The Launches - Your View ?

[Yoshimax]

Let's keep this strictly on-topic as I fear it's a thorny issue and could be on the fast train to locksville if not handled carefully.

My opinion ? I see a lot of PS3's going in the for sale thread and I see people trying to pick some of the sales apart like vultures. Strangely these sales actually contain negative comments like "I'm not feeling it" and "I don't like the games" which don't exactly help the sale

Conversely, I don't see a single wii for Sale but rather lots of WANTED posts with people looking for them.

There were a lot more wii's than ps3's at launch. I don't think wii's lineup was as strong as it could have been but I do think wii sports is an absolute masterstroke in terms of pack-in software.

Now, here's the killer for me - Post Xmas is when the majority fo the hardware is going to shift now - Anyone (non-gamer or otherwise) who's had a shot of my wii has instantly desired one (but been unable to get one) - I'm wondering if the same is true of PS3 cos if not, the next 10 or so month prior to Xmas2007 could be VERY quiet indeed for them.....

[eastyy]

well with me the wii i want and would have got one if the is any stock

ps3 have no interest in getting one until the price drops

still annoys me with all this planning and stuff why they cannot get a perfect launch

[in5ane]

Well, the 'launches' really only include the Wii for this year in the UK. 360 was last year, PS3 is next year, and when the UK PS3 is launched, then you'll see more demand for the console. For some people, importing is just to much hassle.

The Wii launch I think was poor. Nintendo kept going on about it would be easy to buy for everyone who wanted one, but there was just so much misinformation going about. Like the supposed games and accessories shortage- my Gamestation had 500 Wii Plays in, to cover 300 something consoles. They also sold non-pre order consoles, so they obviously had a good deal of stock on day one. However, I take it wasn't like that everywhere, now people who want them can't get them.

The Wii was also overhyped to a certain degree, and people who have played on mine have agreed it's ok, nothing super special. The games available at the moment certainly don't warrant a new console purchase. Wii Play is fun in short bursts, but hardly a game you *have* to play. Zelda is available for the GameCube...

The Wii launched with a lot of 3rd part support, but unfortunately 80% of it is absolute dross.

I think the other territories PS3 launch was pretty good, as shortages were to be expected. While it has less games than the Wii, I think they're much stronger overall.

The games (Resistance in particular) show the PS3 has plenty of power, and the Playstation store is really good, even this early on. The PS3 as I see it already will certainly not lose out to the 360.

[Dirty Sanchez]

With the PS3 sales on here I would guess that there is a modicum of profit being made, either through personal imports or lucky ones that avoiding import charges for posted items. Being of a higher value the profit margin is higher. Ebay driving off sales has pushed some of those sales that would otherwise go on there to other outlets.

The Wii on ebay is a nice little earner, forumites that pass goods on for cost in such conditions is rare.

As for the general launch conditions the Wii has the stronger of the IP available, arguable one of their strongest IP's at launch. This is a huge system seller. With the addition of the party/casual crowd it's a way better proposition for many people, especially for the fmaily market, which let's be honest at Xmas is a gimme.

It's going to be a long road for the PS3, it really needs the big hitting titles, if the timing is right then Xmas 2007 should be a clean up. MS will be even more in their stride by then, to a lesser extent the Wii, to really hammer the PS3 sales next Xmas.

A harsh lesson, but as we all know it's all about the games.

Sony 0 Nintendo 1

[Simmy]

Thought this was an interesting news story over on evil avatar http://www.evilavatar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22679 and maybe starts to show more confirmation of a market shift with these launches.

If this is more suitable to PS3 news then please move !

[Yoshimax]

I included the PS3 as :

both machines launched almost at the same time

both machines should have launched in the UK this year had one of the companies stuck to their announced launch plan.

Numbers are also part of the launch strategy - If you don't have enough you wait or plan better.

This is an import site so the fact ps3 is not available PAL is academic & part of the launch "news" if you like.

I dunno about Zelda - I don't think that captures the public really it is a difficult game to get your head round to be honest - I think wii sports is the killer as I said - a masterstroke of pack-in genius. If anything, I'd have been worried a lot of people would be happy just to buy the unit and not bother with games - but then Nintendo are making profit on the hardware anyway so they probably don't care !!!

[Bleeders]

Agreed, Zelda isn't a system seller to the non-gamer. Wii Sports is.

[Kieran76]

I am not 100% convinced that Wii Sports is a system seller as I know that when I take mine up to Sheffield and Wales over Christmas my casual gaming friends will be dissaopointed with the lack of options and depth some of the games offer. Sports, along with Play has me wanting decent light gun, tennis, Pool and golf games.

[ryodi]

The main reason that the Wii has sold out is because of the Christmas launch in this country which Nintendo haven't done for a while. The GBA was released in September, the DS in March or April and the Gamecube was around the same time so no matter how many Nintendo made I don't think they would ever have matched demand, especially when it seems to be one of the must have things this Christmas thanks to some suprisingly effective advertising.

Apart from the actual machine which stores are still getting stocks of right up to the last minute and endless problems with cables which also now seems to be finally solving itself with deliveries of stock it has been a pretty good launch. Two weeks after it came out you can buy any of the launch games off the shelf, accessories are easy to find (at least where I live) and the VC store is having new games added to it every week.

It wasn't faultless but it wasn't terrible either although any goodwill generated will probably evaporate once the inevitable software drought sets in but for now I am content with the system, picked up WiiPlay and an additional nunchuck from Game during the week and an official Scart cable yesterday. It could have been a lot worse.

I can't really talk about the 360 or PS3 launches because I didn't buy one but the excitement surrounding the machine is a marked contract the GC launch which seemed to pass by without anyone noticing.

[Yoshimax]

Yorath they'll be too busy having fun to notice a lack of options - trust me I've seen it in action

Besides, what options would they need ? I really think it's a genius bit of pack-in software - possibly one of the cleverest ever because it's so in-synch with the product and it's vision and very, very clearly demonstrates the potential.

[in5ane]

Lack of depth just doesn't mean lack of options.

[charlesr]

All 3 launches had issues:
Wii - no component leads
360 - ebay madness + failed units
ps3 - ebay madness (not nearly as much as I had expected though) + sod all units + stabbings + shootings

The game choice on all 3 at launch was again, universally dull. You'd think all 3 would have been able to commission an amazing launch game in-house rather than just passable.

I can't say any of them were handled well. I'm now really thinking a manufacturer's pre-order lottery is the only way to handle launches.

[Yoshimax]

To be fair I thought the 360 launch was pretty amazing - PGR3 lived up to the hype and delivered on everything they promised (never in a million years did I think GothamTV would make the cut), COD2 showed that it was easily up to high end PC conversions (and was ****-house solid game to boot) and PD0 at least showed some next-gen credentials (and had online co-op which was pretty revelatory). Sure, there was a lot of ****e like GUN and THAW but it more than balanced out.

By comparison I think both Wii and PS3 launches were a bit stale - PS3 in particular seems to have the worst launch lineup I can remember since I don't know when - people are more interested in discussing how/why the screen resolution settings work the way they do than the games they have.

Wii one not so bad and whilst I adore what they've done with the wii-mote on Zelda it's a bit cheeky using it as a launch title (I'm absolutely not complaining by the way )

[Dogg Thang]

I haven't really kept up with the PS3 launch so I don't know much about it. The Wii launch seemed to be messy but successful from a PR point of view - I haven't seen so much enthusiasm for a console from people not normally interested in gaming. The ads showing people actually playing the games that, to me, made them look like tits really worked for a lot of people.

The launch line-up seems fairly disappointing with the one must-have game (through process of elimination) being a GC title and there's not much on the horizon. Yet, as people have said, including Wii Sports was genius. That was enough to get people into the console and really showed people the fun aspects that made the Wii different to anything before it.

Lack of availability of cables and peripherals is plain bad planning. In a contest of hype, Nintendo seem to be doing well though.

[fatbatch]

My wife, who now and then plays SSX and Monkey Ball with me and our son, saw the Wii advert on tv the other night - "when are you getting your American one? can't you just buy one here?". When I get a PS3 she'll be asking where it's going to fit. In reaching out to occasional and non gamers the Wii launch has been very successful.