Before anything else, let me get a few things straight. First, I'm looking forward to E3 2006 a lot and I enjoy the show. Second, I own multiple consoles but I'm currently favoring the XBOX 360. Now that I have that over with, let me present you the freshest marketing BS for the 2 consoles that will be debuting (hopefully) this year.
Nintendo Wii
http://wii.nintendo.com/
Introducing...Wii.
As is "we".
While the code-name "Revolution" expressed our direction, Wii represents the answer.
Wii will break down that wall that separates video game players from everybody else.
Wii will put people more in touch with their games..and each other. But you're
probably asking: what does the name mean?
Wii sounds like "we", which emphasizes this console is for everyone.
Wii can easily be remembered by people around the world, no matter what language they
speak. No confusion. No need to abbreviate. Just Wii.
Wii has the distinctive "ii" spelling that symbolizes both the unique controllers and the
image of people gathering to play.
And Wii, as a name and a console, brings something revolutionary to the world of video
games that sets it apart from the crowd.
So that's Wii. But now Nintendo needs you.
Because, its really not about you or me.
It's about Wii.
And together, Wii will change everything.
And there it is folks... It's no doubt that I am intrigued by the Nintendo console and if Nintendo played their cards right it could have a big impact in the gaming industry. But come on, Nintendo?! Why 'wii'?!? They got it right with “Revolution” since the controller itself is a step away from the default gaming controller for the last 10 or 20 years.
Nintendo got it right by saying this...”Wii can easily be remembered by people around the world, no matter what language they speak.”. They got it right because worldwide, 'wii' is commonly associated with a bodily function!
Only in Japan is it normal to drink "Sweat"!
Now where am I going here... Any western marketer would have laughed at the thought of naming a console after urine. But that's not how it works in Japan... In fact in Japan, they have a popular softdrink called “Sweat”. But that's IN JAPAN, where the world seems to be upside down. (I've taken Japanese studies and I can tell you people who are more used to western culture that the world is indeed upside down in Japan!). In marketing, they say that most people only remember around 3 points in ANY presentation...looking at that long marketing blurb on why 'wii', I think Nintendo of America will have a harder time trying to explain themselves this time.
My fear with Nintendo, and Sony as well, came back with the announcement of the “wii”...that these guys do not care about global branding or global positioning...they only care about one market, Japan. And if that's the case, then the global market is in trouble for the Japanese gaming market is slowly dwindling and being replaced by educational games (such as “Brain Age”) or by hentai games of all varieties. Nintendo's choice of naming the console after 'wii', which is nothing more but a translation of the Japanese translation of the noun “we”, shows that bias to the Japanese market which is not something that will bode well with worldwide gamers in time.
Seriously, Nintendo...wii???
Sony Playstation 3
http://www.us.playstation.com/PS3
Playststion 3 will change the nature of gaming and entertainment forever.
It's CELL technology is the digital soul and delivers powerhouse, supercomputer-like
processing power, unknown to today's machines. Blu-Ray Disc ROM (BD-ROM) is the
graphical heart that will provide the entertainment content in full high-definition (HD) quality.
It's a console that screams digital carpe diem and will redefine reality as we know it.
Uh-oh...here come Sony's award winning deception tactics! While Nintendo’s statement was apologetic at best as to why they chose such a horrendous name; Sony’s marketing blurb is focuses on to main things the Cell Processor and the Blu-Ray Disk and why they are so cool.
Can the PS3 render the universe in 5 days, beating God by a whole day?!?
The Cell Technology is a new paradigm but hardly does it offer any advanced processing power that is unknown to today’s machines. If it did, then why then did Sony deviate from its original plan on having the Cell Processor render the graphics and just give that to Nvidia instead? The Cell, as cool as is it sounds, is not your miracle processor.
And here comes the worst part, according to the PS3 blurb Blu-Ray is the graphical heart of the PS3. Huh? Blu-Ray is nothing more but a storage device. It has nothing to do with image or graphics rendering.
That blurb is Sony’s marketing at its finest but it shows us one thing…that the focus of the PS3 is not with games, rather its pushing their newer technologies to the market hoping that with a popular device it will gain market acceptance and eventually have the biggest market share.
Where are the games Sony?
Microsoft XBOX 360
Microsoft’s time for hardware unveilings is over and by that merit alone, many gaming publications are already singing the failure of Microsoft XBOX 360 at E3 2006. But many people are underestimating Microsoft this year. IMHO, this is the best year for Microsoft to shine and steal the show.
We can assume that Sony will have Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy, etc etc. We can assume that Nintendo will have Mario, Zelga, etc etc.
But what does Microsoft have?
Halo 3?
Master Chief can't just finish the fight alone...
Yes but it can't be all Master Chief right? Luckily, Microsoft seems to be aware of this and they also have something that their competitors are not really showing that much. The XBOX 360 has a slew of interesting new properties, some of which are exclusive major titles from well renowned development houses.
This year everyone will be looking at Microsoft’s answer to Sony’s supposedly ‘free’ online service. Microsoft threw the proverbial online gaming ball at Sony last E3 which Sony answered just earlier this year with their partnership with gaming media, IGN (*cough*cough*cough*). Apart from showing games, the real challenge now for Microsoft is for them to answer Sony’s ‘free’ online challenge and make sure that this time around ‘Velocity Girl’ will come out and play.