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Nintendo Release Dates Get Updated at Investors Meeting

by Alex Culafi - April 30, 2012, 7:44 am EDT
Total comments: 18 Source: (Nintendo)

It sure isn't a good time to be the Wii right about now.

A release date schedule for notable upcoming 3DS, DS, and Wii games was released by Nintendo during the recent investors meeting.

In Europe, the only real changes from the previous January release schedule are the addition of Project Zero 2: Wii Edition and updated release dates for Pandora's Tower (already released on April 13) and Beat the Beat: Rhythm Paradise (July 6). In the United States, the only Wii release mentioned is the already released Xenoblade Chronicles. In Japan, the release date changes of note are the Animal Crossing Fall 2012 release date, a summer release for Onitore on 3DS, and the addition of the previously announced Just Dance Wii 2.

The most notable information comes from the launch dates for Animal Crossing and Paper Mario. Although Paper Mario is given a 2012 Japanese release and Animal Crossing is set for this fall, Europe and the United States both have TBA listed under both games' releases. In the last investor's meeting in January, both games were listed in the same manner. Luigi's Mansion 2, on the other hand, is listed as a 2012 release.

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Talkback

Chocobo_RiderApril 30, 2012

"It sure isn't a good time to be the Wii right about now."

That would be a fine reaction for if someone uninformed looked at that list.  But I would hope NWR is aware of the following unlisted "notable" games:

The Last Story
NPC Pikmin 2
Kirby 20th Anniversary Collection
Dragon Quest X
apparently Pandora's Tower

Seems pretty good for a system with single-digit months left in its lifespan.


broodwarsApril 30, 2012

Quote from: NinSage

"It sure isn't a good time to be the Wii right about now."

That would be a fine reaction for if someone uninformed looked at that list.  But I would hope NWR is aware of the following unlisted "notable" games:

The Last Story
NPC Pikmin 2
Kirby 20th Anniversary Collection
Dragon Quest X
apparently Pandora's Tower

Seems pretty good for a system with single-digit months left in its lifespan.

Neither Dragon Quest X nor Pandora's Tower have been confirmed for NA, though, as far as I know.  We also still don't know what that Kirby collection will end up being (it could just be a bare-bones ROM collection like the Mario one, with a new menu housing it all), and NPC Pikmin 2 is just the GameCube's freezer-burned leftovers (no, I really didn't like that game on GCN, nor how NPC Pikmin 1 controlled without a 2nd analog stick).

I'm definitely looking forward to The Last Story, though.

We're just reporting on what Nintendo sent out to investors. Most of those games aren't listed because they are one or more of the following: not officially announced, being released by a third party, maybe just coming to Wii U in North America, or...I don't have a good explanation for why the Kirby Collection isn't mentioned in the investors stuff.

Chocobo_RiderApril 30, 2012

@broodwars

Well, even if DQX and PT aren't 100% confirmed, it's still not telling the whole story to write as if they aren't on the radar.  And, normally I wouldn't include a port as a "notable" release, but based on what I've heard about the NPC in the Pikmin games, people are definitely psyched about the wiimote controls.

Also, what more would be on a disc collecting previous games than a bunch of ROMs? The Mario collection came with an audio CD and an art/information booklet but .... apparently no one cared.  So, I don't know what else people could be disappointed to not find included.

@Neal

See above regarding DQX and PT.
Pikmin 2 is being released by a third party??
And, yes, Kirby's collection does not fit in to any of those categories.

So, fine, if NWR wants, it can avoid editorializing, exclude information regarding the above games, and purposefully limit the scope of the reporting to only what Nintendo says explicitly.  But then you can't go ahead and editorialize with that subtitle since Nintendo never said "It sure isn't a good time to be the Wii right about now." 

See the distinction?  It's like, if any journalist is gonna go outside the story, then report the whole story! Not just what sounds sexy.  I know it's the internet and online journalists are tempted to act all wild-west and consequences be damned.  But NWR has the luxury of both audience reach and non-corporate freedom.  Seize the opportunity! Raise the bar for everyone so gamers don't have to put up with so much crappy reporting throughout the industry.  Or... don't... but then don't be shocked to get called on it.

UncleBobRichard Cook, Guest ContributorApril 30, 2012

Two ports, two unannounced titles that may not even be released in the States, and a third party release.

I plan on getting up to four of those (all but DQ)... and it's still not a good time to be a Wii.  There is no joy in Wiiville.

Bman87301April 30, 2012

Quote from: NinSage

@broodwars

Well, even if DQX and PT aren't 100% confirmed, it's still not telling the whole story to write as if they aren't on the radar.  And, normally I wouldn't include a port as a "notable" release, but based on what I've heard about the NPC in the Pikmin games, people are definitely psyched about the wiimote controls.

Also, what more would be on a disc collecting previous games than a bunch of ROMs? The Mario collection came with an audio CD and an art/information booklet but .... apparently no one cared.  So, I don't know what else people could be disappointed to not find included.

@Neal

See above regarding DQX and PT.
Pikmin 2 is being released by a third party??
And, yes, Kirby's collection does not fit in to any of those categories.

So, fine, if NWR wants, it can avoid editorializing, exclude information regarding the above games, and purposefully limit the scope of the reporting to only what Nintendo says explicitly.  But then you can't go ahead and editorialize with that subtitle since Nintendo never said "It sure isn't a good time to be the Wii right about now." 

See the distinction?  It's like, if any journalist is gonna go outside the story, then report the whole story! Not just what sounds sexy.  I know it's the internet and online journalists are tempted to act all wild-west and consequences be damned.  But NWR has the luxury of both audience reach and non-corporate freedom.  Seize the opportunity! Raise the bar for everyone so gamers don't have to put up with so much crappy reporting throughout the industry.  Or... don't... but then don't be shocked to get called on it.

I'm never shy to call out NWR when they're being unfair... but I have to come to their defense this time-- You're the one being unfair here. NWR is just reporting the facts as presented to them, based upon those facts, there's just the ONE game... Based on how straight forward that fact is, the headline can hardly editorializing since it's pretty much the only conclusion to take away here.

Who knows why NPC! Pikmin 2 and Kirby's 20th Anniversary aren't listed, but you can't hold NWR responsible for that because they didn't make the chart in the first place.

And FYI, PT and DQX not aren't just partially unconfirmed, they're entirely unconfirmed. Especially with DQX, since even assuming it's guaranteed to come, there's no reason assume it will be coming this year, or that the Wii version will still be sold here. Also neither are necessarily going to be published by Nintendo anyway.

We usually keep our news editorial-free (outside of the abstract, which was a construct of Alex Culafi, who some might say is a divisive guy). It's so we can report the facts and not let our silly opinions get in the way (e.g. not chew your food for you). That's what the Talkback is for.

Actually, you raising points about other games on the potential horizon is a great thing to do in the Talkback.

And golly gee, we might have something cooking about upcoming Wii games on the horizon. You'll just have to wait and see.


EDIT: Also, Pikmin 2 hasn't been officially announced by NoA yet. That's what category it fits into. When we reached NoA for comment about the Nintendo Power story, they had no comment. We know it's coming, but they likely won't talk about it until they're ready.

ShyGuyApril 30, 2012

golly gee!

Chocobo_RiderApril 30, 2012

Alright, well, I've said my piece.  You guys hang tight to those rain clouds when you're popping fun new games into your console!!

Hey, remember a few months ago when Xenoblade, The Last Story, and Pikmin 2 were never, eeeeeva gonna get localized? Ah, memories...

As I literally just said, Alex is responsible for the abstract. It's not representative of the entire site.

For me, I don't have any issue with the Wii releases slowing down. It makes sense why it's happening, and it's not like I'm never touching my system at all (I've played: Skyward Sword, Madden 12, Skylanders, Rhythm Heaven, Mario Party 9,  ABAHB, and Xenoblade dating back to November last year). I certainly don't play it as much as I did two years ago, but the next home console is coming out in the fall. It makes sense.

Pixelated PixiesApril 30, 2012

Hopefully we at least get some Virtual Console games for Wii in it's dying months. In Europe I would very much like to see Mega Man X 2, Monster World IV, and Castlevania: Bloodlines. I think we have a reasonable shot of getting the first two. Not so sure about Bloodlines though.

VickiLApril 30, 2012

I'd be interested in hearing what this document looked like when the Cube was on the way out and the world was waiting to hear what would be on the Wii.  Was there one, lonely GCN game listed April 2006?

The closest I can find is FYQ1 2006, which just lists Odama http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2006/060724e.pdf

Yea, Wii trumps the 'Cube's final months, but then again, Wii sold a sizable magnitude more than the GameCube.

broodwarsApril 30, 2012

There was also Baten Kaitos Origins and Zelda Twilight Princess, which released in September and December 2006 (respectively) according to GameFAQs.  Yeah, the GameCube had a rough final year, though at least those two games led it out in style in those last few months.

Actually, the Wii is doing absolutely terrible with game releases right now. As previously stated, Pandoras Tower is not actually confirmed yet. At all. DQ X will be localized of course, but I'm pretty sure that hasn't been confirmed either.

That leaves us with:

The Last Story
NPC Pikmin 2
Kirby 20th Anniversary Collection

New Play Control should have came out looooooong ago when it came out in EU. That is not impressive. That is just painting Nintendo's laziness to be a good thing.

Kirby 20th can be anything, and we have no idea what anything is. My guess is that we're looking pre-Gamecube and no handhelds, but that's just a guess. And if I'm right, I don't think that's great at all.

The Last Story will be pretty good, but again, should have come out earlier.

I never said that this was the worst ever in forever based on a console about to die. I just said that it isn't a good time to be the Wii right now, and I don't think the Wii would be proud of how it's doing in 2012 either. Abstracts can have opinions of some kind, and I gave mine.

Alex, I kinda/sorta agree with you, but then I think of how much I've played my Wii in the past six months. I almost wrote a post saying I just played Xenoblade and Skyward Sword since late last year, but that's not true. I've also played (as I listed before) Skylanders, Rhythm Heaven, Mario Party 9, and Madden. Is it a fantastic knock-out roster? No. Is it totally satisfactory for a system that is more or less dead? Yea.

So yea, Alex, I don't think you're wrong. NinSage, for once, I don't think you're terribly wrong either. It's a glass half full/half empty scenario. You can Pikmin 2 as being a cool thing, or just think NoA is a bunch of jokers for waiting three years. You could celebrate the possibility of Pandora's Tower, or lament that it came out in Europe three weeks ago.

Weird fact: we're getting a new Wii game from Nintendo this year more often than we're getting 3DS games from them! Nintendo has been supporting the Wii with roughly one new game a month in all of 2012. On 3DS, We've got Kid Icarus and Spirit Camera.

OblivionMay 01, 2012

Does this mean that the 3DS is kinda dead for the next few months?

Quote from: Oblivion

Does this mean that the 3DS is kinda dead for the next few months?

Well, we're getting Mario Tennis this month, and then E3 is at the beginning of next month, where we'll get a new release list. Also, there are several prominent third party 3DS games in the next few months, including RollerCoaster Tycoon, Heroes of Ruin, Theatrythm Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts 3D.

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