Will you be getting a PS4 or an Xbox One ?

[Timby]

On the other hand, there's little sense in downplaying just what a dire situation this is for Nintendo. This is a company that hadn't reported a quarterly loss in 3 decades, and now they've posted losses for the past 2 years. The Wii U is a disaster for the company's financials. They have the cash to survive for a while, but they can't be complacent or they'll suffer SEGA's fate.

They have the cash, and the 3DS is still a license to print money. (Amazing that the DS line has become so successful, when it originated from Yamauchi's desire for Nintendo to make a PDA.)

Nintendo's problem is that no one in Japan buys consoles anymore, and its third-party relations are still complete dogshit.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

On the other hand, there's little sense in downplaying just what a dire situation this is for Nintendo. This is a company that hadn't reported a quarterly loss in 3 decades, and now they've posted losses for the past 2 years. The Wii U is a disaster for the company's financials. They have the cash to survive for a while, but they can't be complacent or they'll suffer SEGA's fate.

They have the cash, and the 3DS is still a license to print money. (Amazing that the DS line has become so successful, when it originated from Yamauchi's desire for Nintendo to make a PDA.)

Nintendo's problem is that no one in Japan buys consoles anymore, and its third-party relations are still complete dogshit.

The 3DS is doing respectable business but it's not enough to sustain the company. It's also not selling as well as the DS did, which was their true license to print money.

The problems with the Wii U are manifold, though you did mention two of them. Some others:

• The console is sold at a loss, so every one they sell loses money.
• Even sold at a loss, it's an expensive console.
• It has what are essentially last-generation graphics, a point that easily hurts it in the US.
• There was plenty of confusion early on as to whether it was a new console or some kind of upgrade for the Wii.

The lack of strong third-party support is probably its biggest dealbreaker in the US, though. People want consoles with robust libraries, and the Wii U doesn't have one. Prior to launch, they didn't have anything people got excited about, and that's really what moves consoles at launch: the promise of all the awesome shit that's coming.

It's a shame because I've always liked Nintendo, and I love my 3DS. I think they got cocky with the Wii's success and ignored its poor third-party support because they were making so much money from it. A big mistake, as they should have been cultivating those third parties in preparation for their next console. Their complacency has cost them big time.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

I read that at this point the Wii U is actually making a small profit on each sale. I would like to see them make some headway in pulling back third party support, they're not doing badly on the indies though.

 

[Owain Taggart]

The PS4 has been a great success for Sony. They're reporting that this generation's Playstation is actually contributing to their bottom line, when things like their TV division are losing money.

http://venturebeat.com/2014/05/23/s...playstation-4-is-already-profitable-for-sony/

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Yeah, Sony has benefited a lot from a combination of pitch-perfect messaging and Microsoft totally blowing the PR game.

 

[Kemaiku]

That "kinect free" Xbone announcement has made it's way around the 'net in very little time. That was basically what a lot of people were waiting for.

The moment it goes on sale, the XB1 will see a large boost in sales probably. Okay not anywhere near as well as Microsoft hoped, 6-8 months behind schedule, giving up on a major selling point they wanted to push, but still.

At least it took a good bit less than a year into the 7-8 year life of the console to do it, rather than them dragging their heels a lot longer.

 

[FPAlpha]

That "kinect free" Xbone announcement has made it's way around the 'net in very little time. That was basically what a lot of people were waiting for.

The moment it goes on sale, the XB1 will see a large boost in sales probably. Okay not anywhere near as well as Microsoft hoped, 6-8 months behind schedule, giving up on a major selling point they wanted to push, but still.

At least it took a good bit less than a year into the 7-8 year life of the console to do it, rather than them dragging their heels a lot longer.

They couldn't afford to lose more time lest the PS4 became even more entrenched once more AAA titles became available in the fall.

It will significantly boost sales now that it is on par pricewise with the PS4.

 

[Kelthaz]

I doubt the price drop will help sales much at all. Last month the Xbox One had a Titanfall bundle selling for $450. When you factor in the price of the game, that's actually cheaper than the upcoming $399 price drop. It didn't help sales.

Right now the gaming community has unanimously decided that the PS4 is the superior product. Matching the price of the PS4 isn't going to move units. They need to be cheaper than the PS4 and/or get some big name games on the thing.

 

[FPAlpha]

Finally got my PS4 last Friday and as fate goes didn't have any time over the weekend to enjoy it. Only had time to install it, get a short heartattack when it started flashing blue and i didn't get a picture on my TV.. switched HDMI ports and then it was ok.

Only had time to play a few minutes of Watchdogs and start some downloads for free games.

One question to PS4 owners:

Are your download speeds from PSN also very slow? I have a 50Mbit line and when i download off my PC it runs at maximum speed usually.

On the PS4 it was a very slow crawl (had to leave my PS4 on over night to download some 8 GB).

 

[BigFoot]

^ No problems with download speeds here.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

Usually registers about 14-18mbps on our 24mpbs connection.

 

[BillJ]

One question to PS4 owners:

Are your download speeds from PSN also very slow? I have a 50Mbit line and when i download off my PC it runs at maximum speed usually.

On the PS4 it was a very slow crawl (had to leave my PS4 on over night to download some 8 GB).

I'm in the U.S., but I also have a 50 Mbps connection. No issues here though I have my PS4 connected to my router with an ethernet cable.

 

[martok2112]

Late to the game, folks, sorry.

Because of all the b.s. surrounding the Xbone, I decided to go strictly PS4 for now. I might get an Xbone later (waaayyyy later) when I am absolutely convinced that they are not going to backpedal and reinstate the very b.s. they suddenly relented on just shortly before release.

Part of me thinks all that b.s. was nothing more than a "publicity stunt" aimed at fooling gamers into thinking that M$ "actually listened" to their fans and customers, so they could sell more consoles.

I love my Xbox 360 and my PS3, but the only next-gen switch I made was to PS4, which I got just a couple weeks ago. The only irk I have is that Elder Scrolls Online for consoles got pushed back to 2015, when it was supposed to come out the day before my birthday this year. Ah well....I might just get the PC version since its out already.

So far, I have Watch Dogs (very cool game, and watching cars crash into each other because you hacked the traffic lights NEVER gets old LOL!), Wolfenstein: The New Order, really good FPS, and Killzone Shadow Fall, which I'll start after I finish Wolfenstein. I loved the Killzone series ever since the PS2 Killzone debut, years ago.

 

[FPAlpha]

One question to PS4 owners:

Are your download speeds from PSN also very slow? I have a 50Mbit line and when i download off my PC it runs at maximum speed usually.

On the PS4 it was a very slow crawl (had to leave my PS4 on over night to download some 8 GB).

I'm in the U.S., but I also have a 50 Mbps connection. No issues here though I have my PS4 connected to my router with an ethernet cable.

Issue has resolved itself, i assume PSN was under maintenance these days because a few days ago download spead increased to normal levels.

Currently enjoying Infamous.. i just started today and am very early in the game but i already like the main character very much and it's just fun to zoom around rooftops taking potshots at the enemy guards.

Played some Call of Duty Ghosts too.. Single Player is honestly nothing to speak of and only tried a couple of rounds of MP where my ass got handed to me

I also have Watchdogs and Assassins Creed 4 to play. Yes, i have loaded up with games when i bought it but i don't plan to buy anything else until Fall when Destiny and Dragon Age get released (though you know how plans go). These games should tide me over until then.

 

[TheGodBen]

I thought the Xbox E3 conference today was their best in years. Nothing mind-blowing, but there was a decent number of games on show and barely any focus on Kinect or peripheral features. The Crackdown teaser was the first time I felt a desire to have an Xbox One, but a CG trailer with no info about the actual game isn't enough to convince me to jump in.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

Much of it bored me, but I appreciated the focus on actual games. Crackdown and a few Indies looked interesting but not enough to buy one. mostly felt I'd made the right choice picking a ps4. Going to watch Sony later.

 

[Haggis and tatties]

^^Yeap, Crackdown will have me buying a XB1 at some stage, but not until i can get it for £150, so a few years to go yet.

 

[martok2112]

I remember getting the first Crackdown for 360, and thinking, damn, this is a cool game. The second game was a bit of a let down. I doubt a new Crackdown is going to entice me to get an Xbox One. I'm still a bit skeptical about their pre-system release b.s.

 

[Kelthaz]

Microsoft > Sony.

Microsoft focused on what mattered most and showcased a good selection of games. Sony dragged out the conference with business statistics (no, I don't give a shit how popular the share button is), some mafia guy talking about his TV show, and tired jokes. Also, most of the PS4 big reveals were remakes or multi-platform games (No Man's Sky). PS4 had a small teaser for Bloodbourne, but Microsoft had a better teaser for Scalebound. Microsoft also gave more attention to indie games, and as an unabashed lover of all things indie that made me happy.

But neither conference was above average. The games were lacking, there was too much CG instead of gameplay in the trailers, too many angry dude with guns protagonists, no hilarious "giant enemy crab" moments, and no real surprises. Nothing good, but nothing bad either. I was disappointed. Hopefully Nintendo's conference today will make up for the lackluster showings of Microsoft and Sony.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

I found far more of interest in the Sony one than I did in the MS one. Waiting for Nintendo to start now and they've already had one of their surprises leaked.