New SCEE head thinks Wii owners will eventually 'upgrade' to PS3

by Majed Athab { Jun 8th 2009 at 9:30PM }

The new president of SCEE, Andrew House, isn't wasting any time taking over the reins from David Reeves and causing a stir. After having been in his new office for only a little over a month, House is already making daring statements, telling Edge-Online that he believes Wii owners will eventually 'upgrade' to PS3. His logic is based off prior figures that pit the lifecycle of PS2 against that of N64 (he probably meant GameCube), citing Nintendo's console as the "entry level gaming device" and that data suggested consumers planned to "upgrade to a more powerful machine [read: PS2] later in the lifecycle when the price point was right for them."

That's a rather interesting thing to say because, frankly, for most people, the price of the PlayStation 3 isn't anywhere near right just yet. Of course, House's scope is for the long-term and about inevitable future price cuts, but there's one thing he forgot to factor in: Microsoft. What's stopping people from upgrading to the Xbox 360, especially since Microsoft has drastically taken up a bigger share of the market since the last generation?

Tags: andrew-house, business, scee

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)

m3nphls @ Jun 8th 2009 9:35PM

Ha! funny, maybe if this economy gets better.

Cody @ Jun 8th 2009 10:42PM

Is it just me, or do Nintendo execs never talk like this?? I swear, Sony and Microsoft...

chispito @ Jun 8th 2009 10:49PM

Whoa whoa whoa. Each console manufacturer is messed up in its own way, but nobody is as consistently bad with their marketing and PR-speak as Sony.

Nate @ Jun 8th 2009 10:50PM

lol, I agree with both of your statements. sony would be doing better than it's doing if people in general more often. of course, nintendo doesn't get themselves into this situation by having a business model that actually makes business sense. you know... selling a product at a profit and all.

btw, I already "upgraded" do a ps3. really it's what I wanted to begin with, but the wii was cheaper and the wife wanted it. after trying to play the hardcore games available, I became dissatisfied, bought a ps3 anyways, and now even my casual games on on it. I play mariokart on rare occasions, but more often I play flower, flow, or littlebigplanet.

Mein Bratwurst @ Jun 8th 2009 10:51PM

I guess you missed the "Wii-ness envy" article, Cody. I swear, blind fanboys...

Robert27 @ Jun 8th 2009 10:57PM

o yeah?, tell me when you add retrocompatibility to your PS3.Every console out there has it, oh!, I forgot it was removed in order to "reduce production costs" they take away what was considered VERY attractive come on man!

DBuck_Eye @ Jun 8th 2009 11:04PM

Mein, that was Michael Pachter, a third-party analyst. What are you, blind?

Mics @ Jun 8th 2009 11:11PM

Two questions:

1) How much to upgrade?

2) Will it be backwards compatible?

SKI @ Jun 8th 2009 11:11PM

@ Mein

Wow, I didn't know Patcher was a Nintendo executive now.

Jamesology @ Jun 9th 2009 3:22AM

@ Mics

Sorry but I have both the Wii and PS3 80gb and both are backwards compatible. I swear I have never played a Gamecube nor a PS2 game. Why, you probably ask? Well I dunno why I just don't feel like it. It's cool to have the option but honestly pointless, since all these new systems remake games anyways. How different are all the MarioKarts and Tekkens...... NOT MUCH.

IMO, yes some people may start to upgrade to a PS3 or 360 but not even close to sell as much as Nintendo did. Nintendo won this generation. Anyone thinking otherwise is probably also believing their Atari Jaguar will come alive again.

Also price is not a factor, I spent more money on the Wii than I did on the PS3. Wii is more expensive.

PS3 is for loners that sit in their room playing online: MGS, RE5,CoD4
Wii is for group enjoyment: BoomBlox, MarioKart, WiiSports

MaliceMajorE15 @ Jun 9th 2009 5:35AM

the 80 gig ps3 isnt backwards compatible, only the early 60 gig

Alphathon @ Jun 9th 2009 7:15AM

@MaliceMajorE15

The "early" 60 gig? I'm pretty sure all 60 gigs had backwards compat. Also, there was that 80GB MGS bundle with software backwards compat., maybe he meens that.

Robert Maynard @ Jun 9th 2009 7:47AM

"PS3 is for loners that sit in their room playing online: MGS, RE5,CoD4
Wii is for group enjoyment: BoomBlox, MarioKart, WiiSports"

This is nonsense.
My circle of friends use a PS3 to play Rock Band practically every weekend. The ps3 and 360 are unequivocally better consoles for playing music games, and that happens to be what we enjoy. The house we play it in also has a Wii, and what is that used for? WiiFit, when no one else is there. Holy cow, it's almost as though people use stuff differently and your generalisation is bullshit! :O

King JMY @ Jun 9th 2009 8:20AM

The Motorstorm 80GB bundle from a few years ago is backwards compatible too.

tmacairjordan87 @ Jun 9th 2009 11:55AM

"Is it just me, or do Nintendo execs never talk like this??"

You're right. Reggie never says anything dumb at all, specially not this

"Why should core gamers be upset with us? They're getting Animal Crossing Wii and Chinatown Wars!"

Phil Fauble @ Jun 9th 2009 3:34PM

Oh Tmac, at it again.... ANIMAL CROSSING IS GREAT FOR ...

oh wait

lolz.. I agree with you for once sir.

I love Animal Crossing.. but I do remember that statement.... Though it seems there are quite a few good hardcore titles coming to Wii

Oh and I guess China Town Wars is a really good game... from what reviews say anyways.. I haven't touched it.

Inect @ Jun 9th 2009 5:52PM

@phil
no shit you haven't touched it, no one has!

kanoflow @ Jun 8th 2009 9:36PM

dumb ass

Remarkableryan @ Jun 8th 2009 9:39PM

I know I did!

ryanpaulmcgowan @ Jun 8th 2009 10:06PM

And, unlike a Mac, most PS3 users actually use most of the features on the PS3.

aristokrat @ Jun 8th 2009 10:18PM

Where'd the Mac hating come from? Lame.

Also, I use my PS3 to play games. That's it. I use my computer for internet and my wireless transmitter for music. I don't even play movies on my PS3 (Connect360 came out before the PS3 version, so I stream all my movies to my Xbox). In fact, I'd bet most people with a PS3, 360, and home media center with a universal remote play movies on the 360 because it has an infrared port. I'd definitely jump on the Bluetooth remote bandwagon if all my other components had it, but I don't see that happening for a while.

NoughtSoClever @ Jun 8th 2009 10:19PM

I was gonna download the Wii2PS3 update patch, but it was 5 gigs and my wii only has 100 megs free. Stupid DLC.

maskedrose @ Jun 8th 2009 9:38PM

"Of course, House's scope is for the long-term and about inevitable future price cuts, but there's one thing he forgot to factor in: Microsoft. What's stopping people from upgrading to the Xbox 360, especially since Microsoft has drastically taken up a bigger share of the market since the last generation?"

You just answered your own question, doofus.

Everyone already owns an xbox 360 as well as a Wii

tailsize @ Jun 9th 2009 6:37AM

I have a Wii, but I don't own a Xbox 360. So that is completely false. Not everyone has a damn 360.

MariusElijah (Only on PlayStation 3) @ Jun 8th 2009 9:37PM

Well he just might be talking only about Europe, since MS isn't really dominant over there

Killiam XXIII @ Jun 8th 2009 10:24PM

Hahahaha! You're silly.

Kenny Powers Fastball (PSN johnnynumber5) @ Jun 8th 2009 10:31PM

Why is that silly?

This guy is the head of SCEE (the E is for Europe) and MS isn't nearly the dominant force in the region that it is in North America.

EUR

Wii - 19 mil
360 - 12 mil
ps3 - 10.6 mil

Marius is actually 100% correct in what he is saying.

Understand these numbers are merely ON PAP3R!

Killiam XXIII @ Jun 8th 2009 10:44PM

@Kenny Powers Fastball

Oh! I remember you now. You're the guy that always says "on paper" and always tries to act all neutral saying that you're not a "fanboy".

So, how you doing mate? How's the "Johnnynumber5 Paper Company" doing? You getting good sales these days?

Fun DMC @ Jun 8th 2009 11:27PM

Cool responses, guys. I love how you totally proved that he was incorrect.

oh wait

You resorted to middle-school-esque teasing and ad hominem rather than, you know, disputing the point of his post.

That's far too much to expect nowadays at Joystiq, though. I'm surprised you didn't simply downvote him in lieu of a response.

Come on, now.

Ezio Auditore (Now equipped with double blades!) [PSN SniperChameleon] @ Jun 8th 2009 11:31PM

fatass, it's sprinkles and cody, did you expect any less? common sense doesn't work with them.

EGOvoruhk @ Jun 8th 2009 11:53PM

Where does Microsoft come into this? He's talking about Wii owners buying a PS3, not deciding between a 360/PS3

Even if the 360 didn't exist, it still seems pretty wild to think that they're going to sell another 8.4 million units (Plus whatever new customers Nintendo picks up in between), at least at the current price

Kenny Powers Fastball (PSN johnnynumber5) @ Jun 9th 2009 12:37AM

Killiam,

So I guess those facts are all ON PAP3R? The ones that validate what Marijus was saying in the first place ... not the ones pulled out of clouded bong smoke.

LOL ... it's funny you don't see the on paper joke is on you. In language you might better understand I flipped the script on you.

Anyway ... As far as the "pretending" comment goes I'll just say what I always say: I have never made it a big secret about what my preferences are and what consoles & games I prefer. I've owned them all and I've based my opinions off my own experiences with each of them.

Sprinkles,

(crickets)

Ezio Auditore (Now equipped with double blades!) [PSN SniperChameleon] @ Jun 9th 2009 1:16AM

i meant killiam and sprinkles... but cody works too. ^_^

manuel @ Jun 8th 2009 9:37PM

He's wrong already.
I had a PS3 before I bought a Wii.
I "upgraded" to the Wii so to speak. :P

Manly Mcbeefington (Mr. ESC) @ Jun 8th 2009 9:41PM

I got my PSP first then my x360 after that my NDSL then a Wii and finally a PS3 now.

JetPogi @ Jun 8th 2009 9:49PM

you mean downgraded?

Robert27 @ Jun 8th 2009 10:45PM

Jet Pogi you made ma day I actually like the PS3, It has something i dunno

Marc @ Jun 8th 2009 10:48PM

If you went from PS3 to the Wii you must rarely game at all and have no friends, b/c I have all three and the Wii is rarely turned on. Dont get me wrong the wii is fun and all but it just doesnt even compare to the PS3 or 360 when it comes longevity of play.

arrness @ Jun 8th 2009 10:49PM

what are you? a two year old?

Fun DMC @ Jun 8th 2009 11:30PM

"If you went from PS3 to the Wii you must rarely game at all and have no friends"

Grow up.

manuel @ Jun 8th 2009 11:42PM

Thanks arrness and Fun DMC.

I can only say the same: Marc, grow up.

You seriously can't judge people on what they play.

I play video games for 25 years now, I have around 30 consoles and over 400 games. You must be right, I "rarely" game. :P And I'm very lonely considering I have only 1 wife a 1 great kid to play together.

I have 3 games for the PS3 (and a handful of Blu-Ray movies) and 9 for the Wii. At this point in time, the Wii is my favourite between the 2, mainly because of Mario Galaxy and Zelda.
I like the PS3, too, of course, or I wouldn't have bought it. But on the PS3 I can't play games from Nintendo, which I happen to love, though. ;)