Not sure it will push massive numbers initially but something that will definite pay dividends over time. People are going to be shocked at how low sales for xb1/ps4 are going to be and how fast interest dies off. At the moment the level of hype is deceptive because it is a bunch of vocal nerds shouting in a vacuum. They are a small demographic and have little impact on mainstream preferences.

The jump in graphics is the smallest between generations in history. Nerds having to explain particle effects and better shaders, etc to the average punter or they wouldn\’t notice. Previous gens, any mug could look at a game and notice a massive difference. Then there are things like most significant games being cross generational so the incentive for people to upgrade is low. Also virtually every game is multi platform these days, every game is on 3 or more platforms, so user bases will be more split than ever.

There is going to be a lot of hurt, game are going to cost even more to make than last gen, what are they going to do? Make less games and try to sell more? On systems with smaller user bases than their predecessors. Trying to spend big on games has been the downfall of these big publishers, look at Capcom who have hardly any money left. All of them go in cycles of almost wiping them self out of business every few years.

Nintendo are in pretty good spot going forward. Modest specs and profitable hardware, with the biggest IP’s in gaming up their sleeve. They are timed to hit their peak with the Wii U at the exact time their competitors are at their lowest ebb. The genius of Nintendo/Iwata is that even when they dont have the smash hit console of the industry they manage to be freakishly profitable, when they do hit gold they fully capitialise and put themselves in a good position for decades to comes. On the other hand, companies like Sony play a \’all in or bust\’ game\’. They need to absolutely dominate or they bleed money. But they actually do worse than that, when they dominate they make surprisingly less than they should and when they do just ok or bad they have the entire Sony corp teetering on bankruptcy. Its been a decade long spiral financially, they are really playing their last hand, unless they win huge, its probably game over for them.