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[AdmiralViscen]

Like the quote says

"the PSP's plummeted, down from $64 million in 2006 to $21 million in 2007." That's well above most of what you just listed. Everything except PS2 and 360 in fact. This was back when they were consistently putting out games with a fair level of effort and advertising to go with them. Now they only have themselves to blame for the sharp drop because that effort has diminished into non-existance

EA had a strong market on PSP. They're the ones who let it go

Are you serious? Do you really think that EA just killed a profitable market for no reason at all?

EA game sales on PSP were declining, that's why they pared back their advertising.

Look at Liberty City Stories to Vice City Stories, something was obviously happening with PSP. It's not like EA is the only developer to see their sales contract on PSP, they were just the most vocal about it. The PSP software market dried up, period.

 

[goompapa]

Just to let people know, he's not serious.

People ignored him the 1st time, don't know why he expects things differently this time.

Would be interested to know what the point is of his sarcasm. Funny it certainly is not. :lol

 

[ksamedi]

You are wrong. The team was originally making a Four Swords game before Aonuma decided to make it a full Zelda game. They were not making a budget casual game.

Aonuma: At first, we had the idea of creating a good game in a short time. We thought Brain Age was our rival. Brain Age’s like that smart transfer student. The Zelda Team’s not in the top places, but it studies hard. And then comes this transfer student and easily gets the first place without studying. That’s very frustrating. After three long years, we finally finished Twilight Princess and the transfer student’s the one that’s smart and cool and gets the firs place? Damn it (laughs)!

ND: So you wanted the DS Zelda to be smart?

Aonuma: But after all, you can’t create a smart, cool Zelda game in a short time (laughs).

Iwamoto: In the beginning, we were making a compact game, but as we worked on it, we wanted more…

Aonuma: Ideas came one right after the another, and that’s how it kept growing.

Fujibayashi: When I joined the development team (slightly extending both hands), I was told the game was supposed to have a certain scale, but I thought to myself that it wouldn’t be possible (laughs).

.

 

[ethelred]

.

Errr... I'm trying to think if it would be feasible for you to read that interview more incorrectly than you are, but then I remembered that you're ksamedi -- of course you can. Suffice it to say that the interview is not communicating anything along the lines of what you originally stated.

 

[*Guaraná]

when the hardware numbes will be out ?

 

[Culex]

when the hardware numbes will be out ?

930'ish

 

[*Guaraná]

9:30 pm? Here in Brazil (GMT -3) is 16:11 now...

 

[Stumpokapow]

Like the quote says

"the PSP's plummeted, down from $64 million in 2006 to $21 million in 2007." That's well above most of what you just listed. Everything except PS2 and 360 in fact. This was back when they were consistently putting out games with a fair level of effort and advertising to go with them. Now they only have themselves to blame for the sharp drop because that effort has diminished into non-existance

EA had a strong market on PSP. They're the ones who let it go

Revenue is not profit.

I wonder why they developed fewer games for the PSP. Hmm...

 

[ksamedi]

Errr... I'm trying to think if it would be feasible for you to read that interview more incorrectly than you are, but then I remembered that you're ksamedi -- of course you can. Suffice it to say that the interview is not communicating anything along the lines of what you originally stated.

I'm not even going to answer this, if you want to be right, then so be it.

 

[Culex]

9:30 pm? Here in Brazil (GMT -3) is 16:11 now...

Eastern Time.

 

[PhoenixDark]

More evidence that the DS sales phenomena isn't translating to the Wii. People expected SMG to sell crazy due to NSMB "reviving" interest in Mario - that simply wasn't the case. NSMB appealed to everyone, while I'm getting the impression that mainly Nintendo fans went out and bought SMG in Japan. I would expect the same to happen with Animal Crossing and the other franchises that had huge DS iterations. Bottom line: don't expect a "regular" game to come close to sales of the Wii Plays or Wii Sports anytime soon.

 

[Culex]

More evidence that the DS sales phenomena isn't translating to the Wii. People expected SMG to sell crazy due to NSMB "reviving" interest in Mario - that simply wasn't the case. NSMB appealed to everyone, while I'm getting the impression that mainly Nintendo fans went out and bought SMG in Japan. I would expect the same to happen with Animal Crossing and the other franchises that had huge DS iterations. Bottom line: don't expect a "regular" game to come close to sales of the Wii Plays or Wii Sports anytime soon.

Actually, it has more to do with the fact that handhelds are where the sales are at in Japan, hence the massive failures of most console software sales across the board.

 

[farnham]

More evidence that the DS sales phenomena isn't translating to the Wii. People expected SMG to sell crazy due to NSMB "reviving" interest in Mario - that simply wasn't the case. NSMB appealed to everyone, while I'm getting the impression that mainly Nintendo fans went out and bought SMG in Japan. I would expect the same to happen with Animal Crossing and the other franchises that had huge DS iterations. Bottom line: don't expect a "regular" game to come close to sales of the Wii Plays or Wii Sports anytime soon.

1. Yes the DS and the Wii are different
2. No the DS and the Wii are following similar strategies and both seem to succeed..

 

[icecream]

Would be interested to know what the point is of his sarcasm. Funny it certainly is not. :lol

Might be funny to some to toss the obscure reference to a fourth console port of a seven-year old visual novel that no one really cares about.

 

[ksamedi]

It would be huge for the Japanese gaming industry if Nintendo can succeed with both the DS and Wii in terms of software and hardware sales. After WiiFit, the Wii will be a much more diverse machine than it was and I can only guess that 2008 will be a big year in terms of Wii software sales from both casuals and hardcore gamers. I'm guessing that Nintendo will continue with the Health subject on the Wii and release some reflex trainer early next year.

 

[Kurosaki Ichigo]

Might be funny to some to toss the obscure reference to a fourth console port of a seven-year old visual novel that no one really cares about.

The anime didn't make me sad or anything though. The movie on the other hand... :'(

And here am I watching Clannad, I must be masochist, and serious cat too.

 

[icecream]

At least you were correct this time, as the game did actually go on sale this week.

And I agree the movie was better than the TV series. Wonder if the same will apply to Clannad.

 

[charlequin]

I'm not even going to answer this, if you want to be right, then so be it.

Maybe he "wants to be right" because he has, like, some basic reading comprehension and you don't?

What your quote says:

* It was kind of embarrassing for the team behind a AAA franchise like Zelda to be "shown up" by a budget title like Brain Age;

* Unlike budget titles, you can't make a Zelda game that is a huge success on a limited budget or in a short amount of time;

* The game was originally a Zelda game with a more limited scope, but as their ideas kept coming in they increased that scope more and more until they reached the current state.

...none of which even remotely hints at the controls originating with a casual game idea.

 

[ksamedi]

Maybe he "wants to be right" because he has, like, some basic reading comprehension and you don't?

What your quote says:

* It was kind of embarrassing for the team behind a AAA franchise like Zelda to be "shown up" by a budget title like Brain Age;

* Unlike budget titles, you can't make a Zelda game that is a huge success on a limited budget or in a short amount of time;

* The game was originally a Zelda game with a more limited scope, but as their ideas kept coming in they increased that scope more and more until they reached the current state.

...none of which even remotely hints at the controls originating with a casual game idea.

The controls part I read in another interview but I can't find that one, I just responded to his quote above which said that Zelda was not going to be a casual title, while clearly it was. Since I can't find the other interview, I'll accept I'm wrong on the controls front but when I made the Zelda claim earlier, I was trying to say it was going to be a casual title, control scheme aside. And this clearly states it was going to be a casual title. Remember that Brain age was created by 3 programmers in 3 months.

Edit: If Brain Training is your rival than you want your game to be a good game created by only a handfull of people. A game created by only a handfull of people could not be the Zelda we all know, it would be a small Zelda based on some cool gameplay concept like Brain Age, Wiisports, Wiiplay, Eyetraining, Englishtraining, Big Brain Academy and countless other titles that are fun to play but small in scale.

 

[Kurosaki Ichigo]

Did Air do better than Kanon?

Sorry I missed your post with the page change.

Kanon (like Air) didn't chart in Famitsu top30 for its launch week. In MC top50 it was #42. We didn't get first day or first week Famitsu data for it either, but some semester chart included it at 14,762. For Air we have first week data from Famitsu which has it at 6,900 (first day 4,000 with around 50% sell through, so near sold out for the shipment in its launch week).

 

[PantherLotus]

More evidence that the DS sales phenomena isn't translating to the Wii. People expected SMG to sell crazy due to NSMB "reviving" interest in Mario - that simply wasn't the case. NSMB appealed to everyone, while I'm getting the impression that mainly Nintendo fans went out and bought SMG in Japan. I would expect the same to happen with Animal Crossing and the other franchises that had huge DS iterations. Bottom line: don't expect a "regular" game to come close to sales of the Wii Plays or Wii Sports anytime soon.

3D MARIO vs 2D MARIO? Hello?

 

[pieyow]

People need to stop spinning Disappoint? Fantastic SMG sales, it's going down the list just like any other great game do, Mario Galaxy isn't coated in an aura of serenity that is not of this world, it's just a game.

Thank you! It's a great game it will sell well and comparable to previous Mario titles, but it's not going to be the end all be all of games especially in sales.

 

[Neomoto]

Super Mario Galaxy actually holds up good compared to last week. With 9 new releases in the top 10 it was very realistic it wouldn't make the top 10.

Dragon Quest IV did great. PES 08 also. Mario & Sonic is a sort of letdown. Shame though, considering the title was making history. Sega should've stfu about the 4 million thing, since it aint looking too good at all for them now.

 

[Grampasso]

when the hardware numbes will be out ?

Every time I read this question in a MC thread I wonder if it will finally be the last time.
However, I didn't expect that kind of legs for Mario Party DS, it nearly sold the same amount as the last week and I don't think it's also selling to the DQIV crowd. I really hope that SMG will stay at least in the 30/40k per week in december (WiiFit, I'm looking at you... >_>)

 

[charlequin]

The controls part I read in another interview but I can't find that one, I just responded to his quote above which said that Zelda was not going to be a casual title, while clearly it was.

No it wasn't. Try reading the interview again and understand what is actually being said.

He says that the team was envious of the success of Brain Age, not that they put together a small team to create a Brain Age-like success. And he says that they started with a game that was smaller in scope, not one that was more casual in orientation. This fits exactly with what ethelred said above, that it was a Four Swords title -- a subseries of Zelda that is smaller in scope and lower in budget than the core series, but in no way more "casually oriented."

 

[ksamedi]

No it wasn't. Try reading the interview again and understand what is actually being said.

He says that the team was envious of the success of Brain Age, not that they put together a small team to create a Brain Age-like success. And he says that they started with a game that was smaller in scope, not one that was more casual in orientation. This fits exactly with what ethelred said above, that it was a Four Swords title -- a subseries of Zelda that is smaller in scope and lower in budget than the core series, but in no way more "casually oriented."

Yeah whatever dude.

 

[Crusade]

So when the PSP shot ahead of the DS for a few weeks with the Slim's release, the DS wasn't the "biggest seller" anymore? Got it.

Sorry, I didn't realise DS was losing in the first place because it's sales had plummeted. My bad.

 

[justjohn]

Yeah whatever dude.

awwww you edited the smiley.

 

[DayShallCome]

Sorry, I didn't realise DS was losing in the first place because it's sales had plummeted. My bad.

Wat?

 

[jetjevons]

I'm late to this threat but what's SMGs LTD? Is it going to break 500k this year in Japan?

 

[JoshuaJSlone]

I'm late to this threat but what's SMGs LTD? Is it going to break 500k this year in Japan?

It varies a bit by MC/Famitsu, but without checking either it's roughly 400K. Definitely it will pass 500K this year.

 

[noonche]

Yeah whatever dude.

So, you admit that he's right and you can't read? Good.

 

[Vieo]

link

How did this guy get so many? A Toys R' Us receipt for each one. TRU doesn't have a 1 per customer policy?

 

[Nolan.]

Errr... I'm trying to think if it would be feasible for you to read that interview more incorrectly than you are, but then I remembered that you're ksamedi -- of course you can. Suffice it to say that the interview is not communicating anything along the lines of what you originally stated.

I'm glad he hasn't changed.

 

[test_account]

link

How did this guy get so many? A Toys R' Us receipt for each one. TRU doesn't have a 1 per customer policy?

Maybe he got his family and friends to buy for him too. I wonder why people use pictures like this in their auctions by the way. If i was selling something like this i wouldnt show that i had that many. If i was bidding i would just wait to see what price would be and if it was too high i would just wait for him/her to sell one of the other in hope that it would be cheaper (no guarantee for that of course, but still ).

 

[donny2112]

Sorry, I didn't realise DS was losing in the first place because it's sales had plummeted. My bad.

Yeah, it's sales dropped by half since late August, just like the Wii. Using your logic when the PSP outsold it for a few weeks, the DS was no longer the "biggest seller" anymore.

 

[reilo]

Yeah, it's sales dropped by half since late August, just like the Wii. Using your logic, when the PSP outsold it for a few weeks, the DS was no longer the "biggest seller" anymore.

The difference is that the Wii dropped down to sub-25K weeks for a good while, for no apparent reason, and it hasn't even seen a huge sales bump that was expected from it with SMGs release. The DS has been holding steady in the 70K range, which is far more than any of the other platforms ever will reach.

 

[donny2112]

The difference is that the Wii dropped down to sub-25K weeks for a good while, for no apparent reason, and it hasn't even seen a huge sales bump that was expected from it with SMGs release.

So the DS dropping from 150K to 75K had a reason?

My point being that his logic is full of crap. You can say that the Wii is not the biggest seller for the last few weeks. You cannot say that the Wii is not the biggest seller "anymore" unless you can also say that the DS was not the biggest seller "anymore" when the PSP was outselling it for a few weeks.

 

[Grecco]

The difference is that the Wii dropped down to sub-25K weeks for a good while, for no apparent reason, and it hasn't even seen a huge sales bump that was expected from it with SMGs release. The DS has been holding steady in the 70K range, which is far more than any of the other platforms ever will reach.

Lack of Worthwhile releases was a good reason.

 

[webshark]

yeah wii has been sub 50k for the last 13 weeks and DS has been sub 90 for the last 8, wonder if they can finally pull out of their rut.....

 

[Crusade]

Yeah, it's sales dropped by half since late August, just like the Wii. Using your logic when the PSP outsold it for a few weeks, the DS was no longer the "biggest seller" anymore.

No, it is not just like the Wii at all.

 

[reilo]

So the DS dropping from 150K to 75K had a reason?

My point being that his logic is full of crap. You can say that the Wii is not the biggest seller for the last few weeks. You cannot say that the Wii is not the biggest seller "anymore" unless you can also say that the DS was not the biggest seller "anymore" when the PSP was outselling it for a few weeks.

75k/week versus 25k/week is a big difference though. Nothing is going to catch the DS in Japan. Actually, not even worldwide.

I'm not arguing with you.

 

[ksamedi]

Lack of Worthwhile releases was a good reason.

Well thats probably the only reason for a console to drop. Unless the company rases its price or something.

 

[DayShallCome]

No, it is not just like the Wii at all.

How is it not like the Wii? It's a ~50% drop... there's no spinning that.

 

[webshark]

How is it not like the Wii? It's a ~50% drop... there's no spinning that.

well in the wii's case it actually got beat by its competition from sony for a few weeks.....oh wait

 

[Bebpo]

Well Sony does advertise it as being an all-in-one solution but the only guy I know who has a PSP uses his mainly for gaming and not as a stand-in for his iPod. He does not pirate his games but we all know piracy hurts PSP software sales. It's pretty easy to do, you can play games from stick rather than carrying around UMDs and software prices for new titles are far too expensive.

It's not that bad for Sony since they probably make a bit of a profit on the hardware but it hurts devs/publishers, making a PSP release for games risky.

Since you were replying about the US, I'll just bring in that last time I checked, new release PSP games were $29.99 (Silent Hill Origins, Castlevania Drac X), which is the same price as DS games (some PSP games are higher, some DS games are higher). So I don't think price of the games has anything to do with PSP software sales, unless gamers expect them to cost less than the DS games because they are on the losing system?

 

[theKoopa]

THIS IS SPARTAAAA xD

NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS

 

[Crusade]

How is it not like the Wii? It's a ~50% drop... there's no spinning that.

DS's release list was rather anemic, if only to excuse it. Wii had it's biggest and most important game to date come out (Galaxy), to no avail. Plus Umbrella Chronicles

Plus, whether you're doing 80k or 150k, you're still doing amazing numbers. Wii dropped from plus 100k numbers, to around 30k numbers

 

[Grecco]

DS's release list was rather anemic, if only to excuse it. Wii had it's biggest and most important game to date come out (Galaxy), to no avail. Plus Umbrella Chronicles

K. Gotcha.

 

[Dragona Akehi]

THIS IS SPARTAAAA xD

NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS

Uh. I'd stop posting stuff like that.



Just a suggestion.