The Console Equilibirium

This is my view of the current console situation, globally and locally (down here in Australia).

My personal preference in the console market is the Nintendo Wii, the Microsoft Xbox 360 and lastly the Playstation 3. This isn't the capabilities of the systems, this is the order I'd get a console in.

My reasons for this are many: for one thing, Nintendo is on the verge of releasing it's 'killer apps' - Super Mario Galaxy, Super Smash Brothers Brawl and Metroid Prime 3. It uses a fun and intuitive motion sensing control system, and has nearly full backwards compatibility with the Gamecube, as well as the Virtual Console which lets us legally play all those great games on the NES/SNES and N64. And the thing is so damn cute with its great small slim form factor.

The Xbox 360 reasons aren't as compelling, what with the HD-DVD attachment costing so much and the higher price point. And the failure rate and overheating. But it does play most Xbox 1 games (of which I have some, but no Xbox) and it has a fair form factor. It's also made by Microsoft, and whatever you want to say about them, they're rich. They're here to stay. It also offers HD graphics, and the graphics are only slightly inferior to the PS3. All in all, it's a good runner-up.

Finally, the Playstation 3. It would take a lot of convincing to get me to buy this console (chief among these the fact that we pay virtually double the equivalent price of the damn thing in the US). Living in a PAL country, I wouldn't even get the Emotion Engine even if I got one right now, and the great diversity of games the PS brand is famous for means nothing down here. Adding to this is my reluctance to commit to a Blu-ray player when DVD's are still prevalent, and HD-DVD is backed by Microsoft. Lastly, to enjoy most of the graphical enhancements, I'd need to buy an expensive new TV which just adds to the huge price I'd need to pay.

Although, global market figures do not quite ride out my view, placing the Xbox 360 ahead, the the Wii, then the PS3 with 11, 9 and 5 million units sold respectively. This also corresponds to release dates, but the Wii's advantage over the PS3 is double that of the difference between the Xbox 360 and Wii. And the ever important price is a major factor, with the Wii being more accessible.

Obviously no-one can predict the future. We'll have to wait and see, and maybe I'll be dead wrong. Let's wait and see.