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Radioactive IT Is Microsoft losing the Xbox 360 PR battle?
Radioactive IT Is Microsoft losing the Xbox 360 PR battle? | Is Microsoft losing the Xbox 360 PR battle? |
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| by Mike Bantick | |
| Saturday, 11 August 2007 | |
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To a certain extent Nintendo have been letting Microsoft and Sony fight it out. Between gaffs and price cuts announced by their competitors, Nintendo has simply been selling consoles, both the hand-held DS and the Wii. Despite being the most ‘under-powered’ console on the market, offering only limited non-gaming features and simple online experience, Nintendo’s PR department seems to be the least pressured of the lot. Even the recent E3 Business and Media Summit saw a relaxed Nintendo contingent give a smattering of software release dates along with a couple of bits of plastic to house your Wii-mote controllers (Steering wheel and Wii-Zapper) and a balance board wireless controller. The balance board along with its Wii-Fit software has been met with some derision by the more hard-core gaming community. It is true that, as currently promoted, there is only a limited current-gamer demographic in yet another fitness ‘game’. But imagine the potential for the more hard-core gaming titles; Shooters could include stealth elements or peek-around-corner controls via use of the balance board. Even racing or space combat style games could benefit from the extra controller input. Imaginative game developers could exploit this new control system to create whole new genres of games, both casual and hard-core. The Nintendo issue however, is that this will need to be sometime in the future, for now developers are struggling to come to grips with the current Wii controller. So far only Wii Sports has managed to be a stand-out Wii-mote utiliser. With third party developers feeling the need to cross-platform their titles, chances are that the source of any new IP taking the controllers potential and exploiting it, will need to come from Nintendo themselves. Nintendo PR has the ability to surprise the industry, new Wii channels, Wi-Fi networks for the DS or in other demographic expanding ways. When Nintendo has something to say, it is usually interesting. Still there hasn’t been much to say of late, Nintendo therefore get an iTWire PR rating of B- The funny thing is that with all this analysis one has to wonder who is actually listening. Even those people that have seemingly balanced up the pros and cons of which system to purchase are not aware of what they own. Non gaming issues such as Blu-ray drives, Hi-Def output, Television download services and so on do not seem to be a factor. Even specific “exclusive” titles, such as Halo on Xbox 360, or Metal Gear Solid on the PS3, may not be such a distinguishing element in consumer purchasing decision any-more. Still, don’t give up PR lads & lasses, the gaming industry and media are sincerely in the roller-coaster tussle between who has the biggest Hard Drive or whatnot today. It all makes for great water cooler discussions, if nothing else. |
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