8th April 2003, 12:29 PM
Well, while it would be a mistake to release the next Nintendo system a year before Sony, getting a few months drop on them -- WITH A GREAT LAUNCH LINEUP -- could help... but it really wouldn't be the deciding factor if they release within a few months of eachother, I think. Games are...
Look at the PS1 and Saturn (in the US). The Saturn came out early -- several months before the PS1. But as soon as it came out the PS1 started blowing away the Saturn because its launch lineup was better... and people didn't like Sega as much after the Sega CD and 32X (remember at the time they were claiming they were going to support all three consoles...)... or 2d games which Saturn did better, I think...
But the point is that for the Saturn and Dreamcast a early launch did nothing for Sega... games and public opinion count for more. And while Nintendo wins on games, in public opinion they have been badly struggling ever since the N64 didn't become a mass market success... and that doesn't look like it'll change anytime soon with Nintendo's marketing as bad as it is...
Look at the PS1 and Saturn (in the US). The Saturn came out early -- several months before the PS1. But as soon as it came out the PS1 started blowing away the Saturn because its launch lineup was better... and people didn't like Sega as much after the Sega CD and 32X (remember at the time they were claiming they were going to support all three consoles...)... or 2d games which Saturn did better, I think...
But the point is that for the Saturn and Dreamcast a early launch did nothing for Sega... games and public opinion count for more. And while Nintendo wins on games, in public opinion they have been badly struggling ever since the N64 didn't become a mass market success... and that doesn't look like it'll change anytime soon with Nintendo's marketing as bad as it is...