In The Console Wars, The Underdog (Almost) Always Wins

CraveOnline writes: "
A look at the history of the console wars, and what obstacles the underdog had to overcome to eventually come out on top despite all odds against them."

[Wedge19]

Dreamcast!!!

[dbjj12088]

SEGATA SANSHIRO!!!!
http://youtu.be/joNwYPdEBTc (embedded video isn't working.)

[hiphopisdead]

IMO, dumb article. Trying to generalize this market with determining "who's the underdog".

Whoever doesn't have the most sales in the US is an underdog?

Is this article really trying to say instead that the same manufacturer almost never wins twice in a row? but...

Nintendo -> Super Nintendo
PS1 -> PS2

Sorry for the hate, just tired of articles that go nowhere.

According to this article, anything could happen. Which is the most un-thoughtful and un-intelligent analysis.

There is a reason why a console is successful. There is a reason why WiiU is doing bad, PS4 is looking promising and X1 is looking ok. I could discuss these reasons, but I guess we can all dummy ourselves down and simply say:

"who knows. anything can happen"

[cyguration]

@hiphopisdead

XB1 is not looking okay at all. Wii U is doing okay, X1 is looking bad.

Wii U already has 3 million SKUs as their install base and they'll probably be at 4 million by the time the XB1 and PS4 launch. The underdog in this case is Microsoft since the core community really does hate their box.

[mikeslemonade]

Well to the general public the casual gamer still thinks Xbox 360 is the winner of this generation even though it's 3rd in sales. So Microsoft is still the favorite in America to the general public. The Xbox brand still goes "hand in hand" with the COD and Madden. But as you and I know, the hardcore gamer knows that trend will end really fast from now.

[JonnyBigBoss]

Dreamcast... you died so young.

[ABizzel1]

Sega Genesis
Sega Saturn
Sega Dreamcast & Original Xbox

vs.

NES (really no competition)
PS1
Wii

3 v 3
or
4 v 3 if you want to get technical. How is that almost? And never before has the hype for console been so one sided. But let's let it play out. I doubt anyone will be surprised with the results when it's all said and done.

[knifefight]

My heart. ;_;

[TrendyGamers]

So, Wii U will win?

[Scholla]

Lmbooooooooooooooooo @Trendy

[doctorstrange]

Limbo?

[Sev]

Nah, if you read through all of the article, Nintendo wouldn't be the underdog this gen because they won last gen.

Essentially, Sony is poised to win after stumbling last time.

[CRAIG667]

I would argue, that Nintendo,Sony and Microsoft all hit massive stumbling blocks last gen, Sony starting with a high price point and a very slim launch line-up.Then they started removing features from each iteration of the PS3 in an almost systematic fashion-nice. linux/bc etc.
Microsoft with RROD. and later on a focus on kinect/casual market,something they should have perhaps left in Nintendo's hands...
And Nintendo backing themselves into a casual corner with motion control and little/no emphasis and power in hardware,something that certainly payed of HUGELY in the short term but moving into this next gen they are feeling the lack of support both from a consumer and developer point of view.

[dbjj12088]

RTFA, the Wii won last gen big time.

[RGDubz]

The Wii wasn't even part of last-gen, the Wii-U is Nintendos last gen console.

#1 PS3
#2 360
#3 Wii-U

--

previous gen

#1 PS2
#2 Wii (Gamecube 2.0)
#3 Xbox
#4 Gamecube

--

#DealWithIt

[Utalkin2me]

Last gen? We are still in current gen and this gen isn't over. Last gen isn't over until you drop support for said product. No clear winner until everything is said and done.

[ShinMaster]

Depends on your definition of victory.

Sales only? Sure.
Games and overall experience? No.

[MasterCratosKong66]

@shinmaster

Though I agree with you, game quality is subjective even when considering review scores so they are not a plausible criteria for victory. Sales are quantitative and concrete.

[Scholla]

Jokes aside great concept for an article.

[dbjj12088]

definitely an interesting take on the console wars.

[PopRocks359]

Good thing this article put (almost) in there since Dreamcast is the obvious snag in the chain. This upcoming generation is certainly unpredictable, but if I had to take a guess, it will be a repeat of generation six with Sony on top, Microsoft in the middle and Nintendo in third.

Personally I'm hoping I'm proven wrong and something surprising happens, but I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

[theWB27]

I can agree with that. Worldwide Sony will outsell the X1...but it will be pretty close in the territories that Micro sells well...like in the states. The WiiU is a conundrum, we can only wait to see what kind of sells hike they get when they release their main IP's.

[wishingW3L]

not even in the States because based on Amazon pre-orders the PS4 Standard Edition is in Top 5 while the XB1's Standard Edition is not even in Top 100.

http://www.amazon.com/best-...

[theWB27]

@wishingW3l
I didn't know Amazon preorders were the only way to get these systems. Will other stores sell them? Will we be able to buy the systems AFTER they launch? As it's looking now Im not preordering nor buying off of Amazon...so I need to know my other options.

-_- sarcasm) Amazon preorders isn't the standard bearer for who will sell what.

[Utalkin2me]

@theWB27

While Amazon pre orders is not a solid base for how a console will fair. It is a indication of which way consumers are leaning towards. Just as gamestop pre orders and best buy. Those are your big 3 and you can get a good indication of where gamers wallets are leaning towards.

But i assume you are pre ordering yours from blockbuster, am i right?

[theWB27]

@utalkint2me
It's a good indicator of which way early adopters are leaning. Pre-orders I mean. Like I stated before, I believe the PS4 will outsell the X1 globally but will be closer where the X1 has sold historically. If after, say a year, of release and the PS4 is still outselling the X1 like it is now then I'll eat crow. As of now, pre-orders mean little.

I get the dig with Blockbuster since the X1 sold pretty well with them. Ha ha ha hardy har har...even if I went with BB, I'd still be getting the same system as the person who ordered from Amazon. Am I right? Assuming only makes an a$$ out of U(talkin2)me.

[Hicken]

His point was that the PS4 leads handily with all those retailers in the US, which has been Microsoft's biggest market. Corresponding retailers in the UK, Microsoft's next biggest market, have seen similar differences in preorder rates.

Of course, they're not absolute numbers, but they ARE a good indicator, as even you admitted.

Which doesn't hint at things being close anywhere.

[Trago1337]

To me it looks like Microsoft is the underdog this time around since just a out everything is against them, high price and all. I hope they pull something nice this time, those exclusives going to waste would be a shame.

[elhebbo16]

the PS2 was an underdog?

[from the beach]

I know.. article is beyond stupid.

[Sev]

I think the PS2 is the exception and reason for why it says (almost) always wins.

[elhebbo16]

The only underdogs I could think of is the Wii imo. the winning console before the PS2 (PS1, SNES and the NES) weren't really "underdogs" so to speak. they were actually pretty highly anticipated.

edit: seems like majiebeast said that already :p

[PSN_ZeroOnyx]

PS4 is poised to take the next gen and run

[majiebeast]

Wow this is pretty flawed

Nes won 1st gen
Snes won second
Playstattion won third
Playstation 2 won fourth
Wii won Fifth(so far)

I count only 1 underdog winning and thats Wii. The rest all dominated/won their previous gen.

[KingOfArcadia]

Hmmmm I think you're missing a generation there. The true first generation of consoles would have been the Atari 2600 / Intellivision / Colecovision.

[majiebeast]

But were there really underdogs i thought Atari just dominated because they were the biggest of the 3 with their arcade stuff.

But i dont know i remember NES with like 90% of the market and the Sega master system with 10%

[Roper316]

Coleco Telstar, Telstar Ranger & Magnovox Odyssey predate those consoles. While there may not have been console wars they were still console generations & competition.

Atari 2600 - late 1977 or early 1978

The Coleco Telstar - 1976-1978 ( my first console when I was 7 or 8 )

The Coleco Telstar Ranger - 1977 - 1978 ( my 2nd console which was knocked off the market by the 2600 )

Magnovox Odyssey - 1972 ( didn't get one of these till much later maybe around 1980 free & used from a neighbor who was moving )

I have owned every home console in the US dating back to these. The XB1 will be the first ever home console I won't own or support

[Utalkin2me]

@majiebeast

Wii hasn't won it's gen yet. Not until everyone stops support for their respective console this gen isn't finished yet. Wii is in the lead, but i am sure by the time it is said and done things will be alot closer once support is finished for all 3.

[Jay70sgamer]

Dude wii has won they have an 20 million + lead playstation 3 or xbox 360 is not catching up

[PigPen]

Who is the underdog? The Wii U has inferior hardware and is selling at a slow pace, although it has the most consoles sold out the three next gen (Wii U $350). Xbox One has the second powerful console with the less enthusiast crowd, and the console will still have to win over Japan (Xbox One $500). PS4 has the most powerful console but the company (Sony) has a bad rating and little cash to throw around (PS4 $400). Just my opinion, they all could be the underdog.

[Firan]

Have you seen Sony's low rating and their money affect what they provide for us? I certainly haven't so their rating and money doesn't matter to me as a gamer at all.

[PigPen]

You most certainly will in do time. In fact, we should be hearing about more layoffs or something soon. You heard it here first.

[WeAreLegion]

Bad rating? What do you mean? They are one of the most trusted brands. They even made the top ten in the US.

http://www.mediabistro.com/...

[Fergusonxplainsall]

Sega was my favorite underdog.

[RetardedIceCream]

This article would make more sense it it was the weakest/cheapest console

[Z501]

THIS GEN IS NOT OVER. How many times must it be said?

[Jay70sgamer]

Dude give up wii has a 20million console lead over sony and xbox is not catching up let me give you a lesson in math if Sony ps3 or xbox 360 sold 200,000 consoles a month for the next 3 years that equal 7,200,000 million units sold they are still gonna be 13 plus million units behind wii ...so give up yours hopes for a Sony victory or xbox it's not gonna happen lol it's over lol

[JLT-Sandwitch]

Sony stopped making ps2's last year but are still on sale on the sony website. If the ps3 sticks around for that long and people in developing countrys start getting them it could be closer then you think

[Z501]

"give up yours hopes for a Sony victory or xbox"

You sound dumb. I don't care who 'wins'. I'm just reiterating a fact.

[Jay70sgamer]

It sounds dumb? ...no it's reality ..and I don't care who wins either but numbers never lie ....so is that factual enough for you ?I meant "your hope "typo ...and you sound dumb with your statement ..this generation is just about over in four months when the new consoles come out genius ....do you really believe ps3 or xbox is gonna catch up ...you are the dumb one ...lol reiterating this generation is not over like one of the two consoles are gonna catch up that is delusional thinking ...

[JLT-Sandwitch]

This generation might be almost over in first world countrys but thats the minority

[superterabyte]

How do you define 'winning'? Winning for the corporations is making a profit and increasing stock price. Winning for the consumers is having the best exclusive titles and features.

How do you define 'underdog'? Is that the system with the least legacy success or the system with the lowest specifications?

Ultimately this article is not the worse written article to be posted on this site but fails to explain exactly what it is comparing. The article really should have been made with an objective mindset considering the subject but at some points delves into subjective rambling.

[assdan]

Just like the n64, dreamcast, xbox, and gamecube did?

[ovnipc]

YEA X1 will win then. PS4 its going to be great and I will buy it next year maybe or maybe when drops price a little, xbox has more to offer and better exclusives, the only one looking good for ps4 its killzone and maybe the order, that infamous sucks like the first 2. X1 has DR3 KI and Titanfall. X1 Day 1.

[Fergusonxplainsall]

Saturn,Dreamcast and Xbox(original) all were underdogs and they were not winners.

Wii is winning for this gen while PS3 is in OT with it.
For next gen,Wii U has no chance to beat PS4. Unless bundle price drop! Sony might get Nintendo's top 1 console spot and Xbox might not be third anymore.

[pokynrocky]

Only problem that's been said over and over is lack of compelling games that Wud make u want to have it has nothing to do with tablet controller or horse power if only Nintendo had made a wii u sport using the tablet and Wiimote they Wud have sold over 10 million by now..

[thomasmiller]

WAIT!! SO THE X BOX ONE IS GOING TO WIN??? WHAT A JOKE!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHHAAHHA!!!