The Current State of the Console Wars
Comparing the Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, and Playstation 3
In the last generation of consoles, the PS2 was the undeniable winner of the console war, with over 140 million units sold, it blew away the competition. Second place went to Microsoft, with their gaming console debut, the Xbox. Not far behind them was the Gamecube, from the veterans of gaming consoles Nintendo. While following pitifully in the rear was Sega’s Dreamcast, with sales so poor that Sega bowed out of the console race and became exclusively a third party developer.
A few years have passed since the newest generation of consoles were first released, and there has definitely been a shift in power. Microsoft, with the Xbox 360, planned to capture an early market share by opting to release their console earlier than their competitors. They took the risk of having slightly aged technology, but in comparing sales figures, it seems to have been an effective business plan. The biggest change, however, came with the release of the Nintendo Wii, which has taken the world by storm.
Nintendo Wii in Top Spot
Nintendo’s innovative take on the gaming console has created a whole new demographic of gamers. While video games have typically focused on young males 18 to 24, the Wii has attracted the attention of the young and old alike, male or female, fulfilling Nintendo’s promise to broaden the demographic of gamers. The Wii's inexpensive price tag made it a perfect option for a new gaming system, but also made it a viable option for those who already own a PS3 or Xbox 360.
The Wii works because it overcomes all the nightmares parents usually attach to video game systems, such as:
- Kids are effectively working out while playing the console, which exactly what parents are trying to promote.
- It follows the KISS principle, it’s extremely easy to use. While the average non-gamer is easily overwhelmed when picking up the controller of an Xbox or Playstation, even a grandma could play the Wii, and funnily enough a lot of them are doing just that.
- The whole family can get involved, no more fighting over the remote for control of the television, they can all actively play together, parents, siblings… anyone and everyone who normally wouldn't touch video games are ready and excited to play the Wii.
Microsoft's Xbox 360 Caught in the Middle
The Wii isn't alone in the console race, Xbox has done well through its online capabilities and a fantastic lineup of non-exclusive games, with such titles as Halo 3, Fable II, Mass Effect, Elders Scroll: Oblivion, Gears of War 2, and many more. It seems the Xbox 360 has found a stable niche and settled there nicely. While it may not be winning the console wars, to date it has sold a higher number of games than both Sony and Nintendo.
Sony's Playstation 3 Lags Behind
The Xbox's strength seems to be the PS3's weakness, a lackluster linup of exclusive titles has pushed Sony's console into an unfamiliar location, last place. While there are some solid titles available, for example Metal Gear Solid 4, Resistance 2, and LittleBigPlanet, those titles alone have not been enough to improve the sales of the console.
What crippled Sony the most was the release of GTA IV for the Xbox 360, Sony lost the exclusivity of one of its biggest franchises and one of the most ground-breaking series available. That loss coupled with Square Enix's recent announcement of Final Fantasy on Xbox 360 means Sony has definitely lost it’s stranglehold over the gaming industry.
Hopefully a boost in exclusive titles along with some innovation from Sony will see a return to the glory days, with Resident Evil 5 on the horizion that is always a possibility. However, unless we also see a new Kingdom Hearts or God of War soon, maybe even a real “Halo” killer for the PS3, it seems the PS3 will be stuck chasing the tails of its more innovative and business savvy competitors.
playing playstation
|
What do you think about this article?
More in Technology
Latest Articles