So I'm just relaxing today, and am pondering...

OK, I don't mean to be insulting in any way, especially to people here!  I personally think Playstation has some superb games which are not available anywhere else... however, I feel that Playstation (and especially Sq-Enix) has a zombie following.  As people have already mentioned, even if the PS3 looks like crap, and has more bugs than an entomologist sees in a lifetime, it'll still sell like gold!  Same goes for any Sq-Enix game!

Now why is that?

Well, I think that Nintendo fans are primarily those who grew up with Nintendo, and thus have had more time playing games, and are also older.   I think that many Playstation fans tend to be younger and are attracted to games that have a great amount of violence in them (GTA, Metal Gear, etc).  Nintendo (for better or worse) seems to limit it's violence, and prefers (for the most part) more "family oriented" games.  That's what I've noticed so far, and am curious if people feel the same way?  As for why I got on this topic, well I noticed that people have been paying $170 for Metal Gear Solid 3 Limited edition on ebay!  It made me wonder, who the HELL would pay $170 for a game which you can get for $30??  Sure, the limited edition has a few extras, but is it worth $140 more?  and this is (arguably) just a rehash of a previous game anyway!  Well, I don't think Nintendo fans would be this "silly", but maybe I'm mistaken?  If a limited edition of Zelda OOT was released, would Nintendo fans pay $170 for it?? 

cheers,

-avatar!

I think it's very difficult and unwise to pidgeonhole certain types of fans as certain types of people. I'm not calling you a fanboy, but that's a fundamental property of fanboysim. There are exceptions to everything you've examined here. I'd give personal examples, but they're as immaterial as examples of the latter.

People pay ridiculous amounts of money for game OSTs, even if they can get the same content at a cheaper price (Digicube versus reprints, first prints versus reprints, LE versus standard, etc). This includes Nintendo OSTs. If a limited edition print of Zelda OOT was made, I'm pretty sure fans would pay a hefty price for it. They did (do?) with those Zelda bonus discs, only one of which offered anything new to the West.

Hell, I've seen people pay double what they have to for a non-Greatest Hits/Player's Choice/Platinum Hits title, even though the game is exactly the same. It's not a trait exclusive to Sony or Squenix fans.

Well, I personally don't have and have never had any bias towards particular machines or companies. I've just followed the games that have given me the most pleasure, and that path has taken me through pretty much any mainstream machine you care to mention. All along the way, right from the school playground over 20 years ago there's been this curious brand loyalty thing which I've never understood. I got a Master System and a NES, a Megadrive and a SNES, and so on. Why wouldn't I? Follow the good games is the only mantra you need.

As for special editions, I think it's just a natural trait of people to desire things like that. Limited editions, rare items. Any collector of anything understands that. Heck, I bet a large number of people here download a lot of videogame soundtracks, yet we still buy them - and buy the ones we've downloaded - just to own that particular physical item.

I agree about the "Zombie-Following" thing...So many people wanted PS2's when it launched because it was the next "big" thing and the line-up was pure garbage (I would go so far as to say it wasn't worth owning a PS2 until 2004). Nintendo's strong sales are usually software motivated (which is why it puzzles me why they stopped including good pack-in games, given what SMW and SMB did for the SNES and NES, not to mention Tetris and the GB).

By default, Playstation has the mass-market on its' side, giving the  Nintendo fans the decisive edge. Aside from the ones that bought completely into GBA Connectivity becoming the next "big" thing...

I prefer the PS2 exclusives over the GCN exclusives this gen, for the most part. However, hardly any PS2 games sans MGS 2 & 3 would top the amazing experiences I've had playing through Metroid Prime, MP2 and Resident Evil 4. I like the Sony controller better than the 'Cube's, and I really could give two shits about Square Enix.

I bought a PSP on launch day because I wanted Lumines. Up until Megaman X Maverick Hunter was released, that was the only game I owned. The GBA SP hurt my hands when I played it for more than a half hour or so, and most of the games just didn't appeal to me. My parents bought me an NES when I was four, and I beat Metroid in 1987. I can't beat it now.

I refuse to buy a Player's Choice title. I hate the green/red/yellow coloring on the side of the box. It stands out on my shelf and looks awful.

I wanted a PS2 because it was the "next big thing", and I bought a Gamecube because I heard Eternal Darkness was a ridiculously good game. I wish killer7 sold more copies and I'm glad Katamari Damacy made good use of the Dualshock 2's second analog stick, instead of just using it for a camera control.

People like the games they like. I don't give a shit if it's Nintendo or Sony or Ubisoft or Capcom or a java-based web game that involves clicking on shiny jewels. I just like what I like.

Nobody's "smarter" than another gaming fan; their opinions are just different.

Oh, and I picked up MGS3S LE for $40. Boing.

That's exactly what I said before, although I meant on a far larger scale (Sony=hype, Nintendo=software). I'm just as bad though...I had to convince myself Street Fighter EX3 was a good game first when I had the chance to pick one up (since I knew good games were coming, starting with Klonoa 2...That turned out to be it for awhile) and then I probably didn't use my PS2 for actual games for more than 100 hours from launch until mid-2004 (though admittedly, I missed Ace Combat 4, Dynasty Warriors 4 and Disgaea right when they came out...That could have doubled that total). At least I had a DVD player.

The mass market tends to skew things...People would ask us at Electronics Boutique if we had PS2's in stock and sometimes when we said "yes", they'd be asking us what games we think they should buy for the system (which was usually either a trained "Madden" or an "SSX" response, since nothing else was a valid answer...Though at one point, we had to start moving copies of Ridge Racer V, so we worked that in too). And most didn't know what a memory card was or why they were $35. I can't say I miss dealing with people like that.

My own differences with the GC and Nintendo aside and quality of games aside, I give the overall Nintendo crowd (kids and all) credit over the overall Sony crowd (mass market and all). At least most of them know which games they want before they buy/want the system.

RRGH. These discussions drive me nucking futs.

Who's smarter? Whoever doesn't think the other guy's stupid.

Which is smarter - this thread or a...whatever isn't really all that smart (it's pretty early here)? Are you just looking for a fanboy row?

Edit: Oooooh! Snap SP!

Thanks, man. I totally agree. I play good games, regardless of what system they are on! Saying one thing over another is missing the point of gaming entirely! It's like having a brand name war.

Pretty much, yeah.

It's been going as long as I've been on the Internet....and hell longer, when I had people at school having SNES vs Genesis vs TG16 (yes, even that).

-Joshua

Well, I mean... come on. TG16 fans are obviously smartest.

No, Videopac fans are smarter.

I have to admit that I found it disturbing when someone told me a while back that he didn't care about what Xbox360 and Revolution had to offer.  He's planning to buy a PS3 simply because it's Sony.  That kind of reasoning definitely irks me but it's tough to blame people for sticking with what has worked for them in the past.  That's why you can't be too hard on brand loyalists even though it'd be nice for more people to be open to all gaming experiences.

Nintendo fans may be more likely to be better informed about the games they buy, if that's what you mean by smarter.  However, I'm sure that there are many Playstation fans who also investigate before making a purchase.  It's just that a good chunk of Playstation fans are casual gamers who are looking for something to pass the time.  But the hardcore Playstation fans are probably just as "smart" as the hardcore Nintendo fans.  As has been suggested already, the smartest gaming fan can't be simply classified as pro Sony or pro Nintendo.  They just like good games, regardless of the developer/publisher or gaming system.  So zombies suck either way, but the only reason Sony has the majority of them is because they're on top right now.  You're probably right that the sensationalism involving mass violence and such is fueling this particular breed of zombie more than anything else (the endless GTA clones and such are annoying), but there isn't much you can do except to keep yourself informed and try to do the same for others.

In general I believe that older gaming fans are more knowledgeable (which Nintendo fans are more likely to be at this point, aside from "the kids"), but they're supposed to be.