Why Move and Kinect are bound to failure.
By DarkGamerOO7 21 Comments
Price: The Coffin
For this scenario let us assume that Family A is looking at purchasing their first video game console system and that Family A is composed of a father, mother, and two children under the age of 10. The first purchase the family needs to make is the console itself: (Note all prices are from new items at GameStop, and I'm only including what is the most current model, this means the Wii, Playstation 3 Slim, and Xbox 360 S)| Console | Price |
|---|---|
| Wii | $199.99 |
| Xbox 360 S (250GB) | $299.99 |
| Playstation 3 Slim (120GB) | $299.99 |
Already the Wii is $100 cheaper than the other two systems; now Family A is in it for motion controls and will need at least two motion controllers. Remember the Wii will only need one more Wii-Mote and Nunchuck as it already comes with one, the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 do not come with motion controllers out of the box.
| Console | Price for Motion Controller(s) |
|---|---|
| Wii | Wii-mote/ Wii Motion Plus Bundle + Nunchuck: $74.98 |
| Xbox 360 | Kinect: $149.99 |
| Playstation 3 | Move/Nav/EyeToy Bundle + Second Move/Nav Controller: $179.97 |
Total cost of console with two extra motion controls:
| Console | Price with Motion Controls |
|---|---|
| Wii | $274.97 |
| Xbox 360 | $449.98 |
| Playstation 3 | $479.96 |
Now I do understand that it is rumored that a cheaper Xbox 360 SKU will be available that will cost around $199.99 but as of now it is only a rumor, and I also understand that Microsoft will release Kinect Bundles that will cost $400 for the 250 GB Xbox 360 S model and $300 for the rumored cheaper Xbox 360 S model, however for comparisons sake, I do not yet know what the cheaper Xbox 360 S model will have different from the current model so for right now I will just use the 250 GB model.
On top of all this the Wii is already packaged with two games, Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort, as of now it seems as if you will have to purchase the Move and Kinect equivalents of those games separately and if you want to play other games that do not use Kinect or Move like Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts, Ratchet and Clank, or Lego Star Wars and wish to play them with more than one person you might even be required to purchase a second non-motion controller for the system.
Games: The First Couple of Nails
The second most obvious problem with the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 is their lack of more family friendly games. Sure both are plentiful with multiplatform games oriented more towards families but those can be played on the Wii too, with motion controls already I might add. The Xbox 360 has Viva Pinata, Kameo, and Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts but neither of those games grab the attention of kids. The Playstation 3 has Ratchet and Clank, LittleBigPlanet, and LittleBigPlanet 2, and while it is true Ratchet and Clank is better known IP to kids than say Viva Pinata, it still isn't enough. With the Wii you get Super Mario Galaxy, Super Mario Galaxy 2, The Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess, The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword, Mario Kart, Mario Party, New Super Mario Bros, Wario Land, Animal Crossing etc. The Wii is also fully backwards compatible with all GameCube games providing even more family friend games to play for incredibly cheap prices. The Playstation 3 doesn't have Playstation 2 backwards compatibility, and the Xbox 360 can play some of the Xbox's library of games but again non of the those games really would appeal to families or younger gamers, except for maybe Grabbed by the Ghoulies. Obviously both Microsoft and Sony are putting more family and kid friendly games out on the Xbox 360 and Playstation with Kinect and Move support but it still isn't enough, all the games demoed for Kinect and Move looked like games that you could find the on the Wii, and cheaper I might add. Nothing really stands out of the games shown so far that really impresses. Kinect Sports is Wii Sports in disguise and the fitness game by Ubisoft is just Wii Fit in disguise. Move didn't even have anything worth noting that would look to be a hit outside of Sorcery and Sly Collection.
Image: The Final Nail
Talking about games brings me to this point of image. When I think of the Xbox 360 I think of this.... 
and when I think of Sony and the Playstation 3 I think of this...
That is what I think of, to an extent, when I think of Microsoft and the Xbox 360 or Sony and the Playstation 3, and that is what many parents would and do see too. Now think about the Wii, what do you think of? Zelda, Mario, Wii Sports, Wii-Fit etc. It is true that there are more mature games on the system like Manhunt, Dead Space: Extraction, and Call of Duty 4, but they don't represent the overall image of the Wii like the Gears of War, Halo and Call of Duty represent the image of the Xbox 360 or Killzone 2, Resistance, and Grand Theft Auto represent the image of the Playstation 3. Family Friendly is the last thing I think of when I think about either the Xbox 360 or Playstation 3 and Nintendo is probably the first and I think many people would and will agree with that.
Conclusion
Move and Kinect will be unable to jump over the hurdles they face in order to be successful and do what Microsoft and Sony are trying to do, steal the Wii Market. At this point it is pointless for Sony and Microsoft to do what they are doing. They shouldn't be trying to imitate Nintendo because when they try to they just become a second rate Nintendo. Sony should be Sony and Microsoft should be Microsoft. The price alone should kill Move and Kinect but when you throw on the fact that the Wii already has so much of the market and name recognition that it will be impossible for Sony or Microsoft to even dent that, even if they may have better graphics, features, and value in their consoles. The best example I can think of is Apple and the iPod. Yeah the Zune might be a better overall product than the iPod but it was a laughable attempt on Microsoft's part to try and gain the iPod market. The fact that most people use the term iPod and MP3 player synonymously meant the Zune was doomed from the start. People are comfortable with the iPod and when they here the term MP3 player they think iPod or Apple and the same goes for the Wii. Motion Controls at this point is synonymous with Wii and people feel comfortable with the Wii, even people who have never played or care about video games have played or own a Wii and know how to use it and any attempt to try and steal the market from the Wii is bound to end in failure.
-DarkGamerOO7