PS3, Wii Duke It Out at the Cash Register

[gunntims0103]

news via abc news

Nintendo strikes this weekend with its new Wii gaming console and Sony's PlayStation 3 has already sparked rowdy crowds, a buying frenzy and even violence — and the holiday season has barely begun.

In the gaming world, it's all out war.

Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo are fighting for a piece of the $20 billion video gaming industry. Following the PlayStation 3 launch this past week, Nintendo will launch its Wii gaming console Sunday evening.

Nintendo's strategy is to release the lowest-priced console on the market and to focus on the game content, not the graphics.

"The whole strategy behind the Wii is to bring gaming back to the masses," said Reginald Fils-Amie, president and COO of Nintendo North America.

Sony is making a different play. Its $600 PlayStation 3 offers graphics better than anything on the market. Sony says it had 400,000 consoles available at launch, but for diehard fans, that may not be enough.

"It can't be a marketing ploy because Sony has been losing money hand over fist," said Adam Sessler, host of G4's Xplay. "They're trying to get out as many as they can."

Sony is even hiring private jets to bring in 100,000 new devices each week for the holiday season.

Gaming insiders said Sony is playing catch-up. The company is losing about $300 per console because of all the extra technology they have added to stay competitive.

"It's a way to create this hub inside your house so that there's one central spot where you can be buying Sony products," Sessler said.

The bigger battle may be between Sony and Microsoft, the maker of the Xbox 360. The fight is over the future of entertainment, and the battlefield is your living room.

[m0th]

For years its been about Sony and Microsoft. Sega dropped out cos they suck at everything except a cute mascot called sonic, And Nintendo has just been riding it out as more of a family friendly, tee hee! console. I myself thought the war was over, after Nintendo slowly killed sega and than Sony came in, wiped the floor, Microsoft brought out Xbox... and it was than an even match. Everyone I know and my household included, have both. no question over which is better. We as consumers embraced them both. So how is nintendo effectively making a comeback with its family oriented values and admittingly less than spectacular graphics? Cos they have some sh*tty guitar? I think all 3 comapnies need to take a step back and re-evaluate what a CONSOLE IS. If its a price factor where quality/depth/graphics don't matter than Nintendo wins hands down and maybe Sony and Microsoft might wanna promote their product as a console/computer hybrid. Drop all the anti-hacking crap and CRUSH nintendo with pure sales of the system. If they allowed people to use the hardware however they feel to create applications, homebrew games etc than it it would turn the console and PC world upside down. Nintendo never creating a truelly capable PC ready device, would fall back into the bargain gamers bin, where buyers are just looking for a quick videogame fix for the cheapest price and nothing more.

[uneekracer]

ps3 is better any day in my book

[MikeDX]

ps3 is better any day in my book

when did you get your ps3?

[mikebeaver]

unfortunately i stumbled upon this thread, i wish i hadnt!!! just a bunch of fan boys. if you dont like nintendo, dont buy it, simple.no need to give them a hard time coz they try out new things.and incedentally, the guitar add-on is for ps2 NOT nintendo..
personnaly i have most consoles that have been released over the years, well apart from 360.ill be deciding on what next gen stuff to get when its all availiable to buy, which in europe is like forever away, till then im happy to use my psp to play nintendo and sega games, kinda ironic isnt it?

[ICE]

alright Nintendo IS back on top for ONE reason. the majority of gamers are considered just casual gamers and they WILL NOT pay $400-$600 for a video game. plus the fact that this thing has the same appeal as the ds and will bring in people who aren't even gamers.

[SnesR0X]

but that doesn't mean hardcore gamers won't like it

[F9zDark]

I don't understand why people keep bitching about the price of PS3. Had Sony called it a Vaio (or something completely different) and marketed it as a Computer no one would give a rat's ****ing ass about the cost, in fact, many people would be happy to find a good gaming rig for 600 bucks.

I am not a fanboy but christ, give it the **** up about the price; you pay for what you get and with Nintendo you get games where you gotta flail your arms around like a parkinson's patient just to have fun. Sony you get awesome graphics and sound.

For many people price is an issue, but you all complain about it and its ****ing ridiculous; to get a computer to do the same as a PS3, you'd pay 1000 or more; just give it up...

[Man]

Wow you talk as if the ps3 can be used as a computer ...... i dont think it can be. Just thought you should know. Also i just dont like sony or the price, but i could pay it if i wanted but i just dont want to.

[F9zDark]

Wow you talk as if the ps3 can be used as a computer ...... i dont think it can be. Just thought you should know. Also i just dont like sony or the price, but i could pay it if i wanted but i just dont want to.

What do you mean it can't? It runs Linux and already we have 2 known versions of Linux that can run on it just fine. It is a computer and can be used like one...