Though it may seem like I’ve done a major amount of video game discussion lately, I felt that it was all necessary as leading up to the inevitable…which is this blog entry.
PCWorld reports that Nintendo’s Wii is the number one selling “next generation” console in the world. This is a huge accomplishment! As the linked article explains, the last time that Nintendo was #1 with both their handheld and their home console was in 1994 – a full 13 years ago. I believe that this was an important story to cover for a couple of reasons, but mostly because Nintendo proved a startlingly simple point in their ascension back to the top of the video game mountain: focus on your business and you’ll find success.
Look at the gaming landscape. The big “traditional” video game companies are Nintendo, Sega, and Atari. Both Sega and Atari were forced out of the market due to the rise of superior gaming machines from Sony and eventually Microsoft. When Sega’s Dreamcast fell, many people thought that the end was near for Nintendo’s console. But Nintendo’s leadership did something that was unheard of in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s – they stayed their course. While other gaming systems were hurrying to include DVD playback, higher resolution features, and more in-game high-pixel video scenes, Nintendo stuck to its guns by producing machines that focused on a fun gaming experience.
And now, while Sony’s PlayStation 3 is looking at death’s door due to its unrealistic price tag and poor gaming library, the Nintendo Wii is thriving. Sony was so concerned about making sure their next-generation system was high-definition that they didn’t realize that many of the potential 3rd Party developers wouldn’t have the capacity (or desire) to create such detail-rich games. Of course they were also concerned with Sony’s larger plan to implement the Blu-Ray DVD format in PlayStation homes. What a terrible business plan for a video game system!
The problems that Microsoft are facing revolve mostly around inferior hardware quality (multiple overheating issues – now the controller is overheating) and, for many computer geeks like myself, the lack of desire that many video gamers/computer people have for a Windows experience on their home console. The most prevalent of this experience is the Red Ring of Death which signals that your XBox 360 is shot and needs to be replaced. Those of us who have had issues with Windows are quite familiar with the Blue Screen of Death – which signals that your operating system is more or less shot and needs to be reinstalled. Who the hell wants to deal with that type of bullshit on a video game system?
Nintendo did NOT focus on creating the basis for a home multimedia experience nor were they concerned about rolling out a new high-definition DVD format. They focused on having fun. And, as a Nintendo Wii & DS Lite owner who has played PlayStation 3, PSP, and XBox 360 – Nintendo hit the nail squarely on the head where the other systems missed the mark.
And now it’s paying off – Nintendo is once again back on top of the gaming world. The question, though, is whether or not it will last.
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