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It’s tempting to say something clichéd, like “they never knew what hit them,” or “it was over before it began.” It’s tempting, but needs to be avoided because it just isn’t true. Sony and Microsoft have known this has been coming for a long time now. Nintendo’s plan to use Game Boy Advance as a wedge into gamer’s homes has been well documented. It’s one of those rare occasions where Nintendo lays all of its cards out on the table, and the competition is still powerless to stop the impending onslaught.
Nintendo spent over a decade marketing its handheld machine, slowly generating a userbase totaling over 100 million units. While critics have complained that the new GBA is nothing more than technology from yesteryear cleverly marketed into that existing userbase, it is in fact, a brilliant business plan that simply can’t be matched by the competition.
When Nintendo announced that the new Game Boy unit would also function as a controller for the new GameCube console launching in November, it was a calculated attempt to pre-sell GameCube consoles to everyone already convinced to get a Game Boy Advance. In effect, Nintendo is telling those consumers, “You’ve already got a controller for our next console; you might as well get the machine too.” And while the GBA is nothing more than an incremental upgrade, its ability to interact with a console that is considered by many to be nothing short of revolutionary will also sell the handheld to those that otherwise aren’t interested in portable gaming. It’s like a whirlwind kick in some regard; no matter which foot hits you first, you certainly aren’t expecting the second blow … even when you see it coming. Game Boy Advance and GameCube are perfectly positioned to feed off of each other.
For a handheld that is not all that special in terms of technology, Nintendo will have no problem selling it with the stranglehold they have on the market. While the Game Boy Color was released not all that long ago, it was really the same old machine with a color screen. The internals of the Game Boy have been updated with the GBA, and although it’s really just a Super NES in handheld form, it’s the first time that the Game Boy has undergone such a drastic overhaul. It’s all the Game Boy needed though; Nintendo is trying to position the Game Boy as a pick-up-and-play machine, and if you want something more engrossing, get a GameCube. It’s the right move from a business perspective, and the only way Nintendo can keep from cannibalizing one market for another. Coming to market with a handheld with the power of an N64, even if technologically possible, would risk cutting into GameCube sales.
More importantly than anything else, gamers now have several months to get used to new Nintendo games, and Nintendo’s style of games, before the next-generation war starts in earnest. Several months to remind gamers that Nintendo is solely a gaming company, while their competitors are diversified into other markets as well. Several months to convince gamers that they’ll be missing something without a GameCube in their home. Several months to stockpile cash from GBA sales to be used in a massive launch push for GameCube. Several months where Sony and Microsoft have to sit in near silence and simply accept that they lost this battle before it began, and that they never knew what hit them.
~ Cloudchaser.com
Nintendo spent over a decade marketing its handheld machine, slowly generating a userbase totaling over 100 million units. While critics have complained that the new GBA is nothing more than technology from yesteryear cleverly marketed into that existing userbase, it is in fact, a brilliant business plan that simply can’t be matched by the competition.
When Nintendo announced that the new Game Boy unit would also function as a controller for the new GameCube console launching in November, it was a calculated attempt to pre-sell GameCube consoles to everyone already convinced to get a Game Boy Advance. In effect, Nintendo is telling those consumers, “You’ve already got a controller for our next console; you might as well get the machine too.” And while the GBA is nothing more than an incremental upgrade, its ability to interact with a console that is considered by many to be nothing short of revolutionary will also sell the handheld to those that otherwise aren’t interested in portable gaming. It’s like a whirlwind kick in some regard; no matter which foot hits you first, you certainly aren’t expecting the second blow … even when you see it coming. Game Boy Advance and GameCube are perfectly positioned to feed off of each other.
For a handheld that is not all that special in terms of technology, Nintendo will have no problem selling it with the stranglehold they have on the market. While the Game Boy Color was released not all that long ago, it was really the same old machine with a color screen. The internals of the Game Boy have been updated with the GBA, and although it’s really just a Super NES in handheld form, it’s the first time that the Game Boy has undergone such a drastic overhaul. It’s all the Game Boy needed though; Nintendo is trying to position the Game Boy as a pick-up-and-play machine, and if you want something more engrossing, get a GameCube. It’s the right move from a business perspective, and the only way Nintendo can keep from cannibalizing one market for another. Coming to market with a handheld with the power of an N64, even if technologically possible, would risk cutting into GameCube sales.
More importantly than anything else, gamers now have several months to get used to new Nintendo games, and Nintendo’s style of games, before the next-generation war starts in earnest. Several months to remind gamers that Nintendo is solely a gaming company, while their competitors are diversified into other markets as well. Several months to convince gamers that they’ll be missing something without a GameCube in their home. Several months to stockpile cash from GBA sales to be used in a massive launch push for GameCube. Several months where Sony and Microsoft have to sit in near silence and simply accept that they lost this battle before it began, and that they never knew what hit them.
~ Cloudchaser.com
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He even SAID that it was from a website but Ali or Joe obviously misinterpreted it as being his own work and the Cloudchaser bit as being a reference to himself.
It doesn't matter anyway, I'm sure the Game would have said anyway... well... in fact he did!
It doesn't matter anyway, I'm sure the Game would have said anyway... well... in fact he did!
I know, this post is lifted directly from here
http://www.planetgamecube.com/ editorials.cfm?action=profile&id=76 (remove space!!!)
The little blighter got a GAD for this too. Oh well time for me to start scowring the NET for articles written by highly articulate jounalists and win GADs of using the copy and paste function!!!
GAME YOU TART!!! :P
http://www.planetgamecube.com/ editorials.cfm?action=profile&id=76 (remove space!!!)
The little blighter got a GAD for this too. Oh well time for me to start scowring the NET for articles written by highly articulate jounalists and win GADs of using the copy and paste function!!!
GAME YOU TART!!! :P
I don't want to just get into another insult flinging match with Game, but.....
In terms of a Revoltuionary console the PS2 has to take that crown. The Gamecube is still based upon the IBM standard as laid out by the mighty company in the mid 80's. What this means is it is still hindered by the same old problems dogging the PC standard, and no one will evelove it because it will write out all of the current PC users worldwide. The PS2 on the other hand has been designed entirely for the running of games and is more suited to this than running spreadsheets unlike the Xbox and Gamecube. Mainly because of it's memory and pipeline set-up. The problem with that is no-one really knows how to use the system yet, but the Xbox and Gamecube can come out running at full capacity. The PSOne was the same and we saw an evolution of graphics over a set period of time, something only seen on the N64 with the advent of the Expansion Pack.
In terms of the GBA, it is a marvelous little box, why, they have managed to make a SNES that small which runs off of batteries, with a screen that good. That was one of the main reasons for the demise of the Game Gear, it just didn't go very long, as was well documented by TV programs such as Bad Influence. The GBA on the other hand can run SNES standard programs off of bateries for 15 hours, I can't really see this being possible at N64 standard for about another 3 years. As for it being a controller for the Gamecube, it is again limited, with only 4 buttons compared to the Gamecubes 12, and one D pad, with no analogue joysticks, I think it is more likely to be used directly as a Transfer Pack, which we saw come into play late in the N64's life. This to me seems a much more sensible idea and one which could encourage GBA owners to by a Gamecube.
So in terms of being over before it even began, yas the handheld battle has already come and gone, but as for the big systems, don't count your chickens.
In terms of a Revoltuionary console the PS2 has to take that crown. The Gamecube is still based upon the IBM standard as laid out by the mighty company in the mid 80's. What this means is it is still hindered by the same old problems dogging the PC standard, and no one will evelove it because it will write out all of the current PC users worldwide. The PS2 on the other hand has been designed entirely for the running of games and is more suited to this than running spreadsheets unlike the Xbox and Gamecube. Mainly because of it's memory and pipeline set-up. The problem with that is no-one really knows how to use the system yet, but the Xbox and Gamecube can come out running at full capacity. The PSOne was the same and we saw an evolution of graphics over a set period of time, something only seen on the N64 with the advent of the Expansion Pack.
In terms of the GBA, it is a marvelous little box, why, they have managed to make a SNES that small which runs off of batteries, with a screen that good. That was one of the main reasons for the demise of the Game Gear, it just didn't go very long, as was well documented by TV programs such as Bad Influence. The GBA on the other hand can run SNES standard programs off of bateries for 15 hours, I can't really see this being possible at N64 standard for about another 3 years. As for it being a controller for the Gamecube, it is again limited, with only 4 buttons compared to the Gamecubes 12, and one D pad, with no analogue joysticks, I think it is more likely to be used directly as a Transfer Pack, which we saw come into play late in the N64's life. This to me seems a much more sensible idea and one which could encourage GBA owners to by a Gamecube.
So in terms of being over before it even began, yas the handheld battle has already come and gone, but as for the big systems, don't count your chickens.
Whoever. Is it Ali? I thought it was Tony.
Still, same goes for him.
Still, same goes for him.
It appears this has won a GAD. What's Tony doing at the office now? I thought weekend GADS weren't judged untill Monday.
Must be working overtime what with the GBA and all.
Must be working overtime what with the GBA and all.
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