Nintendo didn't release the game in other regions or let other companies handle it because that's how Nintendo rolls. Unless there is a strong belief that the game will sell millions of copies, it's not deemed worth their time or effort to market. As much as I personally want the Wii Fatal Frame games, I don't believe they will sell enough to meet Nintendo's demands - bugs fixed or not.
So how do you explain all the niche titles NOE keeps releasing that have no chance of selling 1 million copies?
Although I think it is a general trend for Nintendo to focus their resources on big games and consider anything that won't sell in huge numbers as light side-projects, I was talking about NoA in particular earlier.
NoE has done a smashing job of releasing core-friendly titles close to the end of the Wii's lifecycle. Their track record isn't perfect and there are clearly some solid Wii titles that weren't release in Europe, but NoE has gone well beyond their presumed limits when you look at the games they've translated and brought over during the past year. I'm grateful to them for spearheading the so-called "Rainfall" trilogy, offering the games as special editions, and even doing the cool "coin" promotion too. I'm thrilled to know they are bringing out the upcoming Project Zero 2 release - the only thing left that excites me about Wii, even if I have to import to play the game. Without NoE, I would have missed a handful of the best games of the Wii lifecycle. (Yes, some of those games are getting released here in North America this year. But only after NoA was actively approached, had the financial risk assumed by other companies, and was able to license NoE's existing localization efforts for re-use.)
Regarding
why NoE are releasing and supporting these games when NoA shows no interest, that is a good question. Maybe they are making an effort to appeal to core gamers before Wii U is released - unlike the empty lip service NoA keeps offering?
People also fail to account for when a game - not even a bad game - doesn't meet the consumer's expectaions for that brand... it effects how the consumer sees that brand.
Just like folks here who see Nintendo market a handful of full-on "casual" titles, what happens when these casual customers see a Nintendo title, pay $50 for it, then it's something way beyond anything they understand? Makes them more cautious the next time.
Sure, I can release Sin and Punishment 2 and sell it to a few thousand people... but what happens when the Wii fit Soccer moms pick it up?
But what casual gamer would buy Sin & Punishment 2 when it's sitting beside a Mario XXXX or Wii YYYY game? People buy what they know and what they have nostalgia for. Nintendo isn't losing the casual audience because there are too many core experiences confusing them. And if Nintendo
is consciously refusing to release core games in fear that they might confuse or turn away casual gamers, how does that convince me they are worth supporting next generation anyway?
That said, Sin & Punishment 2 being on the shelf at all is an aberration that I have no explanation for. Sure it's a great game. But how it ever got released here is a complete mystery to me... Maybe the sales data report from Virtual Console had a typo or was misinterpreted?
Well, I think we've beat the Fatal Frame thing to death. So what about Captain Rainbow? Does this one have game killing bugs as well? What's the deal with NoA not localizing this one? From what I understand its a 1st party game.
I'd buy Captain Rainbow. But I honestly don't personally know anyone else who would. There is niche, and there there is
niche.
Topic: People Need To Stop Bitching (Read 95025 times)
