80°

Talking Point: The Next-Gen Console War is Wii U's to Lose

If you'll forgive us, let's delve of into a faint whiff of politics in this introduction. In most major industrialised countries — whether in the West or Japan — national economies aren't exactly in rude health. After spells of prosperity and golden toilet seats for all in the mid-'90s and early noughties (OK, that's a slight exaggeration), the general environment is that there's less ready employment, less easy money and less financial largesse around. It's an age of austerity, when politicians in most countries argue about money, the lack of it, and who's to blame for the whole thing.

Nintendo Life looks at the vital Holiday season and beyond, and the potential for Wii U to offer a vital, lower cost offering alongside PS4 and the new Xbox.

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nintendolife.com
SpiralTear4034d ago

This article is going to be unfairly torn apart by those who look at the headline alone and refuse to read the context where the author says that a difference in pricing between the Wii U and its competitors could lead to Nintendo's success with the Wii U.

MasterCornholio4034d ago (Edited 4034d ago )

And if the PS4 is priced at 400$ and the next Xbox at 300$ with the subsidized version than what?

Its not like Nintendo can make a massive price drop to the Wii U because at the moment they are selling it at a loss.

But like I always say until the PS4 and the 720 are out I have no idea on how they will perform on the market.

Motorola RAZR i

SpiralTear4034d ago

Funny, because I currently have no idea how any of the consoles will perform on the market this holiday either. I never said I did. I'm just saying that this article (despite what many will think) is not a doom article by any means, and makes some rather interesting points.

I'm in no way making any sort of money-down predictions about this because there's no point in doing that now. We need to see substantial information about the PS4 and the next Xbox before making any kind of unrestrained judgment.

Even after reading your comment, I have no clue what you were replying to.

jcnba284034d ago (Edited 4034d ago )

1. If the PS4 sells for only $400 sony would be selling at such a huge loss that it could sink the company. Keep in mind sony are currently in debt and have been selling off their assets (stocks, buildings, studios) in an attempt to record a profit this fiscal year.

2. If Microsoft priced the next Xbox at $300 you can be sure there will be a mandatory subscription fee attached to it.

3. Nintendo barely sells the Wii U at a loss. Reggie has stated that when someone purchases just one game with their brand new Wii U, then Nintendo has already started making a profit on that console. All it takes is just one Wii U game to be sold.

So far the Wii U seems to be the only console that does exactly what it's supposed to do and that's play videogames. Sony and especially Microsoft seem to be adding all of these gimmicky extras that could ruin the image of their consoles as a whole.

chukamachine4034d ago

Nobody wants the WII U.

It's all about PS4/720

BullyMangler4034d ago

ha haa lose what, win what? Nintendo ain't even competing. Leave that for the imitators.

Transporter474034d ago

Honestly all i want is a PS4. If every rumor is true about the next xbox i don't want it. Wish microsoft would just announce it already to see which rumors are true and which ones are false, oh and the wii u, i'm still not a fan, might get one if i see one for really cheap

Benjaminkno4034d ago

I agree.
I think it's clear Nintendo is the only company that knows what it's doing. Everyone else just throws ideas at consumers and sees what sticks.

brave27heart4034d ago

How is it clear exactly? Do share your wisdom with us, because according to Nintendo themselves its not selling as well as expected. Surely if they knew what they were doing it would be outselling all others?

People either need to stop being so biased towards their console of choice or stop posting their opinions.

Benjaminkno4032d ago

It's not selling because the market is in a slump.

They're the only ones who know what they're doing because they're the only ones making money...

DUH!!

Monkeysmarts4034d ago

It's clear you're a fanboy. That statement is ridiculous.

Show all comments (13)
280°

Microsoft’s Surface and Xbox hardware revenues take a big hit in Q3

Microsoft just posted the third quarter of its 2024 fiscal financial results. The software maker made $61.9 billion in revenue and a net income of $21.9 billion during Q3. Revenue is up 17 percent, and net income has increased by 20 percent.

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theverge.com
darthv721d 4h ago

Xbox content + services up 62% while hardware down 31%... seems about right with the way they tout you don't need the hardware to play. People can play on their phones or smart tv or other means. I don't hardly play on my consoles directly since getting devices like the logitech g-cloud and ps portal. Which is to also say I have been playing more digital than physical because of these devices.

solideagle15h ago

you should apply in MS PR team buddy, I think you will do a great job in my humble opinion :)

Sonic188112h ago

I thought darthv72 and Obscure_Observer already work for Microsoft 🤔

dveio12h ago

MS: "Xbox services and content without AB up 1%, with AB up 62%. Hardware down 31%. In total a loss of 350 mill."

darthv72: "Seems about right."

MS: "Excuse m ..."

darthv72: "I don't hardly play on my consoles directly."

MS:

Lightning777h ago

What he said was facts. How he plays games is no concern of you. Don't get too mad about it.

Cacabunga15h ago

I can tell people like you are an absolute minority..

If service is up means their fans and fanboys accepted this model and subscribed to it. The near future you will see a big decline because the service is saturated.

darthv721h ago

to you it may seem like the minority... but your bubble is shrinking because more and more are following suit. convenience is a hell of a drug and its also why physical sales only amount to 30% of overall game sales. times are changing, you either get with them or you get left behind.

shinoff218314h ago

But that's been ms for years. When things aren't going their way they try to change the way things are said. For instance console sales are down, they stop telling how many sold instead telling us how many hours spent in halo or headshots. So it makes sense console sales down just say people are playing on more devices then previous. What they won't say is how many xbox players jumped ship to ps5.

Cacabunga13h ago

Hardware sales are so bad that Sony and Nintendo are blowing the sales off the water with their hardware.

If Xbox are losers, others aren’t..
Xbox already tried everything with Xbox live then subscriptions went down so much that they had to find something else. Their fans subscribed then reached saturation rather quickly.

Hardware and exclusive games is where it’s at! Keep gamers excited, announce decent software and people will support you

itsmebryan9h ago

@shin
Well keep it simple Sony 's operating income is down 26% and Microsoft's is up 32%. No MS spin there, just facts. 😉
Cheers

S2Killinit1h ago

MS is after diminishing consoles as a medium. They want to destroy this market because they couldnt win. MS’s vision is to dissolve console gaming.

romulus237h ago

Odd that a company that touts you dont need the hardware to play is already touting another console in the works.

darthv727h ago

They are not reliant on the HW but still want to maintain a presence (no matter how small) is a good thing. It shows commitment to the craft. It reminds me of SNK and how they made games for their own hardware (Neo Geo) while also making them for others because they knew there was a market to do so. They knew they would sell more to others but also sell to their own niche fan base.

TheEroica1h ago(Edited 1h ago)

Perfectly reasonable post down voted by insecure corporation friendly folk.... But not gamers. Real gamer want accessibility and ease of acquisition for all.... Company shills are the only ones still telling us that hardware locking people from games is good for us.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 1h ago
purple10117h ago

Xbox hardware revenue tanks to lowest point of Xbox Series generation

Profchaos17h ago

I'm not surprised surface is struggling they aren't relevant anymore

DOMination-7h ago

In the last two years they've started exiting the consumer market altogether. All of the newest Surface products are business models only. They can't seem to work out what they want to do with it.

XBManiac16h ago

Too expensive hardware when others offer the same or more for less? Good work, Green Team.

SimpleDad16h ago(Edited 16h ago)

"Despite some early successes for Xbox games on rival platforms, Xbox hardware is down by a massive 31 percent this quarter."
"Without Activision Blizzard, Microsoft’s overall gaming revenue would have actually declined this quarter."
"Xbox content and services would have only been up a single percent without Activision Blizzard..."
"It looks like next quarter is going to be a similar story for gaming at Microsoft, too."

That is crazy... so A/B/K is carrying the whole Xbox gaming.
Oh and Microsoft will be fine. Windows, Office and Cloud are growing with each pc purchase.

purple10116h ago

Activision: "we gonna need a bigger rucksack/backpack please"

Microsoft: "why's that"

Activision: "to carry yo' weak ass'

Profchaos15h ago(Edited 15h ago)

Top brass have also wanted to start seeing returns on the 100 billion they have put into various Xbox related moves so seeing more multiplatform games is highly likely especially from abk

It's basically saying that PlayStation is the reason Xbox is afloat right now thinks to Ps5 versions of COD

Kornholic14h ago

So basically PS and PC gamers' money is keeping Xbox on life support.

MrDead7h ago

The only growth MS will get out of the console industry is if it supports it's rivals platforms. Xbox is a pointless machine now. I can see them on a big push for live next, and they won't give up on trying to buy Steam.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 7h ago
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150°

Sony Patents To Prevent You From In-Game Harassment By Reading Your Emotions

A new patent recently published by Sony wants to gather biometric data of gamers to track whether one is being harassed using AI tools.

Profchaos1d 17h ago (Edited 1d 17h ago )

I hope this is one of those patents that never comes to fruition.

I already dislike the fact you can pay a significant amount for a online service buy associated games and content on said service and get banned from that service over potentially a misunderstanding the bans are already handed out for flimsy reasons

I'd rather see money invested in a ban that simply removes the offensive players ability to communicate with unknown players allow them to continue party chats with friends but not with Joe blow on cod.

exputers1d 14h ago

Agreed. Blizzard recently banned a college Overwatch 2 player who's dependent for saying "shit." Pretty harsh.

Profchaos22h ago(Edited 22h ago)

How rediculas really. You can't say a word that's allowed in most PG films and prime time TV but the game is based around killing the enemy team using guns, explosives etc.

It's just backwards.

just_looken1d ago

What your talking about is called block list

In 2006 a spaceship dropped of the playstation 3/xbox 360 i say that that generation was the last great gen with game functions/tech that has yet to comeback

Anyhow the playstation 3 if you block listed a id they could not talk to you in chatroom with either text or voice. But that was pre mind fucked 2018 when people were more human than sheep.

But hey gta 6 is coming out billion dollar budget without a single player custom character creator and without singeplayer coop off/online something saints row 1-3 had on the xbox 360.

z2g1d 10h ago

Take my social security and bank account numbers too! Here’s a picture of my wife and our address.

phoenixwing1d 9h ago

Cmon where's the pictures of your children. Don't hold out on them.

H91d 10h ago

At this rate I feel Sony will eventually sell a room to play games in it where they can monitor your every breath

jambola1d 6h ago

I genuinely get a bit worried sometimes when a friend says something that could be offensive In a party
Because I have no trouble believing some bans would happen when in a private party for saying something wrong

SegaSaturn6691d 9h ago

I want them to censor erotic content by measuring my groin temperature so i dont get too distracted while playing black ops 2.

Popsicle1d 8h ago

Terrible idea. Not only do I not consent to providing my biometric data, the potential for mishandling biometric data is almost a certainty. Positive stress and negative stress can produce similar changes in biometrics. Interpreting the precise emotion a person is feeling is not only invasive but could be easily misconstrued. I hope this never comes to fruition.

Show all comments (14)
300°

Microsoft Seemingly Closes Bethesda France

As part of its plans to cut 1,900 jobs, Microsoft has reportedly shut down operations at Bethesda France, letting go roughly 15 people

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insider-gaming.com
Hereandthere2d ago

Microsoft should have left them stay 3rd party

GamerRN1d 22h ago

If they are let go, they can be whatever they want. They ARE 3rd party now... 🤦

Barlos1d 20h ago

Yeah, they're also jobless.

GamerRN1d 13h ago

They can form a company if they want, they are just as jobless as if "Microsoft had left them as 3rd party".

peppeaccardo1d 14h ago

"MIcrosoft leaves Bethesda do what they know how to do best" ... close! Oh the irony ....
(Citation from a week old article)

ChasterMies1d 10h ago

I think Microsoft and other game publishers are letting people go because they think ai will replace them. Doesn’t matter how much profit they make. They were always going to be let go.

PassNextquestion2d ago (Edited 2d ago )

Bethesda France was made up of roughly 15 people... they couldn't of being doing much

Bethesda France mainly did publishing and marketing within the region

blacktiger1d 22h ago

that's a shame for you to say that, i'm sure Elite loves hearing what you just said.

Mr Logic1d 8h ago

What a stupid thing to say. The elites give 0 fucks what we say on an obscure website in the comments section.

Crows901d 8h ago

You can always reach out and give them jobs at your company man. Don't wait

blacktiger5h ago

You own nothing snd be happy. I'm sure you heard that

Profchaos2d ago (Edited 2d ago )

Bethesda France focused on publishing and marketing in the region. And 15 people lost their jobs as part of the closure.

I wonder if this is part of Microsoft's strategy to abandoned physical media or possibly gamepass advertising makes their roles redundant you don't need to market a game as hard when the majority of players get the game as part of a sub which already promoted upcoming games

Tacoboto2d ago

It's France too, there's a high likelihood only 1-2 people on the team even had an Xbox.

Profchaos2d ago

Possibly guven all the leaks we know the Xbox brand is really struggling in the region.

Yi-Long1d 21h ago

Well, if your consoles and games are barely found in any stores any more, of course you're gonna struggle finding consumers ...

XiNatsuDragnel1d 23h ago

Tbh Microsoft I think Bethesda being 3rd party same with Activision would probably more competitive than thus scenario imo

Profchaos1d 21h ago (Edited 1d 21h ago )

I think it would have been better for all parties really especially gamers

TheColbertinator1d 22h ago

The recently purchased Activision French offices might take over all the licensing and marketing for Microsoft in France from now on.

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