Here is an example of how clever Microsoft was this year and I tried prevent a console purchasing mistake.

My nephew, now ten years old, for Christmas wanted a few things. Here was his wishlist.

• DVD player
• New NDS to replace the one he broke somehow.
• Some sneakers, Air Force 1
• Some DVDs, (alot of Tyler Perry movies, he is a bit odd child) and of course
• a Wii or a PS3
  

So my single parent sister who has struggled for the last few years due to taking care a child on her own was able to get a decent job last year to really support herself and her son.  Since this being a really good job she could afford to actually buy real gifts for the boy this year, she decided she going get what he wanted....

An Xbox 360 arcade.

Yea, if you rechecked the list I gave you, he didn't ask for that.  The boy has been going on about wanting a Wii (a PS3 was only because he saw mine and thought it was cool) for the last year.  His friends and cousins have Wiis.  He has a Gamecube and loved the games on it so much.  He even learned that you could use his Gamecube games and controllers on the Wii.  He really had his heart set on the Wii.

And as typical parents do sometimes, she completely ignored that and got him a 360.  She said the reason she bought it was because:

• she couldn't afford the PS3 (thanks Kutragi),
  
• she couldn't find a Wii where she was,
•  the 360 was a game system,
  
• it played DVDs (killing two birds with one stone) and
  
• it had kid games on the system that he will play, especially since it came packed with Lego Indiana Jones and Kung Fu Panda. 

I shook my head.  I called her up after hearing about this and told her that I know where she could get a Wii and tried to explain to her the benefits of getting the Wii (more games that he would like and game that would be allowed to play, current game and controllers that would work with the Wii, WHAT HE ACTUALLY ASKED FOR ON THE LIST) vs keeping the 360 (a fewer selection of games he can play or want, no internet service so no Xbox Live, no HD tv to take advantage of the graphic for the games, serious problems with the console that a ten year old could run into). 

But to know avail, she decided to keep the 360 and not get him the Wii, citing that it was because she finally can get her son a present she could afford and he would not know the difference. It was just a video game system

So when Microsoft lowered the price and packed in kid games into thier Christmas bundle, they made the right moves to steal away some of the sales from Nintendo this year.  Good job Microsoft.

And the reason I said the snot made out like a bandit?  Because his birthday is four days after Christmas and his stupid uncle who wanted to see him get what he wanted and hoped his mother listened to his pleas of getting the boy the Wii instead, so much so he bought the Wii as a last minute insurance that she could buy it off him, gave it to him for his birthday anyway. So the boy has an 360 and Wii.

Before anybody ask, no I don't have any use for a Wii at this time.  I only game for myself and I don't have kids (yet, coming in July 2009).  Yea the Wii is nice but no its personally not the right console for me.  Maybe it will be in a few years from now when the console is dirt cheap and there are more than 5 games I really want to play on it, and have kids to play it with.

Erm. ok ..

Mothers do their best bless them. The whole videogame thing can be a real headach!

LOL. Kids don't know what bluray is i guess...

Lucky kid. It's usually not so good to have a birthday that close to Christmas, but he seems to have made out okay this time around.

True, but thats when you ask someone if you can't figure it out yourself.  Especialy when making a high value purchase.

I don't see how any of this is MS' fault O.o

He'll be happier with a 360.

I guess you missed the she couldn't find a Wii part?  I assume the working and raising the kid on her own doesn't leave her a lot of time to wait at Best Boy or Toys R' Us at 7 in the morning.

Even if he didn't ask for it, the kid should be happy and grateful. If the little shit can't appreciate that his mother has to take care of him and work then I don't know what to say about him.

Whether he'll be happier or not with the 360 she did something really nice and thoughtful for him. Ask the kid if he ever heard the phrase it's not the gift that counts, it's the thought.

-edit

Just a note-- the little shit comment isn't necessarily about this kid since he is grateful, it's in general about people that don't appreciate the things people do for them.

-edit #2-

Er no, still bad at explaining myself.  I mean that anyone who gets upset over somebody (themselves or someone else) not getting everything on their list even though someone did get something they obviously had to make sacrifices to get to make them happy should be thankful.  They shouldn't make some long rant.

Also keep in mind the op called him a little snot too

God that was uncalled for, it doesn't say anywhere in the post about the kid not being grateful. Actually all we know about the kid is he had a wishlist and the Wii was on it. I'm sure he is very happy with his 360!

Oh course the kid is happy with having more presents. Who would be happy about more presents, except for that guy who got into a fight because he was given a Wii.

It was more of a mock post than anything else, though I think it was kind of crappy that sis couldn't just buy the stupid Wii off me and return the 360. I mean I know, she was prideful mother who got her son a console, whether he wanted it or not. I just saying that she could have asked me first if she wasn't sure. Its not like he never talked about or asked for the Wii. He was getting quite annoying toward end with the Wii talk, so kind of wtf when she complete ignored him and got him a 360 instead.

But your right twestern, he should be grateful in these troubling times (drink)...

Hell I should be grateful that i could give him a Wii in these troubling times (drink)