I asked around yesterday in a speculative report for G4. Here’s what my quotables had to say:
A lot of people wonder what the new console might mean for not only console gaming, but for Nintendo in general. Can the company win the “console war” for a second consecutive cycle in the wake of Wii, like it did post-NES with the Super Nintendo?
Ormond says no. “I think Nintendo is too prideful to see the real competition, and it isn’t named Microsoft or Sony,” he says, predicting that an updated and aggressively-priced Apple TV could obviate the modern console as we know it.
Pachter says yes, at least for a little while. “Of course they’ll lead. Microsoft and Sony won’t release new consoles until a couple of years after, so Nintendo will have a free pass.”Â
Steinberg says it depends. “If the company can get their third-party support, online connectivity, and downlodable content in order ’ all of which were lacking on Wii ’ then Nintendo is a strong contender for another first-place finish.”
Cassidy sees any short-changing of Nintendo as a failure to recognize the company’s 120 year legacy. “Nintendo still has what it takes to surprise and dominate the industry,” he maintains. “The Wii may not be everyone’s go-to platform for core gaming, but there are millions and millions of owners out there that have gotten a lot of fun from the platform. To dismiss Nintendo as incapable of delivering that sort of experience once again would be silly.”
What do you think? What percentage would you give Nintendo to lead next-generation console gaming?
