Bill Gates Now Says Nintendo is #1 Competitor to Xbox
01-11-07, 10:09 AM
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Bill Gates Now Says Nintendo is #1 Competitor to Xbox
The Nintendo Wii's tremendous commercial success all around the world is having an impact on competing manufacturers who previously viewed the system as an outlying oddity aimed at a seperate market. In the past, both Sony and Microsoft have dismissed head-to-head competition with Nintendo, even going so far as to endorse the Wii as an incidental ally in their graphically superior grudge match.
In a brief clip on a Japanese news station (embedded after the break), Bill Gates notes surprise at the Wii's success and labels Nintendo as Microsoft's "toughest competition" in the gaming arena. Of course, the statement doubles as a jab at Sony, now relegated to third place on the the Xbox 360 threat scale.
According to Japanese sales charts, the coveted second place is still securely held by a largely shrugging Japanese populace.
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In a brief clip on a Japanese news station (embedded after the break), Bill Gates notes surprise at the Wii's success and labels Nintendo as Microsoft's "toughest competition" in the gaming arena. Of course, the statement doubles as a jab at Sony, now relegated to third place on the the Xbox 360 threat scale.
According to Japanese sales charts, the coveted second place is still securely held by a largely shrugging Japanese populace.
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01-11-07, 10:17 AM
#4
DVD Talk Godfather
Originally Posted by Groucho
Personally, I don't see the Xbox360 & the Wii as competing consoles, rather as complimentary consoles.
Gotta love the arrogance of shrugging of the non-factor of the PS3. Almost as arrogant as the dynamic duo that is Ken & Kaz. Well, maybe not. Not in the same ballpark as their arrogance.
01-11-07, 10:20 AM
#5
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Originally Posted by Michael Corvin
Sure, but you are the gamer in the equation not the business man. If the 360 end up 1 & 2 they will be competing for gamers dollars regardless of how complimentary they are.
Gotta love the arrogance of shrugging of the non-factor of the PS3. Almost as arrogant as the dynamic duo that is Ken & Kaz. Well, maybe not. Not in the same ballpark as their arrogance.
Gotta love the arrogance of shrugging of the non-factor of the PS3. Almost as arrogant as the dynamic duo that is Ken & Kaz. Well, maybe not. Not in the same ballpark as their arrogance.
01-11-07, 11:07 AM
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http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/11/te...rssnyt&emc=rss
I don't want to start any console bashing.
But it's interesting that in Japan where the Sony PS1 & PS2 where revered by the Japanese gaming public, that the PS3 is really struggling there. And according to our own member eye witness accounts, the PS3 is readily available here in the States.
I don't buy the notion that the Japanese are not buying the PS3 due to the high price. They are known for spending lots of money on things that they have an interest in. I think the lack of 'special and exclusive' games are the reason the PS3 is not selling out in Japan.
The same goes for the XBox 360. It has struggled in Japan because of the lack of games that appeal to the Japanese gaming public.
On the other hand, the Nintendo Wii has scores of 'special and exclusive' games that appeal to young and old game players.
I don't know if the Wii will end up # 1 in sales at the end of this cycle or not, but I would bet to guess that they will be no lower than # 2 in the race to the finish.
All that being said, I still want my Wii
Chris
Sales of Sony’s PlayStation 3 Fall Short in Japan
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By MARTIN FACKLER
Published: January 11, 2007
TOKYO, Jan. 10 — The first results are out in the hotly contested market for video game consoles in Japan, and so far, the results do not look too promising for Sony and its much-promoted PlayStation 3.
Enterbrain, a market research company, released sales estimates on Wednesday showing that Sony fell far short of its goal of selling one million PlayStation 3s in Japan last year. Sony sold 534,336 consoles from their Nov. 11 debut in Japan to Jan. 7, Enterbrain said.
By contrast, Enterbrain reported that Nintendo sold 1.14 million units of its less expensive new game console, Wii, from its introduction Dec. 2 until Jan. 7. Xbox 360 from Microsoft, which has had limited success breaking into the Japanese market, has sold 311,053 units since arriving in December 2005, Enterbrain said.
“We can’t keep Wiis in our stores,” said Naoko Ito, a spokeswoman for Bic Camera, one of Japan’s largest electronics retailers. “But we still have plenty of PlayStations.”
Analysts said these figures offer some of the first hard data on how PlayStation 3, which was introduced here a week before the introduction in the United States, was faring in a major marketplace. They added that the figures also added a note of caution to Sony’s announcement over the weekend that it was on track to ship six million PlayStation 3s worldwide this year.
Slow sales could spell trouble for Sony, which badly needs PlayStation 3 to be a hit to overcome lackluster profits and embarrassing recalls. Sony’s chief executive, Howard Stringer, has repeatedly said the company’s future depends on turning out “champion products,” and analysts say PlayStation 3 is the only potential megahit now visible in the company’s pipelines.
Analysts said the Japanese sales figures could offer a preview of how PlayStation 3 and Wii will fare in the United States, though they cautioned there are big differences. They said consumers in the United States, for instance, may be more willing to embrace PlayStation 3 because its sharper graphics could be better suited to the larger television screens in America.
Analysts also said they had expected a slow start for PlayStation 3 in all global markets, as production delays limited the number of machines available. But retailers and analysts said they had been surprised by just how tepid Japanese demand had been. They said the main reason consumers were shunning PlayStation 3 was its high price.
The cheapest model of the PlayStation 3 sells for 49,980 yen ($425), compared with 25,000 yen ($210) for the Wii. In the United States, the machines cost $499 and $250, respectively.
“We are getting our first real peek into the marketplace,” said Masayuki Otani, an analyst at Maruwa Securities in Tokyo, “and it’s obvious already that Wii is bolting ahead.”
Mr. Otani also cautioned that it was too early to write off PlayStation 3, saying that Sony still had ample opportunity to catch up as more games and other software became available. He said there was also a concern that Wii’s popularity may prove a flash in the pan, though it will most likely take Sony at least two or three years to catch Wii, given the growing size of Nintendo’s early lead.
The sales estimates helped send shares of Sony lower in Wednesday trading in Tokyo. They fell as much as 2.7 percent before ending down 1.08 percent at 5,440 yen. Meanwhile, Nintendo’s shares rose 1.71 percent, to 29,000 yen, after the company raised its annual profit forecast by 20 billion yen ($170 million), to $1 billion.
The Japanese sales figures came just days after Sony announced that it had met its goal of shipping one million PlayStation 3s to the United States by the end of last year. That announcement was made at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, where Sony is showcasing PlayStation 3.
Analysts, however, point out that the American figure reflects only shipments to retailers, not actual purchases by consumers.
“The new PlayStation could take a while to catch on with consumers,” said Hirokazu Hamamura, president of Enterbrain. “But this is a machine with enormous potential.”
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By MARTIN FACKLER
Published: January 11, 2007
TOKYO, Jan. 10 — The first results are out in the hotly contested market for video game consoles in Japan, and so far, the results do not look too promising for Sony and its much-promoted PlayStation 3.
Enterbrain, a market research company, released sales estimates on Wednesday showing that Sony fell far short of its goal of selling one million PlayStation 3s in Japan last year. Sony sold 534,336 consoles from their Nov. 11 debut in Japan to Jan. 7, Enterbrain said.
By contrast, Enterbrain reported that Nintendo sold 1.14 million units of its less expensive new game console, Wii, from its introduction Dec. 2 until Jan. 7. Xbox 360 from Microsoft, which has had limited success breaking into the Japanese market, has sold 311,053 units since arriving in December 2005, Enterbrain said.
“We can’t keep Wiis in our stores,” said Naoko Ito, a spokeswoman for Bic Camera, one of Japan’s largest electronics retailers. “But we still have plenty of PlayStations.”
Analysts said these figures offer some of the first hard data on how PlayStation 3, which was introduced here a week before the introduction in the United States, was faring in a major marketplace. They added that the figures also added a note of caution to Sony’s announcement over the weekend that it was on track to ship six million PlayStation 3s worldwide this year.
Slow sales could spell trouble for Sony, which badly needs PlayStation 3 to be a hit to overcome lackluster profits and embarrassing recalls. Sony’s chief executive, Howard Stringer, has repeatedly said the company’s future depends on turning out “champion products,” and analysts say PlayStation 3 is the only potential megahit now visible in the company’s pipelines.
Analysts said the Japanese sales figures could offer a preview of how PlayStation 3 and Wii will fare in the United States, though they cautioned there are big differences. They said consumers in the United States, for instance, may be more willing to embrace PlayStation 3 because its sharper graphics could be better suited to the larger television screens in America.
Analysts also said they had expected a slow start for PlayStation 3 in all global markets, as production delays limited the number of machines available. But retailers and analysts said they had been surprised by just how tepid Japanese demand had been. They said the main reason consumers were shunning PlayStation 3 was its high price.
The cheapest model of the PlayStation 3 sells for 49,980 yen ($425), compared with 25,000 yen ($210) for the Wii. In the United States, the machines cost $499 and $250, respectively.
“We are getting our first real peek into the marketplace,” said Masayuki Otani, an analyst at Maruwa Securities in Tokyo, “and it’s obvious already that Wii is bolting ahead.”
Mr. Otani also cautioned that it was too early to write off PlayStation 3, saying that Sony still had ample opportunity to catch up as more games and other software became available. He said there was also a concern that Wii’s popularity may prove a flash in the pan, though it will most likely take Sony at least two or three years to catch Wii, given the growing size of Nintendo’s early lead.
The sales estimates helped send shares of Sony lower in Wednesday trading in Tokyo. They fell as much as 2.7 percent before ending down 1.08 percent at 5,440 yen. Meanwhile, Nintendo’s shares rose 1.71 percent, to 29,000 yen, after the company raised its annual profit forecast by 20 billion yen ($170 million), to $1 billion.
The Japanese sales figures came just days after Sony announced that it had met its goal of shipping one million PlayStation 3s to the United States by the end of last year. That announcement was made at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, where Sony is showcasing PlayStation 3.
Analysts, however, point out that the American figure reflects only shipments to retailers, not actual purchases by consumers.
“The new PlayStation could take a while to catch on with consumers,” said Hirokazu Hamamura, president of Enterbrain. “But this is a machine with enormous potential.”
I don't want to start any console bashing.
But it's interesting that in Japan where the Sony PS1 & PS2 where revered by the Japanese gaming public, that the PS3 is really struggling there. And according to our own member eye witness accounts, the PS3 is readily available here in the States.
I don't buy the notion that the Japanese are not buying the PS3 due to the high price. They are known for spending lots of money on things that they have an interest in. I think the lack of 'special and exclusive' games are the reason the PS3 is not selling out in Japan.
The same goes for the XBox 360. It has struggled in Japan because of the lack of games that appeal to the Japanese gaming public.
On the other hand, the Nintendo Wii has scores of 'special and exclusive' games that appeal to young and old game players.
I don't know if the Wii will end up # 1 in sales at the end of this cycle or not, but I would bet to guess that they will be no lower than # 2 in the race to the finish.
All that being said, I still want my Wii
Chris
01-11-07, 11:41 AM
#8
They probably arent buying the PS3 for the same reason Im not buying one--theres no games I need to play on there. Not resolution or even HD movies, theres just nothing i need to play there. Maybe they'll sell more when the big titles come out (when will that be?)
01-11-07, 11:48 AM
#9
DVD Talk Legend
We've had stacks of PS3's sitting at our store for over a week. Wii's sell out within the day they come in. I'm not surprised, now that the hype is over, no one wants to shell $600 out for a console.
= J
= J
01-11-07, 12:35 PM
#11
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Originally Posted by Tarantino
We've had stacks of PS3's sitting at our store for over a week. Wii's sell out within the day they come in. I'm not surprised, now that the hype is over, no one wants to shell $600 out for a console.
= J
= J
Nintendo is having tremendous success with the Wii thanks largely in part to it being all over the media. The innovative controller is the big thing going for it but as far as games go, there's only a couple of titles that are good. Nintendo completely surprised me, I knew the Wii was going to be successful but to start off this strong is great for them. If you would have asked me 2 months ago which system was going to be the hardest find after launch I would have said the PS3.
As far as Bill Gates comments go -- I really could care less what that a-hole has to say.
01-11-07, 12:41 PM
#12
Retired
Originally Posted by Setzer
I don't think that's it as much as the game selection sucks right now. Late-February, early March is when more games will start coming out - that's about 2-2 1/2 months away. I think once the system has a good selection of games then sales will pick up.
Sony needs to find a way to cut price ASAP IMO in addition to getting some killer system seller exclusives out.
01-11-07, 12:46 PM
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Originally Posted by Tarantino
We've had stacks of PS3's sitting at our store for over a week. Wii's sell out within the day they come in. I'm not surprised, now that the hype is over, no one wants to shell $600 out for a console.
= J
= J
This might be off-topic, but if everyone were to jump in on the PS3 bandwagon at $600 a pop, that's telling Sony it's OK to charge at amount, or higher for a system. Can you imagine in 5 years, how much a PS4 is going to be? Or an Xbox 3?
01-11-07, 12:54 PM
#14
DVD Talk Godfather
Sony has said that the PS3 sold to a million quicker than any previous Playstation console. By that metric, the Wii has sold 2x quicker than any previous Playstation console, including the PS3.
I also think that the PS3s sitting in stores are a combination of low demand and good supply. The 360 had low demand and very low supply, and the Wii has high demand and good supply.
I also think that the PS3s sitting in stores are a combination of low demand and good supply. The 360 had low demand and very low supply, and the Wii has high demand and good supply.
01-11-07, 12:54 PM
#15
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Originally Posted by Josh Hinkle
I don't know. I don't see any games coming out this spring that are going to make anyone shell out the extra $100-200 over a 360 which has more games and some great cheap games out.
Virtua Fighter 5
Oblivion
MotorStorm
Heavenly Sword
Assassin's Creed
The Darkness
MLB '07
Lair
Just to name a few.
Last edited by Setzer; 01-11-07 at 01:08 PM.
01-11-07, 12:58 PM
#17
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by Groucho
Personally, I don't see the Xbox360 & the Wii as competing consoles, rather as complimentary consoles.
Owning both a 360 and a Wii since their respective launch days, I firmly believe that the Wii is a direct competitor to the 360. (But primarily for the non-HD target)
Both consoles:
- have network capabilities
- can access attached memory cards (Wii = SD, 360 = USB thumbdrive)
- have backward compatibility
- arcade downloads
- display images
- play music
- play video
The 360 obviously has HD graphics.
Where the biggest difference is, and where the Nintendo Wii exceeds the 360 is in openness (specifically,due to the Opera browser).
Microsoft has locked the 360 down tightly to control the methods for playing media through it. It took a year after launch for MS to support user-owned video playback without the requirement for Windows Media Center... and THAT only in support of the Video Marketplace.
In contrast, Wii owners can play video content not only from their SD memory cards, and using Opera, can stream video from their desktop PC, or grab TV shows from the dozen or so websites that offer free viewing of tv shows.
Microsoft has the XBLA for arcade downloading. And Nintendo has their Virtual Console. But in addition, again because of Opera, dozens of free games can be played over the net.
There are already a few homegrown websites (like wiicade, frontends to YouTube, etc.) that are creating Wii-optimized portals/frontends to provide additional capabilities to Wii users. I've been tinkering with my own homegrown "Wii Media Center", accessing music, photos, and videos stored on my desktop PC from my Wii via Opera. I'm not alone... there are a few others who are much further ahead and even have a similar offering available for download.
It is the open nature of the web that will keep Microsoft from offering a web browser for the 360. Because if they were to do it, they would either (A) lose control over access to content, or (B) offer a browser so crippled as to be useless.
A functional web browser on a console isn't about "surfing the web" (though it can be used for that)... it is about user freedom and openness.
I concede that all of this stuff (online Wii content via Opera) is still in its infancy. But I think that if a grassroots movement gets started to support the Wii, then "the little console that could" just might be taken seriously.
I absolutely love both consoles and would NOT give up either one. I also admit that I'm not the typical console owner since I use the non-gaming features of both consoles as much as I use them for games.
That's my take anyways.
01-11-07, 01:13 PM
#19
DVD Talk Godfather
Originally Posted by Setzer
I see quite a few titles coming that should be worth playing....
MotorStorm - Sony Computer Entertainment
Heavenly Sword - Sony Computer Entertainment
MLB '07 - Sony Computer Entertainment
Lair - Sony Computer Entertainment
Assassin's Creed - 360
The Darkness - 360
Virtua Fighter 5 - 360
Oblivion - 360
Just to name a few.
MotorStorm - Sony Computer Entertainment
Heavenly Sword - Sony Computer Entertainment
MLB '07 - Sony Computer Entertainment
Lair - Sony Computer Entertainment
Assassin's Creed - 360
The Darkness - 360
Virtua Fighter 5 - 360
Oblivion - 360
Just to name a few.
Sonic - 360
F.E.A.R. - 360
Rainbow 6: Vegas- 360
And therein lies the problem. Sony's insistence that third party exclusives won't matter this gen. Sounds just like Nintendo of the 90's. I'm sorry but when your system requires a $200 higher investment, you need more exclusives than what they are offering. And the ones being offered aren't head and shoulders above the competition.
Originally Posted by Liver&Onions
just nipping this in the bud - please refrain from any flame wars that may start over innocent comments.
Last edited by Michael Corvin; 01-11-07 at 01:17 PM.
01-11-07, 01:14 PM
#20
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My two cents:
With the PS3's high price and dearth of high-profile exclusive games, Sony certainly has an uphill battle in front of them. However, remember that we are less than two months past launch. It's way too early to know how things will play out.
The Wii is off to a great start and has a lot of momentum right now. If Nintendo can maintain a steady supply of games (both casual and "traditional"), they will be in a great position for the foreseeable future. They also need to show what they are capable of in terms of online multiplayer. This is a significant question that I think is on the minds of many gamers.
The 360 is also in a great position at the moment. With a large install base, a great network service, and a strong library with notable exclusives, they will be tough to beat. The head start really helped them, and it will be interesting to see if anyone will be able to catch up with them.
If I had to bet based on what we know now, I'd say that Microsoft and Nintendo will be fighting for first place, with Sony shortly behind. But as I said, the Wii and the PS3 are so new that it's tough to say where things will go from here. 2007 will be a very interesting year for video games.
With the PS3's high price and dearth of high-profile exclusive games, Sony certainly has an uphill battle in front of them. However, remember that we are less than two months past launch. It's way too early to know how things will play out.
The Wii is off to a great start and has a lot of momentum right now. If Nintendo can maintain a steady supply of games (both casual and "traditional"), they will be in a great position for the foreseeable future. They also need to show what they are capable of in terms of online multiplayer. This is a significant question that I think is on the minds of many gamers.
The 360 is also in a great position at the moment. With a large install base, a great network service, and a strong library with notable exclusives, they will be tough to beat. The head start really helped them, and it will be interesting to see if anyone will be able to catch up with them.
If I had to bet based on what we know now, I'd say that Microsoft and Nintendo will be fighting for first place, with Sony shortly behind. But as I said, the Wii and the PS3 are so new that it's tough to say where things will go from here. 2007 will be a very interesting year for video games.
01-11-07, 01:16 PM
#21
Retired
Originally Posted by Setzer
I see quite a few titles coming in the Spring that should be worth playing....
Virtua Fighter 5
Oblivion
MotorStorm
Heavenly Sword
Assassin's Creed
The Darkness
MLB '07
Lair
Just to name a few.
Virtua Fighter 5
Oblivion
MotorStorm
Heavenly Sword
Assassin's Creed
The Darkness
MLB '07
Lair
Just to name a few.
Then need to drop price and get a real system mover exclusive (i.e. MGS4, FF13 etc.) out to get the PS3 sales jump started IMO.
01-11-07, 01:46 PM
#22
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Originally Posted by UncleGramps
My two cents:
If I had to bet based on what we know now, I'd say that Microsoft and Nintendo will be fighting for first place, with Sony shortly behind. But as I said, the Wii and the PS3 are so new that it's tough to say where things will go from here. 2007 will be a very interesting year for video games.
If I had to bet based on what we know now, I'd say that Microsoft and Nintendo will be fighting for first place, with Sony shortly behind. But as I said, the Wii and the PS3 are so new that it's tough to say where things will go from here. 2007 will be a very interesting year for video games.
01-11-07, 01:51 PM
#23
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Originally Posted by The Bus
Sony has said that the PS3 sold to a million quicker than any previous Playstation console. By that metric, the Wii has sold 2x quicker than any previous Playstation console, including the PS3.
01-11-07, 01:54 PM
#24
Retired
Originally Posted by Setzer
I just don't see how the 360 will end up #1 w/o strong support from Japan -- it could happen but I just don't think it will.
MS may stay ahead in the US and/or Europe though.
01-11-07, 01:55 PM
#25
DVD Talk Legend
This was meant as nothing more than a slap at Sony and it worked. Obviously the Wii and 360 are not in much of a direct competition. The 360 has zero chance to catch on in Japan and over here people will probably buy both if they want the kinds of games each offers. The Wii is so different know that it really isn't in direct competition anymore with Sony or MS.