I was wondering what everyone's thoughts were on the systems coming out this year and the situation that the 360 will be in. Everywhere else on the forums people are speculating prices and competition. The consensus so far has Microsoft cutting the price on the 360, Nintendo releasing the Wii at around $250 and the PS3 being King even at the lofty price of $499 and $599.

I really don't see how the 360's can be price cut at all. It is still in it's relative launch phase and that being said I think Microsoft will bank on strong software sales this X-mas season and rely on the fact that they already have an established foothold on the market. PS3 and Wii will be launching their consoles, something Microsoft has already gotten the jump on, and therefore they will sell more consoles this X-mas season simply because they will be the new kids on the block this year. I think the PS3 is going to to be the system to have as far as your market speculators go. On the other hand I think the Wii is going to do extremely well, better, in fact than most people would like to admit. If Microsoft does anything to try and compete for new console sales this year it will be something like a bundle package where you still pay $299 or $399 but you get a game or an extra controller with your purchase.

All that being said I think people will be lining up in droves for the PS3 and the Wii. All Nintendo fans will own the Wii, of this I am confident and I think the Wii is going to be the hardcore gamers secondary system and the casual gamers logical option for any system at all. The Wii is also going to be more admirable to the parents of younger children, who don't want to shell out the serious cash for a PS3 and who have always depended on Nintendo to provide a safer gaming medium for their kids.

The PS3 will still dominate headlines and consumer reports and it will be the system to have for the next 5 years given the investment on it's technology but I don't think Sony can just sit back and be too overly confident that they have no real competition. I love my 360 and everybody better watch Nintendo closely. These consoles are going to be in some serious competition for market dominance and Sony is no longer the the "overwhelming favorite". All this can mean for us though is that these companies will be striving to one up each other and we can all sit back and enjoy the great games that are coming from it all.

I myself will be buying them both (Ughhhhh.... time to sell a kidney!) and I have nothing but great expectations for all three systems (already have the 360). I also honestly think that the Wii will launch at $200 but that is pure speculation on my part.

I heard that Nintendo had the biggest queues to play their new system (the Wii) at E3 and generated the most overall buzz while Microsoft and Sony didn't generate quite the buzz everybody expected them to.  Now don't get me wrong.  I own all of the current consoles available but don't you think it's kinda funny that the one system that has been getting trashed the most over the last few months (Wii) was the overwhelming success of the show!

I think that is funny as hell.  I also heard the PS3 shutdown during a presentation and that Microsoft was extremely lax and unimaginative in their overall impact at the show.  

I know that all of the next gen consoles are going to do well but I really wish that the loyalists in all the forums would stop judging a system before it is even released.  The PS3 has games that I have to have as does the 360 but I think it is pretty cool that Nintendo is taking the approach they are taking by offering up classics as well as innovative new games. 

Anyways.  Here's to gaming and to us gamers and may we all love the systems we have and respect the ones we don't.

I have noticed, in the short while that I have been a member here, that people get into very heated debates on personal preferences and system loyalty to the point of bashing and name calling and I was wondering .....why???!!!  If these are true forums and everyone is entitled to their opinions then why resort to name calling and degradation?  It is obvious everyone here loves gaming and we all have that in common but to purposefully go out of ones way to belittle another is beyond me.  If two people can't agree than they should learn to agree to disagree and not insult each other.

I am probably going to receive negative posts in regards to this Blog but apparently that is the norm around here so I welcome all opinions both negative and positive.

I own practically every handheld system and console so I have lots to share as far as games go.  I try not to be biased in any specific direction but I definitely have my favorite games.  Please feel free to post here.  I look forward to talking to all of you.

PS- Feel free to add me to your contacts but PM me so I can add you to mine.