Sega Doubts Wii's long-term potential

[SoloCamo]

Quote:

Wii might be enjoying phenomenal success right now, but at least one top video game developer is hedging its bets on its long-term outlook.

Sega vice president of marketing Scott Steinberg said Thursday that although Wii's unique setup is attracting consumers and developers alike at present time, the technological deficits Nintendo's console faces in comparison to Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3 may limit its overall success. "The Wii will start to look really dated in a couple years when developers get more value from the 360 and learn more and more about the PlayStation 3," said Steinberg.

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Read the rest of the article, here

Against popular belief on these forums, I agree with Sega here. Unless Nintendo keeps that ball rolling, and doesn't completely ignore the hardcore gamer (which they have thus far, besides a select few titles out and in the making) then they will be in some deep, dark waters.

Regardless, I don't see Wii doing any worse than GameCube did anytime soon

[SeanC]

Don't forget the next console for each company is just around the corner. Like the PC industry, the consumer isn't expected to keep the same console for more then a few years.

[SoloCamo]

Well actually I believe (especially with the lack of profits for sony and MS) that systems should last atleast a good 5 years. A lot of people were outraged at the first xbox's fairly short life span (or support I should say)

[SeanC]

I do too but companies don't. If you don't keep pushing new product you don't make money.

[SoloCamo]

True enough. Time will tell, and i'm sure next generation will have some crazy stuff to say the least. Hopefully nintendo won't sacrifice system power as much as they did this time around.

[RamonGTP]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeanC

I do too but companies don't. If you don't keep pushing new product you don't make money.

Sure they do... When was the last time any console company released a new console one year later? You need to remember that they also make royalties from every game sold. New consoles are quite a ways away still.

[SeanC]

I figure two years, three tops for the next generation of consoles. Just my theory though.

[SoloCamo]

Nah, the consoles will definately last a good deal longer than three years. I'm thinking atleast 5, with MS again getting the jump, or possibly nintendo, bringing forth the same controller with an update piece of hardware to go with it.

Look at company predictions and you will definately see what i'm talking about. Sony is looking to make profits in the long run, not the short run, and the short run is definately the first two years.

[DPA]

Remember, this criticism is coming from a company that committed hardware suicide in the style of spec-elitism and unreasonable upgrade cycling. Also, one must keep in mind that if Nintendo turns a profit on the Wii, they've turned a profit plain and simple.

Nintendo isn't going anywhere, and if Sega thinks that they've got a better future in Microsoft or Sony then I would imagine they would have already jumped ship. Problem being that the demographic for the PS3 XBOX360 is generally disinterested in any game that Sega would make.

[uethello]

Quote:

I do too but companies don't. If you don't keep pushing new product you don't make money.

Even at five years, that's only giving most manufacturers two or three years of profit, at the current rate, Sony in particular isn't going to be making much of anything off their current platform for quite a while. Pushing new product loses the manufacturer money initially. It's those final several years of selling licenses that gets the manufacturer the money to push out the next gen.