|
|
Post by Fryguy64 on Feb 11, 2005 7:23:36 GMT -5
Think back. Back to the closing days of the Nintendo 64. The 'Dolphin' had been announced but not shown, and there was a sudden drop in interest in continuing development for the N64. The first 'Dolphin' games were shown, and interest in the N64 sank to a new low. The Gamecube was shown in all its glory, and the N64 died suddenly. It was the first case I can think of where a console has collapsed into the past before its successor has had a chance to come out.
Now look at the current trend. The 'Revolution' has been announced. There has been no drop off in GC interest (though, admittedly, there hasn't been much to drop). It will be shown at E3, but there's still GC Zelda, and a multitude of new games to look forward to after that. Nintendo has dug itself into a small-fry niche, but it is a stable niche. The N64 suffered from sudden price cuts, fluctuating developer support, uncertainty over peripherals... the Gamecube has had no such worry. It started at a low price point and smoothly dropped. Developer support has been poor, but the key players are there (EA, Sega, Capcom, etc.) and only minor support has been lost. There has been no 64DD, and aside from the desires of everyone to get Gamecube online, Nintendo has promised nothing.
The Gamecube is a healthy machine. Nintendo is still bringing in a profit, they are still experimenting with games and technology, and their only enemy at the moment are the retailers who keep trying to drop the Gamecube from their shelves. Why? Because even with a low price point and some of the best games ever made as exclusives, the Gamecube continues to sell in low numbers.
The only way to save those numbers is marketing. It's a bit late for the Gamecube hardware, but software can sell the system easily. Europe, more than anywhere, needs more effort in this area.
So even with the Nintendo DS, Game Boy Advance, and Revolution lining Nintendo's pockets right now, let's hope they don't prematurely abandon their ailing 3D system, or those of us who already have one may feel hard done by in the long term... as it won't have been the first time they left us in the cold.
|
|
mrfindlay
Pikpik Carrot
for your phantomile...
Posts: 51
|
Post by mrfindlay on Feb 11, 2005 9:08:22 GMT -5
I feel that the Gamecube still has some life in it but I am kind of intrigued to see exactly what the Revolution is. The main reason I'm replying is the negativity towards the Gamecube in this post. I'm from the UK, so I know what the Gamecube sections are like in the shops (in my local GAME there are about 8 shelves to PS2, 6 to Xbox and just one to Gamecube. The rest are PC with a little GBA), but if you look at the actual stats it's much closer. All shipment figures as of December 2004. PS2 19.47m Japan 32.86m USA 29.06m Europe 81.39 Total XB 1.70m Japan (Asia pacific- some discrepancy as Sony and Microsoft count as Japan, others count as Europe/Pal) 13.20m USA 5.00m Europe 19.90m Total GC 3.78m Japan 10.11m USA 4.13m Europe 18.02m Total While shipment figures don't equal sales they give a pretty good indication of where each console stands. While the PS2 is kicking ass and taking names, the other two consoles aren't as far apart as people seem to think. While Nintendo have seen a decrease in worldwide sale each generation (NES = 61.78m, SNES = 49.02m, N64 = 32.93m), they are still able to turn a profit and not be forced into following the competition with games they don't want to make. I would be more incline to expect this type of post from an Xbox Database website. A new article on MVC ( www.mcvuk.com/html/news/story.jsp?newsId=1930051) says Microsoft will be releasing the Xenon in the US and Europe at the end of this year, and that most companies are abandoning the Xbox to work on the Xenon. If the do release the Xenon on November then the Xbox will only have been on sale for 3.5 years in Europe, which is similar to the Dreamcast and to your post about the Gamecube. Sorry if I read your post wrong and went off on a strange rant but I just annoys me when people think that the PS2 and Xbox are fighting over the top spot, while the GC is really far behind. I've bought more PS2 game this generation (PS2 = 75, GC = 45, Xbox = 20)but I still feel Nintendo are doing well in the home market. While it's unlikely they will be number one again, I don't think they will ever end up like Sega. |
|
|
|
Post by The Almighty Narf on Feb 11, 2005 9:51:31 GMT -5
Where'd you get those numbers from?
|
|
|
|
Post by Fryguy64 on Feb 11, 2005 9:52:37 GMT -5
Oh, I don't think they're trailing behind as far as some people think, but Nintendo didn't seem to recover after the N64 slump, but the point of my post was that they also haven't made it any worse this time around. My mind was just cast back to where the N64 was at this point in the console cycle, and I felt some pride in how the Gamecube has stood its ground.
Of course, Nintendo also has the success of their handhelds to thank, and they count as something completely different. If Game Freak can pump out a solid Pokemon game as soon as possible then the success of the DS will be guaranteed. Pokemon shifts systems. Simple fact.
|
|
|
|
Post by Yamato.EXE V2 on Feb 11, 2005 18:50:07 GMT -5
About Revolution, is it a sucessor to Gamecube and it's compatible with DS?
|
|
|
|
Post by Smashchu on Feb 11, 2005 20:56:32 GMT -5
Heres how I see it.
Sure the Gamecube isn't selling well, its not a complete failure. It is more stable then X-Box. The ONLY game to help it was Halo(and Halo 2).Nintendo on the other hand has multiple series the hold it steady. The trend can,t last forever and once it ends BOOM. X-Box is history(or Microsofts video game market). In Video games people get board. A trend only last so long and Sonys is ending thanks to the DS. People are stoping the Graphics and flashy Midia buttons and want something new. I sony holds on to the same statigy(Use grafics and a DVD player) then they'll meet the same fate as the N64. As for Microsoft, they wont last long eather. Why? Because they follow Sony. The reason they got into it was because sony was profiting and they've said if the PSP dose well then they'll make a Hand Held. They have no real statigy and will soon be in the dust once the Halo trend wheres off(the probobly have on more game and then there out). As for nintendo if they say tied and true to there good series and inspire ppl with new Ideas then the Market will go there way. The Gamecube has hit bad sale for 2 reasons. 1) it had a bad start,few games that weren't that good and 2) because of this, relaters and onther companys have no faith in it despite it can sell well. They put gamecubes behind all of the X-boxes and PS2s not even giving it a fighting chance,however IF They start of good the results will be good. The doors there and the revolotion is the key. "We have our fingers in the dike, hold steady"(Bradbury 62).
|
|
|
|
Post by Old Man Rupee on Feb 12, 2005 4:31:20 GMT -5
Interesting discussion. Personally, I think that the end of a console's life is unavoidable, it will happen to every console eventually. But to me, its not the lifespan that defines a console, its the games! And that's why I still love my N64, even if some people might say "its all in the past", I say thats a good place to keep your fondest memories. I've probably got entirely the wrong end of the stick, but there you are  |
|
|
|
Post by Blueberry_pie on Feb 12, 2005 4:38:32 GMT -5
I agree, without games a console would be nothing! I still play on my SNES often, because of the cool games... EDIT: BTW, cool new avatar, nintyboyuno  |
|
|
|
Post by Old Man Rupee on Feb 12, 2005 6:37:13 GMT -5
Yeah, got it from the manga section of The Mushroom Kingdom.
|
|
|
|
Post by Fryguy64 on Feb 12, 2005 12:10:27 GMT -5
This isn't so much about Nintendo as a wonderful company, because very little can change that. They always make great games and contribute towards great new ideas. I wasn't doubting that for a second. This wasn't even a discussion about the GBA and DS. This is purely about the position of the Gamecube in the market today, compared to the position of the N64 at roughly the same time in the console cycle. This year will be equivalent to the N64's year 2000... In the year 2000 the Dolphin was first announced, and the first games were shown. The N64 had some great games that year (Majora's Mask, Excitebike 64, Pokemon Stadium) but Nintendo had all but given up on selling the system to new punters, instead letting those last few big titles carry the system to its grave while energies were focused on the Gamecube and the Game Boy Color. This had especially disastrous consequences in Europe where the N64 died completely with roughly six months left until the Gamecube release. Nintendo needs to avoid letting the Gamecube go down, and so far they are doing an excellent job. Donkey Konga was a good move as it shifted systems. This year we have "that" Zelda title, which will be huge, as well as many more exclusive (or temporarily exclusive) games that will draw in new players (Resident Evil 4 being the main example I can think of). But what Nintendo needs this year is another killer app at E3... not just impressive Revolution titles and big DS games... but one last round of applause that will keep the Gamecube up in the air for this final stretch. A key aspect will be to close the launch gap between the US and Europe. And we have a job to do as well... we have to keep loving that Gamecube and its awesome games, even when we see what the Revolution can do, and fear there's nothing left for the GC to give. This is the system that gave us Metroid Prime, Eternal Darkness, Pikmin and SSB Melee, after all. Who knows what else it has up its sleeve. |
|
|
|
Post by Ace_ETP on Feb 12, 2005 13:44:53 GMT -5
The GC will not show any sings of dying untill it's major release in a year has a launch price of less than 30 dollars. And that didn't happen to the n64 untill Dr. Mario 64.
By the way, are there any plans to put information about non-Nintendo-published, but Nintendo-console-exlusive games like Resident Evil 4 up in the site?
|
|
|
|
Post by Fryguy64 on Feb 12, 2005 20:12:03 GMT -5
No. Never ever ever. That would completely kill the point of Nintendo Database.
|
|
|
|
Post by Smashchu on Feb 13, 2005 17:38:34 GMT -5
I think that Mario 128 of that Zelda title will be the app we need. Tremble in fear sony as your empire falls befor you
And...uh..Microsoft.....just wet yourself
|
|
|
|
Post by Hiker of Games on Feb 13, 2005 20:16:01 GMT -5
You almost wonder if the new Zelda would be a good launch title for the Revolution. But I have a sneaky suspicion that this 'Mario 128' that is ocassionaly brought up will end up being Revolution's launch title, staring it off right with a solid Mario game at the forefront.
I think the Gamecube did a good job improving Nintendo. Nintendo did not make a 'miraculous' revovery from the Nintendo 64, but it has slowly improved where it stood before.
I don't think the Gamecube will suffer as sudden a death as N64 did. I foresee the Revolution as being the first backwards compatible Nintendo console. That will help the Revolution and help keep the Gamecube library alive. PS1 games were being made well after the PS2 released, as were GB games after the GBC was released, and GBC games after the GBA was released. And even now GBA games are still being released, despite the DS being released. The Gamecube may not be as 'strong' as any of those, but I think the transition from Cube to Revolution will be a lot smoother.
I also think that Nintendo won't have to worry about a lack of repeat buyers either. I know a lot of people who, after owning a 64, switched over to Xbox or PS2. But I think a lot of this generation Cube owners will be more likly to pick up Revolution, since Cube managed to do better in this round of console wars compared to the 64.
|
|
|
|
Post by Fryguy64 on Feb 14, 2005 4:06:14 GMT -5
Am I alone in actually believing the DS is Nintendo's third pillar? Does everyone actually see it as a replacement for the Game Boy?
NOT ME SISTER!
|
|
