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[radioheadrule83]

Hello GAF!

Although this thread will seem laughable considering I'm saying this, I don't really care about sales. However, using one of sonycowboy's old NPD posts as a template, I decided to make a thread for the Nintendo fans out there who constantly read (on this board and others) that their console is dead or dying. In vain hope of controlling the doom and gloom brigade, I thought I'd illustrate some perspective on Gamecube sales. Next time you or someone else is tempted to type "well that about wraps it up for the cube", "NINTENDO AM CRYING! TSK TSK" or the word "d00m3d"... ask yourself, is that actually the case?

Which of these charts do you think is real?
NOV 2001 > NOW (image one) | NOV 2001 > NOW (image two)

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* scroll (if you have to) for your answer *



















------------------------------------------

PLATFORM COMPARISON - NOVEMBER 2001 >>>> NOW
Right I'm going to throw some observations at you. Sorry if it needs reading twice before it makes any sense

The worst ever month for Gamecube was in January 2002. The lowest point for Xbox was April 2002. PlayStation 2's worst (if you can call it worst) was more recent - April 2004. Since (and including) Gamecube's first low point, NPD has it under 100k eight times: three times in 2002, twice in 2003 and three times in 2004. Two times this year they were close at 90+ thousand units. The thing is, these numbers are perceived as absolutely dire, like Nintendo Gamecube in some long forgotten time did lots lots better. In reality, the course of history shows us that it is not unusual for Gamecube to come in at under 100k once in a while and still have a decent year. The numbers posted yesterday are exactly in line with its performance for the past three years. For year on year comparisons, Gamecube has beaten its 2003 numbers 3/4 months out of 9. It's up on 2002 in almost every month... although this month is not one of those.

What is absolutely undeniable is Xbox's success. As a newcomer, they have stormed the market, using their hefty wedge of cash to impliment one dream of an online service, and they have also gained some pretty great exclusives. Their sales are if anything, worth the effort, worth the cost, and well deserved. I don't know if they could have gotten their "foot in the door" (as was once quoted their ambition) any better than they already have. But I do have one problem with all of this: Xbox success seems to be synonymous with Gamecube failure. People on most of the gaming boards I post at talk as though Xbox sales are eating into Gamecube sales. I would argue that in reality, Gamecube sales are as ever, consistent. Not great, not crap, but consistent.


------------------------------------------

2004 SO FAR
Let's take a look at the year so far. It is clear to me, Xbox is most definately eating PlayStation 2 sales. And to any PlayStation fans with itchy typing fingers reading any of this - I'm not ragging on PS2. It's made it's 70+ Million sales, and it seems like common sense to think that the only way for sales to go in any non-holiday month is down. Of course PStwo could change all this. But note how April, PlayStation 2's worst month, coincided with one of Xbox's best. Note how for the past two months the PS2 and Xbox lines on these charts are merged as near to one another as possible. Microsoft is winning the hearts and minds of the kind of players who buy Sony PlayStation. The performance of each company is beginning to look inversely proportional.

Nintendo on the otherhand seems neither affected, nor able to get out of the 80-150k lull its in. Note how GC has bumped and bobbed around 100k. As I will now illustrate, this is typical of any other year.

2002 graph | 2003 graph


------------------------------------------

2004 GAMECUBE SALES SET TO RISE?

Looking at the 02/03 graphs, note how until September, October and November respectively, all the consoles are in a sort of mid-year lull where they consistently sell within a given range. The only real exceptions to this are where hardware initiatives have occured or huge hyped games have come out. Hopefully you will be able to spot the effects of GTA, or the Gamecube price drop of last year for example. It is from this current point in the year, that the Interactive Entertainment industry's holiday season truly begins, and all consoles should begin to climb. Hardware initiatives (which I assume means bundles) are promised for Gamecube this Christmas... one poster here has already mentioned Mario Kart Double Dash!! being involved again somehow in one of them. Whatever Nintendo do, they've got a lot on their plate in the form of hype monsters - Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Halo 2, new PS2 hardware, and of course, their own Nintendo DS hardware. The publics' money can only be stretched in so many ways.

Basically, Gamecube sales are going to rise, but there'd need to be something drastic/amazing in order for Nintendo to realize the kind of impact last year's price drop had once more. If you are one of the people on this board that looks at things relatively: ie. you see Gamecube sells a third of what PS2 sells therefore it is doomed... then you are still going to think it's doomed come the end of the holiday season. But for those who had somehow got the impression that the Gamecube business was just getting worse and worse and worse: I hope this post has been food for thought. After all, these are just the North American numbers: Nintendo performs a little better in Japan and parts of Europe.


------------------------------------------

CUTTING THE CRAP:

Here's some things I think are safe educated guesses and speculation regarding the Big N for the rest of this generation.

*** A tough Christmas 2004 for Gamecube hardware
*** Better, more affordable Gamecube deals in the long run.
*** An excellent Christmas 2004 for Xbox.
*** Following an inevitably awesome Christmas 2004 for PlayStation 2, PS2 sales may (or may not) continue to slow, depending on the impact of PStwo and GTA.
*** As the console deals become either more affordable or of better value, Nintendo will remain on autopilot, only acting when totally necessary. Gamecube will probably (at worst case,) maintain it's sales consistency. Best case scenario sees it selling up (year on year) again.
*** Some third party games could still perform well on the platform: Baten Kaitos, Viewtiful Joe 2, Killer 7.
*** The materialising 2005 lineup (incl Jungle Beat, Odama, Geist, Starfox 2, Mario Party 6 / microphone, Get on Da Mic / Get on Da Floor / possible dancemat, possible "Manebito" camera peripheral, Resident Evil 4, Legend of Zelda) could yield some media interest now that some heavy hitters from competitors are out the way
*** Nintendo still being around / "the hardware supports three consoles after all" could generate media interest towards the end of this generation too.
*** Nintendo DS might ignite interest in Nintendo, especially if DS is able to connect with Gamecube later on at any point.
*** Nintendo face the prospect of a positive performance Q4 2005


------------------------------------------

STILL THINK NINTENDO / GAMECUBE IS DOOMED?

So does anyone still think Nintendo and the Gamecube are doomed? I think it's quite interesting really. Nintendo may have sold about 8 times as much of their own software, and twice the hardware - during the N64 generation. Yet people actually said they were doomed back then. Although new competition has limited their ability to do shift first party software and hardware on the same scale.... in some ways they still perform excellently.

They are still one of the premiere publishing houses on the planet. They actually sell more overall software on their home console (including third party) (generate more revenue from them at any rate) than back then, and they have a decent attach ratio. They've become increasingly close with Japanese third parties, and have promised to do the same with western ones. They have not only become more openly friendly to outside influence, but they have decided to take on a third platform. Even if the Gamecube hardware was making a negligable $20 loss, they'd still be making a profit from that business thanks to all the games they liscence and sell. Let's not forget the vice grip on the handheld market that sees them sell as many or more Gameboy Advance units as Sony sells PS2s. And soon, they may be making profits on a third platform. They could even enter the animation business or expand into other areas in our lifetime. So yes, they are diluged with ever increasing threats, and their competitors are going from strength to strength -- but you know what? They're not doing too bad themselves, either.

Contrast: SEGA went through four years of heavy consecutive losses before they decided it was time to give up the game. And yet you will still find people trolling internet message boards the world over, sounding the death knell of Nintendo in the home console business.

Anyway, I don't wanna ramble on forever. Bickering over console sales is rediculous anyway, but its even more rediculous when those on the Nintendo-fan side of things have nothing to worry about in the first place. The whole console war thing reminds me of the opening sample from Guns n' Roses "Civil War":

"Some men, you just can't reach"

This killed a lot of time. Hope you enjoy the read. I miss Gah sales-age posts


radioheadrule83

 

[Memles]

Except...Mario Party 6 is a 2004 Release.

 

[bitwise]

yeah, gc is doing great.

lol.

 

[radioheadrule83]

Except...Mario Party 6 is a 2004 Release.

got my euro head on. Seriously 2004 for NA? Sorry, thanks for pointing it out.

yeah, gc is doing great.

lol.

Well, gee, if you say so. Cos I sure didn't.

 

[Leviathan]

Meh.

Money talks.

Bullshit walks.

Profits > everything.

You are all sales whores.

I am a profits whore.

Profitability is the ultimate objective of every company.

Sales can be misleading.

The Sega Genesis sold well.

Many of Sega's own games sold well.

Look at where Sega is now.

Sales threads are for entertainment purposes.

 

[VitaBone]

In before Hat.....

 

[snapty00]

yeah, gc is doing great.

lol.

Pretty much my thoughts.

 

[Justin Bailey]

Nice post, although this thread will be filled with ":lol"'s of people that didn't bother to read it.

 

[Justin Bailey]

Case in point.

yeah, gc is doing great.

lol.

Pretty much my thoughts.

I would argue that in reality, Gamecube sales are as ever, consistent. Not great, not crap, but consistent.

 

[snapty00]

I agree with "crap."

 

[duderon]

You're not supposed to ruin the Xbots' dreams of a d00med nintendo

 

[Deleted member 1235]

Meh.

Money talks.

Bullshit walks.

Profits > everything.

You are all sales whores.

I am a profits whore.

Profitability is the ultimate objective of every company.

Sales can be misleading.

The Sega Genesis sold well.

Many of Sega's own games sold well.

Look at where Sega is now.

Sales threads are for entertainment purposes.

I like the way you make individual points.

Makes for concise reading.

It is a unique style.

You could never be accused of waffle.

I like nintendo.

I wouldn't talk to women this way.

 

[JayFro]

Nintendo has two things going for it right now that are keeping the Gamecube at steady levels.

#1 It's still the cheapest console on the market by $50 and we see how important $$$ are to americans with the proof of those ESPN/Madden sales numbers.

#2 Nintendo will always be seen as the kid friendly safe choice for parents. They can't go wrong buying a Gamecube because it's the E for everyone console.

I also think the Metroid bundle has helped, but that's probably just keeping them above the 100k level. They certainly aren't going to have the kind of sales they had last year at this time.

 

[border]

Heh, I believe statistics teachers have a name for this....something about graph deception. Basically you have made the scale on the graph so huge that it looks like the difference between the consoles is minimal.....when in fact, the GameCube is being outsold 2:1 or 3:1. If it weren't for a handful of large outliers (abnormally large values), the graph would only run from 0K to 500K, and Cube would look a lot more doomed. Not to say that it is, but I think by forcing the huge scale you wind up with a graph that gives a weird picture because everything below 500K looks about the same.

Nintendo on the otherhand seems neither affected, nor able to get out of the 80-150k lull its in. Note how GC has bumped and bobbed around 100k. As I will now illustrate, this is typical of any other year.

So it's okay for Nintendo to bleed market share and sell two to three times less than competitors, as long as they do it consistently? =P

The Cube isn't doomed (what the hell do people mean by that anyway?), but whatever its fate is is now set in stone. I think Nintendo can't do much to deviate from the path they are on now (at least not with their current philosophy).

 

[Leviathan]

Bickering over console sales is rediculous anyway, but its even more rediculous when those on the Nintendo-fan side of things have nothing to worry about in the first place.

The Nintendo fans that worry about the business side of Nintendo are ignorant. They do not know or understand the importance of profitability. As long as Nintendo profits from what they are doing they will be fine. Play your games. Ignore the trolls. One day this "sales craze" will be a thing of the past.

 

[JoshuaJSlone]

Just a funny note: your todate2.jpg image with the GameCube on a constant downward slope would actually give a higher number of units. 11,594,800 by my calculations.

 

[Escape Goat]

I'm convinced by this post. It has graphs.

 

[borghe]

One day this "sales craze" will be a thing of the past.

lol.. that weill be the day.. seriously.. as long as sales numbers are available the serious infatuation in them will never go away. how else will fanboy's justify or defend their purchases or lack thereof?

 

[Razoric]

GC is doomed... maybe you'll be convinced when Metroid Prime 2 and Resident Evil 4 bomb bomb.

 

[radioheadrule83]

Heh, I believe statistics teachers have a name for this....something about graph deception. Basically you have made the scale on the graph so huge that it looks like the difference between the consoles is minimal.....when in fact, the GameCube is being outsold 2:1 or 3:1. If it weren't for a handful of large outliers (abnormally large values), the graph would only run from 0K to 500K, and Cube would look a lot more doomed. Not to say that it is, but I think by forcing the huge scale you wind up with a graph that gives a weird picture because everything below 500K looks about the same.
So it's okay for Nintendo to bleed market share and sell two to three times less than competitors, as long as they do it consistently? =P

The real point was they're not selling worse and worse. Hypothetically (even though I know the likelyhood of this given how cramped the lineups of the other consoles are): if Nintendo's holiday were to go well for example that would represent ongoing yearly improvement. From some posts, by some users, I wouldn't have thought this to be the case. As for the graph scale, if you remove the "tosamescale" from the jpg filename you can look at it in its own scale. The picture I have used uses the same scale as the 2002/2003 graphs (which need to be on that scale to incorporate holiday sales). The vacous space in a way implies another idea I'm trying to convey - the holiday boost hasn't begun yet.

Just a funny note: your todate2.jpg image with the GameCube on a constant downward slope would actually give a higher number of units. 11,594,800 by my calculations.

:lol

 

[DJ Demon J]

STILL THINK NINTENDO / GAMECUBE IS DOOMED?

Yes.

They have not only become more openly friendly to outside influence, but they have decided to take on a third platform.

Let's not forget the vice grip on the handheld market that sees them sell as many or more Gameboy Advance units as Sony sells PS2s. And soon, they may be making profits on a third platform.

You make it sound like The Not-As-Big-Anymore N is benevolent in deciding to release a "THIRD PILLAR" to their stable. It isn't benevolence, and it sure as hell isn't a long-planned strategy. It's a knee-jerk reaction to the largest consumer electronics company in the world and their decision to hit Nintendo's final remaining Zerg base--their portable monopoly of extreme profitability.

Contrast: SEGA went through four years of heavy consecutive losses before they decided it was time to give up the game. And yet you will still find people trolling internet message boards the world over, sounding the death knell of Nintendo in the home console business.

I've said this many times before, but I see two potentials for Nintendo:

1) DOOMED--meaning software publisher only, which really isn't doom (although one wonders how many copies of Super Mario Sunshine would actually sell if it was forced to directly compete with the Jaks and Ratchets and Princes of the world); and

2) Apple--meaning they've built up enough of a core audience of devoted consumers that will always buy their hardware products to make a healthy profit, even if they have an extremely small marketshare in that overall hardware market.

The Nintendo fanboys of GAF may have an insatiable appetite for Nintendo products, but the video game market as a whole doesn't. Total GCN hardware numbers will fall short of Nintendo 64 hardware numbers when the system is eventually put out to pasture. Software numbers for Nintendo's legendary series will also not match their Nintendo 64 counterparts. This is a downward trend. Will Nintendo drop out tomorrow, the next month, the next year? No. But if the DS Gambit isn't successful and they don't end GCN on a high note and come out swinging next gen against Xbox 2 and PS3, 2006 it will be the third console cycle of downward trends for Nintendo. And IMHO, only those two options listed above are possible if that happens.

 

[radioheadrule83]

I agree with a lot of what you just said. Particularly about motivation to create DS, and Nintendo possibly appealing to a niche audience in future. But I don't for one minute think theyre doomed. And I've covered that already.

I'm out for a bit. Catch ya later!

 

[AssMan]

For christ sakes. When GCN sales are bad there are about............3-4 threads about GCN not going down just yet.

 

[border]

The real point was they're not selling worse and worse.

Well generally speaking, most people consider a successful console one whose sales increase as it gets older and more entrenched in the market. Showing that sales have basically been flat since 2002 is probably undermining the point you are trying to make. Plenty of people will take that as evidence of the system's failure.

This post is even more funny if you read it to yourself out loud, in a robot voice:

Meh.

Money talks.

Bullshit walks.

Profits > everything.

You are all sales whores.

I am a profits whore.

Profitability is the ultimate objective of every company.

Sales can be misleading.

The Sega Genesis sold well.

Many of Sega's own games sold well.

Look at where Sega is now.

Sales threads are for entertainment purposes.

 

[jarrod]

I've said this many times before, but I see two potentials for Nintendo:

1) DOOMED--meaning software publisher only, which really isn't doom (although one wonders how many copies of Super Mario Sunshine would actually sell if it was forced to directly compete with the Jaks and Ratchets and Princes of the world); and

2) Apple--meaning they've built up enough of a core audience of devoted consumers that will always buy their hardware products to make a healthy profit, even if they have an extremely small marketshare in that overall hardware market.

You forgot the most likely option...

3) Game Boy only... Nintendo retreats into their bread & butter market, focusing all previous console resources into a single handheld platform. They can likely ensure top 3rd party and retail support here and focus their creative efforts on expanding the handheld/mobile market rather than barely competing at home consoles. It'd also free up resources for other ventures Nintendo might be interested in (animation, toys, merchandising, etc).

 

[Razoric]

You forgot the most likely option...

3) Hanhdeld only... Nintendo retreats into their bread & butter market, focusing all previous console resources into a single handheld platform. They can likely ensure top 3rd party and retail support here and focus on creative efforts on expanding the handheld/mobile market rather than barely competing at home. It'd also free up resources for other ventures Nintendo might be interested in (animation, toys, merchandising, etc).

I see this. I'm guessing "revolution" will be very portable maybe it will even have a screen of it's own. In terms on normal consoles, I see Nintendo pulling out in the next couple generations.... but does this mean they will develope their games for normal consoles? :O

 

[Justin Bailey]

For christ sakes. When GCN sales are bad there are about............3-4 threads about GCN not going down just yet.

It's a reaction to the 300-400 posts about nintendo being doomed.

 

[borghe]

lol.. people have been saying nintendo is doomed since 1990 when the genesis started taking big chunks out of nintendo's userbase...

and for the last 14 years nintendo has survived...

it wouldn't be another year in video games without half of the gamers proclaiming nintendo is doomed. and thus the next generation begins.

 

[border]

I've said this many times before, but I see two potentials for Nintendo:

2) Apple--meaning they've built up enough of a core audience of devoted consumers that will always buy their hardware products to make a healthy profit, even if they have an extremely small marketshare in that overall hardware market.

Apple makes money because they sell old crap at a premium price. Nintendo really doesn't have that luxury. If the Cube were $300 and the games were $70, everything would be collecting dust on the shelves.

With game budgets spiraling ever-upwards (something Apple doesn't really have to contend with), I kind of question the extent to which a niche console can exist, and how big the userbase has to be to produce titles that sell well enough to justify a large initial investment.

 

[Leviathan]

GC is doomed... maybe you'll be convinced when Metroid Prime 2 and Resident Evil 4 bomb bomb.

Yes.




You make it sound like The Not-As-Big-Anymore N is benevolent in deciding to release a "THIRD PILLAR" to their stable. It isn't benevolence, and it sure as hell isn't a long-planned strategy. It's a knee-jerk reaction to the largest consumer electronics company in the world and their decision to hit Nintendo's final remaining Zerg base--their portable monopoly of extreme profitability.



I've said this many times before, but I see two potentials for Nintendo:

1) DOOMED--meaning software publisher only, which really isn't doom (although one wonders how many copies of Super Mario Sunshine would actually sell if it was forced to directly compete with the Jaks and Ratchets and Princes of the world); and

2) Apple--meaning they've built up enough of a core audience of devoted consumers that will always buy their hardware products to make a healthy profit, even if they have an extremely small marketshare in that overall hardware market.

The Nintendo fanboys of GAF may have an insatiable appetite for Nintendo products, but the video game market as a whole doesn't. Total GCN hardware numbers will fall short of Nintendo 64 hardware numbers when the system is eventually put out to pasture. Software numbers for Nintendo's legendary series will also not match their Nintendo 64 counterparts. This is a downward trend. Will Nintendo drop out tomorrow, the next month, the next year? No. But if the DS Gambit isn't successful and they don't end GCN on a high note and come out swinging next gen against Xbox 2 and PS3, 2006 it will be the third console cycle of downward trends for Nintendo. And IMHO, only those two options listed above are possible if that happens.

OMG!!!! Trolls.

lol.. that weill be the day.. seriously.. as long as sales numbers are available the serious infatuation in them will never go away. how else will fanboy's justify or defend their purchases or lack thereof?

True. I would not mind if the sales craze stayed though. Those sales threads can be really funny at times. :lol

 

[Insertia]

You forgot the most likely option...

3) Game Boy only... Nintendo retreats into their bread & butter market, focusing all previous console resources into a single handheld platform. They can likely ensure top 3rd party and retail support here and focus their creative efforts on expanding the handheld/mobile market rather than barely competing at home consoles. It'd also free up resources for other ventures Nintendo might be interested in (animation, toys, merchandising, etc).

I believe this is very likely to happen if Revolution doesn't perform better then GC.

 

[Razoric]

Apple makes money because they sell old crap at a premium price. Nintendo really doesn't have that luxury. If the Cube were $300 and the games were $70, everything would be collecting dust on the shelves.

Mario 1, 2, 3, World, Yoshi's Island, etc etc for GBA between $20-30 would qualify as selling old crap at a premium price.

 

[JoshuaJSlone]

Well generally speaking, most people consider a successful console one whose sales increase as it gets older and more entrenched in the market.

Disagree. PS2 would be in real trouble then, having sold significantly fewer units this year than last, and significantly fewer last year than the year before. Of course that is not the case.

 

[jarrod]

Mario 1, 2, 3, World, Yoshi's Island, etc etc for GBA between $20-30 would qualify as selling old crap at a premium price.

Yep... Nintendo's about the only company who can get away with selling emulated 1980s games at $20 a pop.

 

[JoshuaJSlone]

You forgot the most likely option...

3) Game Boy only... Nintendo retreats into their bread & butter market, focusing all previous console resources into a single handheld platform. They can likely ensure top 3rd party and retail support here and focus their creative efforts on expanding the handheld/mobile market rather than barely competing at home consoles. It'd also free up resources for other ventures Nintendo might be interested in (animation, toys, merchandising, etc).

As a Nintendo whore this wouldn't bother me much. Starting with the DS, other than the analog stick and prettier graphics, there's almost nothing that can't be done on the portable that can be done on a console. Sell some sort of optional base to allow for play on TV and multiplayer on a single screen, and tada.

 

[DJ Demon J]

You forgot the most likely option...

3) Game Boy only... Nintendo retreats into their bread & butter market, focusing all previous console resources into a single handheld platform. They can likely ensure top 3rd party and retail support here and focus their creative efforts on expanding the handheld/mobile market rather than barely competing at home consoles. It'd also free up resources for other ventures Nintendo might be interested in (animation, toys, merchandising, etc).

I really don't see this as a possibility....maybe if the PSP (and thusly DS) was never announced, I could see the continuing pressure of keeping up the console arms race making Nintendo retreat into a market where it has complete control...but with PSP guaranteed (IMHO) to take a significant, if not a majority, of the handheld market, I don't see Nintendo putting all of its eggs in this basket.

 

[border]

Disagree. PS2 would be in real trouble then, having sold significantly fewer units this year than last, and significantly fewer last year than the year before. Of course that is not the case.

AFAIK, year-over-year sales are only down for 2003-to-2004. Otherwise, the system has trended upward. Whatever negative connotations come from a fourth year sales slump are overcome by the fact that the system has easily outsold everything on the market.

 

[jarrod]

I really don't see this as a possibility....maybe if the PSP (and thusly DS) was never announced, I could see the continuing pressure of keeping up the console arms race making Nintendo retreat into a market where it has complete control...but with PSP guaranteed (IMHO) to take a significant, if not a majority, of the handheld market, I don't see Nintendo putting all of its eggs in this basket.

Don't get ahead of yourself here, it's still Nintendo's "basket" after all. Honestly it's a more likely option than Nintendo games on Xenon or PS4 (Japanese pride will ensure that). PSP's really the newcomer in handhelds, it has to prove itself and so far the majority of significant publishers and media outlets are siding more with Nintendo's little experiment than Sony's technological wonder. I'm curious why you feel PSP is a shoe in to take over this market exactly, especially at this stage? And even if PSP does make a significant dent, why Nintendo would respond with a comparable Game Boy bringing the full force of their game R&D?

 

[DJ Demon J]

Apple makes money because they sell old crap at a premium price. Nintendo really doesn't have that luxury. If the Cube were $300 and the games were $70, everything would be collecting dust on the shelves.

With game budgets spiraling ever-upwards (something Apple doesn't really have to contend with), I kind of question the extent to which a niche console can exist, and how big the userbase has to be to produce titles that sell well enough to justify a large initial investment.

I don't know if Nintendo's game budgets are spiraling as much as other companies though. Metroid Prime 2 is probably cheaper than something like Need For Speed Underground 2 or GT4 or Half-Life 2. Nintendo's games look good enough in most cases, but they're not barnburners like Doom 3, HL2, GT4, Halo 2. So I do see Nintendo having an advantage in that they can release the "same old shit" (in a manner of speaking) at a lesser cost than their rivals with a guaranteed userbase to sell to....even at a premium price! The GCN price drops are due to Nintendo still trying to compete with PS2 and the mass/casual market overall. If they resigned themselves to serve their core fanbase and nothing more, I could see their games going up to $60-70. And guess what? I'd bet that a hell of a lot of Nintendo fanboys would still pay those prices for their beloved Nintendo games--after all, they did it on SNES and Nintendo 64.

 

[Ronin]

 

[DJ Demon J]

Don't get ahead of yourself here, it's still Nintendo's "basket" after all. Honestly it's a more likely option than Nintendo games on Xenon or PS4 (Japanese pride will do that).

Really? You think Nintendo shareholders would think that dropping out of console hardware AND software production completely, WHILE competing with a strong newcomer in the handheld market is preferable to making some extra profits from console software sales for other platforms? I don't.

I'm curious why you feel PSP is a shoe in to take over this market exactly, especially at this stage?

Sony (for the most part) knows how to market consumer electronics extremely well (I know some of you are muttering MiniDisc under your breath as you read this ), and I think given the power of the PlayStation brand (IIRC there was that brand value survey where PlayStation was ridiculously high compared to many other brands--and not just consumer electronics brands either) PSP will be that "it" gift that everyone wants--just like everyone wants an iPod now.

 

[borghe]

minidisc
sacd
blueray (premature, but with both this and HD-DVD next year I don't have a good feeling)
betamax

there are many attempts that sony has failed at..

 

[jarrod]

Really? You think Nintendo shareholders would think that dropping out of console hardware AND software production completely, WHILE competing with a strong newcomer in the handheld market is preferable to making some extra profits from console software sales for other platforms? I don't.

Yamauchi being the largest shareholder (followed by NCL management)... yes. Why pour your resources and brands into pushing someone else's machine and then pay them royalties on top of that? It'd be far wiser to push everything (advertising, R&D, etc) into Game Boy and destroy PSP outright. "Extra profits" (which likely wouldn't even bring in the revenue GameCube has) is a waste of time when those resources could be better spent.

Sony (for the most part) knows how to market consumer electronics extremely well (I know some of you are muttering MiniDisc under your breath as you read this ), and I think given the power of the PlayStation brand (IIRC there was that brand value survey where PlayStation was ridiculously high compared to many other brands--and not just consumer electronics brands either).

So essentially... because it's a PlayStation. Insightful.