Topic: Nintendo's Strategy is Paying Off

[Dolphin64X]

Okay, so the GameCube isn't selling as well as it should.  So analysts, the mainstream media, and the general public all have forgotten about Nintendo.  But all is not lost.  Do not fear, Nintendo fans, for there is hope yet!

Before the launch of the GameCube, Nintendo said that they had designed the console to be as developer-friendly as possible.  They have remained the only console manufacturer to stay focused on making games.  And what has it gotten them?  A labeling of "kiddy," a loss of sports games, a tarnishing of stellar sales.  But it has gotten one thing more.

Game developers are falling in love with Nintendo and their GameCube.  The game developers, the people who really matter, are becoming converts of Nintendo.  

Examples?  Gladly:

Sega.  As Nintendo's former rival, they have become one of its greatest supporters.  Sonic, their beloved mascot, is Nintendo exclusive.  As I believe Sega's strategy was to let each development studio focus on one console in order to maintain their single console roots, this explains why each console gets different games and few ports.  Sonic Team, AM2, Overworks, and others all appear loyal to the GameCube.  While some teams choose to focus on other consoles, it can be argued that their most important ones focus on the GameCube.  I believe that the GameCube is getting the best of their support, and the other teams can only join Nintendo as Sega games continue to sell best on Nintendo's console.

Capcom.  This one hardly needs explanation.  Shinji Mikami, one of the most important people at Capcom, has fallen head-over-heels for Nintendo.  Aside from working on Zelda games, he is supervising five games, all of high quality, that are likely to be GameCube only.  Let's count off their franchises: Resident Evil: GameCube exclusive.  Megaman: only console getting a new one is the GameCube (I believe).  Devil May Cry:  I may not be correct on this, but I believe I remember hearing the designer saying that now they would make it for the GameCube, if they could.  Dinosaur Crisis: Xbox, but at the same time, who cares?  Street Fighter: all consoles, currently.  Did I miss anything?  Capcom may be giving sequels to other consoles, but their new franchises are for GameCube, the franchises that will be popular two years from now.

Namco.  Once an outspoken Nintendo-hater, they have become one of their greatest allies.  As one of the three components of the Triforce, they are quite close to Nintendo, and are already pushing quite a few games towards the GameCube.  And let's not forget about Soul Caliber II, which premiered for the GameCube at Spaceworld 2000.

Squaresoft.  Again, they were publicly feuding with Nintendo for years, but are now reforming ties.  Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles, while arguably a spinoff, shows more innovation than the past three numbered Final Fantasies combined.  Seikien Densetsu is being revived for the GameBoy Advance, and Square is likely to port their Super NES RPG's to the system as well, after their sales on the Wonderswan.  Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, as I hear it, is quite good as well.  I've even heard rumors of Final Fantasy XII being available for the GameCube.

Enix.  While they should be classified along with Square now, I'll refer to them seperately, for the purposes of this discussion/rant/educated and informative editorial.  While nothing significant appears to be coming from them in the near future, they also have nothing against Nintendo, as they have repeatedly stated that they would make games for the highest-selling console.

Konami.  Ah yes, Konami.  Just weeks ago I was furious at their lack of support for the GameCube.  And now, a Metal Gear for the GameCube, with more significant games shown at E3?  What happened?  Intelligence.  Just over a year ago, I remember Hideo Kojima, creator of Metal Gear, saying he would never put a game like Metal Gear Solid on the GameCube because of its audience (although he did say he was interested in making games for it).  And now we finally get their most lucrative franchise!  Has Kojima become tied to Nintendo?  Perhaps he has.  And let's not forget their great GameBoy Advance love, with 6 Castlevania titles a year.

A last company to remember would be the unnamed companies, those yet to come into their own.  These are companies like Game Freak, Silicon Knights, Retro Studios, and Rare, all of which are nurtured by Nintendo into great developers and then let free.  I remember reading, quite recently, that it is not Nintendo's policy to buy developers, but instead to foster talent among new studios by funding them and setting them in the right direction.  After they can stand, they are let free, and their loyalty to Nintendo (as well as their now-great games), is insured.  With the exception of Microsoft and Rare, this is an excellent strategy.  Of course, if Microsoft buys every studio once they are let loose, then we may have a problem.  But that is another topic for another day.

The people who shape the industry, the game developers, are slowly but surely turning to Nintendo.  With a focus on games and developer friendliness, Nintendo is winning back the important Japanese support that can truly turn the tides of this war.  While some may wish that Nintendo would outright buy developers to win their support, they present a great console and true attitude, and win over developers without spending a cent (or yen, as it may be).

As of now, most third-party support is tied up in the massive userbase of the PlayStation 2.  After all, 50 million users are hard to ignore.  Therefore, it is understandable that we see most games go by the wayside of the GameCube.  Third parties can hardly ignore the loss of sales they would see by putting games only for the GameCube.  But a quiet revolution is occuring.  The developers who have been in this industry the longest, the true masters, are turning to Nintendo and becoming allies.  An unhappy artist is a poor artist, and third parties are letting important titles go to the GameCube.  

As they say, a new system means a clean slate.  If Nintendo can truly launch competitively, I believe we will see the third parties flock to Nintendo, the one company that cares about games.  We could be witnessing the downfall of the old system, and, to paraphrase a writer, the Return of the King.

Glorious times are upon us.  As we recieve new, interesting titles from the third parties, we must keep in mind that it is only the beginning, that these game designers are forming the roots of a new loyalty to Nintendo.  The next generation wars will see the old against the new, the greats of Konami, Capcom, Squaresoft-Enix, Namco, Sega, and Nintendo against the careless commercialism of Sony and Microsoft.  Keep faith, for it is truly a good time to be a Nintendo gamer.

One last thing:  Thanks for the great editorial, Rick, which inspired this.  Although I do my fair share of speculating, I have to concur on many of your points.  

Edit: Whoah.  I just spent a good twenty minutes thinking I'd have to redo this-I got an error message when I clicked "Post," then went back and it was all....deleted.    Thank goodness it actually posted!

[Hostile Creation]

Yes, very true.  Now the only obstacle is trying to get stupid American gamers to realize this.

[AlphaDragoon2002]

Well, you can take Enix off that list of supporters...I just read on www.rpgamer.com that Enix was giving the screw job to Nintendo and Microsoft's consoles, only making games on PS2 and GBA.  This sucks...

[Dolphin64X]

I'm not so sure about that.  Enix did say that they would only make games for the highest seller.  Come next round, it's very likely we could see their support from the beginning.

[The Omen]

Stupid American gamers?  huh... It takes time and advertising.  X-box is a hype machine, which is why it outsold the GC.  And lets not forget the 2 free, albeit crappy, games that were given over x-mas with the x-box.  Nintendo has plenty of support and will overtake microsoft within the next 6 months-to year.  I only buy 1 console, and i'm happy with my GC.  I can get GTA3 and GT:VC on my PC.  I can get Halo[i believe ] on my PC.  Where else am I going to get Metroid , Eternal Darkness, Mario, Zelda, animal Crossing , starfox , RE, Pikmin and countless others?  Nowhere except GC.  GC is fine.  Hopefully this EA and Nintendo revelation will bear its fruits at E3.  All looks well, in my opinion.  

[Gamer Donkey]

That part about Nintendo nuturing those poor young developers was beautiful.

Anyway if an earlier board about Ninty doing fine in the long run was correct, then it would make perfect sense that Ninty is winning over developers rather than buying them.

In the immortal words of the Beatles: "Money can't buy me love."

[Dolphin64X]

Yes, and they'll have a National Geographic special on it soon:

"And now we watch as the young studio first sets out on its own.  As it leaves its nest it must be careful, for predators are everywhere willing to snatch it up (coughMicrosoftcough).  Where shall its journey take it?"

[Dolphin64X]

I just read this article, and rather than creating a new thread, felt it was relevant enough to this one:

N-Sider.com: Industry Problems Week Day 5:  Nintendo

That article states almost exactly how I feel.  When I wrote that Nintendo needed to embrace Sony's policies if it wanted to sell more, this is what I meant, and this is what I truly believe.  The industry is, as it stands, being destroyed by the great idiocy of the general public.  Yes, it is optimistic in some ways (as is my opening post,) but I can only take such a brief journey away from reality.  (Or maybe I'm just having wild mood swings...)

I really can't anticipate what will happen if things continue on this way.  I hope beyond hope that Nintendo's core is enough to support them, because the day in which we are their only buyers may not be too long in coming.  If that were to happen, if Nintendo was totally dropped from the public's perception, then I fear we have reached the Ragnarok, the Apocalypse.  After all, what can be greater in the decline of western morality than the refusal of Nintendo? (I kid, I kid.)

Really though, if this continues to magnify, I don't know where the industry will be at.  The industry continues to grow, and games are becoming more mainstream, so it is perhaps unfortunate that we can't have a magnificent crash like 1983 to shake the industry out.  As long as people are unable to distinguish a poor game from an excellent one, a Nintendo game from a Titus one, then the dry, rehashed, overmarketed games will continue to dominate the industry.  I guess if people are happy with their games, then it doesn't truly matter...after all, the will of the people, right?  Unfortunately for Ben Franklin, the people are in this case wrong.  

But, as long as we can support Nintendo....

*sigh*      

[thecubedcanuck]

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The industry is, as it stands, being destroyed by the great idiocy of the general public.

Heres a thought. Maybe the vast majority of people who play games, play them for simple enjoyment. Maybe they dont see every little flaw and spend hours discussing gameplay, and controller configuration. Maybe they like having 500 games to choose from, and really dont care what game won GOTY, or know who Shiggy is, or can tell you what FLUDD stands for.
Maybe it is the self proclaimed HARDCORE gamer who is the real idiot here, infact I cant help but see this as the case.
Otherwise how can someone say that an industry that has doubled in 5 years and will double again in the next 5 is being DESTROYED?
The facts are clear, the industry is booming and the OVERWHELMING MAJORITY of people seem to enjoy its fruits.

[Mingesium]

How could you say that the industry is booming?

Two great RPG makes, Square and Enix, have to come together to compete.
Microsoft reporting loss on XBox.
Nintendo and Microsoft lowering forcasts.
Sega making great games, but are in endless rumors of being bought.

[thecubedcanuck]

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Two great RPG makes, Square and Enix, have to come together to compete.

In any industry that is growing rabidly small companies usually suffer as HUGE companies prosper. This has nothing to do with the feasability or prosperity of the industry as a whole.

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Microsoft reporting loss on XBox.

Microsoft planned on losing money on the X-box. It is their first stab at the console market resulting in  huge R/D costs along with an aggressive campaign to try and aquire market saturation much quicker than it would normally. The fact that MS has entered the console game is an indication in itself of just how good the indusrty is.

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Nintendo and Microsoft lowering forcasts.

The US economy as whole has been in the crapper for 2 years now, terrorists flying planes into buildings didnt help either, nor does an impending was with Iraq. The vido game indusrty is growing very rapidly, much higher than almost any other retail sector. The lower forecast are a combination of the economy, more competition in the market, and overly optimistic targets that are used to make investors happy. This again is not a true reflection of the industry from a broad point of view.

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Sega making great games, but are in endless rumors of being bought.

This if anything tells me that the indusrty IS booming. Companies like SEGA are key pieces to larger companies plans of domination in a growing industry. When times are tough large companies tend to sell of various factions of their enterprice in cost cutting measures. The fact that SEGA is wanted by many again point a growing industry. Whoever does buy SEGA, (if anyone) will be come a much stronger force in the market.

Look at numbers of the indusrty as a whole, not the numbers of individual companies.

[The Omen]

  A hardcore gamer is not one who recognizes every fault, but one who knows a good game from a overhyped piece of crap.  The casual gamer is at fault for the simple fact that they are mere lemmings, buying what they are told.  DOA volleyball is a perfect example.  Crap-ola.  My friend and I play it very rarely, but he being a very casual gamer, looked at the back of the box and thought it sounded 'cool'.  Now he realizes what hardcore gamers see.  I knew that the game was trying to capatilize on the hot girls and juggs bouncing theme , trying to pull the immature boys out to buy it.  Who couldn't tell what it was about months before it's release?  The casual gamer.  I buy all kinds of games, but i know when to avoid certain ones, and thats the difference.  I do purchase less than perfect games of course, but I very rarely fall for the targeted marketing practices of some game developers.  But casual gamers will-through no fault of their own.  Its a hobby to them, like anything else.

[Dolphin64X]

And really.  Why should the games that win game of the year, the games like Metroid Prime, sell less then Dead or Alive: Extreme Beach Volleyball?  What message does this tell developers?  Only make overhyped and flash-driven games.  Is this, truly, healthy?  Healthy for the bad products to sell better?

And thecubedcanuck, did you read the article?  And I quote:  "Is an industry that let the Dreamcast die healthy?"  I mean, really.  Do you want to see Nintendo forced out by Sony and Microsoft and the squalors of capitalism?  Do you want the rising costs of games development to override Nintendo's profit margin, only dependable on a core base of fans?  Do you want zero third-party support for the GameCube?

Maybe you do, but it's not the world I want to live in, and it's not right.    

[RockmanX]

Just look at it this way.  Nintendo still has the same amount of fans it did in the 80s.  Games are just more mainstream now.  Nintendo will always be around.

[Dolphin64X]

Looking at my first two posts, I realize I am contradicting myself.  To clarify:

Nintendo fans have reason to hope, since it seems that game developers are increasingly turning to the one true game company left.  Just look at the games announced every day (I never thought I'd see Metal Gear again, and a likely exclusive one at that!), and it keeps on getting better and better.

And Nintendo fans also have reason to despair, since there is no suggestion they will be any more successful next generation without compromising that which makes them Nintendo.

As I see it, it could go either way:
Nintendo gets a fresh start next generation, with the best third-party support from the Japanese developers that really matter,
or
Nintendo gets screwed again, and does so until the end of time, for being Nintendo.  Third party support (including all this great Sega, Namco, Konami, Capcom, Squaresoft stuff we're seeing) goes the way of the dodo.  Nintendo survives by its loyal, hardcore fans.

It's an age old battle: art versus commerce.  The developers may want to make their best games, but the money is clearly on other systems.

Art versus Commerce.

Commerce always wins.  

[thecubedcanuck]

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Do you want to see Nintendo forced out by Sony and Microsoft and the squalors of capitalism? Do you want the rising costs of games development to override Nintendo's profit margin, only dependable on a core base of fans? Do you want zero third-party support for the GameCube?

Honestly, I could care less. They are only games.

[Dolphin64X]

And you would rather play inferior games?  Then why do you come here?  (Sorry, I know it sounds harsh).

[theaveng]

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Originally posted by: Dolphin64X
And really.  Why should the games that win game of the year, the games like Metroid Prime, sell less then Dead or Alive: Extreme Beach Volleyball?  What message does this tell developers?  Only make overhyped and flash-driven games.  Is this, truly, healthy?

I recall a similar thing happening in 1983... companies like Atari used lots of hype to sell games, but when people got home they discovered the game was crap.

In 1984 the people responded to the crap by stopping buying games, and causing a videogame crash.

If in 2003 crap games like DOA: XXX Volleyball are using hype to sell themselves, eventually the customer will get discouraged with the lack of fun, lose interest in games, and then maybe in 2004,we'll have another videogame crash.  And then hopefully the crap will disappear... well we can only hope.

[Gamer Donkey]

Sounds like a twenty-year cycle. Hopefully the public will realize where the truly great games are coming from. I think it has a shot.

[willys85]

Maybe the video game industry is cyclic, who knows, this industry is very young so we can't say anything

[nolimit19]

well all i know is that yes their statagy is working........so everyone else needs to stop act like they know what they are doing.

[Kai]

Books, paintings, Movies, any kind of artistic endeavour or medium is dominated by top-selling mediocre and down right horrible titles.

Which is why publishing houses finance their award winning books via the sales of their best-selling Shiite, why governments fund independent movie houses that make movies that are critically acclaimed but make little money.  

[egman]

As harsh as it may sound (I don't like to cheer job losses and ailing markets) I wouldn't mind seeing some type of shake down in the video game industry.  Actually, I think a crash is inevitable and quite possibly near, but don't quote me on that.

[thecubedcanuck]

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Books, paintings, Movies, any kind of artistic endeavour or medium is dominated by top-selling mediocre and down right horrible titles.

Going a little overboard now arent we?

Just because you dont like something doesnt make it horrible. To say that all mainstrean media is horrible clearly shows just how biased and opinionated you really are.

[thecubedcanuck]

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And you would rather play inferior games? Then why do you come here? (Sorry, I know it sounds harsh).

Inferior when it it comes to games is strictly a matter of taste and opinion.
Many people truly enjoy games you will call great and vice versa.
My wife thinks Metroid is the worst game she has ever played, however, she cant stop playing sunshine.
I think sunshine is brutal, in all honestly I would consider it one of my most hated games.

Its all opinion.

I could care less who makes the game, if I like it I play it, regardless of reviews, hype or any other influence.

As for the Dreamcast dying healthy. I dont get it? How the hell was it healthy?
You owned one and thought it was great? Is that it?
IT SOLD LIKE CRAP, MAKING IT VERY UNHEALTHY FROM A BUSINESS STANDPOINT.

get it now?