Four Player Co-op 02.02.10: iPads, Console Exclusivity, and 70 Million Wiis!

Posted by Stephen Randle on 02.02.2010

Is it safe to declare Nintendo the winner of this generation's console wars? Does the iPad live up to the hype? Is console-exclusivity dead? What was the worst game of 2009? 411 Games Staffers discuss these topics and more!



Todd Vote has joined the game.
Mathew Sforcina has joined the game.
Marcos Aranda has joined the game.
Stephen Randle has joined the game.

QUESTION ONE: The iPad is now a reality. What do you think?

Todd Vote

It looks like a neat little tool. But I can't believe there is no camera on the thing? How can they get away with that in the day of social networking? That was a bad move if you ask me. Other than that, from what I've seen, it's an oversized iPod Touch, for $499. It's not something I can see myself purchasing. I just have no need for it. But that doesn't mean I wouldn't enjoy tinkering with it for a few hours.

Mathew Sforcina

The same thing I thought before it was released. Apple can go take a long walk off a short pier, and take all their horrible stupid machines with them straight to hell where they can never bother me again.

*urgent whispering*

You mean I have to be professional about this now? Crap...

Well, I'm sure it will be very popular and sell well, although probably not as much as Apple hopes, given that as a computer, it sucks. Hell, even as a gimmick it's questionable.

Dammit, not professional. OK, it's...

Gah, I can't do it! I hate Apple! Bunch of arrogant egotistical gits who, unlike Microsoft, pretend like they give a damm about the consumer while producing awful music players and stupid bloody phones that suck and-

Note: The rest of this response has been edited for tone, quality, and for far too many graphic images.

Marcos Aranda

It's a huge iPhone, point blank. I think it'll be nice for those who need easy access to the internet and for reading books but that's about it. It can't make calls, it has no camera, you can't even multitask (WTF Apple??) and it's not exactly affordable given the features. Sure it might be cool for some iPhone gaming and I can think of a few games that would benefit but all in all, I don't think much of it.

Stephen Randle

Seriously, it's a big iPhone, and I don't want one of those either. Somebody tell me when laptops became non-portable? I mean, mine's the size of a hardcover book and can be used for word processing, Internet, MSN, and even runs Left 4 Dead at an acceptable framerate. Hell, you want it smaller, there's netbooks. And it's not like tablet PCs didn't already exist. So, basically, Apple created a less functional copy of an existing product that already doesn't sell very well. I think all those insipid Mac vs. PC commercials went to Steve Jobs' head.

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QUESTION TWO: 2K Sports has announced that you can win $1 Million if you record yourself pitching a perfect game in their upcoming release, MLB 2K10, by May 2nd. Given that real major league pitchers go entire careers without one, what do you think are the odds that 2K Sports ends up paying off, and does it give you incentive to buy the game?

Todd Vote

I'm reminded of the Advent Rising $1 Million giveaway… We all remember how that turned out right? Check it out. I'm not saying 2K will back out of the contest, but I'm sure there is something they aren't thinking of here. It doesn't give me incentive to buy the game. A boring baseball game is still a boring baseball game. Million dollar giveaway or not.

Mathew Sforcina

Given that I live in Australia and thus are ineligible, there's no real added incentive here. If anything, it makes me a little LESS likely, given that you'll be hard pressed to find an online game, since everyone will be too busy trying to win and then no-one will wanna play once they have lost. But hey, I'm sure plenty of people will be borrowing a copy early on. And yes, I am confident they'll pay up, sooner or later. Even though it'll take a while for someone to do it who also filmed it...

Marcos Aranda

I don't think anyone will win. The minute you get within a few outs of getting that perfect game, one of two things will happen: 1. Your game will freeze. 2. Some jerkoff will hit a double.

Stephen Randle

Canadians aren't eligible either, but even if I were, I'd never be able to throw a perfect game in the first place. Which, I'm betting, 2K Sports is banking on, but I'd think someone will do it just via sheer chance and percentages. Although, the limited two month contest period leans the odds back towards 2K not ever having to pay off. Plus, you have to record yourself doing it. Who records every game they ever play? Don't' answer that.

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QUESTION THREE: GTA: Episodes from Liberty City are breaking their X-Box exclusivity and heading to PS3 and PC. Is this the latest sign that console exclusivity is a dead concept and the Big 3 should stop trying to maintain exclusive titles?

Todd Vote

Not necessarily. I'd hate to say it, but I think when it comes to choosing a console, exclusives are more important now than ever. When you can look at one game… see it is on both systems… see that there isn't much of a difference, how do you make your decision? Exclusives will always, to some extent, be the deciding factor for most gamers.
When I bought my 360, the decision to do so was based partially on the fact that Sony had lost the exclusivity rights to games like GTA, and Smackdown vs. Raw. Granted, price was also a factor, but I was prepared to hold out for the expensive PS3 until I found out a couple of the games I was looking forward to were releasing on both systems. Lot of good it did, as I now find myself saving for that PS3 anyways to get my hands on a couple of Sony exclusives. So I think they are still very important to their respective consoles.
Besides, it's not like Rockstar is backing out of the deal with Microsoft, it just means enough time has lapsed that they can release the DLC on the PSN now. Which is good for PS3 gamers.

Mathew Sforcina

No, for two reasons. One, there will always be games made by the video game companies, so there will always be exclusive titles. And two, and much less nit-picky, it's just an evolution from permanent console exclusivity to just timed console exclusivity. Yes, the days of a game only coming out for any one console are limited (with a little work, even waggle filled Wii games will soon be portable!), but as long as cash exists, games will be made and bought for exlusivity, even if it's only for a short time.

Although I still don't forgive Sega for making Ghostbusters PS3 Exclusive down here for a year. Either make it exclusive world wide, or not at all, thank you.

Marcos Aranda

Exclusivity will continue and this latest move doesn't surprise me. We knew it was coming so I'm not sweating it. As long as the big bucks come flying from one console maker to a particular publisher, exclusivity will still be around. Whether or not I think it's a good idea is another topic all together but this ain't going anywhere.

Stephen Randle

As long as Nintendo is making consoles, exclusivity will never go away, because they will never, ever trade away the rights to Mario, Link, et al. However, I'd be a much, much happier person if I could play Left 4 Dead 2 on my PS3. But on the third hand, I don't know if I'd have bought a PS3 without knowing Uncharted 2 was exclusive to that system and hearing how awesome it was. Overall, I do think that there will be a lot fewer exclusive titles by the next generation, as most third party developers look to make the extra money that comes with being multi-platform.

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QUESTION FOUR: The Nintendo Wii has sold nearly 70 million hardware units since release, despite admittedly declining software sales involving non-Nintendo properties. Has Nintendo won the console war for this generation yet?

Todd Vote

No, not yet. It really depends on what you base your idea of victory on. Nintendo has sold more units, yes. But when it comes down to it, Nintendo has also left a bad taste in the mouth of many hardcore gamers. These gamers are the ones that are going to be even less willing to back Nintendo for the next set of consoles. I'd say it is a minor victory. But one that could result in a big hit for them in the next battle.

Mathew Sforcina

Project Natal and Arc.

What I mean by that is that it's not just about sales, it's about cultural impact. Nintendo won every generation of the console wars, not just because they sold the most, but because they WERE video games to the mass media. You didn't hear sitcoms of the time mentioning Genesis and Sonic, they would make reference to a SNES and Mario. Nintendo only lost wars when the Playstation came around, and that became the term most non-gamers knew.

Right now, the Wii is known by practically everyone, and the major competitors are bringing in things to mimic it. Although the Wii may soon start to cough and splutter, in terms of history, Wii wins.

Marcos Aranda

The generation is far from over but unless the latest motion technology from either the PS3 or Xbox 360 set the world on fucking fire, it's a wrap. Nintendo has sold consoles up the ass and it'll keep doing so for the immediate future. An HD version wouldn't hurt either but then the question arises, if that's their "next-gen" console or not.

Stephen Randle

I think the Wii has won this generation hands-down, in a way that likely won't happen again. The Wii was lucky enough to become a "perfect storm" on release, as it was an innovative concept that actually worked nearly perfectly, with a price point that was downright cheap, and in the first year, Nintendo released a deluge of first-party titles based on their most popular franchises, games that were accessible to a wide age and skill range. At a time when Sony and Microsoft were trying to win the format war and create consoles that were "more than just video game systems", Nintendo put out a system that did nothing but play video games. "Hardcore" gamers may scoff at the Wii, but as anyone who came from the Wrestling Zone knows, Vince McMahon doesn't book for the smarts, because for the most part, they're going to be there no matter what. Nintendo has almost cornered the market on casual gamers, and they're going to ride out the rest of this gaming generation on top.

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BONUS QUESTION: Worst game of 2009, in your opinion?

Todd Vote

I can only comment on what I played this year. Without a doubt, the worst game I played this year was Leisure Suit Larry, Box Office Bust.

Mathew Sforcina

[ Sonic and the Black Knight. Sonic, with a sword. Horrible story, worse controls, just... Either regress back to 2d or die Sonic.

No, wait, sorry. Make the Nintendo V Sega Smash Bros game, then die.

Although a Sonic/Mario platformer would work, if Mario's team made it...

Marcos Aranda

Rogue Warrior (PS3/Xbox 360) - What a clusterfuck that one turned out to be. I'm thoroughly shocked that it was a Bethesda-published game to boot.

Stephen Randle

I can't afford to be buying crap games, so I've been blessed not to play anything horribly bad. I'm going to go with Tony Hawk: Ride, though, which managed to take a game on a downhill slide and make it worse by adding the clunkiest, lamest peripheral ever seen. I can't skateboard, and I still think learning to do it in real life would be easier than playing Ride.

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