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[StoOgE]

Yeah, they should really prematurely kill the Wii U and make a brand new, more expensive console and kill all of their consumer good will because Mario 3D Land, Pikmin 3, and NSMBU all look godawful and Nintendo should be ashamed that they can't produce acceptable visuals.

I think the fear is that they will continue to lose 3rd party support (or get poor quality ports). The illogical assumption made is that 3rd parties would port One/PS4 games to this new console when very few are currently bothering to port the PS360 games now.

Nintendo needs to find a way to get consoles in houses. They have IPs people care about. They need to figure out a way to hit the price point that your average consumer is willing to for a Nintendo console.

If anything, Nintendo needs to double down on their classic franchises. Stop chasing people who aren't interested in Mario. Start trying to sell the WiiU as a second console for core gamers and a family friendly console. You have to be who you are, and Nintendo has been the secondary console/family console since the N64 days.

They hit a fad breakout with the Wii. Trying to bottle lightning twice is where the WiiU erred, and the 3DS succeeded in spite of their gimic, not because of it.

 

[unempLLOYD]

Nintendo does not have to admit to anything.

Spoiler

they were never in next gen

 

[efeman]

All Nintendo needs to do is fix their archaic network/software/account systems across their devices. Modernize and unify that shit.

I say "all", though really it'll be a huge project.

Price drop would help too. And more games.

 

[Smiles and Cries]

Nintendo should make a very powerful Steambox PC that costs $1299 backwards compatible with your Wii U software

you know you want it

 

[scytherage]

Yeah because GRAPHICS GRAPHICS GRAPHICS

Seriously, do these guys even play games or do they just wait for MS / EA checks in the mail? If they'd actually play some of the Wii U's best then they'd endorse the console and not help it get lower sales.

 

[DeuceGamer]

As a Wii U owner, I would be perfectly fine with a new Nintendo console in 2015. I would be extremely happy to get a discount on said console as well, assuming they get it right next time.

I don't want them to completely abandon the Wii U though. Despite it's lackluster sales, I've enjoyed my Wii U immensely and I'm sure I will continue to enjoy it.

 

[jrush64]

Feel pretty bad for Nintendo. Wonder why almost every western journalist want them to fail so bad.

 

[RurouniZel]

Yeah because GRAPHICS GRAPHICS GRAPHICS

Seriously, do these guys even play games or do they just wait for MS / EA checks in the mail? If they'd actually play some of the Wii U's best then they'd endorse the console and not help it get lower sales.

Not as interesting to write about and not as interesting to read. To quote a Spiderman movie, "You know what people love more than a hero? It's to see a hero fail; die trying,"

 

[StoOgE]

I mean, they saw and knew the sales on COD/BF/Skyrim and similar games on the PS3/360. At that time they sold a lot of Wii yeah, but i can´t imagine they didn´t think one step ahead, what the future would look like?.

If you want those games you aren't going to buy a Nintendo console. Period.

Microsoft and Sony own that demo. They each have large first and second party commitments to games that appeal to that demographic.

Nintendo has large studios dedicated to Mario, Zelda, Mario Kart, SSB, Metroid, etc.

At some point a company has to look in the mirror and be ok with who they are. Every time Nintendo has tried to chase "mature" games it has been a failure. It simply is not in their corporate DNA going all the way back to censoring games on the SNES.

 

[Caronte]

They'll probably be releasing a new handheld with Vita level specs in late 2014/2015 and focus all their releases on that. Maybe it'll have HDMI out or something.

Why would they kill their handheld so soon when it's the only profitable platform they have right now? That would be beyond stupid.

 

[jimi_dini]

2013 - No unified account? Really? So much for trusting Nintendo with digital purchases.

Yup. Totally not trustworthy unlike Microsoft + Sony.

Sony + Microsoft handled digital purchases so perfectly - I just logged into PS4 + Xbone and voila - all games, that I bought on PS3/360 were there in an instant. So perfectly well done. Totally worth my trust unlike Nintendo.

And it's absolutely for certain that you definitely need a unified account. Otherwise it's totally impossible to transfer over any digital purchases at all. AT ALL I say.

 

[michaeltraps]

1- Millions of articles stating Nintendo should abandon the Wii U and make a "next gen" console
2- Nintendo abandons the Wii U to focus development on next gen console
3- Millions of articles stating that Nintendo has abandoned the Wii U and has no new games - Nintendo doesn't understand the market and is floundering
4- Nintendo releases "next gen" console with no gimmick controller
5- Millions of articles stating Nintendo has done too little, too late
6- Millions of articles stating Nintendo was once creative and at least tried new and interesting ideas - looks back fondly on Wii Remote and Gamepad
7- Millions of articles stating why 3rd parties still don't release their software on Nintendo hardware for fear of being overshadowed by sales
8- Millions of articles stating that Nintendo making a "next gen" shows their admittance of defeat and should go 3rd party
9- ????
10- Profit

 

[Hiltz]

This GamesRadar article is a prime example of not acknowledging the consequences of abandoning a platform, even one with just close to 4 million on it.

Even Sony hasn't admitted defeat with PlayStation Vita yet. Instead, of trying to commit to supporting its handheld with major software the normal way, Sony's instead dropped the price and tried an alternative approach by turning it into a glorified PS4 peripheral for remote play. It's an example of another platform holder not giving up on its product, and one that is also older than Wii an being sold at a loss too. In Nintendo's case, I think it should attempt to exhaust its options for Wii U before just flat out abandoning it. They could do another price cut so its within mass market pricing of $250 , and include another game with the console as an eShop downloadable version like what Nintendo did with Wind Waker HD Deluxe bundle.

The path Nintendo is on with Wii U now seems to be practically set in stone unless it either does a bigger price drop soon and/or comes out with a piece of new software that proves to be a game changer like Pokemon was to Gameboy or Wii and Wii Sports was to Wii... which seems to happen in 2014 since most of its big games have been revealed to us already.

 

[RurouniZel]

1- Millions of articles stating Nintendo should abandon the Wii U and make a "next gen" console
2- Nintendo abandons the Wii U to focus development on next gen console
3- Millions of articles stating that Nintendo has abandoned the Wii U and has no new games - Nintendo doesn't understand the market and is floundering
4- Nintendo releases "next gen" console with no gimmick controller
5- Millions of articles stating Nintendo has done too little, too late
6- Millions of articles stating Nintendo was once creative and at least try new and interesting ideas
7- Millions of articles stating why 3rd parties still don't release their software on Nintendo hardware for fear of being overshadowed by sales
8- Millions of articles stating that Nintendo making a "next gen" shows their admittance of defeat and should go 3rd party
9- ????
10- Profit

Perfection.

 

[Barry Burton]

It's not so much that Nintendo simply has to create a more powerful system and *voila* they will get every multi-platform game. It will help, but it's only part of the problem.

Nintendo's entire philosophy towards third party relations has always been poor. Whether or not they release a console at parity to the competition, if they still have not created an environment that fosters a healthy relationship with third parties, it will still not gain wide acceptance (see: GameCube).

It's the way Nintendo has conducted their business for a very, very long time. Until that entire approach changes, third parties are going to largely choose to put their games somewhere else.

It would be a colossal mistake for Nintendo to quickly turnaround and rush out a Wii U successor that competes with the PS4/XB1 in power, if they continue to have the approach of "Well, we checked that box. OK third parties, make games for us!" Instead, with the next system, they need to do what they should have done with Wii U, which was to engage heavily in conversations with third parties during the design and development phases. There are a lot of new relationships that need to be built, and old ones that need to be repaired, before they launch another piece of hardware.

Personally, I don't expect this to ever happen under their current management because it hasn't happened over the past twenty years. I really think their best option, in this situation, would be to continue down the road they've been hinting at going, and unify their handheld and home console platforms into one. Without third party support, it's going to continue to be an enormous challenge to carry two systems' software lineups largely by themselves.

At the very least, they need to ride out Wii U for a few years and make the best out of a bad situation as best they can. That time needs to be spent wisely, planning for what their next big move is going to be, because they need to get it right. It's either a full-scale philosophical shift and a next-gen console that third parties really want to get behind, or a move towards further isolating themselves and centering their model entirely around their first-party games. Quickly coming back and releasing something more powerful could prove disastrous. With how poorly things are going for Wii U, releasing another GameCube is NOT the answer.

 

[KingJ2002]

I agree... but it will take something compelling for Nintendo to be back on the cutting edge... graphics aren't enough. It has to be with their games and their network.

They should use this remaining time with the Wii U to get the Nintendo Network fleshed out, their indie development platform fleshed out, and even introduce a cloud gaming service to counter their competitors.

If Nintendo wants to be different... that's fine... but they can't be different on decade old hardware and philosophies.


They should ride the Wii U out for until 2015-2016 then announce a new console. In between that time they should announce a new cutting edge handheld system that will distract people from the Wii U.

 

[jrush64]

1- Millions of articles stating Nintendo should abandon the Wii U and make a "next gen" console
2- Nintendo abandons the Wii U to focus development on next gen console
3- Millions of articles stating that Nintendo has abandoned the Wii U and has no new games - Nintendo doesn't understand the market and is floundering
4- Nintendo releases "next gen" console with no gimmick controller
5- Millions of articles stating Nintendo has done too little, too late
6- Millions of articles stating Nintendo was once creative and at least tried new and interesting ideas - looks back fondly on Wii Remote and Gamepad
7- Millions of articles stating why 3rd parties still don't release their software on Nintendo hardware for fear of being overshadowed by sales
8- Millions of articles stating that Nintendo making a "next gen" shows their admittance of defeat and should go 3rd party
9- ????
10- Profit

Awesome!!!

 

[DogMeat77]

I'm not even sure Nintendo would have success by trying to directly compete with MS and Sony by releasing a similar/slightly more powerful machine. Nintendo has Nintendo games... that is their strength. They just screwed the pooch on the name, marketing, release schedule etc. "Hardcore console gamers" aren't going to flock to the next Nintendo system if it is comparable to the XB1 and PS4 in my opinion. I love my Wii U but that is because I know it will have Nintendo games on it.

 

[fallingdove]

Record breaking PS4/X1 sales are proof of Sony and MS incredible efforts in supplying consoles like never before. The Wii U also sold out it's initial alloted numbers in launch.

The test comes after the holidays.

Not exactly. Nintendo didn't sell out of their initial shipment. There were always basic skus and a couple of premiums on the shelf when I'd stop by toys r us or walmart or wherever. With the ps4 and Xbone, not only have they manufactured a shit ton of units, demand is so high that they can't keep them in stock. I agree that post holiday will be interesting to track but demand for the WiiU vs ps4/Xbone isn't in the same league.

 

[harmonize]

Yeah, they should really prematurely kill the Wii U and make a brand new, more expensive console and kill all of their consumer good will because Mario 3D Land, Pikmin 3, and NSMBU all look godawful and Nintendo should be ashamed that they can't produce acceptable visuals.

Odd, I don't remember consumers opinions being all that sour towards Nintendo with the DS, which came out only three years after the GBA released and ended up ultimately replacing it after the "third pillar" strategy proved its obsolescence.

 

[Azure J]

I really wish if people who suggest things like this would sit down, think back to the Saturn to Dreamcast transition (or maybe more aptly, the Genesis to SegaCD/32X to Saturn) and try not to jump on board this thought train because it's what's in the station at the moment.

Nintendo should definitely be prioritizing developing a decisively better console offering for their next generation. This however should not come at the risk of pissing away the consumer's goodwill and investment security they've amassed over their 25-30+ years in this gig. They need that buffer that is the Nintendo hardcore to ensure that the next systems get adopted by anyone, especially given the Wii U's resumption of the downward trend in Nintendo console adoption (as of now). Burning them all away to get out a theoretically better console at a price point similar to PS4/XB1 just sounds like lunacy given some folks explicit feelings about paying that kind of premium for a Nintendo console.

Riding out Wii U for a shorter length of time (4 years) then going into a new generation or focusing on a much better proposition is the plan they should go for.

 

[diffusionx]

Abandoning the Wii U now would be a disaster... of course the Wii U is already a disaster.

 

[Plinko]

Gotta keep that blackboard alive. People here believe that Mario Kart and Smash will save the Wii U. They're in for a rough awakening.

I haven't seen many around here that believe the system can be saved at all. Very few, I believe.

I've been on record saying "let's wait to kill it dead until after those are released" on the off chance Mario Kart Wii's success carries over, but I just don't think it's happening.

 

[Showaddy]

Nintendo need to admit defeat and get out of the console business completely, just focus on what their good at which is handhelds and software.

 

[Kouriozan]

No, it's not a defeat, there wasn't a fight to begin with.
Appart from the launch hype, the Wii U was pretty much dead and no GOTY material could even save it.
That's it, time to move on.

 

[LiquidMamba]

I agree, or at least they would catch some gamer's lost attention again. BUT there is no possible way, right now, to release a powerful (enough) console + a VR headset for less than .. i don't know 600$ ? That won't work.

Except if they assume the fact that VR is so awesome you could play an early ngc game with it and it would be 500 more impressive than any next gen graphics. Then maybe.. But that's still complicated cause totally opposed to their philosophy right now (family, conviviality..). But i think it could work, and would allow them to re-release odl games, like F-Zero GX etc.. and develop games for cheap (meaning more and quicker) that would benefit from the awesomeness and appeal to a lot of people.

They could have played that card, but it's beginning to be too late. Except if you think the Oculus is for PC, Sony and Microsoft offering will be expensive and add ons.. A cheap console with that built in offer could be for VF what was the NDS for tactile gameplay.

IIRC, AMD is shifting focus to APU's, 2-3 years from now Nintendo could release a more powerful console with OR (or some VR headset) for 500. But they would have to forgo BC and take a sizable loss per console... which is not possible with current leadership. Rumors are that both MS, Sony and Valve have their own VR solutions, so it could be a mute point until we find out what solution works best.

 

[Father_Brain]

It's not so much that Nintendo simply has to create a more powerful system and *voila* they will get every multi-platform game. It will help, but it's only part of the problem.

Nintendo's entire philosophy towards third party relations has always been poor. Whether or not they release a console at parity to the competition, if they still have not created an environment that fosters a healthy relationship with third parties, it will still not gain wide acceptance (see: GameCube).

It's the way Nintendo has conducted their business for a very, very long time. Until that entire approach changes, third parties are going to largely choose to put their games somewhere else.

It would be a colossal mistake for Nintendo to quickly turnaround and rush out a Wii U successor that competes with the PS4/XB1 in power, if they continue to have the approach of "Well, we checked that box. OK third parties, make games for us!" Instead, with the next system, they need to do what they should have done with Wii U, which was to engage heavily in conversations with third parties during the design and development phases. There are a lot of new relationships that need to be built, and old ones that need to be repaired, before they launch another piece of hardware.

Personally, I don't expect this to ever happen under their current management because it hasn't happened over the past twenty years. I really think their best option, in this situation, would be to continue down the road they've been hinting at going, and unify their handheld and home console platforms into one. Without third party support, it's going to continue to be an enormous challenge to carry two systems' software lineups largely by themselves.

At the very least, they need to ride out Wii U for a few years and make the best out of a bad situation as best they can. That time needs to be spent wisely, planning for what their next big move is going to be, because they need to get it right. It's either a full-scale philosophical shift and a next-gen console that third parties really want to get behind, or a move towards further isolating themselves and centering their model entirely around their first-party games. Quickly coming back and releasing something more powerful could prove disastrous. With how poorly things are going for Wii U, releasing another GameCube is NOT the answer.

This is a pretty good post, though I really think only the first-party-centric approach is viable for their next platform(s). No matter what other changes Nintendo adopts, they're starting so far behind with third parties that I don't think there's any way they can fix the situation in 3-4 years.

Also, given just how badly Wii U is selling, it remains to be seen to what extent riding it out is even possible. Will retailers even be stocking hardware or software in more than marginal quantities come 2015?

 

[Sylverstone14]

 

[Deleted member 22576]

I think it's very fair to say that Nintendo itself can't support two platforms. It looks like the road ahead of them is pretty lonely as far as developer support. I would love it if they just combined their handheld and home console efforts into one platform so the company as a whole could just crank out games. I think they could be perfectly self sufficient.

 

[Suzushiiro]

Yes, because abruptly killing your current platform to make way for a new one after only a couple of years worked so well for Sega.

Nintendo's only viable play at this point is to sell the Wii U as a box you play for Nintendo games (and moneyhatted third-party exclusives) and worry about attracting third parties and competing with Sony/MS again next gen. It won't get anywhere near PS3/XBone numbers and probably lose them money overall, but it'll do well enough to keep them alive in terms of both money and mindshare.

Dropping the price more is a possiblity, dropping the pad is a possibility, but there's no way they're going to straight-up kill it and launch a new console mid-cycle. If they stop supporting the Wii U, they may as well drop out of the home console business entirely and go third party or portable-only.

That said, I like that the gaming media is paying attention to the Wii U again now that the PS4/XBone launch is done, be it in a "Wii U is better than PS4/Xbone right now" way or a "it's over, Nintendo is finished" way.

 

[Plinko]

I think it's very fair to say that Nintendo itself can't support two platforms. It looks like the road ahead of them is pretty lonely as far as developer support. I would love it if they just combined their handheld and home console efforts into one platform so the company as a whole could just crank out games. I think they could be perfectly self sufficient.

I fully believe this is where we're headed.

I still wish they'd take one more crack at a top-of-the-line powerhouse system (and they'd have the market to themselves for years if it came out in 2016 and was a visible jump over PS4/XB1), but it won't happen.

 

[ChiliManiac]

WiiU2! lol, seriously though. They need an upgrade to that thing if they want to compete on anything else other than Nintendo fans. Which I'm one, but the 3DS is fine by me. I think they said somewhere they were working on a next generation portable device first.

 

[Hazelhurst]

The hardware is fine. Their first party games look next gen to me. They just need to do what they did when they went from DS to DS Lite. A rebranding that appeals to the masses. The gamepad may need to be nixed as well.

 

[-COOLIO-]

they could release their own steam machine, that would be cool.

 

[Dynamite Shikoku]

They'd be better off just going handheld only

 

[Rolf NB]

They should ride it out, shift more resources towards handheld, and try to offer something competitive again in five years.

 

[Sean]

Oh come on.

It won't be a massive success, but anything can happen.

I'm just being realistic here.

There's absolutely no chance of a Wii U comeback, it's a failure just like the Vita is. Sony was smart enough to realize that early on and cut their losses - you don't see them investing much or dumping any resources into that platform, just using indie games to keep it on life support. I almost think Nintendo should do the same thing.

Best case scenario at this point is Wii U becoming profitable and matching the (very poor) sales of GameCube. But Iwata himself said that's considered a failure:

"I do not intend to declare how many Wii we will be selling today, but Wii will be a failure if it cannot sell far more than GameCube did. In fact, we shouldn't continue this business if our only target is to outsell GameCube. Naturally, we are making efforts so that Wii will show a far greater result than GameCube."

 

[Lo-Volt]

The build up to a new console takes billions of dollars and what, four years? They'd have to decide everything from the exterior to control scheme to chipset to launch titles in a terribly short period of time to meet some of these editorial demands, and that can't happen. Nintendo May be wealthy but it's an astonishing thing to spend billions on two new platforms within a decade. And doesn't a panicked abandonment of a platform send the wrong message to wavering consumers? Buying a platform comes with the expectation of some longevity especially at the prices early adopters to the Wii U had to pay. Nothing says failure like giving up. And the editorial is suggesting a 2015 launch, aka 'Nintendo should always be off-cycle from its competitors'.

 

[Sakura]

Odd, I don't remember consumers opinions being all that sour towards Nintendo with the DS, which came out only three years after the GBA released and ended up ultimately replacing it after the "third pillar" strategy proved its obsolescence.

If Nintendo were to get a new console out ASAP, they would essentially have to drop Wii U support now, after the console has been out a whole year. Otherwise they wouldn't have the software or resources for their new console that they would desperately need to succeed after such a gamble. Meanwhile the GBA actually sold rather well, and received plenty of support and wasn't discontinued for 5 years.

 

[TheCongressman1]

Power isn't the issue and never has been. It's that the console has an identity crisis. Most of its problems come back to the timing and awful marketing. Then you have the gamepad which can't offer a unique experience to every game much the same way the kinect can't. Bundling that with the system increases the price without offering a consistent value.

I like my Wii U, but it's not where it needs to be. They've got a lot of work to do to fix the mess they've got themselves in, and Dropping the system will only create more problems.

 

[Dr.Thunder]

I don't think its a good idea to alienate the fans who are actually buying the consoles. It would be an incredible gamble to make.

 

[GECK]

Bring back the cartridge!

 

[Rootbeer]

I'd love to see them release their next one early, similar to what MS did after the first XBox to get the 360 out to market in a hurry. They beat the PS4 to market by a wide margin and did very well for themselves that gen.

If Nintendo is serious about staying in the console race, they'll release a Wii U successor soon, but not that soon. Holiday 2014 or 2015? Maybe. Make it a good 50% more powerful than the PS4 and have a strong launch lineup. LISTEN to third party developers and give them what they need to support the system with multiplats.

Nintendo makes this way too hard on themselves by having too much of an inward thinking approach to a console. Why suffer through years of middling sales when all they have to do is listen a little?

 

[ClearData]

That article is all kinds of awful. Nintendo can ride out the Wii U. It'll be closer to GameCube than Wii in lifetime sales but I'm alright with that as long as I get my Zelda and Metroid and X. There will be games worth playing and the system will be worth buying eventually. There is this fixation on every product doing Apple numbers and it is becoming damaging.

 

[Version 3.0]

What about going mobile in five years when the tech is good enough (i'm talking tablet tech) to run current Wii U games?
I don't mean to tinfoil hat the s*** out of this - but what if the Wii U is a dry run to develop tablet friendly games for a market that by 2017 is expected to be 900 million people strong?

The tech isn't a problem. It's the market. Until the mobile market embraces $20-$60 games as the norm, instead of free or $1 games, it's not worth consideration for traditional content-rich games.

 

[PVR]

The problem is not that they launched the Wii U. The problem is that they did It at $350 dollars. At $200 or $250? why not? and this is coming from someone who sold his Xbox 360 to buy the 3ds at launch. They need to give It a pricecut to $200. I will buy one that same day.

 

[JoeM86]

Every day. Every single day we get at least one of these. It's getting rather annoying.

Wii U is now getting games. Are they later than they should be? Yes. So what?

No. Nintendo should not go third party. Doing so would result in serious reduced output in both quantity and quality. The company would have to significantly downsize and so many staff members would leave even if spared the axe.
No. Nintendo should not ditch the Wii U, which would cause issues with the uptake of their next console due to lack of trust in Nintendo to keep their products alive.

Nintendo has to weather it through and actually properly market the bloody thing. That's the problem. It's not power, it's not lack of games any more (though lack of third party is pretty devastating), it's the marketing that has caused the Wii U issues. If they can sort that, they can have a modest turnaround with the Wii U.

Seriously, fellow journalists, cut it out.

 

[spekkeh]

And I for one am tired of seeing PC games looking amazing while my console versions struggle to maintain 30fps. Now I own a PS4, I feel like I can breathe again, away from the suffocating exhaust from outdated hardware struggling to stay contemporary

Well I don't know what to say, except for if this is considered a professional attitude at gamesradar, then I know why I never read their articles.

 

[Barry Burton]

This is a pretty good post, though I really think only the first-party-centric approach is viable for their next platform(s). No matter what other changes Nintendo adopts, they're starting so far behind with third parties that I don't think there's any way they can fix the situation in 3-4 years.

You may be right. But you'll never know if you don't try, right?

Also, given just how badly Wii U is selling, it remains to be seen to what extent riding it out is even possible. Will retailers even be stocking hardware or software in more than marginal quantities come 2015?

When I say "ride it out", it also implies Nintendo bites the bullet in a few ways and does what they can to increase Wii U's appeal as a "second console" to a PS4 or XB1 owner. Continue to make strong software, shell out for a few exclusives that may turn some heads, keep lowering the price. Building up good will with both consumers and publishers over the remainder of the Wii U's lifetime may be worth the necessary losses if it gives them some positive momentum heading into their next console. You're right about stores possibly dropping it, but that just means the pressure will be on Nintendo to keep the console at least somewhat relevant. Even if they only end up hitting GameCube numbers, as strange as it may sound that's not so bad considering the way things look currently. In other words, I don't think pulling the plug on Wii U should be a pre-emptive move on Nintendo's part.

 

[Bydobob]

http://www.gamesradar.com/its-time-nintendo-admit-defeat-and-make-true-next-gen-console/

Lots of hot air but not one mention of the games, which at year 1 are as good as any system ever launched. Nintendo could be doing more to spread the message, granted, but it's the ignorant public and articles like this perpetuating the belief that Wii-U is dead I blame most. We are in danger of creating a self-fulfilling prophecy here. Every article forecasting an early grave for the Wii-U only draws us one step closer to reality.

On another point, do we really need another player in the spec warz? It wasn't so long ago I had a PS2, Xbox and GameCube all jostling for space under my telly. I don't remember the latter 2 selling brilliantly despite having the better specs.