Is Nintendo Giving Up?

[EdwardKnoxII 0]

http://money.cnn.com/2004/02/10/commentary...aming/index.htm

 

GameCube jitters

 

Nintendo disputes report that it puts next generation machine on hold.

February 10, 2004: 10:42 AM EST

 

NEW YORK (CNN/Money) – The Nintendo faithful are nervous these days.

 

On one hand, Shigeru Miyamoto, Nintendo's chief game architect (and the inventor of Mario, Donkey Kong and Zelda), told the latest issue of "Official Nintendo Magazine" that the company is hard at work on the successor to the GameCube. On the other is a report in a leading Japanese newspaper that Nintendo has decided not to release a follow-up console for at least two or three years, opting instead to focus on additional games and peripherals for the GameCube.

 

Nintendo's corporate office denied the report, which originated in the Nihon Keizai Shimbun newspaper.

 

"Are we getting out of the hardware business? Absolutely not," said Perrin Kaplan, vice president of marketing and corporate affairs for Nintendo of America. "We're working on our next generation console and plan to launch at the same time as our competitors."

 

Which competitor that is remains a mystery -- there's only two and they have different launch dates. There's growing speculation among analysts and publishers that Microsoft will launch its follow-up to the Xbox in 2005, a year earlier than originally speculated. Sony is still expected to launch the next PlayStation machine in 2006.

 

A 2005 launch for Nintendo is possible, but unlikely. And if the company waits until 2006 to debut its next machine, it really wouldn't be a big deal at all. (In fact, it's what pretty much everyone has been expecting it to do.)

 

Let's say the report is on target, though. (After all, Nihon Keizai Shimbun was the media outlet that first reported Sega was exiting the hardware business three years ago – a story Sega vehemently denied, until it cancelled the Dreamcast.) A 2007 launch could have serious repercussions. The GameCube launched a year after Sony's PlayStation 2 and never made up the lost ground. The console, in fact, barely held its own with a first time contender in the field, the Xbox.

 

The general consensus among industry insiders is Nintendo's next console could be its last, unless the company sees substantially better sales numbers than it has for the past two rounds. (Kaplan disagreed with this assessment.)

 

When it comes to game machines for the living room, Nintendo has never topped the sales of its original Nintendo Entertainment System, which launched in 1985. The original PlayStation trounced the N64 (outselling it by 65 million units). And the PS2 has outsold the GameCube by a 5:1 margin.

 

While Sony (SNE: Research, Estimates) and Microsoft's (MSFT: Research, Estimates) machines include multimedia functionality (such as a DVD player), Nintendo focuses solely on games. There have been no indications the company plans to waver from that philosophy.

 

Yielding to the PlayStation and Xbox wouldn't mean getting out of the video game business, of course. The Game Boy continues to boast record sales. The company will unveil a new portable dual-screen system in May called "Nintendo DS". And Nintendo's vast collection of popular characters would ensure a healthy run as a third-party publisher. Some analysts, in fact, say they half-expect to see the company transition in this direction.

 

"We would not be surprised to down the road see Nintendo make its console games for Sony and possibly [Microsoft]," wrote UBS analyst Mike Wallace in a note Monday.

 

While it said its next generation console plans are on course, Nintendo did not dispute the article's assertation that the company plans to release peripherals meant to diversify playing styles and improve connectivity with the successful Game Boy Advance system. Kaplan declined to offer additional details on what peripheral or peripherals are in the works. (Those, too, could be announced at the E3 trade show in May.)

 

Just the rumor of Nintendo delaying its next machine caused some major ripples in the industry Monday, however. Publisher THQ (THQI: Research, Estimates) saw its shares fall 3.6 percent, due to its heavy reliance on income from Nintendo games. Nintendo shares were off 3.3 percent in Tokyo.

 

It's not just the faithful who are nervous.

[Guest Krazy Karter]

Nintendo focuses solely on games. There have been no indications the company plans to waver from that philosophy.

 

Why don't they stop trying to play catch up and make their games for the more popular forms of hardware?

 

It's not like people boast "I have a Gamecube!" everywhere they go.

 

Fucktards.

[2GOLD 0]

Least the Gamecube is light weight.

 

Hell, I could throw one of those things like a football, unlike the XBOX which seems to be made out of 70% concrete.

[k thx 0]

Taking a break from the next generation of consoles and producing new franchises for other consoles, before making a new Nintendo console that those franchises are specific to would probably be the smartest thing to do.

 

But hell will freeze over before that happens...

[razazteca 0]

Nintendo will spend more time to make accessories for the Gamecube just like Sega did for the Genesis.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

The Nintendo "fanboys" want to see Nintendo launch the new console in 2005, almost a year ahead of Microsoft and Sony (who plan to relase their new consoles in 2006). Really, I can't see what sort of advantage releasing the new console in 2005 will have as opposed to waiting and launching closer to (if not still ahead) Microsoft and Sony in 2006. If Nintendo launches a year ahead, the new console will be more expensive than the X Box/PS2 with fewer games and it would put a solid premium on having a blockbuster lineup of launch games to go with it. It will be easy to get the Nintendo "Fanboys" to make the switch but they are going to need to convince a lot of the people who either just bought a Cube because its $99 or haven't bought one for the various reasons that there are.

 

IMO, it would be better if they launched closer to Sony/Microsoft and used the extra year to put together extra blockbuster launch games that would give people other than the "Fanboys" a reason to buy the new console.

 

In any case, if they botch the next console, It wouldn't surprise me to see them out of the home console hardware business, going full force on the Gameboy. But I don't see them making games for Sony and Microsoft like SEGA is doing. Why water down any of their franchises when they can keep making them for the GBA?

 

As far as the new console goes, I still don't think it needs to be made into a DVD player and judging from the statements It looks like it will stay that way. A hard drive would be nice (more for saving games and such). Im pretty sure they will cave in on the online issue although it will probably be more to get 3rd party support than for their own games.

Im pretty sure that I read that it will be backwards compatible with Gamecube games which is also nice.

[Nevermortal 0]

Least the Gamecube is light weight.

 

Hell, I could throw one of those things like a football, unlike the XBOX which seems to be made out of 70% concrete.

I really, really, really hate people who say things like you.

 

Who honestly cares how much a console WEIGHS when comparing multiple consoles? I mean, really. If you can't pick up an 8 pound XBOX, you're a weakling. And why would you be throwing around systems anyway?

[Guest EQ]

I agree, Nevermortal.

 

Anyone who uses XBOX's weight as a legitimate argument agains the system is a moron.

 

Although, I think 2GOLD was joking around. If he wasn't, well then... he's a moron.

[2GOLD 0]

Yes, yes I was.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

You can use weight in a verry viable comparrison.

 

The Gamecube is much easier to transport than the PS2 and X Box because its probably lighter than both of them combined. The Cube even has a handle to make it easier.

[Guest Ahhee]

People lug PC's and monitors that weigh tons more to LAN parties all the time.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

I would contend that using the handle as a positive for the GC is even sillier than using the size of Xbox as a negative.

 

Besides...GC hasn't gotten a game worth transporting my system to the ON position in so long...

[Renegade 0]

I would contend that using the handle as a positive for the GC is even sillier than using the size of Xbox as a negative.

 

Besides...GC hasn't gotten a game worth transporting my system to the ON position in so long...

I could say the exact same thing about the x-box.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

I own all three systems and the ratio of game buying has been something like 5:1:1 for XBox:PS2:GC.

 

I buy more GBA games than GC or PS2 games at this point.

[Guest EQ]

I'm the same way. I buy more games for XBOX also. The only thing the Gamecube has going for it right now are its exclusive games like Mario and Zelda.

 

Anything else that comes out for multiple systems is going to be best on XBOX. I haven't even played my PS2 in a long time. The only game I could see myself playing on it at this point is FFX-2, which I haven't bought yet.

[The Czech Republic 0]

People lug PC's and monitors that weigh tons more to LAN parties all the time.

The hell's a LAN party?

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

People lug PC's and monitors that weigh tons more to LAN parties all the time.

The hell's a LAN party?

The long answer: A gathering where a bunch of people hook up their PCs to play multiplayer games like Quake.

 

The short answer: A party with no girls

[Ted the Poster 0]

You can use weight in a verry viable comparrison.

 

The Gamecube is much easier to transport than the PS2 and X Box because its probably lighter than both of them combined.  The Cube even has a handle to make it easier.

No shit!

[Ravenbomb 0]

You can use weight in a verry viable comparrison.

 

The Gamecube is much easier to transport than the PS2 and X Box because its probably lighter than both of them combined.  The Cube even has a handle to make it easier.

No shit!

Yeah, I was gonna say something about that, too

[Guest EQ]

I think the whole point of it is that if the weight of the consoles is that much of an issue where you find it significantly easier to transport Gamecube than XBOX (come on guys, XBOX isn't that heavy), you're a pussy.

[Guest EQ]

I thought it would be depressing to see Sonic on another platform, but it really isn't that big of a deal. Actually, I think if Nintendo went 3rd party, they'd crank out some really awesome games for XBOX 2/PS3

[Prophet of Mike Zagurski 0]

Why do companies have to release new systems so soon? I mean the PS2 and Gamecube are lacking of a hard drive but all three systems have similiar graphics and sound IMO. I don't have enough room for all the systems I have now.

 

NES

Super NES

N64

Game Boy Color

Dreamcast

PS2

Gameboy Advance

Xbox

Gamecube

 

Nine systems and they expect me to buy another one. I hope they are backwards compatible. Congrats to Nintendo taking the high road by making game only consoles, you'll lose to Sony again because they make systems that are more than game systems. The Xbox is my DVD player and my hockey game playing system.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Console lifespan is about 5 or 6 years. Sony was expected to release a new console next year but they pushed it back to 2006 and Microsoft basically did the same. IF the new Nintendo console comes out next year, Gamecube's lifespan would be only 4 years which is extremely short.

 

One of the things that you have to realize though is that most people don't have any systems prior to the original Playstation. People who have all the systems are in the minority.

 

As far as backwards compatibility goes, PS3 and the next Nintendo console are supposedly going to be backwards compatible but I heard that XBox Next supposedly won't be because of a different system architecture (switch from Intel to IBM for the processor and Nvidia to ATI for the graphics chip).

[thuganomics 0]

Nintendo could survive indefinitely on the GBA by itself. Both the N64 and the Gamecube were good only for a few really great games and I don't see why the next gen Nintendo would be any different. If they still want to make major platform games they should go SEGA's route, not another system.

[Renegade 0]

Nintendo could survive indefinitely on the GBA by itself.

Hopefully the new sony handheld will make nintendo wake up and get off their asses and actually make games for the gba rather than port over another snes game or another classic collection port.

[Youth N Asia 0]

I got a Gamecube a little while back, all I have for it are the Buffy and Viewtiful Joe games. I'll eventually pick more up. Overall I'm kinda "ehh" on the machine, but I'll stick with it for a while, and when the next thing comes out and Gamecube games tumble in price I'll stock up.

 

I really regret getting rid of my Dreamcast when they annouced that they were done making games for it.

[Damaramu 0]

Oh man I'm tired of all this rapid fire console releases. Since I usually don't get a new console until about a year after it's released I don't get it for long before they're tossing a new one out there.

[dubq 0]

Nintendo focuses solely on games. There have been no indications the company plans to waver from that philosophy.

 

Why don't they stop trying to play catch up and make their games for the more popular forms of hardware?

 

It's not like people boast "I have a Gamecube!" everywhere they go.

 

Fucktards.

It's true. The Gamecube was the first "nextgen" console I purchased. Right when it came out. I bought a PS2 in August and haven't touched the Gamecube since.

 

I think they should just scrap any consoles. Stick to making games and handhelds. I'm not a Nintendo Fanboy, but I think that the GBASP kicks all ass.

[AndrewTS 0]

Nintendo could survive indefinitely on the GBA by itself.

Hopefully the new sony handheld will make nintendo wake up and get off their asses and actually make games for the gba rather than port over another snes game or another classic collection port.

I'm not complaining about that aspect of it, just want a little bit less ports and more original games. Or more games that were previously difficult or impossible to find when originally released, such as the formerly-import-only Megaman and Bass. Now, we just need to do it with some games that don't suck.

 

Word is that the PSP is hard to develop on, and many people who play FPS on GBA or 3D games on N-Gage say 3D just isn't quite right for handhelds, no matter how powerful. So I wouldn't hand the handheld crown to Sony just yet.

 

Let me second that it would be fucking sad for the two dominant powers in videogame consoles to be Microsoft and Sony.

[Skywarp! 0]

Nintendo isn't being killed really by anything that's their fault, except for the online issue. The major problem is the casual gamer--people who bought a PS2 or X-Box on an impusle buy and the only games they own are Madden and NBA Live. That's so annoying. It takes away credit from the really good games bought by the informed and avid gamers, and helps make E.A. Sports the disgusting monolith that releases the same games every year that it is.