Does the Wii deserve such high sales numbers?

Most everyone on this board can consider themselves a gamer to one degree or another.

As gamers we expect a successful console to have a good number of quality games (quite a few AA and some AAA), and capable hardware if not cutting edge.

So far the Wii has sold phenomenally (I have one myself) and has gained acceptance in the eyes of the gamer and the non-gamer. Why is that?

The games library so far is okay, but nothing extremely compelling as to push sales substantially. The hardware is capable, but not cutting edge or flashy, so flash factor doesn't really play into that picture. So why is it selling like crazy? The casuals don't generally read up on games that aren't advertised heavily, so anticipation of the future isn't really what I think drives it.

Is it the ad campaign? I'll admit the "Wii would like to play" ads are catchy, and that may be a driving force behind it. Or is it the idea of waving the WiiMote around wildly to play games that people are gravitating to?

There is no question that the Wii is selling incredibly well, and could very well become a contender this gen for top spot. The question is why? Price maybe?

Discuss

It's because people who normally weren't gamers will get it. A lot of people don't understand pressing the "X button" or, "The left trigger". People can understand making motions that relate to what you are supposed to do, more so than pressning a button, anyway.  I think the Wii diserves it's spot for creativity, not not exactly for making a powerful console.

JakeT, long time no see.

I think the Wii is selling like hotcakes because its bringing a lot of non gamers into the fold.  It offers something new in terms of gameplay that is attractive to some people.  I agree that the overall game library is very scarce right now.  One of my closest friends has one - we both have similar tastes in games - he really liked Zelda TP, but since then he's not used it.

A combination of the price and the new way to play games.web966

I would also add to that solid marketing.  

price and a new way of playing.

price though also determines hardware power so it's not as simple as saying that if the ps3 was the same price as the wii it would do better. it also wouldn't be a ps3 with the cell and bluray. 

Whenever I think about why its selling so well I always come back to price. It's game library isn't any better than the PS3, yet it obliterates it in sales every month. Then you look at the 360 which has about 3x the number of AA/AAA games, and it seems as though its not seeling as well as it should. I'd like to see MS drop the price a bit and see what happens then.Teufelhuhn

No in terms of games (yet, I hope), yes in terms of idea.

Why is a mod making such ridiculous threads.  Does the Wii deserve high sales?   COme on.  It's getting high sales and while we can argue over WHY, I think it's pretty useless to argue if it deserves it.  I don't think Halo deserved it's praise OR sales...but geuss what, reality is reality and it doesn't revolve around me.

Does MS deserve to be in the console business?  Do any of us deserve to even play consoles?  Does the ipod deserve to be a top seller?  Does Windows deserve to be on PCs?

Who cares?  It is.  

Whether or not it has good games or not, the majority of wii's have sold because it is cheap, brings a new idea to the market, and has good marketing. That, i think, is bad, but inevitable.

I like the wii as a console, and it does have/will have some great games, but the fact that there are so many garbage games that are being made by top developers worries me. I've said it before and ill say it again, the developers are in control, and with the wii aiming at "the whole of the family" mroe developers are going to aim for games which cover a larger proportion of the wii audience. For the next year, at least, expect a lot of overly simplistic and mini game games.

So, do i think it deserves the success at the moment? No, because its selling for the controller not the games, and nintendo is riding a hype machine built on that principle. I think that it is danger of damaging the really good games out there... On a purely games level, the wii is lacking, just as the PS3. But, this can still be averted, its up to the developers, and a bit of support from nintendo. Otherwise the vast majority of good games will be from one developer, nintendo (maybe thats what they want?)...

think of how much quality in games nintendo has dropped (horrible third party games en masse, vomit inducing graphics, non existing online).....all lost.....just to swing your arms 

WAS IT WORTH IT????????????

With this single question you have violated all of modern economics, comrade.das_beck

AHHHH!

What's Kwame doing in your avatar? 

think of how much quality in games nintendo has dropped (horrible third party games en masse, vomit inducing graphics, non existing online).....all lost.....just to swing your arms

WAS IT WORTH IT????????????

Gears360

Why is a mod making such ridiculous threads. Does the Wii deserve high sales? COme on. It's getting high sales and while we can argue over WHY, I think it's pretty useless to argue if it deserves it. I don't think Halo deserved it's praise OR sales...but geuss what, reality is reality and it doesn't revolve around me.

Does MS deserve to be in the console business? Do any of us deserve to even play consoles? Does the ipod deserve to be a top seller? Does Windows deserve to be on PCs?

Who cares? It is.

ZIMdoom

Isn't pretty much every argument in this forum in particular fairly useless? This thread isn't ridiculous, it's a fair discussion.  

[QUOTE="das_beck"]With this single question you have violated all of modern economics, comrade.Kestastrophe

AHHHH!

What's Kwame doing in your avatar?

[QUOTE="ZIMdoom"]

Why is a mod making such ridiculous threads. Does the Wii deserve high sales? COme on. It's getting high sales and while we can argue over WHY, I think it's pretty useless to argue if it deserves it. I don't think Halo deserved it's praise OR sales...but geuss what, reality is reality and it doesn't revolve around me.

Does MS deserve to be in the console business? Do any of us deserve to even play consoles? Does the ipod deserve to be a top seller? Does Windows deserve to be on PCs?

Who cares? It is.

JakeT

Isn't pretty much every argument in this forum in particular fairly useless? This thread isn't ridiculous, it's a fair discussion.

Why is a mod making such ridiculous threads.ZIMdoom

They become mods and as such ascend to a different level of being that removes their ability to ask or say things that people disagree with?

Edit:  [spoiler] More like they become a mod and people start disagreeing with them just because they are teh MOD [/spoiler]

Why is a mod making such ridiculous threads. Does the Wii deserve high sales? COme on. It's getting high sales and while we can argue over WHY, I think it's pretty useless to argue if it deserves it. I don't think Halo deserved it's praise OR sales...but geuss what, reality is reality and it doesn't revolve around me.

Does MS deserve to be in the console business? Do any of us deserve to even play consoles? Does the ipod deserve to be a top seller? Does Windows deserve to be on PCs?

Who cares? It is.

ZIMdoom

The Wii is introducing a new way of gaming. It's making the industry realize that it needs to change. It's making developers think more creatively about gaming.arinya

[QUOTE="ZIMdoom"]

Why is a mod making such ridiculous threads. Does the Wii deserve high sales? COme on. It's getting high sales and while we can argue over WHY, I think it's pretty useless to argue if it deserves it. I don't think Halo deserved it's praise OR sales...but geuss what, reality is reality and it doesn't revolve around me.

Does MS deserve to be in the console business? Do any of us deserve to even play consoles? Does the ipod deserve to be a top seller? Does Windows deserve to be on PCs?

Who cares? It is.

arinya

You just listed some reasons it deserves to be selling well.  Don't be so insecure - it was a fair question.

[QUOTE="arinya"]The Wii is introducing a new way of gaming. It's making the industry realize that it needs to change. It's making developers think more creatively about gaming.Jandurin

[QUOTE="arinya"][QUOTE="ZIMdoom"]

Why is a mod making such ridiculous threads. Does the Wii deserve high sales? COme on. It's getting high sales and while we can argue over WHY, I think it's pretty useless to argue if it deserves it. I don't think Halo deserved it's praise OR sales...but geuss what, reality is reality and it doesn't revolve around me.

Does MS deserve to be in the console business? Do any of us deserve to even play consoles? Does the ipod deserve to be a top seller? Does Windows deserve to be on PCs?

Who cares? It is.

sonicare

You just listed some reasons it deserves to be selling well. Don't be so insecure - it was a fair question.

How was that insecure? Insecure about what? It's just silly that ppl don't feel that a console does not deserve the attention it's getting because ppl like it.

[QUOTE="Jandurin"]

[QUOTE="arinya"]The Wii is introducing a new way of gaming. It's making the industry realize that it needs to change. It's making developers think more creatively about gaming.arinya

It's the first true step into bringing virtual reality in our homes since the ideas of holograms + immersive 3D enviroments were introduced to us in the movies.  Who wouldn't want to run around in a Star Trek Holodeck?  Instead of some massive room that projects a whole 3D environment around us, the first baby steps have been taken, and it's only the size of a TV remote.

Perhaps it's just my imagination, but I think the logical step now is the one Nintendo tried to take many years back:  A VR headset.  Though instead of red lasers burning out our eyes, we'll have an actual screen and perhaps a full 360 degrees of perspective.  Afterall, if the Wiimote can figure out it's relative posistion, combine that with a VR headset and a person could literally turn, and the images being fed through would move with him.  This wouldn't be a baby step anymore, it would be running full steam.

Nintendo took this first step and they deserve these numbers.  Though what could be exciting is if they decide to run with this level of interactivity the Wii has brought forth.  For video games the next step is virtual reality.  The technology is now here for it to be plausable within the next few years.  The question is will it be Nintendo who pulls it off since it has a head start, or will they become complacent and watch as their competitors take it from them?

[QUOTE="Jandurin"]

[QUOTE="arinya"]The Wii is introducing a new way of gaming. It's making the industry realize that it needs to change. It's making developers think more creatively about gaming.arinya

That and Culdcept were two of my favorite out of the blue games.

The sales are undeserved. That doesn't mean its a fad tho.

[QUOTE="sonicare"][QUOTE="arinya"][QUOTE="ZIMdoom"]

Why is a mod making such ridiculous threads. Does the Wii deserve high sales? COme on. It's getting high sales and while we can argue over WHY, I think it's pretty useless to argue if it deserves it. I don't think Halo deserved it's praise OR sales...but geuss what, reality is reality and it doesn't revolve around me.

Does MS deserve to be in the console business? Do any of us deserve to even play consoles? Does the ipod deserve to be a top seller? Does Windows deserve to be on PCs?

Who cares? It is.

arinya

You just listed some reasons it deserves to be selling well. Don't be so insecure - it was a fair question.

How was that insecure? Insecure about what? It's just silly that ppl don't feel that a console does not deserve the attention it's getting because ppl like it.

It was a question "Does it deserve it?", not a statement "It does not deserve it." 

Most everyone on this board can consider themselves a gamer to one degree or another.

As gamers we expect a successful console to have a good number of quality games (quite a few AA and some AAA), and capable hardware if not cutting edge.

So far the Wii has sold phenomenally (I have one myself) and has gained acceptance in the eyes of the gamer and the non-gamer. Why is that?

The games library so far is okay, but nothing extremely compelling as to push sales substantially. The hardware is capable, but not cutting edge or flashy, so flash factor doesn't really play into that picture. So why is it selling like crazy? The casuals don't generally read up on games that aren't advertised heavily, so anticipation of the future isn't really what I think drives it.

Is it the ad campaign? I'll admit the "Wii would like to play" ads are catchy, and that may be a driving force behind it. Or is it the idea of waving the WiiMote around wildly to play games that people are gravitating to?

There is no question that the Wii is selling incredibly well, and could very well become a contender this gen for top spot. The question is why? Price maybe?

Discuss

JakeT

[QUOTE="arinya"][QUOTE="sonicare"][QUOTE="arinya"][QUOTE="ZIMdoom"]

Why is a mod making such ridiculous threads. Does the Wii deserve high sales? COme on. It's getting high sales and while we can argue over WHY, I think it's pretty useless to argue if it deserves it. I don't think Halo deserved it's praise OR sales...but geuss what, reality is reality and it doesn't revolve around me.

Does MS deserve to be in the console business? Do any of us deserve to even play consoles? Does the ipod deserve to be a top seller? Does Windows deserve to be on PCs?

Who cares? It is.

JakeT

You just listed some reasons it deserves to be selling well. Don't be so insecure - it was a fair question.

How was that insecure? Insecure about what? It's just silly that ppl don't feel that a console does not deserve the attention it's getting because ppl like it.

It was a question "Does it deserve it?", not a statement "It does not deserve it."

Oh! *slaps forhead* now I get it. Yes...=P 

[QUOTE="ZIMdoom"]

Why is a mod making such ridiculous threads. Does the Wii deserve high sales? COme on. It's getting high sales and while we can argue over WHY, I think it's pretty useless to argue if it deserves it. I don't think Halo deserved it's praise OR sales...but geuss what, reality is reality and it doesn't revolve around me.

Does MS deserve to be in the console business? Do any of us deserve to even play consoles? Does the ipod deserve to be a top seller? Does Windows deserve to be on PCs?

Who cares? It is.

arinya

If your referring to me I'd just like to state I have a wii, I just think that its better to be sceptical and realise what IMO is clearly happening than be a blind fanboy and think everything will definitely be OK, whether i can do anything about it or not. I may be wrong, but i wonder whether you would dispute whether the PS2 deserved to win or not...

Granted, I really enjoy playing when there are multiple people. BUT, when im playing single player, the novelty of a motion controller quickly wears off, and there have been points where I would rather press a button. Look at Wii Sports Tennis, too me, swishing the controller makes no difference i how much fun im having unless i'm playing with friends. And in terms of being more creative? I dont think thats happening hugely at the moment, and sometimes its happening at the expense of a plot. And I still believe that the 360/PS3 still have the advantage in various genres. That said, yet again, developers can make a change to that.

I will say, though, that you are right in saying nintendo has opened a door to new possibilities, and that is important, it is something a console manufacturer is meant to do, leave as many doors open as possible.

 (oh, and i havent voted, because, even though i dont believe the wii deserves its sales, i dont think its a fad, i think its a good idea)

Well sure it does, after all Wii appeals to almost everyone from little kids to old folks and everyone in between. Wii doesn't appeal to me unfortunatelySwift_Boss_A

Are you not human? 

I think what we all need to recognise is that the Wii does have compelling software it just isn't to most of our tastes. Wii Sports and Wii PLay are obviously very compelling to a certain type of consumer.cakeorrdeath

True. However, without the slick ad campaign showing people using the WiiMote, I don't think most people would try it. Then there's the price as well, which is attractive to consumers.  

I believe that JakeT was referring to the current lack of games out for the wii despite is great sales.  That's what his question was centered around - why is the the wii selling so well when it does not have a ton of great titles - yet.

I think what we all need to recognise is that the Wii does have compelling software it just isn't to most of our tastes. Wii Sports and Wii PLay are obviously very compelling to a certain type of consumer.cakeorrdeath

I suppose you have a point.  To most gamers Wii Play is deserving of the low score it got in the GS review, but to others it holds much more value than Halo 3 or whatever.  Man,  Wii is really mucking up the way we do System Wars.  :P 

Man,  Wii is really mucking up the way we do System Wars.  :P Teufelhuhn

The only reason that it wouldn't deserve the sales, is if it somehow got sales for no reason, such as if some random billionaire bought 2 million of them for reasons unknown. So far, I don't see any undeserved sales.Tylendal

"Wasn't me" 

[QUOTE="Swift_Boss_A"]Well sure it does, after all Wii appeals to almost everyone from little kids to old folks and everyone in between. Wii doesn't appeal to me unfortunatelyWilly105

Are you not human?

He's either a new born baby, or dead.  Those are the only humans that fall outside of the categories he mentioned. 

[QUOTE="Teufelhuhn"]Man, Wii is really mucking up the way we do System Wars. :P Jandurin

indeed.