This generation to me has got to be one of the most exciting ones since the psx/n64 gen. We have Sony/Ms, using the power route whilst Nintendo use the unique interface route. Its amazing how Nintendo has shook up this industry, because for a long time even I thought the better graphics route was the only way forward for gaming. But Nintendo showed us that introducing a new dimension into game interactivity, was enough for people to get excited about. Notice I said people and not gamers, by that I mean it was not just the games industry/ gamers that took notice to what the big N were doing.
The Wii has been sold out since launch, but has no system selling games. Oh but I here you say "What r u talking about, they have Wii Sports"Â. Lets try and remember something here friends, Wii sports was supposed to be like a demo, something that showed you a glimpse of the potential the Wii has. In my opinion all the consoles have great potential, but something seems a little bit more interesting with the Wii's potential than the others, this is obviously my opinion, but I would also say I think a lot of the people who purchased a Wii and made it the fastest selling console ever agree with me, but who knows. "But it is because its cheap that's why they are flying of the shelves"Â I here fan boys scream. No no no my friends, its because it provides new and and a truly unique experience, not felt before, and it doesn't hurt that it's aa decent price aswell, any way isn't it you fanboys that claim its over priced?.
I hear a lot gamers use the excuse that the Wii is outdated piece of technology. Which I must say saddens me a lot. Simply because its not true. Ever since the original nes, consoles have seen a leap in power by 2- 8,16,32,64,128 bit. "Hey"Â I here you call "but the N64 and psx were in the same gen."Â and to you I say look how that turned out.The Wii falls into this leap with it predecessors. The Hardware Failure of the 360 and price tag of both the ps3 and 360 have only proven one thing. These consoles came out too early. The industry was and is not ready for them yet. Sony and MS Pushed a little too hard. Do not get me wrong, I love some of the visuals I see these two beasts pulling off, its simply amazing and come the end of this year I will be picking one of the two up. The gamer in me desire's it. But the sense in me knows that these consoles at present represent a lot more of a danger to this industry than Wii (personally I don't think the Wii is a danger to this industry at all, in fact I think it actually the opposite.).
The Wii and Ds have been both hailed as being the driving force to games revenue going up in the retail space http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=14049. Let's think for a minute, that Wii did not exits in the market. Do you see the ps3 and 360 selling that many more units. Nah! I didn't think so, simply because they are too expensive, we will be single handedly be seeing the death of the Console industry. Because as much as gaming purists and hardcore gamers would buy these systems the average consumer would not be interested, people who love video games are not enough to keep this industry a float, the video game crash of 1983 proved that. Don't fool your self in thinking 120 million gaming purists and hardcore gamers bought a ps2. I would estimate at least 90 million of those were mainstream audience and without them you are doomed to fail.
The Wii, more importantly Nintendo's philosophy proves that, the games industry needs to take it self a lot less seriously. I here people asking silly questions like "are games art"Â why the hell does that matter. As soon as this great but flowed industry takes itself a lot less seriously, the mainstream will take it more seriously as a viable entertainment platform, I believe Nintendo is helping in this movement. Now I know the Wii is not for every body, but at the very least realise that it;s helped out this generation. Even if Ms or Sony decides not to create another console, Nintendo has proven you can still make money in the industry and that there are customers wanting the service, so other company's will simply take their place, and create their own consoles. I don't want to sound like I am kissing Nintendo's behind but, I seriously appreciate what they have done, and it might be years before a lot of hardcore gamers realise that they have saved this industry again. 20 years ago people did not realise that they were doing it with the nes. I hope Gaming lives forever, lets not allow this industry to crash and stunt the growth of gaming again, it has the potential to be as rich or richer than books or movies. All Hail Gaming!!
