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Nintendo have got a problem, not a massive problem that requires much thought, yet a problem nevertheless. The problem is Christmas, and yep this is a problem. The main attraction to Nintendo’s console over the others is simple, if you want just a games console then why not pick up a Gamecube as opposed to the expensive DVD player/games consoles otherwise known as the PS2 and X-box. Well as of late it has gone slightly wrong; price cuts from both Sony and Microsoft mean that Nintendo’s console is only slightly cheaper than the opposition. The concept of paying an extra £30 and getting a DVD/CD player as well is very promising and Microsoft have just gone and made it worse.
When you buy a console you don’t simply think of the console price, you think of the games prices as well because lets face it how good is a games console without any games? Well Microsoft have realized this and for no extra cost they have thrown two games in with the system. That is an X-box, which can be upgraded to a DVD player and two games (Jet Set Radio: Future and Sega GT 2002) for £160. Well it only gets worse when you realize that Nintendo’s game bundle deal is Gamecube with Super Mario Sunshine is £165 you get less and it costs more. Now naturally the game that is bundled with the Gamecube carries a little more weight than Microsoft’s two (not only is it a better game but it is far more famous despite how incredible Jet Set Radio is) yet it does mean from a parents point of view that they will be getting their son/daughter a far larger present this Christmas. So what are Nintendo playing at, why are they taking so long to reduce the price of the Gamecube? It isn’t as if the company cannot afford it, the Gamecube in Japan is approximately £106 so why can’t a similar price cut be done over here?
Naturally it isn’t just the price that sells the system although for the naïve parents it is a major factor, it is also to do with the games. Nintendo has the upper hand over Microsoft in EVERY area this Christmas regarding the triple A games. Nintendo tend to always have 3 major titles under their development belt whereas it used to be Mario, Zelda and Perfect Dark it is now Mario, Zelda and Metroid. Super Mario Sunshine, The Legend of Zelda and Metroid Prime are not only the three Gamecube games they are also currently the 3 biggest games full stop. And for those who don’t know Metroid Prime is being released to coincide with the American Christmas market, The Legend of Zelda is being released for the Christmas market in Japan and Super Mario Sunshine was released within the Christmas quarter of this year in Europe. Now the effects of these games will be felt more dramatically in Japan, quite significant in America but only partially in Europe. Super Mario Sunshine was release far too early (did I just say that?) the game should have been released around now to truly affect the Christmas market and instead Nintendo are relying on the popular, good yet not ground breaking Starfox Adventures, Eternal Darkness and Mario Party 4. Flooding the release list with Second Party titles isn’t necessarily a bad thing yet can any of these three stand up against GTA Vice City? From a Nintendo fans point of view it could yet not in terms of how much they will sell.
Yet not is all lost for Gamecube this Christmas, the fun feeling generated by the Gamecube will be another factor in selling the Gamecube. The Christmas period is supposed to be a fun and enjoyable period and the Gamecube is depicted as a very fun console. Mario Sunshine is also seen as one hell of a lot of fun (which it is) and this means despite it being on the market for a month and a half will probably see a surge in sales in the run up for Christmas. This is why bundling it with the console is a very good idea. But why no price cut? Well there will be one although it is difficult to understand why Nintendo are waiting. There are many possibilities, maybe Nintendo are planning to spring one on us just before December and catch the Christmas sales period at its peak. Second is maybe they are not planning one this year at all. Think back to the N64, what did Nintendo do regarding that? They gave gamers the option, N64 with Goldeneye for a set price of N64 with Mario 64 for a set price. Now Nintendo maybe planning a similar idea, they already offer a bundle with Mario Sunshine but this won’t be pulling in teenage and adult gamers (despite teenage magazines awarding the game highly such as Kerrang, the dark and aggressive magazine gave Mario 5 K’s the highest award it offers and slated Microsoft’s Blinx and awarded it just 2 K’s). So what game could Nintendo be waiting for? Surly Resident Evil or Eternal Darkness would do the trick? Well in fact it wouldn’t despite them being great titles that have sold very well a bundle including them would only work in Japan (Japanese style game, there is a Resident Evil bundle in Japan, Eternal Darkness being made by a western developer won’t enjoy the same exposure). The type of game that would get a bundle in Europe would be a first person shooter and that is why I believe Nintendo are waiting for next year’s release of Metroid Prime. I think they Console will cost either £100 or £130 and be avalible in two’s, a purple Gamecube with Mario and a Black Gamecube with Metroid.
This offer would sell extremely well but with Metroid only just being done in time for the American Christmas market it means we won’t see it this year and it means the deal could not be done for this market. Is the price cut immanent? Definatly! But this Christmas Nintendo may have to rely on the GBA to shift Gamecube’s.
Dringo.
When you buy a console you don’t simply think of the console price, you think of the games prices as well because lets face it how good is a games console without any games? Well Microsoft have realized this and for no extra cost they have thrown two games in with the system. That is an X-box, which can be upgraded to a DVD player and two games (Jet Set Radio: Future and Sega GT 2002) for £160. Well it only gets worse when you realize that Nintendo’s game bundle deal is Gamecube with Super Mario Sunshine is £165 you get less and it costs more. Now naturally the game that is bundled with the Gamecube carries a little more weight than Microsoft’s two (not only is it a better game but it is far more famous despite how incredible Jet Set Radio is) yet it does mean from a parents point of view that they will be getting their son/daughter a far larger present this Christmas. So what are Nintendo playing at, why are they taking so long to reduce the price of the Gamecube? It isn’t as if the company cannot afford it, the Gamecube in Japan is approximately £106 so why can’t a similar price cut be done over here?
Naturally it isn’t just the price that sells the system although for the naïve parents it is a major factor, it is also to do with the games. Nintendo has the upper hand over Microsoft in EVERY area this Christmas regarding the triple A games. Nintendo tend to always have 3 major titles under their development belt whereas it used to be Mario, Zelda and Perfect Dark it is now Mario, Zelda and Metroid. Super Mario Sunshine, The Legend of Zelda and Metroid Prime are not only the three Gamecube games they are also currently the 3 biggest games full stop. And for those who don’t know Metroid Prime is being released to coincide with the American Christmas market, The Legend of Zelda is being released for the Christmas market in Japan and Super Mario Sunshine was released within the Christmas quarter of this year in Europe. Now the effects of these games will be felt more dramatically in Japan, quite significant in America but only partially in Europe. Super Mario Sunshine was release far too early (did I just say that?) the game should have been released around now to truly affect the Christmas market and instead Nintendo are relying on the popular, good yet not ground breaking Starfox Adventures, Eternal Darkness and Mario Party 4. Flooding the release list with Second Party titles isn’t necessarily a bad thing yet can any of these three stand up against GTA Vice City? From a Nintendo fans point of view it could yet not in terms of how much they will sell.
Yet not is all lost for Gamecube this Christmas, the fun feeling generated by the Gamecube will be another factor in selling the Gamecube. The Christmas period is supposed to be a fun and enjoyable period and the Gamecube is depicted as a very fun console. Mario Sunshine is also seen as one hell of a lot of fun (which it is) and this means despite it being on the market for a month and a half will probably see a surge in sales in the run up for Christmas. This is why bundling it with the console is a very good idea. But why no price cut? Well there will be one although it is difficult to understand why Nintendo are waiting. There are many possibilities, maybe Nintendo are planning to spring one on us just before December and catch the Christmas sales period at its peak. Second is maybe they are not planning one this year at all. Think back to the N64, what did Nintendo do regarding that? They gave gamers the option, N64 with Goldeneye for a set price of N64 with Mario 64 for a set price. Now Nintendo maybe planning a similar idea, they already offer a bundle with Mario Sunshine but this won’t be pulling in teenage and adult gamers (despite teenage magazines awarding the game highly such as Kerrang, the dark and aggressive magazine gave Mario 5 K’s the highest award it offers and slated Microsoft’s Blinx and awarded it just 2 K’s). So what game could Nintendo be waiting for? Surly Resident Evil or Eternal Darkness would do the trick? Well in fact it wouldn’t despite them being great titles that have sold very well a bundle including them would only work in Japan (Japanese style game, there is a Resident Evil bundle in Japan, Eternal Darkness being made by a western developer won’t enjoy the same exposure). The type of game that would get a bundle in Europe would be a first person shooter and that is why I believe Nintendo are waiting for next year’s release of Metroid Prime. I think they Console will cost either £100 or £130 and be avalible in two’s, a purple Gamecube with Mario and a Black Gamecube with Metroid.
This offer would sell extremely well but with Metroid only just being done in time for the American Christmas market it means we won’t see it this year and it means the deal could not be done for this market. Is the price cut immanent? Definatly! But this Christmas Nintendo may have to rely on the GBA to shift Gamecube’s.
Dringo.
Page:
rabid wrote:
> Another possibilty is if you asked 10 people that dont play games to
> name a console, im fairly sure 8 out of 10 would say (after a moments
> pause) 'Sony Playstation'
Funnily enough, on TV, instead of saying Games console etc, only have I seen two (of anything) say Playstation, and more likely to say Nintendo (although some are reather old), starangely, Sega never appears.
ANyone who has really known of video games for longer than the Playstation is more likely to say Nintendo than Playstation, and rightly so, Nintendo lead the market in most areas until the arrival of CD based systems, and their stupidity of releasing a cartridge based system.
> Another possibilty is if you asked 10 people that dont play games to
> name a console, im fairly sure 8 out of 10 would say (after a moments
> pause) 'Sony Playstation'
Funnily enough, on TV, instead of saying Games console etc, only have I seen two (of anything) say Playstation, and more likely to say Nintendo (although some are reather old), starangely, Sega never appears.
ANyone who has really known of video games for longer than the Playstation is more likely to say Nintendo than Playstation, and rightly so, Nintendo lead the market in most areas until the arrival of CD based systems, and their stupidity of releasing a cartridge based system.
auf deutsch wrote:
> I'm thinking that if Nintendo kept GC at £130 bundled with Mario
> or Metroid Prime, it would sell like hotcakes.
>
> Or if they just wanted a Gamecube, then reduce that to £100.
> That way it gives the buyer choice in what games to get.
The option of those three would be useful yet to sell one of these great games with the console for free means that the gamers get to experience the best of the Cube from day 1.
> I'm thinking that if Nintendo kept GC at £130 bundled with Mario
> or Metroid Prime, it would sell like hotcakes.
>
> Or if they just wanted a Gamecube, then reduce that to £100.
> That way it gives the buyer choice in what games to get.
The option of those three would be useful yet to sell one of these great games with the console for free means that the gamers get to experience the best of the Cube from day 1.
I hope a price cut happens soon as i am planning on buying a gamecube before christmas.
A price cut must be near. Despite me already having a Cube, so it doesen't matter to me, it'd be nice to see Nintendo competing.
Great post Dringo.
I'm thinking that if Nintendo kept GC at £130 bundled with Mario or Metroid Prime, it would sell like hotcakes.
Or if they just wanted a Gamecube, then reduce that to £100. That way it gives the buyer choice in what games to get.
I'm thinking that if Nintendo kept GC at £130 bundled with Mario or Metroid Prime, it would sell like hotcakes.
Or if they just wanted a Gamecube, then reduce that to £100. That way it gives the buyer choice in what games to get.
As silly as this may sound but is it possible that 1st time buyers are ignoring the GC in favour of the X-box and PS2 purely cos its 'small' i mean bigger means better right, and its cheap for a reason? and how can a small box compare to the mighty size of an X-box, its big cos its needs to be right? so the GC cant be as good.
Another possibilty is if you asked 10 people that dont play games to name a console, im fairly sure 8 out of 10 would say (after a moments pause) 'Sony Playstation'
Price cuts will obviously help GC sales but not really that much when you consider that MS and Sony are also price cutting.
I would hope that as more and more greatgames hit the GC that sales will increase (like Metroid Prime for ex) but to be brutaly honest, ive bought my Qube now and dont really care too much if some 13 yr old kid feels the need to buy an X-box cos it makes him feel more 'mature'
Another possibilty is if you asked 10 people that dont play games to name a console, im fairly sure 8 out of 10 would say (after a moments pause) 'Sony Playstation'
Price cuts will obviously help GC sales but not really that much when you consider that MS and Sony are also price cutting.
I would hope that as more and more greatgames hit the GC that sales will increase (like Metroid Prime for ex) but to be brutaly honest, ive bought my Qube now and dont really care too much if some 13 yr old kid feels the need to buy an X-box cos it makes him feel more 'mature'
Nintendo have got a problem, not a massive problem that requires much thought, yet a problem nevertheless. The problem is Christmas, and yep this is a problem. The main attraction to Nintendo’s console over the others is simple, if you want just a games console then why not pick up a Gamecube as opposed to the expensive DVD player/games consoles otherwise known as the PS2 and X-box. Well as of late it has gone slightly wrong; price cuts from both Sony and Microsoft mean that Nintendo’s console is only slightly cheaper than the opposition. The concept of paying an extra £30 and getting a DVD/CD player as well is very promising and Microsoft have just gone and made it worse.
When you buy a console you don’t simply think of the console price, you think of the games prices as well because lets face it how good is a games console without any games? Well Microsoft have realized this and for no extra cost they have thrown two games in with the system. That is an X-box, which can be upgraded to a DVD player and two games (Jet Set Radio: Future and Sega GT 2002) for £160. Well it only gets worse when you realize that Nintendo’s game bundle deal is Gamecube with Super Mario Sunshine is £165 you get less and it costs more. Now naturally the game that is bundled with the Gamecube carries a little more weight than Microsoft’s two (not only is it a better game but it is far more famous despite how incredible Jet Set Radio is) yet it does mean from a parents point of view that they will be getting their son/daughter a far larger present this Christmas. So what are Nintendo playing at, why are they taking so long to reduce the price of the Gamecube? It isn’t as if the company cannot afford it, the Gamecube in Japan is approximately £106 so why can’t a similar price cut be done over here?
Naturally it isn’t just the price that sells the system although for the naïve parents it is a major factor, it is also to do with the games. Nintendo has the upper hand over Microsoft in EVERY area this Christmas regarding the triple A games. Nintendo tend to always have 3 major titles under their development belt whereas it used to be Mario, Zelda and Perfect Dark it is now Mario, Zelda and Metroid. Super Mario Sunshine, The Legend of Zelda and Metroid Prime are not only the three Gamecube games they are also currently the 3 biggest games full stop. And for those who don’t know Metroid Prime is being released to coincide with the American Christmas market, The Legend of Zelda is being released for the Christmas market in Japan and Super Mario Sunshine was released within the Christmas quarter of this year in Europe. Now the effects of these games will be felt more dramatically in Japan, quite significant in America but only partially in Europe. Super Mario Sunshine was release far too early (did I just say that?) the game should have been released around now to truly affect the Christmas market and instead Nintendo are relying on the popular, good yet not ground breaking Starfox Adventures, Eternal Darkness and Mario Party 4. Flooding the release list with Second Party titles isn’t necessarily a bad thing yet can any of these three stand up against GTA Vice City? From a Nintendo fans point of view it could yet not in terms of how much they will sell.
Yet not is all lost for Gamecube this Christmas, the fun feeling generated by the Gamecube will be another factor in selling the Gamecube. The Christmas period is supposed to be a fun and enjoyable period and the Gamecube is depicted as a very fun console. Mario Sunshine is also seen as one hell of a lot of fun (which it is) and this means despite it being on the market for a month and a half will probably see a surge in sales in the run up for Christmas. This is why bundling it with the console is a very good idea. But why no price cut? Well there will be one although it is difficult to understand why Nintendo are waiting. There are many possibilities, maybe Nintendo are planning to spring one on us just before December and catch the Christmas sales period at its peak. Second is maybe they are not planning one this year at all. Think back to the N64, what did Nintendo do regarding that? They gave gamers the option, N64 with Goldeneye for a set price of N64 with Mario 64 for a set price. Now Nintendo maybe planning a similar idea, they already offer a bundle with Mario Sunshine but this won’t be pulling in teenage and adult gamers (despite teenage magazines awarding the game highly such as Kerrang, the dark and aggressive magazine gave Mario 5 K’s the highest award it offers and slated Microsoft’s Blinx and awarded it just 2 K’s). So what game could Nintendo be waiting for? Surly Resident Evil or Eternal Darkness would do the trick? Well in fact it wouldn’t despite them being great titles that have sold very well a bundle including them would only work in Japan (Japanese style game, there is a Resident Evil bundle in Japan, Eternal Darkness being made by a western developer won’t enjoy the same exposure). The type of game that would get a bundle in Europe would be a first person shooter and that is why I believe Nintendo are waiting for next year’s release of Metroid Prime. I think they Console will cost either £100 or £130 and be avalible in two’s, a purple Gamecube with Mario and a Black Gamecube with Metroid.
This offer would sell extremely well but with Metroid only just being done in time for the American Christmas market it means we won’t see it this year and it means the deal could not be done for this market. Is the price cut immanent? Definatly! But this Christmas Nintendo may have to rely on the GBA to shift Gamecube’s.
Dringo.
When you buy a console you don’t simply think of the console price, you think of the games prices as well because lets face it how good is a games console without any games? Well Microsoft have realized this and for no extra cost they have thrown two games in with the system. That is an X-box, which can be upgraded to a DVD player and two games (Jet Set Radio: Future and Sega GT 2002) for £160. Well it only gets worse when you realize that Nintendo’s game bundle deal is Gamecube with Super Mario Sunshine is £165 you get less and it costs more. Now naturally the game that is bundled with the Gamecube carries a little more weight than Microsoft’s two (not only is it a better game but it is far more famous despite how incredible Jet Set Radio is) yet it does mean from a parents point of view that they will be getting their son/daughter a far larger present this Christmas. So what are Nintendo playing at, why are they taking so long to reduce the price of the Gamecube? It isn’t as if the company cannot afford it, the Gamecube in Japan is approximately £106 so why can’t a similar price cut be done over here?
Naturally it isn’t just the price that sells the system although for the naïve parents it is a major factor, it is also to do with the games. Nintendo has the upper hand over Microsoft in EVERY area this Christmas regarding the triple A games. Nintendo tend to always have 3 major titles under their development belt whereas it used to be Mario, Zelda and Perfect Dark it is now Mario, Zelda and Metroid. Super Mario Sunshine, The Legend of Zelda and Metroid Prime are not only the three Gamecube games they are also currently the 3 biggest games full stop. And for those who don’t know Metroid Prime is being released to coincide with the American Christmas market, The Legend of Zelda is being released for the Christmas market in Japan and Super Mario Sunshine was released within the Christmas quarter of this year in Europe. Now the effects of these games will be felt more dramatically in Japan, quite significant in America but only partially in Europe. Super Mario Sunshine was release far too early (did I just say that?) the game should have been released around now to truly affect the Christmas market and instead Nintendo are relying on the popular, good yet not ground breaking Starfox Adventures, Eternal Darkness and Mario Party 4. Flooding the release list with Second Party titles isn’t necessarily a bad thing yet can any of these three stand up against GTA Vice City? From a Nintendo fans point of view it could yet not in terms of how much they will sell.
Yet not is all lost for Gamecube this Christmas, the fun feeling generated by the Gamecube will be another factor in selling the Gamecube. The Christmas period is supposed to be a fun and enjoyable period and the Gamecube is depicted as a very fun console. Mario Sunshine is also seen as one hell of a lot of fun (which it is) and this means despite it being on the market for a month and a half will probably see a surge in sales in the run up for Christmas. This is why bundling it with the console is a very good idea. But why no price cut? Well there will be one although it is difficult to understand why Nintendo are waiting. There are many possibilities, maybe Nintendo are planning to spring one on us just before December and catch the Christmas sales period at its peak. Second is maybe they are not planning one this year at all. Think back to the N64, what did Nintendo do regarding that? They gave gamers the option, N64 with Goldeneye for a set price of N64 with Mario 64 for a set price. Now Nintendo maybe planning a similar idea, they already offer a bundle with Mario Sunshine but this won’t be pulling in teenage and adult gamers (despite teenage magazines awarding the game highly such as Kerrang, the dark and aggressive magazine gave Mario 5 K’s the highest award it offers and slated Microsoft’s Blinx and awarded it just 2 K’s). So what game could Nintendo be waiting for? Surly Resident Evil or Eternal Darkness would do the trick? Well in fact it wouldn’t despite them being great titles that have sold very well a bundle including them would only work in Japan (Japanese style game, there is a Resident Evil bundle in Japan, Eternal Darkness being made by a western developer won’t enjoy the same exposure). The type of game that would get a bundle in Europe would be a first person shooter and that is why I believe Nintendo are waiting for next year’s release of Metroid Prime. I think they Console will cost either £100 or £130 and be avalible in two’s, a purple Gamecube with Mario and a Black Gamecube with Metroid.
This offer would sell extremely well but with Metroid only just being done in time for the American Christmas market it means we won’t see it this year and it means the deal could not be done for this market. Is the price cut immanent? Definatly! But this Christmas Nintendo may have to rely on the GBA to shift Gamecube’s.
Dringo.
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