New Motion Controls Will Extend Hardware Cycle, Say Analysts

[Fightgarr]

If the PS3+Xbox360 motion controls are really up to scratch, then it will make the Wii seem very dated by comparison. Nintendo will need to up the ante in order to compete in the future, and I expect they already have something lined up.

Okay, but you have to consider this. The Wii is not "up to snuff" to the masses of "hardcore" gamers. Its not up to snuff to the majority of the gaming population i.e. the 15-25 male demographic (as a very general majority). However Nintendo have opted to do something different from the other consoles. Instead of making games for "gamers" they've opted to create something fun for everyone. You know what people do to them for that? Condemn them. Really? Condemning them for having a slightly different goal?
The Wii may not be "up to snuff" for gamers. But that's sure as shit not what it was going for in the first place so why do all continue to ***** about it?
Yeah I've sort of switched sides on the whole Wii issue.

 

[blackcherry]

Yay. Now us Nintendo fans get to sit back, and watch people berate Sony and Microsoft for not being 'hardcore' enough for the next 3 years, due to them adapting motion control. Fun times ahead.

Other than that, I think its quite smart really. Eliminate the oppositions advantage so people will stop buying a console that isn't yours. I wonder if they will try to market it to gamers, or if we will get lots of cutesy ads coming from the big M+S to appeal to that pesky 'casual' or, 'people who buy lots more games and consoles than gamers' demographic that Nintendo seem to have ensnared.

 

[ThatJagoGuy]

*sigh* I saw this coming. Honestly, Sony and MS can't think of things for themselves! If we are to have varied gameplay, manufacturers can't just go copying each other. Motion controllers are Nintendo's thing; if people want motion-control, they probably already have a Wii.

Sony and MS should stick to what they do - making balls-out conventional shiny games.

Oh god. I just realised that this will create a whole new fanboy argument for months to come!

[switches off internet. puts head under rock.]

 

[Simriel]

To be honest, I hope that the NATAL DOES get some 'Core' Games. I wanna play an RTS like I'm the guy out of Minority Report.

 

[KDR_11k]

as the two new devices "may provide the industry with its next growth driver and extend the console cycle."

That's because of the PS Wand's potential for speaking to "core gamers,"

Facepalm. The core market is called that because it's already being served by the incumbent(s). Appealing to it cannot grow the market as the core market is already on board. It's preaching to the choir, not gonna convert new people. This "it'll succeed because of the core" talk sounds like media pandering, telling people what they want to hear rather than what makes any sense.

What matters about success and failure is not the technology. It's the game lineup. What games do Sony and MS have to back their controller up? When are they going to be playable? The Wii Motion Plus already has five games listed for it, four of which are coming within the next month or so. Sony and MS presented maybes, Nintendo presented reality. Of course maybes will be more impressive than facts because they are less constrained by reality.

 

[Darkong]

Strange, I thought this console generation was gonna last longer because its now gotten so expensive Sony and MS need longer to get their money back on their investments.

More on the point though I just don't see how the motion controls will affect the 360 or PS3 that much. Core gamers, I suspect, will be suspicious of them after seeing how badly many developers have utilized the Wii motion controls, casual gamers will wonder why they need to buy another console that just does the same thing as the Wii (minus the established motion control game catalogue) and the inevitable deluge of shovelware, likely ported from the Wii, will depress everyone.

Basically, I just can't see the new motion controls making that much difference to the install base of the machines. I could be wrong but somehow suspect that I won't be.

 

[Andy_Panthro]

Okay, but you have to consider this. The Wii is not "up to snuff" to the masses of "hardcore" gamers. Its not up to snuff to the majority of the gaming population i.e. the 15-25 male demographic (as a very general majority). However Nintendo have opted to do something different from the other consoles. Instead of making games for "gamers" they've opted to create something fun for everyone. You know what people do to them for that? Condemn them. Really? Condemning them for having a slightly different goal?
The Wii may not be "up to snuff" for gamers. But that's sure as shit not what it was going for in the first place so why do all continue to ***** about it?
Yeah I've sort of switched sides on the whole Wii issue.

My point (and perhaps I wasn't clear enough) is that MS and Sony have made motion controllers to rival the Wii, so Nintendo will have to offer people a reason to stay with them. Currently, they have a large install base, and the MotionPlus coming out. But they lack in other areas, and so if they don't replace the Wii in the next couple of years, they may find they lose ground in the long term.

I'm certainly not condemning the Wii, it was a brilliant idea and has been very successful. However you can't stand still and expect the money to keep coming in, because MS and Sony are desperate to steal their customers.

 

[Fightgarr]

My point (and perhaps I wasn't clear enough) is that MS and Sony have made motion controllers to rival the Wii, so Nintendo will have to offer people a reason to stay with them. Currently, they have a large install base, and the MotionPlus coming out. But they lack in other areas, and so if they don't replace the Wii in the next couple of years, they may find they lose ground in the long term.

I'm certainly not condemning the Wii, it was a brilliant idea and has been very successful. However you can't stand still and expect the money to keep coming in, because MS and Sony are desperate to steal their customers.

My point (perhaps I wasn't being clear) is that Sony and Microsoft have a completely different target demographic than Nintendo. Its not really a competition in that sense for Nintendo.
Obviously there's competition, but Nintendo isn't really worrying at this point.

 

[Lonko]

I'm certainly not condemning the Wii, it was a brilliant idea and has been very successful. However you can't stand still and expect the money to keep coming in, because MS and Sony are desperate to steal their customers.

I don't really think so. On the one hand, we've got companies known for having games like Halo, COD4, Metal Gear Solid, GTA etc. on their consoles. Even if the average nongamer doesn't know anything about these games, they know in general terms that the PS360 largely cater to people who like to blow things up. These companies now introduce motion controls, which (I'm willing to bet) these people will think are going to be used in those same genres (the "blowing stuff up" genre). On the other hand, we've got a company whose console is very well-established in terms of user-friendliness, has a very large library of games known to be family-friendly, and is cheap.

I'm not saying that some people won't move over or opt for a PS360 in lieu of a Wii, but those people will not make a significant difference in terms of sales. Also not saying that Nintendo can afford to rest on their laurels. But I don't think these new developments will pose that much of a threat to Nintendo's install base or future sales.

 

[djkillafly]

for all the people who think natel sucks because theres no controller, well just grab a steering wheel or grab an authentic heavy sword or a reiistic toy gun, nomatter what it would be better then paying for all those different wiimotes and hey who would want the remote through ur 52 inch plasma when ur boxing.