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[[Nintex]]

the problem with europe is localization....just stick to goddamn english and watch as your games start arriving sooner

EUROPE IS NOT GERMANY, AND FRANCE ONLY!!!

See it from the dutch side: We all stick to goddamn English, we all learn France and German at school. And there aren't Dutch language options when we buy our games, and still UK'ers are complaining its all europe's fault. Just shut up and Import or wait.
Best release schedule would be:
JP
US
NL, UK
The rest of europe.
(But at least we get Another code, Jungle beat, and Mariokart DS earlier )

 

[ThongyDonk]

Its Europes own fault for speaking so many stupid languages. All speak English and you'll get it sooner!

 

[Frankfurter]

Ah, just found a few posts in the sony part of a German forum(the name of the forum doesn't seem very serious..., but atleast it's the sony part of the forum):

"Wow, die PSP kommt ja schon in 4 Tagen auf den Markt, will Sony nicht bald mal anfangen Werbung zu machen?
Ich habe jedenfalls in meiner Umgebung und im TV noch nichts gesehen."

Translated(more or less): "Wow, PSP launches in four days, shouldn't Sony begin to advertise it? I haven't seen anything in TV or arround here(can't translate the last thing properly, it means that he hasn't seen anything of the PSP where he lives(advertisements in news papers or sth. like that)."

"ich versteh's auch nicht. in werbeprospekten vom media markt und anderen elektronikmärkten sind zwar regelmäßig große angebote drin gewesen, aber mehr hab ich auch noch nicht gesehen. ausser drei printanzeigen in der aktuellen maniac.
ob die werbeoffensive erst ab dem 31. august beginnt? abwarten..."

I don't understand it, too. In advertisements from Media Markt[the big company here] there are regularly good offers for PSP, but I haven't seen anything more besides of three print advertisements in the newest maniac[~second biggest multiplattform magazine].
Perhaps the advertisement only begins from August 31 on? ..."

http://www.consolewars.de/messageboard/viewtopic.php?t=577&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=4580

That's the thread, the posts are from 17:23 and 17:26(Sun 28 Aug).

 

[Apenheul]

I was in Eindhoven yesterday, one of the larger cities in The Netherlands, but it looks like the only place where PSP gets hyped is right here on GAF.

 

[Katana_Strikes]

Why advertise something that is sold out?

Sony won't be putting any TV ads on in the UK till there are supplies in shops. Most games stores you go into in the UK have wall to wall PSP coverage, with print ads kicking about.

 

[ThongyDonk]

Why advertise something that is sold out?

Sony won't be putting any TV ads on in the UK till there are supplies in shops. Most games stores you go into in the UK have wall to wall PSP coverage, with print ads kicking about.

Yeah cos EVERYONE in the Uk goes into Sweaty smelly game shops? (Yeah they are over here, soo small and smelly)

You gotta advertise the damn thing, especially if there's no stock, it'll make people want it more.

 

[123rl]

tbh I agree. The DS is going to die in Europe very soon unless NOE sort things out with some games!

America got Advance Wars and Nintendogs on the same bloody day. That's the kind of quality that the DS needs on a much more regular basis. Nintendogs is fantastic and it's this kind of innovative thing that sets the DS out from the other consoles.

 

[ThongyDonk]

tbh I agree. The DS is going to die in Europe very soon unless NOE sort things out with some games!

America got Advance Wars and Nintendogs on the same bloody day. That's the kind of quality that the DS needs on a much more regular basis. Nintendogs is fantastic and it's this kind of innovative thing that sets the DS out from the other consoles.

ITS COMING FOR GOD SAKE.

YOU TRY AND TRANSLATE AND CODE IN FOR SIX OTHER LANGUAGES JUST AS FAST

MOANING BUNCH OF WIERDO'S

 

[bigNman]

They were smart to hold all those games back. They had the market to themselves. Now they have competition it is time to release all those good games in the next few months.

 

[123rl]

So why wait until now to possibly build a lead? The DS has had a 6 month head start in Europe and tbh they've wasted it. Very few killer apps and zero marketing. Now the PSP is here it's practically a neck and neck race

Thongydonk, there's no need for the hostility. I was simply saying games like Nintendogs would have been perfect to distinguish the DS and give it a massive boost BEFORE the PSP launch

 

[dark10x]

..., yeah, you'are right, PSP IS EVERYWHERE HERE! A Sonyman just knocked on my door and asked me if I already preordered a PSP... :lol

Believe it or not, there isn't any hype here in Germany(or atleast where I live).

I dunno where you live, but even in some of the back water towns in Germany, there is at least SOME interest/hype. The company I work for is German and has plants all around in Germany. Hell, I just got an e-mail from a co-worker who has moved back to Germany for the time being talking about the PSP launch and the excitement. So happens he is living in Attendorn, which is a rather microscopic town. Of course, it may just be hype between friends as I can't imagine there being ANY ads around there. They're all still excited for the thing.

I'm not saying you're wrong, I just found it odd after your posts from yesterday. Like when a Nintendo fan would claim that the DS was sold out EVERYWHERE while someone against the system would claim that they were overstocked all over the place. I just can't help but laugh a bit, that's all.

 

[ThongyDonk]

So why wait until now to possibly build a lead? The DS has had a 6 month head start in Europe and tbh they've wasted it. Very few killer apps and zero marketing. Now the PSP is here it's practically a neck and neck race

Thongydonk, there's no need for the hostility. I was simply saying games like Nintendogs would have been perfect to distinguish the DS and give it a massive boost BEFORE the PSP launch

They have sold 1.3million units in Europe, and the sales per month are on par if not better than in the US, without any big games yet on the market?

 

[Jonnyboy117]

I used to love the Howard and Nestor comics.

That's a different Howard.

 

[Ponn]

That's a different Howard.

yes, thanks, somebody already pointed that out awhile ago. Doesn't change the fact I still liked the howard and nestor comics.

 

[Shao]

Highly doubt that.

Don't doubt it. Online Pokemon has the potential to be the biggest and best Pokemon yet, by a stretch - dont you think?

DS versions of classic GBA franchises with online alone are enough to push this baby, but on top of that you get some EXCELLENT new franchises such as Ouendan, Nintendogs, Jump Super Stars etc which not only push sales alot but introduce new ways of playing games. While initial sales of some games suck, as a DS owner every game is welcomed as it adds to the gaming library which ultimately defines how good a system is.

Wait til the big franchises start rolling out with new features, wifi-enabled Final Fantasy, Zelda etc.

and dont write off other new franchises making it big, JSS RPG please.

 

[sonycowboy]

They have sold 1.3million units in Europe, and the sales per month are on par if not better than in the US, without any big games yet on the market?

And Sony hopes to sell 1M PSP's in UK alone in 4 months. Of course, the holidays are involved and Sony maybe hyping it somewhat, but 1.3M for all of Europe in 6 months isn't exactly great, especially when 1M was in the first 3 weeks. (Assuming your 1.3M number is good)

 

[Instigator]

the problem with europe is localization....just stick to goddamn english and watch as your games start arriving sooner

It's not a problem if they think about it while developing the game. Some companies, particularly those catering to the kiddy market, understand this. Other game companies in non-English-speaking countries also get it, Ubisoft in particular.

 

[Synbios459]

Nintendo just needs to release all the games in Europe in English and screw all the other language-speaking people. I mean c'mon! This is the 21st century almost EVERYONE speaks English, and if not then they should learn it.

I mean it's completely rediculous how over here in America instead of making all these Mexicans learn OUR language, they're requiring people in businesses to learn THEIR language. I mean if you want to come to America so bad I don't think being required to learn English is unrealistic. And I imagine despite all the different languages in Europe most speak English (if not a 2nd language).

 

[Instigator]

Nintendo just needs to release all the games in Europe in English and screw all the other language-speaking people. I mean c'mon! This is the 21st century almost EVERYONE speaks English, and if not then they should learn it.

But it takes time to learn a new language. Nintendo of all companies should know that since they're targeting gamers who barely started learning English. If they want to keep that market in their pocket, they'd better make sure it is well catered to.

I mean it's completely rediculous how over here in America instead of making all these Mexicans learn OUR language, they're requiring people in businesses to learn THEIR language.

The client is always right and if a particular business offers services in your language, you're going to go to them.

As for the whole environment growing bilingual, this is a result of the growing influence of that minority (sometimes almost a majority in some states). Communication is easier if both can speak in each other's language. When in a hopothetical future, 90% of Americans are hispanics, English will be abandoned because there will no point in speaking it. It would be a relic of another era. Things change.

 

[Trojan X]

(sound of toiling bells)

PSP hype is in overkill. Steller POS material. Nice display pods (perfectly matching the PSP ideal - because you can only look at them in a glass case... :lol )

I'm afraid it's GAME OVER for DS in Europe now.

Now before you leap on me, I've got a DS. I love it. But that's basically because of the wonders of import gaming. Nintendo's game list in the UK is **PITIFUL**. With PSP about to hit, what's the latest big name NOE give us? Fucking Animanics.

No Meteos.
No Kirby Air Ride.
No Castlevania (delayed two weeks DOH!!!)
No Nanostray.
No Advancewars.
No Nintendogs.

Nintendo...this shabby treatment just isn't going to cut it anymore. Sony practically handed you a gift on a plate of a sizable portable launch window in Europe and you've blown it. It's the equivlent of Microsoft holding back PG3, Gears of War ect until after the PS3 has launched. Madness.

Oh please. Donb't worry, the DS is here to stay.

 

[megateto]

Nintendo just needs to release all the games in Europe in English and screw all the other language-speaking people. I mean c'mon! This is the 21st century almost EVERYONE speaks English, and if not then they should learn it.

I mean it's completely rediculous how over here in America instead of making all these Mexicans learn OUR language, they're requiring people in businesses to learn THEIR language. I mean if you want to come to America so bad I don't think being required to learn English is unrealistic. And I imagine despite all the different languages in Europe most speak English (if not a 2nd language).

Guess what, not everybody speaks English in Europe, things are changing. And people from all this little countries that make Europe are really proud of their languages. Hell, in Spain, we have Spanish and at least 3 other languages officially recognized. Games are translated only into Spanish, but some people would like to have them in the other languages.

So yes, screw all this cultural richness and bring along one language to all. Oh, and let it be English. NO. WE should all learn Mandarin and then Spanish (which are the two languages with more users in the world)

 

[Frankfurter]

I dunno where you live, but even in some of the back water towns in Germany, there is at least SOME interest/hype. The company I work for is German and has plants all around in Germany. Hell, I just got an e-mail from a co-worker who has moved back to Germany for the time being talking about the PSP launch and the excitement. So happens he is living in Attendorn, which is a rather microscopic town. Of course, it may just be hype between friends as I can't imagine there being ANY ads around there. They're all still excited for the thing.

I'm not saying you're wrong, I just found it odd after your posts from yesterday. Like when a Nintendo fan would claim that the DS was sold out EVERYWHERE while someone against the system would claim that they were overstocked all over the place. I just can't help but laugh a bit, that's all.

I live in a city with a population of about 40k, ~60km south of Frankfurt( ). One of the friends I have talked to often goes to another city with about 120k population to study and he definitely hasn't heard anything about PSP.
Hype between friends of course is something different.

@Sonycowboy

And Sony hopes to sell 1M PSP's in UK alone in 4 months.

Yeah, sell(sell =/= sell through).

but 1.3M for all of Europe in 6 months isn't exactly great, especially when 1M was in the first 3 weeks. (Assuming your 1.3M number is good)

They didn't sell 1m in the first 3 weeks, but about 500k in the first two weeks and another 500k until about the 20th of June.
I would say that it is definitely very good to sell through 1.3m units in 5 and a half months(infact the US DS sold through about 1,721m in 5 months and a week WITH the help of Thanksgiving and christmas and the US handheld market is about 80% bigger than the European!)

 

[Kiriku]

Guess what, not everybody speaks English in Europe, things are changing. And people from all this little countries that make Europe are really proud of their languages. Hell, in Spain, we have Spanish and at least 3 other languages officially recognized. Games are translated only into Spanish, but some people would like to have them in the other languages.

So yes, screw all this cultural richness and bring along one language to all. Oh, and let it be English. NO. WE should all learn Mandarin and then Spanish (which are the two languages with more users in the world)

We've been screwed up here in Scandinavia since the very beginning of gaming (with very few exceptions, mostly from EA). All games are released in English, but I don't mind it. And I'm proud of my language, but games are games. I mean, cultural richness doesn't have to go away just because you know a second language and play games in English.

 

[thorsilver]

So why wait until now to possibly build a lead? The DS has had a 6 month head start in Europe and tbh they've wasted it. Very few killer apps and zero marketing. Now the PSP is here it's practically a neck and neck race

No DS marketing? Certainly not true here in the UK. For quite awhile the DS was a sponsor of comedy on Channel 4, meaning that EVERY advert break had DS adverts on. The massive Vue cinema down the road has had DS demo units for many months now, and every major film I've seen in the last 9 months has had a lengthy DS advert showing before the film. I have to say I've seen far more DS advertisement since its release than for any other console by quite a large margin.

Then again, this may be particular to the UK, or perhaps even just here in Leeds; I can't say for sure how much the rest of the country sees this level of promotion.

Either way, the DS has sold more than enough to make it a viable platform in Europe, and I think Nintendo has done the right thing by holding back major DS releases and Pokemon Emerald until just after the PSP launch. This will crowd the holiday season and give consumers second thoughts about shelling out for the PSP, and also unleash major franchises right at the most important sales portion of the year.

 

[puck1337]

Wait, they haven't released Emerald in Europe yet?

 

[Taker666]

No DS marketing? Certainly not true here in the UK. For quite awhile the DS was a sponsor of comedy on Channel 4, meaning that EVERY advert break had DS adverts on. The massive Vue cinema down the road has had DS demo units for many months now, and every major film I've seen in the last 9 months has had a lengthy DS advert showing before the film. I have to say I've seen far more DS advertisement since its release than for any other console by quite a large margin.

Then again, this may be particular to the UK, or perhaps even just here in Leeds; I can't say for sure how much the rest of the country sees this level of promotion.

Either way, the DS has sold more than enough to make it a viable platform in Europe, and I think Nintendo has done the right thing by holding back major DS releases and Pokemon Emerald until just after the PSP launch. This will crowd the holiday season and give consumers second thoughts about shelling out for the PSP, and also unleash major franchises right at the most important sales portion of the year.

I saw plenty of tv ads when it launched but there is very little DS in-store promotion down here in Cornwall.

I have yet to see a demo pod in the entire county.

 

[DDayton]

When in a hopothetical future, 90% of Americans are hispanics, English will be abandoned because there will no point in speaking it. It would be a relic of another era. Things change.

...ignoring the fact that the children of immigrants seem to speak English exclusively...

 

[Instigator]

We've been screwed up here in Scandinavia since the very beginning of gaming (with very few exceptions, mostly from EA). All games are released in English, but I don't mind it. And I'm proud of my language, but games are games. I mean, cultural richness doesn't have to go away just because you know a second language and play games in English.

From what I've seen, it seems game localization in Europe aims for big countries and languages with widespread use. And as suggested by the guy in Barcelona, Scandinavia and Holland may be considered very fluent in a particular foreign language, English in their case, so there's no real need to localize specifically for them.

Besides, Swedes are notoriously arrogant, someone needs to put them in their place.

 

[Instigator]

...ignoring the fact that the children of immigrants seem to speak English exclusively...

There's a difference between immigration from all over the world, forcing immigrants to speak a common language to understand each other and immigration from the same region where the new people can keep speaking their own language and even compete with English.

 

[sonycowboy]

They didn't sell 1m in the first 3 weeks, but about 500k in the first two weeks and another 500k until about the 20th of June.

Yep. I mixed up the timeframe. It was 1M units in 3 months.

I would say that it is definitely very good to sell through 1.3m units in 5 and a half months(infact the US DS sold through about 1,721m in 5 months and a week WITH the help of Thanksgiving and christmas and the US handheld market is about 80% bigger than the European!)

Well, the DS in US has been horrid in 2005. It's almost at Gamecube levels, so comparing bad sales to bad sales might make it look better. Also, the US market is ~50% bigger than the European handheld market, but your point is taken.

It's too bad that we don't get UK HW numbers any more, but I don't see how the DS could be doing that well since it's release schedule is even worse than the US'.

 

[Frankfurter]

@Sonycowboy

Also, the US market is ~50% bigger than the European handheld market, but your point is taken.

The US market is about 80% bigger than the European, as I already said (about 29-30m sold through GBA's/SP vs. about 17m sold through GBA's/SP)

Well, the DS in US has been horrid in 2005. It's almost at Gamecube levels, so comparing bad sales to bad sales might make it look better.

The point is that I a) didn't compare 2005 sales to each other, but the first ~5months(plus one or two weeks), in which the DS didn't sell bad in the US(also not spectacular, but definitely ok) and b) if the US numbers for the ~first five months would be as high, as the Europeans +80%, they would be at about ~2.34m, which means that the DS sold better in Europe than in the USA relatively to the size of the market (although the US launch was in November and the European in May).

 

[greenhouse]

NoE are indeed fools, but I don't think that means that the PSP is going to win easily. By the time christmas approaches, and potentially the real sales of PSPs should start to pick up, we'll probably be well into "next generation" hype, and those lovely graphics aren't going to look so lovely anymore (heck, we might even have the 360 over here by then).

I think the hand held market in europe is probably going to stagnate by the end of the year, and it's completely down to the fact we get everything last

 

[radioheadrule83]

I saw plenty of tv ads when it launched but there is very little DS in-store promotion down here in Cornwall.

I have yet to see a demo pod in the entire county.

Elsewhere in the country they're in every HMV, Game and GameStation, even some Virgin Megastore and other places. At least you're not far from the best beach(es) / waves in Britain. You can actually see the sky at night too and the air seems cleaner too. You ain't got DS marketing, but you've always got your health!

 

[cybamerc]

PSP outdoor poster are everywhere here in Copenhagen (they're not very good though). PSP has been pimped in games and electronics retailers for quite some times. Certain stores have them on display. Not playable though.

Haven't seen a single tv commercial though. DS OTOH was advertised a lot in tv here by Nintendo standards.

I've no doubt PSP will do relatively well here. DS retail support is quite poor.

 

[DDayton]

There's a difference between immigration from all over the world, forcing immigrants to speak a common language to understand each other and immigration from the same region where the new people can keep speaking their own language and even compete with English.

Eh. All I'm saying is that I've yet to run across second generation immigrant families who weren't primarily (or even exclusively) English speakers, here in the USA at least. I highly doubt English will disappear as the primary language any time soon, as the children of immigrants tend to switch over into English.

 

[Instigator]

In an alarmist scenario in the far future, it could happen. There's no reason to keep speaking English if the native speakers are the minority. But this is just speculation.

 

[monchi-kun]

it's settled then....the world must learn to speak 1337

imagine if countries start mandating loaclized voice overs.....Europe am cry

 

[jman2050]

Wait, they haven't released Emerald in Europe yet?

What he said... Wait, if Emerald isn't out... suddenly, I think Nintendo's going to have a better EU holiday season than I thought

 

[iapetus]

ITS COMING FOR GOD SAKE.

YOU TRY AND TRANSLATE AND CODE IN FOR SIX OTHER LANGUAGES JUST AS FAST

MOANING BUNCH OF WIERDO'S

Actually, I do, because I'm a professional software developer.

Thanks for playing.

 

[DDayton]

In an alarmist scenario in the far future, it could happen. There's no reason to keep speaking English if the native speakers are the minority. But this is just speculation.

True, but the problem is that the native speakers of English aren't in the minority and there is no resume to presume they ever will be, with almost all second generation immigrant children speaking English fluently.

 

[thorsilver]

What he said... Wait, if Emerald isn't out... suddenly, I think Nintendo's going to have a better EU holiday season than I thought

Yeah it's out 21 October here, according to Eurogamer. Judging by the amount of counterfeit and US copies of the game moving through Ebay and other channels, demand seems to be quite high... people are ripping on Nintendo justifiably here, but I think this is one case where they actually know what they're doing.

 

[ForzaItalia]

Don't doubt it. Online Pokemon has the potential to be the biggest and best Pokemon yet, by a stretch - dont you think?

DS versions of classic GBA franchises with online alone are enough to push this baby, but on top of that you get some EXCELLENT new franchises such as Ouendan, Nintendogs, Jump Super Stars etc which not only push sales alot but introduce new ways of playing games. While initial sales of some games suck, as a DS owner every game is welcomed as it adds to the gaming library which ultimately defines how good a system is.

Wait til the big franchises start rolling out with new features, wifi-enabled Final Fantasy, Zelda etc.

and dont write off other new franchises making it big, JSS RPG please.

I still highly doubt it. When the GBA Next drops, how many people will still care about the DS? I can't see the DS ever outselling the GBA/SP.

 

[Instigator]

True, but the problem is that the native speakers of English aren't in the minority and there is no resume to presume they ever will be, with almost all second generation immigrant children speaking English fluently.

It all depends if they keep their culture. In the days of the melting pot, after a few generations, most immigrants would become unilingual English speakers.

Now if immigration these days creates a large uniform block, fluent in English, but still speaking Spanish at home, that's different. Concessions in terms of government services and work place to accomodate those people suggests a lasting trend. Intermarriages are still possible to blend in with the English-speaking majority, but if immigration just keeps pumping more of these people into society, it won't matter.

 

[The Friendly Monster]

Elsewhere in the country they're in every HMV, Game and GameStation, even some Virgin Megastore and other places. At least you're not far from the best beach(es) / waves in Britain. You can actually see the sky at night too and the air seems cleaner too. You ain't got DS marketing, but you've always got your health!

Except for the illegal levels of radon of course...

 

[mrklaw]

Except for the illegal levels of radon of course...

what are they going to to - arrest Mother Nature?

 

[Nightbringer]

The shop next to my work sold 30 PSP in preorders and ZERO GAMES!!! That's right ZERO GAMES... but in the other hand they sold plenty of new memory sticks. But who can blame them, games cost more than 50 Euros and some games like Spider Man and Tony Hawk Underground 2 cost 65 Euros.

WTF? Here are the prices in spain

http://www.game.es/PSP/default.asp

47€ each one and some of them (Spiderman and THU2) 55€

 

[Timen]

WTF? Here are the prices in spain

http://www.game.es/PSP/default.asp

47€ each one and some of them (Spiderman and THU2) 55€

Some games are up to €60 over here in the Netherlands.

($75)

 

[Deleted member 1235]

Germany..., there is NOTHING for PSP. Of course there are demo units in stores(errr..., ONE in the next Media Markt[biggest electronic, gaming etc. store company in Germany]), but nothing else(really NOTHING ).

I saw a shit load of PSP advertising in the U-Bahn stations in berlin and also in lots of electronic shop windows about 3 weeks ago. just about every stop I got on and off at seemed to have a big PSP poster.

 

[Zer0]

I saw a shit load of PSP advertising in the U-Bahn stations in berlin and also in lots of electronic shop windows about 3 weeks ago. just about every stop I got on and off at seemed to have a big PSP poster.

im from germany and is full of ads of psp,maybe frankfurter lives on a remote island :lol

 

[Swaain]

Where I live (Antwerp, BE) the PSP sells like shit. I've just visited a few shops where they didn't even sell *one* of them. As I understand, the problem is... the price point. There's lots of media attention for the device, though. Anyway, it shows that the PSP is not the runaway success SCEE wanted it to be. Serves them right for making us wait for SIX FUCKING MONTHS before they release, at a higher pricepoint, what has been out for ages in the rest of the world. Phah!