Sony,Nintendo's Partner?

[Nifleheim7]

I've recently found this article from the New York Times and i thought it was really interesting to read about the brief history the two companies shared together.

Even though the article was written back in June 1 1991 i find comments such as this to be very contemporary:

"It is a very significant step," said Robert F. Kleiber, an analyst with Piper, Jaffray & Hopwood in Minneapolis. With compact disk technology and increasingly powerful computer chips, video games are becoming far more sophisticated. "I don't want to call them video games anymore," said Mr. Kleiber, who prefers the description "dedicated entertainment hardware."

So my question is,do you think that its possible in the near or distant future the two companies to try to collaborate again?

[Karellen]

Uh, you know how this turned out right? Suffice to say, I really doubt they will be collaborating again.

[Nifleheim7]

Yea i know how it turned out.
But i think that where money and profit is involved everyone can get along just fine and forgot what happened in the past.

Marvel and DC used to be "sworn enemies" in the 60's-80's but eventually they collaborated pretty well.There are no hard feelings in business.

[LunarWeaver]

It would make for less exclusives and save people from buying multiple gaming machines if they formed some kind of huge collaboration. That would be nice. But without the two fully competing, there will only be Microsoft left to best. Competition is what makes them try so hard in the first place. I wouldn't mind seeing Kratos and Yoshi have a game together, though.

[Roto13]

They're in direct competition now. :P People are less likely to buy two handhelds than they are to buy two comic books.

[Wolf Kanno]

Highly doubtful. Their foiled unholy alliance in the 90's was a result of both of them trying to gain. Sony wanted to enter the market and Nintendo was looking at future options for gaming technology. Course we know how it ended...

I could see a similar blunder happening but like this one, I doubt anyone would realize how big of a deal it would have been til after the fact. Sony and Nintendo have nothing to gain by merging really and their business models are on opposite sides.

[Nifleheim7]

their business models are on opposite sides.

What you mean by that?

[Dreddz]

Never going to happen. It should be obvious that both companies hate each other. Nintendo wasted Sony's time and money and in return got pummeled to the ground by them. Now with the Wii kicking the PS3's ass I'm sure Nintendo are enjoying every minute of it. But hey, you never know......

Plus why on earth would you want the companies to collaborate? Competition is what drives the industry and benefits us gamers the most. And with the way Nintendo is heading I really don't want Sony to be suckered in to selling fitness programs and brain training exercises.

[Wolf Kanno]

their business models are on opposite sides.

What you mean by that?

Nintendo's model is designed to go after non-gamers with simple but intuitive controls and they don't see the point of maximizing graphics. Basically they built a simple but more innovative machine to target a demograph that the rest of the industry neglects. Yet their system is first and foremost a gaming console. Yes you can browse the web and use it for non-gaming purposes but its not exactly the main selling points of the system.

Sony's model is based on building an all in one entertainment system. The PS3 is not just a machine, its a mini-home entrainment center that can play movies in top of the line quality, browse the web, and occasionally play games. Its designed as a lifestyle (which is how they present it in all of their press conferences). To say its a gaming machine first, is only a pseudo-truth. There demograph is gamers, movie fanatics, and people who enjoy top of the line equipment (generally the few people who see the Wii as little more than a novelty). The PS3's (and the 360) games are decidedly still last gen (this is not a bad thing) with next gen graphics and audio. Basically, their games are stuff we've played just bigger and capable of taking advantage of modern audio/visual equipment.

I personally see this as opposing directions on where the market should go and Nintendo has been noted to openly criticize the direction Sony and Microsoft have taken with their console systems. They have conflicting ideals.

[Nifleheim7]

^^I admit that,when i first saw it the thought of Zelda on PS3 crossed my mind (as most people's)...

Yeah i agree that competition is always good but having to buy 4-5 different systems to keep up with some of your favourite games is also a pain.
Also no one knows for sure what Nintendo is planing for next generation.Sure the Wii and DS were very successful this gen but trends change.
How many people of the current Wii fanbase will continue their support to Nintendo next gen?I know many people that were ecstatic with it at first only to be disappointed later on by the lack of AAA titles.Will Nintendo be able to keep the millions of current casual gamers they have with them in order to not need the hardcore anymore?
I don't know but maybe their strategy will not be the same next time.:/

[Wolf Kanno]

The trend would have to change against Nintendo in this console generation for me to believe they might reconsider their business model. I would love to see them reach a better middle ground between casual people and gamers. A system that wasn't so novel that third party supporters are too afraid to make good games for. I would also like to have the company return to their strict quality control code.

My thought on all this though is that I agree with Nintendo that the old model that Microsoft and Sony are using is coming to a technological and financial dead end but at the same time I feel Nintendo has the right idea but bad execution and an even worse business model for it. I never cared for Sony/Microsoft's model of building multi-tasking home entertainment centers. I don't need an HD or Blu-Ray player. I don't need my system to be able to browse the net (outside of gaming purposes). I just want a solid game system and I feel both fell flat on this.

The Wii is a system with underused potential. I feel it could bring amazing interactive gaming to people but no one seems to know how to do this right and Nintendo's promotion of party/education games as well as their apathy towards all the shovel-ware on their system makes it difficult for a gamer to enjoy the system outside of novelty. Nintendo has also made it clear they are more interested in keeping the system as a novelty act rather than turn it into a real gaming machine.

Things could change for the market and I feel their might be hope but we'll just have to wait and see.