Nintendo To Dominate Next Generation?

Via GameSetWatch, an editorial on the site Firing Squad suggesting that Nintendo is poised for a gaming industry coup. Their unique controller and appeal to casual gamers, the author posits, will turn the status quo on its head. From the article: "The cheapness of the console will help it sell and it's unlikely that Nintendo will face production shortages since it won't use exotic and difficult-to-make components. With a large installed owner base, more developers will be inclined to take a shot at it, publishers will feel pressured to release key titles (like Madden) for the Revolution regardless of their past GameCube experience. The controller is standard enough to work for most titles - so Xbox and PlayStation games will most likely work on the Revolution without major trouble, yet that same controller offers unique features that will be difficult to replicate for Microsoft's and Sony's consoles."

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Re:The low price won't help it

[Anonymous Coward]

"That's true, except of course on this planet (which we call "Earth", welcome!), where the Gamecube sales numbers were well ahead of the XBox."

Yes.

The current gen will end up with the following installed base numbers:

1) Sony PS2 - currently at 100 million, most likely somewhere in the 120 million range by the time production of the hardware stops in two to three years

2) Nintendo GameCube - currently at 22 million, will probably end up in the 25 to 27 million range by the time the production of the hardware stops - the next Zelda being the wildcard that may give the GameCube one last big sales spike at the end of its life

3) Microsoft Xbox - currently at 21 million, will probably end up in the 21 to 22 million range - Sales have all but stopped for the console

Sony and Nintendo consoles did crazy numbers over the holidays.

In retrospect, five billion dollars for last place for Microsoft is a humilating marketplace failure. They could have spent zero and still been in last place.

And the 360 is doing massively worse than the first Xbox...

Re:Look at it this way:

[Fred Or Alive]

Actually, the model that was shown at last year's E3 had a full set of Gamecube controller and memory card ports on the side. I'd assume you could use Gamecube controllers, at least for Gamecube games.

Nintendo presumabley continuing there tradition of being behind the times, keeping legacy controller ports is so last generation. :-)

Re:Nintendo 1985?

[ThePolkapunk]

Nintendo ON was a hoax [1up.com].

Re:Look at it this way:

[badasscat]

However, I'd be surprised if Revolution games would be able to use the Gamecube controller connectors.

You apparently have not seen this photo [ign.com].

It's not 100% confirmation of anything, but Nintendo took this photo themselves and they didn't do it for nothing. They're showing you something here - and what else would it be than that you can use your regular old GameCube controllers with the Revolution?

Re:My predictions for this generation

[ivan256]

Well, six months before the Xbox 360 launch, the 360 was a PowerMac G5 under a table with non-playable demos and a plastic mockup, so it's not out of the realm of possibility. August is more likely, but it still doesn't guarantee a Microsoft victory. It only gives them a little more of a chance.