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[Kobun Heat]

Strange that they'd do this -- NOA has done this with accessories, of course, but never games.

Did You Know? Nintendo's Musical Electroplankton Strikes a Chord on Jan. 9

REDMOND, Wash., Oct. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- The artistic musical experience
Electroplankton(TM) will begin making beautiful music in the United States on
Jan. 9. This should come as welcome news to gamers and music fans who have
longed for the hit Japanese music-making title to arrive overseas.
Electroplankton, made exclusively for Nintendo DS(TM), doesn't fit the
traditional definition of a video game. It features 10 different musical
modes that let the user create melodies using the microphone and touch screen.
Electroplankton is something that could only be played on Nintendo DS. Its
dual screens, touch screen and microphone provide the perfect palette for
artistic creation.
Created by renowned artist Toshio Iwai, Electroplankton presents a
beautiful combination of art and music that unfolds in a different way with
every touch of the screen. Players might find themselves getting lost in the
melodies they create before they share their masterpieces with friends.
"Electroplankton represents just one of the many ways that Nintendo is
developing new kinds of software to reach new audiences," said George
Harrison, Nintendo of America's senior vice president of marketing and
corporate communications. "Even if you have never played a video game, you
can pick it up and start making amazing musical combinations with no
instruction."
Electroplankton, Rated E for Everyone, will make a public debut befitting
its creative, quirky nature. Electroplankton will be sold exclusively online
and at the Nintendo World Store in New York. It will be carried by all major
online retailers and at Nintendo.com.

 

[Musashi Wins!]

they must expect wild demand.

I want it.

 

[MegaByte]

They did it with Pokemon Box.

 

[mCACGj]

I hope it's a budget title, like $20, or $15. I'd definately buy it then.

 

[demi]

Someone buy it and give me the code

 

[Ironclad]

That's an odd move. First the online dongle and now this.

Any word on the packaging yet? Will it be similar to the JPN release?

 

[yoopoo]

They probably expected this game to bomb at retail after it failed to sell even 10 k (i think) in Japan. Selling it through online means no distrubtion costs.

 

[golduck342]

I'll get it at the NW store so I don't have to wait for it to ship.

 

[imastalker co.]

HUGE MISTAKE NINTENDO

market it like i said to, and i guarentee success.

 

[BorkBork]

Didn't it totally bomb in Japan? Doesn't look like it'll be anything big here as well.

 

[imastalker co.]

tons of games that bomb in japan can still be a success in the US. look at some of MS's efforts even.

 

[GDJustin]

I think this is an extremely savvy and wise decision on Nintendo's part.

They know that there is a demand from a specific audience for this game, but they ALSO know that in the hands of the wrong consumer it would leave a bad taste in their mouth.

Imagine being a casual or semicasual gamer and picking this up from Target or EB on impulse, expecting... well, at LEAST expecting an actual "game," even if you didn't know what it was. You'd feel incredibly burned by the experience.

Couple that with the fact that Nintendo knew it would never be a BIG hit anyway, and this decision makes a lot of sense.

This way Nintendo knows that gamers who want the game and know what it is (and ONLY those gamers) will get their hands on it. A wide release, putting the software into the hands of the wrong audience, would hurt the DS and Nintendo more than it would help them.

Edit: Obviously the decision will lead to lower sales, but Electroplankton would never become a big hit no matter what they did. Smart move, imo.

 

[argon]

I think this is an extremely savvy and wise decision on Nintendo's part.

They know that there is a demand from a specific audience for this game, but they ALSO know that in the hands of the wrong consumer it would leave a bad taste in their mouth.

Imagine being a casual or semicasual gamer and picking this up from Target or EB on impulse, expecting... well, at LEAST expecting an actual "game," even if you didn't know what it was. You'd feel incredibly burned by the experience.

Couple that with the fact that Nintendo knew it would never be a BIG hit anyway, and this decision makes a lot of sense.

This way Nintendo knows that gamers who want the game and know what it is (and ONLY those gamers) will get their hands on it. A wide release, putting the software into the hands of the wrong audience, would hurt the DS and Nintendo more than it would help them.

Edit: Obviously the decision will lead to lower sales, but Electroplankton would never become a big hit no matter what they did. Smart move, imo.

But that exact same argument can be made for Nintendogs.

 

[imastalker co.]

i think this would be really huge if it had some good marketing. i personally think that the best way to market Electroplankton would be quite simple and straight forward.

just have the commercials consist of nothing but footage. have a 30 second clip of Tracy, and end it with, "Electroplankton for Nintendo DS". do the same thing for Hanenbow, Luminaria, Rec-Rec, and Beatnes.

if at random, 30 second spots of either of those came on, it would have to pique interest. especially if they got a good amount of air play.

people would watch, and just wonder what the fuck it is that they just saw.

Electroplankton i feel is without a doubt, the best app for breaking into the mainstream as far as non-games in the US go. marketing just needs to be as straight forward as possible. no beating around the bush, no trying to make it look cool. just show 30 second clips, and it's bound to intrigue people and pique their interest.

it can be very surreal after all. im sure no one will argue with that.

that's all they need to do.

 

[aoi tsuki]

But that exact same argument can be made for Nintendogs.

i still haven't played Nintendogs, but it's easy to see the appeal of that game versus ELECTROPLANKTON, not to mention the fact that there's actual progression in Nintendogs.

 

[krypt0nian]

that's all they need to do.

LOL

 

[GDJustin]

But that exact same argument can be made for Nintendogs.

I meant to bring up Ndogs in my post... got distracted. But anyway, Eletroplankton isn't half the "videogame" that Nintendogs is. Now, I'm not comparing quality or value or awesomeness or anything. Just saying, whether you pick up nintendogs and LIKE it or not is one thing, but no one would pick it up and say "wtf" like many gamers would with Electroplankton.

 

[imastalker co.]

man, if only GameFan was still around. maybe they could've convinced Nintendo to give the game a solid push. i mean why not? they convinced (well, probably just ECM) Activision to publish VOOT in the states after all.

Nintendo, you're missing out on a great opportunity here. worse case scenerio, you can market it only to people into weed, acid, and shrooms and definitely spread the word.

take a chance. worked for Animal Crossing right?

 

[Azure Dream]

Combine it with Jam with the Band/Band Bros. and release the two on the same game card, I don't think many people would mind. Unless the size of the two combined would require a prohibitively costly card. (I don't know their actual sizes, but given their nature, I doubt they're too huge.)

 

[monchi-kun]

This is sad....i understand Walmart not taking this, but if Nintendo is selling onlne this means that uber game retailer gamestop didn't want this either.

 

[koam]

meh, i didn't like electroplankton at E3. Not my style.

 

[imastalker co.]

apparently Nintendo isn't the only company selling it online.

 

[Tiktaalik]

ebay sellers will love this move.

 

[GDJustin]

This is sad....i understand Walmart not taking this, but if Nintendo is selling onlne this means that uber game retailer gamestop didn't want this either.

Other retailers will have it on their online stores.

 

[argon]

I meant to bring up Ndogs in my post... got distracted. But anyway, Eletroplankton isn't half the "videogame" that Nintendogs is. Now, I'm not comparing quality or value or awesomeness or anything. Just saying, whether you pick up nintendogs and LIKE it or not is one thing, but no one would pick it up and say "wtf" like many gamers would with Electroplankton.

Ok, you have a good point.

But with slick enough marketing, they could have angled it as an "interactive toy" and shed the game image somewhat. Its all about putting your product in the right place. What about having it playable at places like The Discovery Channel Store, or The Sharper Image? What about music stores? How about marketing it on classical/college radio stations as a new interactive art form? Just throwing out ideas..

It just seems antithetical to Nintendo's whole message. They talk about expanding gaming, but choose to restrict one of their showpiece titles to online-only? I expected them to try harder.

 

[GDJustin]

You might be right. But I mean... saying they could have done this or that to extract further sales from the title... I mean... to what point and purpose?

Elecroplankton, no matter WHAT marketing it recieved, was never ever going to be a chart topper.

It's absolutely true that inuitive marketing could have possibly widened its appeal, but its also true that the game still could have sold only 5K copies in its debut month, you know?

This way no one loses. Nintendo doesn't win as much as it had potential to, but it doesn't lose either, and neither no Electroplankton fans.

 

[imastalker co.]

yeah really. considering the push this got during the GDC Keynot, and E3 Press Conference, you'd think they'd atleast run few ads on MTV and Nickelodeon or something.

 

[imastalker co.]

This way no one loses. Nintendo doesn't win as much as it had potential to, but it doesn't lose either, and neither no Electroplankton fans.

but there's always gonna be the "could've" factor, and im telling you, this is a game that could totally take off in the states.

Nintendo should totally take a "risk" here. what the fuck does their mean after all?

 

[GDJustin]

I disagree. I think the DS is in a touchy position in the US. I'm not saying that that means the company needs to play it safe, by any means. I just mean that a strong Electroplankton push might have hurt their cause more than helped it, here in America. Let Nintendogs and brain training lead the non-game push, is their thinking. And I agree.

 

[imastalker co.]

I think the DS is in a touchy position in the US.

not if sales are anything to go by.

 

[Spike]

It just seems antithetical to Nintendo's whole message. They talk about expanding gaming, but choose to restrict one of their showpiece titles to online-only? I expected them to try harder.

Bingo!!

They want to expand the market to non-gamers, yet they don't advertise and offer it only through online purchasing? Same goes for the Nintendongle. They want online, yet instead of offering the adapter "easily", they only offer it through their website. Way to show confidence in your online.

Way to go Nintendo. Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

 

[BuG]

Aside from an online-only release are there any additions to the US release?

 

[GDJustin]

Bingo!!

They want to expand the market to non-gamers, yet they don't advertise and offer it only through online purchasing? Same goes for the Nintendongle. They want online, yet instead of offering the adapter "easily", they only offer it through their website. Way to show confidence in your online.

Way to go Nintendo. Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

I'm not "super close" with NoA or anything but I speak to them through work semi-frequently, and the rumblings I'm hearing is that Brain Training is gonna get the "big" US push, with them also not letting up on Ndogs either.

They just didn't think Electroplankton was the right game to try to sell the US on their non-game offerings, it seems.

 

[Robobandit]

The fact that you can't save your music in-game would be a huge turn off to most people who would pick it up off of the shelves not knowing what it was, even if they did like it. At least, it would be to me.. i'm all for innovative and unique experiences, but if I manage to make some cool music, I'd like to save it via natural means instead of having to set up something to record it externally.

I don't blame them for not wanting to put this in most retail locations, honestly.

 

[argon]

I'm not "super close" with NoA or anything but I speak to them through work semi-frequently, and the rumblings I'm hearing is that Brain Training is gonna get the "big" US push, with them also not letting up on Ndogs either.

They just didn't think Electroplankton was the right game to try to sell the US on their non-game offerings, it seems.

Hmm.. so Brain Training is confirmed for a U.S. release? Wow, didn't catch that one.. good news at least.

 

[Spike]

I think it would've done well if they placed it properly. Maybe by placing a playable unit in the music section of Wal-Mart or something to that effect.

 

[Mejilan]

Nintendo World Store? Cool!

 

[imastalker co.]

The fact that you can't save your music in-game would be a huge turn off to most people who would pick it up off of the shelves not knowing what it was, even if they did like it.

i know it seems like im going to stretch this one, but really, that would be like saying that people would get turned off by Rez because it didn't allow you to save the music that you added to the backround music.

although it can be used as an instrument, that's not what Electroplankton is about. it's just a surreal application that's all about synaesthesia. as far as that goes, it definitely delivers in spades.

 

[Jiggy]

They [Nintendo] just didn't think Electroplankton was the right game to try to sell the US on their non-game offerings, it seems.

And I tend to agree with you that they're correct. A musical experience doesn't have the mainstream appeal of a game to raise puppies or a game that parents can let their kids play in the hopes that they'll become smarter as a result, or that older people can use to try and counteract risks of memory loss, or other societal concerns. Face it: as far as the US goes, artsy stuff doesn't generally sell as well as the more pragmatic.

 

[Shikamaru Ninja]

Wow i could give two sh1ts about this game. I just hope Nintendo at least has a viable venue to release software online-only that it would have not released in the past at all.

 

[Robobandit]

i know it seems like im going to stretch this one, but really, that would be like saying that people would get turned off by Rez because it didn't allow you to save the music that you added to the backround music.

although it can be used as an instrument, that's not what Electroplankton is about. it's just a surreal application that's all about synaesthesia. as far as that goes, it definitely delivers in spades.

Its not a huge stretch, no.. but there was actual progress in Rez. In EP you made something cool, but you can't share it with anyone else. Ah well, each to their own but the lack of a save is definitely a turn off for me. That said, if the price is reasonable I'll pick it up just to check it out.

 

[Flo_Evans]

online only wtf - I was actually sort of interested in this. The little wanna be a DJ set that got crappy turntables last year for xmas would be all over this game!

To sell it properly they should set up a kiosks in vinyl shops. Damn I should be in marketing... O WAIT I am

edit: wait what? you can't even save the setup? I can understand there is not enough space on the DS cart to hold .wavs or anything, but I thought you could at least save a file of what was going on at the time?

 

[Deku]

online only wtf - I was actually sort of interested in this. The little wanna be a DJ set that got crappy turntables last year for xmas would be all over this game!

To sell it properly they should set up a kiosks in vinyl shops. Damn I should be in marketing... O WAIT I am

edit: wait what? you can't even save the setup? I can understand there is not enough space on the DS cart to hold .wavs or anything, but I thought you could at least save a file of what was going on at the time?

You don't know how to buy anything on-line?

This is actually an interesting move and could form the cornerstone for a new business model for distribution of games.

 

[Flo_Evans]

You don't know how to buy anything on-line?

This is actually an interesting move and could form the cornerstone for a new business model for distribution of games.

Of course I can buy it online silly. I am talking about the wanna be DJs that would buy it and record their silly songs with their 4-tracks in the basement of thier parents house. :lol

 

[bitwise]

You don't know how to buy anything on-line?

This is actually an interesting move and could form the cornerstone for a new business model for distribution of games.

I dont get this

I order games online all the time, I don't see why now that Nintendo is doing its like a revolution or something.

 

[Ford Prefect]

I will buy this, for a decent price. Line-in recording tunes to my iRiver iHP-120 will be a snap.

 

[Mejilan]

I dont get this

I order games online all the time, I don't see why now that Nintendo is doing its like a revolution or something.

Easy. Offer games on an online-basis instead of NOT bringing them over at all, as is Nintendo's wont to do.

 

[Version 3.0]

From what I've seen and heard of it, Electroplankton is another "game" that's really just a tech demo. They should make it a pre-order bonus for a real game (like Band Bros), or pack it in with the DS for free.

 

[heidern]

I'm not "super close" with NoA or anything but I speak to them through work semi-frequently, and the rumblings I'm hearing is that Brain Training is gonna get the "big" US push, with them also not letting up on Ndogs either.

They just didn't think Electroplankton was the right game to try to sell the US on their non-game offerings, it seems.

Yeah whatever. I remember Peter Main saying the reason Nintendo weren't pushing into online was because they weren't prepared to take risks on infrastructure. However where they were prepared to take risks on software. This unfortunately isn't as true as it should be. You just need to look at the years of ignoring the Wars and Fire Emblem series for western release only for them both to see strong success when they finally made it. Nintendo is also the platform holder, they do not pay licensing fees and hence the break even point for them on a game is far lower than that for a 3rd party.

I can understand Nintendo not getting into a pissing match with Sony over who has the most powerful hardware. But this cautiousness in software makes no sense to me. The risk is low, yet the potential rewards not just in terms of software sales, but also hardware sales is so damn high. I mean they don't even need to push it as a DS game really. They just have to push it in and of itself, they can even target media that doesn't reach the 12-25 male demographic that will supposedly be put off the DS by a product like this. It's just a wasted opportunity, at least give the game a chance.

Oh, and btw yes the old adage is true, give Nintendo fans an inch and they'll take a mile.

 

[Musashi Wins!]

Didn't they add some features, storage, content for the US release?!? Maybe I won't be buying it after all. I thought that was the word about it.