Support NeoGAF

[Mrbob]

Holy crap!

http://insider.ign.com/mail.html

Some funny snippets:

Okay, so, get this: while Microsoft is out arranging big Halo 2 promotions like Midnight Madness, Nintendo has some brilliant PR campaigns like donating 1,000 doors to Habitat for Humanity to celebrate the launch of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door and do a good deed at the same time.

Okay, for freakin' starters, it's JUST ONE DOOR in the game! It's a THOUSAND-YEAR DOOR, as in "1000-year," an adjective. Maybe had they donated 1,000 years of extended life to residents, well then I just may be impressed.

:lol

Like I said, it's nice that Nintendo is doing some charity work, but this is not the image Mario needs and, more importantly, why is someone arranging photo-ops like this and not focusing on -- oh, I don't know -- Metroid Prime 2?

This is how Nintendo PR combats an aggressive marketplace… WTF!?

Thanks Mario, for making the world a better place! Where's Master Chief during these times of trial and tribulation? Not building houses in a suit that's got to reek of funk in about 30 seconds flat, that's for sure. He's mowing alien-tail down with duel-wielded weaponry, that's where! That's not a role model for your kids, now is it? Instead, buy Nintendo games because it builds houses with its world-changing mascots.

:lol

Microsoft is dominating the press with Halo 2. It's a phenomenon. I'm hearing the Halo 2 chorus just randomly playing on radio stations. Everyone talks about it. It practically sells itself, but Microsoft spent a lot of time and money promoting it. Meanwhile, what's going on with Metroid Prime 2? Gotta tell ya', the game isn't even out and as a member of the press I can tell you there's only about a dozen people that even understand what the game is about. Or, whether it's going to be any good or not.

Where is the flashy Metroid Prime 2 trailer in theaters? There's like one very lame commercial ad. This for a game that has some of the most beautiful atmospheres I've seen in recent videogames.

:lol :lol :lol

This is one of the funniest rants I've read in awhile! :lol Good reading but I noticed you might need insider to read the whole thing!

:lol

 

[Christberg]

If the guys at IGN would STFU about Nintendo and quite playing armchair CEO and cover their games instead, they could... I don't know... be part of the solution instead of the problem?

Call me crazy, but somehow I figure a guy like ole Franjo would run N into the ground in no time flat.

 

[soundwave05]

Anyways, kudos to Nintendo for doing something charitable.

Thing is, not every big franchise/craze is gonna go your way.

Nintendo's had their fair share of successes. The most utter and complete domination I've ever seen by one game franchise was a few years ago when Pokemon was like 7 of the top ten NPD slots, and also tops in Japan and Europe.

 

[TheGreenGiant]

sell your gamecube, its all over.

 

[ElyrionX]

OMGWTF!! SELL YOUR GAMECUBES!! IT'S ALL OVER!!!

:lol

 

[Ronin]

The IGN boards are even funnier.

 

[Late Stage Marxist]

If the guys at IGN would STFU about Nintendo and quite playing armchair CEO and cover their games instead, they could... I don't know... be part of the solution instead of the problem?

IAWTP IGNCube may have all the reason in the world to be doom & gloom about the whole situation, but they have an audience to cater to, and they should try and hype the games up themselves. I don't think they realize how influential a website like theirs can be in the promotion of a new game.

 

[Alcibiades]

They should divert a good 3-4 million out of their DS fund (since it's going to sell out anyway for Christmas) and do tons of 1 minute commercials for GCN and Echoes, and put some in movie theatres. While they are at it, they should flood even more Pikmin 2, Paper Mario 2, Donkey Konga, and Mario Tennis commercials so it doesn't seem like there's only one game available for GCN at a time...

Hopefully the inclusion of First Hunt with the DS will allow for people to start discussing the series and maybe help get some word-of-mouth going about both the Echoes and Zero Mission...

 

[Alcibiades]

the #1 problem with most Nintendo ads is that they are simply to short...

30 sec. is nothing... I'd rather see 1/3 the number of ads if they would extend them to 1 min. and add more gameplay footage...

the WWE Day of Reckoning ads have been effective because at their length, the commercial has time to make an impact...

 

[soundwave05]

The GCN's ship has sailed at this point.

I don't think even with Nike's marketing people could they really turn that ship around.

People have their opinion of the console and it's just not going to change. I did see two or three Mario Power Tennis commercials today on TV though.

The problem is the content. Nintendo hasn't made investments in content for older player aside from a few things here and there (but no consistency). Halo 2 has been a pay off three years in the making for Microsoft. You can't market something if you don't have the content behind it, and right now, Nintendo has by far the least amount to offer the 18-35 year-old set.

 

[Joe]

I'm hearing the Halo 2 chorus just randomly playing on radio stations.

is that true?

and i cant wait to read this 6 page thread tomorrow morning.

 

[lexi]

Fran still works at IGN? Good to know. Whenever I want to read 5 page editorials on what Nintendo needs to do, I'll be sure to check out the front page of IGN Cube.

And if we're going to talk comparisons in culture here, Halo 2 is dwarfed by Pokemon. Pokemon endured at least 18 months of fever-pitch success, and the games still sell in the millions. Halo 2 is huge at the moment, But I will gladly eat crow if it maintains this momentum as Pokemon did.

 

[DSN2K]

IGN boards are a real laugh at these times... :lol

 

[snapty00]

Don't he and Matt C. flip out around this time every Christmas, though? It's always about advertising.

"IF I WERE RUNNING NINTENDO, I'D SPEND 1 BILLION DOLLARS ADVERTISING IN THE US ALONE AND ITD BE COOL ADS, LIKE 'COME GET UR ZELDA...OR ELSE' OR I'D SHOW ZELDA GETTING HER THROAT CUT WITH THE WORDS 'THE BIGGEST GAME..EVER IN 2005' UNDERNEATH IT. OR EVEN BETTER, IT WOULD JUST SHOW THE TRIFORCE ON THE TV AND THAT IT'S IT. AND PPL BE LIKE, 'OH SHIT! ZELDA!' AND RUN OUT AND GET A COPY"

 

[FrenchMovieTheme]

nintendo can promote metroid prime 2 all they want. bottom line is if you have an XBL enabled xbox or a top PC, you probably aren't all that excited about MP2 anyways (and you know what im talking about ladies).

on top of that, if you DONT have xbox or pc and do have GC, you are likely a big fan of the system and you are going to keep up on releases and game info, so you are anticipating MP2 and will buy it. simple as that.

also, i still have no idea why i should buy a DS, what the features are or what the price is. i'm sure its in threads somewhere around here, but i couldn't be LESS interested in the DS or PSP. let those systems die nintendo and sony!

 

[Dragmire]

IGN really seems to have changed Fran. Anyone remember Dolphin Cove and how she started N-Sider? Now she's like Matt Jr. Poor girl.

 

[lexi]

Don't he and Matt C. flip out around this time every Christmas, though? It's always about advertising.

"IF I WERE RUNNING NINTENDO, I'D SPEND 1 BILLION DOLLARS ADVERTISING IN THE US ALONE AND ITD BE COOL ADS, LIKE 'COME GET UR ZELDA...OR ELSE' OR I'D SHOW ZELDA GETTING HER THROAT CUT WITH THE WORDS 'THE BIGGEST GAME..EVER IN 2005' UNDERNEATH IT. OR EVEN BETTER, IT WOULD JUST SHOW THE TRIFORCE ON THE TV AND THAT IT'S IT. AND PPL BE LIKE, 'OH SHIT! ZELDA!' AND RUN OUT AND GET A COPY"

:lol Brilliant.

Consider yourself safe from my ignore list for some time now.

 

[Ronin]

Don't he and Matt C. flip out around this time every Christmas, though? It's always about advertising.

"IF I WERE RUNNING NINTENDO, I'D SPEND 1 BILLION DOLLARS ADVERTISING IN THE US ALONE AND ITD BE COOL ADS, LIKE 'COME GET UR ZELDA...OR ELSE' OR I'D SHOW ZELDA GETTING HER THROAT CUT WITH THE WORDS 'THE BIGGEST GAME..EVER IN 2005' UNDERNEATH IT. OR EVEN BETTER, IT WOULD JUST SHOW THE TRIFORCE ON THE TV AND THAT IT'S IT. AND PPL BE LIKE, 'OH SHIT! ZELDA!' AND RUN OUT AND GET A COPY"

:lol

 

[Renegade]

Nintendo has 2 much more lucrative handhelds in the pipeline, animation, licensing and a future console. They could care less about the Gamecube, apparently. They've bigger and better things to focus on.

 

[soundwave05]

Yeah I do think they are very serious about the whole animation thing.

They could be a real player in that field with the type of cash they have.

 

[Ristamar]

I have a high end PC, and yes, I'm looking forward to Metroid Prime 2. I wouldnt say I'm hyped, but I was never hyped for the original. It's still one of my favorite games, though.

Regardless, I really don't see how the two are related (or mutually exclusive).

 

[Mrbob]

The IGN boards are even funnier.

Yeah. Lurking the IGN GCN boards right now are the best if you want hilarity ensured!

 

[The Faceless Master]

maybe they should spend money on figuring out why metroid sucks in 3d... maybe it's the controls... hrm?

can't wait for MP6 and RE4 tho, those both look fresh

 

[impirius]

Don't he and Matt C. flip out around this time every Christmas, though? It's always about advertising.

"IF I WERE RUNNING NINTENDO, I'D SPEND 1 BILLION DOLLARS ADVERTISING IN THE US ALONE AND ITD BE COOL ADS, LIKE 'COME GET UR ZELDA...OR ELSE' OR I'D SHOW ZELDA GETTING HER THROAT CUT WITH THE WORDS 'THE BIGGEST GAME..EVER IN 2005' UNDERNEATH IT. OR EVEN BETTER, IT WOULD JUST SHOW THE TRIFORCE ON THE TV AND THAT IT'S IT. AND PPL BE LIKE, 'OH SHIT! ZELDA!' AND RUN OUT AND GET A COPY"

snapty00 : Matt C :: FMT : Madden

 

[Pellham]

IGN really seems to have changed Fran. Anyone remember Dolphin Cove and how she started N-Sider? Now she's like Matt Jr. Poor girl.

...wait, Fran's a girl? or this is just a funny insult.

 

[soundwave05]

The thing is and this is the honest truth ... you can't just release a game like Metroid Prime 2 and expect the older game audience to flock to it.

You need tons of titles that appeal to this audience first, then they "trust" you to provide that content.

Halo 2 isn't just a success on its own merits. It's due to several years of MS aggressively marketing and providing the types of content that 18-35 years old like. They are now being rewarded for that as this audience has come out en masse to support Halo 2 at launch.

But its taken years of effort to get here and build the fanbase and repuatation of the console. Halo 2 would not do these kinds of numbers on the GameCube.

Nintendo has Resident Evil and Metroid for older gamers and ... ?

That's not enough to get people to look at your platform.

I don't care how good your marketing is, if you don't have the content, you don't have the content -- case in point look at the new Mario Power Tennis TV spots ... they're "cool" in that they have a SWAT team dodging tennis balls like they were bullets, but the commercial is so lame because it doesn't fit the style of the game.

It just doesn't work. You gotta have a cool product to market cool.

 

[MC Safety]

...wait, Fran's a girl? or this is just a funny insult.

Fran is a man.

 

[Catchpenny]

It's amusing that both Matt and Fran seem to think the Metroid Prime games would be just as big as Halo if only Nintendo marketed them in a certain manner. IT'S THE PRODUCT, STUPID.

The first game is one of my favorite games over the last five years, and I'm sure the sequel is going to be great. But the concept just doesn't appeal to as wide an audience as Halo or GTA.

 

[Dragmire]

...wait, Fran's a girl? or this is just a funny insult.

Yes, he's a girl. With the most voluptuous rack in all of womankind.

 

[fennec fox]

Yes, he's a girl. With the most voluptuous rack in all of womankind.

And I have pics of her making out with Hilary over at IGN Xbox! Wowzers!

 

[Mrbob]

But its taken years of effort to get here and build the fanbase and repuatation of the console. Halo 2 would not do these kinds of numbers on the GameCube.

I agree on the commercial topic. Nintendo commercials seem decent, but so out of place in the context of the game they are trying to sell.

 

[sc0la]

Well damn, this was the thread that I needed to post my photoshop in, not the other one

 

[soundwave05]

Halo 2 could be online on the GameCube and it still wouldn't sell as much.

What Nintendo honestly needed to do, like five years ago, the week after they announced Dolphin at E3, was to sit down and set up about 2-3 studios (with strong management) and given them the greenlight to make games not using Nintendo/mascot characters period with appeal for the older market.

The problem with Nintendo is they still think they can get away with throwing the older audaience one or two bones and they'll come back to Mario/Zelda because that's what they played when they were kids.

You need need as much, if not more, "cool" content as you have "fruity colors" content to be blunt about it to even have a shot.

Metroid Prime 2 and Resident Evil 4 are good ... now you need about 10 more of those.

 

[etiolate]

they could... I don't know... be part of the solution instead of the problem?

Game media take responsobility? Never!

Seriously IGN needs some downers.

 

[soundwave05]

To be fair I don't doubt Fran and Matt are genuinely frustrated and probably would do a better job than some of the people at Nintendo ... what would being part of the solution entail?

They're just game journalists, they really can't do anything except vent. But I'd rather have them speak honestly rather than tote the Nintendo company line.

 

[Catchpenny]

I agree on the commercial topic. Nintendo commercials seem decent, but so out of place in the context of the game they are trying to sell.

Eh, I think all the console makers have had some pretty dodgy, weird commercials. Last year's Puffy campaign from Microsoft was painful. The commercials for the original Halo were pretty lame too, but didn't seem to hurt the game's success.

 

[Mrbob]

Eh, I think all the console makers have had some pretty dodgy, weird commercials. Last year's Puffy campaign from Microsoft was painful. The commercials for the original Halo were pretty lame too, but didn't seem to hurt the game's success.

Yup and MS took a beating for those commercials and deservedly so.

But Nintendo has this penchant for some really strange commercials to coincide with their game releases.

 

[etiolate]

They're just game journalists, they really can't do anything except vent. But I'd rather have them speak honestly rather than tote the Nintendo company line.

They're part of the media, media helps influence opinion. You are dealing with a consumer culture, so it's even more succeptable to influence. Instead of wishing Nintendo were another me-too MATURERIZER game maker, speak of the goods of videogames, talk about bringing games back to games. Nintendo is good at making videogames, Nintendo is part of game culture. Err..before I get really long winded, if they seem to have this thing where their sanity is tied to Nintendo's popularity, then popularize what Nintendo stands for.

 

[soundwave05]

You need adequete marketing which Nintendo has.

But you have to have the content that people want first and foremost.

It's not like every Sony or Microsoft commercial this gen has been great (especailly those horrid Puff Daddy XBox ads).

The best commercial this gen is probably that Super Mario 3 spot from Nintendo actually.

 

[Mike Works]

Don't he and Matt C. flip out around this time every Christmas, though? It's always about advertising.

"IF I WERE RUNNING NINTENDO, I'D SPEND 1 BILLION DOLLARS ADVERTISING IN THE US ALONE AND ITD BE COOL ADS, LIKE 'COME GET UR ZELDA...OR ELSE' OR I'D SHOW ZELDA GETTING HER THROAT CUT WITH THE WORDS 'THE BIGGEST GAME..EVER IN 2005' UNDERNEATH IT. OR EVEN BETTER, IT WOULD JUST SHOW THE TRIFORCE ON THE TV AND THAT IT'S IT. AND PPL BE LIKE, 'OH SHIT! ZELDA!' AND RUN OUT AND GET A COPY"

:lol :lol :lol

COME GET UR ZELDA...OR ELSE

 

[nfreakct]

:lol :lol :lol

COME GET UR ZELDA...OR ELSE

All you're missing is the blood-soaked Triforce.

 

[Late Stage Marxist]

Don't he and Matt C. flip out around this time every Christmas, though? It's always about advertising.

"IF I WERE RUNNING NINTENDO, I'D SPEND 1 BILLION DOLLARS ADVERTISING IN THE US ALONE AND ITD BE COOL ADS, LIKE 'COME GET UR ZELDA...OR ELSE' OR I'D SHOW ZELDA GETTING HER THROAT CUT WITH THE WORDS 'THE BIGGEST GAME..EVER IN 2005' UNDERNEATH IT. OR EVEN BETTER, IT WOULD JUST SHOW THE TRIFORCE ON THE TV AND THAT IT'S IT. AND PPL BE LIKE, 'OH SHIT! ZELDA!' AND RUN OUT AND GET A COPY"

Priceless. :lol

 

[Gahiggidy]

Should've just said "nice guys finish last."



As its written, it looks like he's throwing a hissy-fit to try and get Reggie's attention.

 

[shuri]

Nintendo needs to create ->NEW<- (that means, NOT MARIO/ZELDA/METROID) franchise that will appeal to a mainstream audience.

 

[Merlin]

Fran and Matt always saying same thing. They are people who care more about sales figure than games.

I hate!

If they ever come to my home country (Poland) I will kill them.

 

[Tenguman]

Fran is dumb. Nintendo is doing the right thing. Nintendo knows Gamecube is never going to hit big this late in the game. Why waste $$$ on advertising-blitz when they can use that money for making sure next-gen (in a year or so) goes much better?

Look, I love the Metroid Prime series. The best gaming I've ever done was in Metroid Prime and I'm sure Metroid Prime 2 will be just the same. The simple fact is with Gamecube on the decline, Metroid Prime, being a thinking man's game, simply doesn't have the "frat boy" appeal.

 

[Gahiggidy]

Metroid is new.

I honestly had only heard about it in passing before the GCN generation started. I really don't think your average videogame player has any idea of its lineage from the NES and SNES days.

Metroid's problem is that's its too "upscale" to become a mainstream commercial hit. Its gameplay rewards roll out slowly, its visuals are distinct and stylized, and the atmospherics moody and storyline esoteric. Halo on the other hand is generic and SUPER-SiZED! Its gameplay is all about blowing shit up, the visuals are nothing a 5th grader couldn't conjor up, its character a faceless, nameless, bad-ass good-guy. Not taking any creative chances... but fits the bill for anybody looking for the big-budget, big-thrills, shoot-em up.

Nintendo would have to litterarly go out of its way to make a generic, americanized franchise game to repeat the success of Halo. Sadly, the older audiences for videogames are much less willing than the kiddies to try games not grounded in culturally familiar experiences.

Its all come down to sports and guns.

 

[Tenguman]

Metroid is new.

I honestly had only heard about it in passing before the GCN generation started. I really don't think your average videogame player has any idea of its lineage from the NES and SNES days.

Metroid's problem is that's its too "upscale" to become a mainstream commercial hit. Its gameplay rewards roll out slowly, its visuals are distinct and stylized, and the atmospherics moody and storyline esoteric. Halo on the other hand is generic and SUPER-SiZED! Its gameplay is all about blowing shit up, the visuals are nothing a 5th grader couldn't conjor up, its character a faceless, nameless, bad-ass good-guy. Not taking any creative chances... but fits the bill for anybody looking for the big-budget, big-thrills, shoot-em up.

Nintendo would have to litterarly go out of its way to make a generic, americanized franchise game to repeat the success of Halo. Sadly, the older audiences for videogames are much less willing than the kiddies to try games not grounded in culturally familiar experiences.

Its all come down to sports and guns.

Metroid Prime: Blue States
Halo: Red States

 

[shuri]

Metroid is new.

I honestly had only heard about it in passing before the GCN generation started. I really don't think your average videogame player has any idea of its lineage from the NES and SNES days.

Metroid's problem is that's its too "upscale" to become a mainstream commercial hit. Its gameplay rewards roll out slowly, its visuals are distinct and stylized, and the atmospherics moody and storyline esoteric.

Are you trying to imply that Metroid Prime is on the same scale than so-called underground, non mainstream fps titles such as original Deus EX?

 

[Gahiggidy]

Don't know Duex EX.