The Video Game Critic

I actually don't think Nintendo is creating a phony demand by holding them back.   According to www.nexgenwars.com they have sold 4.6 million systems already, which is more than what Nintendo promised would be availble by the end of last year (4 million)  It's also 3 times what the PS3 has sold and its already sold almost half as many systems as 360s.  The Wii seems to have an amazing demand for some reason, and who could have predicted that the PS3 would fail so horrible? (at least in its first year)  Even though the PS3 has only sold 1/3 of systems that the Wii has, everywhere I go, I see PS3s on the shelf.  I have never seen a Wii on the shelf.

Don't forget though that the PS3 hasn't shipped in Europe yet which has always been a major Sony bastion.

[QUOTE=chrisbid][QUOTE=Edward M]who could have predicted that the PS3 would fail so horrible?[/QUOTE]


im surprised most industry pundits and regular people thought the PS3 would be a success. price matters and 600 dollars pushes the PS3 out of the mainstream and into the videophile market. [/QUOTE] 

I assumed it wouldn't matter for the first year.  I thought that people would pay over a 1000 for it on Ebay all the way until january or even March because of the low stock and the Sony name so the fact it was 500-600 for the first year wouldn't matter.     After all, people paid over 1,000 for the 360 on ebay, and the stock was less for PS3s than 360s of the previous year.  But apperantly, people actually cared about the quality of the games last Christmas, and not just the Sony name.  I would have never thought that would have happened.  The fact that the PS3 launched with Resistance and a bunch of downgraded 360 ports seemed to matter to the consumers.   Too bad consumers didn't care about quality in 2000,   then the Dreamcast might have survived.

It is truly strange how Sony has gone from dominating the market (selling more than 4 times as many systems as their rivals) to being in third place (they sold less PS3s than 360s in January) in just one year.  This has to be the biggest and quickest fall from grace in video game history.   Can Sony come back from this?

And about it not launching in Europe yet,  Yes that would make a small difference, but that doesn't explain how 3 times many more Wiis have sold than PS3s or how the PS3s are collecting dust on shelves of Best Buys nationwide, while the Wiis sell out immediatly.

[QUOTE=Paul Campbell]Now the internet and its hard data influences many more people all at once, on the grounds of alot more than just which system has the most power.[/QUOTE]

I think you are absolutely correct.  20 years ago, there were obscure systems that even many avid gamers never heard of -- The Fairchild Channel F, The Vectrex, the Bally Astrocade, et. al.  10 years later, they likely heard more about similar systems but still not enough to make sound judgements.  Not that many people knew to take the TG-16 seriously in the 8-bit or 16-bit eras.  These days, even crazy obscure and inept gaming systems like Game.com are on the tip of everyone's tongue.

[QUOTE=Alienblue]mOzart...you are right about Astrocade and Channel F being unknown in their time, but Vectrex? That was pretty popular in 1982. It sold quite well even at $200 (a LOT back then), I recall ordering mine from Sears. The games mags all carried Vectrex reviews. The only problem was it had a short life, because of the crash in '83-84. But then, N64 wasn't around much longer.[/QUOTE]

Hardly anyone I knew growing up in the '80s had a Vectrex or even heard of one.  I had ONE school friend, who lived on the same street as I did, who had a Vectrex.  Even then, he had very few games for it.

I think that most people didn't know what it is, however, different areas are very different.  Vectrex may have been more popular in the Northeast and Northwest for example.  Maybe not, but what I am saying is that even among other avid gamers of the time, I am one of the few who even knows what the thing is.