Wii becomes best-selling US console Comments by Robert Purchese

The error most self-entitled "hardcore gamers" make is to separate the gaming public into categories. They are the ones that only play a certain kind of game (generally "mature" FPS, RPG, or MMO). A "true gamer" plays the whole spectrum of genres and production levels, everything from solitaire to the most "hardcore" game in the market.

Hardcore in the previous sentence is also a dubious interpretation of the word. Most so-called hardcore games today are anything but. Hardcore is a highly complex or difficult game, most mainstream shooters today are paint-by-numbers easy games with high production values and "mature" (as in sci-fi violence and teenage fantasy role-playing) themes.

The casual console of the last generation was the PS2. And I'm not talking about singstar and buz. I'm talking about 90% of people that bought it only to buy the anual football/driving game and play it when friends come over.

Embrace new gaming experiences, Nintendo is showing the way to the next level. Not only a game for every person, a game for every moment.

"People need to accept the new reality of the games market. Quite simply, core gamers are a niche, the mass market is all about casual / lifestyle titles.

That's basically why Nintendo are destroying everybody else.

The delicious irony is that the hardcore fanboys to whom "winning" the console war is more important than anyone, are actually pretty much irrelevant to the outcome because they are outnumbered 20:1 by casuals. "

Wow. That's pretty much the first thing I've ever seen you say on here that wasn't total pish. Well done.

With the 360's price cut in the US to $299 only temporary until the 20GB units are all sold, I don't see what Microsoft can do to compete against the PS3 in the months ahead. What is more appealing to consumers? A $349 360 with a 60GB hard drive or a PS3 at just $50 more that includes an 80GB hard drive, built-in Wi-Fi, free online access, Blu-Ray and, let's face it, better build quality and reliability. I know that people will keep saying again and again that it's all about the games and that's partly true but with most consoles essentially having the same multi-platform games, can it really be said that the 360's library of exclusives before Christmas are better? Fable vs LittleBigPlanet, Gears of War 2 vs Resistance 2. And the 360 has no exclusive racer to compete against Motorstorm 2.

The 360 looks set to keep slipping against the PS3 this year.

What you have to remember is that the Xbox 360 was out a whole year before the PS3 and Nintendo Wii; so it is understandable that sales are higher on the newer consoles, the Wii is just a fad and by 2010 people will have lost interest in the little gimmicky machine.

Meanwhile I predict by 2010 Microsoft will bring us the ultimate gaming machine with built-in Wifi, Blu-Ray drive, 100 GB HDD and an adult version of the Wii-mote.

...And nine rings of death

360lol. also the wii is hardly a console so...

"People need to accept the new reality of the games market. Quite simply, core gamers are a niche, the mass market is all about casual / lifestyle titles.

There is no new reality, Console are Toys. Most males up to the age of 60 like buying new toys, thats what everybody needs to accept.
Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft are all trying to sell to a broader range of toy buyer as possible, Nintendo are in a different league as they've made their toy more accessable to the masses, something they've always strived to do. Something Sony and Microsoft are constantly monitoring.
Trying to break people up into core and casual gamers is just snobbery, the Playstation brand is still the brand of choice amoung school age kids. Do your own surveys, I'm surprised how many school kids already own PS3s (and know nothing or care about about Blu-Ray BTW)

Why do so many idiots keep buying the Wii?

Seriously. Its a pile of junk with terrible games that don't control well.

Stop fueling Nintendo!

"the Wii is just a fad and by 2007 people will have lost interest in the little gimmicky machine"

"the Wii is just a fad and by 2008 people will have lost interest in the little gimmicky machine"

"the Wii is just a fad and by 2009 people will have lost interest in the little gimmicky machine"

"the Wii is just a fad and by 2010 people will have lost interest in the little gimmicky machine"

"the Wii is just a fad and by 2011 people will have lost interest in the little gimmicky machine"

@ canIdoyabombsforya

Hurray for someone using logic! Come on in. You won't last long on here. Witness 'azz0r_cod4'....

We'll all be home by christmas.

I think MS' big strategic blunder this generation is coming home to roost. They wasted a lorra time, effort and money trying to woo the Jap's who have basically dropped out of this "HD" gen, nobody is getting their money this time round other than Nintendo.

If MS had invested less in UBER-niche stuff such as Blue Dragon etc and more in games that could broaden the appeal of the XBOX brand (Viva Pinata can't do it on its own) then they'd be heaps better off now ...

I'm not surprised Peter Wot-his-face 'left' to go to EA ...

No matter what anyone is saying, Nintendo is laughing all the way to the bank since the Wii's launch. Whether you like it or not, they pulled an "Ipod" in the gaming industry.
Brilliant marketing and some damn good games too.
They won back the people that were too scared to grab a regular controller in their hands, probably thinking that it is a tool of the devil due to the complexity. With Nintendo's initial pricing policy (being the cheapest of the lot) they are selling the Wii like hotcakes.
I am not claiming that the "Wii rulez", but you have to give credit to Nintendo anyway.

Anyone dismissing the Wii as a fad, or saying it has no good games is seriously in denial.

However, the 360 is still head and shoulders above the competition in terms of quality games. That simply isnt going to change during this generation of hardware.

If Sony keep up this kind of momentum, they'll outsell the 360 in about 8 years...

bahahahahaha

It is you blig_merk, as in the "blig_merk". Haha!, you must of been laughed out of the neogaf forums. Your rants are legendary thanks to allgames interactive and your buddy scot rubin is a big fan.

I think that it is Sony who will be most concerned with these figures. MGS4 was meant to be their huge exclusive similar to Halo 3, but they didn't manage to shift nearly as many consoles.

The PS3 will go back to selling roughly 200K per month after the MGS4 bump and are still about 8 million consoles behind the 360.

Sony lose money on every PS3 they produce. MS have just started making a profit on each one.

Sony are miles behind on the useability of the machine. It has a useless control pad built for aliens and an online system that is laughably bad.

The majority of those people buying the PS3 will buy on average about 2-3 games in total
Wii purchasers will purchases only just over 1 game per console.
360 owners purchase 8-10 games per console.

I couldn't care less about the chavs and 13 year olds who buy the PS3 because they have never played a 360 and know nothing else. Just watch the number of FIFA 09 copies that are sold on the PS3.

I have a PS3 and think its a big ugly door stop (my girlfriend uses it to watch movies).

The Xbox is just better, it doesn't get anymore simple than that. If you care about playing with friends online, there is no possible reason why you would buy anything else.

Personally I think PS3 bots are about as stupid as people can get.