Topic: Revolution to launch in March?

[TMW]

Reggies.  

It was Reggie's idea.  

[Invincible Donkey Kong]

Did someone call for me?  Yeah, it was my idea, got a problem with it?  *cracks knuckles*

[ShyGuy]

Yeah, here's the link to the flash video where Cnet says Spring of '06 Nintendo Revolution - CNET reviews

and remember MoSys, the memory manufacturer reported mid 2006 News Article: MoSys: Revolution Launching in Mid-2006

[stevey]

but if it's does come out spring how nintendo going to show off the revolution part?

[Caliban]

stevey> If they decide to release it after E3 then your question just has been answered.

[TMW]

March would be awesome cause then I could get it as a birthday present.

...all I would have to do is find a friend willing to buy me one for my birthday.  

==EDIT==
I just read the rumor report over at Gamespot...they don't say the poster is a fake.

They basically say, "We'll see in March."  

[nickmitch]

Yeah, they really punked out on that one. But there should really be a June-ish release. They could show the controller and annouce the date at GDC along with some footage and mre info. Relese dates for games and exactly which titles are going to be available at launch could be said at E3 along with the final design of the Rev itself.

[Spak-Spang]

There hasn't been any real credible evidence besides speculation for the November release.  There isn't much evidence for a Summer release, but there is still more than for the November release.  I completely believe without a shadow of a doubt that Nintendo is gearing for a June launch for Revolution.  It matches everything Nintendo has said about not being late, but not entering until the time is right, it also matched with the projections from the memory company...whom are in the know and need to speak honestly with its investors about issues of production and profit.  

Mario Revolution could be read to go by June or just pushed back for the November holiday game.  Metroid Revolution and Super Smash Brothers will be the big launch games...and I predict a radically different control and feel for Metroid Revolution as I predict Retro will be given the freedom to design a dual analog control system, and concentrate on a story that is perhaps very unmetroid like.  

[stevey]

Come to think about there hasn't been credible evidence for november, summer, or spring all we know from nintendo is that it not come out in 05 the rest is lie on top of lie that that was maded in  that was respeculation on than bitch by Ian and respeculation again and token for the truth and besided are the game going to be ready in time for the for the spring. I think July or agst. no soon than june or later the oct..  

[nemo_83]

more viral marketing here

[couchmonkey]

I think Nintendo could be ready for a March launch, but I admit it seems like a long shot, and third party support would probably be dismal.  It should be possible to quickly port a few unimaginative games to the new system in a matter of months, but there probably wouldn't be any really good titles from third parties until close to Christmas.

I'm personally in favour of a mid to late summer (maybe August) launch.  At that point you're heading straight into the ramp-up period for Christmas, so there would be a sustained period of heavy releases...there'd be a big launch lineup, then a moderate slow-down for a month or so, but the releases would only come out faster and faster as you headed towards Christmas, and there'd probably be a decent selection by the time new year and the traditional drought comes around.

[Spak-Spang]

Couchmonkey:  One problem with that ramp-up logic.  Usually there is a steady release of games for Christmas because publishers and developers are aiming for that period to release games.  If a summer is actually going through then most 3rd parties would aim for that period to release games along side a new system and the lead up to Christmas would actually be quite low.

The only next generation system I really see having a strong Christmas release next year is Xbox 360, but I also see them having a horrible Christmas release this year while Nintendo and Sony should have a descent Christmas with their systems.

[nickmitch]

I think that Nintendo and Sony's releases will be closely intertwined with their Japanese  releases.

[couchmonkey]

I hear you, Spak-Spang, but I still think it would turn out better than Nintendo's Christmas launches which always seem to end in 3-6 months of one or two releases per month after the new year.  Christmas and system launches seem to be the two times for third parties to release new games, so why not try to take advantage of both in the first few months of a system's lifespan?  I admit, an even earlier launch might be better since it would give devs a larger window between launch and Christmas, but I think at some point Nintendo would run into the same problem as before, only the drought would come in May-September (for example) instead of January-May.

[Spak-Spang]

CouchMonkey:  Well, Nintendo could release early without much fear for droughts because their Virtual System concept and Backwards compatiability would really help fill that drought until the Christmas releases are ready.

Think about it.  Revolution will be getting new Nintendo supporters that are older gamers wanting to relive playing the classics.  They will have the option to buy and download the older games, as well as catch up on the Gamecube games they missed.  

Even if Nintendo only has 3-5 games including 3rd party games for the Revolution if one of them is a huge hit, then Nintendo will buy itself time until Christmas for new releases.  

Many people are downplaying the backwards compatiability of the revolution...and I may be up-playing it, but I don't think so.  

[Ian Sane]

"Well, Nintendo could release early without much fear for droughts because their Virtual System concept and Backwards compatiability would really help fill that drought until the Christmas releases are ready."

A lot of people have brought this up and personally I feel that it's greatly overrating the download concept.  This is a bonus feature but it absolutely cannot count towards filling in the release schedule.  That's because no one has to buy a Rev to play those games and Nintendo can't count on people not already owning them.  A new game fills in a release schedule because no one has it.  Everyone is a potential customer.  But Rev owners might own all the available classic games they want.  There is already a huge chunk of owners that are not potential customers for those games.  If someone wants a new game "play Super Mario World again" is not a valid solution.  If Nintendo expects me to replay old games to make use of the Rev I'm going to be quite displeased and I know I'm not the only one.

Ports don't count.  Period.

[Mario]

I'd rather buy a shiny new console (with a future ahead of it) to play Super Mario Bros on than a dusty dead old NES. I never owned a NES or SNES, in fact i've never played either, so i'm greatly looking forward to this feature and as of now, it's the BIGGEST reason I plan on purchasing a Nintendo Revolution. (Revolution games are a bonus =P)

I also bought a GBA for Super Mario Advance.

So uh, what? Oh yeah, there won't be a drought for me, because I'LL be playing old games, and this whole issue is stupid since we don't know the Nintendo Revolution software lineup, bah, i'm out of this section until there's more solid info on the system.

[TMW]

yeah, Ian.  I think your underestimating the draw of the older games.

Most hardcore Nintendo fans will own the games in question, and even still have a working SNES/NES. But, newcomers to the videogame scene, casual players, and old school Sega fans (such as myself) who never owned a SNES, will be more than happy with the download service as is.

'Sides, they practically -guaranteed- Smash Bros. Online at launch, and that will go a looooong way to sell systems and keep people occupied til the games come out.

On another note...Nintendo seems to be learning from their mistakes.  Reggie is evidence of that.  Announcing Smash Bros Online is also evidence...

I don't think Nintendo will let there be a sizable drought after launch anyways.  What with Zelda Rev, Mario 128, the aforementioned SSBMOnline, and the new "teh mature" franchise (which may or may not be a horror game), already in production, they seem to be aiming for keeping us knee deep in Rev goodness.

If it launches in March, and Nintendo is finally playing their cards rights, then all the right people already have dev kits, and are already working on our new games.  I really don't think we have anything to worry about.

Sides, I'm betting on a Summer release, anyways.  

[nickmitch]

Well couldn't 3rd parties make new GC games and put them out around the Rev's release? That would put off a drought.

[Flames_of_chaos]

TVMan I bet you like making fodder posts so Ian can bitch at them .  

Edit: And if a online super smash bros. and/or mario does come out indeed at launch i bet most PGCers will be busy with that online rather than bitch about a game drought.

[Spak-Spang]

Ian:  You mention that older Nintendo fan gamers should have all the games and systems still in there library...but I feel perhaps you are looking at collectors and yourself as the norm.

I believe the norm are gamers that have gotten rid of their old systems.  Perhaps its because they don't work anymore, or they need money, or they just wanted to save some space around the house...but most don't still have their NES, SNES in working order.  Now the Nintendo 64 may still be around, but I am hoping to play those new games on a superior controller because most of the old N64 controllers are worn down and have lost analog sensitivity.  

Besides who is to say those old games you may have still work perfectly.  Also, with the idea that some games may come with enhanced graphics...it may be like playing a classic with a completely new feel.  Which would be awesome.

You say that Nintendo shouldn't expect that download service to take the place of new games for the Revolution...that a drought would still be bad...but I think once people own the system they will wait for the good games, and MS showed us with Halo that only one killer App is needed to push hardware sales for like a year.  Now imagine having your killer App and hundreds of classic games to download for cheap, while you wait for 3-4 months for the next set of games to launch...then after that FIRST draught games from 1st party and 3rd parties come in steadily.  

3rd parties may actually be encouraged by the drought to pick up the slack and make money easier.

All I am saying is that the Download service WILL play a huge part this next generation.  Will it be enough to push Nintendo into first place...NO.  But it will help Nintendo.

And that Download service gives Nintendo alittle more freedom to launch in 2006 whenever they need to.  They just need one amazing launch game and a few supporting titles.  

[Ian Sane]

"You mention that older Nintendo fan gamers should have all the games and systems still in there library...but I feel perhaps you are looking at collectors and yourself as the norm."

It doesn't matter if you still own them or not.  Just having played them before can make them seem stale.  No one should be expected to play old games in order to get decent usage out of a console.  They're there for those that want them but they should not be mandatory in order to get your money's worth.  This isn't some nostalgia machine.  It's going to be priced as a new console and therefore better damn well be a NEW console.  A classic gaming machine should cost less than 100 bucks.

[Spak-Spang]

Ian:  I agree that the Revolution shouldn't just have that.  But as a last resort Nintendo has more leiway than Sony to launch whenever they need to in 06...They just have to have a few games ready.  

Nobody expects a brand new system have a perfectly steady stream of games releasing on it.  

[UncleBob]

Quote
Well couldn't 3rd parties make new GC games and put them out around the Rev's release? That would put off a drought.

Why buy a new Revolution at $200+ when you could just buy a GCN for $100-ish (or less) to play these games on and wait for a price drop on the Revolution... and by the time that Price Drop comes around, they've already decided to buy a PS3 or a 360...

[stevey]

:Why buy a new Revolution at $200+ when you could just buy a GCN for $100-ish (or less) to play these games on and wait for a price drop on the Revolution... and by the time that Price Drop comes around, they've already decided to buy a PS3 or a 360... "

What?! You saying that $200 cost too much so people will buy a $500 ps3 or $400 x360 insead?! WTF are you smoking!