The Wii and the Xbox 360 are meant to be used vertically, and I think the PS3 can be operated vertically.
Why?
Trend? Legit technical reason (cooling)?
Just a WAG, but I’m looking at my TV stand, and I don’t have space on a shelf for a system (horizontally). However, a vertical system would fit nicely next to my mini stereo.
I can’t speak for the Wii, but I don’t think the 360 is meant to be used vertically. You have the option, sure, but I think that’s all it is. Just giving gamers the option so that they can figure out how best to store the system. For HH, it works best vertically. I don’t have the vertical shelf space, so horizontal works best for me.
Yeah, I’ve seen no indication that the 360 is meant to be used vertically. I’ve always used mine horizontally and it has rests that fully support both horizontal and vertical.
Note that the PS2 also supported vertical use too.
I’m pretty sure that the 360 is meant to not be used vertically in most cases, actually. From what I understand, the disc in the 360 spins at insane RPM’s, and having the console jostled during play can do anything from etching your disc to shattering it to ruining the optics of your machine. Seems that’s much more likely if it’s in the inherently more wobbly vertical configuration.
Then again, I’m not sure that Microsoft actually thought about that.
I’m not sure the Wii is meant to be vertical, either. It’s displayed that way in most of the ads, but we have it positioned horizontally in our home. I think it’s just an option, and it kinda looks cool, I suppose.
edit: The Wii’s vent is in the back, so it shouldn’t matter which way it’s placed from a cooling standpoint.
I think it is. Aside from the very first presentation way back in 2005, it has always been shown vertically. Plus all of the words on the Wii (such as “Power,” eject," etc) can only be read vertically. Finally, the thing comes with a stand 
Yes, but it can be used both ways. Last Wii board I remember looking at, it was spread about 60:40 vertical:horizontal. If you look on the Wii itself, the left side (when placed vertically) has little pads on it for horizontal placement.
Even this Nintendo Website claims it’s designed with both orientations in mind:
Yes, I do think the vertical orientation is the preferred one based on the layout of the text and the advertisements, but I only think that’s an aesthetic preference. It just looks cool to have a vertical system, because it’s different more than anything else. And, for some people, it makes more sense due to space. I’ll take Nintendo at their word when they say the system was designed with both orientations in mind.
I was going to get a stand to support my PS2 a vertical stand about 5 years ago. The clerk talked me out of it. She said she did that and she bumped the table and it scratched the hell out of the disc.
Didn’t computers go through this in the 90s? Seems like back in the 80s the PC boxes were wide but not so tall. Something you could place your monitor on. Now they’re all towers.
Yes, I agree. Sorry, I took your original statement to mean that “it wasn’t really intended to be stood vertically.”
Fun Fact: I used to work at Nintendo 
Not all. I can tell you that the company I work for has over 150,000 PC’s that lay flat.
I think in that case it’s a situation where one style caught on with the public and most hardware manufacturers followed. It also helps that towers are generally easier to work inside than most flat designs.
Regarding the Wii, obviously Nintendo built it with both orientations in mind or it wouldn’t work both ways and have rubber feet for the horizontal structure. But they promote it vertically and the Gamecube ports are much more accessible that way so I take it as the “preferred” way.
I might be totally wrong, but I’d swear that I read in the Wii’s manual that they suggest using it vertically for better cooling or something like that, because I’m not a fan of vertical consoles (left over trauma from PS2’s rapidly failing after being used vertically), so I started out using my Wii horizontally until I noticed it was getting super-hot.
stifles laughter
Just a trend I think. The PS2 was the first console to have that capability, and people kinda liked it, so the other hardware manufacturers followed suit. I think most PC towers these days are designed to be usable either laid flat or stood on their side.
My PS2 has been vertical since launch day and it’s never scratched a disc. Of course, I was also always careful not to bump it.
Yeah, most people think there’s some problem keeping it vertical and that it’s easier to scratch the disc that way. But the discs only get scratched if you move the console while the disc is spinning. Which, of course, has a simple solution: don’t move the console while you’re playing!
About a year ago I remember some big flareup among fanboys over the Xbox 360 scratching discs “for no reason.” It all came back to a German television report where the local consumer advocate monkey took his 360 and started spinning it in his arms while it was playing. What a scoop!
Someone said it already upthread, but I just thought I’d say it again. The reason for the vertical option on all of the consoles is that they get better airflow when they’re vertical.
Ouch! That would hurt.
It certainly makes sense, if you stand the vertical console away from anything else, but if you butt it up against a stereo or something, I really can’t see the advantage in airflow, given that the cooling fan is in the back of the system.
That said, I use it horizontally without any sort of problems.
Here’s a link to the Wii manual. I don’t see anything that suggests a preference for the vertical orientation:
I know from personal experience not to set my 360 up vertically unless it’s wedged in between two heavy things. I took my console over to a friend’s house and set it up vertically on the floor ( :smack: ). His dog knocked it over and now my copy of Tiger Woods has a bunch of circles etched into it and is unplayable.
I had one of those “Whoah! I hadn’t noticed that!” moments with my 360 the other day when I realized that it knows whether the console is vertical or horizontal. The green lights in the circle that indicate which controller is plugged in come on in the same positions (e.g. top left is controller one) whether it’s horizontal or vertical.