Topic: GC2 to release before other rivals....but

[jimbojim]

Like all of you guys,I've read that Nintendo plans to release their next consoles before Sony's and MS's
Don't you folks think that it would be a bad thing for the GC to release GC2 too soon???Releasing before rivals is indeed awesome,but did we get enough time to fully experience the original GC because they were too late on this one???

what do you think guys?

[Fish]

IMO the next generation could start 2010 for all i care, but its good thing cube gets released before rivals, i just hope ít happens that N5(or whatever) wotn have a good launch(new mario, maybe SSB, and some othe goodies) and then months of dryness, and people looses interest, if it has steady flow of games and not months of waits, its should be okay.

[Chode2234]

Where have you guys heard that Nintendo plans on releasing before everyone else?

I can't find any info except some ramblings from IGN.

[BigJim]

Nintendo never made such a statement.

Sometimes you just have to read the other threads before making your own.

[jimbojim]

[jimbojim]

I've seen interviews in game magazine saying that they don't want to be late this time so that they are ready for the next-gen consoles....they will probably launch it at the same time or before....that's what I guess.

so please bigjim,I'm not a bad guy,don'T attack me

[Chode2234]

not being late is much different than being early.  It bothers me when people get carried away with the anticipation and say things like "hooray, I just heard Nintendo is going to release a new console a year before everyone else."  Lets just work with the few facts we have instead of inventing them.

Anyway, do you guys think Nintendo will do well if it is released at the same time as the other guys'?  Or will it just get clobbered and ultimately illustrate Nintento has lost its appeal?

[ThePerm]

the best idea is to release the console on the same day as ps3 or a week later

[Chode2234]

Why a week later?  I can't see the advantage to that.

personally I would like to see them all on the same day, or at least the same week.  Make people choose which one they want to buy, make them think about what they are getting.

I would just like to see some head to head competition to see if Sony is as powerful as everyone thinks, and if Nintendo has mass apeal anymore.

The stakes should be very high at launch, it would encourage the companies to give us something great, a reason to buy one platform over the other.  On that note I think Nintendo would have the best advantage, unless they have a gamecubeesque launch again.  It was so dry for games I get cotton mouth just thinking about it.

[Ian Sane]

Yeah I don't quite see what advantages launching a week later would bring.  It didn't really help the Gamecube launch to be a week after the Xbox.  It didn't really hurt it either though.

Personally I think that if Nintendo launched it shortly before the PS3 (say a month or so) they might be able to get a couple of sales from impatient people who can't wait another month for a new system.  Some people might buy it as a tide-me-over to the PS3.  It wouldn't make a real difference for PS3 loyalists with pre-orders but for those who are thinking of buying a second console it could make them pick a GC2 over an Xbox 2.

Anyway before or at the PS3 seems like the best way to go.  They definitely can't launch last again even if it's only by a few days.

[BigJim]

Simultaneous launches are cool for gamers because we all want to see blood shed, but I bet Nintendo will wait a few months after Sony makes their move. Simul. launches cost more money (marketing), and the end result is still a split of revenue between the two systems, meaning less for both. And I think Nintendo will always look out for the bottom line first.

If history is any indication, there won't be any killer apps for PS3 right out the gate. Nintendo is more capable of producing a killer app(s), so I think it'd be an interesting strategy to let PS3 have its moment... and once people see there's nothing they really need to play, Nintendo launches with their gloves on a couple months later.

[ThePerm]

im pretty much feeling that Nintendo has beeen holding back this whole generation. I just figure gamecubes launch cant be too far distant from sony's....not too before and not too late.

[Hostile Creation]

I heard that PS3 and N5 are launching at about the same time, and the Xbox2'll come about a year later.  Egh, I can't wait for the new system.  And the games that are coming out for the current one, and I regret all the good games I couldn't get.  Argh.  Uh, yeah.

*dances*

[Chode2234]

I think if they release after PS3 in any way shape or form it will hurt them tremendously.  So many people will jump on the PS3 bandwagon because of the hype etc.  I think if they launched head to head people would have to consider where to drop there money and this would get them thinking about the games available for launch etc, and this thinking could really help Nintendo.

Nintendos launch should be more solid than Sonys if they have the exclusive games we hope they will (Too human, Mario, who knows what else), I mean the PS2s most popular launch game was Madden which isn't an exclusive. I think if there is a similtanious release it could shift the momentum of this current generation.  Nintendo just has to have a good reason for people to buy theirs over the other guys', and more importantly let people know about it.

[DRJ]

Nintendo will not be changing the Gamecube 2 too much. Just improving it a little here and there. More memory, faster processor etc. So hopefully that will mean more dev. time for games so they have a good launch. Sony is really changing the PS3 a lot from what the PS2 is. That means not much time to make games, also third parties may be holding off until they know exactly what there PS3 will be.

I think if Nintendo can launch at the same time as Sony or a month or so before or after they will be ok. So long as they dont give Sony several months to a year head start again they will pick up some ground.

[Chode2234]

So if they release at the same time or aprox. the same time  does anyone feel Nintendo will be able to grab equal market share with Sony's PS3?

[DRJ]

Since the hardware capabilities will all be very similar, and since most everyone already has a DVD player, and since GCN2 will be cheaper, I think they have a real chance to take a bigger share. Maybe 30%. Sony will probably be 40-50% just on hype alone and NextBox will be 20-30% ish.

It will all come down to launch games. You know M$ will have at least one big one maybe Halo III or something. Sony will have nothing exciting. And it just depends on what Nintendo puts out there. If they launch with a good Mario and Pokemon game, plus a good group game like SSBM2 or Mario Party 6, then follow up 4-6 months later with a Zelda and Metroid game they will do great. If they launch with Luigi's mansion II and no other games for a year, they are dead. I all comes down to games, Nintendo makes the best games. There is no doubt that they will produce great games, the only variable is when will they come out.  

[Chode2234]

Its no doubt that people like nintendo games, its just that they get scared away if there are no other games, there needs to be some variety in the release.  I think this generation has shown that a system can't live on Zeldas and marios alone.

[Ian Sane]

"I think this generation has shown that a system can't live on Zeldas and marios alone."

Very true.  Nintendo has to show that the GC2 is better than the Gamecube.  If it has exactly the same games over again then in the eyes of the casual gamer it will just be the same thing all over again.  Releasing two big launch titles in Too Human and Mario would be a great way to go because they have Mario for the loyalists and kids and Too Human for the teen/young adult market.

If you look at the last few generations the big system selling titles have traditionally been original games (Resident Evil, Halo, Goldeneye) or sequels that completely change the whole series and for all intents and purposes are brand new games (Super Mario 64, Final Fantasy VII, GTA3).  Another Mario game will never be a huge system seller unless it makes a Super Mario 64 like change.  An original game like Too Human that (I hope) provides a brand new experience is the only type of game that would truly sell GC2s.  Backed with enough hype and marketing one major original launch title could start the next Nintendo console on the right path and then the established franchises can keep people interested.  And no something that can beaten in a weekend like Luigi's Mansion does not count despite being an original title.

[Chode2234]

In a way I think variety of games from a variety of publishers would be more successful than a couple HUGE games.  People are used to the huge nintendo games, its the "fillers" that have people worried about Nintendo.  Other games although not usually as wonderful and Nintendos own creations provide the foundations on which to build a solid platform.

For so long it seems nintendos philosophy has been to use Zelda and Mario as the foundation for success, it might be benificial to think about it the other way around.  They should try to build on variety and use that for the foundation of their marketing and even developmental strategy.

Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps...

[The Real Mario]

Nintendo has to release before the competition simply because they cant compete with Sony and Microsoft's marketing budget.  When the Xbox came out Microsoft spent half a billion dollars just marketting the thing.  In one of my old game magazines, they had 20 xbox ad's.  And Sony's no slouch either.  The fact remains that Nintendo has release early, even if it's only by a few months, or they will be lost in obscurity.

[Round Eye]

I think Nintendo is kicking themselves over the lost oppurtunity they had when the PS2 released.  If I remember correctly Sony had a lot of trouble meeting demand, and it was a sloppy launch.  If Nintendo had their system ready at the same time as Sonys' they may have been able to grab more of the market.   This time around I think they want to have their system ready to go just in case Sony stumbles again.  Kinda of like a hawk poised to swoop down on the hapless rabbit that trips while going out to eat a carrot.  

Also it would be benificial to launch at near the same time as Sony.  But, for Nintendo to get a huge chunk of the market they have to wait for Sony to make a mistake.

[Chode2234]

I dont buy that at all.  Nintendo spends a lot of $ on marketing, just not wisely and on poor comercial ideas. I think it would help them if they released at the same time, to ride the buzz created by the new consoles, they just need to turn that buzz into Nintendo buzz.  Nintendo will not be lost in obscurity, you guys just think Nintendo and its fans are losers, Nintendo has a lot going for them, most people can kind of see it, their eyes just need to be opened a litle wider and what better time to do it than a console launch.  Get them to do a side by side comparision, and give them a reason to buy big N.

[kennyb27]

Actually, he's more than right.  It's well documented that Microsoft launched a killer hype campaign for the XBox while Nintendo spent a decent amount of money on their campaign.  I just want to see Sony and Microsoft launch at the same time so they can both pull the same "strategies" on each other, I think it would be fun to watch them knock each other with the same basic ideas.

[BigJim]

The money MS spent only got them a position that's neck to neck with Nintendo. So bigger budgets alone aren't going to be totally indicative of the results. There's still no indication that Nintendo is even concerned about Xbox or Xbox 2. Their eyes do seem to be on Sony though. And truly that's their biggest threat.