The UWM Post got a chance to sit down with G4 TV’s “Attack of the Show” host Kevin Pereira and talk about all about the next-gen consoles like PlayStation 3 and the Nintendo Wii. We also digressed about which one will be “top dog” this holiday season. So what knowledge did the face of G4 share? Read and find out.

Post: Do you think that this will be a bigger release for Sony or for Nintendo?

Pereira: It’s huge at least for both. It’s an important and critical release for both as well. But in terms of the consumer I think that it’s going to be bigger for the Nintendo Wii. Simply because the price point on the PS3 is still a little too high, and sadly there is just going to be a lack of availability.

Post: If you were the Xbox 360 how scared of would you be of the launch of these two systems?

Pereira: If I were the Xbox 360 I would be giggling like a Japanese schoolgirl over the fact that Sony might be botching the most important launch that they’ve ever had in the history of their company. If I were the 360 I would be confident that “Gears of War” is a consistent seller for the holidays. I’d be glad that “Oblivion” isn’t a launch title for the PS3 and it’s currently out for me. I love the fact that my network is proven and I have some interesting downloadable games. And I’d be relishing the fact that you could get me as a 360 as well as a — I can’t believe that I speaking in first-person as a 360 right now, this is awesome — I’d be really happy that you could get me and a Wii, and still be out the door cheaper than a PS3 bundle.

Post: Will this be Nintendo’s return to the top of the video-game industry?

Pereira: It depends on who you ask. Some people would say that Nintendo is already on the top, surely due to the fact that their stock is through the roof. The Nintendo DS is an excuse to print money.

Post: I know I bet wrong on the DS also. I thought it would fail.

Pereira: Yeah I said that this (DS) is gimmicky. The titles especially around the launch were little tech demos, this isn’t fun. I learned that lesson with the DS and I see where they’re trying to go with the Wii. That’s why I think I’m so excited this time around. In terms of home-console dominance, yes this could easily be Nintendo’s return to that.

Will they be No. 1 of this generation? That really depends on the software/games that come out for it. But I think they pose a significant threat in terms of game time.

I don’t think anyone will say “I don’t need a PS3 or 360, I have a Wii.” I don’t see gamers doing that. Nontraditional gamer, kids or people that thought games were boring or were intimidated by that, they may just solely get a Wii. I think that actual gamers will make it their second console of choice. And again I think that that’s why the 360 is sitting pretty this holiday season.

Post: What type of gamers will go for the Wii first? And what type will go for the PS3 first?

Pereira: The people that are going for the PS3 right now in my opinion are hopefuls — they’re fanboys and are either misinformed or they have that desire to be the cool kid with the newest technology.

I think a lot of people, especially in the game press, stepped back, breathed for a second and really looked at the console, looked at the games available, and said “you know what? Waiting in line for a week, struggling with pre-orders, spending a thousand dollars on a bundle, it’s not worth it.”

I know it sounds incredibly negative against the Playstation 3 and it’s not. I’m just trying to counteract all the hype.

It’s a beautiful console. It’s a powerful system and in a year to two years you’re going to be seeing games for it that are incredible. It will offer those experiences that you want from a console of its magnitude.

Right now, this holiday, it’s just not worth it.

Post: Will Blu-ray be PS3’s saving grace or will it shy away potential buyers of the system?

Pereira: I don’t think that it will shy anyone away. People aren’t saying “I want a PS3, but I don’t want a high-def Blu-ray player.” If you factor in the included cost, then, yes, it might keep some people away. If anything it will be a saving grace, but the real issue here is next-gen games aren’t about Blu-ray or high-def DVD format, but really about the games themselves first of all, and the delivery method is so much more important if you look at downloadable content.

If you look two years from now there is no reason why we shouldn’t be downloading our games straight to our consoles. You can do that now with smaller arcade games, why can’t I download that with “Halo 3” or “Metal Gear Solid 4?” So I don’t even know if you need Blu-ray.

The other thing that is interesting is if you looked at how the PlayStation 2 worked, a ton of people bought the PS2 solely because it was a DVD player. That attracted them to the console. I don’t see the same buzz around the PlayStation 3. I don’t think people will say,

“I got to have this because I have to play Blu-ray discs.”

Post: Do you think that Nintendo’s direction away from graphics and toward game-play will be the new trend for the industry?

Pereira: I really hope that this wakes the industry up and says, “Hey listen! You can keep making versions of Madden where the sweat looks more and more realistic to the point where you can almost taste it, that’s fine.” But there’s a section of people/gamers that you’re not reaching with that type of game.

I don’t think that gamers will get tired of it — people that like their first-person shooters, their real-time strategies or their racing games. They always appreciate their graphical upgrades, their enhanced A.I. or the better online multiplayer. I think they will always like that and consoles will always deliver that for them.

But I do think that Nintendo was smart in saying that some gamers are tired of that and second of all: what about all the people that don’t play video games? As big as the market is, as big as the industry is, it still pales in comparison to how many people watch movies. I know people like to say they make more money, but the fact of the matter is that you can name maybe three or four people in your life that have never played a video game, but how many people in your life can you name that have never watched television or a movie?

Post: Which system’s controller will be spending more time in your hands over the next few months?

Pereira: Ahhh man — damn you, damn you — It will be — ahh wow, God’s honest truth, it will be the guitar from “Guitar Hero II,” cause I will be doing a lot of gaming with my family and friends, ’cause of the holidays. But looking at next next-gen stuff, it’s going to be my Wii-mote, followed closely by Xbox 360’s remote.

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