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[disabledHeliocentric]

Today I hooked up my cube to the television and I had a blast playing Mario Sunshine again, and I enjoyed it so much more than what I was playing previously(Riddick) that I couldn't help feel saddened by the cube's lackluster sales.
Aside from obvious misteps like the purse handle and phonetically containing the word 'gay' in your console's name what should Nintendo be doing to turn things to the sunny side up?

 

[Drinky Crow]

GO SONY THIRD PARTY

 

[Dr.Guru of Peru]

I dont think they can. Not enough time left in this gen. It takes time to do stuff.

 

[DSN2K]

nothing.

little console what could wont survive,

I give it 5-8 months before total drop off.

 

[MrPing1000]

place hands upon gamecube

lift game cube

using hands turn game on the horizontal plane 180 degrees

place gamecube on floor

remove hands


YOU CAN DO IT NINTENDO!

 

[worldrunover]

I like the handle.

And it's too late thius gen.

 

[ge-man]

I predict this thread will go nowhere. Before the thread ends in a fanboy mess, I will say that the GC's problems can't be turned around. I'll repeat what I have said in another thread--the most important part of the console's life is during launch and the few months after. The GC's course was set long before this point in the generation. The question shouldn't be what can be done for GC, it should be what should Nintendo do for their next console launch.

 

[garrickk]

Spend billions more than they are making on everything.

Build a powerful PC next gen and sell it as a console.

Invest 2 billion dollars into an online strategy that at most will generate 250 million in revenue.

 

[belgurdo]

IBHAT, but there's not much they can do. Real Zelda will guarantee at least a couple million sales, but that's it.

 

[cja]

Push the new peripherals real hard. GAF discounted GC this time last year...

 

[RiZ III]

Drop the price to 50 dollars. Then cheap bastards like me will finally buy one.

 

[Christoff Yurievich]

Spend billions more than they are making on everything.

Build a powerful PC next gen and sell it as a console.

Invest 2 billion dollars into an online strategy that at most will generate 250 million in revenue.

I can't tell...is that sarcasm or trolling?

at any rate, Nintendo Online would be great, hopefully they have removed their collective heads from their asses in regards to the internet.

 

[disabledHeliocentric]

I predict this thread will go nowhere.

Yes. And Unfortunately this is going not nowhere, but somewhere rife with xbox and ps2 fanboy fucktards(no offense).
I think the next big step for a console named 'Revolution' would be a control device that simulates coitus.

Otherwise:
- More masculine design for hardware
- Online
- Lets not mess up the first party titles
- Why not throw a few more new franchises on us, guys.
- In the past Nintendo hasn't been a big RPG company. Maybe they should try to change this.
- Consider merging with other large gaming companies to diversify IP and development resources.

 

[Chrono]

Here's what I think/hope the Revolution will offer...


- awesome Mario game at launch-- Should offer an experience better or comparable to that of Mario 64.

- pack that game with the console


That's all it takes.

 

[Late Stage Marxist]

- More masculine design for hardware

N5 will be shaped like a penis.

 

[Uno Ill Nino]

It's too late too late too late too late too late too late..............................................

 

[disabledHeliocentric]

N5 will be shaped like a penis.

I just realised that for a console to simulate vaginal coitus it would probably be better way in the feminine camp as far as you can go. You live and you learn.

 

[Buck]

it's too late for nintendo, nothing will save gamecube, revolution, or nds. Gamers dont want another mario, another zelda, another zelda spinoff, another mario party, or another game with mario playing some sport. they have got to make new franchises and get 3rd party support where it counts if they want to compete. No more shoddy 5 month late multiplatform releases either.

im afraid the only thing that will save nintendo is them going 3rd party, sorry kids.

 

[Gahiggidy]

GameCube SP

 

[Baron Aloha]

im afraid the only thing that will save nintendo is them going 3rd party, sorry kids.

Nintendo doesn't need saving.

GameCube SP

IAWTP

 

[Jupiter Jones]

I'm a Nintendo fan, but like a lot of people, I felt a lot Nintendo's early decisions would hurt them down the line. The biggest, IMO, was not making an effort to win over western developers to make games for the Gamecube. Still, it's possible to boost sales by some bundling deals. For instance, they could bundle Mario Sunshine and Zelda: The Wind Waker with a cube for a Christmas special. Or maybe the GBA/Gamecube bundle mentioned by other people.

 

[Chrono]

im afraid the only thing that will save nintendo is them going 3rd party, sorry kids.

 

[jett]

Nothing. The Gamecube's course is sealed. Contrary to what some people may think, TEH MATURE Zelda isn't going to move a bajizillion consoles.

 

[Renegade]

Bundle it with an Xbox or PS2 for free. Then they will not only be #2 this generation BUT They'll take the holidays by storm! Think about it. They'll come up #1 for the year at DOUBLE what the others made. That's unbelievable gains, people.

 

[sc0la]

I am not saying gamecube won't still experience measured success (esp. around the time of zelda, other big titles and price drops). But it is certainly too late to "turn it around" this gen.

 

[disabledHeliocentric]

I'm a Nintendo fan, but like a lot of people, I felt a lot Nintendo's early decisions would hurt them down the line. The biggest, IMO, was not making an effort to win over western developers...

And I think Sony has exploited this hugely to their benefit. For example, look at all of these platformers Sony has published, all of them developed in the U.S. Microsoft has more or less stayed afloat with xbox because of western developers favoring them in tinsy ways.

But, I think Nintendo's market share and lack of, say, a tangible online strategy has hurt them too as has how they have marketed the cube. And a lot of western developers seem really keen on xbox especially since I get the impression that when Ninetndo was on top they sheltered and sort of tried to keep everything centered around Japan.

 

[Late Stage Marxist]

The real question: is the gap between Xbox and GC sales going to continue to stretch throughout the remainder of this generation?

 

[ourumov]

Nintendo can still make great numbers with GC. It's all about:

1. Continue pulling quality software. Both 1st and 3rd party.

2. Strong Marketing.

3. Do sth revolutionary. For instance enter the online world with sth revolutionary. What about a free Live service ??


I am sure that the situation can be changed. It's all about think in the present and not in the future. GC can still be a great machine, let's forget about revolutions please. GC it's only 2 years old in Europe.

 

[jarrod]

They don't have to do anything they're not doing now, GameCube will be on shelves longer than XBox regardless...

 

[DCX]

Nintendo can't shake it's rep...same like Sega couldn't with Dreamcast. There was nothing wrong with Dreamcast. With Gamecube there are some problems, no digital audio, the lack of online gaming...and just an utter lack of vision for the current state of gaming. They AIM for the casual women/kids rather than the teen/adult males. It's funny, XBOX and PS2 kinda struggle with the women/kids department where Nintendo has it locked by default. If Nintendo targeted the right audience, build a strong hardware that caters to the CURRENT market, 3rd party support, online...it would do well. Gamecube, however, is dead man walking.

DCX

 

[Baron Aloha]

The real question: is the gap between Xbox and GC sales going to continue to stretch throughout the remainder of this generation?

I think that the Xbox will gain a slight lead over the GC by year's end (the way the GC has been up until now) but the GC will finish ahead of the Xbox thanks to a longer life cycle.

 

[Die Squirrel Die]

It's diversifying their lineup, whether through better relations with third parties or through their own 1st and 2nd party games, preferably both.

Marketing has got to get more consistent. If they have a game to push, push it, if not do a GC compendium highlighting, or just a campaign that pushes the GC brand.

I think hardwarewise they should keep it as cheap as possible. I don't think they should be seeking to be making lots of profit on hardware. Minimal profits or even just breaking even.

 

[Buck]

Nintendo does too need saving, look at their anemic software sales for both gamecube and GBA. Just look at how poorly the last zelda game sold, it's down to what 10k a month now? While halo has 100k a month and it's 3 years old.

Sometimes i wonder how big their install base really is, once you count out all the people that bought cubes in the beginning and after the initial disappointment either ebayed them to mexicans or just let their cube sit in a closet and gather dust like every single person i know who owns one has.

Really now think about it. we've all heard the countless stories of people who bought a cube for some overhyped game like zelda or REmake or something and just got rid of it because there's nothing else to play.

 

[sc0la]

tangible online strategy.... how they have marketed the cube.

If I may butcher your quote there. I think again and again people overlook things like online support and DVD playback as missing features rather than two in a string of marketing missteps (to both consumers and developers).

anemic software sales for [...] GBA.

*sigh*

 

[Incognito]

Nintendo needs more than a Mario and Zelda to remain competitive nowadays. And up to this point, it looks as though Nintendo hasn't realized that fact, and it'll cost them.

 

[Baron Aloha]

Nintendo does too need saving, look at their anemic software sales for both gamecube and GBA. Just look at how poorly the last zelda game sold, it's down to what 10k a month now? While halo has 100k a month and it's 3 years old.

Now that's rich. Their software sales aren't N64 level but Nintendo is still the #1 video game publisher in the world. If their sales are anemic then the entire industry is doomed.

 

[Dice]

The new Mario game is coming out on GC, right? That'll be good, so will the new Zelda but I think the collective games lineup (including RE4, Metroid, Star Fox, Peper Mario 2, etc) will be working for them pretty well. If they drop something new and good like SMB was for 64 then that would be great, they need more value games too.

Though overall I don't think there is a great deal they can do. I get the feeling a lot of people are very busy with either their PS2 or X-Box, and they would like to get a GC eventually but they're just so preoccupied right now. GC could sell quite a few later on in it's life, especially if they do make a GC SP sort of thing.

 

[bheemer]

"I will release nes, snes and n64 rehashes on the game-a-cube and charge 30 dollars each and my blind fans will buy a 100k of each in the first month


wahahahah

 

[Mooreberg]

I don't know if they can really do anything this gen, but for the next round they need to make sure they are up to speed with online gaming and storage capacity. Having 3 gigs less of storage space on the game discs can't be construed as an advantage no matter how you look at it, and I know a lot of people were annoyed by the initially small memory card size when the system came out. The price advantage went away pretty quick if you wanted to a play a sports game in franchise mode.

Other than that, they're putting out first party games on a much of consistent basis than they did last gen, and the third party support is light years better. I think they just need to do a better job of anticipating what series or franchises will be big. RE was declining in popularity back in '99, so I'm not sure who thought getting that series was going to be a big coup. It's had zero impact so far, and by the time RE4 comes out it isn't going to change much. They just need to do a better job of observing software trends.

 

[Vibri]

 

[Die Squirrel Die]

Well, anything they need to do to turn things around for the GC they kinda need to have started to do already. 2005 is the last real chance they have to impress the wider public before the next-gen kicks in.

 

[evil ways]

What can Nintendo do to turn around the Gamecube?

They'll have to find a way to generate 1.21 gigawatts of energy into the flux capacitor and travel back to 1993.

 

[Memles]

The thing is...turning around sounds as if they're changing focus. I'm not sure Nintendo wants to do this, and thus won't even consider it.

 

[hobbitx]

Hook us up with some online play. MKDD could have been so much fun online, it would cost them practically nothing to set up some matchmaking servers. I don't think it would turn things around but it definitely would help, if Nintendo comes around next gen with that same online isn't important ideology, I'm not sure if I want the N5.

 

[Mooreberg]

travel back to 1993

HAHA that always ends up being the final answer to any question about what Nintendo can do to remedy the situation. I doubt they ever imagined backing out of the agreement with Sony would lead to what PlayStation became. Then again, they also probably did not think pissing DMA off would hurt them much. The general lack of foresight seems to be the problem.

 

[SantaC]

Get more RPGs.

 

[Alcibiades]

The uprising will begin in August...

8-30-04

BE THERE!

 

[Alcibiades]

HAHA that always ends up being the final answer to any question about what Nintendo can do to remedy the situation. I doubt they ever imagined backing out of the agreement with Sony would lead to what PlayStation became. Then again, they also probably did not think pissing DMA off would hurt them much. The general lack of foresight seems to be the problem.

BTW, backing out was in their best interests whether or not Sony would kick their butt later on, because Sony was pushing towards a "Nintendo is the 2nd party" contract, not a 50/50 partnership...

 

[Auron]

Short term, I believe things are going to look up for GameCube. Begining with Tales, Nintendo has some nice GameCube software this year(the first half sucked), and IGN is reporting a nice bundle starting next month. Sales will pick up like they did last year, but it looks like NOA will do what they can to make it happen sooner. Long term is a different beast altogether though.

NCL needs to cut the gimmiky crap and get to the roots of their problem: SquareEnix. If they want the GameCube to last, they need Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest and Kingdom Hearts. Enough of the connectivity stuff, we need the games that will sell the GCN in Japan. If Nintendo fails in Japan, they won't be able to keep enough developers on board to keep the engines running in the rest of the world. SquareEnix is the answer.

 

[Gorgie]

The problem with the Gamecube is the perception of being inferior too the other consoles becakuse of its price, looks, and even size. For the Revolution, Nintendo needs to match Sony for every major feature, maybe not Blu-Ray, but have HD DVD, and be at the same price level. It's sad that people justify console purchases with a bullet point sheet of all its features.

Also, Revolution must be backwards compatible so all the people who skipped the cube, don't have to miss all the great games, and they need a strong launch perception. They need reggie in the Wal Marts on launch day reinvigorating consumers on Nintendo kicking ass, so people buying feel like they are getting the 'winning console'.