599. $350 price difference, average mums and dads would see Nintendo Wii far better than the PS3.

Ok, so PS3 is 400€ at cheapest, Wii 250€ and 360 200€. 360 doesn't sell because of its price and neither does PS3. But Wii sells because of its price, when it's cheaper than PS3, but more expensive than 360. I find it odd.

I don't disagree that PS3:s price keeps some customers away, but in case of 360, the price factor is just complete BS and nothing else. Wii just happens to be more appealing product for more people.

By the time PS3 reaches Wii in price, Wiis software library is so far away, that Wii would outsell PS3 even if Sony would give PS3:s away for free.

The very situation of PS3 reaching Wii in price would mean that the Wii was still outselling it. The Wii will always be cheaper to produce, so Nintendo only has to flick a switch in order to have a price advantage whenever they want to.

well gamecube didnt start to outsell everything when it first made 199$ so i expect the same here

Cant comment on the U$A and Japan but in Europe the Xbox is cheaper than the WII (by £20 or about $40 in U$A money).

Although the XBOX is cheaper in Europe the WII is outselling like the rest of the world.

Personally I can’t imagine price being a major factor in the generation, as you will find the PS3 will always be more expensive than the XBOX or WII. Unless Sony decide to make a PS3 Arcade version stripped of a hard disk (and even then the cost of the Blue ray would still make it more expensive).

MS has been in the videogame manufacturer market for as long a period now (2001-2008) than SONY was when MS joined in (1994-2001).  They aren't newcomers,  and they do not consider themselves underdogs.

You did note they were 'underdogs' and 'fall over and die as the PS3' in the one sentence.  MS were newcomers when they fell over and died to the PS2, not the PS3.

price is a big part of demand but consumer want is also important. Currently the Wii has both the price and the want much like the PS2 had last generation. Price drops will increase demand for the 360 and PS3 but it won't increase the consumer want as much.

I can't believe anyone would say something like this. The PS2 did not "take off" in its second and third year, it sold tremendously right from the start. Remember how it sold a million consoles in its first two weeks in Japan? (It took the PS3 over six months to do the same.) In its first year of availability worldwide (Sep. 2000 to Sep. 2001), the PS2 sold about 17m consoles. In its second full year (Sep. 2001 to Sep. 2002), it sold 22m consoles worldwide. Definitely better, but hardly accurate to say it "took off" in its second year. The platform sold outstandingly well in all markets right from the start. See for yourself:
http://vgchartz.com/worldcons.php

As far as the article, looks like Pachter is still repeating the same mantra. In his bizzaro worldview, everyone actually wants a PS3/360, and they're just waiting for an excuse to buy one. The notion that the Wii has more value for most consumers never seems to come across his mind. Really, it's just the millionth article proclaiming, "when ____ happens in the future, sales of PS3/360 will explode!" We've heard this endless times, and that future date never quite seems to arrive...

The wii is still lacking in games a lot of people want to play.
I,m talking fps, racing, ok mario kart is good fun but compared to say pgr or grand turismo it just isnt up there.
the wii definitley has the potential to sell in the same range as the ps2.
I think the view taking by pachter is by 2010 with there library of games and low price point they will sell at a much quicker rate.