Map of the World

Click on it to see the detail,

VGChartz

I discovered this great site a while ago (possibly via Tony). One of the features I like best is the graphs.

In the following I’ve aligned launch dates so you can compare relative console sales to one another:

Consider the current generation. Wii has a far steeper line than both 360 and PS3, suggesting far better sales – but will it be able to maintain that kind of curve for long? Sooner or later sales will slow and flatline.

It’s also interesting to look at Wii (steepest curve) PS2 (longest, most consistent sales) and PS3 (next big thing?) – it looks like the PS3 has managed to keep to the same kind of line the PS2 had around the same time of launch which is a good sign, and everything suggests that it’ll also have great longevity so Sony can actually be happy despite all the bad press they’ve received about it.

See if you can spot the bumps in the charts that happen once every 52 weeks or so. I guess that’s around Christmas.

I’m interested to see how long the Wii lasts. If it goes for several years without a radical change in the sales curve then it’s clearly going to be the winner (at least in terms of hardware units sold) of the current generation. The only way I see that it’ll lose this battle would be if it’s appeal is really short lived, and that’s only likely to come about if Microsoft incorporates a Wiimote-like controller into their next generation (which, judging by the product cycle of the XB shouldn’t be too far away – then again, the XB bombed hard whereas the 360 seems about on par with the PS2/3 so maybe they’ll hold off). Alternatively if Nintendo can pull some more innovation out of the bag in a few years time and release another cheap console then maybe they’d be able to reproduce the same kind of mass-appeal to stay ahead.

Interesting stuff, and a great website.

What did the Buddhist say to the hot-dog vendor?

Make me one with everything.

Australian Politics

So I just had a chat with one of my old Aussie friends in Brisbane. It sounds like the political situation in Australia could be on the turn. Perhaps Oz will be back on my list of places to live again soon.

Here’s the current lo-down on the upcoming general election according to Wikipedia,

“The next general election for the Parliament of Australia is expected to take place in late 2007, although it can be held as late as 19 January 2008.”

Current poll ratings:

John Howard (Liberal – conservative)
38% / 40%

Kevin Rudd (Labor – social democracy)
47% / 60%

“Following his 1998 election success, Rudd was promoted to the Opposition front bench after the 2001 election, and was appointed Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs. In this position he strongly criticised the Liberal government of John Howard over its support for the United States in the 2003 invasion of Iraq, while maintaining Labor’s position of support for the Australian-American alliance.”

“Rudd opposes the war in Iraq, and has pledged to negotiate a staged withdrawal of Australian combat troops stationed there with the U.S. and Iraqi governments if elected Prime Minister.”

Look Out!