Despite its vast lead in the so-called console war, Nintendo is often ignored by core gamers because a perceived lack of ‘hardcore’ games. Not this year. The big N is battling Sony and Microsoft to win back the gamers, and here’s how.
Steven Burke at ChannelWeb writes:
"Here are three reasons why Sony’s PS3 is beating Microsoft (NSDQ:MSFT)’s Xbox 360 in the marketplace."
1. Sony PS3 Is A Better Value Than Xbox 360
Check it out. For $349.99 from Best Buy (NYSE:BBY) you get the new lighter and slimmer PS3 with a 250 Gbyte hard drive, built in Blu-Ray disc player (yes Blu-Ray!), built-in WiFi lets you access the Internet and the FREE PlayStation Network, where you can download exclusive games, movies, TV shows.
2. The PlayStation Network Is Better Than Xbox Live
PlayStation got it right with its Free service to gamers offering unmatched games and game content along with robust Blu-Ray video content from Netflix and major studios.
3. PS3 Is A More Reliable And Better Engineered Product Than Xbox 360.
Yes, engineering and reliability matter particularly for hard core gamers that are banging on a system day in and day out.
Reggie Fils-Aime, President and COO of Nintendo of America, believes that it’s a mistake to say that hardcore gamers have been ignored.
NintendoDpad:
"Super Mario Galaxy for many, was an incredible game this generation and sold to millions of gamers, but don’t think they are going to go soft on us core gamers this time around. Miyamoto explains that this Galaxy will be geared towards the hardcore."
Hey, remember that Gamasutra feature where Michael Pachter said Xbox Twitter was the greatest thing of E3? Yeah, well in that very same feature, Cowen and Company analyst Doug Creutz had some choice words for the PlayStation Motion Controller. Specifically, Creutz believes that while Project Natal may have gotten the bulk of E3 coverage, the PlayStation Motion Controller is the better peripheral for hardcore gamers.
Realtime Worlds man David Jones has expressed his utter delight that APB is as it should be with the business side "going really well" for the team.
It’s "hats off" to Nintendo for nailing motion-control with Wii, now Microsoft has got to appeal to core gamers with "the right kind of killer software," doesn’t believe core games are suited for it.
"We have always started with the core audience and then expanded. A console always needs a solid core of games that appeal to gamers. Look at God of War. We launched that in the seventh year of the Playstation 2 and a lot of people wondered why we did. It’s because we always wanted to keep the support of the core gaming audience.
That’s not to say we’re not doing anything to expand the demographics. Singstar and Buzz are obvious examples. But we need to do this in a controlled way. If you go mainstream too quickly and don’t support the core gaming audience then you lack the pillar to support your platform. Without this pillar you end up with a fickle audience that might be big but will probably move on."
GameStooge’s Jonathon Howard, a longtime Nintendo fan, scoffs at Reggie Fils-Aime’s promise of an "awesome" E3 this year.
Excerpt: Remember last year when Reggie Fils-Aime, the President of Nintendo of America, promised an awesome E3? Remember how we naively believed him, and then were treated to Wii Music? If you need to be refreshed, look at the video above and enjoy watching people who makes six-figure salaries gyrating on stage like idiots.
This is why when Reggie says that Nintendo "always go into E3 with a very high bar, wanting to satisfy not only the core fans but also ourselves," and "we’re hoping to do a much better job this year." I just don’t believe him.
I have a feeling that everything exciting coming out of Nintendo this year has already been revealed: Spirit Tracks, and the Wii Motion Plus. That at this year’s E3, we will again see Nintendo trying to get core gamers excited by products more suited for the casual market. You know, the people who have no idea what E3 is.