The Next Gen Console Race...
Swiftspear
Custim tital Join Date: 2003-10-29 Member: 22097Members
Custim tital Join Date: 2003-10-29 Member: 22097Members
<div class="IPBDescription">theorycraft FTW!</div> There is a lot of rumor and theory craft flying around about the release of the next generation consoles, I'm going to try to compile a bit of what I know/have heard about these things and throw out a few predictions of what I think the next gen console race is going to look like. I am posting website sources here, but a lot of my sources and info are from word of mouth as well, so just because I say something doesn't necessarily mean you are going to be able to track down where I got it from on the sources I post, so feel free to correct me on any point that I go totally off base on.
<b>Nintendo "Revolution":</b>
Primary source: <a href='http://home.btconnect.com/hgi/nintendo-ds/' target='_blank'>http://home.btconnect.com/hgi/nintendo-ds/</a>
So this system looks like it is going to be your regular ordinary household flying saucer. Despite the fact that I may think it looks like a pressure cooker, I honestly have to say this thing really has me impressed. From what I have seen, Nintendo seems to be looking to meet to mid/low price range market with this product, so I kind of doubt it will compete with the power of the other consoles in the traditional sense, but I see lots of room for advancements that I don't believe the other consoles will be able to touch. It looks as if Nintendo’s primary goal here is to really encourage innovation in the market possibly even at the expense if being able to pump out the graphically astonishing games with the real time light casting and the hyper realistic physics effects. I have heard that Nintendo possibly has the patent for gyroscopic controllers, so we may see a embodiment of that in the Revolution’s user interface, but so far the only official statement from Nintendo is that they haven't decided on a primary control system yet, but they promise that whatever they choose will prioritize innovation and ease of use for the user.
The other main mentionable feature is that this thing appears to have online/multiplayer support that will absolutely slaughter the current Xbox live system. The console comes with Wi-Fi built in, and with the current online capabilities of the Nintendo DS, I really don't think it is a long shot to assume that Nintendo is shooting to monopolize the innovative market in terms of online gaming in the next generation race. I would not be surprised to see some really cool user to user interfaces that just kind of make you drop your jaw and go "WTH, that is awesome" coming out of the Revolution development teams, and no doubt the DS/Revolution interface will be nothing short of remarkable. Also it is worth mentioning that unlike past incarnations of Nintendo systems, the revolution will be fully backwards compatible with GCN titles, and will have a built in DVD player. It's nice to see Nintendo following the trend and finally including those two nifty little additions that GCN users have been sorely missing in this last generation. Finally it is rumored that the Revolution will be shipped with a 15 meg hard drive, which is never a bad thing in a console.
The innovative properties are sure to be a hit among Nintendo company developers, and no doubt will attract many third party developers who are inspired by options they will have in expanding their designs (I wouldn't be even slightly surprised to see Square's relations with Nintendo increase tenfold) but on the down side there is a very real possibility that Nintendo will be alienating large segments of the third party market.
"In a recent print interview, Iwata-san said that if third parties were able to continue creating gorgeous, traditional games on rival next-generation formats and continue to expand their audiences that way, they "may not support Nintendo"
It looks like the Revolution user interface may be so far out in left field that they might not be able to maintain compatibility with cross console titles. It is yet to be seen what that will mean in the long run.
I predict the Nintendo sales figures to increase drastically however, despite the third party developers they may/may not alienate. Nintendo's developer roster will most likely increase in size to some degree, and I think the majority of their success will come at the expense of Sony in the Japanese market. Nintendo is currently seeing incredible growth rates in all segments of their market, and I see no reason for that to stop in the next generation. If I could only buy one of the next gen consoles, the Nintendo revolution would most likely be it.
<b>Sony "PS3":</b>
Primary Source: <a href='http://www.ps3portal.com/' target='_blank'>http://www.ps3portal.com/</a>
Ah, the PS3. By all standard accounts the role Sony is looking to fill here appears to be creating a console that can be the centerpiece of any home entertainment system. The new cell processor looks to be an incredibly powerful base of structure for this console, an rumors have it that Sony has it running at an astonishing 4GHz. This looks to be the beast workhorse of the next gen consoles, and most likely we will see the PS3 blowing the competition out of the water in terms of what their games are doing on a graphical level. This should be the console of choice for traditional single player/multi console title play. To top it off it is rumored that the PS3 may be the only next gen console that will be playable at E3, indicating that Sony is once again attempting to heads up their competitors by putting their crap out their first. Based on the pictures I have seen of what this thing may look like, I would guess that the new console may even have an amazing and innovative "laundry machine" function, although at this point that is very much still speculation (just kidding, but the thing apparently is FRIGGING HUGE)
I would be incredibly surprised if Sony doesn't include some type of multiplayer/online support, as I believe it would probably be necessary in order to realistically compete in the next gen console race, but online interaction doesn't seem high on Sony’s list of priorities for this release, most likely we will see online capabilities slightly below what the current Xbox live system is doing. Apparently the new console will be shipped with an inbuilt hard drive, but weather PS3 owners will have access to the real Internet or simply a Sony network group is yet to be seen.
Most likely Sony will be shooting to monopolize the middle/high price range with this new design, and the sheer power of this thing is likely to appeal to the hardcore gamer market much the way the Xbox did in the last generation. I think the largest hit to Sony here will be their rehashing and improving of established genres and conventions here. Their lack of online/media support will probably significantly hurt their appeal in the American market compared to both the Revolution and the Xbox2, and their lack of innovation in the market is almost definitely going to be a major hit to their sales against the seemingly revived Nintendo company in the Japanese market. I seriously doubt they are going to lose much profit in Japan due to competition with the Xbox, but it is still not a possibility that is to be disregarded completely.
The PS3 seems to be the safe console that will likely appeal to many of the traditional third party developers as well as your average schlum international gamer (likely Xbox is going to take that role in the Americas). Its enviable power will no doubt appeal to the number crunchers in the hard core gaming population, but it will be interesting to see what kind of reputation it holds at the end of this next generation run. I'm not forecasting that Sony pulls a Sega in the next generation, but I believe if they don't start injecting some serious innovation into their products they won't have too much longer before their ambitions as a console developer are seriously at risk.
<b>Microsoft's "Xbox2":</b>
Primary source: <a href='http://www.xbreporter.com/xbox_2_news.php' target='_blank'>http://www.xbreporter.com/xbox_2_news.php</a>
The Xbox two looks like it will be some good old fashioned home grown American ingenuity. In the long run it is questionable weather that is a good thing... but that seems to be the way it is going anyways. Where Sony seems to be focused on building a console that is the centerpiece of your entertainment center, Microsoft looks like they are making a PC that you plug into your television. Rumors are circulating that the new Xbox may look a little like a Microsoft media PC, possibly with the capabilities of recording and playing back live television, as well as almost definitely the ability to access the internet much the way your traditional PC would. The development environment of the Xbox looks to be incredibly intuitive, so that MAY attract some third party developers, but if last generation was any indication, developers don't really seem to care about how hard a game will be to make, if building a game for a certain system looks to be more profitable then another console. The Xbox hardware roster looks like it will likely be entirely Microsoft produced, so it seems as if Microsoft may be planning to use the Xbox2 as a test run for their "monopolize the PC market entirely" strategy. Of course Xbox2 will be backwards compatible with Xbox titles as well.
I don't see Xbox2 as really gaining a major heads up past the success of the Xbox. Likely they will take a fraction of Sony's market in the American areas, but I don't see them being much of a threat to Nintendo, or being the harvenger of Sony’s demise just yet. No doubt their enviable online capabilities will be an attractive factor in the casual gaming market, but with the loss of their ability to claim to be the "most powerful console" they will likely lose a fair bit of market on the fringes of the hardcore gamer population. It will probably still be the mod system of choice due to its incredibly PC like architecture, but the modder market is hardly an enviable population.
One major advantage the Xbox2 is likely to have that I haven't mentioned yet, is they appear to be aiming at ALL price ranges in the market. Rumor has it that Microsoft is actually planning to make 3 Xbox2 models. One with no hard drive, at low cost, that will most likely be unenviable and function deprived compared its counterparts. One that will be reminiscent of the current Xbox, with a modest hard rive and standard online console functions, and a third high level market that will most likely look a little like a Microsoft media PC/Xbox, and will probably include a fairly generous hard drive. Catering too all markets is quite likely going to be a kick to the teeth for both Sony and Nintendo who are only planning to meet single price range populations, but it is yet to be seen weather this will realistically be a strong factor in the increase of Xbox sales at the expense of the other consoles.
Well this concludes my nub analysis on the next generation console market. It will be interesting to see what the actions of these competing companies is going to mean for the successes of the others, and also how the introduction of new console hardware is going to affect the stagnating PC game market which seems to be relying heavily on the graphical heads up PC games have over console games ATM. Personally I am now more then ever rooting for Nintendo, but as I see it, anything that injects more innovation into today’s gaming market is a positive force. It was fun, I hope you enjoyed this read, leave your own comments/questions, as if I was bored enough to type all this crap out, you better believe I am bored enough to argue about it!
[edit] Spelling fixed for the anal!
<b>Nintendo "Revolution":</b>
Primary source: <a href='http://home.btconnect.com/hgi/nintendo-ds/' target='_blank'>http://home.btconnect.com/hgi/nintendo-ds/</a>
So this system looks like it is going to be your regular ordinary household flying saucer. Despite the fact that I may think it looks like a pressure cooker, I honestly have to say this thing really has me impressed. From what I have seen, Nintendo seems to be looking to meet to mid/low price range market with this product, so I kind of doubt it will compete with the power of the other consoles in the traditional sense, but I see lots of room for advancements that I don't believe the other consoles will be able to touch. It looks as if Nintendo’s primary goal here is to really encourage innovation in the market possibly even at the expense if being able to pump out the graphically astonishing games with the real time light casting and the hyper realistic physics effects. I have heard that Nintendo possibly has the patent for gyroscopic controllers, so we may see a embodiment of that in the Revolution’s user interface, but so far the only official statement from Nintendo is that they haven't decided on a primary control system yet, but they promise that whatever they choose will prioritize innovation and ease of use for the user.
The other main mentionable feature is that this thing appears to have online/multiplayer support that will absolutely slaughter the current Xbox live system. The console comes with Wi-Fi built in, and with the current online capabilities of the Nintendo DS, I really don't think it is a long shot to assume that Nintendo is shooting to monopolize the innovative market in terms of online gaming in the next generation race. I would not be surprised to see some really cool user to user interfaces that just kind of make you drop your jaw and go "WTH, that is awesome" coming out of the Revolution development teams, and no doubt the DS/Revolution interface will be nothing short of remarkable. Also it is worth mentioning that unlike past incarnations of Nintendo systems, the revolution will be fully backwards compatible with GCN titles, and will have a built in DVD player. It's nice to see Nintendo following the trend and finally including those two nifty little additions that GCN users have been sorely missing in this last generation. Finally it is rumored that the Revolution will be shipped with a 15 meg hard drive, which is never a bad thing in a console.
The innovative properties are sure to be a hit among Nintendo company developers, and no doubt will attract many third party developers who are inspired by options they will have in expanding their designs (I wouldn't be even slightly surprised to see Square's relations with Nintendo increase tenfold) but on the down side there is a very real possibility that Nintendo will be alienating large segments of the third party market.
"In a recent print interview, Iwata-san said that if third parties were able to continue creating gorgeous, traditional games on rival next-generation formats and continue to expand their audiences that way, they "may not support Nintendo"
It looks like the Revolution user interface may be so far out in left field that they might not be able to maintain compatibility with cross console titles. It is yet to be seen what that will mean in the long run.
I predict the Nintendo sales figures to increase drastically however, despite the third party developers they may/may not alienate. Nintendo's developer roster will most likely increase in size to some degree, and I think the majority of their success will come at the expense of Sony in the Japanese market. Nintendo is currently seeing incredible growth rates in all segments of their market, and I see no reason for that to stop in the next generation. If I could only buy one of the next gen consoles, the Nintendo revolution would most likely be it.
<b>Sony "PS3":</b>
Primary Source: <a href='http://www.ps3portal.com/' target='_blank'>http://www.ps3portal.com/</a>
Ah, the PS3. By all standard accounts the role Sony is looking to fill here appears to be creating a console that can be the centerpiece of any home entertainment system. The new cell processor looks to be an incredibly powerful base of structure for this console, an rumors have it that Sony has it running at an astonishing 4GHz. This looks to be the beast workhorse of the next gen consoles, and most likely we will see the PS3 blowing the competition out of the water in terms of what their games are doing on a graphical level. This should be the console of choice for traditional single player/multi console title play. To top it off it is rumored that the PS3 may be the only next gen console that will be playable at E3, indicating that Sony is once again attempting to heads up their competitors by putting their crap out their first. Based on the pictures I have seen of what this thing may look like, I would guess that the new console may even have an amazing and innovative "laundry machine" function, although at this point that is very much still speculation (just kidding, but the thing apparently is FRIGGING HUGE)
I would be incredibly surprised if Sony doesn't include some type of multiplayer/online support, as I believe it would probably be necessary in order to realistically compete in the next gen console race, but online interaction doesn't seem high on Sony’s list of priorities for this release, most likely we will see online capabilities slightly below what the current Xbox live system is doing. Apparently the new console will be shipped with an inbuilt hard drive, but weather PS3 owners will have access to the real Internet or simply a Sony network group is yet to be seen.
Most likely Sony will be shooting to monopolize the middle/high price range with this new design, and the sheer power of this thing is likely to appeal to the hardcore gamer market much the way the Xbox did in the last generation. I think the largest hit to Sony here will be their rehashing and improving of established genres and conventions here. Their lack of online/media support will probably significantly hurt their appeal in the American market compared to both the Revolution and the Xbox2, and their lack of innovation in the market is almost definitely going to be a major hit to their sales against the seemingly revived Nintendo company in the Japanese market. I seriously doubt they are going to lose much profit in Japan due to competition with the Xbox, but it is still not a possibility that is to be disregarded completely.
The PS3 seems to be the safe console that will likely appeal to many of the traditional third party developers as well as your average schlum international gamer (likely Xbox is going to take that role in the Americas). Its enviable power will no doubt appeal to the number crunchers in the hard core gaming population, but it will be interesting to see what kind of reputation it holds at the end of this next generation run. I'm not forecasting that Sony pulls a Sega in the next generation, but I believe if they don't start injecting some serious innovation into their products they won't have too much longer before their ambitions as a console developer are seriously at risk.
<b>Microsoft's "Xbox2":</b>
Primary source: <a href='http://www.xbreporter.com/xbox_2_news.php' target='_blank'>http://www.xbreporter.com/xbox_2_news.php</a>
The Xbox two looks like it will be some good old fashioned home grown American ingenuity. In the long run it is questionable weather that is a good thing... but that seems to be the way it is going anyways. Where Sony seems to be focused on building a console that is the centerpiece of your entertainment center, Microsoft looks like they are making a PC that you plug into your television. Rumors are circulating that the new Xbox may look a little like a Microsoft media PC, possibly with the capabilities of recording and playing back live television, as well as almost definitely the ability to access the internet much the way your traditional PC would. The development environment of the Xbox looks to be incredibly intuitive, so that MAY attract some third party developers, but if last generation was any indication, developers don't really seem to care about how hard a game will be to make, if building a game for a certain system looks to be more profitable then another console. The Xbox hardware roster looks like it will likely be entirely Microsoft produced, so it seems as if Microsoft may be planning to use the Xbox2 as a test run for their "monopolize the PC market entirely" strategy. Of course Xbox2 will be backwards compatible with Xbox titles as well.
I don't see Xbox2 as really gaining a major heads up past the success of the Xbox. Likely they will take a fraction of Sony's market in the American areas, but I don't see them being much of a threat to Nintendo, or being the harvenger of Sony’s demise just yet. No doubt their enviable online capabilities will be an attractive factor in the casual gaming market, but with the loss of their ability to claim to be the "most powerful console" they will likely lose a fair bit of market on the fringes of the hardcore gamer population. It will probably still be the mod system of choice due to its incredibly PC like architecture, but the modder market is hardly an enviable population.
One major advantage the Xbox2 is likely to have that I haven't mentioned yet, is they appear to be aiming at ALL price ranges in the market. Rumor has it that Microsoft is actually planning to make 3 Xbox2 models. One with no hard drive, at low cost, that will most likely be unenviable and function deprived compared its counterparts. One that will be reminiscent of the current Xbox, with a modest hard rive and standard online console functions, and a third high level market that will most likely look a little like a Microsoft media PC/Xbox, and will probably include a fairly generous hard drive. Catering too all markets is quite likely going to be a kick to the teeth for both Sony and Nintendo who are only planning to meet single price range populations, but it is yet to be seen weather this will realistically be a strong factor in the increase of Xbox sales at the expense of the other consoles.
Well this concludes my nub analysis on the next generation console market. It will be interesting to see what the actions of these competing companies is going to mean for the successes of the others, and also how the introduction of new console hardware is going to affect the stagnating PC game market which seems to be relying heavily on the graphical heads up PC games have over console games ATM. Personally I am now more then ever rooting for Nintendo, but as I see it, anything that injects more innovation into today’s gaming market is a positive force. It was fun, I hope you enjoyed this read, leave your own comments/questions, as if I was bored enough to type all this crap out, you better believe I am bored enough to argue about it!
[edit] Spelling fixed for the anal!
Comments
so is aiming in firstperson with a controller.
Mouse and Keyboard <3
so is aiming in firstperson with a controller.
Mouse and Keyboard <3 <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Play more Perfect Dark.
so is aiming in firstperson with a controller.
Mouse and Keyboard <3 <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Play more Perfect Dark. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
can't be played more than i have, and i still - to this day hate the aiming system.
But in my heart, I know PS3 will still be king.
so is aiming in firstperson with a controller.
Mouse and Keyboard <3 <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Because first person shooters are the end all be all of console gaming...
Actually nintendo has a patent out for nonsplitscreen multiplayer for single TV play... I have no idea how they expect that to work... but they do have the patent out...
So, Xbox2 is called phantom? I have to admit, it was probably the console I did the least recearch on for this little article.
Bwahaha, I remember now. Weren't you supposed to DL its game libraries?
Good thing it never had any developers... Phantom: irony FTW!
Nonsplitscreen multiplayer?
Like Contra, Street Fighter 2, Gradius, Legend of Mana?
Each cell processor has a cut down powerPC like processor and a number of simple "mini-processors" called SPE's(~8, but that may change depending on the specific requirements of the device it's going to be used in, this is not a PS3 exclusive processor). The SPE's are assigned relatively simple nut calculation heavy and not very branchy/cache dependent tasks by the powerPC core. This architecture is going to be fed tremendous amounts of memory bandwidth with XDR DRAM(rambus tech).
In short this is going to SIMD monster. Which is a good setup for games as they usually need a LOT of SIMD performance(Most computations are on vectors and matrices).
Each cell processor has a cut down powerPC like processor and a number of simple "mini-processors" called SPE's(~8, but that may change depending on the specific requirements of the device it's going to be used in, this is not a PS3 exclusive processor). The SPE's are assigned relatively simple nut calculation heavy and not very branchy/cache dependent tasks by the powerPC core. This architecture is going to be fed tremendous amounts of memory bandwidth with XDR DRAM(rambus tech).
In short this is going to SIMD monster. Which is a good setup for games as they usually need a LOT of SIMD performance(Most computations are on vectors and matrices). <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
What he said, PS3 = awesomesause hardware!
The phantom was a white box with a small video demo playing in repeat inside.
Aha, I see I am NOT the only fan here. Very good. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
However, if Halo 3 is anything near as good as the first game was, well, I'll be forced to buy Xbox Next... which is really all part of Microsoft forcing Bungie to NOT conclude the Halo series with 2. They could have put an ad for Xbox Next at the end of the credits if they had finalized a design for the damn thing.
Otherwise, I think I'll probably just spend the ridiculous amount of money these things will cost and get me a new mobo or video card, or both if I have enough saved.
PC > All.
But in my heart, I know PS3 will still be king. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Being the Sega fanboy, I will cry myself to sleep, wake up, and play Dreamcast for the next six to eight years.
Either way it's going to be a while until after launch that one of these consoles can be decided on... I'm not a big X-Box or Playstation fan, though, so Revolution seems to be the most likely purchase.
We've only seen Graphics demoes of the Xenon.
Looking at all of it though, it looks like the PS3 will natural grab the sales charts: The XBox will grab graphics and the <i>Japanese</i> gaming market, in a hope to give them equal status in both areas. But, Nintendo is smart: They wouldn't codename something "Revolution" unless it truely was something Revolutionary.
We'll all see.
We've only seen Graphics demoes of the Xenon.
Looking at all of it though, it looks like the PS3 will natural grab the sales charts: The XBox will grab graphics and the <i>Japanese</i> gaming market, in a hope to give them equal status in both areas. But, Nintendo is smart: They wouldn't codename something "Revolution" unless it truely was something Revolutionary.
We'll all see. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Let's hope it has something revolutionary like the connection GameCube/GBA was!
Whats MS doing this time thats going to give Xbox the Japanese market?
We've only seen Graphics demoes of the Xenon.
Looking at all of it though, it looks like the PS3 will natural grab the sales charts: The XBox will grab graphics and the <i>Japanese</i> gaming market, in a hope to give them equal status in both areas. But, Nintendo is smart: They wouldn't codename something "Revolution" unless it truely was something Revolutionary.
We'll all see. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Let's hope it has something revolutionary like the connection GameCube/GBA was! <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Is that sarcasm? Because I can't tell.
Which doesn't make sense... You lost the war, but you gained the most.
We've only seen Graphics demoes of the Xenon.
Looking at all of it though, it looks like the PS3 will natural grab the sales charts: The XBox will grab graphics and the <i>Japanese</i> gaming market, in a hope to give them equal status in both areas. But, Nintendo is smart: They wouldn't codename something "Revolution" unless it truely was something Revolutionary.
We'll all see. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Nintendo didn't used to be smart... They had some leadership changes just before the cube went final, and those are the guys responseable for the DS being awesome. When I say "new nintendo", it isn't so much that it is a new company, alot of thier design studios are old as all hell, but the people with thier fingers on the button have switched over, and the new group is much more compitent then the dinosaurs who arbitratily decided the N64 would use cartrige technology AGAIN.
Nintendo was knocked back of thier heels abit when they lost the majority market to the awesomesause of the PS and people lost thier jobs over it. The revolution won't be as powerful a beast as the PS3, but nintendo has some great developers under thier belt, and the Revolution is going to be a VERY feature heavy console. I am extreamly excited about it's potential, if only due to nintendo's forward thinking in its design. The PS3 may be the safe choice in the next gen, but I am convinced that all the most intresting titles of the next 6 years will be coming out of nintendo and nintendo third party developers. I can also guarentee that squaresoft is VERY interested with working with the new nintendo organization. The Final Fantasy main series may never switch, but we will see ALOT of square titiles for the revoltution. Halo3 and GT5/GTA:whatever will look amazing on thier respective consoles, but I really can't stay loyal to a console based souly on one title (expeccially not halo, it's a console based FPS for Gods sake!).
Let's hope it has something revolutionary like the connection GameCube/GBA was! <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Is that sarcasm? Because I can't tell.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
That's funny because I was having the same problem. I just chose to ignore the statement before though.
<!--QuoteBegin-DrSuredeath+Mar 28 2005, 12:10 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (DrSuredeath @ Mar 28 2005, 12:10 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Just like this generation, I am so damn confident that Nintendo will not overthrown PS3, but it will still be the most profitable game company next to EA.
Which doesn't make sense... You lost the war, but you gained the most.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
It's because they save money on hardware by making it cheap to produce, then they bet all their profits on their software. Consoles rarely ever make a good profit off of hardware. I think I remember reading that Microsoft lost money hardware-wise on the xbox.
Every game company did that. They dont make money off the console, they make it off the games.