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GC

Memory Card 1019 On Shelves

by Jonathan Metts - June 8, 2004, 11:11 am EDT
Total comments: 26 Source: Nintendo.com Online Store

Nintendo's biggest official memory card yet has quietly slipped onto store shelves.

Despite no official announcement so far, the Memory Card 1019 is now available in many stores, including Nintendo.com's online store. The card provides 8 MB of storage for your GameCube, at an MSRP of $29.99 USD. For comparison, the Memory Card 1019 is four times as large as Memory Card 251 and 16 times as large as the original Memory Card 59.

Talkback

Bill AurionJune 08, 2004

I'm going to need another memory card soon, but I don't know if I need one this big... :\

KDR_11kJune 08, 2004

Erm, 1024 is 16 times 64, not 32 times 64...

RhoqJune 08, 2004

I hope Nintendo doesn't make the same Memory Card-size mistake when they release the "Revolution". They should have offered a 16Mb card from the day the GameCube launched. I don't know about anybody else, but when it was time for me to purchase an additional memory card a few months back, I went with the Nyko 64Mb card.

Ian SaneJune 08, 2004

The 251 came out just as my 59 ran out of space. I then let my brother use the 59 for Animal Crossing and I transferred all my saves to the 251. My 251 was recently filled up a few months ago when I bought MGS so the timing for this card release is pretty good as well. What bugs me is that I'll probably never have to buy another memory card since it's unlikely I'll ever have four times the Cube games I have now so realistically had this card come out from the get-go I could have bought one memory card for the whole Cube lifespan. That sucks and the only reason I had to buy three is because of Nintendo's greed.

Here's hint for the N5 Nintendo: RELEASE A BIG MEMORY CARD RIGHT AWAY! I understand that blatantly ripping off your loyal fanbase has it's short term perks but it just pisses the fanbase off and it completely screws over sports gamers which make up a HUGE chunk of the gaming market. The really annoying thing is that this is a Gamecube "flaw" that was completely avoidable just like many other little flaws with the Cube. Add them together and it creates a big excuse for people to not buy a Cube. Don't give people excuses not to buy an N5, Nintendo.

KnoxxvilleJune 08, 2004

I think I might wait for that memory card with the USD doohickey-doodad attachment. I STILL use my PS Dexdrive (one of my guilty pleasures face-icon-small-smile.gif )

MattVDBJune 08, 2004

It bugs me that what most people don't realize is, is that memory costs money. If these cards were all to have been offered at launch, the price of each would have been much greater than it is now. Seriously, how many 59s do you think they sold after the 251 came out? Not nearly as many as could have been sold had they chosen not to release the 251.

They are releasing the 1019 now because it is affordable enough to do it now.

And don't trying writing off what third parties have been doing. They may have been offering them from the get go, but they haven't been reliable. Nintendo won't by cheap goods to make their products, and this is why it has taken so long.

Ian SaneJune 08, 2004

"They are releasing the 1019 now because it is affordable enough to do it now."

Then how come Sony has been able to sell a card of the same capacity since the PS2 launch? When the Cube launched Sony was selling 8MB cards for practically the same price Nintendo was charging for 0.5MB cards. And now Sony is selling the 8MB cards in two packs for only $10 more than one of Nintendo's 8MB cards. Nintendo is either ripping us off or they're incredibly incompetent at making an affordable memory card. Either way there's no good excuse.

mouse_clickerJune 08, 2004

Jesus, Ian, do you have to complain about everything? Everytime I see your name under the Last Post heading I think to myself what's he whining about this time?

JensenJune 08, 2004

Quote

It bugs me that what most people don't realize is, is that memory costs money.

No it doesn't.... at the sizes they are offering, the memory is dirt cheap for them.

Nintendo is ripping you off.

$28 for a standard 128MB Flash Card .....that would be a 16379 block card
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=20-160-008&depa=0

With the cost of flash memory now, the three sizes that Nintendo now offers probably cost the same to manufacture.

Considering that every game needs a memory card, it is just a hidden cost in the console price.

Termin8AnakinJune 08, 2004

Imagine if they actually continue to name em like this in the future.
Memory Card 1000000000.
Talk about false advertising ahahhaha.

Is the mem card 1019 gonna be sold in Australia?

JensenJune 08, 2004

Imagine if they used a non-proprietary format like compact flash.... You could have a 1535995 block card for only $9999
That will never happen, of course.

MattVDBJune 08, 2004

With the writing methods the Gamecube uses, the memory can easily be wiped. Many people have experienced this with 3rd party cards.

My question is this: Why can't 3rd parties make reliable memory cards? If indeed the only cost is the memory, then yes, any third party could have released a working memory card. Instead, because of the memory writing hardware the Gamecube uses it takes a longer time for it to be engineered/produced at a low enough price with its integrity still intact. This is why Gamecube owners only now get these cards, and for these prices.

I applaud Sony for making memory cards easy to produce while at the same time applaud Nintendo for designing a console that has yet to be effeciently hacked. Think about it. Proprietary anything costs money and time.

JensenJune 08, 2004

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Originally posted by: MattVDB

My question is this: Why can't 3rd parties make reliable memory cards?

Because Nintendo doesn't want them too. They are also usually smaller companies that don't focus on flash memory products.

Quote

If indeed the only cost is the memory, then yes, any third party could have released a working memory card. Instead, because of the memory writing hardware the Gamecube uses it takes a longer time for it to be engineered/produced at a low enough price with its integrity still intact. This is why Gamecube owners only now get these cards, and for these prices.


Why would the "Memory Writing Harware" make it slower for Nintendo to introduce an 8mb card?
Nntendo's cards aren't any more special than most CF cards out there. The cards are a way to earn money back from the low console price.

DraygaiaJune 08, 2004

Another problem I have with Nintendo is when they make us buy all these things in order to do this or that. I hope the next generation Nintendo will put in all the interesting features on the system even if some people don't plan to use them. Something they could do is when the competition is $100-$200 more expensive and you have all these ideas then they should keep adding those ideas to their handheld/console until they equal in price. Hopefully some people see the gaming difference to non-gaming.

KyoshoJune 08, 2004

If I were Nintendo, and given the fact that there are a lot of hopeless Nintendo fanatics, this tactic is an excellent way to get more money. Sadly, they'll probably make 30$ off of me because i need these cards to play the memory-consuming sports games. My only beef is Gamestop is selling it for 34.99 but EB sells it for 29.99. *confused by price inconsistencies*

Infernal MonkeyJune 08, 2004

Quote

Originally posted by: Termin8Anakin


Is the mem card 1019 gonna be sold in Australia?


Considering NAL still supplies more memory card 59's than 251's... I doubt we'll see these mega hyper that attack was super effective 1000000 cards for quite some time. They'd be about $100 anyway.

SylJune 08, 2004

Bout time, a memory card that can hold all of my games.

I currently have 4x 59 cards full (including my animal crossing one, i had to delete animal crossing) and a 251 full.

Shame nintendo didn't release something like this to begin with.

Uncle Rich AiAiJune 09, 2004

Quote

Originally posted by: Infernal Monkey
Quote

Originally posted by: Termin8Anakin


Is the mem card 1019 gonna be sold in Australia?


Considering NAL still supplies more memory card 59's than 251's... I doubt we'll see these mega hyper that attack was super effective 1000000 cards for quite some time. They'd be about $100 anyway.

Just wait till Iwata-san comes Down Under.

Termin8AnakinJune 09, 2004

Oooh, they'll be Reggie'D face-icon-small-happy.gifface-icon-small-happy.gif

KDR_11kJune 09, 2004

Termin8, I'm sure you've read Mrs. Kaplan's warning about Reggie's footstep flowers being poisonous, why do you still advocate giving them to children?

Madman AdamJune 12, 2004

Mouse Clicker, what Ian Sane is pointing out is the two marketing approaches that Nintendo has to choose from, this example being the memory card issue.

Nintendo decided to take the marketing approach by increasing the memory card size gradually as to increase revenue (therefore profits: ie. they make more money) through making customers by a new memory card each time one came out. What Ian points out here is that in the long run Nintendo's marketing plan is hurting its sales because people will get discouraged by the initial tiny memory card. Both marketing plans have their pros and cons. And I'm sure that the costs to produce this newest card were not much different when the Cube came out (they are cheap electronic components for crying out loud!). The price you see on a item like that is usually because of a nice big markup a company puts on an item so as to make money, and not the actual cost of the material to make the product.

Chode2234June 15, 2004

The initial cards were way too small, I think thats one of the reasons for the lack of success of sports games on cube, that it takes an entire memory card for a season. If I had a PS2 I would get my sports games for that, where I can actually afford to save my progress.

I hope next gen this isn't even an issue, it shouldn't be now...

Ian SaneJune 15, 2004

A few days ago I backed up my 251 to my 1019 card and it doesn't let me copy my F-Zero GX save. ARRRGH! So now I have to swap cards whenever I play that game. I guess with the stupidly hard difficulty and the obscure nature of American F-Zero arcade machines Amusement Vision felt they were already going for a record level of user unfriendlyless and figured they should go all the way and make it impossible to backup the save of the one game that you absolutely DO NOT want to lose the save for.

I can't copy my Chao data for Sonic Adventure 2 as well for some reason. I was able to copy it from my 59 to my 251 so it must be an issue with the 1019. No biggy since I don't even own that game and the save is from a rental.

thecubedcanuckJune 15, 2004

" Jesus, Ian, do you have to complain about everything? Everytime I see your name under the Last Post heading I think to myself what's he whining about this time? "

conflicting opinions sure do threaten you, dont they mouse.
Just because you love wearing the Nintendo dress doesnt make everything they do correct. Ian as a consumer has every right to complain. I for one think he is much more objective than you, and presents his arguments very thoroughly. You on the other hand have become a repetative Nintendo puppet.

I am done with site. Nothing here of any value to me anymore.

RennyJune 15, 2004

Nothing bitin' today.

Koopa TroopaJune 15, 2004

Quote

I am done with site. Nothing here of any value to me anymore.


Yay! Now if Ninja were to come back everything would be as it should.

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