Divide by Null - undefined

So it's the end of the year now. It's been over a month since these two consoles started at it. The verdict: Wii.

The Wii is the victor in this 1.5 month "battle" for console supremacy. The hype for the PS3 has subsided. The hype for the Wii is still strong.

A few days before the launches, I asked people at Best Buy about the PS3 and the Wii. They generally were in favor of the PS3. This was just before the PS3 came out so there was a line already forming, so I asked about the Wii line. They scoffed at the idea. Maybe a bit, but hardly longer than the one for the PS3.

Opening day for the PS3, there were only a few consoles available, so it was no surprise that Best Buy sold out of its six consoles. Compare with the Wii that sold all 100 consoles in Best Buy in 37 minutes. The line to get a console was actually longer than that.

Woot sold PS3s just over a month after launch saying that they would buy two Wiis for each PS3 sold to give to their staff. While obviously a joke, it shows the general feeling for Wii vs. PS3.

The Wii has been called a disruptive innovation, which might sound negative, but it's not. If the DS and Wii can revolutionize the way all gaming companies do things, then it's definitely disruptive technology. Until then, a better term for this would be the Blue Ocean strategy, aiming for a new market. Hardcore gamer? Don't have to be for the Wii.

It's only so far one can go with graphics. The Wii is definitely not there for graphics. It's a new experience. My dad is always impressed by the graphics of games, but he doesn't play them. I could stare at the Mona Lisa or an actual photograph if I wanted graphics. Gameplay makes the game. Graphics, sound, story, they're just bonuses that we've come to expect. Why else would something like Katamary Damacy have such a cult following?

And Jeremy, I think you mean teen nature of the PS3. Adults seem to prefer the Wii because it's something they can play almost intuitively. This is the Blue Ocean strategy at work.

Now, this isn't to say that the PS3 is dead. I only analyzed the short time it's been out. I'm sure it can pick up the pace if Sony could, first produce more consoles, then get a few great games out. Zelda a launch title? That was probably the best thing for the Wii.

As far as PSP vs. DS? PSP might have been a bit ahead in the beginning, but now it's more or less down there. Nintendogs + Brain Age = Blue Ocean? Either way...

Innovation is good.