The relatively good relations between Microsoft and Nintendo may be going out the window thanks to Microsoft accusing Nintendo’s Wii as simply being a console for kids. Up until now, Microsoft has been unusually kind to Nintendo and has distinguished the Wii as a good machine for the casual gamer. But with the recent announcement of the Xbox 360 Elite, the once supportive tone of Microsoft has changed.
John Rodman, the group product manager for Microsoft, decided to separate the field and put distance between the Wii and the 360 by saying, "We don’t feel like the Wii customer and the Xbox customer are the same thing. We think that as soon as the Wii customer turns 14 they want something else," according to the New York Times.
In spite of what Rodman says, Reggie Fils-Aime, Nintendo of America’s President, begs to differ. He said that the demographic targeted by the Wii is towards a broader audience. GameDaily posted an article from The Hollywood Reporter where Reggie stated, "This is a tremendous opportunity to expand the gaming demographic, not just by attracting the core gamers, but also women, older consumers, baby boomers, people who never thought of picking up a controller because, in the past, they perceived console games as too complicated to pick up and play."
The console wars have started to fire up again, but one thing is certain; the race for game console dominance will continue to be a three-way event for a long time to come.
