I see your point. If I wanted to use X86-32 only for a console you bet I would keep my fingers from using EL-32 and use hardware legacy-support of Itanium.
(I mean, that is if I ever would consider using an Itanium-Server.)
"Like all complex software meant to handle the general case of unknowable software applications (such as all Microsoft platforms), we won't know this until there is sufficient exposure in the field."
That sure puts a cloud over Microsoft's 64 bit OS for Opteron and AMD64 - now doesn't it?