Reggie: No Reason for Wii Owners to Get PS3 Move

[John Funk]

Reggie: No Reason for Wii Owners to Get PS3 Move

Nintendo boss Reggie Fils-Aime thinks that for a Wii owner, there's absolutely no point in picking up a PS3 and PlayStation Move.

There's no question that the PlayStation Move is a cool piece of technology, but ever since its debut [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/99047-Behold-the-Official-PlayStation-Move-Trailer] last week people have been asking one question above all else: Will it be able to differentiate itself from the Wii in the eyes of consumers? Is it too similar to Nintendo's little-console-that-could?

Speaking with IndustryGamers [http://www.industrygamers.com/news/nintendos-reggie-on-wii-core-games-wii-hd-shortages--more/3/], Nintendo's Reggie Fils-Aime answered the first question with an effective "No." Specifically, he tackled the question from the point of a consumer who already had a Wii but not a PS3 (which, to be fair, is probably the majority of Wii owners).

"Why would [Wii owners] say that [they now want a PS3]?" Reggie asked. "So I'm a consumer and I'm having a great experience with my Wii. And we know that's the case - we look at the software that's being purchased. Consumers love the Wii. What's going to motivate them to spend minimally $300 for a new [PS3] system, plus minimally $100 for the Move motion bundle? So [as a consumer] now I'm into this for $400 and I still have to spend money on software. What's going to motivate me to do that?"

While gamers might be ready to jump ship for the PS3's obviously superior graphics, the man who is Nintendo's public face in the West doesn't think that the general consumer will follow suit. "One of the things I find very interesting about this industry is that people don't seem to want to look at propositions from the consumer viewpoint," he said, "and I think that's very troubling. We're constantly thinking about how the consumer is thinking about the product. How do they approach it? What's in it for them? Why should I as a consumer open my wallet or pocketbook to buy product X?"

"We constantly think about that, because in the end, if the experience isn't compelling enough, if the value isn't strong enough - and value meaning what you get for what you pay - then there's nothing in it for the consumer. And a product will die."

Of course, let's take Reggie's statements with a few grains of salt here. The guy is the public face of Nintendo - does anyone really expect him to go "Oh man, we're worried that the Move is going to bend us over a chair and have its way with us"? Really?

But corporate chest-beating or not, he might have a point: Will Wii owners shell out $400 for what - at least on the surface to the untrained non-gamer eye - appears to be a slightly prettier version of what they already own?

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[VanityGirl]

Even thougt that's an ugly dude. He's wrong.
Remember, Sony invented motion controls.

Jokes aside, he's got a point. Why spend an extra $400 for something that might not even work as well as their motion controls? (If Move were as publicize as Natal, I could then understand.)

Also, Monster Hunter is coming out for Wii soon, so my 360 and PS3 will be collecting dust for a while.

 

[bjj hero]

Why is it that Reggie looks like he is wearing a mask from Bo Selecta? [http://www.channel4.com/programmes/bo-selecta]

OT, what else was he ever going to say working for Nintendo?

 

[Jared]

One of the only differences I can see is that the PS3 has a more hardcore base and that they will have the development to make hardcore games work for a motion controller.

Albeit that Sony dont fall into the same trap they did with eyetoy...

 

[Crimsane]

Or y'know, they might switch because the Wii only gets a decent non-shovelware title every 6-12 months. That'd be a pretty significant reason. I haven't played mine in a long, long time (but I already own a PS3 and a 360, so there isn't any switching to be done in my case.)

 

[Hat of Controversy]

You know, he's right. There is no reason to get a PS3 move if you've got a Wii.

However there IS a reason to get just a plain old PS3, even if you've already experienced the Wii. You know, just in case you feel like playing some actual games with some actual depth, rather than a bunch of of flimsy mini-game collections and cheap Mario/Zelda/Pokemon remakes and cash-ins.

 

[MR T3D]

...HD anyone?
there's something the ps3 has, and the wii does not.
ps3 games look GOOD on a good TV, most wii titles do not.
and don't talk to me about graphics<gameplay, this is resolution, which makes a large difference in terms of clarity.

 

[Assassin Xaero]

I have a Wii and a PS3. >_>

 

[Jeronus]

I predict this will be as successful as the six axis controls. It will be featured in a few good games but lose face with the hardcore crowd rather quickly. Reggie makes a pretty good argument. I can't see hardcore users who were so adverse to the "gimmicky" Wii controls spending a $100 more dollars to port the same control scheme to the PS3. The casual crowd has already laid down $200 dollars for a Wii and their consoles are mostly collecting dust at this point. I can't see them spending anymore money on another console that is twice as expensive when they already have one they can dust off in their living room. I predict fail for the MOVE.

 

[pneuma08]

To those being dismissive: it doesn't matter what the source is, a good point is a good point.

Which then begs the question, does Mr. Fils-Aime have a good point? I would say so. I am finding it hard to come up with reasons why the Move will move consoles. People buy a PS3 for all the good stuff it brings, and one more feature to the pile for an extra $100 (!) isn't going to change that significantly.

No, what they need is the next big thing that uses the Move. Peripherals don't sell platforms, games do. People buy GunCons for Time Crisis, not the other way around. That being the case, it's way too early to fully believe Mr. Fils-Aime quite yet.

However, when laid next to Sony's other motion-control foray, the Six Axis, one begins to wonder. The Move won't enjoy the universal distribution of the six axis, which wasn't utilized in spite of this fact, except in cases of financial disaster (LAIR, anyone?) or irrelevance (such as six axis in Little Big Planet). Like I mentioned before, Sony needs to make something that requires the Move and is big enough for people to care. It's going to have to be pretty huge, too - $100 (plus a $60 game!) is getting into system-move territory; that is to say, it's well beyond the realm of impulse buying.

In contrast, check out Nintendo's own Wii Motion Plus attachment. They put a decent price tag on it ($20), made Wii Sports Resort which requires it (and bundled it in), and are putting their weight behind WMP-necessary games (the upcoming Red Steel 2, which I am a bit dubious about for a number of reasons, and the as-of-yet unnamed Zelda, which is going to be their big gotta-get-it WMP title).

Sony's going to need a similar strategy, and then pray that it's five times as effective in order to sell their Moves.

 

[Jack and Calumon]

Why not? Well we have shitty motion controls from people who have forgotten what they are doing, or shitty motion controls from people who failed with their original plan!

Oh and shitty motion controls endorsed by a man who has MASSIVLEY overhyped it, like he ALWAYS does.

Calumon: I'll share my cookie for whoever guesses them right! ^^

 

[NeutralDrow]

Regardless of him technically stumping for a company he's required to stump for, I see his point and agree. "The games look prettier" is an unlikely reason for people to buy another console for that huge of a price.

 

[Echolocating]

Also, Monster Hunter is coming out for Wii soon, so my 360 and PS3 will be collecting dust for a while.

Amen, sister.

 

[pneuma08]

As a Nintendo fan and one who owns a Wii, his claim is complete shite.

I moved to a PS3 because I was disappointed bitterly with the Wii's lack of decent titles. Whilst the PS3 is not much better, it is at least more balanced in the scales; Nintendo's games are either "great" or "crap."

Er, you missed his point. He's saying there's no reason for people who own a Wii (and I wouldn't even retain that qualifier) to buy a PS3 for the Move.

Inverse corollary to this statement is that if someone buys a PS3, it's for anything else besides the Move.

 

[Premonition]

Yo, Reg, the Move basically makes the PS3 a Wii HD whilst the Wii is basically a gamecube with motion controls ... So the main reason for Wii owners to get a Trey and a Move is because the Move will probably have the games they haven't gotten yet on the Wii (hardcore games and ... actually good games that aren't big Nintendo franchises(( Minus the one or two exceptions, which I think will make their way to the Trey now. Like No Mo Heroes)) )

 

[Jumplion]

I think the Reg-miester flopped on his point as I don't think the "Move" was ever intended to move consoles (har har, punny). The "Move" is just a peripheral to move (okay, I'll stop now) some merchandise and push forward some interesting concepts. Already it looks to be hella more accurate than the standard Wiimote, which needs yet another peripheral just to make the damn thing do what it was supposed to do in the first place.

Most likely, I won't get a "Move", but if it does conjure up some interesting uses then I could see myself getting one. I guess the Wiimote got me jaded on the whole "Motion CoNtRoL!@$!" thing.