Getty ImagesWith the holiday shopping season just around the corner, what's the best video game system—long wait lines notwithstanding—on the market? Currently, three major video game consoles are vying to rule gamers' sleepless nights: Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox 360, Sony Corp.'s Playstation 3, and Nintendo Co. Ltd.'s Wii.
The Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 are the most thrilling and technologically advanced. They have state-of-the-art computer chips onboard with spectacular graphics, and hundreds of third-party games are available filled with imagination, intriguing story lines, and action-packed game play.
On the other hand, Nintendo's Wii system doesn't have the high-end specs. However, its offerings to consumers are something the gaming industry has never before seen, and has caught on with those outside the usual gaming crowd—housewives, busy professionals, and even senior citizens.
For traditional gamers, the quality of graphical aesthetics tends to be the main draw. According to Microsoft, its newest Halo 3 video game for Xbox 360 —a "first-person-shooter" with immersive 3-D graphics—sold more than 5 million copies within the first week of launch. One GameStop store in New York City was open until 1 am on a weeknight selling the Halo 3.
Due to the popularity of Halo, Xbox has outsold the Wii in the month of September,
Following 2001's GameCube, the Wii is the 5th video game system developed by Nintendo. It's differentiated through its unique wireless controller where players use three dimensional movements and physical gestures to determine game control. This selling point was heavily marketed by Nintendo to a broader demographic—even senior citizens have taken on a great liking to the Wii.
Game developers have introduced titles that utilize the Wii's virtual motion control flawlessly. For example, a bowling game actually requires players to lower their knees and swing their arm as if the Wii's wireless controller were a bowling ball. A tennis game requires the player to execute precise swings and backswings using its controller during a tennis match. Playing the Nintendo Wii goes even beyond playing video games, as there are even titles on personal fitness, home budgeting, cooking, and brain training.
If you're thinking about getting a Wii for Christmas, you better start looking right away. Its level of graphics is noticeably lower than competitors Xbox or Playstation—then again, at $299, so is its price. But for the Wii, addictive game play itself is enough to get a broader range of consumers hooked.
Wii's popularity has also helped Nintendo's bottom line and its stock. Nintendo has tripled in market capitalization since the Wii's launch last year. It's now Japan's 3rd most valuable listed company. Many analysts have a positive outlook on Nintendo in its ability to expand market share and keep up innovation.
Since its introduction, Nintendo has sold over 12 million Wii consoles in less than a year. In short, Nintendo's well executed marketing campaign and its innovative game play has just about redefined video gaming. Only one question remains: is the Wii a mere "fad" or a "golden standard" for the future of the video game industry?
Source: Epoch Times
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Image: Gaming Today
