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"Nintendo build walls"

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Mon 18/07/05 at 17:03
Regular
Posts: 18,185
And yes... I'm sure I could burn them down (ha ha). Arson joke 4456 out of the way. I thought I'd write a random Nintendo praising article cause I haven't done one for a while. *Shock* criticism at the end.

It is commendable on how Nintendo have bravely fought off Sony in the handheld war. Granted you can't call the PSP a failure. It is easily selling as much as the mega selling GBA SP did last year and there is no way that system ever struggled. Its launch has been solid worldwide (so far) and, to the untrained eye, Nintendo should be running scared.

Not a chance. In fact the release of the Sony PSP has tripled the handheld market in Japan with more gamers going for the small handheld systems than the big new machines. There are more adult handheld gamers, there are people previously uninterested in handhelds joining in (thanks mainly to the DS) and not to mention girls!

Lets take you back a few years. Nintendo could afford to struggle in the home console war. For starters returns on the software made up for any losses on the hardware but more importantly it was the handheld that kept Nintendo going.

When the GBA was released it sold through the roof. When the GBA SP was released that also sold through the roof. With no competition and even support from Microsoft owned company "RARE WARE", Nintendo were laughing. Wonderswan came and went, N-GAGE tried and failed, Gamegear tumbled and fell. It was a cruel Nintendo dominated world.

Then Sony wanted to play. The PSP, unveiled to the public 2 years before it was released, had everything. Music, movies, games, fantastic graphics and a lot of support. Short battery life aside, it was the system to give Nintendo an all important kick in the backside.

Iwata, the new Nintendo president responded with "Thanks for the 2 year head start Sony". Whatever did he mean?

Well the DS was unveiled at E3 2004, released that very Christmas in America and Japan and in both regions got a headstart over the opposition. Sony's limited Japanese launch did not help either. Nintendo cleared up, shifting (shockingly) 3 million GBA SP's and 2.5 million DS's worldwide. That is 5.5 million systems plus the obliguatary Nintendo game. Whilst Sony sold 500,000 PSP's.

In Japan it started off great but when the new year hit it started to change around. The PSP started to edge on weekly sales figures in Japan and by March it had sold its million. Then Nintendo released Nintendogs followed by a series of "non-games". And it spun around again.

The PSP was, by this point, supposed to have disposed the GBA SP. But that has failed as well. In America the GBA SP has outsold the DS AND the PSP (bar the PSP's launch period). A right royal shocker for both companies.

And In Japan the recent weekly sales figures says it all: PSP: 20,390 GBA SP: 11,176 and the Nintendo DS: 41,503. That is 52,000 handhelds shifted by Nintendo last week. The handheld market is in boom time in Japan.

Over here and the PSP has still not been released. The GBA SP and DS continue to rake in the money and potential customers and Sony are losing out.

A series of complex advertisement schemes and stratigically placed launches has help defuse any potential disaster for Nintendo. It is the most ingenious piece of advertisement blitz since Pokemon.

It makes you wonder why they cannot do it in the home console market. Then again, it appears, it is the handheld market where the money is really at.

Sony's European launch is in September. Not the most ideal time (but by no means bad). But come Christmas and again Nintendo are pulling out all the stops to hurt Sony and stop them clearing up.

Mario Kart DS and Metroid Prime DS has been hyped with free Demo's and advertisement slots. Not to mention Nintendo's first full online service launched this Christmas and Nintendogs, which could be as big as it was in Japan. Then, to top it all off, Nintendo make it even harder for Sony by releasing the GBA micro. ANOTHER Gameboy incarnation which idiots the world over will buy because it "looks cool".

When the Micro was unveiled you could just hear the sighs from Sony, having to face yet another Nintendo handheld related release.

The PSP has its work cut out for it even before it has left the gate. September and October will be fantastic, sales wise, for the PSP... that is before Nintendo's fight back begins. And Nintendo can afford to wait, after all the DS has enjoyed a massive 6 month head start.

It makes you proud to be a Nintendo fan. That is until you look at the Gamecube.

Bar the "Nintendo all stars tour" which will acchieve nothing. The Gamecube is being left to rot. Look at this forum and, Starfox, Killer 7 and Donkey Konga 2 has not really set our world alight. All we talk about is Zelda this and DS that. What else is there?

By supporting 2 handhelds in the fight to keep the handheld market Nintendo have neglected the Gamecube. Leaving it to rust. They're not even doing much to hype up Revolution.

Zelda... Geist... Pokemon err... King Kong? Any other games I should know about? And don't go giving me any Dance Dance Mario, Mario Baseball and Mario Strikers. Because this is just a shameless way to boost sales of a flagging system.

Nintendo I salute you for continually kicking Sony in the balls with either the DS in Japan or the GBA SP in America. The PSP is a top console and Nintendo is really making it difficult for Sony's new machine to get anywhere.

But surely you are big enough to realise you've left someone behind?

Dringo.
Wed 20/07/05 at 15:59
Regular
Posts: 6,492
There haven't been any announcements, but Microsoft are funding Realtime Worlds to make a game just like GTA.

So I expect that GTA wont be coming to Xbox 360 before PS3.
Wed 20/07/05 at 15:54
"period drama"
Posts: 19,792
I don't trust Rockstar to design anything anymore. Some idiot's coming up with all these crap ideas that somehow make it into the games.

They say in the next game, cars might have petrol that runs out.

...

What a bunch of morons.
Wed 20/07/05 at 14:04
Regular
Posts: 21,800
Next gen GTA will be godly. I can't even begin to imagine what Rockstar North will do with next gen hardware, if there's one series that I really can't wait to play on next gen consoles it's most definetly GTA.

Has it actually been announced that the next gen GTA be onl PS3 first?
I've not seen any announcements.
Wed 20/07/05 at 13:09
Regular
"8==="
Posts: 33,481
360 will have Oblivion + PDZ this year.

That's enough rejuvenation for now.
Wed 20/07/05 at 12:50
Regular
"The definitive tag"
Posts: 3,752
Rozza1001 wrote:
> i find the GTA series getting boring now anyway, i didnt enjoy the
> latest one that much, i got bored of it pretty easily

Hmm...I found the same. The novelty of having an enormous world to roam around has worn off, which is bad news for GTA because it's one of it's biggest selling points.
Wed 20/07/05 at 12:19
Regular
"I got a great Idea"
Posts: 236
i find the GTA series getting boring now anyway, i didnt enjoy the latest one that much, i got bored of it pretty easily
Wed 20/07/05 at 12:17
Regular
Posts: 18,185
Bonus wrote:
> The PS3 has next gen GTA though.
>
> Microsoft will have a GTA beater, supposedly, Realtime World are
> meant to be working on some exciting stuff :).

Microsoft will have GTA as well... come on.

Next generation will be a shock to the system for Microsoft and Sony as they realise that the gaming bubble has burst and they need to start to rejuvenate the market.

Which Nintendo (rather unusually) is already preparing for.
Wed 20/07/05 at 11:51
Regular
Posts: 6,492
The PS3 has next gen GTA though.

Microsoft will have a GTA beater, supposedly, Realtime World are meant to be working on some exciting stuff :).
Wed 20/07/05 at 11:32
Regular
Posts: 18,185
It is clever of William Gates to counter-act the PS3 with Halo...

Nintendo certainly do not have a game with that capabilities... maybe Mario Kart (but only just and if it was online).
Tue 19/07/05 at 23:14
Regular
"8==="
Posts: 33,481
Yeah but it's not like Sony to lose face when it comes to hype.

Although I suppose there's very little they can do as Xbox is going to get the headstart at building up a userbase.

Killzone vs Halo? Oh please.

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