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TalkBack / RE: It's Already Over ...

« on: March 10, 2004, 04:27:17 AM »

I don't think that raw specs are going to matter as much for next-gen consoles in the long run. It doesn't even matter in this generation, as Sony has won out with arguably the weakest hardware of the three consoles. Microsoft, often touted as 'ahead-of-its-time' in terms of hardware and specs, is currently in third place. As for the BBCi reported prediction, those things are routinely projections of market conditions that already exist...and should be taken with more than a few grains of salt everytime. It operates in the same way as you might see 'analysts' predicting who will win the World Series this year. They usually pick the same teams that either won or came close in the previous year, and that doesn't guarantee anything. Notice that the same analysts didn't make predictions regarding sales of the PSP for 2010 versus Nintendo handhelds. No old sales numbers to project for a Sony handheld.

I don't doubt that Sony will have an early advantage (although they may be the last to launch), but it's going to be closer than 30-10-5 four years from launch. To me, the real question about the next generation is how the flow of quality titles may be effected by the higher technical specs and consumer expectations...even longer development cycles and with more delays than before? I hope not, but it's likely.  

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TalkBack / RE: Iwata on DS Connectivity

« on: March 02, 2004, 07:33:09 AM »

The more detail you get about Nintendo's ideas for the future, the less "crazy" or "out of touch" they seem. Interesting to hear from Gamespot's translation that the DS will represent a solid hint of what's to come with their next console.

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TalkBack / RE: Nintendo GameCube Nearly Sold Out!

« on: March 02, 2004, 03:31:57 AM »

If Nintendo were really as "stupid" about manufacturing and supply as some label them, then how is it that they supply enough GBA's for the North American market? I think Nintendo is just being conservative with the Gamecube due to it's  fairly unpredictable sales path. Like KDR said, overproduction would be worse than underproduction, especially when you can make the same $99 by selling a GBA SP. I don't think a 60,000 unit advantage in January means that Xbox has exploited some kind of "mistake" by Nintendo. Looks to me like the same back-and-forth kind of sales growth that both systems have been experiencing lately. It's interesting to me that the success of the GBA is usually taken for granted, as if the management of Nintendo had a guarantee that it would sell to the public and it's really the Gamecube that determines whether they are "smart" or "stupid" regarding selling/supplying a product.

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TalkBack / RE: Iwata, Yamauchi Speak Out on Nintendo DS

« on: February 14, 2004, 06:50:59 AM »

Yeah, I just hope the ideas are more innovative than adaptive (specific to the system, not just 'remodeled' for the DS). From everything I've read, that at least sounds like what Nintendo and the developers are shooting for.  

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TalkBack / RE: Iwata, Yamauchi Speak Out on Nintendo DS

« on: February 14, 2004, 04:30:51 AM »

I think Nintendo is essentially correct about the hardware issues, and spot-on with the push for game innovation being a bigger priority for THEM. Sony's ultimate goals seem to be in blurring the lines between gaming consoles/handhelds and other consumer electronics, and attracting a wider range of consumers with the added features. Sony is obviously more of a 'techno-worship' kind of company. Nintendo doesn't really have an incentive (or a means) to approach their game business that way, so the strategy of pushing for innovative play over raw technical specs may be the only way to survive. It has it's risks, for sure, but Nintendo trying to "out-Sony" Sony would guarantee dramatic failure.  

It's interesting that Nintendo is identifying the next two years as critical to their success...the gap that exists before the planned launches of PS3 and Microsoft's next console. Personally, I agree that alot of the models for gameplay are fairly stale. It's like the film 'The Player', where all the movie ideas that are pitched are described as combinations of successful films that have already been produced...most video games today are exactly like that. If Nintendo can really deliver on their idea of innovative games and gameplay with the DS, they could exploit the large volume of dead-air between now and 2006. The repetitive nature of current game design will only get more dull over the course of two years, so I'm hopeful that there really are some fresh ideas out there!  

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TalkBack / RE: Game Informer Gets RE4, Killer 7 Exclusive

« on: February 13, 2004, 02:44:37 AM »

 I'm guessing that the 'Umbrella Corp. doesn't exist anymore' descriptions of the game's story are a red herring...probably along the lines of "they're not supposed to exist anymore, but Leon slowly discovers the horrible truth" etc., etc. It would be much like the Nazi's fleeing to South America (which seems a likely source of inspiration for the initial locale)....'The Boys from Brazil' and all that.  

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TalkBack / RE: Prince of Persia Sequel Planned

« on: February 04, 2004, 02:47:10 AM »

Apparently it sold around 2 million copies in Europe, according to reports of Ubisoft's newly released financial statement.

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TalkBack / RE: Nintendo Reveals "Third Pillar"!

« on: January 25, 2004, 10:58:44 AM »

For all the doubts that exist for how successful Nintendo's "DS" will be, I would have to say that all those same things apply to Sony's PSP. The concept photo's for the PSP look quite nice, but when you step beyond that, it's essentially a Playstation 2 or near-Playstation 2 clone that has been miniaturized and will be resold at year 2001 prices ($300) or higher in late 2004 or 2005. Rumor has it that Sony is not willing to have the PSP follow in the PS2's footsteps in terms of not being profitable from a hardware sale standpoint. I think there is also a legitimate question as to whether the probable price/graphical power are overkill for something with a 4.5" screen. Perhaps the USB port that has been mentioned will allow connectivity for playback on a computer monitor...Sony VAIO anyone?

Essentially Sony is looking for the general public to repurchase an old product in a new form. Is that really very different from Nintendo's portable gaming strategy? Nope. The only real difference is that Sony also owns large lucrative concerns in other areas of electronics and entertainment, and hopes to graft those on top of Nintendo's tried and true portable gaming strategies. That's always been their leverage, not that they have better ideas or "vision" about gaming products. I think portraying Nintendo as being in the dark about these things is pretty misleading.