Will the Wii Work?

Today BusinessWeek is running an article asking Will Nintendo's Wii Strategy Score? With the Tokyo Game Show this week, they run down the trials facing Nintendo's little-box-that-could both here in the States, and in Japan. From the article: "Few expect truly dedicated gamers to choose the Wii over the PS3 or Xbox. And ultimately, the advantage may go to Sony. Yuta Sakurai, an analyst at Nomura Securities in Tokyo, expects the PS3 to sell 71 million units by 2011, compared with 40 million units for the Wii. Microsoft, meanwhile, is planning a stripped-down version of the Xbox without a hard-disk drive and other accessories that will cost about $250 in Japan, where the U.S. software maker has endured disappointing results."

Comments

Bogus

[B3ryllium]

Wii isn't targetted at "dedicated" gamers - it's for casual gamers or people who haven't tried gaming before. It might be a shot in the arm for the console industry as a whole, in fact. Heck, I haven't owned a console since the NES, and I'm thinking of getting a Wii ... I just wish they'd called it the Revolution instead :)

Re:Bogus

[FortKnox]

I disagree. Dedicated gamers want a break from the same-old. It all comes down to the Wiimote. We've seen how different controllers can do so much (DDR, anyone?), but the Wiimote can affect every type of game you play. If the Wiimote charm wears off after a few weeks, the Wii could die a painful death. If they keep coming up with new and unique ways to get the gamer INTO the game (I swing the sword instead of pushing a button), then the Wii with crush the market.

I used to be a dedicated gamer (have a wife and kids, so I only play after 8pm on most days, now-a-days), and am eagerly waiting for the Wii...

Re:Bogus

[masklinn]

Wii isn't targetted at "dedicated" gamers

I disagree. "dedicated" gamers (as opposed to the ricer-type that just wants "mature" because games without blood are "for sissies") want fun above and beyond everything else. They want good, interresting, quality games.

If they're available on the Wii, they'll dig the wii, just as they're digging the DS because it has awesome game and because the stylus makes many games fun again.

Re:Bogus

[AuMatar]

Its popularity would be 0. Added elements of gore or warfare wouldn't add anything, it would detract from the fun. Stop thinking that the majority of gamers are 13 year olds with maturity issues- most of us have interests other than how much blood splatter is in a game.

Re:Bogus

[MBGMorden]

People have to stop associating a "mature" title with blood, gore, or anything of the sort. That's not what 90% of the people who want a mature game care about. I'm 24 now, grew up on Nintendo, and generally avoid violent games (played GTA for 5 minutes and quickly grew tired of it).

I still play a lot of Nintendo games, but they invariably end up coming off very kiddy, or rather "goofey". People often try to pass of "goofiness" as fun - it's not. Sure some games can be fun in spite of it, but it's not a good thing. Take Zelda: Wind Waker for example. The main hero is a pre-teen kid who is supposedly fighting monsters left and right (while adults stand around talking to this kid like he must save them). The base story is actually interesting, but it's interrupted by gimmicky things like a talking dragon boat. To top it off I'm watching this whole thing unfold via graphics that look like a Saturday morning cartoon.

Do I want any of this replaced by sex or violence? No. I want it replaced with a serious atmosphere. Try telling people that "Green Eggs and Ham" is just as good a book as "Pride and Prejudice" just because it's fun for all ages. You'll get some weird stares.

Re:Bogus

[AuMatar]

I'd consider Green Eggs and Ham the superior book. I hate Jane Austen.

The Dragon Boat was a bit silly, yes. The age of the hero- who cares? Its the gameplay that matters, and the gameplay was damn fun (except for the sailing parts).

You say to stop assuming people mean gore when they say mature. I've never seen any other definition put forth by those wanting it to be more "mature" other than blood and guts. Please tell me how changing the age and graphics style of Zelda would have made it more fun- because I honestly can't see it.

Re:Bogus

[Wind_Walker]

It's being called "kiddy" because the majority of their titles look completely ridiculous.

You say Wind Waker looks ridiculous, I say Dead Or Alive: Xtreme Beach Volleyball and BMX:XXX look ridiculous. Oh, but those are "mature" titles. Riiiight.

Re:Bogus

[Pharmboy]

If Nintendo would use the commercial I found on Google Video, then they couldn't build them fast enough... ;)

Funniest. Apple ripoff. Ever.

I'd say yes..

[joshetc]

expects the PS3 to sell 71 million units by 2011, compared with 40 million units for the Wii

As everyone knows the PS3 will be sold at a loss throughout most of its lifetime, while the Wii will be at an unknown profit through its lifetime. I'd say thats pretty successful if they sell anywhere in that area. Even if they only have $1 profit per console thats a lot more profit than -xx million.

Re:I'd say yes..

[Verteiron]

"Nice of Zaphod to sell us those weapons. And at below market price!"
"Yeah..."
"How does he make any money selling them below cost?"
"Oh, he sells a -lot- of them."
"Ah."

Dedicated Gamers

[ElleyKitten]

Few expect truly dedicated gamers to choose the Wii over the PS3 or Xbox.

The "truly dedicated gamers" are planning on getting all three. Everyone else has a limited gaming budget, and the Wii definately has an advantage in that regard.

Bad News

[beckerist]

...yet I've only ever heard bad news about the PS3. The Wii is the first console I've ever been excited about, simply because it's meant for my gaming style: multiplayer, social fun.

Re:They're delivering what we want

[Daetrin]

Really? Last I checked dedicated gamers were complaining left and right about stagnating gameplay, lack of innovation and "next generation" being nothing but prettied up graphics. The dedicated gamer wants the Wii (not necessarily to the exclusion of other consoles) because he hopes for new game experiences.

Somewhere along the line "dedicated gamer" seems to have been hijacked (by the media presumably?) to mean something like "compulsive graphics whore who will brainlessly follow whatever the newest trend is." Maybe it happened back when FPSs became the big thing when every "dedicated gamer" seemed to be upgrading their graphics card every other week in order to be able to play the latest game. Regardless of when it came about however i don't think that interpretation has ever fit me, and i like to consider myself a dedicated gamer, though perhaps one who has somewhat lapsed in recent years as i've had to learn how to balance gaming, a social life and a career. There may may be a few people out there that fit that negative stereotype but i really hope that the gamers who are actually _dedicated_ to their hobby are actually intelligent and thoughtfull people who will put more thought into their purchasing decisions than that. But perhaps i'm beeing hopelessly optimistic.

Re:Bogus - My turn to feed the Troll

[Kemanorel]

An add-on controller which not all gamers will have, meaning developers can't make cames which completely depend on it, any more than they can for "alternative" PlayStation controllers.

Again, how is this so much better than a third-party hardware maker sellinng similar controllers for the old PS2?

You are slightly off-base on two points. First, all Wii owners will have at least one nunchuk. It is included in the box. If they need more, they will buy more. Secondly, and more importantly, this is better than a third-party controller in the fact that it is a first-party controller that is included with the system. They are two different creatures. Dev's will be far more inclined (probably even required) to program for the Wiimote given the very fact that it comes with every system and is core to the concept.

Will there be crappy implementations tossed-off by barely competent developers? My Magic 8 Ball says, "Outcome likely." Will there be plenty of games that use it flawlessly and in ways that we have yet to consider? Let's ask the 8 Ball again, "Definitely Yes." Will playing with the Wii become a novelty or part of future interface schemes? "Outcome hazy. Ask again later."

Quit being such a troll, go enjoy your X-Box, and bugger off while others (like me) try the Wii. If it catches on, you'll either be playing with one yourself soon enough, or you'll be using some bastardization of the concept from MS or Sony. Hell, Sony already tried to borrow the idea before the full info was out and they're already appearing half-assed... if not quarter-assed.