Wedbush Morgan's report on the videogame industry seems to be the gift that keeps on giving. Yesterday, we spoke about how Pachter predicted that Sony would surpass the Xbox 360 in six years' time, and today we have another nugget of gold from the analyst's huge document -- talking about how a hi-def Wii could seriously hurt the PS3's comeback chances.
"In our view, if Nintendo can offer such a device by year-end 2010, it will be in a position to seriously damage Sony’s chances of a comeback this cycle," claims the report. "We would expect publishers to support such a move, given that the cost of porting an Xbox 360 game to the new Wii Plus HD format would likely be lower than the cost of building a ground up Wii game (we estimate under $5 million).
"Should Nintendo be able to convince publishers like EA and Take-Two that the Wii Plus should be supported by the entire EA Sports catalog and by the next installment of Grand Theft Auto, it should be in a position to successfully convince consumers that the Wii Plus is the last console they will ever need to purchase."
I'm sure many more stories will come out of this report, which is currently being scoured by bloggers all over the Internet for more crazy quotes from the industry's greatest guessworker. What do you make of this one, though? Would Wii HD take the wind out of Sony's sails, and would it mean we'd never need another console?
Jim Sterling serves as reviews editor for Destructoid.com, head of the Podtoid podcast, and produces a number of news stories, original features, one-of-a-kind videos. With his passionate argumentative style, controversial opinions, harsh delivery, and dedication to brutal honesty Sterling is a name that you can't help but recognize.
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And the WiiHD exists. It's called a PC.
THE WII HD IS COMING! THE WII HD IS COMING!
Yeah Pachter, you've been saying that for two years now buddy.
In my opinion, catastrophic explosions at each of Sony's manufacturing plants would create a scenario in which Sony's comeback would be all but impossible.
Were bears to gain the ability of speech, it could quickly tip the scales of the console war in Microsoft's favor.
If Nintendo were to release a new console tomorrow called the Nintendo Eyeshredder, Nintendo would see an increase in profits between zero and nine billion American dollars. It would also immediately cause the bankruptcy of the Days Inn hotel chain.
Sales of The Conduit have been disappointingly low among consumers who do not own the Nintendo Wii, and it is my belief that this trend will continue indefinitely.
Those freaky faces are giving me nightmares.
PS:@covah
You're absolutely right.
Coming to think of it, every analyst is a crazy religious psycopath.
Aside from that, Nintendo would also have to be less restrictive to people developing on the console. In order to beat the PS3/360 in terms of the core market, they absolutely must allow large violent games on their console. As long as they do not, they will still have sales from the casual market with a high abandon rate. It will damage sales of either Microsoft or Sony if the future can be predicted from Wii sales. But after a year or two, the Wii's start piling up in the stores and no one seems to care anymore.
Nowadays the only time I hear anyone talking about a Wii is for the sheer use of one with aerobics and yoga. It's like the thing is hardly a console anymore. It's shifting further and further into an exercise machine.
Given the cycles Nintendo puts on their systems, I don't think they're set to put out another console for another three years at least.
The only way that the Wii HD could eat in to the PS3 market share is if we're talking about a Wii HD that has graphics as good as the more powerful platforms (which is what I'm assuming he's talking about), and I would say: Why would Nintendo release that? The only advantage that would give them is more access to the hardcore market and I think they've clearly shown that though they may value the hardcore to an extent, they don't value them nearly as much as the "blue ocean" market. So why go through the trouble and cost of releasing a new system just for the hardcore market when they already have one on lock that is so much bigger?
Same reason why a Blu-ray 360 would fail.
If not everyone has it, you can't make it a staple.
If I understand correctly, the 360's architecture is very similar to that of a standard PC, which enables game makers to create very easily scalable graphics engines for their games. Similar to how PC games can run on a thousand different configurations of systems, 360 games can be more easily scaled to lower end specifications if need be.
As such, much of a 360 game's code and engine would be able to be used in a port to the Wii.
Even a Wii with better graphics capabilities would still probably need to have scaled down graphics from a 360 game I'd wager, so this speculation seems pretty far off.
I think Patcher is just completely fixated on this WiiHD idea. So much so that he's doubling up his speculations. I think he should start tripling and quadrupling them just for fun.
Example: If Nintendo releases the WiiHD, Sony could end up losing the console war this generation. This could cause Sony to take a major hit to it's earnings and employment. Should this occur, Sony Japan's office building may finally have to turn on it's "crisis" mode effectively turning it into a giant transformer hell bent on destroying all other business offices in Japan. Under these circumstances, Godzilla may have to be re-awakened in order to fend of the gargantuan MechaSony!
Industry speculation is fun!
But I don't expect it in the next two years.
Well played.
Man, I wish I was an analyst. It must be a great job.
Ever heard about MadWorld, House of the Dead: Overkill to name only a couple?
Dennen said again: "It's like the thing is hardly a console anymore. It's shifting further and further into an exercise machine."
Think again. Which one of the three is mainly a gaming console, and which two are not. Two are also some kind of media centers. And that is absolutely fine, I'm sure they work great as media centers too. But saying "Wii is hardly a console anymore" probably tells more about your knowledge of gaming history.
Yeah I agree. Besides, violence and graphics do not equate to sales.
Whoever is saying that a WiiHD is even going to come to market before 2012 is talking a little out of Nintendo's way of working.
Yes. I have. But a small selection does not equal a wide range. You cannot say that all Germans are nazi's, Everyone Cosplays, Everyone is a murderer, yadda yadda yadda.
Simply because you can look at something from a separate opinion, does not negate other opinions to be entirely constructed of falsities. To name only a couple, yet how many games are on the Wii that can be called the general multiplatform game that is successful? Is there a chance that we will see a Mario FPS with all the things that we are accustomed to? Of course not. Nintendo has continued to maintain a scrict and small selection of violence on their consoles, and I personally feel that will not change. And as long as that does not change, you will have fewer multiplatform games willing to make that change.
And that's where this argument stands. Can a game that is violent, yet multiplatform, be ported to another platform that is, very extremely, non violent? Will developers bother adjusting violence levels to allow the change?
I also laugh at your attempt to troll my "knowledge of gaming history". That has nothing to do with the topic, and I won't get into some manner of "I own" cockfight with you. It's a waste of everyone's time.
I say it's shifting further and further, because of what you see marketed on TV these days. Do you see much of Mario anymore? Bowser? Link? No. What do you see marketed? Small, casual games, and for every commercial for that, there's another marketed towards Wii Fit or some similar game developed by another company. THAT was what I was speaking of. Not what's available. Any dingbat can point out the obviousness that there are other selections available. The point is that as far as major advertising goes, we mostly see Nintendo's console marketed for non-traditional gaming purposes.
As I said. "Nowadays the only time I hear anyone talking about a Wii is for the sheer use of one with aerobics and yoga.".. Your ability to selectively pick and choose your arguments to make something appear as it is not astounds me.
@Revolution:
I highly agree. Violence and Graphics do not equate to sales. But lack of Violence and Graphics result in non-selection as a multiplatform port. Violent game is multiplatform, is not ported to the Wii. Occasionally someone breaks the mold and designs a game for the Wii based on previous releases. Dead Rising or Dead Space for example.
Violence is arguable depending on the company. Nintendo is more widely known for non-violence in obvious manners. Turning it into a cartoony method. But graphics? That is the foundation as to why this topic was created. High Definition. Graphics.
I like that hat, too. It cost me £3 at a Primark.
Well done. Quite good!
@-PL-
Dude! The Nintendo Unicorn!
How would simply allowing the Wii to output in HD make the graphics up to par with the 360 and PS3?
Can a game that is violent, yet multiplatform, be ported to another platform that is, very extremely, non violent? Will developers bother adjusting violence levels to allow the change?
Sorry if I seem stupid ... Where does this multiplatform-argument come from? Not arguing, just didn't understand why the violent games should be multiplatform games, since Wii owners seem to like their exclusives. There are all kinds of ports (from HD consoles for Wii) out there, and some of them aren't really good...
Actually from what I've heard, there's going to be some sort of exchange-for-discount program for current Wii owners. Which will be good, cuz that way we'll all be saved from those a--hole GameStop managers who bought Wiis from their own stores then dumped them on eBay for at least double price... Instead we just register for the exchange.
Magnalon:
Actually what they said was that "if such a thing were in development, it would have to be more than just an HD upgrade". Which I take to mean improved controllers, sensors, the works.
Black Nexus:
Again I ask, why does this Internet asshole still have his Destructoid account so he can spread his assholism?