PLEASE READ THIS:

This blog is about the results of a poll to do with the various gaming platforms that have been around since, well, forever. I have been well aware of how arguments about this matter turn into flamewars. I maybe looking for comments, but I refuse to condone any crass, unnecessary slanging matches about what console/computer makes your penis bigger. If you try to start something, I will do my best to remove any kind of opportunity to troll-feed.

You have been warned.

Everybody has their favourite platform to play on. Whether you were involved in the Sega vs Nintendo battles of the 1990s (involving many a violent image of Mario/Sonic getting his head chopped off by his adversary in a magazine’s letters section) or plumping for the more versatile PC than the ready-to-go console, everyone has their opinion. And they wish to share it.

GamesTM magazine’s website gave their readers and viewers the chance to put their vote on what their favourite gaming platform was late last year. In issue number 118, they published the results. Whilst limiting the number that would be covered in a certain depth to fifteen, the ten page spread also lists what percentage the unlucky outsiders had. Factors to remember about this poll were that voters got five choices to plump for, and although this was an internet vote where the world could contribute, the main contingent of the voters would be expected to be, once again, British.

The results, as the magazine quotes, were ‘shocking’. When I saw first place, I was more than a little surprised, too.













Okay, I’ve stopped here, because I want to calm about 75% of you down. This is only a list. Remember that. Another website by another predominant countries’ magazine might have different results. Two of the top three are predictable entries, and the other can be written off if you are not happy with it. Now, deep breaths. Inhale….and release. Now scroll down and relax.

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I said, ‘relax’.

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Yes, you.

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See? That was surprising! Considering how many broke down and how many votes the Playstation 3 got (half compared to the winner!), you’d think it would be lower. But no, the Microsoft Xbox 360 is GamesTM reader’s favourite console. Explanations? Well, the pie chart on its page dispels any myths about pre-teen fanboy spamming, because they only made up two percent of the vote for the console. Over three-quarters of the 360 votes belonged to gamers 26 years-old and upwards. It was run very close by the SNES (my prediction for the top), which had a huge percentage of the first choice of each gamer, but featured far less as second-to-fifth choice. This polarisation, including decent survival of a first year without many big titles thanks to Gamer Points and backwards compatible play with Halo 2 helped the leader. Along with the expansion of the Grand Theft Auto series to the platform as well as Gears of War, Forza and more Halo, the updated experience of Xbox Live to include both mainstream and hardcore gamers as well as downloadable titles (from established developers as well as independent), those are the reasons GamesTM holds up in support.

And my ideas of the rest of the places? Well, I’m glad the Game Boy and the NES managed to squeeze into the chart, although they were under threat from the Nintendo DS, which was only 0.27% off the original handheld’s standings. It’s proof of how well Nintendo managed to keep their vision on what was important in their portable gaming machines. As for the Wii, it factored only just over 1.5% of the total console gaming vote. The Big N will need to learn from that particular rating.

Interestingly, mobile gaming for Apple is growing well, with iOS getting 6.17% of the handheld vote, close behind the Game Boy Colour and Sony PSP. The Amiga had a lead of almost 5% percent lead from the PC in the gaming computer vote, whilst the poor old Atari ST only got 0.61%. What also intrigued me was that the Dreamcast managed to accumulate double the total votes over the GameCube, as well as matching the favours towards the Playstation 2 two-thirds of the way. I find it a little mindboggling that, although the Dreamcast died a premature death in the West and the games (and not the console) sales were what earned Sega the profits, it didn’t survive even with that amount of support.

So what do you think? Be good, comment nicely and don’t start a flamewar.