Console Wars!!!

[DrSpike]

Originally posted by Asher
This holiday season is going to be MASSIVE for the 360 also:

September 25th: Halo 3 (projected $150M in first day sales alone., 3 million units in 12 days)
October 2nd: PGR4
October 29: Guitar Hero III
November 5th: Call of Duty 4
November 13th: Assassin's Creed
November 20th: Mass Effect
November 20th: Rock Band

Yup.

And all look good from previews except GH & Rock Band - I don't like gimmicky games.

[Asher]

I'm expecting around the Halo 3 launch for Sony to announce a $399 40GB PS3, and MS to cut the price another $50 in response as well.

[asleepathewheel]

Originally posted by Asher
Here we go: Xbox 360 sold more games in August than Wii and PS3 combined.

Microsoft also said that since last November when the Wii and PS3 launched, gamers have spent more dollars on Xbox 360 software ($24.3 million) than on software for PS3 and Wii combined ($19.8 million).

Apparently in their ea fueled orgy, they didn't bother to check there numbers before releasing the presser.

[asleepathewheel]

Originally posted by Asher
This holiday season is going to be MASSIVE for the 360 also:

September 25th: Halo 3 (projected $150M in first day sales alone., 3 million units in 12 days)
October 2nd: PGR4
October 29: Guitar Hero III
November 5th: Call of Duty 4
November 13th: Assassin's Creed
November 20th: Mass Effect
November 20th: Rock Band

For the Wii, the only software releases coming soon in the same stratosphere are:
October 29th: Guitar Hero III (good luck with downloadable content though...)
November 12th: Super Mario Galaxy
December 3rd: Super Smash Brothers Brawl

You think that PGR is going to be a million+ seller this close to forza 2?

[asleepathewheel]

Originally posted by Asher
One thing I haven't seen mentioned here is how the Wii's sales in Japan are falling pretty systematically over the year.

Wii outsold PS3 by 3 to 1 during August, but the ratio was 4 to 1 the previous month and 6 to 1 in May and June. And this isn't because the PS3 is selling well.

I thought you didn't pay attention to the japanese gaming habits?

And, they haven't been falling for the year, just for the past couple weeks. Probably due to the end of summer leisure and moving numbers to the US for MP3.

[DrSpike]

Originally posted by asleepathewheel


I thought you didn't pay attention to the japanese gaming habits?

That depends on whether it supports or undermines his arguments.

[Agathon]

Originally posted by asleepathewheel



You think that PGR is going to be a million+ seller this close to forza 2?

It will have to be really good, because PGR3 sucked ass.

[Asher]

Originally posted by asleepathewheel
You think that PGR is going to be a million+ seller this close to forza 2?

Guaranteed. PGR3 and Forza 1 both were million+ sellers, after all, and launched in similar timeframes.

[Asher]

Originally posted by asleepathewheel


I thought you didn't pay attention to the japanese gaming habits?

And, they haven't been falling for the year, just for the past couple weeks. Probably due to the end of summer leisure and moving numbers to the US for MP3.

That chart is since January 1st up until a few weeks ago. It looks down overall to me.

If you think the Wii has supply problems in Japan the past 3+ months, then you need to cite that. I've heard of no shortages in Japan.

[ZargonX]

Supposedly Nintendo has shifted units out of Japan and into the US to meet demand here. No one has any proof if that's true either way, of course.

[Asher]

If that is true it's pretty damning on Nintendo's production ineptitude. The Wii is not complex, it's been almost a year, mass produce to meet demand...

[DrSpike]

It's true they are a victim of their success.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by DrSpike
2) For more traditional gamers such as ourselves (to varying degrees) is the Wii a good prospect, or will it be shortly?

Well I guess I dont count as a traditional gamer, since Im not a big FPS fan (more on that anon, once ive finished HL) and only slightly more of an RPG fan. Im more of niche gamer myself, with most of my interest in TBS, war-history, citybuilders and other sims.

For me the Wii looks like a much better match, since it would meet the households teen party games needs (though I await a version of DDR or something equivalent for it first) and in general for the kinds of stuff that wouldnt appear on a PC in a million years (including "games"about fitness, cooking, whatever)


I would note that the Sony consoles combined do pretty well on Madden NFL compared to the 360, but of course the PS2 has a huge installed base. Sony fans, I suppose, consider the PS2 to be cannibalizing the PS3 and assume that if PS2 were weaker, those sales would go to the PS3, while I suppose Asher thinks theyd go to 360. From where I sit, its impossible to say.


Id also note that the wrt Bioshock, 360 is beating the pant off the PC, despite a higher price for the sw on the 360, and it seems to mainly be cause of the stereotyped PC gaming problems. It really doesnt look from here like M$ has its heart in "Games for Windows", at least not in any meaningful way. Anyone else who has a stake in PC games, at least this style of PC gaming (Nvidia I guess?) had better step up the plate soon, or see the whole thing head faster towards nicheness.

[Asher]

It's getting more and more expensive to have a capable gaming PC. Console ownership just makes more sense.

[DrSpike]

I don't the first part of that is true, but am willing to be convinced if there is an argument there rather than a standard Asherism.