In an interview with GamesIndustry, Xbox Europe CEO Neil Thompson said some harsh things about the Nintendo Wii, calling it a “kid’s toy”.

“…in the same category as mobile phones and MP3 players. It has the potential of taking consumers spend and wallet share away from us in general, but at a product comparison level it’s not competing with us at all. It’s an innovative, low-definition product.

“People will make a clear decision probably as to whether they want that sort of product – a kid’s toy – or they want high-definition gaming and entertainment and all that it brings.”

This indicates that Microsoft primarily sees the Sony PS3 as competition, although Nintendo has always pointed out that the Wii is not a next-generation console, but instead a “new-generation” console. Maybe Thompson is right about this, or maybe he’s just being cocky. Either way, the war has just begun.