570°

2013 Final Grades for Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo

VGW continues its semi-annual tradition of handing out grades to the "big three" in gaming. In the past, the results have been somewhat predictable, but with 2013 being such a wild ride for all three, the question of "which platform is *the* platform to own" was much more complicated.

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dolkrak3783d ago (Edited 3783d ago )

No way Nintendo is a B with the WiiU atrocious failure. No 3rd party, no sales, only the 3DS is successful : D+

Microsoft : DRM fiasco, no used game, worst PR since Iraqi War minister, then 180 and Xbox One half flop in sales being outsold everywhere in the world. A clusterfuck trainwreck : F

Sony : great policies, gret games (including GotY The Last of Us), PS4 breaking every sales record and PS3 now on top worldwide in installed base vs 360 : A

NihonjinChick3783d ago

I noticed you didn't mention the Vita, which is extremely lacking in sales right now. That's convenient.

DVAcme3783d ago

Even if it's a failure(so far) in sales, the Wii-U has had some very appealing games, with the Year Of Luigi offerings, Wind Waker HD and Super Mario 3D World(which is getting hailed as the best 3D Mario game since Mario 64). And the 3DS is still kicking major ass with some flagship releases, like Fire Emblem, Link Between Worlds, Shin Megami Tensei 4 and Pokemon. Although I DO think that it's ridiculous that Nintendo has a higher score than Sony. Even with the lackluster performance of the Vita, the PS4 is this year's success story.

Microsoft is perfectly fine where it is, though, and I agree with you that, if anything, the score's too high.

MWong3783d ago (Edited 3783d ago )

Not even being a fanboy, I would've rated it:

Micro$oft: just as previous console cycle (XBox) lack of support for the XB360 after a new console announced, indicated no blockbuster titles for the still selling XB360, XBO fiasco (DRM, hurtful PR, GREEDY, changing management, oversold cloud experience, overpriced, underpowered, NSA alligations, spy camera always watching me, 180 policy changes, loss of consumer trust), good XBO console sells, lack luster launch lineup - Final Grade; C ... as an owner of both the XBox & XB360, M$ really shocked me this year. I am still waiting to buy a XBO for myself I want to see what M$ does.

Nintendo: while having virtually no 3rd party and disappointing Wii-U sales, still no damn online, the 3DS and 1st party titles kept them a float (no real passion to get that 3rd party support for the Wii-U to bring in new consumers, they are happy with 1st party software) - Final Grade; B- ... Nintendo fanboy so I really need Nintendo to step up and try better next console, or I won't be buying just like I skipped the Wii-U.

Sony: blockbuster titles for the PS3 (TLoU, GT6, B2S), release of a critically well recieved new PS4, lackluster launch titles (but still highest selling 1st party title of next-gen KZ:SF), disappointing Vita sales (slight bump with PS4 remote play launch), amazing PS4 sells, PS3 finally outpacing the XB360, Sony still supporting the PS3 - Final Grade; A- ... Sony did great overall this year with only 2 real dark spots the PS Vita and the PS4 launch lineup. 2014 will see many more games so I can't wait.

I don't think any of the 3 were great this year, but Sony was overall to me better. I still personally think Nintendo should leave consoles and go strictly into handhelds and software. I also think Sony should leave the handhelds and remain with consoles.

Movieworld3783d ago

So you're judging Sony purely on the Playstations and not the Vita, but judging the Wii U and the 3DS when it comes to Nintendo?

Nonsensical.

jacksons983783d ago

@movieworld
The vita has had a nice uptick in sales since PS4 released and has had a lot of great games this year.

nategrigs3783d ago

I think that the ratings are pretty good overall (Nintendo is a bit high)

@MWong:

I don't think that you can say you're not being a fanboy, then immediately spell Microsoft with a $, and then praise sony while ripping on MS.

lawgone3783d ago

@MWong...funny you call out the XB1 for not being backwards compatible but not the PS4. And as the other person mentioned, the M$ spelling.

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starfox0793783d ago

I don't agree with the online lacking compared to live/psn ?? i sold my 360 because the online was so slck on WiiU and never goes down whilst playing and on BO2 the community is Mature not screaming teenagers pecking your head,as far as the actual online gaming WiiU is equal just because the account is tied to the hardware that doesn't make WiiU's online inferior ?? psn/live have policies that prevent 3rd partys doing lots of stuff and they are closed,WiiU's online is open devs can do what they want and in the end you will see better online features on wiiu due to letting devs do almost anything they want,Shinen said with Fast racing neo we are using 4k/8k textures and they said they were able to do special things online in the game ?????

Plus saying WiiU is less powerful is fair enough but these authors need to also say the wiiu is just as capable though due to unique hardware design.

Mister_Dawg3783d ago ShowReplies(10)
TheGOODKyle3783d ago

Perfectly reasonable statement that will get disagrees by trolls.

Killzoner993783d ago

How can Sony end with a B when the PS4 is dominating right now lol? If anything Sony ended on an A+. The other consoles grades are spot on if not a little generous.

Badnik3783d ago

They're grading companies as a whole. Sony did let the Vita ball drop this year, and that's coming from a Vita owner. Other than that, they did knock it out of the park with the PS4 and the PS3's continued support. The Vita is what knocked points off.

wonderfulmonkeyman3783d ago

It's a shame that they couldn't find a cost-effective way of making the PS3's support carry over into their PS4, though...

Chevalier3783d ago

Wii only had Just Dance 2014 and didn't even get Lego Marvel when this system usually gets all of the Lego games and at my work only has one listing into 2014 so how come Vita knocks off so much points? If that's the case then why does the Wii get a freepass? Or are you saying 3ds is enough to left up 2 systems (wii and wii U). No point deductions for the absolute terrible year for Wii and barely present Wii U and 3ds lifts Nintendo to B+ yet PS3 had the most diverse lineup and 3rd party exclusives, PS4 broke launch records and Vita had Tearaway, indies, remote play only deserves a B?! Please explain.

wonderfulmonkeyman3783d ago (Edited 3783d ago )

Because of the launch lineup underperforming, obviously. Fans expected more of the gameplay when they saw the increase in graphics, but it didn't pan out that way.
It sold as well as it did due to Sonys marketing, their e3 hijinks, and the promise of better graphics, which all equaled up to launch hype hysteria.
But this sort of grading takes more than sales from launch hype into account.

Sincere01213783d ago

Sony is only dominating in sales and hype.
When it comes to actual gaming, Nintendo are always the best and second is Microsoft.

starfox0793783d ago (Edited 3783d ago )

WiiU is KING please.......ps4 has nothing except hype and that usually lasts 3 months then drops off it's how long it takes people to see the ps4 doesn't have the best games.....

Like on EMINEM'S new song i think its track 13 what does he say TO HELL WITH PLAYSTATION I'M STILL ON MY **** ZELDA ECT ECT GO LISTEN....I'm a Nintendo fan just like SLIM.

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ssj4wolf3783d ago

microsoft:C- sony:B nintendo:B+ so......who else thinks those grades are a bit off?

I_am_Batman3783d ago (Edited 3783d ago )

Can you explain why you think they're off?

ssj4wolf3783d ago

It's just that Nintendo and Sony did phenomenal this year the brought the best exclusives of the year and they get B's Microsoft lied left and right and turned their backs on their loyal fans to cater to casuals and tried to destroy gaming and deserted the 360 and they get a c- :/

InTheLab3783d ago

playstation plus destroys the other two. It is the best value out there right now and it's on the Vita as well. Add that to the highest rated exclusive as well as 4 triple A releases for the PS3 and the most successful launch in console history.

And then there's E3 and the fact that Sony basically saved the Xbox brand by leading and not following.

Anything less than an A is absurd but to rank Nintendo higher is laughable. The WiiU had 10 straight months of terrible sales and mediocre games. The Wii fell off the face of the Earth 2 years ago and the 3ds is the only positive N has at this point.

Gemmol3783d ago

@inthelab you must really love sony

Loadedklip3783d ago

I agree they might be off a bit ... Sony could be a little higher ... and Microsoft could be a little Lower. Nintendo is about right.

AceBlazer133783d ago

Microsoft at the bottom is good enough for me.

itBourne3783d ago

I think Nintendo gets a bit of a free pass with everything they do. They can continue to do the same thing for the next 40 years, and people dont seem to care. Not saying they make bad games, just I think everything they do is seen as slightly better then it really is. Zelda would be slammed for being out dated and behind the times, if Zelda was not on the box. Just my opinion though.

Like I said, I think they make good games, but I think if they make such great games, why not oh I dont know, give us something new for once. When was the last time they had a new ip? Disney didnt just stick with only making Mickey Mouse for 20 years, they did give us new experiences.

Beastforlifenoob3783d ago

I agree Nintendo should have gotten a B- and MSOFT should have gotten a D+(ish) and Sony should have gotten an A-.

wonderfulmonkeyman3783d ago

I find it strange that you'd call Zelda "outdated and behind the times" when so many action-adventure games these days STILL use elements that are best exemplified in the Zelda series.

It's stayed alive as long as it has because it's a great series, even if the changes aren't huge in every entry.

Ol_G3783d ago

if you know the amount of detail polish and creativity they use for their games then you know why people keep praising them
nintendo games are first and foremost about fun how many times do you hear people saying they left a nintendo game with a smile on their face and how many times you hear those claims about other developers games
also if you did your homework you'd know they created a lot of new ip's over the years but it's probably not everyone's cup of tea
people seem to forgetting that games as disaster day of crisis and xenoblade are new ip's

GordonKnight3783d ago

Nintendo gets a free pass???

Really? Nintendo gets thrown under the bus daily with all these d & G articles.

Mr_Writer853783d ago

Yes only Nintendo games are fun....

What an utterly stupid thing to say.

Gemmol3783d ago

I am glad you think they dont make new games, its good to know you play Wii Sports on the snes, you played Wii Fit on snes too, NintendoDogs and cats all these games sold over 20 million some 30 million, while out of ps1, ps2 and ps3 sony have only one game that sold over 10 million.......Mario Kart on Gamecube sold 14 million when there was only 22 gamecube owners and that game alone outsell every sony 1st party.....I only name a few games u played on the snes, I forgot you also played brain training games on the snes, and the many other games

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starfox0793783d ago (Edited 3783d ago )

Next year the grades will be as followed...

Nintendo A+
Sony B
Microsoft C

I'm sorry but with the wiiu games line-up in 2014 i just couldn't imagine Nintendo getting anything less than A+ i mean with-

Donkeykong
X
Bayonetta2
Hyrule Warriors
Mariokart 8
Smash bros 4
Fast Racing Neo
Miyamoto new title
That huge secret 3rd party exclusive

Watchdogs although it will get gimped along with the xbox1 version because Sony are paying Ubisoft to make ps4 version utimate basically to make all you teenagers think ps4 has best graphics ????? I'll still get it because i think WiiU version will be best and all 3 will look more a less the same,plus WiiU will have games around the same time with better graphics try X in japan first half of next year.....

I think all 3 consoles have around the same graphics when maxed out by the way its all knit picking when comparing Multiplats ect its exclusives running at max resolution and 60fps with true nextgen graphics that prove true power ??? wiiu has edram and the devs that tap into this like Shinin to get 8k textures and 1080p native/60fps using dx11 comparable graphics,Project CARS using the edram on the main cpu which in turn allows them to run the game so far on 1 core,Shadow of eternals footage was WiiU using dx11 at max ???? you simply can't say 1 console is better graphically and especially when they are so young....

Not to mention Black ops 3 and lots more.....Metroid Prime 4 and Wave Race need to happen....

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gold_drake5h ago

i mean its pretty simple, they spent close to 30 billion in acquiring activision, they thought they'd make it bk no problem, and that didnt happen.

its just shit that because of MS's miscalculation alot of people lost their jobs.

Jingsing1h ago

This is exactly what many people said would happen including the CMA and FTC. Lies lies and more lies and they allowed a $69 billion buy out to happen.

gold_drake1h ago

oh yeh it was 70 billion. that was my bad haha even worse.

thesoftware7301h ago(Edited 1h ago)

gold,

You can't be serious, right?

Do you think that MS thought they would make 80bill in a year & Half? They haven't even released titles under MS yet, lol.

But in fact, that A/B revenue is already paying off, look at the last earnings call. That $80 billion is long-term money, my guy, no sane person/company would think they would make that back in any short-term situation, it's a long-term investment.

Let's play silly then. If MS's reason for laying off staff and closing studios was due(which it really was not) to the A/B deal, tell me what Sony's reason was for past studio closures, the recent 900-person layoffs, closing Sony London, shutting down Dreams, and closing Japan Studio? Zipper? Psygnosis? cuts at all their internal studios.

Keep in mind, you are claiming MS's reason is because of the A/B deal; please explain Sony's reason.

Hofstaderman1h ago

You actually still defending them? Sheesh.....

gold_drake1h ago

this is not a sony vs MS debate. dont make it something it isnt.

and of course not, but im pretty sure they thought they'd make more money after the deal. they didnt, and closed off some studios.

its pretty insane to think there is any other reason for the closure of studios in this case.

romulus231h ago(Edited 1h ago)

(It really was) due to the Activision Blizzard deal and the loss of physical sales due to gamepass. You keep bringing up Sony in all your posts about this, stop deflecting and trying to change the topic, this is about MS and what they are doing.

BehindTheRows42m ago

Has nothing to do with Sony. Stay on topic.

notachance28m ago

once in a while you see someone too invested in their make-believe console war that everything happened has to be connected to said war…

a bit of banter between fans is normal, this crusade you’re doing now isn’t.

Chevalier9m ago

Wow idiotic. You bring up very old closures not that there haven't been recent ones from Playstations, but, seriously stop deflecting. This has NOTHING to do with Playstation.

Does Playstation got $3 trillion behind them and daddies wallet? No they don't so stop making a fool of yourself.

Xbox has never been profitable really and they just keep losing money so between their worst hardware sales, terrible 3rd party sales and now terrible 1st party sales.

Gamepass numbers that are no longer being announced shows their numbers after 3 years of missed targets has flatlined. Plus their recent gains up to 34 million were ONLY because they folded Gold members in too. Absolutely take your idiotic rhetoric out of here. Keep on topic without deflecting.

S2Killinit5m ago

Ayayayay with these xbox/MS excuses.

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anast1h ago

They are going to use AI for a large portion of the game development process. Upper management need bonuses and the shareholders need more money. So, people will lose their jobs.

Skuletor1h ago

Maybe they were already using AI to make business decisions, which would explain why they closed Hi-Fi Rush's studio, then said they need more games like Hi-Fi Rush not long after that announcement.

Crows9052m ago(Edited 52m ago)

They shouldn't have bought any studios. Some is okay...but they went on a shopping spree...stupid

Einhander197220m ago

The better question is why did Microsoft buy publishers for a service they were subsidizing they knew couldn't support.

And why are so many websites trying to make people feel sorry for Microsoft instead of truly criticizing the fact they are closing studios and killing jobs that would have been fine if Microsoft themselves hadn't gotten involved.

Quit feeling sorry for Microsoft and start feeling sorry for the industry and the all the gamers who are actually losing out.

THIS IS MICROSOFTS FAULT.

RNTody19m ago

The first thing that happens after any major acquisition or merger is a consolidation of the whole new portfolio, which includes cutting any excess, bloat or portfolios that don't fit the larger MO of the big boy. So far, it's been par for the course with Microsoft and that's why gamers have been so against this acquisition. Tango Gameworks is the beginning. You think Microsoft wants to pay to keep small timers like Ninja Theory in business?

There is absolutely zero evidence to suggest that Microsoft will improve any of these studios, but plenty to suggest that they will get rid of what they don't need and hold onto the IP. The real agenda of the acquisition was always to acquire The Elder Scrolls, Diablo, Fallout, Call of Duty, Candy Crush etc. that will create millions in passive revenue stream for Microsoft regardless of where the games release. Microsoft simply wants their cut.

Because of Games Pass Microsoft has no interest in investing in new IP which is risky and requires creative talent they can neither nurture nor manage. Game Pass has also not grown in the way Microsoft expected it to, even post acquisitions. Therefore the logical thing to do, without serious money makers to release, is to cut as much cost as possible.

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