Japanese Mag: Wii vs PS3

[TheChefO]

http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3403&Itemid=2

Here’s what gamers said are the consoles they’re most interested in buying:

73.6%: Wii
16.7%: PS3
9.7%: neither

Of retailers, here are the consoles they find most appealing:

65.9%: Wii
18.8%: neither
15.3%: PS3

Below are game maker’s interest in the PS3 and Wii.

69.7%: Wii
27.3%: PS3
3%: neither

...Others think the Wii will become the dominant console in Japan, with the PS3 seeing overseas dominance (the common belief is that foreigners are so fond of Sony and the PlayStation brand that they would buy the PS3 whatever the price tag).

Looks like Wii will dominate in Japan (at least initially).



If one takes Japan out of the projected success of ps3, it appears their strongest market this gen will be Europe. As has been pointed out, Europeans will not be facing sticker shock with ps3 as the price is very close to the launch price of ps2 in this region. In the U.S. (and Japan) the price is a big factor and they will be trying to grab marketshare back from 360 which will be a much stronger competitor in the U.S. due to a heavy lineup of titles which are more desireable by U.S. gamers like Halo 3, gta4, and Madden at a significantly lower pricepoint.

So by my estimations:

Japan - Wii
EU - PS3
U.S. - 360

Where the systems fall in line after the leaders in each region will determine their overall success but I predict a very close race overall.

 

[patsu]

I actually like Wii although I call it a toy in some of my posts (Sony may have under-estimated the meaning and power of that word).

They need to make it exceptionally hardy (like in all Nintendo hardware). My son is going to fling that stick. But we all will be happy and laughing doing it.

 

[nelg]

Does anyone have the specs on the neither console?

 

[RancidLunchmeat]

I like the fact that more retailers find neither console appealing than find the PS3 appealing.

Ouch.

 

[TheChefO]

no wonder MS isn't succesfull in Japan - you can't expect to do well when you brand your latest console "neither" and expect Japanese to buy it in droves, although it does seem to be holding its own against ps3 there.

 

[Acert93]

Does anyone have the specs on the neither console?

OT: nelg, that has to be one of the funniest things I have read in weeks. Thanks for the laugh!

As for the poll (not that they mean much...) it is shocking how quickly Nintendo could grab mindshare in certain demographics. They burned a lot of bridges with the N64 and GCN and it seems they are doing a lot "right" in the eye of public perception. If they come in at $199 as they traditionally have and continue on a modest price and cost reduction plan I think Wii may surprise us all if the software lives up to the hype. And yet I still don't feel compelled to buy one... my Wife and GCN are gonna murder me for that! haha

 

[hey69]

i will loose faith in something ( i dont know what but..) if that overpriced overclocked gamecube with a nunchuck controller is ruling the console world in japan in the long run

 

[RancidLunchmeat]

i will loose faith in something ( i dont know what but..) if that overpriced overclocked gamecube with a nunchuck controller is ruling the console world in japan in the long run

Umm.. Yep. The COD3 shots should tell you all you need to know about the Wii's viability this generation.

 

[TheChefO]

i will loose faith in something ( i dont know what but..) if that overpriced overclocked gamecube with a nunchuck controller is ruling the console world in japan in the long run

How do you feel about ds v psp in Japan?

 

[nelg]

The poll also shows that as Japanese females age they like Wii's more.

Female Students:

50%: neither
37.5%: PS3
12.5%: Wii

Business women:

36.4%: Wii
33.3%: PS3
30.3%: neither

Housewives:

47.6%: neither
42.9%: Wii
9.5%: PS3

 

[Arwin]

How do you feel about ds v psp in Japan?

I'm not sure. But I do think that the PSP has a decent lifespan ahead of it. The release of proper Tekken, MGS and Final Fantasy games in the future should help. The performance of NSMB vs Loco Roco really shows you what a strong brand-name can do.

Anyway, I predict the same for the Wii - on the short term, they should be able to pull ahead of the PS3.

Like the DS, though, the Wii is designed to peak much earlier in its lifetime. The Playstations will reach their peak a little later, but once they do, I expect that peak to be of Himalayan proportions.

 

[ChryZ]

I'm looking forward to Wii, but as owner of a 3rd-party-starved GC I must say the enthusiasm is a good start, but Nintendo still got a LOT work to do. It's not handheld-land, get cracking Nintendo!

 

[TheChefO]

I'm not sure. But I do think that the PSP has a decent lifespan ahead of it. The release of proper Tekken, MGS and Final Fantasy games in the future should help. The performance of NSMB vs Loco Roco really shows you what a strong brand-name can do.

Anyway, I predict the same for the Wii - on the short term, they should be able to pull ahead of the PS3.

Like the DS, though, the Wii is designed to peak much earlier in its lifetime. The Playstations will reach their peak a little later, but once they do, I expect that peak to be of Himalayan proportions.

http://forum.pcvsconsole.com/viewthread.php?tid=18210

When one considers ds outsold ps2 software wise in Japan last year it seems clear to me that Japanese people as a whole are tired of the same old same old. I think this latest poll reflects that and I expect this general direction towards innovation to carry into sales in Japan beyond just the initial launch period. Unless Sony can get some truly innovative software on ps3 quickly, which is again more risky as development costs rise, I don't see things changing for them in Japan.

Que the circus music as we are about to see the greatest balancing act in the world.

 

[pc999]

no wonder MS isn't succesfull in Japan - you can't expect to do well when you brand your latest console "neither" and expect Japanese to buy it in droves, although it does seem to be holding its own against ps3 there.

"Neither" probably also include DS/PSP/PS2 so take of some good amount of people from the 360.

 

[DUALDISASTER]

This is obviously because of price. Sony better stay on their toes of they want to be on top. There's still a sliver lining, Sony has built up a killer 1st party line-up. GOW, Shypon filter, Team ICO, plus Konami's backing. Now all Sony needs to is make the price worth it. At any rate i don't see a reason to buy a Wii other than to play one game, and that's not enough to buy a system. Price seems to be the only problem...but we'll see. Those stats mean little to nothing in my book until all systems are out.

 

[inefficient]

They only polled 216 gamers?! You could get simillar news worthy material by just by asking the same question on this forum.

I should point out that the magazine is named "Otona Fami" meaning "Adult Fami". When the editor says "the casual version of the Weekly Famitsu" he means the mag is for really casual gamers. You know, those Japanese salary men who play golf games on the commuter trains on their DS or PSP - and thats probably the only game they own. It's audience is geezers and housewives.

BTW, every Japanese gamer I've talked to (In the working 25-35 range) does complain that the ps3 is expensive. But I know every single one of them will suck it down and buy one when it does launch.

 

[hey69]

How do you feel about ds v psp in Japan?

thats totaly different. i think they are complementary to each other and also not comparable to home consoles. I'v had both. i liked the ds as the psp but lets get honest here, the DS has crap for gfx and excells at simple games (aside a few good other type of games)
imagine there was no xbox or playstation. you would get stuck with ancient tecnologie for years and years...

then again, i'm not a casual gamer

 

[inefficient]

http://forum.pcvsconsole.com/viewthread.php?tid=18210

When one considers ds outsold ps2 software wise in Japan last year it seems clear to me that Japanese people as a whole are tired of the same old same old. I think this latest poll reflects that and I expect this general direction towards innovation to carry into sales in Japan beyond just the initial launch period. Unless Sony can get some truly innovative software on ps3 quickly, which is again more risky as development costs rise, I don't see things changing for them in Japan.

That post you linked is wrong. And if you scrolled down a little lower in that link you posted you would know that.

In 2005 ps2 games sales droped from 58% of total to 52.5% of total games sold. DS was 21.2% of total sales last year.

 

[TheChefO]

That post you linked is wrong. And if you scrolled down a little lower in that link you posted you would know that.

In 2005 ps2 games sales droped from 58% of total to 52.5% of total games sold. DS was 21.2% of total sales last year.

I apologize for the bad link but researching the link in full did not seem necessary as I assumed the info was legit coming from this site.

http://forum.pcvsconsole.com/viewthread.php?tid=17985

This link does seem legit from what I can tell and paints a similar picture with one caveat. While the breadth of software available on DS does not compare to what is available on ps2, it does show that of the top 10 games sold last year in Japan, 6 of them were for ds with the other 4 going to ps2 while only 19 of the top 100 were for DS. This spells out lack of software limiting software sales but the quality software which is available is outselling ps2 titles in Japan.

I stand by my point that Japan as a whole will not support ps3 in the same fashion they did with ps2 and in the end I expect Wii to lead this region.

1. 1,169,757 - Animal Crossing: Wild World (DS)
2. 1,066,749 - Gran Turismo 4 (PS2)
3. 1,011,341 - Brain Training (DS)
4. 965,665 - Nintendogs (DS)
5. 923,288 - Winning Eleven 9 (PS2)
6. 917,985 - Dynasty Warriors 5 (PS2)
7. 875,371 - Gentle Brain Exercises (DS)
8. 770,391 - Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop! (DS)
9. 737,652 - Kingdom Hearts II (PS2)
10. 669,575 - Mario Kart DS (DS)

With these being the top selling games last year in Japan what does this tell us? Japanese appreciate great graphics of course but they are not the driver of the market. Titles like brain training and animal crossing aren't exactly bleeding edge graphic-wise, yet they are top sellers. Point is if Nintendo can bring some of this same original & appealing software to Wii in Japan (which is likely), they will lead.

To those that disregard this poll that's fine, but how about the other poll which questioned j-devs after e3? The general worldwide sentiment (outside Europe) is ps3 is too expensive and there is nothing that can be done about that without changing the current spec which is unlikely to happen at this point. More importantly, this cost premium will continue to exist through the life of the console limiting it's sales compared to it's competitors which in the meantime while everyone is waiting for the price to drop, MS and N will be getting greater and greater software support from developers wanting to turn profit today instead of waiting for an affordable ps3 to hit the streets. By the time there is an "affordable" ps3 available will gamers want one if most of the same games can be had on systems $100-50 cheaper?

 

[ZiFF]

Wii does not kill PS3 in Japan. It just doesnt.

The experiences they offer are very different. HDTV adaptation is strong in Japan and people will want the content that only PS3 can offer.