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With the recent announcements from the new Nintendo President and articles in the Official Nintendo Magazine and NGC's latest issue it's become clear that Shigsy and Nintendo itself are taking one of the biggest gamebles ever.
Whilst rivals Microsoft and Sony are already talking of their next new all singing, all dancing consoles, and the fabled world of Broadband gaming, Nintendo are going to concentrate on.......GAMES !
Nintendo's thinking, as I'm sure many of you will already know, is that games consoles are technically advanced enough to allow developers to create outstanding games without another massive hardware leap. Given time , devlopers will have to squeeze more and more out of the console hardware rather than leaving the next big game until the next big console.
In a new gaming age, where many consider graphics, sound and presentation, over gameplay, this may be business suicide for Nintendo...or so Sony and Microsoft would probably have us all believe. Me ? I reckon that it is about time ! Look at the PC situation, each years games need ever higher requirements yet most, even Medal Of Honour Allied Assault, do not fully push the massive specs they demand. "Look ! Every leaf is animated ! Every grain of sand is textured" and similar cry's come from the minority of PC gamers who are actually happy they have to constantly upgrade to play the latest and greatest games properly. With consoles, this situation is beginning, with Microsoft and Sony anyway, Hard Drives, Keyboards, Broadband modems - it's a slippery slope to start upon. In Japan Final Fantasy XI has been a disaster in terms of making money with many gamers unwilling to buy Sony's Hard Drive just to play....yep you heard me right...a Final Fantasy game isn't doing well. Look back upon Squaresoft's history with this franchise and you'd see all the games doing variably well in Japan....except this one ! The first to need more than the console and memory card... see a trend anyone ?
Now, Nintendo have always been good at one thing, outstandingly good in fact, GAMES. Originality and playability are excellent, and with the Gamecube this hasn't been a problem. I've had a Playstation 2 from day one and I'll tell you now, no games have ever impressed me as much as what I've seen the Gamecube do. I was one of those people saying this console was for kids - I'll eat my words, it isn't !
And this is why I think Nintendo may be holding an ace up their sleave, several in fact, tens of them (those cheaters !!)
I'm sick of Playstation 2 releases which promise all and do little to deliver. Final Fantasy X was great, as an interactive movie, Deus Ex - well it's an old PC game but looks worse, Virtua Fighter 4 so badly wants to be Dead Or Alive 3, and even Grand Theft Auto 3 is getting tedious. On the Xbox, must get games are slow to come. Sure the graphics rock, but to me, a semi seasoned gamer, the playability and new ideas are not there. ON the Gamecube titles like Super Smash Bros, Monkey Ball, Pikmin e.t.c. offer an older gamer like me something unique and different. And that is the key factor, older gamers are starting to see the beloved purple box isn't for kids, and older gamers generally buy games, lots of them...and the console succeeds over others. Sony did it with Playstation 2 and Grand Theft Auto 3, but was that the right kind of game to attract long term serious money spending gamers ? I don't think so, mostly.
If you want violent games get a Playstation 2, if you want games that are so pretty your eyes will melt get an Xbox, if you want to play games and have serious fun, get a Gamecube !
~~Belldandy~~ (Returning from a long absence :) )
Whilst rivals Microsoft and Sony are already talking of their next new all singing, all dancing consoles, and the fabled world of Broadband gaming, Nintendo are going to concentrate on.......GAMES !
Nintendo's thinking, as I'm sure many of you will already know, is that games consoles are technically advanced enough to allow developers to create outstanding games without another massive hardware leap. Given time , devlopers will have to squeeze more and more out of the console hardware rather than leaving the next big game until the next big console.
In a new gaming age, where many consider graphics, sound and presentation, over gameplay, this may be business suicide for Nintendo...or so Sony and Microsoft would probably have us all believe. Me ? I reckon that it is about time ! Look at the PC situation, each years games need ever higher requirements yet most, even Medal Of Honour Allied Assault, do not fully push the massive specs they demand. "Look ! Every leaf is animated ! Every grain of sand is textured" and similar cry's come from the minority of PC gamers who are actually happy they have to constantly upgrade to play the latest and greatest games properly. With consoles, this situation is beginning, with Microsoft and Sony anyway, Hard Drives, Keyboards, Broadband modems - it's a slippery slope to start upon. In Japan Final Fantasy XI has been a disaster in terms of making money with many gamers unwilling to buy Sony's Hard Drive just to play....yep you heard me right...a Final Fantasy game isn't doing well. Look back upon Squaresoft's history with this franchise and you'd see all the games doing variably well in Japan....except this one ! The first to need more than the console and memory card... see a trend anyone ?
Now, Nintendo have always been good at one thing, outstandingly good in fact, GAMES. Originality and playability are excellent, and with the Gamecube this hasn't been a problem. I've had a Playstation 2 from day one and I'll tell you now, no games have ever impressed me as much as what I've seen the Gamecube do. I was one of those people saying this console was for kids - I'll eat my words, it isn't !
And this is why I think Nintendo may be holding an ace up their sleave, several in fact, tens of them (those cheaters !!)
I'm sick of Playstation 2 releases which promise all and do little to deliver. Final Fantasy X was great, as an interactive movie, Deus Ex - well it's an old PC game but looks worse, Virtua Fighter 4 so badly wants to be Dead Or Alive 3, and even Grand Theft Auto 3 is getting tedious. On the Xbox, must get games are slow to come. Sure the graphics rock, but to me, a semi seasoned gamer, the playability and new ideas are not there. ON the Gamecube titles like Super Smash Bros, Monkey Ball, Pikmin e.t.c. offer an older gamer like me something unique and different. And that is the key factor, older gamers are starting to see the beloved purple box isn't for kids, and older gamers generally buy games, lots of them...and the console succeeds over others. Sony did it with Playstation 2 and Grand Theft Auto 3, but was that the right kind of game to attract long term serious money spending gamers ? I don't think so, mostly.
If you want violent games get a Playstation 2, if you want games that are so pretty your eyes will melt get an Xbox, if you want to play games and have serious fun, get a Gamecube !
~~Belldandy~~ (Returning from a long absence :) )
It isn't really very safe to do what Nintendo are doing, because previously all console makers have let iot be known that, a few months after the new console is out, the next is being made. Nintendo's saying that with them this just is not the case and that , at the moment, there are no plans for a new console. In 2-3 years time, Sony's next console will be out, and later on Microsoft's, and both will undoubtedly be very powerful in comparison to the Gamecube which will only be halfway through Nintendo's predicted lifespan of 6 years. In the face of faster and better looking games from rivals, Nintendo are relying on gamers to see through to the gameplay itself and the unique titles of the company. if Nintendo are wrong then 3 years from now it's effectively game over for them and the console, and who oj earth will be interested in developing for Nintendo if the same happens to Gamecube as to the N64 ?? So far comparisons with the N64 aren't possible, launch has gone very well, the games are flowing through pretty fast, and European conversions are good (60hz e.t.c.). The Wavebird is perhaps one of the better console innovations seen since the next gen machiines came out - it's useful, simple to use, and makes life easeir when playing games !
I agree with the post, but I wouldn't say Nintendo is gambling.
Infact they're playing it VERY safe.
Instead of pushing out loads of money messing around with broadband or trying to get the most powerful but expensive console out, they've gone for cost efficiency.
That's why although the Gamecube is ever so slightly out done by the Xbox (barely noticable difference though), you get more for your price.
And what the Gamecube lacks in all out power is made up for Nintendo's game design.
They're simply doing the same trade they've been doing for over 30 years.
They're playing it safe. Selling it making it cheap, not throwing cash at a console to make it sell (unlike 2 certain companys who prefer to spend BILLIONS on advertising) and finding an optimum between sales and losses to get the tidiest profit in the end.
Infact they're playing it VERY safe.
Instead of pushing out loads of money messing around with broadband or trying to get the most powerful but expensive console out, they've gone for cost efficiency.
That's why although the Gamecube is ever so slightly out done by the Xbox (barely noticable difference though), you get more for your price.
And what the Gamecube lacks in all out power is made up for Nintendo's game design.
They're simply doing the same trade they've been doing for over 30 years.
They're playing it safe. Selling it making it cheap, not throwing cash at a console to make it sell (unlike 2 certain companys who prefer to spend BILLIONS on advertising) and finding an optimum between sales and losses to get the tidiest profit in the end.
I think that people select their console for many reasons and not purely on what type of game they might play usually. Some people will go for the type of console that they will always have bought, but others like variety in the consoles and games they play. I bought a gamecube as I know it would be reliable, I have always bought Nintendo products as I know the types of games well, it was at a very good price. But I agree with you on the fact that the three main companies alter their style of games and how they use that to get different kinds of people to buy there fun, multiplayer games. But good post.
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Good post mate, I totally agree. Did you know that the majority of people who play Nintendo games are aged around 23, I think that preety much proves that Nintendo games aren't kiddy, they just rely on gameplay instead of "oooh look in this you can chop off peoples genitals with a cheese grater i's soooo realistic".
With the recent announcements from the new Nintendo President and articles in the Official Nintendo Magazine and NGC's latest issue it's become clear that Shigsy and Nintendo itself are taking one of the biggest gamebles ever.
Whilst rivals Microsoft and Sony are already talking of their next new all singing, all dancing consoles, and the fabled world of Broadband gaming, Nintendo are going to concentrate on.......GAMES !
Nintendo's thinking, as I'm sure many of you will already know, is that games consoles are technically advanced enough to allow developers to create outstanding games without another massive hardware leap. Given time , devlopers will have to squeeze more and more out of the console hardware rather than leaving the next big game until the next big console.
In a new gaming age, where many consider graphics, sound and presentation, over gameplay, this may be business suicide for Nintendo...or so Sony and Microsoft would probably have us all believe. Me ? I reckon that it is about time ! Look at the PC situation, each years games need ever higher requirements yet most, even Medal Of Honour Allied Assault, do not fully push the massive specs they demand. "Look ! Every leaf is animated ! Every grain of sand is textured" and similar cry's come from the minority of PC gamers who are actually happy they have to constantly upgrade to play the latest and greatest games properly. With consoles, this situation is beginning, with Microsoft and Sony anyway, Hard Drives, Keyboards, Broadband modems - it's a slippery slope to start upon. In Japan Final Fantasy XI has been a disaster in terms of making money with many gamers unwilling to buy Sony's Hard Drive just to play....yep you heard me right...a Final Fantasy game isn't doing well. Look back upon Squaresoft's history with this franchise and you'd see all the games doing variably well in Japan....except this one ! The first to need more than the console and memory card... see a trend anyone ?
Now, Nintendo have always been good at one thing, outstandingly good in fact, GAMES. Originality and playability are excellent, and with the Gamecube this hasn't been a problem. I've had a Playstation 2 from day one and I'll tell you now, no games have ever impressed me as much as what I've seen the Gamecube do. I was one of those people saying this console was for kids - I'll eat my words, it isn't !
And this is why I think Nintendo may be holding an ace up their sleave, several in fact, tens of them (those cheaters !!)
I'm sick of Playstation 2 releases which promise all and do little to deliver. Final Fantasy X was great, as an interactive movie, Deus Ex - well it's an old PC game but looks worse, Virtua Fighter 4 so badly wants to be Dead Or Alive 3, and even Grand Theft Auto 3 is getting tedious. On the Xbox, must get games are slow to come. Sure the graphics rock, but to me, a semi seasoned gamer, the playability and new ideas are not there. ON the Gamecube titles like Super Smash Bros, Monkey Ball, Pikmin e.t.c. offer an older gamer like me something unique and different. And that is the key factor, older gamers are starting to see the beloved purple box isn't for kids, and older gamers generally buy games, lots of them...and the console succeeds over others. Sony did it with Playstation 2 and Grand Theft Auto 3, but was that the right kind of game to attract long term serious money spending gamers ? I don't think so, mostly.
If you want violent games get a Playstation 2, if you want games that are so pretty your eyes will melt get an Xbox, if you want to play games and have serious fun, get a Gamecube !
~~Belldandy~~ (Returning from a long absence :) )
Whilst rivals Microsoft and Sony are already talking of their next new all singing, all dancing consoles, and the fabled world of Broadband gaming, Nintendo are going to concentrate on.......GAMES !
Nintendo's thinking, as I'm sure many of you will already know, is that games consoles are technically advanced enough to allow developers to create outstanding games without another massive hardware leap. Given time , devlopers will have to squeeze more and more out of the console hardware rather than leaving the next big game until the next big console.
In a new gaming age, where many consider graphics, sound and presentation, over gameplay, this may be business suicide for Nintendo...or so Sony and Microsoft would probably have us all believe. Me ? I reckon that it is about time ! Look at the PC situation, each years games need ever higher requirements yet most, even Medal Of Honour Allied Assault, do not fully push the massive specs they demand. "Look ! Every leaf is animated ! Every grain of sand is textured" and similar cry's come from the minority of PC gamers who are actually happy they have to constantly upgrade to play the latest and greatest games properly. With consoles, this situation is beginning, with Microsoft and Sony anyway, Hard Drives, Keyboards, Broadband modems - it's a slippery slope to start upon. In Japan Final Fantasy XI has been a disaster in terms of making money with many gamers unwilling to buy Sony's Hard Drive just to play....yep you heard me right...a Final Fantasy game isn't doing well. Look back upon Squaresoft's history with this franchise and you'd see all the games doing variably well in Japan....except this one ! The first to need more than the console and memory card... see a trend anyone ?
Now, Nintendo have always been good at one thing, outstandingly good in fact, GAMES. Originality and playability are excellent, and with the Gamecube this hasn't been a problem. I've had a Playstation 2 from day one and I'll tell you now, no games have ever impressed me as much as what I've seen the Gamecube do. I was one of those people saying this console was for kids - I'll eat my words, it isn't !
And this is why I think Nintendo may be holding an ace up their sleave, several in fact, tens of them (those cheaters !!)
I'm sick of Playstation 2 releases which promise all and do little to deliver. Final Fantasy X was great, as an interactive movie, Deus Ex - well it's an old PC game but looks worse, Virtua Fighter 4 so badly wants to be Dead Or Alive 3, and even Grand Theft Auto 3 is getting tedious. On the Xbox, must get games are slow to come. Sure the graphics rock, but to me, a semi seasoned gamer, the playability and new ideas are not there. ON the Gamecube titles like Super Smash Bros, Monkey Ball, Pikmin e.t.c. offer an older gamer like me something unique and different. And that is the key factor, older gamers are starting to see the beloved purple box isn't for kids, and older gamers generally buy games, lots of them...and the console succeeds over others. Sony did it with Playstation 2 and Grand Theft Auto 3, but was that the right kind of game to attract long term serious money spending gamers ? I don't think so, mostly.
If you want violent games get a Playstation 2, if you want games that are so pretty your eyes will melt get an Xbox, if you want to play games and have serious fun, get a Gamecube !
~~Belldandy~~ (Returning from a long absence :) )