Screen Digest: Wii is the "Great Unkown"

Posted Feb 24, 2007 at 5:10PM by QJ Staff Listed in: Wii, PS3, Xbox 360 Tags: Ed Barton, Gamasutra, Japan, Nintendo, PS2, Screen Digest, Sony
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Wii Drought - Image 1I'll go out on a limb and say that the painful truth right now is that it is very fashionable at the moment to not favor the PS3. Such is the situation that even some PS3 zealots, choose to share the sentiment albeit with a few modifications, to be specific, choosing to focus the hate on the company behind the console and not the PlayStation 3 itself.

But what is this? An entity that actually credibly decries the Wii and foresees the PS3 dominating by 2010 and the Wii being a left at third place?

Gamasutra informs that Screen Digest's report entitled - Next Generation Consoles: Games publishing, hardware analysis and forecasts to 2010, predicts that by 2010 the regional market share for next gen consoles, will be split evenly between the PS3 and the Xbox 360, apart from Japan where the PS3 will have the clear lead.

The overview comment of the report says: "PS2-style dominance will not be repeated in the next generation hardware market: we anticipate that competition will be far more intense with market shares split on a territorial basis." Below, is the chart of predicted 2010 Console Market Shares as posted on Gamasutra:

The Screen Digest Market Share chart as posted on Gamasutra - Image 1 


Given the obvious strong start that the Wii has at the moment, Gamasutra just had to ask Screen Digest's Ed Barton if the predictions for the Wii on the said report are somewhat conservative. He had this to say:

Can they repeat the kind of success that they've had with the DS by applying that strategy with the Wii? Absolutely, if Nintendo can make this work on a home console and appeal to those demographics outside the core gamer constituency, the potential is absolutely huge.


However he does add that they have a lot of faith in the ability of Sony especially now that they're seeing unprecedented levels of support from Sony for the PlayStation 3. Barton notes:

no one buys one of these plastic boxes on technical specs alone, people tend to buy them for content. Our forecasts at the moment are based on the belief that PlayStation 3 has this level of support. The numbers that we're seeing now for the Nintendo Wii, they've come out of the blocks fantastically strongly – no one would deny that – however it's incredibly early in the hardware cycle. There's still another five or six years to play out on this one, and the first big battleground will be Christmas of 2007.


Hence the big hullabaloo at the moment over a supposed "Wii drought." Barton goes on to expound on why the Wii is considered to be gaming's "great unknown" at the moment:

it's very hard to take a view on a new strategy which is effectively what Nintendo are executing with the Wii. They've stepped aside in the graphical arms race, and improvements in graphical technology in a gaming sense has historically been what's driven market growth, and having seen what they've done with the Nintendo DS - which obviously they've executed fantastically, and which has basically created a new gaming phenomenon - we don't deny the possibility that this is a possibility with the Wii.

But we need to see publisher support going forward ...and over 2007, going into 2008, maybe there'll be various tipping points with publisher support on various big exclusives. We've already seen things like Dragon Quest going exclusive on the DS, but if we see those kind of tipping points on the Wii, we'll have to amend our view, clearly. But at the moment, this is the view we're taking.

Well, we've got No More Heroes, Metroid Prime 3, and Manhunt 2 to bank on. We will have to wait for them to show up though. Ah, waiting for future titles, when and for what did we hear that before?

Via Gamasutra

 
 
 

Comments [refresh]

by aa - 2007-02-24 12:14
» a

the only people saying ps3 is gonna be good are Sony themselves or their little fanboys. Everyone else sees it for the failure it really is...a

by steve - 2007-02-24 12:39
» Competition

this sort of competition is good for all concerned. especialy ps3 and xbox. it will mean MS and Sony trying to outdo each other by giving US MORE!!! What system wins in sales slightly shouldnt matter. get the one you want and let the good times roll!

by CrippyBlunt - 2007-02-24 12:42
» We'll see..

All the systems this generation are great. The PS3 may end up first or last who knows, but what really matters is that when games like Motorstorm, Assasins Creed, Metal Gear Solid 4, Final Fantasy XIII, etc. come out I'll be in line waiting to get my copy. That's all a true gamer should care about....

by lilskaterpunk - 2007-02-24 12:48
» Competition

I think there all great systems and Its nice to see competition...

by Bob - 2007-02-24 13:25
» Urgh, why's common opinions always labelled fashion?

The PS3 is for a niche market, everyone else hates the thing, get in in your heads. It's not "popular" to dislike it, most people just see it as a glorified PS2 that wouldn't be worth £200, let alone the £425 they're asking.

by lawl - 2007-02-24 13:38
» what a nubcake

ps3 gets all the good games and cool free features. go kill yourself.

by blahblah - 2007-02-24 13:45
» ;lk

Most people just think it is a glorified PS2 but those people are idiots or fanboys. and to say that the only people saying the PS3 is good are sony or fanboys is one of the most idiotic things i have eve heard. by this you are saying that anybody who likes anything is a fanboy/fangirl, is this true?

by lala - 2007-02-24 13:48
» OK....

do u mean wrth it as in (things ur gettin for what you are buying) if this is true then go and get a brain



U HATE DA PS3 IF U CANT AFFORD IT - this is the truest sentense in the world ..... the ps3 gives u more things than any other console in the world why do u hate the thing ????



u dont have to hate a system u cant afford or cant get i cant see any reason there is to hate a PS3 list one reason not related to financial problems becuase if ur comparing what ur gettin for each system the ps3 won a long time ago.....



PS3 = Bluray player, next gen processing, next gen HD GFX (1080P, one of the histories best video libraries, WIFI, bluetooth, contoler with tilt and accelertion sensing, a harddrive as standard, no overheating (unlike xbox), HDMI with a output of 1080P, FREE online gaming and a Store to download free demos and buy things... just listing some things.....



Xbox 360 = next gen processor, next gen HD gfx (720P), wireless remote, best online interface for now...., xbox live serveice 50$ a year



Wii= overclocked xbox 1, with a motion sensing remote , and ability to download classic games.



wii is the most cheapest and least technology pushing system to this day even the DS atleast made a push towards 2D-> 3D but wii just stayed the same .. PATHETIC even the PSP is worth more....

by CHUCKINGROCKSATSPACESHIPS - 2007-02-24 14:07
» What Do You Know About The PS3?

Oh sorry you don't own one queer. Don't worry about it then.

by HI - 2007-02-24 15:15
» Wii is loser .

wii is a gamecube why don't they put the wii remote with gamecube oh becasuse its weak. wii sucks. wii has late boring games. nintendo censors blood, boobs, sex, guns, evil, power, religious themes that it sucks to have a wii. best 3d fighting game out now is Virtua Fighter 5 , wii can't have that hahahahahahahah .

by RastaDator - 2007-02-24 15:38
» It's safe for them

to predict an evenly distributed marketshare, so if any console wins their prediction will be approximately correct



SONY and Nintendo strategies are different. Ninty one is short framed, they know Wii is the cool I want-it-now thing, it is the cheapest yet it is producing profits from the very begining, Ninty worries are how to prolong the actual momentum of the Wii, I very much doubt they can, because their gear is seriously underpowered.



On the other hand, SONY is looking, right now, like a donkey

in a horse race :D, very slow beginning but it is expected to steadily gain momentum while others get tired at mid race. 2007+ will see a very strong lineup of 1st and exclusive 3rd party titles for the PS3 and additionally HD-TV will become widespread, with a proper price drop all that loyal, but cheap, PS2 user base will begin a massive adoption of the PS3, both like a gaming machine as a first class BR player. Talking about High Def format, even if SONY comes second to X360 the HD-DVD will be doomed by far. Toshiba knows this and probably they are trying to put in the market something with HD-DVD inside (Black X360 maybe)

by thecrikeymater - 2007-02-24 16:21
» ok

Here is the lowdown

(note: i only have PS3 but play 360 and wii at friends houses, so at least i experience the system before)



PS3- Best multimedia center

-great games

-great movie player

-good place to keep music, movies, etc

-has memory stick slots, so good for transfering files from cameras or some other places

-very nice way to show off photos

-has the colors of '07 (black and silver)

-capable of playing super audio CDs

-HDMI input (1.3)

-Linux

-blu ray discs dont get scratched



cons:

-!CURRENTLY! not too many games

-not the best online suport at the moment



360-Best Online Gaming Center

-Great game(s)

-white

-supported by billionare

-can have HD-DVD player add on for 600

-Halo alone, is just Halo

-has connectivity with many third party devices

-can connect with the PC/windows vista easily

-uses same type of processor as PCs so simple developement

-large user base (maybe 6-8 million or even 9 million)

-comes with HD cables



cons:

-Overheating issues

-Senstive console (NO TOUCHY! or i scratch all your disc!)

-highest cable = component

-uses fake 1080p upscaling(but helpful for CRT TVs)



Wii-FUN (f is for fun, but uh....)

-good party system

-good vintage game system

-good exercise

-become less dorky with big muscles

-can use component cables

-soon comes in different colors

-uses SD cards

-Mii!

-Good with kids that have handcuffs connected to wiimote



cons:

-broken tvs

-black eyes

-bruises

-may seem akward swinging arms at arpatment home alone

by CrippyBlunt - 2007-02-24 18:00
» RastaDator

You are my hero dude! That's all I have to say...

by Wrong - 2007-02-24 18:03
» Competition is not good

Competition between two similar systems means that instead of a developer making a game as great as it can be. The developer has to waste time contructing it for two different architectures.

by CrippyBlunt - 2007-02-24 18:08
» Uhm...

Go get one then! Oh by the way.. And if you happen to see a Wii sitting on the shelf while you purchase your PS3 get it!! Those things are popular and hard to find! Get a copy of great games like Rayman and Elebits! Or not!! lol

by 01 - 2007-02-24 19:09
» re: rasta

high end graphics aren't always as important as a library of great games. that's why the ps2 is still doing so well, and why they wii can survive.

by Warrior - 2007-02-24 19:13
» yup

RastaDator is absolutely right. The majority of the people who brought a PS2 will get a PS3 when the time is right for them. When the price drops it will be selling like crazy. You can't say Microsoft or Nintendo because their fanbases were far from the PS2 last gen. Both were under 30 million consoles sold while the PS2 is still going strong at 120 million plus. Sony's fanbase is growing. The PS3 maybe expensive now but when the price drops to suit the consumer people will buy it and with the numbers of the PS2 Sony maybe seeing another 100 million with the PS3.

by Sony suck - 2007-02-24 19:28
» Pffffff

360 owns.. Dont be mad..

by drskill - 2007-02-24 20:24
» hahahahha

wow!i own a ps2,xbox,wii, and soon i will get a PS3. i really dont care which company is losing or winnig, all i care is my happyiness. if i see a good game such as zeld TP i'd buy it and if isee a good game for the ps3 i'd buy it. wut am saying is all you have to care about is your happiness and how much fun is. so STFUp and buy what makes happy. by the way SONY ROCKS ALL THE WAY WITH EVERY PRODUCT NO MATTER HOW MUCH IT COSTS.

by Satan - 2007-02-24 20:34
» Wii Rocks! Ah What? Wii? What's that?

That's true 01, but the PS2 had the BEST graphics when it came out.. The Wii.. Uhm.. That's a different story. The Wii is supposed to be around for 5 to 10 years right? Or Nintendo is going to released a more powerful Wii in 2 years and force everyone into buying that one too? The problem is that the Wii has terrible graphics not just ok graphics. Everyone who loves the Wii is understabdable. It is a good system after all... Just terrible technology under the hood!

by Blob - 2007-02-24 23:39
» PS2

The PS2 was beaten by both the gamecube and xbox in the hardwares technical specs it was just people used it better.

by PS3Rider - 2007-02-25 01:03
» Agree 100%

I agree with you 100%. Especially about the Wii part, in fact about every part. The Wii is basically an impulse buy, a novelty if you want to call it that. As an owner of a Wii I can tell you that the novelty wears off very easy, and Nintendo's steam train locomotion is going to come to a grinding hault in the next year, due to the Wii's lack of exclusive games and power behind it.

by A - 2007-02-25 02:51
» b

Yeah, Sony PSPiece of ***** rocks... hardcore... all night. So did the Betamax. HD-DVD owns.

by fritzilla - 2007-02-25 08:37
» If it takes them that long then they lost

Look, if it takes them until 2010 to win then they lost for the next 4 years. I my mine that means that for six years the 360 or the Wii was the winning platform to own.



By 2010 we will be looking at the next generation. Sorry.

by mohaas05 - 2007-02-25 11:56
» and...

the only people saying wii is gonna be good are Nintendo themselves or their little fanboys. Everyone else sees it for the failure it really is...a

by Xbox is the best - 2007-02-25 14:00
» these figures

these figures are about right except that in japan 360 will have more than 10% market share and in europe 360 will have more market share than that, I am not going to predict how well 360 is going to do in japan and europe but it will be more than that chart says that is for sure.

by Xbox is the best - 2007-02-25 14:05
» sonys dominance

oh by the way I'm glad sonys dominance is over I was tired of hearing playstation is the best for like 8 years now there will be people that like xbox and people that will like playstation just like the 16 bit days when you had people that like super nintendo and people that like genesis.

by billgatessss - 2007-02-25 15:14
» hey just wonted to drop in n say

ps3 will win because xbox360 is such a POS, i mean seriously, this thing breaks easier than britneys virginity.



heard of ppl who are at theyre 3rd and 4th xbox, failure rate of launch consoles are up to about 50 percent



ps3 got_no_competit ion, the 360 killed itself with crappy HW.

maybe your 360 will die 2day, tommorow or maybe a year,but rest assured it will die way before the expected 5 year life span



have a good time waiting for your very own

"red rings of death" xbotz

by freddy3339 - 2007-02-25 17:20
» WHY FIGHT?

Y NOT BUY BOTH THE WII and the ps3 wii u benefit so u could loose the extra pounds and its fun ps3 great way to show off has blu-ray graphics and payin 600 hundred bucks for it is good go look at the bluray players youll see a 1000 price tag so i think its a steal just get both dats my opinion y fight at all

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