GameCube outselling PS2, ..by 20 percent Options

[Mute]

QUOTE

Nintendo console king of the hill at major US retailers Those calling for price drops in the Xbox and PS2 got some major ammunition today, with Nintendo announcing that its recently discounted GameCube is the top-selling console in the US. In a statement, Nintendo cited figures that had the Cube outselling Sony's PlayStation 2 by a solid 20 percent during the week of October 4. The spread was even wider for Microsoft's Xbox--GameCube sales surpassed Xbox sales by a whopping 145 percent. Unfortunately, hard sales numbers won't be available until the next Toy Retail Sales Tracking Service (TRSTS) report. The figures are a vindication for Nintendo's bold price cut last month, which dropped the GC's price from $149 to just $99. It is possible that the high sales numbers will help convince skittish publishers and third-party developers that the platform is here to stay. By Tor Thorsen, GameSpot  [POSTED: 10/08/03 02:10 PM]

I'm smelling Sony pricecut. >=D Hopefully it'll happen soon enough for me to get the system and Castlevania when it comes out.
<_<

However, I also heard that for the first time since Nintendo entered the industry they posted a net loss. Perhaps the boosted sales of the systems will hike up game sales.

[HC82]

My earlier post was related for casual gamers, but then there are the other gamers.

Anyway, great points. Online is really a market that Nintendo is balantly

FOOLISH

for not jumping into. It is really a strong selling point that would not only enhance gameplay, but also lure many people into purchasing a "fun Nintendo game," so they can play with their friends. Nintendo is seriously underlooking the untapped potential of both the social and competitive aspects of online gaming. When added to a very fun game, it takes on an addicited nature. Imagine Pokemon ONLINE, nuff said, millions made.

I'll give you my point of view for why my gamecube has not interested me as much(even though I own one).

It really is about the games and the lack of variety (gamedesign wise), casual players aside. I'm refering to the sales of video games on the cube, not so much hardware sales. Nintendo is known for being one of the top game developers, if not the innovator for console gaming(sega is up there with them on that one).
Despite all that, the gamecube games, albeit fun, tend to lack the masterful innovation I usually expect from Nintendo.

Fun is FUN, the simplest of games can keep even the veteran gamer glued, but despite the fun of a game, a person usually has limited funds. As a result of that, if a game may be fun, but doesn't peek one's interest, it will either go unpurchased or it will be rented and beaten in those 5 days.

Games likes F-Zero for example. It is a fun game, all of the F-Zeros are fun, but it needs to bring something new to the table. For people like me, if the game doesn't bring some sort refreshing aspect to the gameplay, I'm very motivated to play the game, BUT NOT to buy it. I usually rent it. In my eyes, many of the Nintendo made games are 100% fun, but seem much to similar in nature to their previous archtypes. This core reasons for why a game is fun and why someone enjoys a game ARE IN the Nintendo games. The problem isn't so much the lack of innovation in the form of a barrier shattering new genre, it is the lack of innovation within the already concieved gameplay design.

Innovation within the already concieved gameplay design(example. When someone makes a sequel that adds a totally different, yet fundamental gameplay aspect to an already made game design engine. Example2. Castlevania for the Snes vs Castlevania SotN for PS1. All they did was add a more metroid feel for level exploration, with more rpg elements). I'm not gonna disect why those elements are fundamental, take too long.

Anyway, with that said, taking Nintendo made games into an online atmosphere won't change the core gameplay design, but help too intensify it. The simple pyschological aspects of humans in a social environment(ex. PSO lobby chat) is reason enough to see how that alone can add to a game when it is mixed in a FUN enviornment.

Heck, PSO offline is very bland, yet Nintendo games are tons off fun offline. A few tweaks here and there, and BAM, you've got gaming magic.

This is of course my view point, but I do think that if Nintendo made more online games, it would only benefit them. I would purchase pretty much all of the Nintendo made games if they had online aspects to them.

If you actually read the whole thing, give yourself a pat on the back.