All this is hit or miss with me. Half my interest in the Wii lay in the Virtual Console, and I'm generally quick to remember prices I see posted with relation to North America are generally in US dollars. Living in Canada, most companies (game or not) still introduce products in the Canadian market at price level differences comparable to those 16 years ago. What that means to Canadian buyers is that they'll spend between $299 and $349 Canadian on a product that should really ring in for about $279 Canadian. What does this mean? Living in Vancouver I would normally hop the boarder and get my gaming needs at the EB Games in Bellingham, Washington, however with the Virtual Console I would more than likely be forced to purchase games of interest through Canadian pricing, which is too high by today's standards. So a VC game that should cost me about $6 Canadian (using today's exchange rate) will more than likeling cost me $7.50. Sure, it's only $2.50, but the pricing of the VC games is not exactly pleasing and under assumption (I have no reason to believe otherwise) I will end up paying $7.50 Canadian for a virtual copy of a 20 year old NES game. As much as I want to love the Wii, Nintendo's $299 (assuming this generous Canadian price) suped-up Gamcube with a fancy controller and an overpriced VC catalog just rubs me the wrong way. When I can get a hard copy collection of all the NES Megaman games (and then some) or Sonic Collection for $20 Canadian at any game retailer in the area, why would I want to fork out $7.50 a pop for one NES game? The very lack of information regarding this topic keeps my wallet away from the register at the local games retailer. Maybe it's because I don't know enough about the X360 and what MS is doing, but after the Wii announcements this week, MS seems to be the only companying not dicking the consumer around. Of course I'm sure many of you will disagree, and I may be wrong. In fact, if I am please tell me so I can use that information in making a future decision with a X360. However, for the time being I think I'm simply going to stick with my PS2 and PC (what newer games will actually run) and pick up Zelda: Twilight Princess for the Gamecube in December. I'm sure it's not all that different. That said I will buy a Wii in the future. Mario Galaxy looks amazing and my SNES (the best system ever made) is next to dead.
The confirmation of Assasins Creed for X360 this week put another stone into the MS camp for which way my wallet will swing this generation. I know X360 won't have MGS4 or FF13, but that's what the local video store is for. The X360 offers myself much more than X360 games, and while I'm all about the games as my number one reason for buying any machine, thus far Sony has only got me interested in two. Neither of which warrant a 600$ toy. No, about the only thing convincing me to get a PS3 at this point is my PS2 finally kicking it...and it has run 6 years with next to no problems. Knock on wood. Either way, I think Sony will have a difficult task ahead in generating the type of sales and sucess they enjoyed with PS2 as many things are different this time around. I have no doubt the PS3 will do well, and will be the hot item this holiday, however the slim number of units available for world consumption is underwhelming and will more than likely lead non-PS3 gamers (by choice or otherwise) to look else where for the next fix. To top off holiday 06, if Blizzard manages to get the Burning Crusade out on schedule I am most certain people who play WoW will be busy with that. In between the Burning Crusade, Final Fantasy 12, Neverwinter Nights 2, Guild Wars: Nightfal and Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princes (among many others), who really cares if you can grab a PS3 this fall/winter, or even in the spring? God of War 2 is on the way and it looks to own. Quite honestly, Sony has a good thing going with the PS2 right now, I honestly believe a fall/winter 07 PS3 release would be more ideal. Beef the system up a bit if need be, but most importantly, spend a load of time developing the necessary tools to combat Nintendo and MS this go-around, because right now the only information we have on anything interesting is their word. And we all know how that's been lately don't we.
I have two reasons for buying a PS3. 1. My PS2 is on the fritz and will need replacing soon. I would much rather buy a PS3 (assuming backwards compatibility with most PS2 and PS1 games is a go) than another PS2. 2. Some of my favorite games from the PS2 generation are Sony products (such as Twisted Metal Black and God of War) or 3rd party games that cling to Playstation like magnets to a fridge (such as the Metal Gear Solid and Final Fantasy series'). I would like to continue to play games from each series. Neither of which demanad I buy a 700$ (after taxes in Canada) machine this fall. Sorry Sony, I'm going to be Wiiing all winter.
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