But does it matter if Wii and PS3 is going for different markets if the market for Wii is larger. I mean a large part of PS2 sales is not to hardcore player. If the PS3 only is going for hardcore players, and the price for the moment indicates this, isn't a risk that they start losing casual gamers to Microsoft or Nintendo. Nintendo is all ready attacking the casual and "non-" gamers market with full force, and Microsoft is getting Guitarr Hero 2 (the only reason for me why I am not buying a PS2, I am hopping for a Wii version to ). Of course the PS2 is still selling to the casual market and will most probarbly do this during 2007. But will the PS3 have the games and the price to fight for the casual gamers in 2008. Mayby the PS2 will be supported by thired parties until 2008, I wouldn't be surprised at all, so Sony might use PS2 to hold on too the casual market. But around 2009 PS3 have to stand on their own in that battle because I would be really surprissed if not Microsoft would be somehere between 10-15 million sales in USA alone and Nintendo around 10 million in Japan. The xbox360 Core, could at this time be down under 200$ without any problem, and Wii could be down at 150$. PS3 would then have to fight for causal gamers to stay with the brand, when the brand is more expensive and probarbly (at least compared to Wii) will have a smaller amount of causal titles. NOTE: All that can change, if the BR will be the normal format in 2009 and PS3 will be cheaper than a stand alone player.

@ Kwaad

Good point, it will be interesting to see how the PS3 and PSP will co-operate in the future. Communication and sharing content over LAN and internet could offer very interesting possibilities.

Too bad that in the americas the 360 has sold twice as many consoles as the PS3 between November and January. Not that PS3's are hard to find, it's just that few want them. Use the console comparisons for the america's on this site, the PS3 has gotten slapped by both Consoles. Casual Gamers? Are Hardcore gamers worthless now? What do we do? What do we play?

@ robjoh

I agree the Sony PS2 and Nintendo Wii are currently more geared towards the casual gamer. The PS2 offers a huge library of games combined with very cheap prices. The Nintedo Wii at a bit higher price provides a new style of gaming. The PS2 still greatly outsold all other game consoles for 2006, both in terms of software and hardware, I think with the release of 'God of War 2' and a few other titles the PS2 will have a reasonable good 2007 as well. I agree the PS3 currently seems more geared towards hardcore gamers and movie enthusiasts at the current price point, but I expect this to change for the long run when prices drop, more people own HDTVs and there are many more games available. A cheaper slimline product at some point with regard to the more casual gaming market seems to offer much potential. So IMO, Sony is still addressing both casual and more hardcore gaming markets, but with two different product lines.

No we are not worthless if I have the right to call myself hardcore, I probarbly isn't. The problem is that there is more casual gamers than hardcore. So a winner system need the casual gamers. PS3 really needs some casual gamers because xbox360 is as hardcore you can get in USA for the moment with a realy good software sales and mediocare hardware sales (a little bit infront of the orginal xbox). No system has won the war without the casual gamers, it is that simple. PS2 have won a lot because of new way to play and fun simple games like eye-toy, buzz. guitarr hero. These games are important because the drive hardware sales, so long that the hardware price is acceptable. Thats is why PS2 won (at least here in Sweden) with Wii in second place this Chrstmas. Guitar hero, buzz and singstar bundles for a really good price!

And here I don't agree I think PS2 will have a great year for a seven years old system Yes, I agree that a price drop will increase the sales for the PS3, but still what stops the competition to do counter price drops or even worse do price drops before sony? I personally have problem to see that al this people that buy HD-TV does it because they want HD content. The most of my friends does it because HD-TV is the only thing availible plus most HD-TV is flat screens, which means it doesn't take so much place. (but on the other hand I can be completly wrong) Totally agree, the potentional problem as I see it it: In 2009 the PS2 has been out for nine years, it is starting to show that its age, it is now with FF, MGS and some other big names at its back, Sony needs to move the PS2 crowd over to PS3 if they are going to get the increase sales that is needed to regain momentum and catch Wii and Xbox360. (Wii in Japan (I mean Wii is selling in Japan on Wii sport only, so I dont see any big fall in hardware sales during 2007) and xbox360 in USA (the big lead so far will probarbly hold it on top during 2007 and 2008)). At this point all three consols should have gotten price drops and redesigns. Wii would probarbly be the cheapest still and exist in a lot of colors. Xbox360 would have gotten an hdmi out, some more colors and hopefuly a redesign to improve quality.

The thing is, do they even care about hardcore gamers anymore? Do they make games for us anymore or do we get flat out ignored?

Of course they will make games for the hardcore, but not only the hardcore. The hardcore is for the moment more or less the only one owning a xbox360, that consol has a really good attach ratio. They can still make money on us so why should they stop? What I am saying it victory = most consols sold you need both hardcore and casual gamers.

I know, but they should atleast understand that hardcore gamers are more likely to buy games and stay with them over a long period of time. But hardcore gamers do buy all systems. Eversince the nintendo days I have held almost every system known to man. I owned all 3 last gen, a person owning one system and only one is more or less either to poor to buy more than one or a fanboy.

or a pc player too I might go for two consols this gen, but during my years at the university I did not have the time to play so many games EDIT: I might go for PS2 because of Guitarr Hero that game looks so - ing cool. Which would put me in two systems last gen, but most probarbly if guitar hero comes to Wii I will only go for Wii. So far I haven't seen any game that makes me buy Xbox360 or PS3. But of course I just want to buy a Wii to play old VC games I didn't own SNES, N64 and any SEGA consol.