US April Hardware Sales, NPD

[Sean]

You'll see why by the end of the year/start of next year.

And on the very small chance that there is a GTA game for the Wii - it will be an offshoot akin to Liberty City Stories for the handhelds and not of the main line.

[RiskyChris]

Originally Posted by Sean

You'll see why by the end of the year/start of next year.

And on the very small chance that there is a GTA game for the Wii - it will be an offshoot akin to Liberty City Stories for the handhelds and not of the main line.

Oh absolutely it will not be in the main line.

Can you tell me why Eyetoy, DDR, Guitar hero, JRPGS, anime games, crap anime games, licensed movie trash, epic stories (gow 1/2, mgs 2/3, etc), quirky experimental games (katamari), sports games, shooters, etc were all able to be successful on the PS2? I don't know a single gamer that likes everything in that list.

The PS2 had broad set of users with a variety of tastes. Why would this not translate to a similar set of tastes for Wii users? Yes, minigame trash will join the fray of commercially successful genres, but as long as people buy the other stuff, it will be made for Wii.

[wild_whiskey]

Originally Posted by Sean

Most developers will attempt to capitalize on both systems in exactly that manner due to the different demographics.

Wii Sports Vs. Grand Theft Auto.


whiskey - I used the Square Vs. Square games on purpose. Unfortunately you did not understand it.


Sharmai - who said that about the PS3? The PS3's library has been absolute shit. The X360's line up this coming fall/holiday season on the other hand is undeniably absolutely devastating.

I understood you put Square vs. Square. But you use as an example a company that has continually made their biggest title an exclusive on one system and announced their next biggest title again for that system, years in advance. This is not indicative of the whole market, rather one facet which is popular on this board but not in the actual American consumer market. Also do not forget that DragonQuest, SE's other biggest name, is going to a Nintendo system. Not Wii, but this is more about company wars than it is specifically about the consoles.

My point is that while the Wii is getting some crappy spin-offs from companies like SE, that doesn't mean that all Wii games are going to be spin-offs or mini-game collections (which you assert ad nauseum). You chose a particular brand and market to point out the library differences, and it's not a fair comparison. I would point out that there are several AAA games that are Wii titles but it wouldn't be the same kind of comparison because Nintendo is not making any games for the other systems, period.

And in an interview with Suda 51, the guy was saying that the Wii is basically the only way of making indie games because of the costs involved.

[Sean]

I like everything on that list with the exception of shooters - and it's not that I don't like them, it's that they're not my favorite. I "sort of" like them. Oh, and the Eyetoy thing - I never got to use one. So yeah, people like that exist. We're rare, but we're there. I get your point on that though.

Anyways, it doesn't translate the same to Wii users because? The Wiimote and Wii Sports. It opened up an entirely new demographic of people and they count among the majority of the people who own a Wii.

They're your mother that plays Bejeweled online at work. They are an entirely different subset of people and they're not the same people who buy or are interested in most, if any, of the things that you listed.

It's basically ripping open a hole in the wall and a whole new flood of people have come. And what do they like?

They like Wii Sports. They like Brain Age. They also happen to not give a flying fuck about Zelda or anything like it. They are not buying Zelda nor will they buy Zelda. Just like they won't buy Mario and they won't buy Metroid.

Wii Sports and Brain Ages sales are showing this and will push it even more at the end of the year.

It's sort of like what WoW has done to the MMO market.

[Tabris]

Originally Posted by wild_whiskey

The Last Remnant, Star Ocean 4, Final Fantasy XIII

vs.

Metroid, Zelda, Mario

and there are more than just Killer 7-level games coming out. Day of Crisis is interesting and Project H.A.M.M.E.R. looks kinda cool too. I agree with you for the most part, just pointing out that comparing FFXIII with Crystal Chronicles as though those are the comparable offerings from the two systems is off-base at best.

He's comparing them because they're from the same publisher.

[Sharmai]

Sigh...The PS3 hardware and how it would do before against its competition before the console was released.

They said the same thing about the DS and it being just a fad

People keep saying wait till and you will see.


Where are they getting all this history of out of the gate third place systems suddenly taking over? Sure the PS2 did well but it never came close to starting off as bad as the PS3 did.

The x360 line that you have faith in has to boost sales enough to outmatch the Wii's constant sold out status, enough to sell enough systems to even match the Wii sales in Japan (doubtful), and get mass consumers to buy it even in the face of the higher price tag which we know they do not like.. at all....

Possible? sure Wait till the fall to see? Sure

If the PS1/PS2/Ds are any indication of the future... No


But hey you are right this fall will be one hell of a gaming seaon. And I am buying an x360 to go along with my new plasma tc when i get my new house next month...So anythings possible...

[wild_whiskey]

Why does X360's line up have to boost their sales? M$ is gonna stay in the industry regardless of how they do this gen, and it's been determined that the games ARE going to come out. Therefore, video gamers will be happy. If I was interested in any of them except Virtua Fighter 5 and H3, I'd be stoked, and I wouldn't care at all if X360's sales rose because of it.

[RiskyChris]

Originally Posted by Sean

I like everything on that list with the exception of shooters - and it's not that I don't like them, it's that they're not my favorite. I "sort of" like them. Oh, and the Eyetoy thing - I never got to use one. So yeah, people like that exist. We're rare, but we're there. I get your point on that though.

Anyways, it doesn't translate the same to Wii users because? The Wiimote and Wii Sports. It opened up an entirely new demographic of people and they count among the majority of the people who own a Wii.

They're your mother that plays Bejeweled online at work. They are an entirely different subset of people and they're not the same people who buy or are interested in most, if any, of the things that you listed.

It's basically ripping open a hole in the wall and a whole new flood of people have come. And what do they like?

They like Wii Sports. They like Brain Age. They also happen to not give a flying fuck about Zelda or anything like it. They are not buying Zelda nor will they buy Zelda. Just like they won't buy Mario and they won't buy Metroid.

Wii Sports and Brain Ages sales are showing this and will push it even more at the end of the year.

It's sort of like what WoW has done to the MMO market.

Wii-brand games (Wii Sports, etc) will simply be a strong genre of games on the platform. It will not strongarm the other genres out of the picture on Wii -- yes, perhaps it would on a smaller sell-through of the consoles, but Wii is poised to sell millions upon millions.

Brain Age hasn't prevented fantastic titles from appearing on the DS.

[Sharmai]

Originally Posted by Sean

You'll see why by the end of the year/start of next year.

And on the very small chance that there is a GTA game for the Wii - it will be an offshoot akin to Liberty City Stories for the handhelds and not of the main line.

QUOTE ME ON THIS

The likelihood that the Wii will get big third party titles like GTA, MGS, FXIIIIIII, ETC. (and not just offshoots) is directly proportional to the sales of the Wii console and exponentially proportional to sales of the Wii console past X360 when achieved.

You heard it first from me. If I am wrong in the fall, next year, or way in the future call me on it.

[Sean]

Wii Sports has an almost 1:1 ratio of sales to the Wii in Japan. In contrast Zelda has what? 600K in Japan? Miyamoto even said he was disappointed in Zelda's sales.

It's not about it strong-arming other genres out of the picture on the Wii - you did not understand the point.

The point is that only some of the audience are people like you and me that buy games like Zelda. The majority are a completely new set of people who have not been interested in what was previously available.

That's why you'll see the majority of your "hardcore" RPGs like Blue Dragon and The Last Remnant on the X360 - because it's going to be an audience comprised of far more people who will buy that style of game.

[RiskyChris]

Originally Posted by Sean

Wii Sports has an almost 1:1 ratio of sales to the Wii in Japan. In contrast Zelda has what? 600K in Japan? Miyamoto even said he was disappointed in Zelda's sales.

It's not about it strong-arming other genres out of the picture on the Wii - you did not understand the point.

The point is that only some of the audience are people like you and me that buy games like Zelda. The majority are a completely new set of people who have not been interested in what was previously available.

That's why you'll see the majority of your "hardcore" RPGs like Blue Dragon and The Last Remnant on the X360 - because it's going to be an audience comprised of far more people who will buy that style of game.

1) 600k is a lot more than most games hope to sell in Japan, by the way, it's something like 450k for TP. Zelda isn't as strong in Japan as it is over here (contrast, we have sold definitely over a million in the US, maybe close to 3? I don't keep up with those sales)

2) Wii Sports is a good game. Why does a 65% attach rate indicate that only new gamers are buying the Wii? Your claims that the majority of the Wii buyers are new to gaming is unfounded.

3) Blue Dragon, meant for the 360 users? Now that's a joke.

[Sean]

If you don't think that Blue Dragon is meant for X360 users then you are completely off your rocker. I honestly hope that was some kind of sarcasm.

[Sean]

Wait. Nevermind. I forgot. You don't play RPGs. My bad, I'll let your ignorance and idiocy with that comment slide.

[RiskyChris]

Originally Posted by Sean

Wait. Nevermind. I forgot. You don't play RPGs. My bad, I'll let your ignorance and idiocy with that comment slide.

If you can make a stupid comment like Wii users only want party games, then why can't I make a reasonable assertion based on the fact that the xbox brand has never been associated with JRPGS, historically. Blue Dragon is something considerably more suited for a console backed by RPG players.

[DoctorSpooge]

The 360 is irrefutably backed by RPG players. Just because the system has no traditional RPG's yet (Enchanted Arms is purportedly a piece of shit) doesn't mean the demand isn't there.