The industry's best known analyst, Wedbush Securities' Michael Pachter, has offered his verdict on this year's E3 show, calling the expo an event that "continues to get better and better", while damning Nintendo's Wii U plans.
Pachter says he believes Nintendo's new console "is arriving two years too late", while Sony's PlayStation Vita has "the second-dumbest name for a device after Wii U".
"We were once again impressed by this year's E3, and the show continues to get better and better," the analyst said. "The hardware displayed was impressive, and each of the console manufacturers showed many core games for their respective systems."
Of Microsoft's E3 showing, Pachter noted that Microsoft "appears to us to be making several sound business decisions that will position its console with Kinect as the media center in the living room."
He added: "While the company's game lineup was not particularly surprising (only Halo 4 and a handful of Kinect games were 'reveals'), its integration of Bing search into Kinect was perhaps the most impactful announcement of the show."
Turning to Sony, Pachter predicted that Vita is likely to take a solid portion of the handheld market.
"Sony's presentation was solid, and the pricing on PlayStation Vita (the second-dumbest name for a device after Wii U) was quite a surprise," he said. "We expect the 3DS to sell well at holiday, due to a phenomenal lineup of content, but think that the PS Vita will capture some share early next year."
Comments
63 comments so far...
shiwayb on 13 Jun '11 said:
The hardware should have been more powerful IMO.
And "Wii" branding should have been dropped but I think they are trying to be like SONY/MS and keep "Xbox" + "PlayStation" while adding something to it...
Stryker89 on 13 Jun '11 said:
I agree with him. Although the name 'Playstation Vita' is slowly growing on me. 'Wii U' isn't...
originalbadboy on 13 Jun '11 said:
We dont really know how powerful the hardware is at the moment, not really anyway.
The_Jaster on 13 Jun '11 said:
Pachter is a stupid name.
why would dumping a console after 3 years make sense? as that is what he is suggesting Nintendo should have done with wii.
JakeyBaby on 13 Jun '11 said:
But in those cases it's something sensible, like a number.
TheKraige on 13 Jun '11 said:
It could have had a worse name, they could have called it Pachter then no one would have taken it seriously at all.
martinawatson on 13 Jun '11 said:
according to him and his mum
WHERESMYMONKEY on 13 Jun '11 said:
It's good news for nintendo then Patchers track record isn't exactly shining when it comes to accurate predictions that stray too far from the obvious.
The_Jaster on 13 Jun '11 said:
Yeah, it makes sense to keep the wii part of its name as lot of folk were wondering before it was announced how Nintendo would keep the so called casual crowd on board so naming it wii U allows them to create a strong brand.
aawells07 on 13 Jun '11 said:
I agree with him as well when Nintendo got on stage and said Wii U i just cracked up. It seems as tho Nintendo always do the oppisite of what people want them to do or wish they would do. I may be wrong but the latest rumor i heard was there online wasnt going to be as good as everyone hoped. As for PSVita i personally am looking forward to it launching as i plan to buy one as soon as i can.
aawells07 on 13 Jun '11 said:
Or your comment
justforkicks101 on 13 Jun '11 said:
So, it will be either a phenomenal success or a phenomenal failure er this analyst stuff is pi55
The_Jaster on 13 Jun '11 said:
@aawels07
http://everydaygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/fanboy-spotted-fanboy-spotted-demotivational-poster-1267740343.jpg
HeavenlyGamer on 13 Jun '11 said:
Is this dude getting payed for his crappy opinion and predictions? He sounds like a typical Yankee, who finds every thing MS does amazing. "Its integration of Bing search into Kinect was perhaps the most impactful announcement of the show", yeah if there is one thing (hardcore) gamers need, it's a crappy motion sensing device with Bing search integration. Btw, what the hell are people supposed to search for as the X360 doesn't have a webbrowser?
justforkicks101 on 13 Jun '11 said:
@HeavenlyGamer that pic is so hypnotic
TechnoWolf on 13 Jun '11 said:
So according to Patcher the wii U will fail...
Everybody, buy a Wii U at launch, it's going to be the best console next gen!
As for the name, I'm starting to get use to Wii U, still a rubbish name though, but it keeps the branding and gives the significance that the console is for everyone.
PS vita...why Vita?
photoboy on 13 Jun '11 said:
"We were once again impressed by this year's E3, and the show continues to get better and better"
Did Pachter see a different show to everyone else?
aawells07 on 13 Jun '11 said:
@The_Jaster
Cute but your just mad that hes bagging on Nintendo
http://amazingdata.com/mediadata20/Imag ... 404200.jpg
MrRage on 13 Jun '11 said:
For once I think he's kinda right although, I think the Wii U is what the original Wii should have been so its more than 2 years late.
TheLastDodo on 13 Jun '11 said:
Boom boom tsh
Boom boom tsh
Boom boom tsh
Boom boom tsh
He will...He will...PACH YOU!!!
Boom boom tsh
Boom boom tsh
He will...He will...PACH YOU!!!
Boom boom tsh
Boom boom tsh
Boom boom tsh
Boom boom tsh
*enter verse*
Nomad44 on 13 Jun '11 said:
So Vita is going to take a share of the market - IT TAKES AN ANALYST TO COME UP WITH THAT?
Why do the print this drivel?
laminated0 on 13 Jun '11 said:
maybe they're gonna add one to it :S, always thought they should have had a browser on the 360, like PS3 does, even though it isnt the best its a good feature.
shiwayb on 13 Jun '11 said:
Erm, why have 05' hardware in a 2012 system?
Ofc the hardware should have been more powerful.
Athrun888 on 13 Jun '11 said:
I'm surprised the joke involving being an analyst being easy because you're paid to spout s**t all the time hasn't come up yet.
Anyway, to stay on topic, meh, it's Patcher, that's all that really needs to be said, he's like a troll off GameFAQS in my opinion, often amusing, sometimes annoying, never should be taken seriously either way.
Padua on 13 Jun '11 said:
I thought that Wii was a stupid name at the time but not any more. It was perfect for the console.
However I hope for all the shop assistants sake, they drop the "U" and call it something smarter because I can see it causing endless confusion!
I don't think the Wii U will have much competition with the 360 or PS3 power-wise but I can see the next Xbox stomping all over it with integrated Kinect and backward compatibility.
pieman on 13 Jun '11 said:
nobody knows what the new nintendo can do.
anyone that talks about the system power or online mode's are talking s**t.
you have only seen a control pad.
sonic_uk on 13 Jun '11 said:
Blimey, for the first time ever I actually agree with him.
spam23 on 13 Jun '11 said:
I know, it's weird right?
PS Vita i'm just going to call the PSV, Wii U is going to be known as Wee Poo
kirankara on 13 Jun '11 said:
Hardware still under discussion by all accounts ,And exact components to be decided upon, but unlikely to be a powerhouse , and likely to be small advancement on ps3/360 at best.
People seem to forget though , they aren't competing with that crowd though. Whilst Sony and MS are fighting it out over who can produce most powerful hardware and make losses initially, Nintendo is continuing the notion of wii as a family brand , but introducing more adult games too. Many parents and traditionally non gamers will know Nintendo and wii as a product that's associated with entertainment and when wanting to progress into a superior machine , will look towards Nintendo again. They probably don't want to spend 400 quid on new ps4 , and their teenage kids can play multiplats that are hd at least . Then there's the flexibility the controller offers for a family, switching from tv to control. Not forgetting Nintendo's exclusives which always sell consoles .
I don't care about the name of console , I'm not ten and cant believe others care either tbh, i would happily buy a wii u to go alongside my ps4/xbox, knowing that it's not highest tech out there, but offers me something different.
HeavenlyGamer on 13 Jun '11 said:
I don't think the next Xbox will have Kinect integrated. It'll make the console too expensive and MS is under a lot of pressure lately as they're not THE tech company they were years ago now they have been surpassed by Apple. So I'm pretty sure their stockholders won't be exited with them releasing a console with a hefty price.
sweatyBallacks on 13 Jun '11 said:
Vita is a s**t name. Although PSV is good.
Toasted_PSP on 13 Jun '11 said:
I always thought his comments indicated he thought Nintendo should have a 2 console strategy not dump the Wii for the Wii HD. Wii to play all the current casual games you granny and children like and a Wii HD that can play all those games and have the power to run ports of Call of Duty and other blockbuster HD gaming titles the Wii often misses out on so keeping both the causal and hardcore gamers happy with 2 flavours of console.
humanhand on 13 Jun '11 said:
I don't think Vita is that bad, but when gaming devices start sounding like clothing lines it is admittedly kinda lame.
True though, PSV sounds pretty good.
RavenxPrime on 13 Jun '11 said:
"the system will be either a phenomenal success or a phenomenal failure"
Wow thanks for your insightful prediction there Mr Pachter.
I predict you will either stay an analyst for the rest of your life or go on and do something else.
While I'm at it the world may or may not end in 2012, I may or may not win the lottery.
This job is bloody easy why is no one paying me for my analysis
krazykunal85 on 13 Jun '11 said:
I've got nothin against the PSVita name but agree it's a bit weird.... what was wrong with the NGP (Next Gen Portable)?
MD1500 on 13 Jun '11 said:
So the Wii U could be a success or a failure. What insight!
In other news, tomorrow's weather could be sunny or rainy.
almanac2015 on 13 Jun '11 said:
The weather will smite you by being f**king cloudy now.
cooloneuk on 13 Jun '11 said:
If Nintendo wanted to keep the name Wii as a brand name I think Wii NES would have been so much better name for the new console.
As for the Wii being 2 years late, I don't get it. If Nintendo released this 2 years ago, would the Wii be as popular as it is today? I think not. As for a "2012 release for a 2006-esque console" it doesn't matter how powerful the console will be as long as Nintendo can do something new with it.
Don't forget the Wii has very similar processing power as the old Xbox (released in 2001), but it still worked. It sold nearly 90 million units. If Nintendo can deliver it's promises, the Wii U may see a similar success.
We just need to wait and see
Laughlyn on 13 Jun '11 said:
In all fairness with the philosophy Nintendo claim to have about the Wii U name, Wii 2 could have worked as well and sounded less dumb.
They claim Wii U is for 'We and You' can play but could easily have had it as a 'we too' can play same meaning that the machine is for the hardcore but we (the family) can play too.
They are playing things a little risky, the last machine that tried to be too much like the competition was gamecube and despite being an amazing machine with some great games, it was too overlooked by PS2 and Xbox. The idea for the controller looks interesting but they haveto be careful of Vita doing similar several months earlier, especially now the controller has been announced, it gives developers time to start tacking rushed versions of ideas into games.
Nintendo do have some fantastic first party titles though and chance of having the quality games from nintendo as well as big named third party titles may help bring folk in, especially families upgrading from Wii.
bazzatuk on 13 Jun '11 said:
For once, the man's right.
The_Jaster on 13 Jun '11 said:
oh how did you get a hold of my old photo album.
I just think he is wrong with the 2 years too late statement if they had done what he suggested he probably would have came out with "its way too early for a new console".
yeah it does, cause its a football team.
give me monster hunter on that system & I'll snap it up.
Cell Fish on 13 Jun '11 said:
Considering Wii is Nintendo's most succesful console since the days of NES and SNES it might be understandable why they decided to continue using the name. It's too early to judge the machine. Very disappointing they really didn't show any actual games at E3. But the controller looks promising. My biggest concern is how powerful the machine is. If it's only on par with, or just slightly more powerful, than PS3 and Xbox 360 then Nintendo soon can be in the same situation as they are with Wii, if Sony and Microsoft releases new (and a lot more powerful) consoles not long after Wii U
genfactor on 13 Jun '11 said:
How do you know this when no one outside of developers know how powerful this this is. After looking at the extended "Japanese Garden" demo that Reggie claims uses a fraction of the systems abilities, I don't see why it can't use the Samaritan engine.
Considering that the Wii is the most Successful system this gen, why would they throw away that brand recognition by dropping the Wii name?
wwinterj on 13 Jun '11 said:
I also agree with patcher. The Wii U is arriving late if it can only do what the 360 and PS3 can do. If it can do more then fair enough.
The price will make or brake the Wii U at this point. I'm under the impression it can only do what the PS3 and 360 can do. Paying more for a console that offers the same(minus the tablet) isn't appealing to me.
Now on to the names. I don't mind Wii U but think Wii 2 would have been better. I'll give credit where it's due though at least Nintendo isn't going with the trend of naming consoles with numbers (PS1,PS2,PS3 and so on). As for PS Vita I also like this name. It's grown on me. Also a fun fact Vita means Life.
Chances are I'll buy a PS Vita when it's out but as for the Wii U it all depends on if I think it's "value for money".
Red Deer01 on 13 Jun '11 said:
'dumbest name ever'. Wow, finally agreeing with patcher i find myself. Then again we said the same about the Wii... But it makes sense, and whilst the Wii U has logic behind its name its not smooth, it doesnt sound like a new system, it doesnt 'roll off the tounge'. It needs to loose the Wii branding and start a fresh, but make it very, very clear its compatible with all of the Wii phepherials.
The Playstation Vita i like however. Like the Wii U it has logic behind its name but it suits, the whole life, means the number 5 (Sonys 5th major console release), stands for beta in another language (which means 2; PSP2) all wraps up nicely. Plus its abbreviation, stand alone name and written logo's suit. In short nobody will be confused when you say "Vita" or "PSV" unlike the "Wii U" which sounds like some form of phepherial.
alan666 on 13 Jun '11 said:
why doesn't Michael Pachter build & sell his own games console then if he is so clever ?
simply he cannot because he talks out of his arse.
placid ca5ual on 13 Jun '11 said:
I work as an analyst for a credit card company so I can safely say voicing your ill-informed opinions without statistics to back them up is not analysis.
Patcher isn't an analyst he's just the worlds biggest troll.
Rise_ofthe_Mike on 13 Jun '11 said:
I'll say this for the Wii U...A lot of people are dismissing it's graphical abilities...and yet, IGN was shown off a tech demo that truly impressed them. A demo that was shown off behind closed doors and was different than the one with the bird, which they said looked like something the PS3 and 360 could do. So, given that they were that impressed with it...i'm sure the graphics are quite good. Personally, i'll be buying a Wii U...Just like I buy every other console and handheld. lmao.
Zepf on 13 Jun '11 said:
The Wii itself was slammed originally for having a dumb name, so was the Dreamcast!
Didn't stop me from enjoying them both
kriscotw9 on 13 Jun '11 said:
I actually agree with him.
Nintendo are not actually making a console they are making another fad, just like the Wii.
And i do not rate the Wii as a proper games console due to the games and the graphics.
Ive played both kinect and the wii and kinect is so much better and more fun!
Nintendo really should focus more on actual gaming instead of gimics!
The 3ds is pretty much the same as a normal ds apart from slightly improved graphics and a 3d screen that only works if you hold it still. i know this seems as im a xbox fan boy but im honestly not, i used to like nintendo until the wii was released.
The_Jaster on 13 Jun '11 said:
Its been reported that wii U has 50% more processing power than the ps3 & 360 which is interesting if true.
Link to article
Crossblade_2000 on 14 Jun '11 said:
I have to agree with what others have said... Pachter is a troll, a self important troll sure, but a troll none the less.
Nintendo were quite clever with the Wii though, effectively creating their own market, the casual motion control market. But now that Microsoft have entered that market in a big way, I do find myself wondering where that leaves Nintendo. It's unlikely that they can compete with Microsoft for the hardcore gaming market, Microsoft dominate there, and are likely to continue thanks to their seemingly endless finances. My personal hope is that Nintendo offer pure gaming, that they dedicate their efforts not toward chasing the latest big bucks craze, but to make gaming compelling and innovative again. It'll be interesting to see which direction Nintendo take, but I'm betting they have a plan.
Klodrik on 14 Jun '11 said:
I think we can all agree that the best name would have been Super Wii. And I look forward to it. People take these new concepts too lightly. Just the ability to stream a game to your controller is massive in my opinion. Add in all the other stuff and you've got a very interesting console.
aarondjones on 14 Jun '11 said:
it's either going to sell really well or be a disaster... no s**t sherlock...
rbt2 on 14 Jun '11 said:
I don't think it's that silly a name.
The Wankel engine.
Now that's a silly name.
Barca Azul on 14 Jun '11 said:
i was with him all the way, and then he had to go and ruin it with the Bing comment!
Bing = Crap
Balladeer on 14 Jun '11 said:
God, who cares about the name? The Wii was ridiculous enough - did that hurt it? As for being two years too late, pardon Nintendo for trying something different in the meanwhile!
Littlebags on 14 Jun '11 said:
Interesting:http://www.videogamer.com/news/xbox_720_likely_at_e3_2012_crytek_on_board.html
ShadowAviation on 16 Jun '11 said:
Oh no no no. Ninty hardware normally lasts about 5 years so why the rush? The Wii is capable in its own right. Besides, it could have been called Wii 2 or Wii HD. Wii U sounds.. comfortable and right
xoastro on 17 Jun '11 said:
Why do CVG keep on documenting what this man says who is he ? What does he do apart from spout the obvious ? Is he paying CVG to print whatever he says ?
ilduce on 17 Jun '11 said:
Sometimes I'm a bit hard on Pachter and skeptical (rightfully so) but he is right on the money with this one...the first thing that came to my mind when I heard the WiiU's name was "Wow, that's a stupid name" followed by "WTF were they thinking" similar comments also came to mind when Sony's name was leaked...you know you think names may not mean much but they definitely make an impact...PS3, X Box 360 those names sound cool...even the "Wii" alone gives it the rep as a casual and children's game console and nothing more...also it is definitely at least two years late, launching an HD console with supposedly "50% more power than the 360 and ps3" is not impressive especially since the 360 launched six years ago...and as Pachter says by the time the next X Box comes out in 2014 or earlier, the WiiU will already be overwhelmed by the power of the true next gen consoles...Nintendo is a joke in the core gaming market
Picnic12 on 18 Jun '11 said:
Well he has the dumbest job ever. Wii U is actually a decent name. 'we, you'. And just like the is were supposed to symbolise the controllers, they might invent something for the U to symbolise as well. It's logical. Corny, yes but the original name Wii was so why change the pattern?
InsertMoreCredit on 18 Jun '11 said:
And 'Vita' isn't a dumb name?
As for Pachter I think he's just bitter that 99% of his predictions, particularly regarding Nintendo, never come true.