Nintendo, Sony wage battle for world video game dominance

SANTA MONICA (AFP) - Sony says its PlayStation 3 is still a contender as Nintendo gleefully vowed on Wednesday to turn everyone into a "gamer" and proclaimed this year a turning point in the industry.

"We see today as a celebration for all of us," Nintendo of America chief executive Reggie Fils-Aime said during an opening speech at the E3 Media and Business Summit in Santa Monica, California.

"E3 2007 could be seen as a coming out party for the video game industry. A time when video games take their place with movies and television as a staple of entertainment."

Fils-Aime proudly noted that Nintendo is riding a wave of popularity so strong that it has been selling Wii consoles as fast as it makes them since sales began in November 2006.

Wii is poised to become the top video game console in the world by the end of the year, according to Nintendo.

"I don't live in a cave; I know some people are saying it's just a fad," Fils-Aime said as he showed previews of Wii and Nintendo DS portable game titles to be released in coming months.

"Nintendo is not a fad. It is the future and it is little surprise the developer community is responding accordingly."

Nintendo unveiled an Uzi-shaped motion-sensing controller dubbed "Zapper" to lure more players into battle games and appeal to hard-core gamers devoted to first-person shooter titles.

"The Wii Zapper holds the same potential to change the nature of first-person shooters as the Wii remote did to other games," Fils-Aime said.

"What's even more fun than whack-a-mole? Try zap-a-zombie."
Fils-Aime also introduced a Wii steering wheel controller for car racing games.

Japanese video game legend Sigeru Miyamoto unveiled a flat pillow-shaped sensory mat he called a "Wii balance board."

The mat senses users' balance, steps, weight for dance, exercise and sports games, Miyamoto demonstrated.

Fitness game software designed for the balance board helps people playfully lose weight and improve posture.

"We can use this new interface with games that allow you to use your whole body movement for game input," Miyamoto said.

"This has gotten quite popular with the developers. They are in a contest and are getting quite slim."

Nintendo is commandeering the core of a video game market long-dominated by Sony's PlayStation consoles, according to analysts attending the invitation-only gathering of the industry's elite.

Sony kicked off its own news conference on Wednesday by reminding people it lopped 100 dollars from the price of its 60-gigabyte PlayStation 3 console and will bring an 80-gigabyte version to market later this year for 599 dollars.

Sales of 60-gigabyte PlayStation 3 consoles have doubled since the price was dropped to 499 dollars on Monday, said Sony Computer Entertainment America chief executive Jack Trenton.

The bulk of Sony's hour-long news conference focused on dozens of new games coming out this year and early next year for all of Sony's PlayStation 2 and 3 consoles and handheld PSP game devices.

"We feel we are in a very strong position heading into the holidays and are confident we will maintain our leading role," Trenton said.

Sony has sold 118 million PlayStation 2 consoles and expects to ship 10 million in 2007, Trenton said.

Sony reports that sales of Sony PSP handhelds jumped 90 percent after the price was dropped to 169 dollars (US) earlier this year.

Trenton said the primary goals for PS3 are to win users and create games and online experiences that take advantage of the consoles' full capabilities, including the Blu-ray high density video function that pumped up its cost.

"We feel strongly that the new price will draw new users," Trenton said, predicting Sony will ship 11 million PlayStation 3 consoles worldwide this year.

"We never wavered on our commitment to Blu-Ray. It was a blockbuster decision. Blu-Ray is the future."