GC: Next-gen race will end in a draw, says Midway exec

Midway's European marketing director, Al King, has told GamesIndustry.biz that he believes the race to win the biggest market share during the next-gen console cycle will end in a draw.

In an exclusive interview, King said he thinks Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo's new consoles will each secure an equal share of the market, "because all of them are compelling, and all of them have got a slightly different alliance of publishers and developers that are developing content for each one".

The split will also be down to the fact that each platform holder is targeting a different audience, according to King.

"You can see the way Nintendo is skewing, and it's more mainstream, casual, female... Sony's skew is more hardcore, and Microsoft is left to go in either direction.

"If Nintendo corners the family marketplace, and Sony corners the hardcore marketplace, that still leaves a large share of - social gamers, let's call them - for Microsoft to carve out."

When asked if he would pay the asking price of GBP 425 for a PS3, which some in the industry have claimed is too high, King replied: "I wouldn't, but I'm not a hardcore gamer.

"In absolute numbers terms, it sounds like a lot of money. But when I talk to my hardcore gaming friends, they're rubbing their hands. They've probably already pre-ordered theirs, frankly, and they'll pay that. And they're happy to, because it's their number one hobby, they're dedicated to gaming, and the PS3 is a compelling piece of kit."

"Ultimately you have to think about it and be segment specific," King continued.

"If you're a hardcore gamer who spends all your hardearned on games, the price isn't too high at all. Particularly for the amount of technology inside."

To learn more about King's thoughts on the next-gen console battle and Midway's plans to become a top five publisher, read the full interview.