Wall Street Journal's Mossberg picks Wii over PS3 [update 1]

by Kyle Orland { Nov 29th 2006 at 4:15PM }

Wall Street Journal columnist Walt Mossberg (pictured) is possibly the most influential technology writer in the country. So when Mossberg compares the Wii and the PS3 by saying Nintendo's system is "the more exciting, fun and satisfying of the two new game machines," it shouldn't be taken lightly.

Mossberg and a group of four 20-something volunteer testers were duly impressed with the PS3's graphics and multimedia functions, but no so much so that they thought it was worth the extra price over the Xbox 360. The testers were much more excited about the Wii's motion-sensitive controls and the way they made games easier to get into. One of the female testers, a college athlete and non-gamer, said the Wii was the first time she ever felt successful playing a video game.

Mossberg's reputation doesn't mean he's infallible -- the column erroneously suggests gamers will need to spend $100 on HDMI cables for the PS3 and that a classic controller is required for all Wii classic downloads. Outside of the factual errors, though, the opinions expressed by Mossberg and his testers might be more than a little worrying to Sony and its supporters.

[Update: Changed Read link below to a version that requires no registration. Thanks Clay.]

Tags: mainstream, mossberg, nintendo, sony, wall street journal, WallStreetJournal, WSJ

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

socrates @ Nov 29th 2006 5:38PM

Don't forget that he and his testers are non-gamers, and he's only playing launch titles which don't at all predict the future success or performance of the system!

Of course, Joystiq might have pointed these things things out for us, if he had said the PS3 was more fun.

TopaZ @ Nov 29th 2006 4:23PM

I like both Wii and PS3, but I don't know where this dude is shopping.

My HDMI cable (15 ft) was $7 on MonoPrice, and it works like a dream.

AJ Blitz @ Nov 29th 2006 6:06PM

The Wii is certainly getting praise left-and-right - - currently. I'm interested to see 6 - 9 months down the road what people are playing once Zelda has been completed by many gamers. I feel this race will still come down to Microsoft and Sony. I wish Nintendo would bite the bullet for once and put out a technical-marvel (in regards to their console) so they could let their developers run wild. I do respect Nintendo's First-Party efforts, but they haven't had a fantastic system in my book since SNES.

Hinkmania @ Nov 29th 2006 5:21PM

I have found gaming satisfaction nestled lovingly between the Wii and the Xbox 360. It is a comfy fit. I've also heard a fair amount of PS3 bashing in my excursions to the locale Gamecrazy. But I've also heard a blockbuster employee ask another "What is the W-I-I?" when I tried to rent a game there.

Insomnious @ Nov 29th 2006 5:41PM

It's good to see the Wii doing exactly what it's supposed to - make gaming a lot more accessible and intuitive to play.

To be honest, if you're not going to do your research and get simple things wrong such as accessory pricing, then it raises the question of the standard of their reporting. Although the article does suggest how accessible the Wii really is, when non-game-savvy people can gain satisfaction and enjoyment out of the system.

JimmyHACK @ Nov 29th 2006 4:33PM

not to bash the wii, cause i enjoy mine, but the whole "easy to get into" controls are honestly "dumbed down" controls and i think it does take away something for "gamers" that appreciate slightly more complex and still as fun games

Matthew Mac @ Nov 29th 2006 4:33PM

Different demographics. The Wii controller is fun, but it'll pass and I don't think by any means this is the future of gaming. Sometimes I like to sit back and relax with my 360 controller in my lap rather than prep my area and gear myself up to play my Wii. Gamers like being lazy.

matthew @ Nov 29th 2006 4:33PM

This is especially bad for Sony considering a high percentage of parents that can afford to pay around $750+ (tax, games, etc...[obviously, having a HDTV is a big deal too]) on a PS3 for their kids read the WSJ. Sony and the SDF can spin it any way they want, but the majority of PS1 and PS2 sales were parents buying game consoles for their kids.

BoB @ Nov 29th 2006 4:38PM

Well if i could only get my hands on one now. Walmarts now are holding all inventory until 12/6 per the local store mgr. I talked to today. Only hope now is Target since they stock at night and the best time to get is in the AM.

Rizzo @ Nov 29th 2006 4:44PM

How the most influential tech writer in the country get away with factual errors in his articles? Right away, you have to wonder about other things he says. A tiny bit of research and he could have come off as much more credible. Journalistic integrity has really gone out the window over the past few years...

> @ Nov 29th 2006 4:39PM

If you took those same 4 people go-karting vs. cycling/walking/running etc.. i would bet that they would say that go-karting is more fun... its different and novel.

The only thing all these comparsions with non-gamers have proved is that Wii is fun in short bursts with no thought of long term viability... get these people to play wii everyday for the next 6 months and see how excited they are.

And, being excited and having fun do not necessarily translate into sales. So, the right question to ask is are you willing to spend %250 dollars right now for Wii; given the demographic i would bet that they would say no to Wii, PS3, and 360.

Carl @ Nov 29th 2006 4:40PM

i definately pick the wii, at least right now. I have a ps3 and im selling mine to get a wii. the games just arent good enought yet. but give the games developers 6months to a year and watch how the ps3 blows everything out of the water!

crono141 @ Nov 29th 2006 4:40PM

Everybody get their SDF repellant bat-spray ready.

This should be more fun than the side by side thread :)

Also sony is boned.

GhostBox @ Nov 29th 2006 4:44PM

"One of the female testers, a college athlete and non-gamer, said the Wii was the first time she ever felt successful playing a video game"

This was something that I had to help my girlfriend get over.........the intimidation factor.

Non-gamers look at all the action and explosions going on the screen and instantly shy away for fear of not being up to the task of playing.

Most of them don't know that the best gameplaying experiences usually have simple play mechanics that take no more than 30 minutes to get a firm grip of.

Of all the new consoles, the Wii looks like it's going to have the strongest appeal to casual and non-gamers.

GoonieGooGoo @ Nov 29th 2006 4:53PM

okay....having all the systems....and having played with them a good bit since last week...

The WII....good for kids...non-gamers....Longevity could be an issue. Cow Throwing in Rayman = Frustrating. Wii Channel needs some work.....Friends list needs to be improved. Love the MII channel.

PS3....Resistance pretty good....No voice multiplayer is a BIG Mistake.....Multimedia capabilities very impressive. Online store is clunky. Blu-Tooth headsets should work with SOCOM but Don't.

XBOX 360....continues to deliver on every level

kakaman @ Nov 29th 2006 5:09PM

I think the fact that the Nintendo can offer something that appeals to both gamers and non-gamers at a low price is why the wii will do well.

No non-gamer is ever going to buy a PS3 or an Xbox 360 for themselves. And a lot of gamers (including me) aren't willing to plunk down $500 for a new system just because the graphics look nicer than last-gen.

But plenty of non-gamers with spare cash would be willing to give the wii a try, and a lot of gamers who buy more than one console are most likely going to get the wii as their second console.

This "battle of the consoles" ultimately happens in the marketplace. The wii is cheaper to buy, and cheaper to develop for. That counts for a lot.

Keil Joy @ Nov 29th 2006 4:53PM

" So when Mossberg compares the Wii and the PS3 by saying Nintendo's system is "the more exciting, fun and satisfying of the two new game machines," it shouldn't be taken lightly. "

why, because he conducted an experiment with four people whom we know almost nothing about? if his opinions on video games are so gospel, then how come i've never heard mention of Mr. Mossberg on this site before? and who's to say that the same experiment would have brought in the same results with a different group of people? this article is simply another feeble attempt to bring grandeur to the Wii over the PS3. PERIOD!

Silver @ Nov 29th 2006 5:51PM

"the whole "easy to get into" controls are honestly "dumbed down" controls and i think it does take away something for "gamers" that appreciate slightly more complex and still as fun games" - JimmyHACK

Are you kidding? Do you have any idea how much complexity the Wii controllers will allow developers to add? Just in Wii Tennis (which is definitely a dumbed-down game) you can do things you could never do well or easily with a traditional controller. Angles, spins, velocity - things that result in nightmarish button/stick combos on a normal controller. And how about shooters? Analog sticks are a joke for shooters. They always have been, they always will be. The Wiimote will completely change the equation.

Don't be foolish enough to judge the Wii's potential based solely on the launch games - I think this new controller is going to take gaming to entirely new levels. I'm willing to bet we'll be seeing new "innovations" from the competitors like "MSMotion" and "Sony Sensor Stick" controllers before the dust settles. This changes everything.

Skwurl @ Nov 29th 2006 4:55PM

"...The Wii controller is fun, but it'll pass and I don't think by any means this is the future of gaming. Sometimes I like to sit back and relax with my 360 controller in my lap rather than prep my area and gear myself up to play my Wii. Gamers like being lazy."

You obviously don't own a Wii then.

I can play Twilight Princess while slouching on the couch, feet kicked up on the coffee table, using tiny movements.

In fact, I would say it's even more relaxing than a traditional controller because my hands can rest apart from each other.

Skwurl @ Nov 29th 2006 4:59PM

#11

Maybe you should read his bio instead of claming a bias. His opinion (not fact, but OPINION) should be taken seriously because people listen to him.

He's an influential person in the electronics world - not just videogames, and his words obviously reverberate throughout the industry.

Clay @ Nov 29th 2006 5:06PM

The story can be read without registration at http://ptech.wsj.com/archive/solution-20061129.html

ackmondual @ Nov 29th 2006 5:06PM

@ #2
""not to bash the wii, cause i enjoy mine, but the whole "easy to get into" controls are honestly "dumbed down" controls and i think it does take away something for "gamers" that appreciate slightly more complex and still as fun games""

Give it time. I'm sure Nin will develop more realistic versions of Wii Sports and other types of games, altho if it's tooo complex, it may drive more people away than attract

.

@ #12
I actually could buy that, but u could've thrown in a few cons for the 360 just to sound more believable to every1 else. Paltry HD capacity, expensive controllers, whatever.

GoonieGooGoo @ Nov 29th 2006 5:24PM

@ #16....
You are correct...and those are valid points....but the 20GB HD is no big whoop to me as I have an XSATA so I transfer stuff to my PC that I wish to save, as I also have Media Center there is no real reason for me to fill my HD with video. Though I am filling it with XBLA Games. SMALL ARMS is very impressive.....

There are larger HDs coming of that I have ZERO doubt now that the XBL TV/Video Marketplace has opened....hopefully they'll offer a trade-in value of some sort. The best thing about the 360 drive is I can move it from machine to machine with EASE....which I do often b/w 4 different 360s.

Now if the same hiccups with XBL continue to occur since they introduced Video downloads....that could become an issue.

But to be honest....I have very few complaints to level at my 360....Microsoft is doing a good job of listening to user's needs/wants.

Javi @ Nov 29th 2006 5:23PM

My Wii is starting to loose it's magic, it's only fun when I don't play by myself.

jojonyc @ Nov 29th 2006 5:43PM

funny how everything turns into a fanboy pissing contest.

this is important because mossberg is the main tech reviewer for one of the largest circulation papers in the country. the people reading his article are both casual gamers (fratboys in banking) and the non-gamers nintendo is courting.

the point isn't whether you agree with him, but that this is a big deal for the wii.

ChrisL @ Nov 29th 2006 5:44PM

"7. i definately pick the wii, at least right now. I have a ps3 and im selling mine to get a wii."

Better hurry and get that sucker up on ebay, prices are plummetting closer to MSRP by the hour.

Optimus Prime @ Nov 29th 2006 5:51PM

Wii is more accessible to non-gamers than PS3 or 360; i think that can be agreed upon. But, are these non-gamers going to run out and buy a Wii; or are they going to play at their friends or their significant others place?

So, is grandma going to run out and buy a Wii; or wait until grandson comes over with it.

I think a lot of non-gamers are going to be 'opportunistic players' (they will play when its available) rather than actual consumers... which is what Nintendo cares about. What it will do though, is sell a lot of controllers, for the multiplayer games.

Dan @ Nov 29th 2006 7:32PM

Was i the only one who read this as "Mossberg pisses Wii over PS3"...meh

Ah to have a PS3 - to think us European suckers don't get it till March!

Joey @ Nov 30th 2006 5:00PM

Wii is lame. When you continue to get ugly stupid games like wii sports and good games like Zelda and mario once a year-nintendo freaks will understand. Why did I buy gamecube 2.0 same graphics and bad games. And maybe great games are mario and zelda are all there is?

Jason Cross @ Nov 29th 2006 8:04PM

Why do we keep lending weight to Mossberg's stuff by making blog posts every time he farts?

Wii vs. PS3 aside, everyone always complains about how clueless he is. Okay then, make him irrelevant! Stop quoting him, blogging about him, or mentioning what he thought about so-and-so.

Catprog @ Nov 29th 2006 7:08PM

@27

N64 was better in tech specs (except storage)then the original Playstation

The Game Cube was also technical superior to the PS2 and according to some on par with the XBOX (See RE4)

dogarms @ Nov 29th 2006 7:15PM

@25

"...'Sony Sensor Stick' controllers...."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sixaxis

fightinfilipino @ Nov 29th 2006 10:04PM

there were some odd inaccuracies in the article, yes, but the idea that Walter Mossberg, someone recognized as a general technology expert/pundit, favors the Wii over the PS3 is huge.

people lend him credence because a) he has a wealth of general tech experience in computing, home entertainment, and the like and b) he's *mainstream-accesible*.

honestly, i think a lot of the heat the Wii gets from...certain people is that it no longer privileges gamers above everyone else. the Wii is reaching out to a wider audience. whether Nintendo can capitalize on its radical shifts still remains to be seen, but with all the positive press and the hundreds to thousands of amazing anecdotes everyone's been posting about the Wii, i think the Wii will be successful.

i know i'm going home with a Wii when i hang out with the family for the holidays.

Reeve @ Nov 29th 2006 8:49PM

#21 - From the article: "We've been testing the two newcomers, with help from four volunteers, three men and a woman, all in their 20s, most of whom have extensive game-playing experience."

Now unless "extensive" actually means "very little", I take issue with your comment that the testers are "non-gamers". Read more carefully next time, eh? That is, if you read the Mossberg piece at all ;)

dan @ Nov 29th 2006 10:15PM

Despite holding some reservations in making the distinction between the casual/hardcore gamer, I do believe Mussberg is mistaken in labelling the Wii as as the "casual" console and the PS3 as the "hardcore" console. To be sure, Nintendo's mission is to expand the market in the quest for catching the casual gamer, but their real prize is to reel in that most elusive catch, the non-gamer. What must not be forgotten, and what Mossberg fails to account for, is that a number of the Wii's games will remain "hardcore". Zelda, for example, falls fairly neatly into the category of the "hardcore" game. The whole idea of the Virtual Console is adored precisely because it extends an olive branch to "hardcore" gamers who have been patiently waiting for their favourite TurboGrafx game... On the other hand "Nintendogs" fits well into the mould of the "casual" game. In addition to Wii Sports, Rayman would also be a good addition to that category. We'll see if this trend continues, but Nintendo has reiterated over and over again that it will follow this three-pronged strategy (pursuing both the hardcore, casual, and non-gamer crowds). As for Sony, isn't it the Playstation that is credited for bringing Video Games into the limelight? Without the Playstation would people be debating the merit of games as "art"? Without games like Ico would their arguments hold so much weight? Like it or not it is Sony that captured the mainstream attention of "casual" gamers with "mature" games like Grand Theft Auto. Because of this approach the PS2 was the most financially successful console of the previous generation. All i'm saying is that Mossberg is wrong in making one out to be only for the casual crowd and the other only for the harcore scene.

Korova @ Nov 29th 2006 10:12PM

All I gotta say is Moss is always right. He better be right cause I ready gettin a Wii to have female college athlete non-gamer into this "interactive TV" thing too.

ThePurpleEagle @ Nov 29th 2006 10:33PM

I know where my money will be this christmas. When Wii launches in Australia, I will be spending around $800 which will include 6 games plus and extra wiimote. I find wii is cheap and affordable and offers the family a chance to game together.
As my family grows older (im the youngest of 5) I will be able to have those experiences once again that i used to have when i was ~5 years old. Back in those days everyone in my family played Nintendo but now time has passed and everyone has moved on. As people has said PS3 will definitely not bring my brothers and sister back into gaming as a high level experience of gaming is required

I look for toward and the many memeries it will bring with my family again as wii sit in front of the telly and laugh...
Like to see the PS3 or 360 do that...

samfish @ Nov 30th 2006 1:47AM

"2. not to bash the wii, cause i enjoy mine, but the whole "easy to get into" controls are honestly "dumbed down" controls and i think it does take away something for "gamers" that appreciate slightly more complex and still as fun games"

I can't help by always laugh a bit to myself when I hear this because I remember 10 years ago when the N64 came out, people were saying the EXACT same thing about the analogue sticks.

Personally, I'd be willing to bet money that within 18 months Ms or Sony releases a Wii-like controller and starts packing it in additionally with their systems.

ThePurpleEagle @ Nov 30th 2006 2:29AM

um news break, sony hav already copied it and thats why i am never gonna support sony as they have always copy nintendos ideas. Period

Laurens Holst @ Nov 30th 2006 3:35AM

But, is he ‘much of a gamer’ or not?

~Grauw

Skyler Jermyn @ Nov 30th 2006 2:58AM

"In fact, I would say it's even more relaxing than a traditional controller because my hands can rest apart from each other."

Hell yeah. I have to second that comment. This is the first time I've seen anyone mention this benefit on the internet besides me. Not only Zelda, but I can play a pretty good game of most wii fucking sports games while laying down on my side, comfortably thanks to my hands being able to travel apart.
Like you said, anyone who says you can't chill with the wii doesn't have one. (pun intended)

Gianni Gotti @ Nov 30th 2006 8:23AM

Hooray! A great day for Wiitards (and there seem to be many).

The Motorstorm demo trumps anything the Wii will ever do.

Reality.

OVER! @ Nov 30th 2006 11:47AM

You know Sony fanboy are wierd!!! I was at Wal-Mart last night and some overnight staker "PS3 fanboy" was going on about how everything sucks except for Sony's PS3. I told him Sony suck and they are losing momentum. He got pissed. It seems that Sony fanboys are still trying to convince only themselves that Sony is unbeatable. Even though the rest of the world is backing away from Sony. In favor of Wii, or 360 or even Wii60 for the same price. G4 has done nothing but shot Sony down for month now. Attach of the Show Telling people Wii or 360 or both over PS3. Even my local Gamestop is in on it. Here's the PROOF!

http://wii.vggen.com/news/news.php?id=1882
http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/54474.html
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/061026/japan_sony.html?.v=13
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20061128/lf_afp/afpentertainmentjapanuselectronicsgamecompanynintendo_061128201029
http://games.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/10/26/1851229

Not just blogging say so, but actually proof Sony is NOT prefered this time around. The only ones still convinced are nazi Sonyfanboys!!!

Rich @ Nov 30th 2006 12:19PM

Motorstorm? Are you kidding me? MOTORSTORM? Woohoo, pretty pretty graphics and watching people fly off dirtbikes, drive cars over cliffs, THAT's a REAL triumph. I can't believe people like you just won't give the Wii a chance.

I used to be an Xbox360 lover and owner. Before that, a real Xbox enthusiast. Wanna know why I switched loyalty to Nintendo? Because of Microsoft's head being shoved WAY up their asses when it comes to customer service. Let me tell you a little story about that:

I, like a few others, did not rush out and by a 360, I waited a couple months. One day in January of 2006, I was fortunate enough to find one sitting lonely and pretty on a Circuit City shelf. I scooped that sucker up and took it home. I had nothing but good stories and memories to tell about until one shitty day in August.

Three red lights of DOOM. The 360 won't start, and when it does, it freezes on the loading screen. This happens one freaking week after the warranty expired, AND DON'T ANYBODY TELL ME "Well, that's what happens when you don't extend the warranty!" NO, that's BS. Paying $400 for a console and having it die six months later after it received nothing but tinder, love, and freaking care is a load of crap.

So, I complained to the BBB when MS wouldn't fix it or replace it for me for no less than $129. MS "graciously" offered me 25% off the repair fee after that complaint. You know what? I accepted it, because I decided that freaking box was going to be sold the minute it was fixed. So, I get on the phone and speak with Kerpal in India, and he informs me that I have to pay the shipping and handling, and that they would no longer provide the coffin to have it fixed. OK, I do what I have to do to get this paperweight fixed. I bend over and pay the twenty-five dollars for shipping, and off it goes...

Not two days later, an EMPTY BOX from Microsoft shows up and inside the box gives directions on how to ship my console in. WTF??? I call up 4MY XBOX, and they informed me the previous agent screwed me over by giving me directions on a new policy that wouldn't be going into effect for a couple weeks (that being MS won't ship it for you). I say, ok, great, can you reimburse me for the shipping? After 20 minutes on hold, she tells me the manager sends his apologies, and can't reimburse me, nor will he expidite the fixed console. OK, whatever, I hang up the phone and wait for the console.

I get the console back a week later, which I thought was pretty good time. I open the box, and to my dismay, MICROSOFT SNAPPED MY F%#%*$ faceplate in half on the 360 during the repair process, and didn't bother to slap a new one on. I don't mean a dent, A HUGE CRACK ACROSS and THROUGH THE FACEPLATE. WTF. I powered up the console, and the fan sounded like a jet engine (NOT NORMAL). I didn't care, IT WORKED, and immediately turned it off before it over-heated and broke again. Sold it the next day for $275. Got an e-mail two weeks later from MS saying, "Due to recent developments, those who had a console repaired that was manufactured before January gets a refund for the repair".

Eight freaking weeks later, I get my money back that I NEVER should have had to pay. MS never responded to my e-mails or phonecalls about the broken faceplate. For those of you who own a 360, I wish you the best of luck and I hope it NEVER breaks on you. I would NEVER wish that experience even on my own worst enemy.

So, here's to the Wii and it's revolutionary new control system!!! :)

Regards, Rich

Dennis @ Nov 30th 2006 7:51PM

I just don't understand why a guy who's clearly just a few years away from cremation can possibly be considered a credible judge of technology. He may be influential to the readers of the Wall Street Journal (executives and bankers), but does he truly have credibility among the technologically literate? Let me put it another way, would you consider the chick who writes for the Cosmo magazine technology section knowledgeable about actual technology? Why not? She probably has a larger readership...

Anyway, I also like how Mossberg uses non-gamers to judge gaming consoles. That's like pulling non-wine drinkers in to evaluate sophisticated wines. Sure, they may have a preference, maybe they just like something that's super sweet, not too bitter, and has a nice color. But, are they really a good judge of which wine is truly better? And, more importantly, are they really going to go out and buy that wine? I think people who demo the Wii, the grandmothers and non-gamers, might enjoy the small amount of time they spend with it. Heck, some of them might even purchase one on an impulse. But, how many of them are actually going to play it for any significant length of time? Are they going to buy lots of games for it? Or, are they going to enjoy it for a couple of weeks and eventually leave it in the corner collecting dust after their brief experimentation is over?

I ultimately think that if a non-gamer does pick up a Wii (which in and of itself is unlikely), it will lead to one of two things. Either they will play it for a while and then abandon it, returning to their regular lives. Or, maybe they will make gaming a hobby. If that happens, I think the Wii will start to look pretty crappy in comparison to the Xbox and PS3 as time progresses and they will probably upgrade to something better and with lots more games.

Ultimately, maybe the Wii is like a cheap wine. It's good to get non-oenophiles interested in wine but, if they actually become regular wine drinkers, it will probably be abandoned in favor of something better.

I consider Walt Mossberg and the non-gamers that were evaluating the Wii completely ignorant of the finer aspects of gaming. I doubt that any of them will actually go out and purchase a Wii, despite their supposed enjoyment of it. And, should they actually go out and buy one, I doubt they will play it with any regularity. I mean, come on, for all he talks, can you imagine Mossberg playing a Wii regularly a couple of months from now or beyond? Obviously not, he'll be too busy avoiding the Grim Reaper.

ThePurpleEagle @ Nov 30th 2006 9:37PM

read my comment #36 and ull understand, I will never pass up nintendo and its ur opion which games are the better. In my preference Nintendo has some of the biggest titles around which will never die or be beaton. Reality check, these games are only for nintendo, nothin else. They are not shared by other consoles. What about Final Fantasy, where did that start off....