E3 2006: Microsoft says...Buy a Wii?

Wii News | Peter Moore blasts Sony's price and suggests an alternative use of US$600...

If the rumours of the Wii costing $200 in the US are to be believed, that would make it half the price of the 'proper' Xbox 360, and also only a third the price of the 'complete' version of the Sony's PS3. Some people, many even without degrees in Applied calculus, have been able to deduce that 2+1=3, and that a consumer could in fact purchase both a Wii and a Xbox 360 for the same price as a PS3. Well, Microsoft's Vice President of Sales and Marketing Peter Moore has joined these ranks, and seems to have decided that promoting a Nintendo product is a valid marketing decision for Microsoft.

As reported on Reuters news service, Moore has been quoted in an interview as saying just that:"Tell me why you would buy a $600 PS3?" he said. "People are going to buy two (machines.) They're going to buy an Xbox and they're going to buy a Wii ... for the price of one PS3." But Moore didn't stop at the price as a reason: "People will always gravitate toward a competitively priced product -- like what I believe Wii will be -- with innovative new designs and great intellectual property like Mario, Zelda and Metroid".

Wow is all we have to say. We're sure we'll hear more on the subject, and we'll keep you informed as this striking news develops.

Related Content

LGC 07: Best of GC winners revealed
29 Aug, 2007 Go on. Guess.

E3 2006: Madden for Wii screenshots and info
11 May, 2006 Just how will the controller work?

E3 2006: Grand Theft Auto IV coming to Xbox 360 and PS3
10 May, 2006 Says Peter Moore's tattoo.

Page12 3 Next

51 Comments

realitybites

7 years ago

Moore is always fishing for an angle to go after Sony.

He maybe right but I think Nintendo would not like it so much being thought of as a "second string" console.

Spanca

7 years ago

It's what I'll probably do.

Gtpod

7 years ago

I love it that they're ganging up on Sony, I've developed an even stronger hatred for them after all this daylight robbery at E3. I hope the PS3 and all future Sony projects fail miserably at the hands of elite Microsoft/Nintendo ninja spies.

wobbler

7 years ago

It will be interesting to see what MS does with its pricing just before the PS3 release. The xbox 360 has been the 1st console that has released before Sony's, so I wouldn't be suprised to see MS throw huge amounts of money (even all of the profit they have made from the 360 up till the PS3 release date) into reducing the Xbox 360 price dramaticaly, to capture a much bigger slice of the pie. ( we all know that MS are the masters of anti-compeditive behaviour, but this time I might have a little grin on my face:-}

Andronicus

7 years ago

Well, well, well...

That is interesting, isn't it?

Funny thing is, after looking at this year's E3, if there were any two consoles I'd get, it'd be the Wii and the Xbox360... and together they might cost roughly the same as a PS3...

At the end of the day, I currently only have plans to purchase a Wii (and a DS Lite), but it is a very enticing prospect when the Xbox360 clearly has some good stuff going for it, and it's more affordable than the PS3 alternative.

I'm actually quite surprised that M$ is saying good things about Nintendo, but at the same time, I'm not surprised at all. I mean, this is the same company that has at least shown an interest in the past in acquiring Nintendo, so with that in mind, clearly M$ sees something promising in Nintendo.

I'm intrigued!

Frozencry

7 years ago

Meh. I still stick to my plan for picking ps3 up. Maybe later down the road I might pick the other two up, but that's when I actually have a job

dc0079

7 years ago

I actually also like M$ more than $ony now, after stealing the motion sensor and all.
And sony is really out of their mind with the direction they are heading right now, with the changed controller and specs and who knows what else.

Nev

7 years ago

Gosh, what a surprise. Everyone's saying that people will buy two consoles this gen, and that the obvious choice would be a PS3-Wii combo, so what do Microsoft suggest? A 360-Wii combo. Boy, didn't see that coming.

It's a pretty ridiculous comparison though, as far as price goes. A 360 and a Wii may equate to a PS3 in terms of price, but not in terms of what you're getting with the system (for better or worse).

Otherwise you could say a 360 + HD DVD/Blu-Ray Player would be about, what AU$1,500? Instead of $900?

To be honest, I can't believe anyone is complaining about this price. Kuturagi has been saying for aeons that it was going to be considered expensive for a games console and cheap for a Blu-Ray player. And that's EXACTLY what it is. So why weren't people complaining then?

Cerebral

7 years ago

You operate under the notion that Blu-ray/HD-DVD is worth the excessive spending. In the end, you're pitting two consoles versus one and a blu-ray player, and that simply isn't worth it.

I can safely say that there isn't anything that blu-ray or HD-DVD can offer me that I aren't already satisfied with DVDs. It's something I really can do without, and Sony are making us pay top dollar for it.

ugh the boot

7 years ago

I thought sony had a weak showing and even though i'm still planning on buying a ps3....i'm kinda a bit more reluctant now. Ps3 games don't really seem that special in comparison to Xbox 360 (even though I thought they would be) and I don't like how it seems like they've tacked everything together at the last minute. Even though the controller is something I would like to use you can tell they've come up with the design a couple of days before e3.

I'm still excited about the blu-ray capabilities but if consumers don't adopt it then blu-ray is going to the dogs....plain and simple. Sony really need to convince people that their machine is that much more....especially for the date it's being released at and for that price.

Andronicus

7 years ago

^ Cerebral, I couldn't have put it better myself.

This Blue-Ray technology might be new and "better" than DVD, but at the moment, I don't see why'd I'd pay anywhere near $1,000 for a game system that plays Blue-Ray, let along a stand-alone player worth $1,500 - my DVD player plays DVDs and they look good to me - I see no need for this expensive new technology in my living room just yet.

Baically I'm asking, is the cost worth the benefit?
For me at least, the answer is currently no.

With that in mind, I look solely at the games and gaming experience now.
The Xbox360 and PS3 will likely offer similar gameplay experiences as they do the Xbox and PS2, but between them, right now the Xbox360 appeals to me more.

But...
I won't be purchasing either of them unless they "wow" me with must-have games, because now that I've seen a bit of the Wii's graphical capability vs the othe 2 consoles, you know what, I don't care enough about the difference in graphical capability to warrant purchasing one system over another.

The Wii suits me because it's going to deliver my favourite franchises, those franchises have gameplay that I enjoy, the graphics will be a step-up from the GCN, there'll be a new way to play, and the cost is more than justifiable (well, the cost we're all guessing at anyway).

My point has been made now.

ObsoletE

7 years ago

i wish i could say that money was no object, it would make the decision easier, but it is, and so it comes down to what game/franchise i prefer.

so far, there's very little on the X360 that i'm interested in. a few things have piqued my interest, but they are mostly available on PC too, so it's a bit of a non-register.

MGS4 and GT5 (GT4HD, whatever) are really the only things on the PS3 i'm that interested in atm too, and i don't know if MGS4 is remaining a PS3 exclusive or not.

the Wii has really has my attention via the wii-mote, a few games have interested me, but it's the controller that's ultimately holding the focus.

so, after this, i'm still just as confused as i was before.

troublemaker

7 years ago

realitybites wrote

He maybe right but I think Nintendo would not like it so much being thought of as a "second string" console.

Maybe not the words 'second string' ... but Nintendo have never aimed for the Rev/Wii to be the number 1 console, they always planned to be a niche console

Infested Jibbs

7 years ago

The battle lines are drawn.:O

With 3 or more competitors, in anything, alliances are always made and broken.Who hasn't played some sort of mulit player game, noticed that another is gunning for a common enemy and an uneasy partnership is made.

'My enemies enemy is my ally'

Though everyone knows how it also turns out too; once the common enemy is disposed off the alliance wavers and then one will backstab the other, only a matter of time.

I totally agree with what he's saying though, as much as i love nintendo(and i do so love them so), the xbox 360 will simply have games that the wii can't do, or games where the wii innovations don't aid the gameplay at hand.My computer is starting to age, and i'm really not in the mood for shelling out a good $2500 or so to get it back up to speed, so for all the 'traditional' games, this may be the smartest choice.

Go with the flow i say nintendo, pick your ally and fight-but always watch your back.

Jim Dash

7 years ago

I just love that Microsoft are trying to promoto Nintendo to stick it up Sony.

But I agree with him too, that was my plan all along to get a 360 and a Wii.

Imagine how long it will take for the PS3's price to drop. Ridiculous really. I realise the Blu-Ray player AND gaming system in one is good, but I have no need for Blu-Ray.

I think I'll go to the PS3 in a couple years.

realitybites

7 years ago

I really tried to do that last gen.

What I found wsa I flip flopped all over the place in a 5 year period.

Started with a PS2 and a GC.

Swapped the PS2 for a Xbox.

Sold the GC early last year and traded the Xbox for a 360 in April.

Now I have a slimline PS2 and a Xbox 360. PS2 slimline was for Buzz and Singstar (party games) and a few platformers/action games (RE4, Jak III, God of War) because the Xbox really sucks for platformers.

PS3 maybe Xmas 2007 or mid 2008 assuming the titles are starting to appear that I like.

2 Consoles are enough. Never say "never" but I may bypass Nintendo this generation.

ZNMS

7 years ago

That's a big surprise hearing such things from a competitor. Maybe, Microsoft and Nintendo should team up.

Zarnoss

7 years ago

ZNMS wrote

That's a big surprise hearing such things from a competitor. Maybe, Microsoft and Nintendo should team up.

Throw SEGA in there too and sony would die a thousand deaths.
I'm not anti sony or anything but that conglomeration would be sheer awesomness for gamers.

Andronicus

7 years ago

ZNMS wrote

That's a big surprise hearing such things from a competitor. Maybe, Microsoft and Nintendo should team up.

Can you imagine it?

Lump the two names together like the Sony Ericsson line of mobile phones to get...

"Microsoft Nintendo"

Well... maybe they'd need a better name if that ever were to happen...

It would be interesting nonetheless!

(I am, of course, kidding around, and I don't actually foresee M$ and Nintendo joining forces ANY time soon...)

Jim Dash

7 years ago

Nah, they're not joining forces. Microsoft are just stating the truth in Nintendo's favour.

Nick

7 years ago

I think all that Microsoft are doing is trying to get some attention put back on them, as Nintendo seem to be hogging the spotlight at E3.

That and it's not a bad idea to try and get some Nintendo fans on Microsoft's good side.

Joseph

7 years ago

I find all this talk on HD-DVD and Blue-Ray- DVD stupid. The technology hasn't even been fully recognised yet!

As for the consoles themselves, so far I'm only excited for Wii. Three games so far I want... Zelda:TP (Wii version), Mario Galaxy and Smash Bros!

For the 360, I have seen nothing that isn't on PC that I am excited about. As for the PS3, I'd only get one if Ratchet and Clank games see a fresher approuch (Gladiator kinda got boring). While I will get either a 360 or PS3 in the future AFTER they have dropped down in price significantly, I can only see me getting one for the third party games that aren't released on Wii and the exclusives. Sadly, that direction will be on PS3 for the moment. But, I'm not impressed by anything between the 360 or PS3 yet.

It is a nice gesture for M$ to be giving Wii some promotion but, I think it is so they can gain an upper hand over Sony.

838 La

7 years ago

Dark Shadow wrote

I find all this talk on HD-DVD and Blue-Ray- DVD stupid. The technology hasn't even been fully recognised yet!

There's not to it anyways, movies in super high Res. Which doesn't really affect much of us unless those with a super big TV.

I'll get the Wii 1st, then wait a year or 2 too see who has the upperhand/better games. Then I'll make the decision.