IGN: Nintendo a Niche Player? Sony Stabs MS in Article!

[Nirey]

http://cube.ign.com/articles/610/610990p1.html

Nintendo a Niche Player?
Yes, according to Microsoft's Bill Gates. Full story.
by Matt Casamassina
May 6, 2005 - Microsoft's new Xbox 360 console is still several months off from its rumored November debut, but the next-generation of trash talking has already begun.


A new article published by Business Week Online suggests that Microsoft head Bill Gates is more worried about Sony's next-generation console than he is Nintendo's. In the article, Gates seems to dismiss Nintendo's forthcoming Revolution console.
"Now people are looking really at two companies," Gates says on the subject of the next-generation consoles.. "I'd say that everyone's watching what Sony will come out with for this next generation, and what will we come out with, and who can be the leader this time around. Both companies will be very big on it. Nintendo is more likely to be a niche player this time around."

In a follow-up article, Sony takes a stab at Microsoft's new Xbox 360 console, painting the picture that it could be a mere marginal update to the current console.

"We look at delivering a quantum leap in technology, not just Xbox version 1.5," Sony spokeswoman Molly Smith is quoted as saying.

Ouch.

Expect more big words from the big three as the Electronics Entertainment Expo 2005 approaches.

 

[-NakedZ-]

Last time I heard...or in this case, read (rumor), Sony is offering attendees free ride to MS' conference.

- Z

 

[Qroach]

"We look at delivering a quantum leap in technology"

Not fooled, can they explain how this "quantum leap" in technology will translate into a better game experience?

 

[DuckThor Evil]

can they explain how this "quantum leap" in technology will translate into a better game experience?

I would rather hear an explanation how come this clown (nirey) still has balls to post here.

 

[Jon Brittan]

"We look at delivering a quantum leap in technology"

Not fooled, can they explain how this "quantum leap" in technology will translate into a better game experience?

It's actually a sneaky way of announcing their first AAA title for the PS3, gamers will get the chance to play as Sam Beckett, leaping around time it will be a new gaming experience with players finding themselves in copletely different time periods with completely different objectives for every level...

Seriously though, I'm amazed some of these marketing people don't manage to embarrass themselves with some of these quotes... Still, I doubt anyone will say anything to Molly Smith when it turns out (probably) that XB360 and PS3 are very close in terms of performance.

 

[cthellis42]

It's actually a sneaky way of announcing their first AAA title for the PS3, gamers will get the chance to play as Sam Beckett, leaping around time it will be a new gaming experience with players finding themselves in copletely different time periods with completely different objectives for every level...

<laughs> Ok, I'm sorry, thread over... Teh winnar!

 

[PiNkY]

We look at delivering a quantum leap in technology

Considering a "quantum leap" is kind of the smallest state change possible...

 

[Titanio]

Whatever about quantum leaps, I'd agree slightly that Sony do seem a little more product-driven with regards to PS3 than MS is with X360 - the latter's timing is certainly more borne out of market factors/money/profit etc. than product features. Sony are obviously going to capitalise that with their PR, and they already started doing so last E3 when they talked about bringing out a machine on their own timetable, when the machine itself was ready and when they were in a position to offer the kind of step up they wanted versus, they would say, MS's "rush" to the market with what they would claim is a somewhat compromised machine. I know that's a simplification, and I know PS3 won't be far behind in terms of timing, but it's hard not to see even a little truth in that.

 

[see colon]

so are you saying you think xbox360 will be the dreamcast of this coming generation?

 

[Titanio]

so are you saying you think xbox360 will be the dreamcast of this coming generation?

No. Where did you get that from?

Seriously, some people are WAY too defensive..

 

[see colon]

No. Where did you get that from?

your description of xbox 360, being rushed to market and it being technologicly inferior to sony's offerings.

Seriously, some people are WAY too defensive..

how? i was asking if you drew any similarities to the DC. i do, and not all bad ones either. the DC did a lot of things right. some things (like manufacturer supported VGA out and VMU's) that haven't really been duplicated by anyone else this generation. i have a feeling xbox 360 is going to bring some interesting stuff to the table, but i wonder if it's coming out too early for it's own good.

 

[PC-Engine]

You have to remember that DC launched 18 months ahead of PS2 so the technology was very old. Also DC launched at $200 while PS2 launched at $300.

Those two factors in addition to the bad taste gamers had with 32X, Saturn, etc. also affected DC.

 

[Titanio]

No. Where did you get that from?

your description of xbox 360, being rushed to market and it being technologicly inferior to sony's offerings.

I'm saying that's how Sony would see it, and just that I can see some truth in that. That doesn't make it another Dreamcast (there definitely are some parallels, but I mean in the sense that it doesn't make it another "failure" - from a market perspective - like Dreamcast was).

You have to remember that DC launched 18 months ahead of PS2 so the technology was very old. Also DC launched at $200 while PS2 launched at $300.

Those two factors in addition to the bad taste gamers had with 32X, Saturn, etc. also affected DC.

All true, but MS could materially improve their system from a feature point of view if they just waited 6-12 months (e.g. they could have a next-gen DVD drive or THE next-gen dvd drive, if things work out, for one), but obviously other factors (marketshare, profit etc.) are driving them more. As it is, there will now be a seperation in certain areas between X360 and PS3 (and possibly even Rev) in terms of features and to one degree or another in terms of power (which even if small, will be jumped on by Sony as a big marketing point).

 

[PC-Engine]

Well MS could easily just release a premium Xenon with a HD optical drive next year for movie playpack. They wouldn't be able to use the extra capacity for games though, not that big a lost.

 

[Titanio]

Well MS could easily just release a premium Xenon with a HD optical drive next year for movie playpack. They wouldn't be able to use the extra capacity for games though, not that big a lost.

I really don't think this'd happen, in terms of non-gaming hardware functionality, I think it's either in or out from the start. I always hesitate to mention DC in threads like this, but that reminds me of when Sega started bundling DVD players with Dreamcast This only make the original launch look even more premature imo. If they're not going to include it from the start, best not to give it credit by acknowledging it later.

 

[see colon]

i recall all of that. i also recall the dreamcast being one of the better launches in sega's history, having a pretty solid launch library and decent 3rd party support sans-EA.

do you think microsoft truncating this console generation by almost 2 years (launching a year late with xbox and at least a year early with 360) might leave a bad taste in some gamers mouths? especialy those who have as recently as this holiday season picked up an xbox?

 

[Titanio]

i recall all of that. i also recall the dreamcast being one of the better launches in sega's history, having a pretty solid launch library and decent 3rd party support sans-EA.

Totally agree. I remember reading about it when it was first unveiled and thinking "wow, sega have got their s*** together". It was a great system.

do you think microsoft truncating this console generation by almost 2 years (launching a year late with xbox and at least a year early with 360) might leave a bad taste in some gamers mouths? especialy those who have as recently as this holiday season picked up an xbox?

..and especially those of us in europe, who won't have owned a Xbox for 4 years once X360 arrives? Hehe. I bought a Xbox just last year, so I'm a pretty recent owner, and honestly I don't mind a whole lot. But I don't think I'm a typical gamer, I'm pretty hardcore about it. I'm not sure if it'll leave a bitter aftertaste. But I do think people may be less willing to jump on the bandwagon immediately. By the time people like that (recent Xbox purchasers) are looking at another console purchase, X360 probably won't be the only option on the block.

 

[PC-Engine]

Well MS could easily just release a premium Xenon with a HD optical drive next year for movie playpack. They wouldn't be able to use the extra capacity for games though, not that big a lost.

I really don't think this'd happen, in terms of non-gaming hardware functionality, I think it's either in or out from the start. I always hesitate to mention DC in threads like this, but that reminds me of when Sega started bundling DVD players with Dreamcast This only make the original launch look even more premature imo. If they're not going to include it from the start, best not to give it credit by acknowledging it later.

SEGA never bundled DVD players AFAIK. Besides why would it be any different from say a HDD less Xenon package vs a Xenon package with a HDD? Or for example the Xbox package without DVD remote vs package with.

 

[Titanio]

SEGA never bundled DVD players AFAIK. Besides why would it be any different from say a HDD less Xenon package vs a Xenon package with a HDD? Or for example the Xbox package without DVD remote vs package with.

Sega did, but it may not have been in all markets. I'd have to look it up.

edit - here's a link: http://www.megagames.com/news/html/console/segaaddsdvdtodreamcast.shtml
They actually did it right here in europe.

Re. different versions. Yes, that's possible, but it'd be very messy. If you already have a HD version of X360 and a HD-less version, then you're going to have at least one more version on the shelves. Or, you could roll it into the HD version, but then your next-gen DVD playing version likely costs much more than your competitor that has that as standard. It'd just be very confusing for the customer too, especially since there'd be no add-on available to upgrade non-next-gen-DVD systems to next-gen-DVD systems.

Any way you look at it, it's just very very messy - it's possible, but I couldn't see them going to that trouble. A voucher for a quality dedicated stand-alone next-gen-DVD player with every system would be the best solution (though the games still get no gain)

 

[PC-Engine]

SEGA never bundled DVD players AFAIK. Besides why would it be any different from say a HDD less Xenon package vs a Xenon package with a HDD? Or for example the Xbox package without DVD remote vs package with.

Sega did, but it may not have been in all markets. I'd have to look it up.

edit - here's a link: http://www.megagames.com/news/html/console/segaaddsdvdtodreamcast.shtml
They actually did it right here in europe.

That just says they had planned to. Did it actually happen? Anyway that's a really stupid idea because a standalone DVD player would be pretty costly since it has a drive and all the chips required for hardware DVD playback. My idea would be a lot better ie provide a premium version of the console with the drive builtin. You lose less money per console this way. Why do you think the HDD isn't standard this time around? I don't think it's any messier than having the HDD as an option. For people who actually care about HD movie playback, they'll wait for that edition of the console or buy one at launch and trade it in later as needed.