Topic: Microsoft pushes Wii60 to battle against PS3

[BlackNMild2k1]

Microsoft pushes for the console combination of Xbox 360 + Wii vs just a PS3 for the same price.

Quote
Originally posted by: Reuters

Microsoft sides with Nintendo in fight vs Sony
Thu May 11, 2006 2:25 PM BST

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp. <MSFT.O> sided with rival Nintendo Co. Ltd. <7974.OS> on Wednesday in the fight to unseat video game leader Sony Corp.<6758.T>, saying many consumers will choose to buy both of their machines for the price of one PlayStation 3.
~
Sony aims to extend its market leadership with its upcoming PS3, while Nintendo plans to offer a new game machine called Wii in the fourth quarter.

"Tell me why you would buy a $600 PS3?" Peter Moore, a Microsoft vice president, said in an interview. "People are going to buy two (machines.) They're going to buy an Xbox and they're going to buy a Wii ... for the price of one PS3."
~
Moore then turned pitchman for Nintendo's Wii, the latest offering from the Japanese company that once dominated the video game industry.

"People will always gravitate toward a competitively priced product -- like what I believe Wii will be -- with innovative new designs and great intellectual property like Mario, Zelda and Metroid," Moore told Reuters.
~
"We have 100 percent market share of the next-generation, and their job is to take that from us," said Moore.

"When I think on everything that we've got going right now that is real versus what Sony promises to do six, seven months from now, obviously we feel very good about where we stand."
~
"Quite frankly," said Moore, "if we're sitting here a year from now and things continue to fall flat, then we might say 'we don't know what to do anymore."

To me, it sounds like Microsoft is trying to grab ahold of Nintendo's coat tails so that they don't get left too far behind when Nintendo rockets themselves up to a 1st place position.

edit: quoting my post from later in this thread...

Quote
Originally posted by: BlackNMild2k1
Now Sony is claiming the Wii would be a perfect 2nd console to a PS3

Quote
Originally posted by: GamePro.com
"I think Peter Moore is exactly right. I think Nintendo will be the second system consumers purchase after PlayStation 3."

"I haven't had a chance to check out the Wii myself, but intendo has a great history of innovation and has always done great things for gaming and long may they do so. But as it relates to our strategy they are very much in a different market."

"I know what Peter was getting at with his price point issue but he's not comparing apples to oranges. He's not even comparing the same kind of food products at all. It's clearly a case that PlayStation 3's price is justified by PlayStation 3's value. That's what consumers base their purchasing decisions on -- value."

Well now isn't this interesting.........

WiiS3 vs Wii60 ...... FIGHT!!
Either way Wii wins!

Its really funny to see both competitors fighting over who gets to be by Nintendo's side.......
Nothing can beat this sort of publicity & it didn't cost Nintendo a thing!!

edit 2:Quoting yet another post from later in the thread

Perrin Kaplan has responded......

Quote
Originally posted by: BlackNMild2k1
Now it appears that Nintendo Jedi herself, Perrin Kaplan has something to say on the subject...

Quote
Originally posted by: Joystiq.com

Joystiq: So how do you think Connect24 is going to stack up against Xbox Live, which is the leading online gaming service, and then Sony's nascent service?

Perrin: We're all at the same show, but Nintendo is a really different company than the others. Our products are really, really different, and I would hesitate to even compare. There are different kinds of people that are interested in that. The hardcore gamer is going to have both [consoles]. So it's a very different focus. Our DS Wi-Fi, when we went created it as a free service -- which is something we really wanted to -- its growth was very fast. So we think we figured out the sweet spot for what works for us and for our consumers and we looked at it the same with the Wii console.
~
Joystiq: I find it interesting that you mentioned just a minute ago about the Xbox 360 and making a mild comparison. Earlier this week, Peter Moore said he thought that gamers would buy a Wii in addition to a 360.

Perrin: The hardcore gamers, the gamers that are their customers, they love to play and they will probably want our system and their system. I do think the casual gamers that we are expanding into will own only one, and it will be ours.
~
Joystiq: Do you feel that the systems are in any way complimentary?

Perrin: I think they could be. For a hard core gamer who really wants a plethora of ways to pick from, someone who really wants to spend a lot of time gaming.

Seems like she disagrees that Wii will just be a "perfect 2nd system"  but would make more of a "perfect 1st system" instead  

[Requiem of Darcness]

Hmmm...I don't think so BlackNMild. They are just making the argument that I have seen made across several forums by a surprising number of Sony diehards. "Why am I gonna pay $600 for a PS3 when I can buy a 360 and a Wii?" Honestly I can't come up for a reason for anyone to purchase a PS3 at all. The titles that everyone wants like FFXIII and MGS4 won't hit the shelves until 2007, maybe 2008 for FFXIII. So what does your $600 give you. Ridge Racer and Tekken? This isn't 1995 thats not gonna cut it anymore. In the states all of the Maddenheads, its what I call Madden fans, can get the same Madden 2007 on 360 that they can get on PS3. So why spend the $600 when they can take the $200 they save and pick up Madden, NBA Live, another controller, and a quick charger?

Having Madden exclusive saved the PS2 launch in 2001 but they don't have that to save them this time around and at double the price they aren't not going to win the US and European markets. In fact I think that MS and Nintendo will battle for the #1 position in the US and Europe, with Nintendo taking Japan hands down. I think Sony will be third. I don't see the PS3 hitting a mass market price until 2008. Nintendo is launching at a mass market price and MS will most likely have the 360 at a mass market price next year.

[capamerica]

I own a 360 and I'll be buying a Wii. I think its a perfect combo.
All I can wish for now is that MGS4 and FFXIII come to the Xbox360.

Its funny last gen MS really attacked Nintendo most of the time and didn't harp on Sony untill a year or so ago. Now their on Nintendo's side and are harping on Sony. Even thou I don't care much for MS. It kind of makes me happy seeing them do this.

[attackslug]

MS will "harp" on whomever they percieve to be their biggest threat.  they obviously don't see the Wii as something that will directly compete with the 360, either because they are not convinced that it will do well or because the roster of games appear to be very exclusive to the system and its hardware.

[BlackNMild2k1]

I think that everyone that picks up a "next-gen" system 1st will also pick up a Wii
Since most of the Wii's games are exclusive in gameplay capabilities, it only make sense to add a Wii to your gaming combination:
Wii60 = $600+
PiiS3 = $800+

But everyone that picks up a Wii 1st, might not even consider another system.
If the immersion in gameplay is as great as it sounds, going back to playing similar games in a traditional way might not seem quite as fun anymore
WiiS Lite FTW = $350

[Requiem of Darcness]

Quote
Originally posted by: attackslug
MS will "harp" on whomever they percieve to be their biggest threat.  they obviously don't see the Wii as something that will directly compete with the 360, either because they are not convinced that it will do well or because the roster of games appear to be very exclusive to the system and its hardware.

Actually, I think MS harps on who they perceive to be in the weakest position. They harped on Nintendo this gen because they were an easy target. Now Sony has made themselves an easy target.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Sony has indeed made themselves the easy target;
From the re-designed Dual-Shock 3 (looks the same)
to the innovate motion controls (desperate attempt & loses rumble)
the many included extras (removal of mem ports & <dual>HDMI)
the unmatched graphical prowess (looks very similar to Xbox360)
and the valued $600 price tag (way too expensive)

With MS being the bully they are, this is like taking lunch money from the rich kid because he took candy from the baby.... j/k

[PaLaDiN]

Yeah, I think it's just that Nintendo haven't really left themselves open to criticism this E3.

And the guy has a point. I'm considering getting a 360 as well because of the PS3's price. I'm not sure why that makes sense but it kind of does.

[Spak-Spang]

BlackNMild:  Count me in on the Wii-Lite group.

Nintendo is going to make me go broke this year.  I have a DS but with all the wonderful new DS games coming out I really want to pick up that extra special DS Lite.  

My plan is to save up money and get a Nintendo Wii with 2 controllers and 2 launch games...picking two launch games will be the hardest thing I have ever done for this system...but it must be done.

That will put me up to

$250
$100 (Two Games)
$ 35 (Controler guessed price)
---------------------------------------
$399.00 appr.

So for the price of an Xbox360 I could get much, much more.

For the price of a PS3 hmmm...

$250.00 (Wii)
$200.00 (Four Games)
$105.00 (3 Controllers)
$  80.00 (4 Controller Shells)
------------------------------------
$ 635.00  (Alittle more than a PS3...but less than a PS3 and a Game.)

[eljefe]

I don't have a handheld (not even the beloved DS), I'm not buying ANYTHING off the VC, and I'm not getting a 360/PS3..

All I need is four Wii remotes, four nunchaku, the system, and a game or two.

That's it

[18 Days]

It's incredible to just see Moore speaking frankly for a change. Normally he's babbling incoherent crap but now he's speaking rationally.

[eljefe]

http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?sortBy=2&threadID=1741&start=165&tstart=0&edition=2&ttl=20060511180205&#paginator

Just read all of the reader comments: its a fascinating glimpse at the UK market. It not only seems to support Nintendo's '2nd console' strategy, but, almost nobody finished their statements without somehow mention Wii (some curious, some supportive, some baffled and off-put). I was surprised by how many people proudly and forthrightly said they were ONLY buying the new Nintendo system. The rest was split between Luddites advocating "real adventure outside" and "books", PC snobs touting "the ultimate games machine", and 360 fans saying PS3 is a waste but they'll get a Wii / PS3 fans downing the 360 but saying they're intrested in "that weird controller".

There was also a tiny subset who claim to be ready for full VR and see Nintendo as a bridge to that era. If you're bored read all of it. Nintendo might grab a bigger chunk of the UK games business than anyone imagined.

[Requiem of Darcness]

Quote
Originally posted by: 18 Days
It's incredible to just see Moore speaking frankly for a change. Normally he's babbling incoherent crap but now he's speaking rationally.

Honestly, I think Moore is just dumbfounded by Sony's stupidity. I know I still am. I think Sony's ridiculous position caused him to drop the corporate speak because telling the honest truth about Sony would just make more sense at this point.

[18 Days]

Yeah but then he started talking honestly about the situation in Japan and everything! I was liek =0

[couchmonkey]

Having read a lot of stuff about Microsoft in excerpts from the recent book about the creation of the Xbox 360 (can't remember the title or the author, unfortunately), I think Microsoft definitely views Sony as it's main competition.  This is a clever way to market the Xbox 360, really.  Not only is it an appealing selling point (two systems for the price of one), but people who listen to Moore are suddenly spending so much money on their Xbox 360 / Wii combo that they'll probably skip the PS3 for a while to come.

Personally, I won't buy either system until their prices drop by at least $100.  In fact if I bought anything, it would probably be a PS2.  

[Avinash_Tyagi]

Sounds like their hopin Wii knocks off the PS3 in Japan, while they take NA, crush Sony on multiple fronts.

[Requiem]

WiiS Lite FTW  = $350

I'll take this over any other combination. Portable and Console together.

Oh ya, the fact that they can communicate together is a major plus

[TrueNerd]

The man makes a good point. That was certainly the first thing I thought when I saw the PS3's price tag. PS3 has managed to make the 360 look downright affordable to me, something that I definitely did not think a few weeks ago. In fact, the more I think about it, the more I think I'll probably pick up a 360 sometime this year.  

[Frozen Atlantic]

Hmmm. This obviously means Microsoft doesn't expect Wii to be a threat to their base.

A VERY interesting development, and it'll be interesting to see if Reggie starts praising the 360. I doubt it, though. Nintendo's gotta be hoping for a SNES-like resurgence.

[jasonditz]

Either that or that it's at least an easier threat to deal with.

The 360 and the PS3 are tough to differentiate on features... the 360 and the Wii are clearly completely different animals with completely different propositions to make to the gamer. It's also possible that most of the "gamers" market that gets a Wii will later get a 360, or vice versa. The two systems offer such different experiences that its really not that hard to justify owning both if you're interested.

I could easily see myself having a 360 in the bedroom, and then having a Wii in the family room.

[IceCold]

I think this is also Microsoft reacting to the fact that Sony has some sort of motion control in their controller - Microsoft is now the odd one out..

I wonder if this makes the Rare N64 games more likely to appear on the VC.. Rare is already working on DS games.

[Louieturkey]

Makes sense, I could easily see the Banjo games on the VC and the Live Arcade.  Only people would know that the Wii has the VC with N64 games, so it'll sell more there.

[wandering]

Looks like Moore's been watching Miracle on 34th Street...

Yeah, I like this strategy. From a pratical stand-point, buying a 360 and Wii makes the most sense. From a personal stand point, I like to hear people sing Nintendo's praises. From both standpoints, Moore's comments make me feel more open to buying a 360, which I'm sure was the intent.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Now Sony is claiming the Wii would be a perfect 2nd console to a PS3

Quote
Originally posted by: GamePro.com
"I think Peter Moore is exactly right. I think Nintendo will be the second system consumers purchase after PlayStation 3."

"I haven't had a chance to check out the Wii myself, but intendo has a great history of innovation and has always done great things for gaming and long may they do so. But as it relates to our strategy they are very much in a different market."

"I know what Peter was getting at with his price point issue but he's not comparing apples to oranges. He's not even comparing the same kind of food products at all. It's clearly a case that PlayStation 3's price is justified by PlayStation 3's value. That's what consumers base their purchasing decisions on -- value."

Well now isn't this interesting.........

WiiS3 vs Wii60 ...... FIGHT!!
Either way Wii wins!

Its really funny to see both competitors fighting over who gets to be by Nintendo's side.......
Nothing can beat this sort of publicity & it didn't cost Nintendo a thing!!  

[PaLaDiN]

The cool thing here is that there's no way either company would suggest PS360. And Nintendo doesn't have to praise either of the other two. It's like Solid Snake and Master Chief are trying to court Samus Aran.