PS3 2.41 update arrives early as Microsoft calls Wii 'œnovelty'

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Tuesday, 08 July 2008 20:48

Opinion and Analysis

Gamasutra then cleverly asked about Nintendo making a “Wii 2” to give Wii owners something to graduate from.

Greenberg’s answer was fascinating, saying: “Everyone says that eventually the novelty will wear off, right? I think that a lot of the people that are buying that console today are not people that have generally bought consoles in the past, right?”

Greenberg then says: “You see they're not buying games on it, right? They're buying it, it's like something they break out when people come over, and it's maybe a fun thing, but it's almost like the same people that buy a karaoke machine, you know? They're not really buying it for games, they're just buying it as a novelty."

Well, where’s the proof Wii owners aren’t buying games? There are tons of games available for the Wii system. And karaoke is a damn popular pastime – just look at Singstar on the Playstation!

Don’t tell us karaoke isn’t popular. It’s helped Sony establish its own cred in the ‘casual gaming space’, along with the Buzz games and even the Eye-toy.

Yes, Microsoft has Viva Pinata, Scene It and no doubt other casual games I can’t think of. But Nintendo and then Sony hold the “casual gaming” space far more than Microsoft does.

E3 will be the venue where each company will take the chance to “wow” us with their new developments. Each has promised something special.

I look forward to seeing just how “special” all those promised developments are, and what impact it has on sales for each console. So far all three consoles are doing well, and seem likely to continue down that path for some time to come.

The question is whether one will announce a game-changer next week, so to speak. Sadly the wait is like seeing “loading” on the screen, loading, loading, loading.

The next level of the battle of the gaming titans finishes loading next week at E3, and the battle will begin afresh for domination throughout the rest of 2008.

Get your controllers ready, boys and girls, it’s going to be one hell of a fight!