Nintendo's Cursed

[Darunia]

Let's look back a few years...to the era of N64 vs. PSX. It's no secret that N64 was trailing far behind PSX. We blamed this on:

1.) N64 was on cart; carts are more expensive, and due to being smaller, a constraint on game size.

2.) PSX had Square, Capcom, and most other major developers under its belt.

3.) Nintendo's kiddy image detracted older buyers. No swears, no gore & extreme violence...

Now let's look at the present... we're on DVD. Our game size is comparable to everyone else's. We have lovin' from Capcom, and even Square now, with an FF title en route...now I even hear of Metal Gear too. Our kiddy image is far behind, with Resident Evil saying "shit", and blasting the brains out of zombies, and other similar games.

That being said, why the hell are we still trailing behind in the market, even behind X-Box....? I really want to know!

[Dark Jaguar]

I submit Nintendo isn't exactly "trailing" behind MS, they just ARE behind them by a bit. Sony is ahead for a big reason, the combination of brand name recognition and roughly a year's launch time difference.

[A Black Falcon]

A million less units worldwide is more than "a little bit".

As for the reasons, we've gone over them 500 times here... "kiddy" image and poor public opinion mostly... not helped by no online play... or a lack of games in many categories...

[OB1]

Marketing and Nintendo's public image are the two things really hurting them.

[Dark Jaguar]

Oy, I still find it hard to believe Nintendo has some horrible image problem. I mean, with the massive line I was in at the mall, with all the fellow gamers who really don't have any issue with Nintendo, and the people I overhear, and the friends I have and talk to, it's just not something I see as reality. Yet, outside my local sphere here, there's supposedly this huge image problem. If it's such a problem, then certainly I would have met a few people here. People aren't SO unique that a whole city could be devoid of public opinion like that.

[Sacred Jellybean]

Nintendo needs to work more on convincing people WHY they should choose GameCube over console A or console B, rather than just letting them know it's an acceptable console to own in the first place. They need to be more aggressive with their marketing and advertising.

[Laser Link]

What are you talking about ABF? GameCube is far, far ahead of XBox in terms of worldwide sales thanks to Japan.

[A Black Falcon]

I'm talking about US and Europe... where the X-Box's lead is gaining...

[Great Rumbler]

Originally posted by A Black Falcon
I'm talking about US and Europe... where the X-Box's lead is gaining...

If you put it in that context, yes, the Xbox is ahead. But it's more relevant to take total worldwide sales instead of just taking sales from certain regions.

[OB1]

Originally posted by Dark Jaguar
Oy, I still find it hard to believe Nintendo has some horrible image problem. I mean, with the massive line I was in at the mall, with all the fellow gamers who really don't have any issue with Nintendo, and the people I overhear, and the friends I have and talk to, it's just not something I see as reality. Yet, outside my local sphere here, there's supposedly this huge image problem. If it's such a problem, then certainly I would have met a few people here. People aren't SO unique that a whole city could be devoid of public opinion like that.

Sure they wait for Nintendo's games, but that's it. Why do you think mature-rated titles and sports game sell so poorly on Gamecube? Because the casual gamer still thinks of Nintendo as the "kiddy" company that makes Mario.

[A Black Falcon]

I'd think that US sales are pretty important... and at the rate that the differential is growing, pretty soon the X-Box probably WILL pass the Cube unless something changes...

What should Nintendo do? BETTER MARKETING! Their TV ads are either bad or not frequent enough... they also do need to actively try to fight the common public perception that Nintendo Is Kiddy. Its very common... no factual basis for it, but common anyway. Nintendo should do more to show that they actually are making more adult or massmarket games, which they are doing... or they'll continue to falter more and more...

Changing their stance against online gaming would help too but that won't happen anytime soon.

http://www.the-magicbox.com/gaming.htm

- Nintendo of Europe mentioned that they do not have plans to reveal any GameCube online titles at the upcoming E3 Show in May.

[OB1]

Agh, Nintendo is so stupid about this whole online thing. They don't see any profit in the actual online service itself so they completey dismiss it. What they fail to realize, however, is that many people will buy Gamecubes just to play Mario Kart, Golf, etc. online.

It's also a big issue with multiplatform games. For people with multiple consoles, which version of Madden or Ghost Recon are they going to buy? The offline-only Gamecube version or the online X-Box and PS2 ones?? And I really want to get the GC version of SC2 because of Link, but if the X-Box or PS2 versions have online modes while the GC does not, I'm gonna buy the online version.

[A Black Falcon]

They fail to realize it and when the evidence is staring them in the face they turn around and put their hands over their ears or something... idiots...

[OB1]

They do the same thing with the comparitively poor GC sales. Yamauchi said that the reason for the GC's poor sales was because people have lost interest in video games, which doesn't make sense since the PS2 is selling like mad.

[A Black Falcon]

I know... it just defies logic...

[Great Rumbler]

Well it was Nintendo of Europe that said it...

[OB1]

About the online support? NCL said the same thing.

[Dark Jaguar]

Europe N doesn't make games, so they can't exactly do anything to support online until the TRUE headquarters in Japan supports it. I think perhaps Namco will likely add online support to the GCN version too if they add it to the PS2 version. Well, it's a possibility. They do seem to want "fairness". The only problem is that would only be the second online game, and in both cases they would be online only due to 3rd party insistence.

[OB1]

I don't think it's going to be an online game though.

[A Black Falcon]

Hoping for more online Cube games seems like it has about the same chance of coming true as Nintendo does of magically getting first place in this generation's console war... I just don't think Nintendo will grow brains on their heads anytime soon, since concrete proof that it is a very good idea hasn't worked.:(

[MgL]

When Nintendo learns how to advertise things will change around for them...

[A Black Falcon]

Given how long it's been awful I don't hold out much hope for any change anytime soon...

[Darunia]

So what it boils down to is that Nintendo simply can not / will not commit to a wider-scaled advertising campaign is what you're saying. Can't argue with that; I see those stupid green X commercials daily...never see GameCube ones.

[EdenMaster]

I've met many, many people who dislike Nintendo and it's games/consoles. I try to reason with them, but they all have the same thing to say: Nintendo's too kiddy.

Sure, they may have made the gaming industry what is today.

They may have the most recognized characters in all of gaming.

They may make the best games in the world, bar none.

But what does any of that matter, THEY USE BRIGHT COLORS INSTEAD OF SWEAR WORDS! BURN THEM!

Everytime I meet another of the throng of Nintendo haters who have no valid reason to hate them except because of thier reputation, I want to smack them and tell them what a fucking idiot they are. Why should I get mad though? I don't because I know, deep down, that they are letting their predispositions skew their sight, and thus will miss some of the most incredible games ever, while playing some sub-per multiconsole game.

Think about it, name games on only one console that would make the system worth buying. Just think. Nintendo will have the longest list by far.

Let these morons shun the GameCube or GBA, I'll laugh at their lack of taste the whole time.

[alien space marine]

http://www.warbucket.com/encyc.php?id=115

Reviews like this show alot about Nintendos Image.

Alot of thier best people left for Microsoft not to mention fucking "Rare"!

The head of Xboxs marketing is the former head of marketing for Nintendo America, Infact he was the reason for nintendo having 4 controler ports as he pushed hard for it and he was right it did help the N64 and now it has become the standard.

Soon Online will be the same way , nintendo is stuck in its own universe not trying to push anything other then Cel'shading and Gameboy advance add ons.

Nintendo only had to look at the pc to see how online gaming can be successful.

[A Black Falcon]

That's a Blizzard fansite... I didn't think they did console game reviews...

And yes PC online gaming has been popular and successful since 1996 on modem/KALI and since 1997 on online gaming networks... but it only became popular on consoles in 2000 with the Dreamcast... or maybe just last year with the X-Box's Live.

And in any rate Nintendo ignored all of that completely so I doubt that'll change now. They are way too far along on their 'ignore ways to actually get people who aren't sure if they want Nintendo to buy Nintendo' thing...

[Darunia]

Well, there IS that Resident Evil 5, which is rumored to be online compatible, letting you travel in groups, help one another, exchange weapons, etc...

[A Black Falcon]

I doubt it... the online RE game is coming to PS2... and anyway that's not first or second party.

[Darunia]

No...that's not true...THATS IMPOSSIBLE!? Are you for real, EM...? I thought Capcom was making all RE's for GameCube now!? Is RE4 really on PS2!?

[Dark Jaguar]

No, RE4 is on the GCN. However, REOnline (which in fact is a seperate game from the series) is on the PS2 exclusivly. We read about this a long time ago. Basically, Capcom used a little loophole in semantics. Since REOnline isn't part of the main RE series, they claim there's no problem in putting it on another system.

[Sacred Jellybean]

Darunia called A Black Falcon EM... *snicker*

What a cute little tightly-knit community we post in. :love:

[Weltall]

I refuse to comment on this thread. :)

[OB1]

Originally posted by alien space marine
http://www.warbucket.com/encyc.php?id=115

Reviews like this show alot about Nintendos Image.

Alot of thier best people left for Microsoft not to mention fucking "Rare"!

The head of Xboxs marketing is the former head of marketing for Nintendo America, Infact he was the reason for nintendo having 4 controler ports as he pushed hard for it and he was right it did help the N64 and now it has become the standard.

Soon Online will be the same way , nintendo is stuck in its own universe not trying to push anything other then Cel'shading and Gameboy advance add ons.

Nintendo only had to look at the pc to see how online gaming can be successful.

You're crazy. Nintendo still continues to make incredible, innovative games. This has nothing to do with the quality of their games.

[alien space marine]

I thought that review was funny , Anyways Nintendo made a mistake in not pushing harder for online gaming.
Mario Sunshine and Zelda are great games as is metroid nobody denies it .

Selling Rare was a huge mistake even their most Loyal Fans agree.

[OB1]

I also thought so at first, but since most of the key Rare members left to form other teams it's not that big of a blow. And if Nintendo puts that money to good use it could all work out just fine.

And why didn't they mention that gay Elvis guy from Windfall island?

[A Black Falcon]

Its absurd that so many of you actually still are trying to act like losing Rare isn't a huge, huge blow to Nintendo... that makes no sense...

[Sacred Jellybean]

I'll feel better as soon as I see Nintendo invest that money into something worthwhile, rather than just letting it grow cobwebs in their huge Scrooge-McDuck-esque gold vault that they keep in the back of their headquarters.

[Darunia]

I agree with ASM and ABF... like I said earlier (in another thread maybe?), Rare was all that brought me to the N64 in 1997...Rare made at least half of the best Nintendo games made on N64...PD amd GE are my two favorite FPS ever...technology has made some good ones like JKII and Metroid, but they just have such a great feel. Rare was truly the King amongst developers...Nintendo has shot it's self not in the foot, but more like IN THE FUCKING HEAD!

[Weltall]

It would be incredibly neat if I could go back in time and quote this thread on the ONSP four years in the past :D

[A Black Falcon]

What are you referring to?

[Weltall]

Originally posted by A Black Falcon
What are you referring to?

An inside joke that few here will understand.

ONSP = The anti-Nintendo site that initially got me into so much trouble here... and incidentally where I made acquaintences with EdenMaster, WhiteFleck, Darunia, Neo, ASM, and others.

The site is still up, but for the sake of keeping my dignity its location will remain secret.

[Great Rumbler]

Originally posted by Weltall at his not-so-secret-after-all forum

Hell yeah. With this, and GT3 and MGS2 and the other kickass games coming out this year, it's sure to rain on GC's parade

[And]

That's OK, Darunia. Maybe someday GC will get a game half as good as this... well... i mean... there IS a possibility, right?

Ah, who am I kiddin?

Heh heh heh :evil:

[A Black Falcon]

:)

Where exactly is that from?

Oh, and I was going to say... you were at a site like that and believed it and claim to have credibility?
:)

[Great Rumbler]

It's from the site that Weltall was refering to, but I have respect for Weltall [respect for his powers of banning] so I won't tell the URL for the site.

[Darunia]

LOL...ahh, memories. Now where did I leave that URL...

[OB1]

As some of you may recall, when this whole Rare thing was announced I took the same stance that ABF is currently taking, but my opinion on the matter has changed since then. The thing that changed my mind was Metroid Prime. Nintendo formed this brand new development company with a few dozen members and the first game they produced turned out to be the best one that I had ever played in my entire life. Then there is the fact that Nintendo's third-party support is a hundred times stronger than it was during the N64 days, Sega and Namco are working on Nintendo franchises, and we got a new Mario, Metroid, and Zelda game in less than a year. IGN has also hinted that many more of these third-party deals are in the works. Simply put, Rare isn't as important to Nintendo today as they were three years ago.

That, and I have an X-Box so I'll still be getting their games. :D

[A Black Falcon]

I just look at the N64 and see how many of the top games were from Rare and know that no matter what they add, losing that will hurt very bad...

[OB1]

Sure. But Retro's first game was even better than anything Rare produced.

[A Black Falcon]

Metroid Prime was and absolutely incredible game, sure... but Rare did have a stellar game lineup -- Blast Corps, B-K, DK64, B-T, Goldeneye, PD, JFG, DKR... as well as KI Gold and the not as good Mickey's Speedway USA... But that's one great lineup of games. And that can't be replaced with just one team, which is what Retro is...

[Dark Jaguar]

....So, I take it you seem to think that they couldn't have both companies at once?