CantGetAWii
WiiChat Member
Despite being light years behind the PS3 and Xbox 360 in terms of technical and graphical capabilities, the Wii is outselling both of them at a preposterous rate each month. Which begs the question: Will the Wii actually outlive its superior rivals?
The Nintendo Wii isn’t really in the same fight as the PS3 and Xbox 360, it’s on a totally different plain of existence. Whether you think its ahead or behind its rivals though is down to personal perspective, and what you value most in a games console.
What is clear however, is that the Wii is outselling both the Sony and Microsoft machines by far each month, and it has got a much broader range of players into it than any console ever made before. And these facts could lead to the Wii outliving both the PS3 and Xbox 360.
Nintendic, a Nintendo supporting website (in case you hadn’t worked that one out from the name) has recently published an article stating their case why the Wii could outlive the PS3 and Xbox 360. Okay, they were bound to say that, but even I, as a neutral (despite what some of the comments here on BLORGE may tell you) found an interesting read, and a quite convincing argument.
Jonathan Schlaffer, our resident Wii hater didn’t find the article quite so convincing, commenting:
“Please God no. It’s a novelty, it’ll wind up collecting dust in a closet while the Xbox 360 and PS3 with their WiFi and Blu-Ray support soldier on. The Wii is nothing more than a child’s toy.”
The bottom line is that technology isn’t always the be all and end all. There are numerous instances down the years of superior products failing to connect with consumers the same way alternative, but inferior, products have done, and the Wii seems right now to be another one to add to the list.
I know from my own experience how the Wii has made its way from pure games machine to the mainstream. My brother, who has never expressed an interest in video gaming, has recently bought a Wii, and was willing to pay over the odds for it too. He’s told me that he’s already spent many an hour playing Wii Sports, and enjoyed it thoroughly. This is a man who last year wouldn’t even play Guitar Hero.
The point is that no matter how powerful a games console is, and the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 are certainly very powerful, if they don’t break out and entice non-gamers in, then the Wii has this next gen battle sewn up.
Yes, Nintendo will probably announce the Wii 2 in a few years time, but in the same way the PS2 is continuing to serve many gamers well, the original Wii could carry on providing fun for millions of people many years from now.
Sony and Microsoft can talk bits, frame rates, high definition gaming, and photo-realistic visuals all they want, but meanwhile, the Wii, with its simple graphics, intuitive controller, and pure fun gaming will continue to dominate at the top of the hardware sales charts.
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