Web speculation around a 360 wagglewand grows

[Natoma]

I agree in general, but ps1 switched default controllers midway and seemed to be successful. If either one leave it as a periph, I agree it will be a non issue. However, if either one packs their wii-mote-ripoff in the box, it could get ugly.

What change, adding the rumble feature? Not exactly the same thing.

Personally I love that Nintendo is stickin it to the big dogs of the industry and seems poised to be back on top. But 3rd Party dev support is still slacking at this point and this in the face of record sales. Shouldn't we be hearing crazy things from 3rd party devs now about their support for Wii? Why the long delayed (nonexistant) reaction?

Do they know something we don't, are they stubborn or just waiting for the right time to announce full support?

I've heard tons of things from EA, Activision, Konami, Square-Enix, Capcom, etc about increasing Wii support. But in the end, I'm waiting for E3.

 

[Natoma]

I dont think a wii-mote add on would hurt 360 in the least.

It wont take away from the core, gamepad, hardcore FPS gamer experience, which coincidentally, has served the 360 to some pretty solid sales.

My only point is that there's only two ways to do this. If MS and Sony go for a paradigm shift such as changing the way the controls work, as part of the default scheme, then they risk fragmenting their base between regular users and motion sensing users.

If MS and Sony go for the add on route, then they're only releasing a peripheral. And we know how well peripherals have done in the grand scheme of things.

 

[scooby_dooby]

Didn't people say the same thing when the DS debuted and the PSP was on the horizon?

And isn't the DS becoming succcesful largely on the base of it's new types of games, which many traditional gamers decry as 'non games'?

 

[Natoma]

Well if you listen to shifty geezer, those new type games are few and far between. Who to believe?

As for hardcore gamers, I again point to instances such as DQ9, DS exclusive. Yea it's one example, but it shows that with enough sales, publishers will indeed change where they place their premium games.

 

[Inane_Dork]

The reason why I stated that is because a company has already dived into the realm of fragmenting its base, with catastrophic results.

It's called Sega.

That is a fact of business.

Of course fragmenting the userbase is a bad thing. That's true simply due to how terms are defined.

The issue is whether the userbase would be fragmented or not. I recall people wailing about how the core system would kill the 360 because it would split the userbase. Is the 360 dead? No, it isn't. Sony added an alternate control device to the PS2 after it launched. Was it a catastrophe? No, the EyeToy was widely regarded as a success. Same story for Guitar Hero 1 & 2.

If MS made a controller like the Wiimote, they would be utterly insane to require it. It's such an improbable situation it's not worth serious consideration. It will be an additional controller like the Vision camera is an add-on. It will supplement the userbase at best and it will not affect the userbase at worst.

 

[Natoma]

So if it is just a peripheral, it just won't have the impact of a default control scheme. Which is why I think people talking about MS and Sony killing Nintendo by making a Wiimote add on is just silly.

That's why I said that in terms of full market penetration, PS4/Xbox 720 is the most probable route. I just don't see it happening this generation.

 

[scooby_dooby]

Which is why I think people talking about MS and Sony killing Nintendo by making a Wiimote add on is just silly.

Who exactly is saying that?

 

[Natoma]

Who exactly is saying that?

TheChefO primarily. hehe.

 

[Natoma]

Natoma,
Why can't the consoles peacefully co-exist? Fanning the flames of discontent because "the little guy", Nintendo...the little guy...yeah right , is doing well, seems unnecessary.

Here I was keeping you around!

What?

 

[TheChefO]

What change, adding the rumble feature? Not exactly the same thing.

I've heard tons of things from EA, Activision, Konami, Square-Enix, Capcom, etc about increasing Wii support. But in the end, I'm waiting for E3.

PS1 controller was replaced with a dual analog pad. Significantly different than the single d-pad ps1 shipped with initially.

I've heard of support increasing, but not to the level it should be give the recent sales trend.
E3 might be the place/time to wait for news in this regard.

Regarding doom and gloom for Nintendo, I didn't say it would kill Nintendo. I do think it would severly limit Wii's ability to sell to gamers that currently have a ps3 or xb360 (or a planning to get one) but are also intrigued by Wii's motion controls.