WiiU - Nintendo has announced their new console!

[Jake]

That's actually something I think Nintendo laughs at, and somehow makes it look cool.  Look at the Wii, the thing has sub-par graphics to any console that's out right now, yet it dominated the console market (and may still).  Nintendo was never a company devoted to "hardcore" gaming, which I believe is what made them succeed, as a majority of their sales are to families who want to jump around the room making idiots of themselves at parties and play with their children.

I totally agree with this. The Wii surpassed everyones expectations in sales, because it appealed to families that wanted to have a simple, shallow, fun, experience. The problem is, the Wii doesn't have the staying power that the other consoles have. The amount of people still playing their Wii's is small compared to the 360 and PS3, and that number continues to grow apart. This has resulted in increasingly poorer sales for the system as people lose interest.

BTW, if I recall, M$ and Sony (please God no) are planning to release new consoles in 2014.  Quite a long ways away.

Even if that was true, it's not true anymore. The Wii U came out, and it's a threat. There's no way they're waiting until 2014 to compete with it, especially if it starts taking away market from the 360 and PS3.

[Scotty]

I totally agree with this. The Wii surpassed everyones expectations in sales, because it appealed to families that wanted to have a simple, shallow, fun, experience. The problem is, the Wii doesn't have the staying power that the other consoles have. The amount of people still playing their Wii's is small compared to the 360 and PS3, and that number continues to grow apart. This has resulted in increasingly poorer sales for the system as people lose interest.

To Nintendo though, that's perfectly fine when you think about it from a marketing standpoint.  I checked Wikipedia and they are dominating in units shipped (by a landslide, some ~30 million).  Nintendo doesn't really need to care if people are playing their consoles, as they already have their money.  I haven't touched my wii outside of Netflix in months, which seems to be a common trend amongst others I've spoken with, doesn't take away from the fact that my Wii is another notch on their belt.

Even if that was true, it's not true anymore. The Wii U came out, and it's a threat. There's no way they're waiting until 2014 to compete with it, especially if it starts taking away market from the 360 and PS3.

Have you heard differently?  I know that Sony is planning another (likely failed) handheld, but no updates towards a new console, at least nothing at E3 that I'm aware of.  To say "it's not true anymore" is more of an assumption than it is a fact...  Unless I'm mistaken in that they aren't releasing any news towards a new console.

[Jake]

Have you heard differently?  I know that Sony is planning another (likely failed) handheld, but no updates towards a new console, at least nothing at E3 that I'm aware of.  To say "it's not true anymore" is more of an assumption than it is a fact...  Unless I'm mistaken in that they aren't releasing any news towards a new console.

There's lots of news from inside sources being leaked about the new Xbox, but nothing official yet. Do you really think that Nintendo is the only one readying their next-gen guns? Microsoft hates being late to the punch, as demonstrated by the release of the 360, and the idea that they're going to wait till 2014 is absurd, especially with the huge spike in rumors regarding their new console. There's even been leaks from Ubisoft and other studios that they're working on next-gen games. If we don't see something at the next E3, it's because Microsoft wants to milk every last drop out of Kinect. The next year will be a period of observation, as they closely watch how the Wii U performs. If it does very well, why wouldn't Microsoft speed up the delivery of their new system? We've already seen in the past that Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony are highly competitive, and make marketing decisions that are based on each others actions.

Anyway, that's just my two cents. I'm predicting an E3 2012 reveal, which is very dependent on the Wii U and the Kinects success. If Kinect sales slouch and Wii sales soar, expect to see something big next year. As for Sony, I wouldn't be surprised if they waited until 2014.

As for the Wii, their lifetimes sales are dominating because they spent the first 3 years of the Wii's release printing money. But over time, I've watched as the month to month sales of the 360 and PS3 started to close in on the Wii, and now they're surpassing it. Sony said from the start that they're marathon runners, and they called it perfectly. They're going to be selling PS3's for the next 10 years, while the Wii will be a distant memory.

[T-Rok]

Have you heard differently?  I know that Sony is planning another (likely failed) handheld, but no updates towards a new console, at least nothing at E3 that I'm aware of.  To say "it's not true anymore" is more of an assumption than it is a fact...  Unless I'm mistaken in that they aren't releasing any news towards a new console.

There's lots of news from inside sources being leaked about the new Xbox, but nothing official yet. Do you really think that Nintendo is the only one readying their next-gen guns? Microsoft hates being late to the punch, as demonstrated by the release of the 360, and the idea that they're going to wait till 2014 is absurd, especially with the huge spike in rumors regarding their new console. There's even been leaks from Ubisoft and other studios that they're working on next-gen games. If we don't see something at the next E3, it's because Microsoft wants to milk every last drop out of Kinect. The next year will be a period of observation, as they closely watch how the Wii U performs. If it does very well, why wouldn't Microsoft speed up the delivery of their new system? We've already seen in the past that Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony are highly competitive, and make marketing decisions that are based on each others actions.

Anyway, that's just my two cents. I'm predicting an E3 2012 reveal, which is very dependent on the Wii U and the Kinects success. If Kinect sales slouch and Wii sales soar, expect to see something big next year. As for Sony, I wouldn't be surprised if they waited until 2014.

As for the Wii, their lifetimes sales are dominating because they spent the first 3 years of the Wii's release printing money. But over time, I've watched as the month to month sales of the 360 and PS3 started to close in on the Wii, and now they're surpassing it. Sony said from the start that they're marathon runners, and they called it perfectly. They're going to be selling PS3's for the next 10 years, while the Wii will be a distant memory.

Sony and Microsoft lose money on every console they sell. :]

[Scotty]

There's lots of news from inside sources being leaked about the new Xbox, but nothing official yet. Do you really think that Nintendo is the only one readying their next-gen guns? Microsoft hates being late to the punch, as demonstrated by the release of the 360, and the idea that they're going to wait till 2014 is absurd, especially with the huge spike in rumors regarding their new console.

... Again... Where are the articles?  Where are these "leaks" from insiders?  I've yet to see a single leak about their console.  Sure, I'm hearing how they want to incorporate absurd amounts of technology that are gonna run the price tag up, but that's it.  I never once implied that they haven't been researching the next big thing, in fact I recall hearing how they started planning the next-gen console upon the release of their last (i.e. the 360 or PS3).  The only articles I can find about the next XBox that are remotely accurate are:

http://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-looking-at-releasing-next-xbox-in-2015-2011-3
http://www.geek.com/articles/games/next-xbox-console-arrives-2015-according-to-design-sketch-20110321/
http://www.techradar.com/news/gaming/consoles/xbox-720-every-rumour-about-the-next-xbox-937167

That's just from an initial Google search, each one says 2015 (or the third, which is saying anywhere from 2013 to 2015... sounds promising).  I've yet to read one article that states otherwise.

And seriously?  You're gonna say that "Microsoft hates being late to the punch"?  You are talking about the company that up until Windows 7 was renowned for having the slowest turnaround for operating systems, thought they could make HD-DVD's the newest standard for disk media, and when rushed to meet the competition of "the next big thing", fail miserably (if not bricking their units entirely).

[Matty_Richo]

I think Jake is right, Sony will show us a new console at E3 next year and try to get it out as soon as they can, which could end up with the next Xbox missing a few things so as it can get an earlier release.
The PS4, I dunno, Sony did once state that they wanted the PS3 to last a decade, but that would mean not producing another console until 2017, which I find highly unlikely, Sony will probably do something at E3 2013 and bring it out by the end of 2013.
The Wii U will sky rocket for the first year, and will most likely dominate the 8th gen of consoles.

[CherryPie]

My initial hype went down a bit, after hearing that the controller screen will be a resistive touchscreen. I mean come on, Nintendo, which year do we live in.. freakin 2002?

After using capacitive touch smartphones for the last 5 years, no one wants to apply pressure to a touch based screen anymore, right?

No Multitouch and a Stylus instead of your fingers?
That makes absolutely no sense.. why would someone pause a game to get the stylus out of its case.. the only way you can use the screen properly while using the other buttons and sticks is with your damn fingers..

(not even mentioning, that there won't be a chance for a glass plate to protect the screen like what iDevices or other current Smartphones have)

Well it is okay to make some compromises to get the price below the $400 mark, but seriously..the controller is, if I understood the e3 conferences main message, "the" point in buying the console and the screen will feel like the one of these chinese iPad clones..

source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/13/nintendo-3ds-has-resistive-touchscreen-for-backwards-compatibili/

[Scotty]

My initial hype went down a bit, after hearing that the controller screen will be a resistive touchscreen. I mean come on, Nintendo, which year do we live in.. freakin 2002?

After using capacitive touch smartphones for the last 5 years, no one wants to apply pressure to a touch based screen anymore, right?

No Multitouch and a Stylus instead of your fingers?
That makes absolutely no sense.. why would someone pause a game to get the stylus out of its case.. the only way you can use the screen properly while using the other buttons and sticks is with your damn fingers..

(not even mentioning, that there won't be a chance for a glass plate to protect the screen like what iDevices or other current Smartphones have)

Well it is okay to make some compromises to get the price below the $400 mark, but seriously..the controller is, if I understood the e3 conferences main message, "the" point in buying the console and the screen will feel like the one of these chinese iPad clones..

source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/13/nintendo-3ds-has-resistive-touchscreen-for-backwards-compatibili/

The key sentence in there is "however those same Joystiq sleuths also determined pretty conclusively that the Wii U's bodacious 6.2-inch controller also uses a resistive touchscreen".  Keep in mind the link that they provided mentioned no detail of such a thing.  I'm not saying it isn't a possibility, and I could see it happening, but it looks like they're making assumptions...  Do you have a different article that is more conclusive?  Not trying to be defiant, just curious to see whether or not news has been released saying that these "assumptions" are true.

[Jake]

There's lots of news from inside sources being leaked about the new Xbox, but nothing official yet. Do you really think that Nintendo is the only one readying their next-gen guns? Microsoft hates being late to the punch, as demonstrated by the release of the 360, and the idea that they're going to wait till 2014 is absurd, especially with the huge spike in rumors regarding their new console.

... Again... Where are the articles?  Where are these "leaks" from insiders?  I've yet to see a single leak about their console.  Sure, I'm hearing how they want to incorporate absurd amounts of technology that are gonna run the price tag up, but that's it.  I never once implied that they haven't been researching the next big thing, in fact I recall hearing how they started planning the next-gen console upon the release of their last (i.e. the 360 or PS3).

Originally, my prediction that Microsoft would unveil the next Xbox at the 2012 E3 was just speculation, but it looks like there might be some merit to my statement. According to a "high-ranking industry source at Crytek", they're planning an E3 2012 reveal. http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/117/1176197p1.html

And seriously?  You're gonna say that "Microsoft hates being late to the punch"?  You are talking about the company that up until Windows 7 was renowned for having the slowest turnaround for operating systems, thought they could make HD-DVD's the newest standard for disk media, and when rushed to meet the competition of "the next big thing", fail miserably (if not bricking their units entirely).

Stating what happened with the Windows phone doesn't really help your case. It failed to launch properly, but they still tried hard to get it out there. Yes, they're spotty when it comes to making smart choices, but I think it's apparent that they're very aggressive when trying to make money. I just don't see them waiting till 2013 or later to release their next console.

Sony and Microsoft lose money on every console they sell. :]

Hardware prices aren't a fixed rate.

[CherryPie]

My initial hype went down a bit, after hearing that the controller screen will be a resistive touchscreen. I mean come on, Nintendo, which year do we live in.. freakin 2002?

After using capacitive touch smartphones for the last 5 years, no one wants to apply pressure to a touch based screen anymore, right?

No Multitouch and a Stylus instead of your fingers?
That makes absolutely no sense.. why would someone pause a game to get the stylus out of its case.. the only way you can use the screen properly while using the other buttons and sticks is with your damn fingers..

(not even mentioning, that there won't be a chance for a glass plate to protect the screen like what iDevices or other current Smartphones have)

Well it is okay to make some compromises to get the price below the $400 mark, but seriously..the controller is, if I understood the e3 conferences main message, "the" point in buying the console and the screen will feel like the one of these chinese iPad clones..

source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/13/nintendo-3ds-has-resistive-touchscreen-for-backwards-compatibili/

The key sentence in there is "however those same Joystiq sleuths also determined pretty conclusively that the Wii U's bodacious 6.2-inch controller also uses a resistive touchscreen".  Keep in mind the link that they provided mentioned no detail of such a thing.  I'm not saying it isn't a possibility, and I could see it happening, but it looks like they're making assumptions...  Do you have a different article that is more conclusive?  Not trying to be defiant, just curious to see whether or not news has been released saying that these "assumptions" are true.

"Hardware images released by Nintendo show a stylus being used on the touch screen, indicating resistive technology at work as capacitive screens require special styluses to function."

People who tested the controller at e3 said that the styluses are out of the same material as their 3ds equivalents, which means they would not work on capacitive screens - this is indicating that at least the e3 devices weren't equipped with capacitive screens.

Somehow I understand Nintendo.. they showed a video with drawing capabilities and we all know that drawing on a capacitive screen is a hell of a pain, but I still think that these drawing abilities will only appear in 5% (if no less) of the games with zero % being core titles..

[T-Rok]

Sony and Microsoft lose money on every console they sell. :]

Hardware prices aren't a fixed rate.

Doesn't change the fact they lose money on every sale. It's why the games are so expensive. Every time someone buys a 360 or a PS3, they lose money. This is why Microsoft refused to sell consoles to the US Army. Because they were buying them as cheap servers, and not game consoles, Microsoft would lose insane amounts of money. Its an old story, but it still stands.
http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2010/02/microsoft-refused-to-sell-xbox-360s-to-the-military-for-training/

[Jake]

Sony and Microsoft lose money on every console they sell. :]

Hardware prices aren't a fixed rate.

Doesn't change the fact they lose money on every sale. It's why the games are so expensive. Every time someone buys a 360 or a PS3, they lose money. This is why Microsoft refused to sell consoles to the US Army. Because they were buying them as cheap servers, and not game consoles, Microsoft would lose insane amounts of money. Its an old story, but it still stands.
http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2010/02/microsoft-refused-to-sell-xbox-360s-to-the-military-for-training/

Obviously you didn't understand what I was saying. If hardware prices get cheaper over time, it is only logical that consoles will start to make a profit on each one sold. The article you posted doesn't even say that Microsoft is taking a loss on selling 360's. More than likely, they probably don't want to be known as an organization that trains soldiers to kill people. And yes, it does matter if it's an old story if hardware prices aren't a fixed rate.

Robbie Bach, who works for Microsoft, said that they'll finally break even on each xbox 360 sold in 2007. That was 4 years ago. Are you telling me that hardware prices for the 360 have stayed the same for the past 4 years? -http://kotaku.com/257614/bach-well-make-money-on-xbox-next-year

[T-Rok]

Sony and Microsoft lose money on every console they sell. :]

Hardware prices aren't a fixed rate.

Doesn't change the fact they lose money on every sale. It's why the games are so expensive. Every time someone buys a 360 or a PS3, they lose money. This is why Microsoft refused to sell consoles to the US Army. Because they were buying them as cheap servers, and not game consoles, Microsoft would lose insane amounts of money. Its an old story, but it still stands.
http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2010/02/microsoft-refused-to-sell-xbox-360s-to-the-military-for-training/

Obviously you didn't understand what I was saying. If hardware prices get cheaper over time, it is only logical that consoles will start to make a profit on each one sold. The article you posted doesn't even say that Microsoft is taking a loss on selling 360's. More than likely, they probably don't want to be known as an organization that trains soldiers to kill people. And yes, it does matter if it's an old story if hardware prices aren't a fixed rate.

Robbie Bach, who works for Microsoft, said that they'll finally break even on each xbox 360 sold in 2007. That was 4 years ago. Are you telling me that hardware prices for the 360 have stayed the same for the past 4 years? -http://kotaku.com/257614/bach-well-make-money-on-xbox-next-year

They haven't stayed the same, but the consumers also pay less. They are still losing money on every sale. Right now their gimmick to make them make money instead of lose it, is the Kinect.

[Jake]

They haven't stayed the same, but the consumers also pay less. They are still losing money on every sale. Right now their gimmick to make them make money instead of lose it, is the Kinect.

I still have yet to see one shred of evidence to support your statement that they're losing money on each sale. That may have been true 3 or 4 years ago, but not anymore. The technology for the 360 is becoming cheaper and cheaper with every passing month, which is what allows them to lower the price.

[CherryPie]

I think we should get back on topic guys! ;)

what do you guys think on this:
http://kotaku.com/5812381/the-wii-us-online-strategy-is-a-rorschach-blot

Nintendo is finally starting a "real" competitor against XBL and the PSN. They also said that you could hotplug external HDDs, so there shouldn't be much of a problem.

Facebook integration and voice chat were kind of promised from iwata but still..do you think the same nintendo who was using an extremely outdated friendcode system for the wii could really catch up to XBL and PSN?