Nintendo Wii

Especially if the movie industry moves towards Blu-ray in the future, which is (in my opinion) more likely to happen than moving towards HD-DVD.

Just found this:

Said By Opera Press Release

Originally Posted by Opera Press Releases
A Web Revolution in the Living room: Opera partners with Nintendo to put browser on the Wii™ game console
Oslo, Norway and Los Angeles, Calif., May 10, 2006

Opera Software, a world leader in Web browser technology, today announced that Nintendo's much anticipated new generation game console, Wii, will use the Opera browser.

Users of the Wii console will browse the Internet using their consoles. Navigating via the innovative new Wii Remote controller, users can visit Web sites in between gaming sessions.

"Nintendo is clearly visionary in leading the gaming industry into the new era in gaming, and a wonderful partner for Opera," says Jon von Tetzchner, CEO, Opera Software. "We are thrilled to expand our partnership with Nintendo, and work with them to deliver the best gaming experience on the Wii console and the Nintendo DS™."

"For our Wii console launch in 2006, we required a browser that was fast and secure with support for the latest standards including AJAX. Opera proved perfect for our purposes and is an exceptional addition to both the Nintendo DS and the Wii console," said Genyo Takeda, senior managing director and general manager, Integrated Research & Development Division, Nintendo Co., Ltd.

Holy damn! Nintendo, with their lackadasical attitude towards online gaming, has come up with something before any of the current consoles (especially sad for Microsoft, which bought Sega-Net, which had said ability to cruise the web)?

At least it will be networkable. That's a plus.

And yes, Opera is a good browser.

"Apparently, the PS3 demos are said to be more graphically powerful than the Microsoft second-gen games, kiling it's image as a powerhouse."

Where'd you get that idea? Most every video game site i've read basically said Sony sucked at E3, and the 360 was looking very good. Most PS3 "demos" were still just prerendered fakes, and the games that weren't, were (at best) about as good as 360 games. I know I wasn't impressed at their conference, and I was gearing up to buy a PS3. From what i've seen, i'm going to wait for the second round of PS3 games (AT LEAST) before getting one. I also feel that Blue Ray/HD-DVD is worthless for video games, IMO. The PS3 would surely be cheaper without it, at least. Do developers really need that much more space? What game is out that is larger than one DVD? The space would simply be used for 1080p full motion video, i'd guess.

"My prediction: Microsoft is fucked proper, exclusive GTA content or not. The fact that the 360 still hasn't really showed anything that is significantly more graphically powerful than the original X-Box must have Sony pretty happy"

Oh come on, Tornado. This is just trolling/fanboyism. No way can anyone honestly say GRAW, FNR3, Burnout Revenge, or Oblivion aren't "significantly" more graphically powerful than XBOX. They are nearly perfect looking. My thoughts on the 360 (and probably the PS3 as well) is that it's now up to the develpoers to use their artistic skills to perfect the visuals. The 360 can pretty much do whatever they want, it's up to them to use it's abilities. I don't have as high hopes for the PS3 as I did before this E3. I'm disliking the price, the lame rehash controller, 90% of the game lineup, and their online service is still a big ?????...I wouldn't say Sony is "happy", either. The 360 is powerful, has a nice lead to the market, some very good games, a great online service, and is cheaper. The Wii is also cheaper and could be the "poor man's choice" or the choice for parents/casual gamers who want to buy a video game system for cheap thrills.

"and developer support of the Wii is promising to make it Nintendo's most successful console since the SNES."

They said the same thing when the Gamecube was in development, and it was virtually abandoned by most 3rd parties halfway through its lifespan. I still wish Nintendo would become a thirdparty developer for the 360 or PS3...then they could release their nunchuck controller and Nintendo games for the other consoles - they'd make more money this way...ask Sega. I'm also not sure how much fun waving my arms around at a sensor is gonna be. I hope it works well, though, but from what i've read, i have my doubts...it's still a bit gimmicky. Time will tell.

Said By Aron Schatz

No, but seriously... Wii looks like a clever marketting scheme. Nintendo can't be calling the Revolution "Wii" any place but English speaking countries. In Japan, they can't even pronounce it!

Nope, it's the WII, everywhere. Sucks, doesn't it? Shame, I thought "GameCube" was a great name for a video game system.

"Where'd you get that idea? Most every video game site i've read basically said Sony sucked at E3, and the 360 was looking very good. Most PS3 "demos" were still just prerendered fakes, and the games that weren't, were (at best) about as good as 360 games. I know I wasn't impressed at their conference, and I was gearing up to buy a PS3. From what i've seen, i'm going to wait for the second round of PS3 games (AT LEAST) before getting one. I also feel that Blue Ray/HD-DVD is worthless for video games, IMO. The PS3 would surely be cheaper without it, at least. Do developers really need that much more space? What game is out that is larger than one DVD? The space would simply be used for 1080p full motion video, i'd guess."

From what I've seen (particularly MGS4), the PS3 games are considerably more powerful than the ones Microsoft was showing at E3. And considering the PS3 is supposedly going to be a very cheap Blu-Ray DVD reader, it will take off in Japan rediculously fast (just like the PS2 did with it's DVD player).

"Oh come on, Tornado. This is just trolling/fanboyism. No way can anyone honestly say GRAW, FNR3, Burnout Revenge, or Oblivion aren't "significantly" more graphically powerful than XBOX. They are nearly perfect looking. My thoughts on the 360 (and probably the PS3 as well) is that it's now up to the develpoers to use their artistic skills to perfect the visuals. I'm disliking the price, the lame rehash controller, 90% of the game lineup, and their online service is still a big ?????...I wouldn't say Sony is "happy", either. The 360 is powerful, has a nice lead to the market, some very good games, a great online service, and is cheaper. The Wii is also cheaper and could be the "poor man's choice" or the choice for parents/casual gamers who want to buy a video game system for cheap thrills."

No. I don't find spruced-up, more expensive ports of PS2 and X-Box games to be more graphically powerful than they were originally.Which is kind of rediculous when you go out of your way to promote the visuals of your system. But Fight Night is great looking (out of very X-Box 360 game thus far). The tremendous hype that Microsoft built behind the 360 was completely overdone. Truth be told, it does nothing for the industry at all. The simple fact that it is so similar to the Dreamcast in it's intitial run and stuff so far (with the exception that the Dreamcast at least had more than one good launch game) is what will spell it's doom. I will go so far as to guarantee that the 360 will be in a distant 2nd (at most) by the end of 2007. On the subject of online play: Also predicted by the Dreamcast.

"They said the same thing when the Gamecube was in development, and it was virtually abandoned by most 3rd parties halfway through its lifespan. I still wish Nintendo would become a thirdparty developer for the 360 or PS3...then they could release their nunchuck controller and Nintendo games for the other consoles - they'd make more money this way...ask Sega. I'm also not sure how much fun waving my arms around at a sensor is gonna be. I hope it works well, though, but from what i've read, i have my doubts...it's still a bit gimmicky. Time will tell."

Unfortunatly, though, that will never happen. Nintendo has no reason for it to happen. Comparing SEGA to Nintendo is like apples to oranges. Sega was on top for 3 years. Nintendo was on top for 15. As such, Nintedo has alot more money than SEGA ever had (this coming from a SEGA fanboy). In addition, SEGA was forced out because they were losing hundreds of millions of dollars on the Dreamcast. Nintendo never lost a cent on the Gamecube, nor the N64. Also, the situtation of the Gamecube was a far different animal to the Wii. Nintendo nearly had 2nd place. And they were only selling the system for $50 less than the X-Box, with far less 3RD party games and online stuff.

I have played Xbox live and it is the best online multiplayer service. The streamlined voice and stuff makes it great.

Sega and Nintendo aren't "apples and oranges" (they're both japanese game companies that had their ups and downs) - but your analogy of Sega/Dreamcast and Microsoft /Xbox sure is -Microsoft has the $ to see success for the 360 in the long run, Sega was broke. Nintendo hasn't been "top of their game" since the SNES, and have since relied on old franchises and the handheld market to be profitable. They should stop making home consoles and make money of games for the PS3/360. - but they've proven themselves to be too arrogant to make such a decision. (Hell, they've pretty much given up competing with MS and Sony this round with their market positioning, so why not go all the way?)

Bottom line, IMO, it's going to be a close race between the MS and Sony in Europe and the US. PS3 is still all smoke and mirrors, most people don't care about it's blueray crap, and is too expensive. It'll do well in japan b/c of their natinalism (they "buy japanese" before anything else), but in the US, I feel it's going to be an uphill battle against the 360. it's a great system and is getting better and better.

Nintendo and Sony do well in Japan because they are Japanese companies. That's the reason.

Just remember that Nintendo does not lose money on their systems, unlike Microsoft and Sony.

Microsoft has bigger plans with the Xbox 360 than just gaming, this is why they are highly discounting the price of the console. Once the Xbox is in everyone's home, they control them. It is as simple as that.

Said By RudeMoody

Sega and Nintendo aren't "apples and oranges" (they're both japanese game companies that had their ups and downs) - but your analogy of Sega/Dreamcast and Microsoft /Xbox sure is -Microsoft has the $ to see success for the 360 in the long run, Sega was broke. Nintendo hasn't been "top of their game" since the SNES, and have since relied on old franchises and the handheld market to be profitable. They should stop making home consoles and make money of games for the PS3/360. - but they've proven themselves to be too arrogant to make such a decision. (Hell, they've pretty much given up competing with MS and Sony this round with their market positioning, so why not go all the way?)

Not to beat an old horse to death, but SEGA and Nintendo are in the positions they are in right now for the exact reasons I stated. Sega pissed away everything it had in betweeen 1994 and 1996. That's pretty much a fact. That is why everything that had happened to them (blowing the Saturn launch, blowing the Saturn, losing so much money on the Dreamcast) happened. Nintendo has not lost money on any system they have ever sold except for the Virtual Boy. Sega lost money on most (nearly all) of their systems. They will never develop titles for any other company unless they strike out twice in a row. Sega struck out far more than twice. The simple fact that they don't need to go 3rd party means that they will not, and that in no way makes them arrogant.

Said By RudeMoody

Bottom line, IMO, it's going to be a close race between the MS and Sony in Europe and the US. PS3 is still all smoke and mirrors, most people don't care about it's blueray crap, and is too expensive. It'll do well in japan b/c of their natinalism (they "buy japanese" before anything else), but in the US, I feel it's going to be an uphill battle against the 360. it's a great system and is getting better and better.

People will care about Blu-Ray enough when it becomes the next standard for movies, especially when they realise that most Blu-Ray players alone will be around the PS3's price. And then Microsoft will be left with HD-DVD, which I am 90% sure will not be the next standard for movies. If anything, it is going to be a three horse race, but I guarantee Microsoft will not win this console war by and discernable number.

I hope it doesn't become the standard because it has too much DRM in it.

HD does as well, but it isn't as bad as BR.

Linky

Said By BBC News

Nintendo sets price limit on Wii
Nintendo Wii and controllers
Nintendo's new Wii console will be launched before Christmas
Japanese games giant Nintendo has confirmed that the price of its new Wii console will be much lower than its rivals.

The Wii will cost 25,000 yen or lower in Japan and $250 (£133) or less in the US, said Nintendo as it revealed its financial results.

The company added it aims to sell six million machines by March 2007.

The Wii is due out towards the end of the year, competing with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Microsoft's Xbox 360.

The three companies are battling for a share of a video games industry worth some $30bn (£16bn).

Cheaper machine

Nintendo unveiled its Wii console at the E3 games expo in Los Angeles earlier this year.

Sony PlayStation 3
The PlayStation 3 is due out in November
At the time, it did not reveal the cost of the machine, but analysts had expected it to be lower than its competitors.

At a news conference in Osaka, Nintendo senior managing director Yoshihiro Mori confirmed what many wanted to hear.

The price range set by Nintendo contrasts with the cost of Sony's new PlayStation 3, which is due to hit the shops in November.

A basic version of the console will cost $499 (£266), while a premium model will sell for $599 (£320).

The exact price in Britain has not been announced but the head of Sony Computer Entertainment in the UK has suggested it could be around £425.

Prices for Microsoft's Xbox 360, which went on sale last November, start at $299 (£209 in the UK).

Further proving the point that Nintendo is in it for all the chips now.

I'll be getting a Wii. It will be the cheapest console and I probably will like the games alot.

I'm with SHCase on this one. All the other consoles are too expensive.

I will be getting an XBox 360 over a PS3 for a few simple reasons 1st of all 360 is American 2nd it actually feels good to finally get something first before Japan does 3rd $600 dollars it is alot of money and how much is each game fot the PS3 over $60 dollars i mean $60 for a game is alot already (im frugal i buy used) now dont get me wrong im not anti Playtation or anything Japanese im sure if Blue Ray does take off we will eventually buy PS3's after all we did buy DVD players didn't we?? hell im sure everyone has at least 1 dvd player in their house not including a PS2 or an XBox. Yeah Graphics is important on a game but so is gameplay plus wait till the 360 comes out with 2nd and 3rd generation games just like the original XBox did with Splinter Cell. bottom line if and when Blue Ray goes Mainstream then i will buy a PS3 by that time PS3 will not be priced at $600 anymore...

Said By Baldeagle1

I will be getting an XBox 360 over a PS3 for a few simple reasons 1st of all 360 is American

You've highlighted why Nintendo and Sony do well in Japan. Japanese people buy Japanese goods. Here in America, cost rules over place of origin.

The Wii controls and internal speaker scream for a lightsaber combat game. This is a no brainer, and Lucasarts has already confirmed that such a game is in development. The day that game comes out will be the day that I own a Wii

That sounds like a winner to me as well. I'll be holding off on a new console until all three come out.

No way! I want to get that! This is an instant classic for me.

Yup now i can Use my Lightsaber skills.

I'm all OVER this game.