Levelling the playing field

Oct 18, 2006 16:33

These are my predictions for the upcoming status of the Gaming Culture in America. This is really just my attempt at playing critic and an exercise in writing.

Ignore the whole thing and go back to whatever you were just doing.

Probably surfing for porn.

Anyway ...

---> X-Box 360 vs. PS3

The PS3 launch will have enough hype and expectation behind it to drive sales through Christmas, however Sony will continue to lose money on the units and game sales until the game designers start cranking out some really good games that are tailored to what the system can do. Which will probably be around Fall of next year (possibly summer, but I don't think anyone will want to buy anything slapped together for a quick sell).
X-Box live will prove to be cheaper in the long run over Sony's online competition because their flat fee is going to be less annoying than the nickel and diming to death involved in paying to unlock game material (btw I seldom support piracy, but when it's used to screw over companies attempts to screw over its consumers, I'm all about two wrongs equals one right).

---> Advantage: Nintendo Wii

Nintendo will gain ground with its new system because

1) The new system stays true to the expectations of their core audience while providing genuinely innovative qualities that sets the Wii apart from and ahead of their last gen console
2) The Swiss factor. Microsoft and Sony are going head to head for dominance in the world gaming market. Nintendo hasn't had an aggressive stance with anyone since Sega went the way of the Dodo (I know Sega is still technically out there, but it will never be a competing power with the major consoles here again). All they have to do is sit back, look cute and stockpile investment capitol for their next-next gen system (probably something implanted into your medulla oblongata).
3) Price Tag and family friendly games, the Christmas gift factor. The Wii is set to release for about $250 (or less) which, compared to the $300 and $500 price tags on the lower end models of the 360 and the PS3, is economic dominance. The fact that Nintendo is primarily known for games like Mario, Link/Zelda and cutesy-cartoony so and so makes it ideal for the kind of games you'd rather have a kid playing than say their GTA franchise (which I am not disparaging, just using as an "MA-17 and UP" example).

Despite the fact that the Wii's hardware only barely qualifies as next gen, I think the company made a lot of smart strategic decisions in where they've placed themselves for the future.

---> The often neglected PC Gamers

WoW and a few other popular online titles will continue to ensure a solid market for PC gamers while for strategy and RPGs the PC is still king. Also, as long as a market of gamers remains the major developers will continue to make ports of the popular console games for PC. Finally, with the rising price on next gen consoles and lowering price on home computers it's not too far of a leap to view the PC as being poised for a major return to competition for the dominant gaming platform (in opposition to years of doom and gloom opinion on the inevitable death of the PC games industry). That being the possibility, X-Box or no, Microsoft may still come out on top in the end.

---> "The Cocksuckers in Washington" (a reference to the witch hunt in process and litigation pending against the Video Game industry inspired by Al Swearigan)

This will be a major component of the American gaming industry for years to come but right now ... I'll have to save an in-depth analysis for another time.

later,

---> snakeoil_sean
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