[Video Games] E3 2012

If they launch the Wii U at $300, and M$ and Sony drop their units to $199 or $249 bundled with Move or Kinect, that unit will be dead in the water except for the uber fan boys. They'd have to do the 3ds part 2 with a price drop a few months after launch. Not a good way to start, especially with two new consoles coming out in 2012 or early 2013 that will once again shame the Nintendo console graphically. I don't see either Sony or M$ pricing their new consoles above $399. Sony saw what happened this generation when they launched at $599.

 

Nice to see NBA League Pass coming to Xbox. Going to be f'n awesome.

 

Personally I'm surprised that none of the gaming consoles have launched an app that has ota channels. You'd think it would be a pretty easy deal to set up considering the fact that the networks are always looking for ways to expand their market and quite honestly not everyone has great tv reception.

 

Yeah, I actually just stumbled upon using my laptop that way (got a new, cheapish laptop for general use, but noticed it had HDMI and thought I'd try it out). Got a cheap wireless M&KB (set on my coffee table, next to TV remote), and then was browsing Youtube, Amazon, etc., on it. Probably better solutions actually, but I just haven't bothered since this works well enough for me. Some of this other integration is nice, but I do like having good access to the "open web." Caught me by surprise a bit to find out Roku didn't let you check out Youtube for example (PS3's Youtube app sucks too).

They just can't compete with the others, especially in their current state IMO (possible exception is providing games digitally, although I have my doubts there too). They try to come out with an iTunes competitor or whatever, but it is always lacking to what else is out there (and usually late). Think they should just focus on providing the content, and hooking into other, existing services (which are managed by people who do things much better). They tend to be more "open" than MS, so that's a plus, but they won't be able to beat them in providing an excellent software service (with all the cool integration stuff).

I wonder if that will really be the best path though, especially with some of the converging tech. With the emergence of "Smart TVs," you might be able to do most of that (all with good integration, at least when/if Apple/Google/etc., get more involved) without even having a console. If you can stream NBA LP from your TV already (and with a good UI, etc.), why would you need your console to do so too? Not to mention why would you want to buy a media center to do something your TV already does (especially if you're a cable cutter, who probably wants to minimize costs).

I don't think Smart TVs will be able to really replace console gaming (Gaikai streaming is interesting though), but it wouldn't surprise me if a lot of the stuff we saw from MS would be possible from Smart TVs in a few years (arguably, guess it does it already, but I'd like a more polished product).

Even if Sony were to outdo MS here (very unlikely), they'd possibly have bigger fish to fry. Both consoles could end up being overlooked by other competitors in this space. Consoles are a Trojan horse into the living room, but so are TVs, smartphones, tablets, etc. Seems like a losing battle (at least for Sony, MS has the resources, infrastructure and know-how to do this of course).

Like I said, they can slap in some Google TV integration into the PS4 (or whatever), basically turning it into a high-performance Google TV box. But if they put too many resources into that, don't know if it will pay off in the end. Put those resources into a strong, online gaming network, better content, better features, etc. I actually liked the idea of the cloud streaming stuff (within reason anyway), although doesn't sound like it will be as grand as originally speculated (assuming there was any truth to the rumor at all).

 

To be fair, I thought the Wii @ $250 might be pretty rough (there was $300 360, plus a cheap PS2/XBX/GC still IIRC). Not sure this is all that different from that situation, unless I'm missing something key. If the Wii U knocks it out of the park with its games and innovative features, perhaps there will be a Wii repeat, even at $300.

 

This is why I was down on Wii U last year. They're launching a console on par with current consoles a year or so before the other guys launch their own new console which will dwarf the Wii U. If M$ and Sony aren't asking much more, and their consoles are better online, have better graphics, and have better overall features, Nintendo is in a world of hurt. SmartGlass and the rumors of Vita-PS4 functionality cuts at Nintendo's advantage on the unique controller.

It's going to come down to hard core fans and casual fans. Nintendo Fanboys will jump on board, but hard core fans I think will wait this one out. How many gamers spent much time on the Wii this cycle? I bought one, but played it less than 40 hours. Casual fans I think will stick with their Wii or go the Kinect route. My in-laws bought a Wii, and there's no way in hell I see them shelling out $299 for a Wii U. Kinect has the fitness angle, kid angle, and from what I saw today the multimedia hub angle. They've positioned themselves very well for the next generation.

If M$ and Sony jump out at $400-$500 then moms of kids would probably gravitate towards buying the Wii U at the cheaper price, but I don't think Sony and M$ will let Nintendo romp away with the cheap, casual market this next generation.

Nintendo had better have a killer first party lineup during the holidays and launch window and continuing through the first year, and they also need to follow up with real third party support. They talk it up every cycle, but it never materializes. Games ported a year after they launch on PS3 and 360 don't count either. They need launch titles that people want to buy on the Wii U instead of the 360 or PS3. 360 blows away PS3 for online matches, but both make Nintendo look like a t-ball team battling pro teams in that arena. They'd better step this up massively with the Wii U. The presser today looked pretty weak sauce. Nintendo has all these cute ways for people to interact with each other with their Miis and chat, but players want to throw down with shooters, sports, and racers online not have quirky interactions with their friends.

Personally, I like them and root for Sony, Nintendo, and always M$ last, but right now it looks like M$ is not just leaping the field now but setting themselves up to dominate next generation as well. I like Sony's odds a lot better than Nintendo next generation as well. I'm looking forward to seeing what Sony and Nintendo have to say in their press conferences, although I'm dreading the presentation, especially Reggie.

 

Hey guys, SimCity!

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/SObs9KnK0Ng" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

Also, another leak because...well...why not:

Spoiler

Put this in a spoiler tag, but it is just an animated GIF of a trailer it seems.

Posted by "crazy buttocks on a train" from NeoGAF. He leaked some stuff about other games (e.g., Dead Space 3) which turned out to be true I believe. Plus I remember him leaking NPD stuff in years past.
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=476836

 

If you haven't already bought a 360, you aren't going to. $300 seems like a reasonable price. It just needs to work right, and have a solid exclusive title behind it. Problem is how long before such a title exists to carry the system beyond its initial launch?

 

I'm actually planning on getting my first 360 this fall.

I don't know if $299 will cut it if Sony and M$ both price drop this holiday season to $199. The onus is on Sony. If they price drop below the 360, Micro$oft will follow suit to keep their competitive edge. If they both have a $100 price advantage over Nintendo, that's going to keep a lot of parents from picking up the console for their kids. I already think hardcore gamers will sit the Wii U out until they Nintendo proves it's a hardcore gaming system.

Dead in the water was probably a bit extreme. $399 would be dead in the water. A $100 price discrepancy would be a hard sell in a down economy and with all of their competitor's set to launch superior consoles pretty damn soon.

I think Nintendo is smart not to release pricing info at E3. They should wait and see what their competition is going to do first. Nintendo has the most riding this holiday season. If sales fall flat, they lose the early momentum of being the first to market. They also risk alienating third party support, which has been dismal for so long. They could drop the price after the holiday season, but they would risk pissing off early adopters and setting a precedent two systems in a row. Nintendo would also hurt their profit margins, which are hurting right now. It's a weird position for them. You'd think they'd be in the driver's seat with releasing a new console, but their history and the lack of horse power in the Wii U puts them in more of a read and react mode.

I'm really hoping to being blown away with cool gameplay and a bevy of title announcements (Zelda, Mario, Smash in the first year and some of their other franchises - Metroid, Donkey Kong, ?), but I have even lower expectations than I do for Sony.

 

Please spoiler that. It's annoying as hell.

 

Why not buy it now? Pretty easy to get one with Kinect for $200. Heck, I was pissed at myself for buying a harddrive for my XBox once I saw how cheap I could have got a whole new system.

You have to price it at more than 6-7 year old consoles. Definitely needs a new Mario/Zelda game within a year. We know the Smash Bros game is coming, but haven't heard of a planned game that can carry the console.

 

Done. Almost did it when I posted it, but wasn't sure how people liked animated GIFs.

 

I'm waiting for a price drop, which I expect to happen before Christmas. I don't need it desperately, but I think it would be fun to have around with the kids starting to get a bit older (4.5 and 3) and with the media functionality. I don't play many games, especially shooters, but I am looking forward to playing Super MeatBoy. The kids would love some of the Kinect games, especially Just Dance with Dora and Once Upon a Monster. There's even a Yoga game for my wife.

I also plan on being outdoors with the family and dogs as much as I can over the summer. Now in the fall when dear old Seattle becomes an overcast grey mess, a price dropped new console is the perfect tonic.

That option winds up being more money. You're paying $180 a year on a monthly basis instead of $60. That costs you $240 over two years. It's less up front money, but definitely costs you more in the long run.

I hate buying consoles during this time frame, because price drops always seem to happen in the fall and I feel lame for overpaying by $50 or even $100. I did buy the PS3 right before a price drop, but that's because I wanted the launch model with backwards compatibility

 

Worth it. I don't have a PS3, and won't buy one unless I get a used one with the backwards compatibility.

 

I believe the Wii U will struggle because a lot of people have the Wii sitting around at their house and they never use it.

I think Nintendo is gonna have a hard time...with this new launch.....

DD

 

Maybe not quite as valuable now that they've released all of the best PS2 games as visually upgraded PS3 games or collections, but for a long time, I was more interested in playing my PS2 games than the new PS3 titles. I think you can still play PS1 games on the post-launch versions.

I can understand taking out the emotion engine due to hardware costs, but to strip out the software component that emulated the emotion engine was a pure naked money grab to force users to buy PS3 games and abandon their PS2 library. Sony made so many missteps this generation. Users just abandoned their PS2 library and started a new one on the 360.