Post by: TheYoungerPlumber on November 08, 2004, 02:13:20 PM
Microsoft’s Home & Entertainment vice presidents Robbie Bach & Peter Moore presented Microsoft’s perception of the handheld market and, more specifically, Sony’s PSP, when questioned during a Halo 2 launch event.
Microsoft’s representatives reinforced the company’s stance that the handheld gaming market is distinct from the console market. Bach alluded to Nintendo’s failed GameCube-GBA connectivity movement to support Microsoft’s belief that handheld gaming is a completely different market.
Bach coyly stated MS will not complain if Sony is distracted from its console business in a handheld war with Nintendo; Microsoft is not convinced Sony can succeed with Nintendo’s strong history in the handheld sector. He explained that the situation is analogous to "developing your own little operating system and saying, 'Well, I'm going to challenge Windows.' ".
Post by: KnowsNothing on November 08, 2004, 02:28:08 PM
Post by: nemo_83 on November 08, 2004, 02:39:33 PM
Post by: Bill Aurion on November 08, 2004, 03:10:37 PM
Post by: Darc Requiem on November 08, 2004, 03:28:34 PM
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Originally posted by: Bill Aurion
I think it has to do more with MS not wanting to support Sony's console(since they are first) so they are going to help Ninty(who is currently behind them)...Fairly simple strategy, and how Ninty does in the handheld industry really doesn't affect how they do in the console industry...So in other words, helps MS, helps Ninty, hurts Sony...(at least, that's what they are hoping)
Excellent observation Bill. Its the classic..."the enemy of my enemy is my friend stance" MS is right though. Sony is really gonna have to energy and time on PSP if they hope to unseat Nintendo in the handheld market. The more time they spend on PSP the more vulnerable they will be to Xenon and Revolution. At least in the US, the X-box has been beating the PS2 for the last 6 months or so.
Darc Requiem
Post by: nemo_83 on November 08, 2004, 03:38:05 PM
Post by: TheYoungerPlumber on November 08, 2004, 03:48:08 PM
In some crazy way, Nintendo and Microsoft are monopoly buddies. Nintendo's stranglehold on the handheld market is like a funhouse mirror reflection of Microsoft's grip on operating systems and standard business applications. If Nintendo can't hold its own with 14+ years of domination in the handheld market, that could disturb Microsoft.
By saying "Nintendo will stay strong b/c of its history as #1" it is also saying "Microsoft will stay strong b/c of its history as #1." That's what Bach was saying.
Post by: Djunknown on November 08, 2004, 04:33:59 PM
Now if MS somehow 'lets' Rare do a DS title
Post by: Mario on November 08, 2004, 04:34:40 PM
Oddly enough i'm starting to gain a little more respect for the Xbox and MS. As far as i'm concerned Sony are the real bad guys in videogames, while MS are pouring billions into making sure their Xbox system is satisfying gamers. The only reason I own a PS2 is because it has lots of third party games I want that are only on there because of the huge userbase. I'd much rather have bought them on an Xbox..
Post by: VideoGamerJ on November 08, 2004, 06:43:51 PM
Post by: The Omen on November 08, 2004, 09:07:53 PM
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PSP targets a whole different audience though, it will sell to people who own PS2s and have never played a Nintendo game and never gave a second thought to getting an underpowered Gameboy.
Disagree completely. Millions of PS2 owners already own the NINTENDO GBA. They trust Nintendo handhelds as much as they trust Sony as their console. I think many will go for the DS and not the PSP. If you have a PS2, why would you want the same games on a portable that has 2 hours of battery life with all options utilized?(CONFIRMED by a Sony head honcho recently.)
And yeah, now if MS would give the DS some Rare games to beat up on the PSP, that would be sweet.
Post by: KDR_11k on November 08, 2004, 10:20:19 PM
Post by: Nephilim on November 09, 2004, 12:51:46 AM
were psp will be in all stores, and in the end will be marked down and will sell the stock they orginally got
Post by: Bill Aurion on November 09, 2004, 01:16:36 AM
If it does poorly enough at least some 3rd parties will decide it's not worth the time and expense to do PSP games...
Post by: Spak-Spang on November 09, 2004, 03:58:19 AM
Once upon a time. We never heard of Sony and gaming together...and they managed with an inferior system (that appeared to be far superior) take down Nintendo which had huge marketshare and creditability.
PSP is positioned itself to be the system that takes down Nintendo in the handheld market. And it isn't a question of if it will sell, IT WILL SELL. The question is will the loses they make this generation with the PSP be worth the next generation portable battle for Sony. Will losing millions of dollars on the PSP make the PSP2 worth it when Sony now has the popular image for the handheld market? I dunno. It really depends on investors and how the PS3 goes.
If the PS3 goes well, and they get the number 1 console spot again, then the investors will probably be glad that the PSP2 will be made and hopefully continue the Sony dominance. However, if the PS3 is struggling with Xbox2, or Revolution then investors will look at the PSP as a waste of money, that spread their resources too thin.
Nintendo is willing to fight, and fight hard for their handheld market. It is what has kept them afloat and very profitable. Nintendo launches Pokemon DS, and the handheld war is over in Japan.
NOA is positioning the DS Metroid to have a killer multiplayer experience. Are they looking for that "DS Halo" effect with this game. A game that is so good people will buy the system just for that? Yeah I think they are.
Basically, Nintendo isn't in good shape with the DS batting the PSP, but neither is Sony in a great shape battling Nintendo, and eventually MS.
Post by: Lokno on November 09, 2004, 05:51:03 AM
So, that said, both fo these console are risky, and when all is said and done, and as Bach said it, the GBA is still king in this market. Do not confuse what's going on here and Nintendo 64 vs Playstation, be it similar. The portable market is a 2D market, with simple graphics and low developer costs. A switch to disk media isn't the golden key here, when battery life and skipping problems will no doubt be packaged with it. I agree they will both sell, but it's not going to be anything to write home about.
Post by: couchmonkey on November 09, 2004, 06:41:49 AM
As for Microsoft's comments, I think the company is strategizing. If Nintendo loses the handheld part of the industry to Sony, that makes it that much harder for Microsoft to win. If Sony is #1 on the console side and Nintendo is #1 on the handheld side, that creates a balance of power that Microsoft can use to weaken both sides. Coincidentally, it's like playing Halo. When two armies of aliens are fighting each other, it's best to hide in the shadows while they take each other down, and then run out shooting at the winning side when you see that the losers are almost done for. Right now, Microsoft is still hiding in the shadows, but they just poked out to throw a grenade at Sony.
Post by: Spak-Spang on November 09, 2004, 07:17:32 AM
I am not looking at portable gaming for the first time as potentially my main gaming. I find myself playing the Gamecube less, and playing the GBA more. Now, I want to play my DS more then any Gamecube games and I don't even have the system. I am hoping I can find DS parties to play wireless and such, and I never desired that kind of gaming.
Portable gaming is very different, in the means it attracts any person that will have to be waiting, and or traveling as a normal routine.
couchmonkey: I don't think Microsoft is even thinking that Nintendo is a threat. Nintendo is so drastically different in behaviors and marketing than Microsoft I think MS believes Nintendo a nonissue. Where Sony is aggressively marketing the same audience that they are. They are competing for the same exclusive games and marketshare.
Anything Microsoft can do to hurt Sony they will. Where they won't do that to Nintendo until they become a greater threat, or actually even a risk of threat.
Post by: Lokno on November 09, 2004, 07:18:56 AM
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Originally posted by: couchmonkey
I disagree, Lokno. I think that the Gameboy Advance will enjoy a long, profitable retirement...
Again, I think it's a mistake to imply history here, when the Gameboy has never been replaced. The NES and PS1 ( Not PSOne, that's that silly smaller Playstation that replaced it) were replaced. I'm saying the DS is not a replacement for the SP, and you didn't do a lot to refute that here. If people are in fact interested in more and more portable devices, then they can certainly handle the GBA and the DS and the PSP all in the same market together.
Post by: SgtShiversBen on November 09, 2004, 07:28:06 AM
Post by: Lokno on November 09, 2004, 07:32:59 AM
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Originally posted by: Spak-Spang
Lokno: I disagree. I don't think people view portable gaming as a luxury device for gaming...
Well, I guess I'm not going to get an agreement anytime soon, eh? You may disagree with me, but I'm not going to disgree with anything you said. In fact, I'm only trying to say that I don't believe the GBA fall out of use because of these new consoles, and I don't think you disagree with me there. Reggie has recently stated that Nintendo is marketing the GBA to gamers around the age of 14, and the DS to 17 year olds. They expect these console to survive to together, and so do I.
Post by: Spak-Spang on November 09, 2004, 08:25:19 AM
Post by: nolimit19 on November 10, 2004, 06:10:36 PM
Post by: ChaNoKin on November 11, 2004, 07:06:27 AM
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Originally posted by: Spak-Spang
Lokni: Ok. For average gamers I can see how portable gaming is a luxury...but portable gaming also has a second market. The one I tried to describe. Its an interesting market. Right now its the market that is willing to play crappy games on cellphones. They just want something to do with their down time.
I think that market will go for the DS because of the price, I would rather get a DS and a game than a PSP alone.
For a geek like myself wi-fi is what makes it really interesting, i can only imagine what can be done with wifi-able console, no more wiring, and also if Nintendo includes wifi on N5 yum, no more messy cabling to do, thats what keeps me from pluggin my gamecube to the net or doing some piracy
