X-Box: $-1,000,000,000 a year

[Paco]

I've had variations of this argument with people here before, but I maintain that handhelds are consoles. Sorry. :) GBA and DS aren't completely seperate business ventures, they're just different platforms for Nintendo to release its games on (and try to innovate with, both in hardware and software)... saying 'because it's handheld it doesn't matter as much' is wrong. Yes, they are somewhat different markets in some ways, but this does not mean that they should be discounted or ignored.

Of course, that also means that Sony's side includes PSP stuff as well as PS2 ones, so it's not just for Nintendo that I say this... its just MS that is left out. :)

You want my opinion and I'm giving it to you. I don't agree with you one bit on that subject.

Worldwide sales-wise? Yes... but barely. The difference is small.

Last I checked the difference was several million units. The fact that Microsoft doesn't exist in Japan tells just how much success it has despite not having that market...imagine if it did. Nintendo selling poorly, or not as well as their past console ventures, on their hometurf is just sad.

I'm glad their DS is doing well though, and I have a feeling the next Gameboy will also be a success...for their handheld market.;)

But what do YOU think? What's your opinion on how successful Nintendo will be at expanding the market with the Revolution? That's what's most important here...

My personal take on the subject of Nintendo's next console is that it will achieve niche status success, and when it comes to console sales (that is, those that plug into the TV and have controllers and such, just to clear that up) will be a distant third to MS and Sony.

That's a very premature assessment, but you asked.

MS: They want to make money, but it's not necessary. They'll do things to try to make more, but losing more won't force them to take drastic action... MS is a very wealthy company. Sony, though... I have heard that they've had some problems, and that they rely heavily on the Playstation for profits... for them it's very important that the PS3 succeeds and they maintain their domination, so they'll do quite a bit to keep that... Nintendo? They'll be fine (that is, profitable). The only question is if they'll move up again or just sit where they are... and I can hope, but obviously we don't know yet.

It is necessary that they make money otherwise they'll have to dump the Xbox all together. You can't just ignore a black hole in your bank account. Microsoft has said they are hell bent on making the Xbox a success, and they've taken a path that I believe will lead them to that success. I've already outlined their hardware decisions that differ, and they've gone to great lengths to strengthen their developer relations plus expand their first party offerings. What remains to be seen is whether it all pays off.

I can't speak for the MS execs and their take on how they feel about losing money, and I don't think you can either.

PSX owns the market everywhere... with X-Box in second in most territories and GC in second in Japan. The main impact is that Xbox was a total failure in Japan, so virtually all of Nintendo's sales there make up on the deficit they have in most other regions... which is a big part of why they're not at all far behind on total units sold worldwide. :)

I already said why this doesn't really say anything good about Nintendo. The fact that Xbox sales eclipse Nintendo's without Japan is just plain bad for Nin.

But yes, I would say that the GC has seen a continuing erosion of Nintendo's marketshare when compared to the N64, much less the SNES or NES... each one has had less marketshare than the one before it. Let's hope that they've figured out how to reverse that. :)

I just don't think that the Revolution is the way to go...but I hope I'm wrong.