You are smoking some very good crack there pal. The 360 is bombing in Japan, but guess what? Japan doesn't matter nearly as much as it used to. Gaming is far more mainstream in other parts of the world (see the Wii) and that is adding additional customers everywhere. Japan used to be very important, but it's shown now that you can do well in North America and Europe and develop a really solid install base. As for you re-buying consoles supposition, well that's just anecdotal bullshit and you know it. You don't have a single shred of proof for that statement. Microsoft will be in the console market for a long time to come and if you think any differently then you are delusional.
It does matter because at some point when the console was released becomes irrelevant. Nintendo needs to sell more games per console to make it attractive for 3rd party devs. Look at the top 20 sales for the last few months and you'll see that despite having basically the same number of consoles out there the 360 continues to outsell the Wii software wise. The Wii sells well on big first party titles, but 3rd part is pretty well a no show. If I am a dev and I see that I can sell twice as many games on the 360 where do you think I'll go? Nintendo (and almost every Nintendo fan) can't just expect games to appear, there has to be the sales. For whatever reason right now Wii software sales are flat compared to the console itself. Great for Nintendo, not so great for other developers.
Most of the casual gamers that I know that have a Wii have Wii Sports and a couple also have Wii Play because it was a cheap way to get an extra controller and more party games. They really have no desire to buy many more if any. They see it as a "party" box and that's it.
The biggest problem with the Wii is that the market they captured doesn't buy many games. So, it's still not a super attractive development platform for 3rd party devs. You also have to dedicate more resources to making a Wii specific game because of the unique control scheme, where the other 2 have pretty standard controls. The Wii is a good console, but it's very first party heavy.
Oh man, the Sony fanboys/anti-MS troupes are out in force today! How is this statement even remotely close to flamebait? I mean it's a fact that Microsoft no longer loses money on each 360 AND that they have the highest game sales per console of this generation. Don't let facts get in the way of your jihad though folks.
Okay, I checked out your journal and it's pretty funny that a dyed in the wool PS3 fan would be calling me a troll because I said something bad about his poor beleaguered console. Your hilarious journal entries about how the Wii is going to boost PS3 sales are as good as Michael Pachter's gaming market predictions. Take off your biased glasses and look around and you'll see I'm not the only person claiming the Sixaxis has issues.
It's not just him http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=ps3+controller+loses+connection&meta= seriously, stop blaming Microsoft when the crowded 2.4Ghz spectrum is an issue with MANY devices. Hell, even my Logitech wireless controllers for Xbox and PS2 use that frequency. The 360 is a great gaming console because it has great games. It is selling well and if this was such a huge issue I think there would have been a lot more noise about it like there is about the RROD.
I've had my 360 rechargeable battery packs for over a year now and one is starting to diminish to the point of only being able to play about 4 hours on it. Otherwise they other battery packs I bought are fine. I have 2 controllers and 1 extra battery. So, when the packs do die I spend $15 for a new one OR just use AAs which last a damn long time. That's better than having to fork out $60 for a new Sixaxis. Your math is off. Then again, how dare I say MS might actually make a decent product.
Yes, he has all 3 of the current gen consoles. And what I am trying to say is that I have never had an issue with my 360 with any wireless device, be it BT headset or mouse. So, it's anecdote versus anecdote and on Slashdot the SOP is to blame Microsoft.
The RROD is well known and the 3 year warranty was implemented by MS to deal with that. The optical disc scratching is overblown and is usually the result of some moron moving the console while it's running. As for the instability, blame the coders, not the hardware. Almost all of you articles are from 2005, how about dealing with the 360 as it stands now? I play mine on a regular basis, have a great time on Live with friends, and it doesn't crash any more than my PS2, Dreamcast or Gamecube. Anecdotal sure, but when people like you make a mountain out of a molehill and try to pretend that it's factual just because it's an MS product it really just smacks of mindless bashing.
It's funny how the 360 is to blame and not the other way around. As others have said the 2.4Ghz isn't really tightly controlled so it only makes sense that devices will conflict. To add to the anecdotal pile, I have Wi-fi and a 2.4GHz cordless phone and have never had an issue when I am playing on my 360. Even on co-op games with 2 of us playing. As for my other points I was bringing up how poorly the Sony controllers were designed. I'd rather have the MS system which has never randomly disconnected on me than the PS3 BT which disconnects for my buddy all the time. So, in conclusion they didn't break anything and this is the usual Slashdot FUD.
Hahahahaha!! Tell that to all the people that whose PS3 controllers intermittently lose connection in the middle of a game and how you have to resync a PS3 controller with a cable. Oh, and then tell them about the sealed battery in the PS3 controller instead of using swappable packs or, god forbid, standard AA batteries. Lastly ZOMG the PS3 uses standard wi-fi that might interfere with other devices using 2.4Ghz!!
People always prattle on about innovation, but in my world everything takes a back seat to fun. I don't care how "ground breaking" a game is, the big question is whether or not it's fun. So, if you want to talk about changing gaming and doing something new and different go for it, but just remember, it's still a game.
I realize this is totally anecdotal evidence, but the Wii shortage only seems to be happening in North America. My friends and business acquaintances in Europe, the UK, Australia all say that getting a Wii isn't a problem. I've also seen stories that it's not that hard to get one in Japan as well. So, this seems to be an issue of allocation as much as shortage.
And I couldn't stand sounding like a mindless anti-"M$" drone like you. A company doesn't get to be as large and successful for as long as Microsoft without someone having a clue. Here is a link that literally took me 5 seconds to find -
http://www.cinemablend.com/games/Report-Microsoft-To-Make-Huge-Profit-With-Xbox-Live-2414.html
Also, the whole hoopla over Silver and demos is a tempest in a teapot. They said this was going to happen a LONG time ago. For some reason people are getting their panties in a knot over it now. And it's adding value to my Live membership because when the killer demos like Bioshock come out I don't have to deal with the servers getting slammed as badly now. You know, I find it hilarious that people always gun for MS because they are the biggest target and somehow claim that other companies would be better. I can guarantee that if Apple was the market leader there would be anti-Apple articles on Slashdot every day. It's just about "fighting the man" for a lot of people around here.
When someone gets a cheap PC from Walmart or wherever and gets it home is they get a friend with a pirated copy of XP to install it. Just because a cheap ass PC sells with Linux doesn't mean that's what the person is choosing for an OS.
It's funny, the vast majority of people that bash paying for Xbox Live have never used it for any length of time, if at all. I have subscribed since day one and have always felt it was worthwhile and on the 360 with DLC and Marketplace it's even better.
M$ is not an organization of geniuses. If they were even reasonably intelligent, they would know that this isn't a viable way to try to scrape some revenue out of the enormous money pit that XBOX Live has become.
Wow, you are so clueless on this point that I don't even know where to start. Maybe try a little research before you make a completely incorrect statement like this. Or would that violate your personal code to bash MS regardless of the facts?
Anyone that has used Live to play games with friends for any length of time sees the value in it. You can cobble together a facsimile for PC that still misses out on the total integration that Live has. The PS3 and Wii dont' even come close as well.
And like I said I don't trust VG Chartz and I would say that most industry people feel the same way. Their numbers are fairly "creative". At least with NPD you know that it's actual sales.
Slashdot Mirror
You are smoking some very good crack there pal. The 360 is bombing in Japan, but guess what? Japan doesn't matter nearly as much as it used to. Gaming is far more mainstream in other parts of the world (see the Wii) and that is adding additional customers everywhere. Japan used to be very important, but it's shown now that you can do well in North America and Europe and develop a really solid install base. As for you re-buying consoles supposition, well that's just anecdotal bullshit and you know it. You don't have a single shred of proof for that statement. Microsoft will be in the console market for a long time to come and if you think any differently then you are delusional.
The PS2 has a great attach rate so I don't know what you are talking about. The last figures I saw was about 6 games per console.
It does matter because at some point when the console was released becomes irrelevant. Nintendo needs to sell more games per console to make it attractive for 3rd party devs. Look at the top 20 sales for the last few months and you'll see that despite having basically the same number of consoles out there the 360 continues to outsell the Wii software wise. The Wii sells well on big first party titles, but 3rd part is pretty well a no show. If I am a dev and I see that I can sell twice as many games on the 360 where do you think I'll go? Nintendo (and almost every Nintendo fan) can't just expect games to appear, there has to be the sales. For whatever reason right now Wii software sales are flat compared to the console itself. Great for Nintendo, not so great for other developers.
Most of the casual gamers that I know that have a Wii have Wii Sports and a couple also have Wii Play because it was a cheap way to get an extra controller and more party games. They really have no desire to buy many more if any. They see it as a "party" box and that's it.
The biggest problem with the Wii is that the market they captured doesn't buy many games. So, it's still not a super attractive development platform for 3rd party devs. You also have to dedicate more resources to making a Wii specific game because of the unique control scheme, where the other 2 have pretty standard controls. The Wii is a good console, but it's very first party heavy.
Oh man, the Sony fanboys/anti-MS troupes are out in force today! How is this statement even remotely close to flamebait? I mean it's a fact that Microsoft no longer loses money on each 360 AND that they have the highest game sales per console of this generation. Don't let facts get in the way of your jihad though folks.
Okay, I checked out your journal and it's pretty funny that a dyed in the wool PS3 fan would be calling me a troll because I said something bad about his poor beleaguered console. Your hilarious journal entries about how the Wii is going to boost PS3 sales are as good as Michael Pachter's gaming market predictions. Take off your biased glasses and look around and you'll see I'm not the only person claiming the Sixaxis has issues.
It's not just him http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=ps3+controller+loses+connection&meta= seriously, stop blaming Microsoft when the crowded 2.4Ghz spectrum is an issue with MANY devices. Hell, even my Logitech wireless controllers for Xbox and PS2 use that frequency. The 360 is a great gaming console because it has great games. It is selling well and if this was such a huge issue I think there would have been a lot more noise about it like there is about the RROD.
Actually, they are not losing money any more. On top of that the 360 has the highest attach rate of this console generation.
I've had my 360 rechargeable battery packs for over a year now and one is starting to diminish to the point of only being able to play about 4 hours on it. Otherwise they other battery packs I bought are fine. I have 2 controllers and 1 extra battery. So, when the packs do die I spend $15 for a new one OR just use AAs which last a damn long time. That's better than having to fork out $60 for a new Sixaxis. Your math is off. Then again, how dare I say MS might actually make a decent product.
Troll? http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=ps3+controller+loses+connection&meta= Have a gander.
Yes, he has all 3 of the current gen consoles. And what I am trying to say is that I have never had an issue with my 360 with any wireless device, be it BT headset or mouse. So, it's anecdote versus anecdote and on Slashdot the SOP is to blame Microsoft.
The RROD is well known and the 3 year warranty was implemented by MS to deal with that. The optical disc scratching is overblown and is usually the result of some moron moving the console while it's running. As for the instability, blame the coders, not the hardware. Almost all of you articles are from 2005, how about dealing with the 360 as it stands now? I play mine on a regular basis, have a great time on Live with friends, and it doesn't crash any more than my PS2, Dreamcast or Gamecube. Anecdotal sure, but when people like you make a mountain out of a molehill and try to pretend that it's factual just because it's an MS product it really just smacks of mindless bashing.
It's funny how the 360 is to blame and not the other way around. As others have said the 2.4Ghz isn't really tightly controlled so it only makes sense that devices will conflict. To add to the anecdotal pile, I have Wi-fi and a 2.4GHz cordless phone and have never had an issue when I am playing on my 360. Even on co-op games with 2 of us playing. As for my other points I was bringing up how poorly the Sony controllers were designed. I'd rather have the MS system which has never randomly disconnected on me than the PS3 BT which disconnects for my buddy all the time. So, in conclusion they didn't break anything and this is the usual Slashdot FUD.
Hahahahaha!! Tell that to all the people that whose PS3 controllers intermittently lose connection in the middle of a game and how you have to resync a PS3 controller with a cable. Oh, and then tell them about the sealed battery in the PS3 controller instead of using swappable packs or, god forbid, standard AA batteries. Lastly ZOMG the PS3 uses standard wi-fi that might interfere with other devices using 2.4Ghz!!
It's anti-Microsoft FUD so it has a place on Slashdot regardless of its merits.
People always prattle on about innovation, but in my world everything takes a back seat to fun. I don't care how "ground breaking" a game is, the big question is whether or not it's fun. So, if you want to talk about changing gaming and doing something new and different go for it, but just remember, it's still a game.
I realize this is totally anecdotal evidence, but the Wii shortage only seems to be happening in North America. My friends and business acquaintances in Europe, the UK, Australia all say that getting a Wii isn't a problem. I've also seen stories that it's not that hard to get one in Japan as well. So, this seems to be an issue of allocation as much as shortage.
And I couldn't stand sounding like a mindless anti-"M$" drone like you. A company doesn't get to be as large and successful for as long as Microsoft without someone having a clue. Here is a link that literally took me 5 seconds to find - http://www.cinemablend.com/games/Report-Microsoft-To-Make-Huge-Profit-With-Xbox-Live-2414.html Also, the whole hoopla over Silver and demos is a tempest in a teapot. They said this was going to happen a LONG time ago. For some reason people are getting their panties in a knot over it now. And it's adding value to my Live membership because when the killer demos like Bioshock come out I don't have to deal with the servers getting slammed as badly now. You know, I find it hilarious that people always gun for MS because they are the biggest target and somehow claim that other companies would be better. I can guarantee that if Apple was the market leader there would be anti-Apple articles on Slashdot every day. It's just about "fighting the man" for a lot of people around here.
When someone gets a cheap PC from Walmart or wherever and gets it home is they get a friend with a pirated copy of XP to install it. Just because a cheap ass PC sells with Linux doesn't mean that's what the person is choosing for an OS.
It's funny, the vast majority of people that bash paying for Xbox Live have never used it for any length of time, if at all. I have subscribed since day one and have always felt it was worthwhile and on the 360 with DLC and Marketplace it's even better.
M$ is not an organization of geniuses. If they were even reasonably intelligent, they would know that this isn't a viable way to try to scrape some revenue out of the enormous money pit that XBOX Live has become.
Wow, you are so clueless on this point that I don't even know where to start. Maybe try a little research before you make a completely incorrect statement like this. Or would that violate your personal code to bash MS regardless of the facts?
Anyone that has used Live to play games with friends for any length of time sees the value in it. You can cobble together a facsimile for PC that still misses out on the total integration that Live has. The PS3 and Wii dont' even come close as well.
And like I said I don't trust VG Chartz and I would say that most industry people feel the same way. Their numbers are fairly "creative". At least with NPD you know that it's actual sales.
Just for your edification - http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8148&Itemid=2