Nintendo expected to hold lead for at least two years

The most common criticism on the Nintendo Wii is that it’s a fad that people will get tired of in a matter of time, and that Sony and Microsoft will battle it out for first place in the endgame.

This has been the belief of some using the basis of the estimated longevity of interest for the machine and an upcoming move by its rivals to launch big exclusive content in their respective platforms.

Not so, says analysts and industry insiders. A good number of them have voiced their faith that the massively-appealing game machine will not fade away because it holds a distinct market all its own.

“Nintendo realizes Sony and Microsoft will become a lot more aggressive. But for the moment at least, they are doing everything right,” explains analyst Hiroshi Kamide of KBC Securities. “There’s no sign of slowdown in their handheld business.”

“What we are also seeing is the console business getting increasing scale. This should continue for another two years,” adds the Japanese financial expert. Konami boss Kazumi Kitaue agrees, as he explains that what Nintendo’s competitors are doing will not shake the pace of the Kyoto-based firm.

“I don’t expect a substantial impact,” he comments. Kitaue then takes a swipe at Sony by saying “with $500, you can buy a personal computer.”

The most common criticism on the Nintendo Wii is that it’s a fad that people will get tired of in a matter of time, and that Sony and Microsoft will battle it out for first place in the endgame.

This has been the belief of some using the basis of the estimated longevity of interest for the machine and an upcoming move by its rivals to launch big exclusive content in their respective platforms.

Not so, says analysts and industry insiders. A good number of them have voiced their faith that the massively-appealing game machine will not fade away because it holds a distinct market all its own.

“Nintendo realizes Sony and Microsoft will become a lot more aggressive. But for the moment at least, they are doing everything right,” explains analyst Hiroshi Kamide of KBC Securities. “There’s no sign of slowdown in their handheld business.”

“What we are also seeing is the console business getting increasing scale. This should continue for another two years,” adds the Japanese financial expert. Konami boss Kazumi Kitaue agrees, as he explains that what Nintendo’s competitors are doing will not shake the pace of the Kyoto-based firm.

“I don’t expect a substantial impact,” he comments. Kitaue then takes a swipe at Sony by saying “with $500, you can buy a personal computer.”