Again knocking the PS3 sales!

[Deech]

Console Wars: Who Won '08?
Nintendo sails, Microsoft trails, Sony ails.

By Ben Silverman
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No software? No problem.

Despite early predictions that 2008 would be the year Sony regained momentum in the bitter video game console wars, it turned out to be false hope. Industry leader Nintendo stayed ahead of the pack all year, thoroughly dominating both the home console and handheld hardware markets with their Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS systems, respectively.

According to NPD Group, Nintendo flat-out owned the all-important month of November by selling over 2 million Wiis, better than twice as much as the next closest competitor, Microsoft's Xbox 360 (836,000). And at over 1.5 million DS systems sold, Nintendo tripled the output of Sony's PSP (421,000). While those numbers weren't nearly that high through most of 2008, the general order -- Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony -- held strong throughout.

Wii Ascendant

But this was hardly a banner year for Nintendo in terms of software. The biggest games -- Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Mario Kart Wii and of course Wii Fit -- came relatively early in the year, and their biggest holiday release, Wii Music, has been labeled something of a dud. Miffed that the company was focusing too heavily on catering to its relatively new mass-market audience, the usually loyal Nintendo fans complained about a lack of core games. Meanwhile, Microsoft and Sony enjoyed a wealth of blockbuster games all year long, including top-sellers Grand Theft Auto IV and Fallout 3. So how did Nintendo compete, much less lead the way?

By finding a new niche, of course. While gamers lament the deluge of cheaply made games (dubbed "shovelware") aimed at capitalizing on the Wii's mainstream popularity, many of those titles speak to their broad audience and support the company's new directive. Nintendo knows on which side its bread is currently being buttered, and while Microsoft and Sony battle for the hearts and minds of the core gamers, Nintendo is content getting their moms to play, too. And their moms often have a lot more money.

Microsoft, on the other hand, found itself in second place by keeping its eyes on the prize: core gamers willing to shell out for great downloadable content. The recently released "New Xbox Experience" system update has nearly tripled sales over Xbox Live Arcade, while huge releases like Gears of War 2 and Fable II cemented their status as the go-to console for most gamers.

New Xbox Experience

As the newest kid on the block, Microsoft is less concerned with catching Nintendo than they are with kicking Sony's butt, which is pretty much exactly what they're doing. Take, for instance, the November NPD numbers for Activision's best-selling first-person shooter, Call of Duty: World at War. The 360 version of the game sold an impressive 1.4 million copies -- over twice that of the PS3 version (597,000). It's hard to play catch up when you're getting beaten that badly.

As for Sony, well, they just can't catch a break. The company scored a major coup when Blu-ray officially trounced HD-DVD in the hi-def format war, but few believe the technology will catch on with consumers. Strong sales of big-time exclusive Metal Gear Solid 4 were promising, but the troubled launch of their 'Home' network coupled with relatively weak holiday sales (only Resistance 2 cracked the Top 10 list in November, all the way back at number 9) cramped their style. The once-promising PSP is getting whomped by both the DS and Apple's surging iPhone. Did a witch cast a spell on these guys or what?

Hopefully next year will bode better for the one-time king of the consoles, but for now, they'll have to get used to the view from the back of the pack.

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http://videogames.yahoo.com/feature/...on-08-/1276642

[saprano]

Mods please close this its a waste.

[DealsR4theDevil]

Originally Posted by Deech

The company scored a major coup when Blu-ray officially trounced HD-DVD in the hi-def format war, but few believe the technology will catch on with consumers.

What? I don't know anyone who believes Blu-ray isnt going to become mainstream. Especially after Dark Knight sold more than a million copies on Blu.

[neos_peace]

Any time now MODS. I agree wiht the earlier post shut it down beofre its too late. We don't need another waisted thread.

[saprano]

The media is going to keep shiting in sony, they love it. thats what happens when you were on top for 10 years strait, and they ignore the fact 360 is $200 and the wii is $250 plus appeals to jus about anybody. and nobody ever acknowledges that for a 4 and $500 console going againts the 2 cheaper ones its selling very well. its selling more than the 360 in the same time frame, your never going to here that though.

Sony has yet to drop there price to a mass market price point, they have so much room to grow, and they will. what is everybody going to say then.

Please close mods.

[thunda]

Originally Posted by DealsR4theDevil

What? I don't know anyone who believes Blu-ray isnt going to become mainstream. Especially after Dark Knight sold more than a million copies on Blu.

No kidding!! I just about choked on my grilled cheese sandwhich when I read that part.

Not sure why every media outlet loves to rip on sony. It's an amazing product. Why won't anybody ever tear down Microsoft and their crappy products. Oh wait, that's because it's an "American" company. Whatever. I'm american and their products suck A$$.

[andyman1970]

Originally Posted by thunda

No kidding!! I just about choked on my grilled cheese sandwhich when I read that part.

Not sure why every media outlet loves to rip on sony. It's an amazing product. Why won't anybody ever tear down Microsoft and their crappy products. Oh wait, that's because it's an "American" company. Whatever. I'm american and their products suck A$$.

I have a PS3 that I use as a Blu-ray player and I HAD a 360 that I bought last year for games. I sold the 360 to a co-worker and 3 weeks later, just under a year after I bought the thing it got the Red Ring of Death. The poor guy had to send it back to Microsoft for repair. Luckily MS paid for shipping both ways since it was still under warranty. Glad I got rid of that thing. Sony's system really is superior and one day people will realize that. Maybe once the whole Wii fad wears off.

[saprano]

Speaking of RROD my cousins 360 just broke last night.

[Groo The Perverted]

I love how any article against Bluray gets dumped on, and people cry for the Mods to shut the thread as a "waste".

*shrugs*

For the record, I'm a Ps3 owner, and refuse to buy an XBOX.

I'm a Bluray guy never an HD-DVD guy.

[saprano]

First of all you dont know what the hell your talking about! i asked for it to be closed because its just another BS ps3 hate artical. how many more do we need saying the same thing.

READ!

[neos_peace]

Originally Posted by saprano

First of all you dont know what the hell your talking about! i asked for it to be closed because its just another BS ps3 hate artical. how many more do we need saying the same thing.

READ!

AGREED

[Marquoz]

So how about Detroit going 0-16?

[Groo The Perverted]

Originally Posted by saprano

First of all you dont know what the hell your talking about! i asked for it to be closed because its just another BS ps3 hate artical. how many more do we need saying the same thing.

READ!

calm down and stop raging, it'll be okay. Just breathe deeply and say wu-sao (I suppose that's how ya spell it).

Hopefully you don't get a warning like I did when I used a bad word in my post. I even EDITED my oh so offensive word and STILL got slapped on the wrist.

And finally, I realize there's been many an "artical" about this type of thing. If ya don't like the topic you don't necessarily HAVE to step in and comment. And yeah I kinda just stepped right into my own criticism there, but hey...I'm here to help.

[saprano]

Whatever

[3Justin3]

Originally Posted by Marquoz

So how about Detroit going 0-16?

I was in tears when I saw this today.

...tears of joy that is.

On topic, I own a Wii, 360, and PS3. Just my .02 cents. The Wii is crap, what a waste of my time Nintendo, seriously I have had it since launch and have used it maybe for 15 accumulated hours.

360, I love it. Use it every day for gaming. Own 48 games for it, however, it is made atrociously. On my 5th one in 2 years. But I prefer Xbox Live over PSN and my friends own a 360, so I use it more.

PS3, very well made system, like I suspected but not my thing. Blu-Ray is why I use it more or less. I don't like the Playstation controller, prefer the 360 one. But it is a better made system.

[Canada]

Originally Posted by saprano

Speaking of RROD my cousins 360 just broke last night.

Except for two people I know of, all the rest of the people that have had X Box 360's have had them break.

Apparently Blu Ray is being adopted faster than DVD was and Blu Ray is already out selling DVD in Japan.

[Canada]

Originally Posted by Marquoz

So how about Detroit going 0-16?

even worse than the 360's repair record!

[Groo The Perverted]

I felt bad for Detroit. I wouldn't want any team to go through that. My Pats didn't get in, and while I'm a Pats fan I wouldn't even want the Jets or the Colts or the Dolphins to go winless. That's just something you shouldn't wish on anyone.

[york weir]

The playstation will rebound once they lower the price, there's little doubt in my mind.

Why does everyone call for a thread to be closed when it is a negative review of something?

[Mr. J]

Originally Posted by Dreaming in Blu

I felt bad for Detroit. I wouldn't want any team to go through that. My Pats didn't get in, and while I'm a Pats fan I wouldn't even want the Jets or the Colts or the Dolphins to go winless. That's just something you shouldn't wish on anyone.

My Team Got In!