Study determines console sentiment, purchase intent; Wii on top

Listed in: News, Opinions & Analysis Tags: Microsoft, Sony, Toronto, BrandIntel Toronto-based BrandIntel recently concluded a study on the next generation consoles offered by Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony to determine which one has captured a user base most sentimental to their consoles.

The study entitled "Top Video Game Console Report: Consumer Insight Monitor" used a proprietary engine to sift through user comments in forums and blogs in the Internet and has concluded that the Wii has the highest consumer sentiment.

The study ranked sentiment through a five-point scale, and the Nintendo console grabbed a high 3.7 point average (out of 5). The Xbox 360 rallied 3.4 points in average, while the PlayStation 3 collected 3.1 points in average. According to BrandIntel, this grants the Wii the potential to become the consumer choice for next-generation gaming.

The Wii currently holds the most intent to purchase, while it was discovered that the Xbox 360 is the gaming choice for hardcore gamers. The study found that consumers recommended the Wii the most, which was boosted further by numerous positive comments on the console.

The Xbox 360 rounded up top recommendations, too, because positive comments were gathered on the console's game lineup. The PlayStation 3 also received positive feedback from plenty of gamers due to its unique hardware architecture, power and relatively larger hard drive (compared to most Xbox 360 SKUs). Its score could have been higher, if it weren't for collected comments on the lack of great games and some complaints of its high costs.