In a compliment that has more to do with the Xbox 360 than the Wii console, Sony chief Phil Harrison has suggested that the Nintendo Wii will become the second console of choice, behind the PS3, but - inevitably - ahead of the Xbox 360. "Nintendo will be the second system consumers purchase after PlayStation 3," Harrison told Gamepro.com. The chief went on to praise Nintendo's originality and invention with the new system, but was at pains to point out that ultimately the Wii is targeting a different market. In fact, Harrison suggested that the main battle was between Sony and Microsoft.

For their part in the tit-for-tat bickering, Microsoft have previously attacked Sony's pricing strategy for the PS3 as unjustifiably expensive, attempting to draw attention to the cheaper 360 console. Harrison however is quick to respond to such criticism pointing to the fact that the PS3 includes a Blu-ray player and a HDD as proof that it is a 'better value' package overall. "That's what consumers base their purchasing decisions on - value," the chief emphasised.

Of course, for all Sony's combative phrases, the PS3 is more expensive than its rivals (the two models coming in at 500 and 600 USD, respectively), and Sony have hardly aided attempts to separate the system from the Xbox 360 by unveiling an online offering very similar to Xbox Live and a controller which appears to be inspired by the Nintendo Wii. In fact, after all the hullabaloo surrounding E3 has died down, it is Nintendo that come out leading the publicity race, even if the Xbox 360 is slowly but surely building a sales lead. The next few months are certain to be interesting, that's for sure.

By Luke Guttridge

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