Wired defines Wii, 360, PS3 in one sentence

The October '07 issue of Wired magazine features a nifty geek encyclopedia that defines several geek related terms in A-Z fashion. Here's how the index defined the seventh-generation game consoles in a nutshell:

Wii. A motion-sensing controller, simple games, and a low price make this the top 7th-genner.

Xbox 360. Brilliantly conceived online-community features give this box sizzle.

PS3. Stellar specs can't make up for the high price and late release - a missed opportunity.

[mighty_douche]

ok how long till we all start arguing over some random guys opinion...

[SL1M DADDY]

Guys that write stuff like this will eat their words come 2008 when the PS3 takes over second place and goes full steam for first. I just wish there was some sort of punishment for slander such as this… You know... Like caning or flogging around the ankles. lol

With a fan base of over 150 million, Sony is not going to suffer this time around.

[lawler]

Most of that "fan base" aren't interested in PS3 and are buying Wii instead. Sony is in trouble, PS3 is selling even slower than GameCube did.

[Oncnawan]

Those 150 million fans you mentioned are not fans of Sony, but fans of video games, good video games. You know, that thing that is in short supply on the PS3...

This race is going to be alot tighter than fanboys will admit. Wii has the price advantage and Nintendo-favorite franchises, Xbox 360 has a game library gifted with both quantity and quality, and the PS3 has Blu-Ray and some popular exclusives. They all have something to offer. They will all continue to sell.

The Wii is a wild card. Nothing in past generations is anywhere near comparable. It will either continue to outsell the other platforms in hardware, or "the gimick will wear off" and sales will drop. I know that was some pretty advanced analysis (/sarcasm), but we really have no way of predicting what will happen. Personally, I think that the hype is already beginning to fade among non-traditional gamers. The release of SSBB and Galaxy will spur more sales, but not dramatically, and not outside of existing fans of the franchises. Last generation indicates that those numbers do not exceed 20 million.

The 360 will always have a price advantage over the PS3, as well as more games because of its early release (sounds like the PS2, doesn't it?). However, the advantage is slowly being dulled by aggressive PS3 price drops (compared to MS's response) and more multiplatform releases, which are bulking up Sony's library.

Sony's Blu-ray advantage has probably approached its limit. With stand-alone player prices dropping below PS3 levels, and dual-format players on the horizon, Blu-ray inside the PS3 is not as advantageous as it was in late 2006. Sony has preserved some potent third-party exclusives that will sustain the console. Some people just have to have their FF, GT and MGS. That alone will keep the PS3 in the running. However, it is not enough to "go full steam" anywhere. Enough price cuts and a library with strong titles in genres where the 360 is weak will serve the PS3 better.

However, I don't see the PS3 being the strong contender that it was last generation. Gamer demographics are changing. Japan now constitutes less than 12% of the gamer market, and looking at sales charts, most of their cash is being dropped on portable gaming. The effect on game development is very real. Japanese game developers are adding "western flavor" to their traditional Japanese game sauce to tap into the massive markets that are Europe and the EU. Japanese console makers are staging their initial releases in regions outside of Japan. The Xbox 360 library is strong in genres that appeal to Western tastes, which are dominating the market.

Korea and China are two very sizeable and growing markets, respecively, that are not being tapped with any kind of effectiveness. Sony is making strides there by partnering with NC Soft to create the MMO's that are so popular in Korean gaming circles. China is unpredictable.

I think I began babbling a bit there. The point is that Sony can't tap an on-demand fanbase of 150 million gamers. Those fans were fans of video games, not fans of Sony, and Sony is having a hard time growing its library. Even when the PS3's star franchises drop next year, its competitors are not going to stand still. Just because MS has focused on its fall lineup, doesn't mean they have nothing in 2008. Above all that, the biggest franchise of all, GTA, is multiplatform. That is probably the biggest blow of all to Sony. GTA is available on a less expensive platform. Now THAT is a console moving title. And it will be moving consoles for MS, too.

[Rooftrellen]

"The Wii is a wild card. Nothing in past generations is anywhere near comparable. ... Last generation indicates that those numbers do not exceed 20 million."

So the Wii can't be comapred to anything before, but judging by a console that is nothing like it last gen, we'll draw conclusions?

The Wii this gen is looking a lot like the PS2 last gen. What made so many people buy the PS2? Games on the PS2 covered every kind of gamer. The PS3 has gone the way of the GC last gen, getting into the graphics arms race and targeting the hardcore more than everyone.

If we go by last gen's numbers, the PS3 and 360 will grab the hardcore fans and share about 50 million total sales, while the Wii will sell over 100 million.

Most of the rest of what you say is put very well, but I don't agree that a system will fizzle, any of them, and least of all the cheap Wii with plenty of games variety out or comming soon.

It will be interesting though to see what happens with the PS2 and DS owners when it comes to home consoles for this gen. With combined sales of the two getting over 160 million (PS3 has sold about 115-120 million, DS about 50 million), both have quite a hold on gaming outside of home consoles this gen. It could be interesting in a year or so when someone starts doing polls to see how that effects consumer buying habits this home console gen.

[Bebop]

I can't believe the Media has completely let off the XBOX360's 30+% hardware failure rate ?!

On the other hand they analyse & crucify PS3 for every step that's out of line & non of these are comparable to XBOX360 hardware failure. MS need to be sued for this & not trumpeted as having a great online community. MS have a years head start on Sony by using low quality off the shelf components to build the console. Offers nothing but a cheap unreliable gaming system to consumers that don't want a PC sitting in there living room to play on. Nothing NextGen about it. Multi platform games are already superior to it & it has nothing to over the PC. I'm not a fanboy - i don't have either console as yet but facts are facts. The media bias against the top dog of last gen stinks & is overwhelmingly supporting the underdog with all its flaws.

[leon76]

One sentence: Wrd = a complete JOKE!!

[cheatmaster28]

That dude is obviosly just a biased nobody who lives with his mom in a basement alone somewhere in ohio. Dont listen to this loser. He is just a waste of air/food/life/space/EVERYTHING and could possibly be gay. He didnt even mention the 360 33 percent hardware failure nore did he mention how the 360 breaks games. Its all just the opnion of a loser who didnt do his homework nor did he do any research at all before saying those 3 sentences. What a waste of news. This isnt news at all just the opinion of a homosexual loser who lives in his mother basement.

[CaliGamer]

I know this couple, and they have a baby thats about a year old and it still doesn't know its times tables. It must be doomed to live its life as a loser.
This is funny, these so called analyst judging the PS3 so harshly so early.
A better PS3 one sentence definition would be:
The PS3 had a rough start, but Sony's loyalty to their products coupled with their proven ability to predict future trends will go far in the consoles success in the near future.

We should all remember this article and throw it back in Wired's face in a few months.

[HarryEtTubMan]

gay it's barely begun ....considering ALL the biggest games have been released on 360 and they managed to sell 16 million consoles(I'm being very generous) and last generation the PS2 sold 120 million consoles I guess the 360 has the power to sell 100 million more consoles right? HAAA It's a joke a only fanboys believe this crap. Analysts have said over and over that PS3 will win in the end (by a big margin unless the WII is a long fad) I guess people just don't like the name playstation anymore huh? Even it's delivered the best gaming experience ever with the best franchises available. So good Microsoft has tried their hardest buying everyone they can. PS3 will reign in the end.

[beavis4play]

by the end of xmas '08, we'll have a good idea how successful each console will be. it's just too soon. however, i don't think (at 10 to 11 million)ms has done enough. considering they have been out 2 years already and the first year they had no competition.

[ceedubya9]

I'd definitely say that those remarks were pretty spot on. However, it is too early to say how things will turn out later on. Sony may overtake them both, but at the same time, Sony may stay exactly where it is. Its a good console, but it is currently too high in price. Despite all the goodies inside that shiny black box that justify the price tag, Sony should have found a way to get this thing into the market at 399 at launch. Then, things would be highly different. And lets not be so quick to jump up and say that 08 is Sony's year. Let's just wait and see. Just because Sony's got some good games coming out next year doesn't mean that the other consoles don't. Sony just announced more so far. And say what you want about the 360 and its "30+% failure." Its not the media that's letting Microsoft off the hook for that. Its the consumers. People are still buying the 360, knowingly aware of the reliability issues. To continue to harp about this while people STILL buy it, is just wasted hot air at this point. And some of you should try to not get so worked up over pieces like this. Its all just an opinion, whether we agree with it or not.