Stringer dismisses Wii as "expensive niche"

Sony CEO Howard Stringer has dismissed Nintendo's Wii as an "expensive niche" games machine.

Speaking at the Allen & Co Media Conference last week, Stringer said the Wii doesn't compete with the PlayStation 3 because it doesn't have the ability to play Blu-ray movies or have full access to the internet.

"I've played a Nintendo Wii. I don't see it as a competitor," said Stringer, reports Bloomberg.

"It's more of an expensive niche game device. We're selling a lot of PlayStation 3s now and it's still the best way to buy a Blu-ray player," he added.

In North America, the PlayStation 3 retails for USD 399, while Nintendo's Wii is priced at USD 249.

The PS3 sold 1.2 million units in the US in the first five months of the year, compared to the Wii's 2.8 million, according to data from NPD.