411 Fact or Fiction 12.22.08: E3 2009, Wii/360/PS3 Performances, Fight Night Round 4 and More

Posted by Ramon Aranda on 12.22.2008

Is Fight Night Round 4 going to kick major ass? Will the Nintendo Wii continue to sell like hotcakes in 2009? Can the Xbox 360 have the best exclusives in 2009? Will the PS3 continue to freefall in terms of sales in North America in 2009? 411’s Jeffrey Harris and Todd Vote discuss these topics and more in the latest edition of 411 Fact or Fiction: Games Edition!



It's Monday which means its time for another edition 411 Games' Fact or Fiction. With Tommy Coloma taking a break from the column, I have taken over the reigns to keep this train chugging along. This week, longtime reader and recent addition to 411 Games, Todd Vote steps up to the plate against 411 veteran Jeffrey Harrison to discuss various topics affecting 2009.

Now without further a do, let's get to it!

1. The Nintendo Wii will continue to sell like hotcakes in 2009.



Todd Vote: FICTION - While I still think Nintendo will be a hot commodity in 2009, one has to think that sales of consoles will have to slow down at some point. The Wii will still sell, but I actually anticipate being able to find one somewhere in my town for the 2009 holiday season. A feat that I have not been able to accomplish thus far in the little console that could's life cycle. Couple that with the shoddy economy, and I think it is safe to say that Nintendo will see some drop in console sales the same as every other system should.

Another factor that could bode badly for the Big N is the outcry at the lack of hardcore games. How long before the casual gamer that was hooked by the gimmick of the Wii start to lose interest and start looking for the next big casual thing?

Jeffrey Harris: FACT - You don't get more reliable than Nintendo. Todd speaks of the shoddy economy. Well there isn't a more economical console than the Wii. No one has thought more outside the box with the presentation and execution of the next generation home consoles than Nintendo with the Wii. They are even marketing it as an exercise product which has worked out brilliantly. Wii Sports is still pimped constantly on one of the highest rated programs on television, The Big Bang Theory. Do I think sales might slow? Of course, but Nintendo didn't surpass Sony and Microsoft in the gaming entertainment sector for nothing. The Wii provides the most interactive, family-friendly, and easiest to get into games of any of the consoles out there. If a family goes to a store and decides to get a gaming console, if it's not a used PS2, it will be a brand new or used Nintendo Wii.

Score: 0 for 1

2. The PS3 will continue to freefall in terms of sales in North America in 2009.



Todd Vote: FACT - Sony needs to put something in motion to make their console more appealing. Obviously dubbing it as the cheapest blu-ray player available didn't do it any favors. The launch of MGS4 didn't move as many consoles as they had hoped, nor did the launch of Little Big Planet. As far as I can tell, Sony has one big IP left that can have a chance at drawing people back to it. Pardon me if I am missing others, but Kratos, God of War, I am looking at you. I know I have never wanted the PS3 more than I did when seeing that GOW3 trailer on the Spike VGAs.

There are several ways Sony can get back in the game. One is to drop the price of the console. I know they already lose money on every PS3 they sell, but again with the economy in the shitter, who can really afford to drop that kind of bread on a system? The other thing that Sony needs to do is try to do a better job of securing the exclusive titles that used to make it the system to own. Losing such AAA titles as GTA IV, Tekken 6, and FF13 have to be considered a huge blow to the company. If it takes shelling out more dough to the developers than Microsoft is doing, so be it.

The last thing I want is for the PS3 to fail, competition breeds quality. And please Sony, don't drop the PS3 and start on the PS4. That is a surefire recipe for disaster.

Jeffrey Harris: FACT - I'm with Todd here. But don't get me started on the MGS series when they were never able to live up to the pure awesomeness of the original MGS. Heck, even MGS on GameBoy Color is honestly superior to the bloated sequels. But that's another argument. PS3 ever since it's launch has had this struggle. They just didn't have the games. They relied on a constantly delayed MGS4 to pick things up. And well, MGS is MGS, but the games just don't have the reliable, entertaining consistency of the Wii, nor the more adult fun factor with X-Box. Certainly being a blu-ray player in the year that HD-DVD died helped a great deal. I own a PS3, and I think GOW3 looks awesome. But GOW3 is still just one game. The problem as I see it with the PS3 is that so many people still like their PS2's. I mean PS2 was still selling amazingly well throughout '07 and '08. How is that possible? PS2 had the games, that's why. In the past 10-15 years, when it was the PSX and the PS2, it seemed like Sony had the cooler more trendsetting games. That's not quite the case anymore.

Score: 1 for 2

3. The Xbox 360 will have the best exclusives in 2009.



Todd Vote: FICTION - I honestly have to go with the PS3 as having the best exclusives thus far. I mean the year hasn't started yet, so obviously all exclusives haven't been announced yet. But the PS3 has an exclusive that is seriously making me contemplate shelling out the money for console, just so I can play this game. Of course, I am again talking about God of War 3. While Xbox has could possibly have Alan Wake coming in the new year, along with a few Halo titles, right now I have to give the nod to the PS3 and games like Killzone 2, God of War 3, and Uncharted 2.

Jeffrey Harris: FICTION - Good points by Todd. But he's forgetting one thing. Wii is getting PUNCH OUT!! baby! Also, Wii Sports Resort. No Punch Out on PS3, no Punch Out on Xbox = automatic win for Nintendo Wii. Seriously it's a pretty exciting lineup for the PS3 exclusives, but the only one that will be must buy for me will be God of War 3. What does the Xbox really have going for it in '09?

Score: 2 for 3

Time for a double switch!

4. E3 2009 will be a great return to form.



Jeffrey Harris: FICTION - What does this return to form truly mean besides it being at the Los Angeles Convention Center? A return to form IMHO means they are going to allow public or easier (registration) access again. Turning E3 into an industry only event was a pretty lame thing to do IMHO. It's like making the SDCC or Anime Expo into an industry only event.

Todd Vote: FICTION - I agree with The Vile One completely here. When they blocked the fans from getting into E3, it changed the event. E3, was for lack of a better analogy, WWE's Wrestlemania Fan Axxess Weekend. The fans got a chance to mingle with the industry, a chance to meet some developers, try the new and exciting games and hardware, and more than likely provide a lasting memory. While the show may be big again from a business standpoint, as in more big news might come out of it, unless the fan access is brought back, the show will never truly 'return to form'.

Score: 3 for 4

5. The GTA IV DLC will be more than worth the wait and money.



Jeffrey Harris: FACT - games are always fun, and if this is something different that Rockstar is promising, even more awesome. The trailer looks fantastic, and the whole biker gang scenario looks really cool. The trailer basically reminded me a lot of the Sons of Anarchy TV series. But if Sons ever got a video game, it would probably suck (The Shield or CSI video games anybody?). This could very well be the most badass biker video game ever.

Todd Vote: FACT - I agree, although I was anticipating an update on Niko Belic's story, expanding on a minor character opens up more possibilities for them, I suppose. The biker aspect can really make good use of the gritty look of GTA IV, and we know Rockstar has never been one to slack on the story aspects of a GTA title.

Score: 4 for 5 (Man, these guys sure are getting along aren't they?)

6. Fight Night Round 4 will kick major ass.



Jeffrey Harris: FACT - Muhammad Ali baby! Hey, even Tyson is going to be in there. It looks like they've really worked out a lot of the bugs and they've tuned the engine up. However, when push will come to shove it will have nothing on UFC Undisputed.

Todd Vote: FACT - I cannot wait to kick Mike Tyson's ass with a lightweight in the game. Not being a fan of Tyson, I am still excited about his addition to the game, for the reason I opened with. I have been a huge fan of this series since it's inception, and I can't see things falling off with this installment. I would like to see them add more of a straight story mode in place of the traditional career mode ala Don King's Prizefighter, one of the few things that game had going for it.

I'm also going to agree with Jeffrey about UFC 2009: Undisputed, that game cannot get here soon enough.

Final Score: 5 for 6

Looks like Todd and Jeffrey see eye to eye on things, which is more than I can say for them and their parents…zing! As they joyfully get along and enjoy the Christmas holiday, stay tuned for an all new edition next week.