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[vitaflo]

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.

The target market is people really into contemporary art or who go to New Media art schools. Basically people who would know and are fans of Iwai. People need to realize that this is basically an art installation on a cart. The audience for it is not your average person or even gamer, and that audience will find it online, it doesn't need to be in stores (in fact, Nintendo may be giving themselves some street cred by *not* putting it in any old store with this group).

I'm a huge fan of Iwai and work at a very large contemporary arts institution and I can't wait for this game. Personally I think it's the right call on Nintendo's part.

 

[Deku]

Cautioness over Electroplankton? A game which for months seemed like it was not going to get brought over here at all?

This isn't Mario Kart, stop acting like the sky has fallen. If it works out, more games may be brought over and sold on-line which would otherwise not get ported. Games like ouendan

It has less to do with proft margins than targeting the kind of users who might be interested in the game. There are enough new releases as it is for Nintendo to be competiting with 3rd parties and itself over shelf space if they think this game can do better sold on-line.

 

[imastalker co.]

The target market is people really into contemporary art or who go to New Media art schools.

i beg to differ. granted, they'd be all over something like Electroplankton, but i've yet to meet anyone that i showed it off to, that didn't fall head over heals in love with it. mothers, girlfriends, kids, brothers, random people watching me use it, everyone loves it.

the market isn't limited to artsy people. anyone that appreciates music, or art, is definitely a potential buyer.

obviously there's people that get it, and those that don't. but i think it's safe to say that there's enough people out there that would get it (and stoners on top of that) to justify giving it a decent push.

 

[jamesinclair]

Looks like I cant wait for this one to go on sale...

 

[DjangoReinhardt]

It's difficult to get more niche than music+light installation game. Realistically, it's either this or no U.S. release at all. If it's $35, though, Nintendo can shove it.

 

[heidern]

Cautioness over Electroplankton? A game which for months seemed like it was not going to get brought over here at all?

This isn't Mario Kart, stop acting like the sky has fallen. If it works out, more games may be brought over and sold on-line which would otherwise not get ported. Games like ouendan.

Like I said, the old adage is true, give Nintendo fans an inch and they'll take a mile.

 

[FoneBone]

I really hope that Nintendo does this for other more niche US releases... but Electroplankton may well be a unique case, given the lack of localization it needed.

 

[Pellham]

this is a smart move. for those of you (ok all one of you) wanting this game to be mass market and sold in retail stores: what are you smoking? Electroplankton is not something that will go over well with the casual consume, and relegating it to the niche that will eat it up (us), is a smart move. More publishers should do this so they can cut down on distribution costs.

 

[imastalker co.]

there's only one way to find out right?

all i know is, a shit load of people said the same thing about Animal Crossing, Nintendogs, and Brain Training.

granted, it bombed in japan, but im starting to think that it got the same type of marketing that it's gonna get here in the states, just with the extra push of being put in stores.

im telling you guys, the market for it is there, all they have to do is try.

 

[Beer Monkey]

I'd be very happy if more 'missing in action' imports for all systems made it to North America via the direct channel. I certainly wouldn't complain about this.

There was a time when Reggie said not to expect this game, but that maybe the game elements would make it into some hip hop game! Be thankful!

 

[vitaflo]

i beg to differ. granted, they'd be all over something like Electroplankton, but i've yet to meet anyone that i showed it off to, that didn't fall head over heals in love with it. mothers, girlfriends, kids, brothers, random people watching me use it, everyone loves it.

the market isn't limited to artsy people. anyone that appreciates music, or art, is definitely a potential buyer.

Well, you have a point, though I think I've always thought of Electroplankton as being a fan service game, just to a weird group of people (myself included). That doesn't mean others can't enjoy it, but I always thought of it as very niche.

I guess we'll never know if it could have sold a lot more. Perhaps it would have, but like others have said, with the cost of distribution and buying shelf space, etc, it may make more financial sense to Nintendo to keep this game online. I agree w/ others as well in that I'd love to see more very niche Japanese games come over here even if they can only be bought online. It's much better than a really short print run that you can't find any store after the first week (if ever).

 

[Rummy Bunnz]

im telling you guys, the market for it is there, all they have to do is try.

So how many of the folks you know who fell "head over heals" for it actually went and bought a copy.

 

[imastalker co.]

3. out of say... 10 or so.

but of those 3, 3 of them bought DS's just for it. i have another friend that wants it badly, but just can't get himself to buy a portable no matter what. just not his thing. i have another friend as well, who's just waiting on his next paycheck so he can buy it along with a DS.

mind you non of these people own any videogame systems. er wait, one of them owns an NES.

not so sure what my experiences are gonna prove though, since everyone will have different ones. all im saying is, there's definitely a market out there for it.

 

[Link316]

all i know is, a shit load of people said the same thing about Animal Crossing, Nintendogs, and Brain Training.

Electroplankton is more comparable to games like Polarium or Meteos which bombed in the US

im telling you guys, the market for it is there, all they have to do is try.

oh please, this is the same company that refused to release the Fire Emblem & Famicom Wars games until after Sony created a market for RPGs/strategy games in the US

 

[imastalker co.]

oh please, this is the same company that refused to release the Fire Emblem & Famicom Wars games until after Sony created a market for RPGs/strategy games in the US

it's also the same company that set more trends and standards than any other company in the history of the industry.

so yeah, i say they should totally give Electroplankton the push it deserves, considering that they're leading this non-game movement, and that it's part of this new trend that they started.

 

[clearacell]

It will sell to the hardcore audience, I'm guessing. The thing is, most of the hardcore audience has already imported this game (along with Band Brothers )

 

[Deku]

Like I said, the old adage is true, give Nintendo fans an inch and they'll take a mile.

That makes no sense. All I'm saying is that limited releases on-line would be a good way to catering games that Nintendo may have a hard time convincing retailers to carry.

This game hasn't been listed in a while, the fact that its getting a release is good news. And equating the game to Animal Crossing or Nintendogs is a bit of a red herring since Nintendo very clearly took risks with those games despite jeers from many people here in GAF and they came out right.

How they came to the conclusion to push certain games and not others is an interesting discussion but I would guess they didn't decide to push those games out of the air, as they probably have an extensive market research division driving those decisions.

 

[Koomaster]

Meh, I see tons of people buying it if it's in stores, just because they don't know what it is, and if Nintendo markets it with the same shiny box and free headphones, people will be all over it because it's something different and new.

Then after all the polish is gone and people's eyes start to dull over, word of mouth will hurt both Electroplankton, the DS, and Nintendo, and could affect future DS game sales.

The game just isn't for everybody, although tons of people would pick it up probably on packaging alone. And some might even like it, but the average casual gamer is probably looking for a 'game' to play - not a musical device.

The people who've heard about this if they wanted it enough already imported it (*waves*) because of how import friendly it was. Other people will probably pick it up from the online store now.

It's a good strategy for Nintendo. Put the game in the hands of the people who want it and will appreciate it, and watch the good words follow.

 

[imastalker co.]

It's a good strategy for Nintendo. Put the game in the hands of the people who want it and will appreciate it, and watch the good words follow.

do you realize how many people would appreciate it, and buy it had they known about its existance? no, you never will, because chances are, they'll never find out about it now.

at this point, im just hoping EGM goes out of their way to stress that this could definitely tickle some peoples fancy, and make some type of drug reference or something. just get the word out that it's definitely one of the most unique and surreal experiences you can have with well, interactive media.

who knows, i guess i wouldn't be suprised if it made the cover of play or something out of nowhere.

 

[The Faceless Master]

i dunno why Nintendo, who blows the trumpet of revolition won't release this in stores...

not that i'd buy it for over say $5...

 

[Juice]

They did it with Pokemon Box.

Yeah, and I didn't even know a US version existed until last week, reading an article about Pokemon.

Slick

 

[SuperPac]

They do this for *Electroplankton* but Nintendo Puzzle Collection gets announced at E3 two years ago and then promptly ignored? W...T...F...

Still, I guess it's cool we're gettin' Electroplankton. *shrug*

 

[Drensch]

What's the big deal? If it does well, they can always bring it to stores later.

 

[Kobun Heat]

What's the big deal? If it does well, they can always bring it to stores later.

Yeah, that's the thing: Nintendo does this to gauge the popularity of something in a low-risk environment. They did it with the GBA/GCN connectivity cable at first, and that did well enough online that they released it to stores.

So I imagine that if it does well they'll consider a brick-and-mortar release down the line.

But if it's between online release and no release, guess which one I'll take?

 

[Tsubaki]

do you realize how many people would appreciate it, and buy it had they known about its existance? no, you never will, because chances are, they'll never find out about it now.

I respect that you're passionate about Electroplankton but at some point you've got to let it go. Contrary to how you love EP (I'm glad you like it), many others do not. Do not for a second think that because you enjoy it, others will flock to it. It is not everyone's cup of tea, regardless of whether you're into art, music, or not.

 

[imastalker co.]

i don't get the whole "it's not everyones cup of tea" argument though. because the same thing can be said about anything in the galaxy. doesn't change the fact that there's definitely a market for it.

so long as there's people out there that can appreciate art, music, or drugs... there's a market for it. whether or not it'll sell to that market or not will never be known. but to say that there's no market for the game what so ever, that's just ridiculous.

one things for sure though, non-gamers don't go browsing Nintendo's site (or any other for that matter) looking for games that can only be bought online. that's what bothers me. it totally has the potential, and Nintendo just isn't giving it a fair chance.

Electroplankton deserves the benefit of the doubt. Nintendo owes it that much. i mean really, what message are you sending out when all you talk about is how successfull these non-games have been, how you've opened up a new market, and then completely turn you back on the one of the showcase titles?

that's the bottom line.

 

[jarrod]

oh please, this is the same company that refused to release the Fire Emblem & Famicom Wars games until after Sony created a market for RPGs/strategy games in the US

Er... what "market establishing" strategy games ever came out of SCEA? Or are you really trying to attribute the success of something like Advance Wars to Final Fantasy VII?

 

[Nickel85]

I really think its a smart move. Everyone who wants it can get it online.
Many people who would have bought it in stores would cry: gimmick
Nothing more... and that would hurt Nintendos image.

 

[jgkspsx]

The target market is people really into contemporary art or who go to New Media art schools. Basically people who would know and are fans of Iwai. People need to realize that this is basically an art installation on a cart. The audience for it is not your average person or even gamer, and that audience will find it online, it doesn't need to be in stores (in fact, Nintendo may be giving themselves some street cred by *not* putting it in any old store with this group).

I'm a huge fan of Iwai and work at a very large contemporary arts institution and I can't wait for this game. Personally I think it's the right call on Nintendo's part.

Yep. I love EP, but it doesn't take a genius to know the appeal is very limited -- especially at $20-$30 bucks!

You whiners should be glad they're making it available here at all. You gonna whine if they release Ouendan online only too?

 

[Musashi Wins!]

So.....no one said anything, but I guess there are no plans to expand the "game" from the import or add saving abilities, etc.? I've played the import, and while it was fun it felt incomplete feature wise, so really that's the most dissapointing news to me. I guess the online only sale should have clued me in that they were going to put the bare minimum into the project. Oh well.

 

[Sho Nuff]

Remember, if you're amused by Electroplankton's dip-and-twiddle nonsense for less than twenty minutes, you HATE ART!!!

Put a sock in it, you goddamn liberal arts weenies! Go back to your assigned reading of Toni Morrison novels!

(Someday I'm going to make a Dadaist DS game where the box contains not a cartridge but a Ritz cracker and you guys will love it)

 

[neopokekun]

They did it with Pokemon Box.

Yes and look what happened.

 

[DDayton]

Yes and look what happened.

What the.... I own a copy of that silly thing. I figured it was worth buying, as it was online only.

Perhaps I should have purchased a few more?