E3 2006: The Thread

[luke-o 0]

See, even the competition thinks we should be the W!!

 

I'm so getting one on relese date.

 

I'm about 95% sure Marvel Heroes: Ultimate Alliance is multi-platform, even coming to PSP.

 

And thank fuck for that. I was getting worried. No i just need FFXIII to come out on the W!!....

[EricMM 0]

Is anyone else disturbed by the fact that the videogame market is now practically owned by two companies who effectively "bought in" to an industry? That they see Nintendo as an after thought? That an electronics/movie company and a computers company are raising prices in an industry well beyond what Nintendo and Sega ever did?

[Invictus 0]

Is anyone else disturbed by the fact that the videogame market is now practically owned by two companies who effectively "bought in" to an industry? That they see Nintendo as an after thought? That an electronics/movie company and a computers company are raising prices in an industry well beyond what Nintendo and Sega ever did?

 

 

Yes, this has always been the big problem I've had with both companies. The interesting thing I've encountered, though, is that no one is actually loyal to Microsoft or Sony per se...they're loyal to the franchises they've managed to acquire. Nintendo and Sega are companies that fans ARE truly loyal to and actually respect.

[AndrewTS 0]

Is anyone else disturbed by the fact that the videogame market is now practically owned by two companies who effectively "bought in" to an industry? That they see Nintendo as an after thought? That an electronics/movie company and a computers company are raising prices in an industry well beyond what Nintendo and Sega ever did?

 

As I already pointed out many times, Nintendo is doing a fine job keeping afloat and making cash in an era where two MNCs control the rest of the market.

 

It's kind of funny, yet sad, that they're both saying "oh sure, buy a wii. It's not like it's something that's at threat to us. You'll still buy our hardware."

 

Yes, this has always been the big problem I've had with both companies. The interesting thing I've encountered, though, is that no one is actually loyal to Microsoft or Sony per se...they're loyal to the franchises they've managed to acquire. Nintendo and Sega are companies that fans ARE truly loyal to and actually respect.

 

Sega pissed away their loyalty and respect with crappy games, crappy hardware, and crappy marketing decisions. I don't think anyone actually has respect for Sega anymore.

 

Nintendo now is a more humble and benevolent entity than the iron-fisted industry leader that controlled the 8 bit era. They have great games, sure, but people support them also for nostalgia and its underdog status. When Sega was dying, they made some some pretty pathetic business decisions. Nintendo at this point shoots directly for the Japanese consumer, with all of their eccentricities, and if you don't like it, tough.

[Mole 0]

What is this HD-DVD thing that you will be able to buy for the Xbox?

[luke-o 0]

Is anyone else disturbed by the fact that the videogame market is now practically owned by two companies who effectively "bought in" to an industry? That they see Nintendo as an after thought? That an electronics/movie company and a computers company are raising prices in an industry well beyond what Nintendo and Sega ever did?

 

I've said this for a while now, IMO, sony and microsoft ruined the console industry, i miss the console wars of the early nineties.

[Anya 0]

Nintendo wasn't always in the video game industry either. Sony and MS have been in for years and are dedicated. They're here to stay and are every bit a game company as Nintendo, regardless of their other divisions.

 

Nintendo isn't setting up Wii to be a simple and cheap game system for the benifit of gamers. They're doing it because it's their strategy to build up their market share. You had better believe if they thought they could compete with Sony and sell a 600 dollar system they would. They're going in this direction because they have no choice, they played Sony's game and lost.

 

Andrew is right, when Nintendo was in charge they were every bit as tyrannical as Sony is precieved to be. Maybe worse. It's easy to be nostalgic and look at them as the poor old school underdog just trying to get by. It's been a long time and most of us were kids when they were doing ridiculous stuff like forcing Konami to set up Ultra games just because of their insane licensing guidelines. Nintendo is a ruthless business just like the others. Their goal is to make money. Reggie isn't our friend. The world will not be a better place if Nintendo regains their position.

[luke-o 0]

they played Sony's game and lost.

 

bullshit.

 

The reason the cube failed is the same reason the Dreamcast failed, no one bought into it. Beacuse Sony made this big loud noise as the "new alternative" and everyone went for it. I went for it, im not going to deny it, but after a load of shit games and having my PS1 brake a billion times i got sick if it and went back to my Mega Drive and Snes where they have games that are class and never brake.

 

Granted Nintendo will never be back at the top again, and that doesnt bother me to much. If you wanna keep buying the same console rehashed with a larger price tag then be my guest. I on the other hand am not buying into any more of Sony's bullshit. Im sticking with Nintendo, not for retro value, but they are the only company the offering something NEW to the console war.

[Anya 0]

The reason the cube failed is the same reason the Dreamcast failed, no one bought into it.

 

Granted Nintendo will never be back at the top again

 

 

In other words.....they played Sony's game and lost.

 

 

 

What exactly is new from Nintendo? The controller is new but so far all of Nintendo's talk of changing gaming forever and breaking barriers has been just....talk. What games are being hyped for Wii? A new Mario, Zelda, Smash Bros. and Metroid. It's easy to scream "omg innovation!" and come up with buzz phrases about redefining gaming but Metroid Prime part 3 isn't exactly my idea of a revolution.

[luke-o 0]

And what games are being hyped for the PS3?

 

Metal Gear solid FOUR

Gran Turismo FIVE

Tekken SIX

and ive no doubt a million other EA football games.

 

Yes, Nintendo are releasing sequels, but at least it will be a new way of playing them. Instead of playing the same game i can buy on the PS2 just with slightly worse graphics.

[Anya 0]

Yes, sequels on everything. A staple of gaming. Except Nintendo won't shut up about how it's going to redefine gaming while hyping their sequels. Seriously...Metroid Prime 3. Think about it. It's the sequel to a sequel of a prequel of two sequels. No matter the control scheme it's still just Metroid Prime 3.

[luke-o 0]

Metal Gear 4, a sequel of a sequel of a sequel of a sequel of a game that made its name on NINTENDO.

 

Even though it has shiny graphics, its still Metal Gear Solid.

 

Except Nintendo won't shut up about how it's going to redefine gaming while hyping their sequels

 

Beacuse there the only ones offering something diffrent!

 

And before you say anything, i know MGS didnt start on Nintendo, so dont throw that one at me.

[Anya 0]

Except they're not offering anything different. Moving Samus around with a wand instead of an analog stick isn't a revolution. It's still going to play the same. It's still a FPS. Nintendo may release some stuff that is truely different but a new SSB or Metroid Prime isn't it.

 

 

The hype these games are getting makes me wonder if a revolution is even what people honestly want. There's so much talk about wanting simple, back to basics games and this new way of playing....but then are most excited about a new SSB. I can't help but wonder if people are interested because of the wand or because it's a new Nintendo console with traditional Nintendo franchises.

[luke-o 0]

I was talking to my manager about this on Saturday. The general gamer would be most likley intimaidated by the new style of playing from Nintendo and are more likley to opt for the Playstaion as its the simple alternative.

 

This is were sony succeeds and they do it very well. They offer a machine that anyone can pick up and play. Its a great idea, its just not for me. Ninetndo is for the hardcore gamer that wants to try something diffrent. If it fails, it fails. At least they tried something new.

 

Except they're not offering anything different. Moving Samus around with a wand instead of an analog stick isn't a revolution

 

No, but at least its something new.

[Anya 0]

This is were sony succeeds and they do it very well. They offer a machine that anyone can pick up and play. Its a great idea, its just not for me. Ninetndo is for the hardcore gamer that wants to try something diffrent.

 

 

 

Are you from Bizzaro world?

[Scroby 0]

 

 

This is were sony succeeds and they do it very well. They offer a machine that anyone can pick up and play. Its a great idea, its just not for me. Ninetndo is for the hardcore gamer that wants to try something diffrent.

 

 

 

Are you from Bizzaro world?

I agree with Anya here.....are you serious? Nintendo has NEVER been for the hardcore gamer if anything Nintendo HAS always been, always been the family system.

[EricMM 0]

Except for the fact that, by the numbers, the "family system" has been, for years, a Playstation.

 

Look, Anya, what gets ME is that Sony is not only not working in any innovation into their new system, they're just using it as a vector to try and set up their fucking BluRay drives.

 

That ulterior motive is what really burns me. At least nintendo is still focused on the videogame console, Sony has ever been working ways to move other sorts of media with their systems.

 

Anyone defending Sony after this E3 against either Microsoft or Nintendo is only deluding themselves, IMO

[AndrewTS 0]

GC's problems, IMO:

 

It followed the N64. Despite how good Mario 64 was, 3rd parties hated that system and the high development costs associated with cartridges. Plus, Nintendo didn't even go to plain' old DVDs either, they used a propri disc format as well. So, no built-in DVD capabilities. Lots of people bought a PS2 for its lousy DVD player. Then, they got a *good* DVD player later.

 

GC was a 2ndary console for a lot of people. 3rd parties didn't have a reason to really throw much support behind it, when they could just go for PS2 and get most of the same buyers, or put it on XBox as well and get the slighly older demo of that console too. Wii may be heading in that same direction, but Wii can do games that aren't possible on PS3/360.

 

I see exactly what Anya is saying with, say, MP3. Thing is, I'm looking forward to playing it. I loathe standard FPS controls, particularly the dual analog setup. I never really had fun with a FPS game until Metroid Prime. I'm looking forward to playing it on the wii. Likewise, I don't think I need to reaffirm my Zelda fandom. I'm very much looking forward to playing it on wii, even if I'm ticked at them over the delays.

 

All Nintendo is doing right now is trying to get the Wii established. You know what you do when you're trying to get a console established? You dig out your IPs that everyone loves. Zelda, Mario, GTA, Halo, Gran Turismo,etc. It's universally understood and accepted. MS is cracking the whip on MS Game Studios, Sony is pushing their in-house developers as well. Likewise, Hal, Team Mario, Retro--they're doing the same thing.

 

The point is to get the goodwill and interest going, to get people's mindshare, and hopefully attract lots of 3rd parties. Sony's banking on 3rd parties going to them because they're presumed to remain dominant. Developers have had more time to work with the 360. Nintendo is pushing their ease of development and lowe production costs.

 

"It's just a controller" is one way of looking at it, Anya, but its Nintendo's distinctive quality that sets them apart. I don't give a rat's ass about PSP, and I love my DS. There isn't a damn thing in the 360 that I feel I want to get the system for, ever after E3. The PS3's showing, as far as the thing that counts (games) was pathetic. Sony will likely be in the lead eventually, but I firmly believe Sony is going to take a huge hit on marketshare this generation.

 

Luke-o is of the common perception that gaming was better when the industry giants were fiercely competitive. It's a fair argument, shared by many. Anya swears that Sony has been a benevolent dictator, and with them so secure in their position, they're more willing to take risks because they have little to lose. That does have some merit as well. Sega had the corporate stick up their ass in America in the early-mid 90s. Japanese games would get localized to hell if they came out at all. Sports games and licensed dreck got marketing priority over new, original titles. Sega had a game that played a lot like Zelda, but prettier, and gave it a hideous magazine ad and nothing else (Beyond Oasis, although that was later in the console's) life. SoA took *NO* chances whatsoever, and most RPGs langished over in Japan. Of course, the Megadrive wasn't as big of a success in Japan, but the point is, that supposedly Sony is much nicer to publishers of niche titles than Sega/Nintendo.

 

Many publishers would beg to differ with that (pubs wanting to do 2D anything, even on PSP), however Working Designs were being total drama queens about Sony not wanting a several-year-old Goemon game on their American system. OTOH, the "new release" this year I've been most excited about was Ape Escape 3, and I couldn't care less about most of the big name releases. The game quality between some "decent" old imports and the latest licensed POS probably isn't that huge.

[luke-o 0]

I didnt think id find someone on here who would agree with me. Thank you.

[Anya 0]

Look, Anya, what gets ME is that Sony is not only not working in any innovation into their new system, they're just using it as a vector to try and set up their fucking BluRay drives.

 

 

Yeah, I hate the Bluray thing too. I don't want one of those things. I'd be happy if PS3 still had a regular DVD drive. But using technology for profit instead of the benifit of gaming isn't anything new. Nintendo went with outdated, expensive carts for N64 because of the licensing fees they get milk from 3rd parties. They used those mini discs on GC to prevent piracy. The only reason they're not doing anything like that this gen is because they need Wii to be as cheap and simple as possible.

 

 

 

 

I see exactly what Anya is saying with, say, MP3. Thing is, I'm looking forward to playing it. I loathe standard FPS controls, particularly the dual analog setup. I never really had fun with a FPS game until Metroid Prime. I'm looking forward to playing it on the wii. Likewise, I don't think I need to reaffirm my Zelda fandom. I'm very much looking forward to playing it on wii, even if I'm ticked at them over the delays.

 

All Nintendo is doing right now is trying to get the Wii established. You know what you do when you're trying to get a console established? You dig out your IPs that everyone loves. Zelda, Mario, GTA, Halo, Gran Turismo,etc. It's universally understood and accepted. MS is cracking the whip on MS Game Studios, Sony is pushing their in-house developers as well. Likewise, Hal, Team Mario, Retro--they're doing the same thing.

 

 

Fine, I just wish people would come out and say that instead of repeating Nintendo's PR about how Wii is going to change the world forever.

[EricMM 0]

Look, the smaller discs on the GC didn't raise the price $300...

 

I mean come on!

 

Fifty gigs? To what purpose??

[Anya 0]

Yeah, the GC discs didn't mean much...but the carts for N64 did. 80 dollars for a game? That was so dumb.

[ChrisMWaters 0]

I have NO idea where you people shopped...

 

But I NEVER saw a N64 cart for more than $50 new where I lived.

 

NEVER!

[EricMM 0]

... and I don't / didn't own an N64.

 

And in any event, that's at MOST a jump from 50 to 80 dollars, $20 games were neither prevalent nor quality back then.

 

Thats not close to a 100% to 150% increase in price!!! AND the games will eb more expensive.

[luke-o 0]

but the carts for N64 did. 80 dollars for a game? That was so dumb.

 

Jesus, where did you shop? I never paid more than 45 quid for a game.

 

The other problem with blu-ray discs is that they are very fragile beings. The tineist scrath on those discs could render it unreperable.

[Anya 0]

N64 carts went down to a reasonable price after the first year. 70-80 dollar carts wasn't just an EB thing though. Look it up on google, Mario 64 went for like 70. That was the standard retail price.

 

I got Mario, Cruis'n, MKT, KI Gold, Blast Corps, Waverace and a couple more for that price.

[luke-o 0]

More fool you.

[Anya 0]

What? You think I'm making this up or something? Again, look it up. N64 carts were insanely expensive. 70-80 for a new game was the norm, not some random EB thing.

[k thx 0]

Turok was wicked expensive when it came out, at least over here.

[luke-o 0]

Bearing in mind i live in the UK. and our games never cost me more than 45 quid. and even then that was in rare cases.

 

I paid more for mega drive games thought when they first came out. I remember seeing Super Street Fighter II for 60 quid in one shop.

 

But it's understandable as its more of an expensive process to make cartardges, begging the question why they went for the cartridge idea.

 

But charding 50 quid for an X-box game that only cost about 50p to atcually produce is fuckin stupid.