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[SantaC]

Thanks pgtl_10 for the find.

Nintendead.
Patrick Kolan of Sydney Weekly Courier examines the slow-rot of a giant.


Nintendo is in a severe slump right now - software sales are poor, hardware sales after the initial hype-fuelled frenzy has subsided) are weak, and the prospect of ‘new and exciting’ ways of playing games is now neither new nor exciting. The DS is a demonstration of a good technological concept that is going to stagnate on the shelves.

Revolution will be no different.

It’s a painful truth to grasp, but a system cannot sustain itself on meagre first party releases, tossed sporadically across the calendar year, coupled with lacklustre ports of games that we’ve played in one form or another over the last 10 years.

The shameful truth is, as a diehard Nintendo fan, this company has lost the magic. Zelda is the brightest thing on the horizon for one very good reason - for once, Nintendo listened to their customer base and gave them what they wanted, instead of telling consumers what they want.

It’s a sad and sorry day when I admit to myself that I’d much prefer to see a well-stocked shelf of Nintendo products at the expense of entertaining, quirky titles like Pac Pics and Warioware Twisted.

Co-habitation is impossible, it seems. To offer something unique is to stand out and away from the pack. But an empty shelf is a blinking neon sign of impending disaster.

Try and view this conundrum from a psychological perspective.

Teenagers struggle to fit in – peer pressure and the eternal desire to be ‘cool’ has driven many teenage gamers to latch onto items deemed ‘cool’. This flies in the face of the ‘substance over style’ motto that Nintendo has formed. They have accidentally killed their teen market share by trying to give them a unique gaming experience.

So here is where I draw my line in the sand. Screw innovation at the cost of console support. Give gamers choice and range, goddammit. Your touch-sensitive controls, gyroscopic feedback and interactivity are worth squat if it alienates developers.

It will deter gamers just as much.

Matt C has a long lost twin brother in Australia! (only worse informed)

 

[JavyOO7]

Can't wait to play Mario 128.

 

[Ruzbeh]

Australia, eh? As I recall... the DS set a new record as fastest selling game platform in Australia.

Nintendead indeed.

 

[DKJB79]

wouarf ... :lol
i wonder if he knows what he tries to speak about...

 

[Baconäger]

He clearly doesn't read Daily Japan Sales threads at GAF.

 

[Sanjuro]

Nintendo's hardware are cheap to manufacter.......Nintendo has the highest quality products and known for A+ customer service........Nintendo has the most popular and regonizable 1st party characters.........Nintendo posts profits......Nintendo = money

I don't see how this is a slump just because they aren't number one.

 

[Myoclonic Jerk]

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ZERUUUUUUUUUUUDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

 

[SantaC]

wouarf ... :lol
i wonder if he knows what he tries to speak about...

yeah what a remarkable insight

 

[The Faceless Master]

wow, australia sounds like the rest of the world sounded back in march

 

[Ranger X]

Well here (Montreal Canada), the DS doesn't seem to be perceived as "cool" and it doesn't seem to sell alot. I also have this "empty shelve" feeling when i think of Nintendo and it's not only on gamecube that they lack the amount of games. GBASP looks healthy though.
For as long as their fiscal year is in the green they will continue but there's something that Nintendo NEED to do next gen; get back to a nice third party support.
Anyway, in the more immediate, PSP seems to be winning the "cool" image all the way. I'm also surprised that at my EB store we are selling AT LEAST one PSP a week and we are lucky if we sell a DS during the month.

Nintendo may not be in "real" trouble right now but they sure aren't healty. If their things are getting worse next-gen, they are going to be in shit for the next one after.

 

[JavyOO7]

Nintendo's hardware are cheap to manufacter.......Nintendo has the highest quality products and known for A+ customer service........Nintendo posts profits......Nintendo = money

I don't see how this is a slump just because they aren't number one.

The dude's just angry because Nintendo isn't doing what Sony and Mcrisoft are doing... super powerful hardware (well, we don't know if this is true or not as of yet), off the wall features and trying to attract all the 3rd parties support. In that context, I tend to agree with him but nothing much else really.

 

[Sanjuro]

The dude's just angry because Nintendo isn't doing what Sony and Mcrisoft are doing... super powerful hardware (well, we don't know if this is true or not as of yet), off the wall features and trying to attract all the 3rd parties support. In that context, I tend to agree with him but nothing much else really.

I know, but what Sony and Microsoft are doing is making powerful 1st run consoles that FUCKING BREAK DOWN!#%$ I never thought of the day I would be scared to put money down on a video game system and have to start a backup plan to buy its replacement 1-3 years down the road.

 

[DKJB79]

Australia (as Europe) just needs to have a bunch of new games (like japan) to make the DS a real success...september - decembre 2005 will be the real line for the future of DS in PAL land.

 

[cvxfreak]

Honestly, Australia's a good trade off for increased sales in Japan and the US. Especially for Nintendo.

 

[Link316]

For as long as their fiscal year is in the green they will continue but there's something that Nintendo NEED to do next gen; get back to a nice third party support.

I doubt they actually even care cause sales of their own games have benefitted enormously from the lack of competition from 3rd party games on the N64 & the GC

 

[Ranger X]

I doubt they actually even care cause sales of their own games have benefitted enormously from the lack of competition from 3rd party games on the N64 & the GC

Yeah but the lack of general appeal that will grow because of a small library of games will someday diminish their own sales. And yeah, before they'll get to this dramatic point i doubt they will do something.

 

[Justin Bailey]

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ZERUUUUUUUUUUUDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

stop

 

[Kroole]

Honestly, Australia's a good trade off for increased sales in Japan and the US. Especially for Nintendo.

Well yeah. With a population of 20 million, Australia isn't making a lot of impact in the gaming business. Nintendo could for example make more money owning the Scandinavian market than the Australian one.

 

[Flo_Evans]

bleh.. I've pretty much given up on trying to reason with nintendo. They just don't listen to me! (of course why should they, they are to busy rolling around in yen).

The point is, as much as I disagree with their marketing strategy, their insistance that they know what gamers want, and thier archaic handheld hardware... they put out some damn fine games every once and a while. I don't really give a shit if they want to compete with sony or MS anymore. Just keep on keepin' on N, and I will buy the 1 or 2 games a year that interest me. I think that is the problem with alot of people... long ago I realized nintendo could not be my only console (ok N64 not that long ago^^) but that I still needed one for the occasional zelda release. I enjoy nintendo for what it is.. not what I want it to be.

 

[Papi]

Nintendo's been fucked in Australia for years. I think the problem is with marketing.

PEACE

DCX

 

[typhonsentra]

Well software sales have hardly stagnated for them. And if he's talking specifically about Australia, didn't the DS just set a sales record over there?