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From what only appears to be a gaming rut of hell... Nintendo are sliding... fast.
The console has only been out a year but failing to reach tragets by just under 50% was a drastic disaster for Nintendo. GBA selling millions or not Nintendo will not keep a dead weight going as long as Microsoft will. Sales for Nintendo's Gamecube are at the stage where they ARE indeed making money... but recent reports show this is only a temporay thing.
Dixons and Argos have removed their Gamecube stock. Argos are only willing to stock under 50% of their normal Gamecube shipments but originally planned to cut the console all together. The GAME group have also scaled down its Gamecube size and so has Blockbuster/Choices who are removing Gamecube stock all together from certain stores. Despite shocking concerns it doesn't appear all TOO bad, Nintendo stock is still booming in certain retailers with Special Reserve indicating that they are enjoying some success with Nintendo's console. Also independant retailers across britain are enjoying some success.
Nevertheless it all looked grim but Nintendo have to face another problem... the 3rd parties. Whereas the N64 began with little 3rd party support and that grew, it is the opposite for the Cube. Codemasters already withdrew from Nintendo support and the success of Zelda was to define Infogrammes support. Capcom are trying to shift attention slowly back to Sony and SEGA's new plan includes a dramatic recline in Nintendo support.
In an attempt to counter-act the problem Nintendo are to produce a royalty scheme. Nintendo will also stop the high prices 3rd parties are forced to spend. EA, the biggest company that threatened to leave Nintendo, the company that broke SEGA, were the last straw for Nintendo and their 'wait and see' attitude. EA are vital to Nintendo's success and So Nintendo revealed that a deal broke last month, Nintendo offered Electronic Arts a fresh royalty break of the cost of game production, plus $1 US, resulting in the slew of titles announced by Electronic Arts during March.
A similar deal (although not AS great) is being done to all 3rd parties. Nintendo have their backs to the wall, the games that saved them during the N64 are NOT doing it this time. Zelda and Mario unsuprisingly hit the number one spot but for a mere week, Mario's success was similar to Pikmin's in Japan and this was a devestating blow. In an attempt to push Zelda Nintendo announced a bonus disc. It took record pre-orders but then, as it with Mario, the game dropped!
Metroid Prime did moderate success again and just as Nintendo had hoped... great but not world smashing. Nintendo realize that it is the other developers that can unleash a smash hit and so losing them would be killer.
It is the new titles that Nintendo are developing that look to save the company in the long run. Pikmin did VERY well and as the game gets a sequel, and another... the game will become bigger. Metroid Prime is also looking like a firm favourite for the west. Animal Crossing is also set to get bigger.
But these games will take time to reach critical success... the third parties and the dwindeling success of their ancient franchises Zelda and Mario are all Nintendo have left to stay alive.
Maybe it is time Pokemon returned to the home consoles... and then we may have that temporary revival that is so vital.
Dringo.
The console has only been out a year but failing to reach tragets by just under 50% was a drastic disaster for Nintendo. GBA selling millions or not Nintendo will not keep a dead weight going as long as Microsoft will. Sales for Nintendo's Gamecube are at the stage where they ARE indeed making money... but recent reports show this is only a temporay thing.
Dixons and Argos have removed their Gamecube stock. Argos are only willing to stock under 50% of their normal Gamecube shipments but originally planned to cut the console all together. The GAME group have also scaled down its Gamecube size and so has Blockbuster/Choices who are removing Gamecube stock all together from certain stores. Despite shocking concerns it doesn't appear all TOO bad, Nintendo stock is still booming in certain retailers with Special Reserve indicating that they are enjoying some success with Nintendo's console. Also independant retailers across britain are enjoying some success.
Nevertheless it all looked grim but Nintendo have to face another problem... the 3rd parties. Whereas the N64 began with little 3rd party support and that grew, it is the opposite for the Cube. Codemasters already withdrew from Nintendo support and the success of Zelda was to define Infogrammes support. Capcom are trying to shift attention slowly back to Sony and SEGA's new plan includes a dramatic recline in Nintendo support.
In an attempt to counter-act the problem Nintendo are to produce a royalty scheme. Nintendo will also stop the high prices 3rd parties are forced to spend. EA, the biggest company that threatened to leave Nintendo, the company that broke SEGA, were the last straw for Nintendo and their 'wait and see' attitude. EA are vital to Nintendo's success and So Nintendo revealed that a deal broke last month, Nintendo offered Electronic Arts a fresh royalty break of the cost of game production, plus $1 US, resulting in the slew of titles announced by Electronic Arts during March.
A similar deal (although not AS great) is being done to all 3rd parties. Nintendo have their backs to the wall, the games that saved them during the N64 are NOT doing it this time. Zelda and Mario unsuprisingly hit the number one spot but for a mere week, Mario's success was similar to Pikmin's in Japan and this was a devestating blow. In an attempt to push Zelda Nintendo announced a bonus disc. It took record pre-orders but then, as it with Mario, the game dropped!
Metroid Prime did moderate success again and just as Nintendo had hoped... great but not world smashing. Nintendo realize that it is the other developers that can unleash a smash hit and so losing them would be killer.
It is the new titles that Nintendo are developing that look to save the company in the long run. Pikmin did VERY well and as the game gets a sequel, and another... the game will become bigger. Metroid Prime is also looking like a firm favourite for the west. Animal Crossing is also set to get bigger.
But these games will take time to reach critical success... the third parties and the dwindeling success of their ancient franchises Zelda and Mario are all Nintendo have left to stay alive.
Maybe it is time Pokemon returned to the home consoles... and then we may have that temporary revival that is so vital.
Dringo.
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Savatt78 wrote:
> Dr Duck wrote:
> Saw the gba version of that a couple of days ago. If/when I get the
> gba, that'll be mighty tempting.
>
> I'll get you next time Tarquin...
>
> Is it out already ?? Ooooooooo, think I'll have to pick that up.
> ;-)
> If I remember right, I used to use Jake (think that was his name).
> One of my friends used to use Tarquin - leaving a ton of mines for him
> to roll over never got boring. ;-))
Jake was always my favourite also, I may need to steal it off of my brother next time I'm at his house... that game rocked (and rolled).
Dr Duck, you say it's out do you?
> Dr Duck wrote:
> Saw the gba version of that a couple of days ago. If/when I get the
> gba, that'll be mighty tempting.
>
> I'll get you next time Tarquin...
>
> Is it out already ?? Ooooooooo, think I'll have to pick that up.
> ;-)
> If I remember right, I used to use Jake (think that was his name).
> One of my friends used to use Tarquin - leaving a ton of mines for him
> to roll over never got boring. ;-))
Jake was always my favourite also, I may need to steal it off of my brother next time I'm at his house... that game rocked (and rolled).
Dr Duck, you say it's out do you?
If Nintendo fail to reach their targets their share holders won't be too happy.
Dringo wrote:
> The console has only been out a year but failing to reach tragets by
> just under 50% was a drastic disaster for Nintendo. GBA selling
> millions or not Nintendo will not keep a dead weight going as long as
> Microsoft will. Sales for Nintendo's Gamecube are at the stage where
> they ARE indeed making money... but recent reports show this is only a
> temporay thing.
Only a temporay thing that they are making money?
Due to the fact that Nintendo hasn't reached their target by a long way, they have only dropped their estimate profits from 80 billion yen ($663 million) to 66 billion yen ($547 million). I somehow think this will be sufficient to keep Nintendo going for quite a while. And long enough for them to release a bunch of other console selling games like Mario Kart, Metroid 2 etc etc.
:)
> The console has only been out a year but failing to reach tragets by
> just under 50% was a drastic disaster for Nintendo. GBA selling
> millions or not Nintendo will not keep a dead weight going as long as
> Microsoft will. Sales for Nintendo's Gamecube are at the stage where
> they ARE indeed making money... but recent reports show this is only a
> temporay thing.
Only a temporay thing that they are making money?
Due to the fact that Nintendo hasn't reached their target by a long way, they have only dropped their estimate profits from 80 billion yen ($663 million) to 66 billion yen ($547 million). I somehow think this will be sufficient to keep Nintendo going for quite a while. And long enough for them to release a bunch of other console selling games like Mario Kart, Metroid 2 etc etc.
:)
Last time I went into Blockbuster it looked as if they hadn't even heard of the Gamecube. They had about five games in a tiny space, I think it was ISS, WrestleMania and some other not exactly new games. I was looking to rent Mario Party 4, but they only had the display copy thingy.
Must.. get.. gba...
:^)
:^)
Dr Duck wrote:
> Saw the gba version of that a couple of days ago. If/when I get the
> gba, that'll be mighty tempting.
>
> I'll get you next time Tarquin...
Is it out already ?? Ooooooooo, think I'll have to pick that up. ;-)
If I remember right, I used to use Jake (think that was his name). One of my friends used to use Tarquin - leaving a ton of mines for him to roll over never got boring. ;-))
> Saw the gba version of that a couple of days ago. If/when I get the
> gba, that'll be mighty tempting.
>
> I'll get you next time Tarquin...
Is it out already ?? Ooooooooo, think I'll have to pick that up. ;-)
If I remember right, I used to use Jake (think that was his name). One of my friends used to use Tarquin - leaving a ton of mines for him to roll over never got boring. ;-))
Dr Gonzo wrote:
> Strafex wrote:
> Mav, the fact that Nintendo aren't all corporate and mainstream
> suck-ups is what makes them so special.
>
> Yeah! Nintendo - the nice friendly company who held the entire
> console market at gun point for years, demanding severely inflated
> prices and holding back technology to boost their already huge
> profits. Illegally taking part in cartels with retailers and
> distributors to grab even more cash, annoyed every single publisher
> and third party by their ridiculous royalty scheme. Even walked out
> on an agreement with Sony that resulted in the PSX – the act that
> ultimately set off a chain of events that would show Nintendo as the
> brutally unreasonable corporation that they were.
>
> They still haven't got over their arrogance from the early 90's,
> unfortunately for them no one else has forgotten how Ninty treaded
> them either.
That wasn't what I meant - I know perfectly well how much Nintendo abused their early power.
I was talking about how they dare to make "unfashionable" games - the sort that don't rely on a lisence of some sort (sport or film) or guns, shooting and violence to sell, even though it gives them a "kiddie" reputation as a result.
Very few other companies could produce a game like Pikmin.
I suppose I shouldn't have used the word "corporate" and just stuck with "mainstream suck-ups"! :-)
> Strafex wrote:
> Mav, the fact that Nintendo aren't all corporate and mainstream
> suck-ups is what makes them so special.
>
> Yeah! Nintendo - the nice friendly company who held the entire
> console market at gun point for years, demanding severely inflated
> prices and holding back technology to boost their already huge
> profits. Illegally taking part in cartels with retailers and
> distributors to grab even more cash, annoyed every single publisher
> and third party by their ridiculous royalty scheme. Even walked out
> on an agreement with Sony that resulted in the PSX – the act that
> ultimately set off a chain of events that would show Nintendo as the
> brutally unreasonable corporation that they were.
>
> They still haven't got over their arrogance from the early 90's,
> unfortunately for them no one else has forgotten how Ninty treaded
> them either.
That wasn't what I meant - I know perfectly well how much Nintendo abused their early power.
I was talking about how they dare to make "unfashionable" games - the sort that don't rely on a lisence of some sort (sport or film) or guns, shooting and violence to sell, even though it gives them a "kiddie" reputation as a result.
Very few other companies could produce a game like Pikmin.
I suppose I shouldn't have used the word "corporate" and just stuck with "mainstream suck-ups"! :-)
Oh, and Bucky O'Hare sucked.
Sorry, but it needed saying
Sorry, but it needed saying
Savatt78 wrote:
> Rock N Roll Racing
Saw the gba version of that a couple of days ago. If/when I get the gba, that'll be mighty tempting.
I'll get you next time Tarquin...
> Rock N Roll Racing
Saw the gba version of that a couple of days ago. If/when I get the gba, that'll be mighty tempting.
I'll get you next time Tarquin...
Whitestripes wrote:
> Games that should be made for GC:
>
> Castlevania
> Goeman
> Pilotwings
> Pokemon
> Earthbound
>
> uh...add to the list
Probotector (the better version of Contra)
Secret Of Mana
Duck Hunt (hey I'd like to see a mass update of it anyway !) ;-)
Final Fight (a new game, not a remake of the old ones)
Donkey Kong
Kid Icarus
Devil May Cry
Streets Of Rage
Chrono Trigger
Gouls & Ghosts
Punch Out
Rock N Roll Racing
Pop N Twinbee
UN Squadron
I'd also really like to see a cell shaded Simpsons game. I think too many developers try to go for the 3D look. Making it look like the series would be so much better. ;-)
> Games that should be made for GC:
>
> Castlevania
> Goeman
> Pilotwings
> Pokemon
> Earthbound
>
> uh...add to the list
Probotector (the better version of Contra)
Secret Of Mana
Duck Hunt (hey I'd like to see a mass update of it anyway !) ;-)
Final Fight (a new game, not a remake of the old ones)
Donkey Kong
Kid Icarus
Devil May Cry
Streets Of Rage
Chrono Trigger
Gouls & Ghosts
Punch Out
Rock N Roll Racing
Pop N Twinbee
UN Squadron
I'd also really like to see a cell shaded Simpsons game. I think too many developers try to go for the 3D look. Making it look like the series would be so much better. ;-)
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