[honru]

Originally posted by Tusky
even if no new ones come out , I really dont understand why it doesnt sell that well , people just seem to want to buy playstations , I mean playstations best games are out on PC ( gta 3 and VC ) , X-Boxs best are also out on pc ( Halo, KOTOR, Splinter Cell? ) where as all gamecubes exclusive games stay exclusive ,

Thats a stupid generalisation. Think about it, no casual joe is going to buy/upgrade a PC to play the Grand Theft Auto series; PC games and videogames are completely different markets. Playstation is the cool, and there is a good few games other than GTA that would warrent a purchase (especially to the casual gamer). I want to play ICO, Grandia Xtreme, Magic Pengal etc. And Capcom is considering porting Viewtiful Joe to the PS2.

It is ingrained in the public's mind that Nintendo's Gamecube is a kids console, and purple isn't a cool colour to the consumer. As Gamecube shelves become smaller or ousted, the perception is of a dying console, which is annoying. It is on shaky ground, yes, but it will no doubt hold on until the N5. Nintendo just know they have work to do (exclusives, online play, mature titles, advertising, Western appeal etc.) for the N5. Here's hoping to a good 2004.

Microsoft have definetly made the right decisions over the last year (LIVE is excellent), and seem to be on the right track, something I wouldn't have said last year. While the Xbox's Christmas lineup this year was somewhat empty and underwhelming, next year will see a splattering of great new releases such as Ninja Gaiden, Doom III, Fable, Half Life 2, Dead or Alive Online, Grand Theft Auto: Double Pack, Prince of Persia: SOT aswell as Halo 2.

[krattapopov]

Something been bothering me, does the fact that a console has good games or not affect sales cause, The dreamcast had alot of daM good games (Soul Calibur, Shenmue MSR to name a few) but it died quickly. I thought number of games and marketing made the console (hence ps2 success) Obviously good games is what we want but in general sales people will buy the ps2 cause it has more games on offer. And then we got all the licences (the fact EA refused to make any DC games killed the sports side of the dreamcast) I mean i know people are saying the GC have triple A games but does that really matter when it comes to average person buying games?

i think you are dam right here.... its all about clever advertising in the big picture... sure there are a select bunch of gamers who know what they want and a typically what console they want.. (personally i have an xbox, gamecube and pc) and to be honest i do think these three are ahead of ps2.. however i dont think anyone of them stands out in the superiority stakes (as compared to one another).

[monument]

Originally posted by tman
afaik it's a fact that they recently restarted production

Yes.

Originally posted by BlitzKrieg
p.s How is the X-BOX surviving?

The Xbox is made by people who have lots of money, lots of money, lots to spare.


BTW - All three consoles have a few good exclusive games.

[Tusky]

Originally posted by f®eak s©enery


Thats a stupid generalisation. Think about it, no casual joe is going to buy/upgrade a PC to play the Grand Theft Auto series; PC games and videogames are completely different markets. Playstation is the cool, and there is a good few games other than GTA that would warrent a purchase (especially to the casual gamer). I want to play ICO, Grandia Xtreme, Magic Pengal etc. And Capcom is considering porting Viewtiful Joe to the PS2.

not gonna get caught up in another debate on this subject BUT i would say they are the same market , most people that have a PC have a console as well , the point i was making is that the big exclusive PS2 and X-box games dont stay exclusive.

You can get the Gamecube in black or Silver , not that the colour should matter

[A-Trak]

I followed the dreamcast to its untimely demise and cried bitter, bitter tears when it died.
Brilliant,brilliant games-Soul Caliber,Virtua fighter 2, amazing online games(Chu-Chu Rocket, Quake 3, and Phantasy Star online-which trough a 28k modem with no subsrciption fee. rocked)
But the Dreamcasts one and only major TV advertising campaign was a barber shaving heads.
The Cubes major advertising is baggage handlers.

You do the math.

[quarryman]

But the Dreamcasts one and only major TV advertising campaign was a barber shaving heads.
The Cubes major advertising is baggage handlers.

You do the math.

i agree. PS2 advertising is everywhere. Magazines, television, sport. It really is splashed on everything. The Xbox isn't far behind. Its got almost limitless financial backing and i would be suprised to see it succumb despite making a loss in sales. I have only ever seen the GC advertised properly in games stores. Maybe someone can correct me here but is it actually advertised on T.V?

[smiaras]

Eh when you quoted your man you just made mention of Tendo's advertising campaign on tv for MK DD

[Syth]

is it actually advertised on T.V?

I've only seen one or two ads for GC titles.

ingrained in the public's mind that Nintendo's Gamecube is a kids console

True. But that shouldn't matter. People who choose their gaming based on how a console looks and not on how much fun it is to play are very stupid. You only get a games console to have fun. But that doesn't mean that Ninty shouldn't cop on. They would sell more units if they marketed it better. Same console, same games, just better advertising.

Another thing they really should do is multiplayer. F-Zero GX has 30 racers on one track. That'd be cool for multiplayer.

[DiscoStu]

Originally posted by Syth
People who choose their gaming based on how a console looks and not on how much fun it is to play are very stupid.

True, however they are the market. the people who buy one or two games a year are unfortunatly what drives sales. Thats why the ps2 is still selling bucketloads.

Gone are the days where gaming was the domain of the nerd with severe social retardation, its a mainstream cultural thing like pop music, films or starting fights on a friday night. when something reachs that kind of level the lowest common denominator is the key, hence the reason that most mainstream films and music are crap and EA games sell so well. unfortunatly joe public dosent like being challenged or scared. he likes safe and easily digestable entertainment not something to mull over or think about after its finished.
Nintendo games dont seem to fall into the pop culture bracket that sony so brilliantly carved out with the playstation over the last eight years, they are lablled as childrens toys. Does joe public really want to play pikmin after lots of beer and fighting on a friday night? no he wants his helping of smackdown: insert yearly tagline change here, fifa 200n and bad games that come from the bowels of the gaming equivalent of simon cowell, EA.

(i know smackdown is brought to us by the lovley folks at thq but it falls into that same yearly iteration formula that ea use to create its next blockbuster)

[monument]

Originally posted by quarryman
I have only ever seen the GC advertised properly in games stores. Maybe someone can correct me here but is it actually advertised on T.V?

Yes, on UK channels which we get here. They have limited PR & marketing in Europe -but when they do something they do it well.

[smiaras]

Think theres an interview with somebody about this topic in last month's Games TM. He puts it down to the fact that Sony portray themselves as a media company whereas the big N pigeonhole themselves as a games company. IMO the fact that Sony has a lack of a figurehead title makes them appealing to various groups who attracted by differnet titles to the console, whereas Nintendo are always shoving some cartoon character down your gob (w/ exception of metroid). The GC just lacks mainstream appeal, it had better hope that the 3rd party publishers start producing for the console again because of its increase in market share.

[i_am_dogboy]

Originally posted by smiaras
Nintendo are always shoving some cartoon character down your gob (w/ exception of metroid).

I know i'm a big nintendo fan(as you may have guessed by the pink bobomb), but thats part of what i've always loved about nintendo-if they all of a sudden started releasing games that were simple to play, required no thinking and took themselves too seriously, they wouldn't be nintendo anymore and i know i wouldn't be buying their consoles or games anymore.

I'm not sure about this one, but isn't it a good thing that nintendo are still making games for nintendo fans? So what they dont make as much money as sony but at least we're enjoying ourselves.

[deadduck]

i'm a big cube fan, but unless nintendo get the advertising finger out in a big way, they're screwed. and to be honest, i think due to their complete lack of christmas advertising, the cube's already got 1 foot in the grave

[Matt Simis]

You could label the Cubes slipping (despite Ninty trying to convince everyone its still the second highest seller) as a result of its poor marketting, or you could face up to the fact that the games, arent good as you people make out. Its like you are playing them games in permanent nostalgia mode.

I have a Cube, Xbox and PC. The best game (by a long shot) I played on the Cube was Eternal Darkness. I have MP, MKDD, Star Fox, Zelda WW, Pikmin etc. Taking Zelda as an example (this applies to most all Nintendo games), its quite amusing, and looks fantastic, but I cant see myself playing it much, I cannot relate to the characters. Simply put, they annoy me... I would even go as far to say, I hate them. I said this once before, that I didnt think there was a market for games that are percieved as so childish. I then bought a Cube (and kept it stocked with plenty of games), and I still feel as tho Im trying to like it (as a side note, I think technically its very impressive).

I look forward to Killer7 and some of the other big Capcom games.. but thats about it. The problem with Nintendo is that they have lost their originality, they cling to their old 80-90s mascots and promote them the same way they did back then. Trouble is, most of us grew up in the meantime..



Matt

[i_am_dogboy]

Originally posted by Matt Simis
The problem with Nintendo is that they have lost their originality

what about pikmin? probably the most original game ive played

but nintendo should stick with their old mascots, each time a new zelda, mario etc..... game comes out they get a slating from people who dismiss them straight out because they are cartooney and childish looking but the fans of the games rejoice, if nintendo were to go with new games and characters they too would probably be percieved as childish, anyway what developers are being original out there these days? next to none(dont say a thing about gta3 because i experienced it all in syndicate over 10 years ago)

nintendo make great games, that are more than anything about enjoying the game, this even applies to metroid prime, isn't that a good thing, what would mario be like if they threw an epic love story into the next one eh?

you are right about eternal darkness being a great game though

ps-yes i play my games in permanent nostalgia mode