I will repeat. We should have seen this coming. Nintendo has a huge load of Gamecube games that they have been working on, or have contracted out to other companies. Too many for this year and next year....specially if Next year they are releasing the Revolution Mid-Summer...which I guess is most likely improbable.
Now, we had Nintendo show a very strong list of games coming out at E3 for the Cube and you knew that not all those games could be released at the same time. The competition between that many Nintendo released exclusives would have killed sales for all the games.
Perhaps Nintendo delayed the wrong game...but again they aren't in complete say of what games get delayed they release the games that are ready. Nintendo still has a very strong holiday lineup, and more now Nintendo could potentially save itself and one of its largest franchises from a possible embarassing release. (If Zelda did poorly up against the Xbox 360 launch it could weaken its power in the media's and gamer's eyes.)
The Cube still has GREAT games coming out.
What is very interesting to me about this press release is that Nintendo states that in March they will announce a definate date for Zelda. It won't be available in March, neccessarly. We may actually have a half year or year delay. Then why not push for this game to be Revolutionary. This decision was probably made awhile ago. There was a story about Zelda for Revolution already being worked on. (I am not saying this is definately what I believe, but I think it is plausible.)
Ian is being too negative because he is trashing one of the finest Zelda games ever created (Wink Waker) saying it really isn't a Zelda game. Listen, it is Nintendo's franchise and you should allow the artists to explore and create new experiences otherwise we will be stuck with what you HATE cheap sequels that just give the masses what they want. Nintendo has always tried to do something little different with each sequel...sometimes greatly different.
All Nintendo has to do now, is choose the right 2 games to market the hell out of, and present them as THE games to own for this holiday season. Those 2 games I think should be Fire Emblem and Battalion Wars. Both are games that older gamers can enjoy, yet are still friendly to all ages (exactly what Nintendo should be known for.)
Zelda should be prepped for Revolution and at launch either in this summer Nintendo should have:
Zelda
Smash Brothers
new IP
Metroid Prime 3
ready for launch, and have a killer lineup of games you MUST own for a great Nintendo launch. A launch like this also frees up Nintendo to explore new IPs and other creative gaming, because it has already provided 3 of its largest franchises
OR, if Nintendo waits till Christmas to launch then Nintendo should release Revolution with
Zelda
Smash Brothers
Metroid Prime 3
Mario Revolution
New IP
Once again have a power packed launch that allows you to branch out and explore more creative games.
Also remember we still have Kirby Gamecube Game for next year, or that game also could be retooled for the Revolution.
Now matter if you look at it through my eyes or a more realistic eyes that the delay is for normal reasons. Nintendo has a bright future ahead of itself.
1)A stellar first party lineup for the holiday season
2)A stellar portable market about to BOOM with great new games and bring Nintendo online for the first time.
3)A Zelda game being perfected and polished to remind the world what Nintendo does best.
4)The Revolution looming in the future to shock the world with what Nintendo means by innovation.
5)Miyamoto working of bringing a truly new experience for Mario as well, which will hopefully have the full polish treatment like Zelda Twillight Princess will get.