The Wii has certainly turned Nintendo's standing around this generation in Australia .The Gamecube, in what seems like only a couple of years ago (actually it's now seven years since it's launch), was in the end, a laughing-stock. My friend and I were 'Cube owners, and were literally laughed at when visiting Electronics Boutique, JB Hifi and other stores when we asked for certain games. "I don't play kid's games", was just one of the degrading jabs at our choice in gaming by a seventeen-year-old Halo convert. Now, seven years later, these stores are depending on their Nintendo customers, and are now putting efforts into in-store displays, catalogues and TV promotion. Instead of squeezing past cardboard cut-out images of Master Chief flanking the aisles, we now duck under Wii Fit promotions, carefully brushing by stacks of Guitar Hero and Balance-board merchandise.

So what has changed in that relatively short time? Almost a complete reversal of market share in any industry is a phenomenal achievement, yet Nintendo have almost done this with a kind of effortless grace. This has had far-reaching implications at all levels of video-gaming. No longer does the Sony product dominate so ruthlessly, and no longer do Nintendo owners feel like the underdog. But maybe this is only a head-start for the under-powered white box, and maybe the other V8s, slow to get going, but so full of horsepower (or kilowatts) that their top-speeds, if given enough time, will surpass the affordable, fuel-efficient smart-car.

Well, if you project the current figures, this seems unlikely. At the time of this writing, the Wii represents approximately half of the world-wide gaming market. The other alternatives represent a 30% and 20% share:

For significant catch-up to occur, the Wii will have to slow down considerably, all while one of the remaining competitors catches-up simultaneously (I don't see that both could possibly make significant ground). These two conditions are not necessarily dependent, so it is crucial that this dual-action occur at once.

So what could make this happen? Well that is the question that seems to be very hard to answer. And as I indicated above, I believe it has taken a lot of people by surprise, (including I suspect, Nintendo themselves). Can Microsoft really turn a potential Wii buyer into a decided XBOX 360 buyer? Well, they didn't turn me into one, but I must admit that I have considered it. Not too seriously, but I have all the same.

I believe that the Wii's dominance is chiefly to do with it's RRP. It's almost generous launch price, and focus away from spec. details and high-end components have both encouraged and swayed new console buyers toward it. The user-friendly persona that they promote, coupled with those appalling-drawn Mii avatars create a kind of inoffensiveness that appeals to new "casual" gamers, while seasoned Nintendo fans simply tolerate it.

More soon.