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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videogamewriters.com
dolkrak3763d ago (Edited 3763d 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

NihonjinChick3763d ago

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

DVAcme3763d 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.

MWong3763d ago (Edited 3763d 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.

Movieworld3763d 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.

jacksons983763d ago

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

nategrigs3763d 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.

lawgone3763d 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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starfox0793763d 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_Dawg3763d ago ShowReplies(10)
TheGOODKyle3763d ago

Perfectly reasonable statement that will get disagrees by trolls.

Killzoner993763d 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.

Badnik3763d 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.

wonderfulmonkeyman3763d 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...

Chevalier3763d 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.

wonderfulmonkeyman3763d ago (Edited 3763d 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.

Sincere01213763d ago

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

starfox0793763d ago (Edited 3763d 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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ssj4wolf3763d ago

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

I_am_Batman3763d ago (Edited 3763d ago )

Can you explain why you think they're off?

ssj4wolf3763d 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- :/

InTheLab3763d 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.

Gemmol3762d ago

@inthelab you must really love sony

Loadedklip3763d 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.

AceBlazer133763d ago

Microsoft at the bottom is good enough for me.

itBourne3763d 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.

Beastforlifenoob3763d ago

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

wonderfulmonkeyman3763d 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_G3763d 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

GordonKnight3763d ago

Nintendo gets a free pass???

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

Mr_Writer853763d ago

Yes only Nintendo games are fun....

What an utterly stupid thing to say.

Gemmol3762d 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

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 3762d ago
starfox0793763d ago (Edited 3763d 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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20°

Fallout 3's Reveal Led To Death Threats And Bethesda's First Security Guard

The artist behind Fallout 4’s Deathclaw reveals just how bad things got back when Bethesda took over the series

60°

How to recruit Lam in Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes

Lam is among the 120 characters available for recruitment in Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes. While she is one of the many straightforward recruits, a known bug may prevent players from recruiting her if certain conditions are met. Despite developers’ assurances of fixing the bug, some early access players still encounter issues with recruiting Lam despite attempting the standard method.

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infinitestart.com
330°

Tomb Raider Remastered just quietly censored one in-game detail

Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered players are ticked off by the game’s most recent patch, which censors in-game pin-up posters of Lara Croft.

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gamingbible.com
rlow112h ago

This is why gaming is screwed. When people change things to fit someone’s agenda, it’s a slippery slope downhill.

Christopher11h ago(Edited 11h ago)

Even if that agenda is of the developer? Way to remove developer rights.

***One player called it a “huge problem with modern games,” saying they can now be “ruined AFTER people buy them”.***

The level of drama. Yes, I recall sitting there for more hours than I did anything else in the game. These two pinups are the core of the game, after all!

coolbeans9h ago(Edited 9h ago)

rlow1's cringe catastrophizing aside, I do think developers *ought* to strive to maintain an original work to the best of their ability. The language of a "remaster" tacitly implies that - for good or ill - what's being resold is what fans remember but better.

Profchaos9h ago

Games can be ruined after purchasing them yeah we know this not from this but from GTA IV which had half it's radio content patched out due to licensing expirations and to me that was a huge deal.

This pin up poster is a bit of nonsense but the whole argument of modern games can be ruined post launch is Absol true.

DedicatedDark8h ago(Edited 8h ago)

It's not their work to censor. They are incharge of restoration & remastering the work, not overwriting it.

Barlos7h ago

It's not the agenda of the developer though, they're pandering and trying to increase their ESG score.

Way to support censorship...

victorMaje7h ago

It’s not the end of the world for sure, but I understand the hate towards this kind of change. I believe it’s also a matter of principle.

Imagine a Picasso painting being restored & the restorer deciding there aren’t enough strokes, or some lines aren’t straight enough or curved enough…not sure it would/should sit well with people.

Have all original devs signed off on this change? Even if it’s the case, are we saying older gamers are better mentally equipped to process what was there than current gamers, hence the change?

Enough time ago the case was made that games are an art form. We’re supposed to have won that case.
So which is it? Are games art or not?

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Eidolon7h ago

Hasn't this been happened for over a decade since remasters? I can't see that it's any worse now. Maybe if Sweet Baby starts getting their hands on remasters we will definitely have a problem.

Rebel_Scum10h ago

tbh I dont see something like this as censorship. Does anyone else not find it strange for someone to stick pin ups of themsleves in a locker room?

Now of it was a pin up of some half naked firefighters it might make sense as Lara might like that, and if they removed that I would cry censorship. But removing pin ups of the main character, yeah I get it.

Barlos7h ago(Edited 7h ago)

It's a game, and they were placed there for the audience. It's not real life. If it was, she wouldn't have fought a T-Rex now would she?

Yes, it's censorship but it's a bit less in your face. If they were in the original game, then they should have been in the remasters. It's bad enough that they have that ridiculous unnecessary warning at the start, but then they start removing things post launch. I don't care how small the change, they shouldn't be doing it. It's nothing but ESG pandering but in a subtle way.

Rebel_Scum6h ago

Look bro, if you have pictures of yourself naked on a bear skin rug up in your house let me tell you, its not normal.

jambola5h ago

I wasn't aware censorship was based on what made sense to you

Rebel_Scum5h ago

Likewise, what a stupid comment.

jambola4h agoShowReplies(1)
SimpleDad7h ago

By the year 2030, this remaster collection will totally be changed and censored. Probably will remove Lara as a playable character. It's ridiculous. Glad that my family didn't buy this.
I still have Tomb Raider 2 PS1 as a memory.

jambola5h ago

Those shorts are a little revealing
Should probably make them snow pants

Barlos5h ago

They'll probably make her trans

CobraKai6h ago

It’s mentioned in the article, and it’s a point i 100% agree with, it’s the fact that they can censor a game after you buy it. That’s total bullshit.

Killer2020UK6h ago

Whilst it's an overreaction to say this has "ruined" the game, it's still problematic that this has happened post launch and for many, post-purchase.

I don't want someone to change a product for the worse after I've bought it. The same goes for implementing micro transactions after reviews.

I wonder why they did this? Nobody was kicking up a fuss as far as I'm aware.

maykhausonninh6h ago

Nobody was kicking up a fuss as far as I'm aware.

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