Forbes: "Why the most talked about console may not be the winner"

[KeithTalent]

I also didn't really understand how valve's entrance tips the scales in favor of MS, unless for some reason people who would normally buy a PS4 are more prone to buying a Steambox vs People who would normally buy an Xbox One.

I do think that although Sonys fans are more vocal, there are a ton of people that just really don't care about this specs war and are going to buy based on what they hear in the media.

I don't know if anybody else has noticed it, but people refer to Xbox as the default console when they talk about consoles in a general sense. What I mean is, if my mom were to name a console, she would name Xbox not because she has any experience with the console and I never owned one when I lived with my parents back in 2003 but because it's all over the media.

I just think there is more brand name exposure to Non-gamers with xbox than PS.

It's a good point. The Xbox does seem to be the Kleenex of consoles and I would bet it would only be hardcores who are even really aware of the Valve consoles, let alone considering buying one. While both Sony and Microsoft have hardcore gamers in their camp, I would expect Sony to have a slightly higher proportion of their user base as hardcore gamers, so that could be why their numbers skew that way.

Xbox certainly did something right in getting their name associated with console gaming among the general public. Pretty impressive.

KT

 

[nitromullet]

Xbox certainly did something right in getting their name associated with console gaming among the general public. Pretty impressive.

This is probably regional. The PlayStation seems to be more international and the Xbox is more US-centric. This goes all the way down to he use of shapes on the PS controller buttons, which are more universal to Western and Eastern cultures than the letters used by the Xbox.

 

[smackababy]

This is probably regional. The PlayStation seems to be more international and the Xbox is more US-centric. This goes all the way down to he use of shapes on the PS controller buttons, which are more universal to Western and Eastern cultures than the letters used by the Xbox.

I'd say it is Nintendo. Ask anyone over 30 what <picture of any console> is, and there is a good chance they answer with "a Nintendo".

Nintendo has the brand recognition. Every handheld is called a GameBoy, every console is called a Nintendo.

 

[Dumac]

I don't know why everyone has to get all sour-grapes about the console that they didn't buy.

Each console fills some purpose for some population. I don't see why the users should care what console ends up selling the most as long as that console is satisfying the purpose it is supposed to.

And if it can't? Sell it or don't buy it. Why the urge to go out and yell at people because you can't have as much fun as they are with a particular console.

 

[Dumac]

Nintendo fans are fanatics, you have to be to have any faith in that company.


Nintendo will be lucky if it is still a hardware manufacturer in 2 years, I wouldn't cite them as an example of great success in really any market beyond handhelds for kids under 14.

yet another doomsdayer

Nintendo will be fine. Sales are starting to pick up after Pikmin 3, Windwaker, and the price cut. Now comes Super Mario 3D World, Donkey Kong, Mario Kart 8, and Smash Bros.

As for the 3DS, here are some images to think about.

Animal Crossing Age Range
HeartGold/SoulSilver Age Range

 

[exdeath]

yet another doomsdayer

Nintendo will be fine. Sales are starting to pick up after Pikmin 3, Windwaker, and the price cut. Now comes Super Mario 3D World, Donkey Kong, Mario Kart 8, and Smash Bros.

As for the 3DS, here are some images to think about.

Animal Crossing Age Range
HeartGold/SoulSilver Age Range

Yuuuuup.

In fact, the Mario/Luigi Wii U bundle is selling out like crazy and keeps going in and out of stock. The Wind Waker bundle probably not as popular because it's only a remake and Zelda has always been kinda niche compared to Mario.

Speaking of HeartGold I just picked one up brand new at Target for 39.99! Game was released in 2009 and has been out of print for some time, wasn't even out on the shelves. They just had it in the back. It's $70+ on ebay so I was happy to find that being that I wasn't collecting DS in 2009 and completely missed it. I only wish I could find more 3-4 year old out of print games hanging out on the warehouse shelves at MRSP prices.

And I will most definitely be picking up Super Mario 3D World at the same time I pick up my Zelda 3DS XL.

 

[Doppel]

the whole concept of a console "winning" is just stupid in concept and nothing more than fanboys trying to justify their purchase.

Mostly, but it has a small benefit. The less attention another system gets may mean the more yours does.

I suspect the main reason Wii scarcity didn't kill it was because it had no competition. If you "just had to bowl in your living room" (and who doesn't? j/k I hate the Wii with an clinically psychotic level of passion, it is an absolute pile of garbage) you had to get the Wii. There was nothing else like it. That wouldn't fly now.

The Nintendo handhelds are only for little kids thing is a myth.

I don't think it's a myth. You may play them, but it is in general a child's console, and I know that Nintendo treats its DS demographic as such. The pics in post #30 speak volumes to this. Given that the average video gamer these days is something like 35 years old and yet past the 19-24 demographic darn few people were picking up those games, you can see they are strongly biased to a younger crowd.

On the matter of branding I would have to say the Xbox is probably the strongest brand out now, but I bet a quick google would squash/confirm. I was listening to some standup comic on the radio yesterday and he used xbox as an example. I could have seen him using Playstation as one, but if he had used Wii--despite it selling like gangbusters last gen--I just don't feel it would have had the traction. That's because a lot of Wiis were used once and then collected dust (as they deserved).

The Steam Box is a distraction. I doubt it has what it takes to play with the big boys when it comes to really moving units.

 

[exdeath]

Mostly, but it has a small benefit. The less attention another system gets may mean the more yours does.

I suspect the main reason Wii scarcity didn't kill it was because it had no competition. If you "just had to bowl in your living room" (and who doesn't? j/k I hate the Wii with an clinically psychotic level of passion, it is an absolute pile of garbage) you had to get the Wii. There was nothing else like it. That wouldn't fly now.I don't think it's a myth. You may play them, but it is in general a child's console, and I know that Nintendo treats its DS demographic as such. The pics in post #30 speak volumes to this. Given that the average video gamer these days is something like 35 years old and yet past the 19-24 demographic darn few people were picking up those games, you can see they are strongly biased to a younger crowd.

On the matter of branding I would have to say the Xbox is probably the strongest brand out now, but I bet a quick google would squash/confirm. I was listening to some standup comic on the radio yesterday and he used xbox as an example. I could have seen him using Playstation as one, but if he had used Wii--despite it selling like gangbusters last gen--I just don't feel it would have had the traction. That's because a lot of Wiis were used once and then collected dust (as they deserved).

The Steam Box is a distraction. I doubt it has what it takes to play with the big boys when it comes to really moving units.

Or the 35 group is more concerned about image and only wants to be seen playing military, UFC, and NFL and other simple and "macho" games because they don't want to be associated with anything remotely childish.

Which is odd because you'd think a 35 year old gamer would have been gaming since NES, Genesis, SNES, PS1, N64, PS2, etc. and thus be attracted to the similar DS library, while the focus on "macho" games targeting older men is a relatively recent thing that barely started with the original XBox and should be something only younger players grew up on.

I wonder how many 35 year old gamers didn't have games or shunned them as nerdy or kiddy when they were younger and only jumped on the bandwagon now because it's "cool" and socially acceptable to play video games. As long as they are only macho ones of course. UFC NFL HELLLLZZZYUUHH WOOP WOOP!

 

[Doppel]

Or the 35 group is more concerned about image and only wants to be seen playing military, UFC, and NFL and other simple and "macho" games because they don't want to be associated with anything remotely childish.

Which is odd because you'd think a 35 year old gamer would have been gaming since NES, Genesis, SNES, PS1, N64, PS2, etc. and thus be attracted to the similar DS library, while the focus on "macho" games targeting older men is a relatively recent thing that barely started with the original XBox and should be something only younger players grew up on.

If your first paragraph is true it still supports the notion that the DS is for kids. The second can be explained by a change in likes as one ages. I used to enjoy playing with toy soldiers and toy cars, but I don't now. Those who are the average video gamer age now (~35) were the first generation to be children when video games exploded in popularity and so the market has grown with them.

 

[zerocool84]

I'll own both consoles before the end of next year so it doesn't matter to me who wins.

 

[BoberFett]

Apparently you don't know much about business. Sony and MS very much care who will be banking more $.

Wow, you don't understand the military or business. You're really on a roll spanky.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Agreed. I thought the mention of last minute shoppers in the article was a little odd. I don't think these consoles are just going to be languishing on shelves for people to pick up at the last minute.

I also don't think that they will be able to declare a winner this year anyway. Personally, I'm in the 'wait and see' category, as I think a lot pf people.

Hopefully, if the competition actually heats up MS will stop trying to shoehorn the Kinnect onto gamers that don't want it, and come out with a cheaper Kinnectless version.

These systems will sell like the PS2 did back in 2001/2002. Every shipment is sold out as soon as it goes up for sale. I worked retail during that time and we would get a shipment of 50 or so PS2s at a time and tell people ahead of time via word of mouth and our ads in the newspaper. There would be a line every time we advertised that we would have consoles in stock. Sell them all out and a bunch of games and such.

As far as brand recognition it depends on who you ask and when they started playing video games as a major hobby. Many college age gamers would likely lean toward the xbox brand because the xbox 360 arrived right around the time they were entering their teens with XBL offering Halo online, Gears of War and later all the CoD games as much as I hate them. With gamers in their 30s who were around during the peak of the PSOne and the PS2 era and it's plethora of classics, it may be a different story. Many people polled would not be able to remember the heydey of the Playstation consoles. I'm sure a good percentage would just say Nintendo because it's what they remember playing, or because they bought a Wii. So I think when you talk about brand awareness it matters what the age of the people you ask are.

 

[TreVader]

Wow, you don't understand the military or business. You're really on a roll spanky.

Look, bober, you lost the argument there get over it. Can you try to stay on topic?



Saying "U stupid!" is not an argument, it's an exclamation and you're posts here are equivalent to the angry mewlings of a hungry infant. Grow up and find something better to do.

 

[TreVader]

These systems will sell like the PS2 did back in 2001/2002. Every shipment is sold out as soon as it goes up for sale. I worked retail during that time and we would get a shipment of 50 or so PS2s at a time and tell people ahead of time via word of mouth and our ads in the newspaper. There would be a line every time we advertised that we would have consoles in stock. Sell them all out and a bunch of games and such.

As far as brand recognition it depends on who you ask and when they started playing video games as a major hobby. Many college age gamers would likely lean toward the xbox brand because the xbox 360 arrived right around the time they were entering their teens with XBL offering Halo online, Gears of War and later all the CoD games as much as I hate them. With gamers in their 30s who were around during the peak of the PSOne and the PS2 era and it's plethora of classics, it may be a different story. Many people polled would not be able to remember the heydey of the Playstation consoles. I'm sure a good percentage would just say Nintendo because it's what they remember playing, or because they bought a Wii. So I think when you talk about brand awareness it matters what the age of the people you ask are.

I really doubt this to be the case... at least I hope it's not. Last gen they managed to produce more than enough Xbox 360s to meet demand by christmas, and I think this year they will do even better.


It really doesn't serve either Sony or MS to produce fewer units than they can sell. The goal is to create a user base that will for the next 10 years provide revenue and further the brand. Although producing less demand creates rarity, it does nothing to increase revenue and it can also produce anger.

I really think Xbox has a lot more brand recognition than PS or Nintendo. In Japan or anywhere other than the US/Britain/Canada, Sony has more brand recognition but here when someone says console, the vast majority of people who don't play video games are going to think Xbox.

Nintendo is a niche product and they have backed themselves into a corner with the Wii and especially the Wii U. They should've had a bigger commitment to hardware. Back when N64 came out, it was just as good or better than PlayStation in hardware and especially in software. Nintendo hit a grand slam with that system and got lazy, and since then the only thing they're capable of producing is handhelds.

I see nintendo producing handhelds for a long time, but dropping out of the console market. They just can't hang.

 

[Doppel]

Nintendo will produce a console as long as it can sufficiently distance itself from the competition and try and stay in a separate market--a market that has room for only two top dog consoles. The Wii did well last gen because it's a cheap piece of trash that caters to a separate demographic. It also had the incredibly inaccurate and hopelessly frustrating motion control, which non-gamers had no problems using because they didn't know how terrible it was due to the fact they were non-gamers and/or children.

It seems the Wii U is more or less staying out of the mix, as it has a lot of kiddie games not available on the other consoles, that for some reason they don't seem overly interested in bothering with. Some obvious exceptions like skylanders. Or maybe I just don't pay attention.

 

[nitromullet]

Or the 35 group is more concerned about image and only wants to be seen playing military, UFC, and NFL and other simple and "macho" games because they don't want to be associated with anything remotely childish.

Or perhaps we just don't like the same stuff you do. Nothing more nefarious than that.

 

[HeXen]

All based off of what data reads theat people are "saying". Well we all know how much people's word is. "i'm gonna buy this and I'm gonna buy that" then they become hypocrites half the time.

 

[smackababy]

All based off of what data reads theat people are "saying". Well we all know how much people's word is. "i'm gonna buy this and I'm gonna buy that" then they become hypocrites half the time.

I think it is usually the crowd that says "omg call of duty sucks and doesn't have dedicated servers" that go out and buy it on launch day anyway.

 

[Doppel]

I think it is usually the crowd that says "omg call of duty sucks and doesn't have dedicated servers" that go out and buy it on launch day anyway.

Aren't we all that guy from time to time? I am now cranking through season 2 of a series I recently said was a piece of crap. I can admit it, though

 

[zerocool84]

Nintendo will produce a console as long as it can sufficiently distance itself from the competition and try and stay in a separate market--a market that has room for only two top dog consoles. The Wii did well last gen because it's a cheap piece of trash that caters to a separate demographic. It also had the incredibly inaccurate and hopelessly frustrating motion control, which non-gamers had no problems using because they didn't know how terrible it was due to the fact they were non-gamers and/or children.

It seems the Wii U is more or less staying out of the mix, as it has a lot of kiddie games not available on the other consoles, that for some reason they don't seem overly interested in bothering with. Some obvious exceptions like skylanders. Or maybe I just don't pay attention.

I had tons of fun with the Wii and the motion controls. You don't need accuracy to have fun.

 

[HeXen]

I had tons of fun with the Wii and the motion controls. You don't need accuracy to have fun.

I liked Wii bowling and darts. I wouldn't mind a Wii U just for the new Mario and Luigi games alone, they look like a ton of fun.

 

[Doppel]

I had tons of fun with the Wii and the motion controls. You don't need accuracy to have fun.

I need it. The Wii was like that dream in which you try to run but can't get traction properly. A nightmare, to be sure.

 

[Skel]

I also didn't really understand how valve's entrance tips the scales in favor of MS, unless for some reason people who would normally buy a PS4 are more prone to buying a Steambox vs People who would normally buy an Xbox One.

I do think that although Sonys fans are more vocal, there are a ton of people that just really don't care about this specs war and are going to buy based on what they hear in the media.

I don't know if anybody else has noticed it, but people refer to Xbox as the default console when they talk about consoles in a general sense. What I mean is, if my mom were to name a console, she would name Xbox not because she has any experience with the console and I never owned one when I lived with my parents back in 2003 but because it's all over the media.

I just think there is more brand name exposure to Non-gamers with xbox than PS.

Interestingly enough 90% of the arguments to buy a PS4 over and X1 work in Valve's favor, so maybe. If you really do care about those fps and higher res than Valve is def the way to go.

 

[zerocool84]

Interestingly enough 90% of the arguments to buy a PS4 over and X1 work in Valve's favor, so maybe. If you really do care about those fps and higher res than Valve is def the way to go.

Except the games are the only reason one needs to buy a console. I went the opposite way, from PC to console and I'm not missing one thing. The best games are on console, no one can argue about that.

 

[KentState]

Which is odd because you'd think a 35 year old gamer would have been gaming since NES, Genesis, SNES, PS1, N64, PS2, etc. and thus be attracted to the similar DS library, while the focus on "macho" games targeting older men is a relatively recent thing that barely started with the original XBox and should be something only younger players grew up on.

I grew up with games and it seems you are glossing over the "macho" ones that date back 30+ years. You can't tell my game like Double Dragon, Street Figher, Golden Age, Mike Tyson Punch Out are not the predecessor to the "macho" games of today. Tecmo Bowl was "the" sports game of the day and that came out in '89. Still remember playing the hell out of that at sleep overs. This isn't a new thing.