...I hear this all that time: that apparently the Wii isn't capable of normal "AAA" style games because it's not as graphically powerful as the 360/PS3? ...As if those type of games didn't exist last year when those systems weren't around! (not to mention the Wii is more powerful than last gen, if only marginally so). All the same-old game types are still possible on the Wii, and they don't seem to have trouble selling either (see: Zelda, Red Steel, COD3, MUA, etc.) To take one example, COD3 was probably put on the Wii as a lark: a quick port to cash in on the launch. But considering how well it's sold, and also projecting forward where the Wii install base will be vs. the 360 and PS3 by the time the next (real) COD game is out, the Will will almost certainly be their *largest* platform by then. They're going to have to put out more than a quick port if the Wii becomes that important. Another possible example: Capcom has Resident Evil games in the works for the Wii and PS3/360. The Wii version was intended as just a spin off, and probably more a cash-in than anything... but again given where install-bases will be by the time these games are due (late this year / early next) where would you put most of your development effort going forward?

That's what I meant by relevant audience. I'd imagine the casual gaming audience is extremely minimal, particularly at this point, but who is buying the system is primarily hardcore gamers but more importantly hardcore Nintendo gamers. They want their favorite characters but don't go for all the bloodshed. There is a mature market on Nintendo systems, but it's not the predominant group as it is on Xbox and PlayStation. Even without the mature themes, third parties will have difficulty selling their games as well as they will on other platforms, and most are aware of this. So this makes it a difficult balancing act as to how you best utilize the Wii's userbase without overextending yourself.

I think you are underestimating the number of casual gamers buying a Wii. Espcecially in Japan were Wii play and Wii Sport is the system seller. More I think that you are underestimating Nintendo fans. There is at least some N-fans that I know that thinks Godfather sounds really fun because of the motion thing. Of course if that means any sales I don't know, especially when it isn't advertised... So far Wii is in a try out period, 3rd party sales in Japan is really poor, USA seems to be in better shape so far (really waiting for the March numbers here) with a 1.588 attach ratio and some of those games are mature titles. Now of course we all have to wait and see, I hope we will see good sell numbers on, No more heroes, manhunt 2 and Godfather. If that happens we might find that Wii will get a spinoff on GTA or anyother big series. For Japan the big 3rd party test will be DQS.

As a rule, casual gamers aren't also early adopters. They're not gonna hunt for the system or pay top dollar. You can occasionally get Nintendo gamers to deviate from the status quo of buying Mario, Pokemon, Zelda, etc., but the only example I can think of during the current millenium is Sonic, which isn't that far a stretch from those. The last platinum third party game on a Nintendo console was Derby Stallion 96 on the Super Nintendo. FFCC, which I'd put in the same boat as DQS, moved 350k units, a modest success, but not spectacular. If DQS does sell well, though, it may pave the way for not a general increase in support but perhaps more spinoffs and/or major franchises.

I guess Nintendo is either breaking the rules or rewriting them, then, because they're doing 2 of those 3 pretty regularly, or haven't you been checking the news? ;) This is why the Wii is still sold out, Wii Sports + Wii Remote + $249 price tag. Not just Nintendo fans are buying it, Zelda's sales have dropped off to below half of Wii's sales during January. From this perspective, you could almost say the Wii's release was designed less for the hardcore and more for everybody else, if it were just the hardcore Nintendo fans or even just hardcore gamers, sales would have slowed down some time ago. And the way things are it don't look like Wii's will be *readily* available in any region until June.

Well I don't know if you wanted to counter my "don't underestimate the casual" rant before, but I do think that you failed to answer why the most sold games in Japan is Wii Sport and Wii Play not Zelda if only N-fans is buying it. Now of course I don't say that this will lead to magnificant sells of 3rd party games, but DS is showing that 3rd party offerings can sell well on Nintendo plattforms. If Nintendo is tapping the same crowd for the Wii as the DS (in Japan), I can't see why that the same sale numbers couldn't be seen. In USA I actuly think that the sales so far is pretty stable for 3rd parties not increadible but actuly not to bad either. To end this I must say that if it was only old GC fans buying Wii I don't we would have seen this rapid sell out over the whole world, especially not in Europe.

The simple answer is that Wii Play/Sports are still from Nintendo. From a marketing perspective, the Wii line of games offers two things Zelda doesn't. When you advertise the games, you're automatically advertising the system because the name is the same, and the games also really show off what makes Wii different (with Zelda, the Wii features are just an afterthought).

Another comparison albeit referring to handhelds. Didn't the PSP come swinging fast out of the gates in Euroland as well? I'm not saying that the same fate awaits the PS3, but it is indeed something to consider. Cost is always prohibitive for consumers.

I don't remember which thread I mentioned it on and I didn't save the numbers but CoD3, NFS, and Madden are selling slightly more on the Wii than they did on the GameCube despite the Wii going from 0-6 million units sold during the period compared with 20+ million during the same period last year. Sonic, Red Steel, and Rayman have all done fairly well for a third party exclusive, better than just about anything except RE4 and a few other titles on the GC.

That's the big question, did the PS3 simply sell quickly to the few Euro fanboys with the quid and euros to buy it? Like how the GC came roaring out of the gates in the US in 2001 as Nintendo fanboys bought it then quickly died off after the fanboy market was exhausted. We'll see soon enough.