E3 Thoughts and Impressions.

[Zobeid]

I was into videogames from the beginning, and I had a huge collection of Atari VCS/2600 and ColecoVision games. I had a Starpath Supercharger and a GCE Vectrex! But I also had some early computers that were great game-playing systems, like my Atari 800XL, and later my Atari 520ST and Amiga 2000.

In the mid 1980s there was a move toward more expensive consoles, and trying to make consoles more like computers (remember the Coleco Adam?). There was also a big move away from consoles and toward computer gaming, particularly with Atari and Amiga computers. The "serious" gamers, the die-hard gamers, were leaving consoles and buying computers. When I say die-hard gamers, it should be understood I mean teens-and-up. That's where the market was going.

This is where Nintendo came in and did their brilliant thing. They decided to go after the little kids, specifically. Kids don't buy computers. Likewise parents are often pretty hesitant to buy a $1000+ computer and turn it over to little Billy. But the NES was simple and cheap. You could afford to turn it over to little Billy and let it baby-sit him while you went back to work on your expensive computer.

I didn't see this at the time. I hated the NES, I thought it would be an instant flop. It didn't have any of my favorite games -- no Defender, no Robotron, no Asteroids, not even Pac-Man. Instead it came with a game that had a goofy little guy jumping over mushrooms while sickening Romper Room music played in the background. And what's with the ridiculous plastic robot? But I was one of those "serious" game players that Nintendo was specifically not trying to sell to. They were perfectly happy to let me go on playing my Atari and Amiga computer games, while they sold a zillion NES systems to the little Billys of the world.

Now history repeats itself. Sony and Microsoft are pushing more and more "upscale", raising prices, adding features, blurring the line between a game console and a PC or a videodisc player. They're trying to reach the die-hard, serious gamers. And in doing so they are once again handing a big portion of the market to Nintendo.

[Bengaley]

My friends were missing that very point.

Nintendo's own market has rarely come under attack... and the 'die hard' gamers of today were the ones who have grown up playing Nintendo Games, gamers who lived through the 8-bit and 16-bit console wars.

Alot of character recognition was made by the players in those wars - and Nintendo won. But what's important also is that the other player, Sega, is now working with Nintendo.

Sonic AND Mario? On the same system? Wow, that brings back memories...

Despite my best friend's derision of the Wii ("No, seriously. It was like, 'Hey, want to come to my house any play the Revolution?' 'Yeah! Lets play Revolution!'. Now its 'Hey, lets hop on my bed and play with the Wii!' 'No. Fag.'" "Now a new tuner-car: The Fuk, with the ad slogan, Drive a Fuk, Play With Your Wii."), he KNOWS he will be ending up playing and possibly buying Wii products. Which won't be that big.

[Madmoonie]

I refuse to call it 'W**.' I am going to call Revolution until they come up with a better name than 'W**.'

[StrangeWulf13]

Better not hold your breath...

[LoneWolf23k]

Only thing I have to say about the PS3 is that with a $600 price tag, they better not be holding their breath waiting for me to buy one. I can afford a Wii and a 360 and some games for both at that price, so why would I shell out all that bread just for one system?