Bill Gates: Nintendo our "toughest" foe

[D Mac]

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6164053.html?tag=latestnews;title;0

Microsoft chairman cites the "surprising" strength of the DS and Wii as the biggest challenge to Xbox 360 supremacy.
By Tor Thorsen, GameSpot
Posted Jan 10, 2007 5:04 pm PT

When it comes to console rivalries, many think the most bitter feud is between Sony and Microsoft. Apparently Bill Gates doesn't. In an interview with Japanese TV at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, the Microsoft chairman and world's richest man says he sees another console maker as the Xbox 360's primary rival.

"The strength of Nintendo...in the portable space, has been very impressive," Gates said in a video interview currently viewable on YouTube. "[It's] surprised a lot of people, I think, [that] and the Wii. We see Nintendo as our toughest competition."

Given that the interview was with Tokyo TV, it is possible Gates' comments were about the Japanese market, where the Xbox 360 trails far behind both the PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii. Naturally, many fanboys have taken Gates' comments as another indicator of Sony's greatly exaggerated demise. That viewpoint, though, overlooks the possibility Gates was intentionally slighting Sony in public as part of its ongoing war of words with the electronics giant.

[Kane Knight]

OMG SONY IS TEH SUXXORZ!

[Stickman]

He is such a nerd. FUck him for being so rich.

[DAMN iNATOR]

He's got a right to be worried though. In Japan, they've already sold well over a million Wii units.

[Kane Knight]

Nintendo will always dominate in Japan. That's like saying "these fanboys at the Anime convention are mostly Otaku."

Yeah. Not a big deal. US sales, as well as EU sales, are what really matters to MS.

[Bad Company]

I'm surprised gates would kick sony "when they are down" like that, but I guess they'll take any chance they can get to get more sales in Japan.
Better trying to stomp the PS3 hard now, because it's a fucken sweet piece of machinery, and once sony get things right with it and get some units and games out there, and people start hacking it, I'll sure as hell be getting one.

[Silent]

I really want a PS3, but I can't afford one. They had about 50 of them sitting on a shelf at the Walmart nearby...

I'm wondering though, you guys are mentioning Sony is having some problems with the PS3? Care to clarify? I don't keep up very well with this stuff as you can see.

[Bad Company]

Ah, I know they are just a bit slow, they had poor yields with the processors, low distribution numbers. Early days though, It's not launched here yet, and I'm not forking out $1300 for one. Maybe.

[Kane Knight]

I'm surprised gates would kick sony "when they are down" like that, but I guess they'll take any chance they can get to get more sales in Japan.
Better trying to stomp the PS3 hard now, because it's a fucken sweet piece of machinery, and once sony get things right with it and get some units and games out there, and people start hacking it, I'll sure as hell be getting one.

LOL.

PS3s ARE out there. They're just not selling. That "sweet piece of machinery" isn't running in to shortages, it's just not selling. Games, that's true, but it hasn't stopped even the 360 from being harder to find, and it's a freakin' year old. And it certainly hasn't stopped the Wii from selling over twice the units.

Sony's dug itself a hole with that machinery, because the electronics market won't support it.

Don't think Gates actually kicked Sony.

[Silent]

Oh, so there's not like a big manufacturing problem or something? I know there's a lot of PS3s now, I went to the Walmart nearby a couple days ago and they had at least 25 PS3s sitting there begging to be bought, I was really tempted but it's just so expensive..

[Just John]

I think the PS3 is a decent console, its just at an extreme price.

[Bad Company]

LOL.

PS3s ARE out there. They're just not selling. That "sweet piece of machinery" isn't running in to shortages, it's just not selling. Games, that's true, but it hasn't stopped even the 360 from being harder to find, and it's a freakin' year old. And it certainly hasn't stopped the Wii from selling over twice the units.

Sony's dug itself a hole with that machinery, because the electronics market won't support it.

Don't think Gates actually kicked Sony.
ah ok, I thought it was supply shortages that were the problem. Not that I give a shit, living where it hasn't even been released yet :p

It is a sweet piece of machinery, if you look at the numbers then you can see the potential. In 2 years time, it'll be the best console to own. Fact.

[D Mac]

It is a sweet piece of machinery, if you look at the numbers then you can see the potential. In 2 years time, it'll be the best console to own. Fact.

After it's first big price drop, it'll probably sell like hotcakes.

[Son of Snake]

I get a bigger kick out of the PSP's sitting on the shelf rotting. For all the bs I took buying a DS over a PSP a year ago, you can't find a DS on the shelf right now.

PSP's are sitting in huge piles with the crazy price tag.

I laugh at Sony still thinking their brand name means its worth 2x as much the way it did in the early 80's.

[Kane Knight]

Oh, so there's not like a big manufacturing problem or something? I know there's a lot of PS3s now, I went to the Walmart nearby a couple days ago and they had at least 25 PS3s sitting there begging to be bought, I was really tempted but it's just so expensive..

There are manufacturing problems, but on top of that, they're not selling out of even their shorted supply.

[Kane Knight]

ah ok, I thought it was supply shortages that were the problem. Not that I give a shit, living where it hasn't even been released yet :p

It is a sweet piece of machinery, if you look at the numbers then you can see the potential. In 2 years time, it'll be the best console to own. Fact.

LOL. In two years time, it'll probably be in serious shit, actually. Better Hardware doesn't mean shit. Fact. Look at the other "potential" systems. Sega did so well with their Dreamcast (A system so sweet even the PS2 and GC couldn't properly handle many of the games) they went out of business.

I know you might not give a shit, but at least look at what you're arguing, and how it's been bullshit every single other time. FACT. :p

[Kane Knight]

After it's first big price drop, it'll probably sell like hotcakes.

Yup. After all, just look at the PSP. That sweet piece of machinery is the handheld to own, now that its price has dropped. Fact.

...Unless, of course, you're living on Earth.

I don't mean to champion Nintendo or demean Sony. The PSP had a fine year in 2005, despite a poor market. Sony was just outgunned by something with like, half the power. The cost is an issue, and even after price breaks, it'll be an issue for the PS3. By the time we're ready for the PS3, it'll be time for the Xbox 134068375489634, the Wii2, and the PS4. One only needs to look at what has actually, already happened to see how gay all the speculation of a PS3 victory story is. Sony's done this a lot in many fields, and paid the price in each.

I don't know if it's fanboyism or just myopia, but it's pretty clear that it'll take a miracle for Sony to come out on top, or be the system to beat.

[Bad Company]

LOL. In two years time, it'll probably be in serious shit, actually. Better Hardware doesn't mean shit. Fact. Look at the other "potential" systems. Sega did so well with their Dreamcast (A system so sweet even the PS2 and GC couldn't properly handle many of the games) they went out of business.

I know you might not give a shit, but at least look at what you're arguing, and how it's been bullshit every single other time. FACT. :p
Look here Kane Knight, Just because you're constantly voted best debator doesn't mean you need to argue the point with me very time :p

It's my opinion that the PS3 will come into it's own. Just you wait ;)

[Kane Knight]

IT's my opinion that you're wrong. Just wait.


Honestly, I don't really have a problem with you having an opinion. I just think everyoe saying this needs perspective. You know, since a lot of people said the same thing about things like the PSP/UMDs, Sega's Dreamcast, etc.

The facts, the history are all against your opinion and Sony. Sorry that I took a false statement and actually rebutted it. Apparently, that hurt your feelings. A shame.

[Bad Company]

Well I've just been talking to a friend who is a developer. He says that noone can be arsed making games for the PS3.
Also, John Carmack from ID said "they made bad choices with their cpu, its too difficult to code for"

So After having this talk with my friend, who is a fucking guru. Kane Knight is more likely to be correct than I am. And yes, I'm an idiot.

[Kane Knight]

Hell, one of Sony's own PR guys is talking about this all the time. Which is, of course, the usual way Sony markets their shit. "Our system is so hard to code for, they may never reach its potential!"

Way to go, dumbasses. Advertising your biggest flaw as though it's a good thing. :roll:

[Kane Knight]

Actually, the funny thing about that is that they made it needlessly difficult to program for the PS and PS2. It's just that this is such a jump in technology that the difficulties are so much more readily evident.

[Silent]

Look at the other "potential" systems. Sega did so well with their Dreamcast (A system so sweet even the PS2 and GC couldn't properly handle many of the games) they went out of business.

Yeah, well said. I bought a Dreamcast on launch day, 9/9/99. I thought it was an awesome system, and was very sad to hear when they would not be making a new system, I've always loved Sega machines.

As someone who just dropped 500 bucks for a PS3 system, I am hoping that things will still be going well for it 2 years down the line. :o

[DS]

I would say that around the end of 07 the PS3 will be a good contender. The majority of the games right now don't justify the price tag but once you get games like Metal Gear Solid 4 out there I think that it will look better. Nintendo didn't have to rely so much on their games because the system tried something "new" and people are buying it just for that. They both have some good games and it looks like it's just going to take a while for people to forget about judging the system based on hardware and more on software.

[Kane Knight]

BTW, I know GameFAQs is full of some really stupid people, but check this out... Truly, Nintedno seems to be their toughest competition.

Poll of the Day


Which of the three next-gen consoles do you plan to own by the end of 2007?

Vote Accepted
<table class="poll"><colgroup> <col class="question"> <col class="percent"> <col class="bar"> <col class="votes"> </colgroup> <tbody><tr> <th>All three of them</th> <td>8.68%</td> <td>
</td> <td>6017</td> </tr> <tr> <th>360 and PS3</th> <td>3.71%</td> <td>
</td> <td>2572</td> </tr> <tr> <th>360 and Wii</th> <td>21.61%</td> <td>
</td> <td>14980</td> </tr> <tr> <th>PS3 and Wii</th> <td>9.13%</td> <td>
</td> <td>6330</td> </tr> <tr> <th>Just a 360</th> <td>9.03%</td> <td>
</td> <td>6257</td> </tr> <tr> <th>Just a PS3</th> <td>9.86%</td> <td>
</td> <td>6832</td> </tr> <tr> <th>Just a Wii</th> <td>27.87%</td> <td>
</td> <td>19322</td> </tr> <tr> <th>None of them</th> <td>10.11%</td> <td>
</td> <td>7008</td> </tr> <tr> <th>TOTAL VOTES</th> <td>
</td> <td>
</td> <td>69318</td></tr></tbody></table>

[Kane Knight]

Yeah, well said. I bought a Dreamcast on launch day, 9/9/99. I thought it was an awesome system, and was very sad to hear when they would not be making a new system, I've always loved Sega machines.

As someone who just dropped 500 bucks for a PS3 system, I am hoping that things will still be going well for it 2 years down the line. :o

It may be. It's just that, hirstorically, Sony fails with new technology. Historically, the most powerful system is not the most successful. This doesn't bode well on either count. Now, they may do better when MGS comes out, and the like, but the odds are long aginit.

[Bad Company]

I'll buy it just for Gran Turismo

[Kane Knight]

I'll be honest. If I thought Blu-Ray was gonna take off, I'd buy it for Blu Ray.

[Silent]

I'm excited about Final Fantasy more than MGS, so I can't wait for that to come out. I definitely am worried about Sony's history with new tech as well..

[Bad Company]

I'll be honest. If I thought Blu-Ray was gonna take off, I'd buy it for Blu Ray.
I really thought it was the tech of the future, until the whole no porn fiasco :(

[Kane Knight]

I doubt MGS or FF will stay exclusive long.

SquarEnix will back the winning horse. It happened to be Sony for two generations, but before that, they were Nintendo friendly. And will be again.

And yeah, that porn thing's gonna kill BluRay. ;)

Naw, but there are a ot of reasons to go HDDVD. There are a lot of reasons to go BluRay, but most of them make for shite marketing.

[Silent]

Yeah, I actually hope SE will go back to Nintendo, even though I don't have a Wii yet.. Their SNES games are some of my favorites of all time (particularly Chrono Trigger, Super Mario RPG, Secret of Mana/Evermore...) Although them making FF3 on the DS was a great start.

[G]

BTW, I know GameFAQs is full of some really stupid people, but check this out... Truly, Nintedno seems to be their toughest competition.

Poll of the Day


Which of the three next-gen consoles do you plan to own by the end of 2007?

Vote Accepted
<TABLE class=poll><COLGROUP><COL class=question><COL class=percent><COL class=bar><COL class=votes></COLGROUP><TBODY><TR><TH>All three of them</TH><TD>8.68%</TD><TD>


</TD><TD>6017</TD></TR><TR><TH>360 and PS3</TH><TD>3.71%</TD><TD>


</TD><TD>2572</TD></TR><TR><TH>360 and Wii</TH><TD>21.61%</TD><TD>


</TD><TD>14980</TD></TR><TR><TH>PS3 and Wii</TH><TD>9.13%</TD><TD>


</TD><TD>6330</TD></TR><TR><TH>Just a 360</TH><TD>9.03%</TD><TD>


</TD><TD>6257</TD></TR><TR><TH>Just a PS3</TH><TD>9.86%</TD><TD>


</TD><TD>6832</TD></TR><TR><TH>Just a Wii</TH><TD>27.87%</TD><TD>


</TD><TD>19322</TD></TR><TR><TH>None of them</TH><TD>10.11%</TD><TD>


</TD><TD>7008</TD></TR><TR><TH>TOTAL VOTES</TH><TD>


</TD><TD>


</TD><TD>69318</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


let's not forget this one....


Poll of the Day


BEST OF 2006: System of the Year

<TABLE class=poll><COLGROUP><COL class=question><COL class=percent><COL class=bar><COL class=votes></COLGROUP><TBODY><TR><TH>DS</TH><TD>9.98%</TD><TD>

</TD><TD>10502</TD></TR><TR><TH>PC</TH><TD>4.19%</TD><TD>

</TD><TD>4409</TD></TR><TR><TH>PlayStation 2</TH><TD>13.9%</TD><TD>

</TD><TD>14625</TD></TR><TR><TH>PlayStation 3</TH><TD>7.93%</TD><TD>

</TD><TD>8339</TD></TR><TR><TH>PSP</TH><TD>1.83%</TD><TD>

</TD><TD>1926</TD></TR><TR><TH>Xbox 360</TH><TD>22.55%</TD><TD>

</TD><TD>23729</TD></TR><TR><TH>Wii</TH><TD>39.62%</TD><TD>

</TD><TD>41683</TD></TR><TR><TH>TOTAL VOTES</TH><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD>105213</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[Kane Knight]

Yeah, I actually hope SE will go back to Nintendo, even though I don't have a Wii yet.. Their SNES games are some of my favorites of all time (particularly Chrono Trigger, Super Mario RPG, Secret of Mana/Evermore...) Although them making FF3 on the DS was a great start.

Though they are supporting both portables at this point. I doubt it'll last, given Nintendo's success over Sony.

[Tornado]

Whats this whole Blu-ray/porn thing?

[Kane Knight]

Some porn studio announced it would support HD DVD alone.

It was reported as though the entire porn industry had said so, but that's shit.

Keep in mind that porn ended up on VHS in the 80s, which is one of the things that swung away from the superior Betamax. I wouldn't exactly call it pivotal, but a lot of people started joking "as goes porn, so goes the video industry" or something to that effect.

Hopefully, BC was joking. ;)

[Bad Company]

Yeah, but who the hell buys porno these days anyway. And who the fuck needs it in HD? I usually don't even make it past the first scene.

[Kane Knight]

People do buy porn, evidently, as sales in the industry still lead a lot of Hollywood.

Like I said, I seriously doubt this will swing anything.

HD porn sounds awful. We don't need to be able to actually SEE the chick's sores.

Anyway, there are a lot of good reasons to think HD DVD will take over, but this is hardly one of them.

[tucsonspeed6]

I hate it when fanboys take sides on this like it's some kind of war. Only a lowest of losers would have trash talked somebody for their decision to buy Beta or VHS in the 80's. Who cares. If you think waving a magic wand at the screen sounds like a good time, then just buy a freakin' Wii and shut the hell up. If you bought a 360 a year ago and think you have to justify your purchase, you don't. Just shut the hell up and play the damn thing. I'm sick of trying to find a review of a PS3 game and having to read the obligatory fanboy "Sony SuxORZ they R N evil Corperashun!"

And the people who have to remind me every two seconds that the WII outsold the PS3. I don't care. I enjoy my purchase. If it will give you great pleasure to exclaim 5 years from now that the Nintendo "Uss" is awesome and that there is no PS4 in existance and "I told you so" a million times, there's no need. It's really not that important. Find a cure for cancer. End terrorism. That's worthy of gloating. Picking a side in a video game format war? That's just lame.

[Kane Knight]

Did any fanboys actually post in here?

Let the grownups speak, and go end terrorism, instead of spazzing out. K?

[DS]

While it doesn't really pertain to this thread so much, I do agree with what he says. It's ridiculous when everything about these consoles is how another is better or worse. I don't know about the rest of you but I would be pretty pissed if there was only one console out there. I'd much rather buy a console from choice and then when the time comes buy another rather than worry about only buying one and putting down the others forever.

I have a Wii now, will no doubt buy a PS3 sometime, and I might pick up a 360 if I feel the need but I can just go up to the computer arcade and play one all I want for free. I'm glad there's a choice and at least a little difference. The consoles will never top PC but who says they have to?

[tucsonspeed6]

Did any fanboys actually post in here?

Let the grownups speak, and go end terrorism, instead of spazzing out. K?

I never said anything about people in this thread. You assumed I did. Grownups wouldn't assume such things. So while the grownups continue their conversation in this thread, you can take your flaming elsewhere...

Seriously, the polls about who wants or has bought what just reminded me of some of the crap fanboys spit out to justify their purchases. Thought I'd add it to the conversation.

[Kane Knight]

I never said anything about people in this thread. You assumed I did.

No, I didn't. I made the POINT that they didn't by asking a rhetorical question, and followed up by telling you to take your own advice instead of being a spazz.

[Kane Knight]

While it doesn't really pertain to this thread so much, I do agree with what he says. It's ridiculous when everything about these consoles is how another is better or worse. I don't know about the rest of you but I would be pretty pissed if there was only one console out there. I'd much rather buy a console from choice and then when the time comes buy another rather than worry about only buying one and putting down the others forever.

I have a Wii now, will no doubt buy a PS3 sometime, and I might pick up a 360 if I feel the need but I can just go up to the computer arcade and play one all I want for free. I'm glad there's a choice and at least a little difference. The consoles will never top PC but who says they have to?

Is the answer to become a bitch like them, though? That's effectively what he did.

I agree that fanboys are bad. I just think fucktards like this perennial spazz only make shit worse.

To be honest, there's been little difference in consoles for a while now. It's mostly all homogenous cross-platform iterations and the like.

[tucsonspeed6]

You've never ranted?

[Kane Knight]

So EA's not particularly supporting the PS3, evidently. Apparently, there's "no money" in developing for it at this point.

Which, if that trend continues, could bode very poorly for the PS3, as EA titles are (sadly) hugely popular.

[Silent]

Ouch.. Well hopefully Army of Two is still on the way, that game looks incredible.

[Kane Knight]

There's ONE Announced PS3 game, according to the clip I saw, and I don't know what it is.

Granted, at this point, that's like 2 less than Wii and 3 less than 360, but...