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« on: November 10, 2004, 06:55:08 PM »
Ok guys, I'm starting this topic to get your writing juices flowing. I think there was an editorial on PGC that touched a little bit on this issue, but I just wanted to get this to be a really good full-fledged board topic in which we can get some good discussion on the issue. I hope this doesn't envelop into an immature system bash/flame war, so please, I beg you, just be curteous, use REAL language, and for the love of christ, use punctuation!
As much as I hate to admit it, the Gamecube is an absolute failure. Suprising coming from me, since it's the only next-gen console I own. Even though it does exactly what I need it to do, and satisfys my gaming pleasure, there is also a matter of the rest of the gaming community in which the Gamecube simply does not cut it. Okay...let's see. What does the Gamecube have?
2D Oldschool fighters? Nope.
RPGs? Nope.
ESPN/Sega sports games? Nope.
Great racing games? Nope.
How about those War-themed FPS/special ops games? Nope.
Online games? Nope.
Flight Sims? Nope.
RTS's? Nope.
Mech battle games? Nope.
Star Wars Battlefront? Nope. (but we get sh!tty re-hashes of Rogue Squadron)
Fable? Nope.
GTA? Nope. (who needs that anyway)
Okay, okay, enough cynicism. Let's see what they actually DO have.
Mario Kart, Mario Golf, Mario Tennis, Mario Party, Paper Mario, Zelda, Metroid, Animal Crossing, Donkey Konga, and a ton of other great first party titles.
There is next-to nothing from 3rd parties on the GC that you can't get on another console, and if it's on XBox, it's more than likely better. If it's on PS2, the graphics/load times suck, but it's probably out sooner, so why wait?
All I can say is that I'm sick of it. Nintendo obviously FAILED in a number of places:
1.) getting a mainstream demographic to accept their console
2.) getting enough developers to make a lot of great games for their system
3.) getting enough quality games
4.) having a smaller disc size may help on piracy, but fails when forcing developers to cut corners or compress otherwise good content
5.) a purple system on launch, but only advertising a black one now, it obviously didn't change a damn thing.
6.) "exclusives" end up all being lies or just end up being cancelled altogether.* (RE4 & VJ come to mind)
7.) Realizing that their name alone isn't going to keep them alive.
*and WHY are these companies renegging their decision about GC exclusivity? Because they realized it would get them next to no money! Why? Because GC is failure.
The best example of proving how much of a failure is this: I work at Blockbuster video. Our games section, while not the greatest, is the perfect analogy to how the system race is going. Our PS2 section is about 20 bays (each bay is 6 shelves that can hold about 8-10 games each). Our Xbox section is about 10 bays. And the GC section? 3 bays. It's not that Nintendo doesn't support the rental industry, it's that THERE AREN'T ENOUGH *NEW* GAMES TO PLAY ON THE GAMECUBE. Period. And what does that look like to the average gamer? I'll tell you: it looks like since there isn't enough games to play on the Gamecube, why the hell should they invest their money into it when you can get tons more (and probably BETTER) on the PS2 or Xbox? Do people buy every game released on a system? No! But they sure as hell rent them. Renting is the best way to experience a game without having to dish out the insane $45-$50 purchase price. In the 6-month period that I have been working there, there have probably been at least 50 games released on the PS2. The Xbox probably had about the same. GC has probably had about 10.
I feel Nintendo is only relying on their die-hard fans (me for example) which is absolutely asinine. It's like Nike only making shoes for people that like to play basketball. It just doesn't cut it. You have to give in and you can't limit yourself to one thing. Broaden your horizons, etc. But alas, it's all too late for that.
I know there must be a lot of Nintendo lovers here since this is a Gamecube website, but if you have ever told yourself that there is absolutely nothing on the PS2 or Xbox worth playing, you really might want to either open your eyes or think about getting a new hobby.
Before I end this (I'm sure I'll be writing more later) all I can say is if they think the DS is going to save them, they're up sh!t creek without a paddle.
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