I was thinking the same thing Groucho, but I thought that they compared 3 games in a study and Xbox had better load times, literally though in the (ms).

Hmm...

I have not really been online gaming since DC and UT. I am sure that online gaming is the wave of the future, and if Nintendo can find a way to have 3-5 online games at launch of its new console, I am sure that Nintendo will be in good shape for the future.

As far as load times are concerning, Game Cube has the other 2 systems pulverized. I'm honestly dumbfounded at how long load times are on the Xbox, it makes no sense to me at all.

Um, no.

If you are refering to losing (reducing) profits it's still not accurate.

As of late Nintendo's profits have declined, but just 2 years ago Nintendo was posting it's largest profit ever. The years previous to that were also record breakers for Nintendo, until the following year where they broke it again.

Nintendo has close to 10 billion in cash, not assets. That's real money they can use as needed.

One reason I think that Nintendo's profits have declined is because they have become much more aggressive advertising. However, I think it's to late, they should have come out stronger.

In regards to all in one devices: Until a console has a decent DVD player I will never watch a movie on one unless it's the only thing there. The quality generally is a disspointment on the PS2 an Xbox. However the point of consumers buying things they'll never use holds true.

IMO the thing that will hurt Nintendo the most is the 3rd party issue. People who are loyal to Nintendo always say it is about the games, but Nintendo only has their first party games going for them. Nintendo's first party games are usually kiddy in nature and even my kids would rather play the ps2 or xbox instead of the Nintendo. IMO Nintendo is just setting themselves up to be out of the console business in the next generation or two. It now appears that MS and Sony will battle it out for the next generation. I do honestly feel like "nitch" fits Nintendo right now.

:lol: rotfl :lol: Kiddy games.. :lol: :lol: :lol: rotfl

I actually agree with Nintendo on the steps they are taking on not making the system a complete home entertainment system. I don't use my systems for anything besides gaming. All Sony and Microsoft are doing are making their systems more expensive and it's for something I won't even use. They will never replace my dvd player or any other home entertainment equipment. I won't even use it for internet stuff besides online gaming. Save the consumer the cost and keep it to a gaming system

See you may agree with them but that does not make it a good business decision. If Nintendo did not have the GBA they would be history by now. Execs there must be hot under the collar trying to figure out what will happen when they have some competition in the handheld space from the PSP next year. Agreed that it will not directly compete but there will still be 2 handhelds to choose from. Again, all other things being equal, will you choose the portable that gives you just games or the one that gives you games, movies and music? The people on this forum may say that "the games are all that matter", but will Joe Shmoe in Best Buy say the same thing?

Sony had a vested interest in putting a DVD player in the PS2 seeing as the company makes movies as well. So even if a PS2 user didn't buy games and only watched movies Sony, the corporation, would still make money. If you dont use it for movies and only play games then they make $$ from game royalties. So it's a win-win for them sort of.

This is rambling on a bit, but even if you don't use the extra features on the PS2 (and I would say most common users do use DVD playback in some form or other at some point) it's an extra selling point they can use. Obviously having Mario and Zelda just ain't cutting it any more.

Never say never. If the PS3 or Xbox2 comes out in 05 with Tivo, DVD, web browser and hard drive, and some great games all bundled into one system that is a great buy. Especially if you get the same features or better than the stand alone devices. You never know what these companies will do to win and it might just be throwing the kitchen sink in to make it worth your money.

All you need is a game console. Time Warner has a digital recorder (Tivo), already own multiple DVD and screw online. That's what a PC is for. Keep it simple. Wavebird, GBA-player, GBA SP w/cable for connectivity. GCN has MULTIPLE exclusives that have Nintendo level quality and more are on the way (and the games load darn fast too-faster than this here corn-puter).

That is like saying if Microsoft did not have Windows OS, they would be toast by now. The point is that they own more than 90% of the handheld console market.
I am not a huge fan of Nintendo but I am glad they are in the market. I think the PSP will run into the same problem that Xbox and GC had which is that the Gamboy and its variants have a huge advantage in terms marketshare and the years it has been dominate.

Lastly, Nintendo should continue to do what it does best - make good games but the problem is, they are not attracting 3rd party game developers because people who buy the gamecube are mostly purchasing 1st/2nd party games and not the ports.

Worldwide Sales:
Nintendo GameCube - 9.6 million
Microsoft Xbox - 9.4 million

source: AP Industry

So if Nintendo is "Playing the Wrong Game", does that mean MS is as well since they have sold even less systems than Nintendo?

Uhhhh, I think it's safe to say that if MS didn't have WinOS then they would be toast. That's how MS got to where it is. Back on subject: While Ninty has a stronghold on the handheld market now, who's to say that wont change. I don't wish them ill, but at the same time I wonder why they refuse to adapt. Would it hurt them to have built the GC with DVD playback? Honestly would it? Even if nobody on the planet used it, at least the GC would not be seen as inferior because of it's lack of peripheral features.

Similarly, even if Nintendo isn't going to stray into online gaming, would it kill them to make the online adapter available so that developers could have the option of developing online games and gamers could have the option of playing them? Adding features to a console doesn't mean that the games are going to suck. I don't think the XBOX or PS2 sacrificed any gaming potential by adding features like movie playback.

There was a Gamecube with DVD-playback sold in Japan: the Panasonic Q. Its sales were abyssmal.

Groucho, I rememver seeing the Q and it looked really cool. Very sleek chrome finish. But I would not spend $50-$100 more just for dvd playback. Oh and btw, Nintendo does have a broadband adapter available from Nintendo.com and other Nintendo places.

The only online game that it supports is Phantasy Star Online. It was a very popular game for Sega, even online. I am sure that a main reason why Nintendo has not/will not go online is because of the dismal sales and lack of players of PSO.

I have to agree with someone when they said that "perception" is dogging the GameCube. The gerneral public looks at the GameCube more or less as an "inferior machine". Why, because they look across the aisle at Wal Mart and say to themselves, "Well tarnation!! That thar Playstation has one of them DVD things in it!!"( Okay a bit over the top but you get the idea). The GameCube is really a solid gaming system, but the average consumer probably thinks you are getting "less" for your money without some of the features that the PS2 or XBox offer.

Plus the perception of being a "kids console" is still very plausible. Nintendo's biggest games are Mario, Zelda and Pokemon. Two of which are characters we have grown up with but the third is still a very much "kid oriented" product. And as people get older their tastes change. So there's a general shift away from some, not all, of those Nintendo character based games. They still sell well but now with other game franchises being so mammoth in scale, they are no longer the end all be all of gaming.

I like Nintendo's strategy, personally. There is waves of what is popular in gaming, and I think that eventually (around next console) there will be a "back to gaming" move where all the crap you don't use on the X-box and PS2 won't be worth the price.

Now, all of that will always be secondary to what games are out. Had GT3:Vice City been on the X-box or Gamecube, you could probably add another 3-4 million consoles sold. The games will always be king.

So Nintendo definately needs to do a better job with 3rd party, but I think they are doing the right thing in protecting profitability instead of trying to outspend to catch market share that is more expensive than it is worth, especially when market share can be gained with better games.

I'm not sure where the added price is coming into the equation here. Sure the PS2 and XBOX cost more than the GC, but for $50 I would reckon Joe Shmoe at Walmart (always a good example ;) ) would pay a minimal extra amount to get some added features even if he/she never uses them. The next round of consoles will probably still be ~$300 at launch regardless of additional features beyond gaming. Any price above that and they will become cost prohibitive for people especially as Christmas presents (which is the prime selling period for newly launched consoles).

If you are talking about cost (to the manufacturer) then yes, added features make the cost higher but that doesn't affect us. The games industry is like the razor-blade market: sell the intial blade (console) at a loss and make money off of the cartridges (games/peripherals).

Ah! no! Not reality! Stop it!


To approach the 3rd Party thing: From what I've read Nintendo has treated 3rd parties just fine this generation. It's true that some have publicly stated they arn't going to support the GC as much, but it's not because of Nintendo's business practice with them. It's because GC gamers really don't care to play XXX BMX games...

rotfl

On topic, Nintendo is definitely playing the wrong game. They need to wake up and stop feeding us that GBA connectivity crap as if it was the greatest thing ever. It's not, it's shite and everyone knows it. The future is in online games whether they like it or not. They can take their crappy GBA cable and stick it up their old school asses. Really, do they want to get rid of that kiddy label or not? Because the GBA thing doesn't help a bit. GBA=for kids.

:lol:

evenflow was that sarcasm? We have 4 GBAs at work and we range from 21 years of age to almost 30.

I agree. Nintendo lost its edge with the release of the N64. They are not "cool" anymore. Even their consoles look kiddy. Purple box -rolleyes- and the N64 stick looked lame as well. Basically the Gamecube isn't popular with the high school and college crowd and that's what hurting Nintendo right now.
Typical college student with a console:
XBox: "Man, I can't wait for Halo 2. It'll be great online, can't wait to talk trash."
PS2: "Man, Vice City is the greatest game ever and Madden, Tiger Woods, NBA Live are all going to be online!. "
Gamecube: "I can't wait to connect my Gamecube to my Game Boy Advance." WTF!

I don't know which part of the country you're living but I've never seen anyone over 12 with a GBA.

A couple of my buddies (26 and 29) both own GC's. Let's not turn this into a "Nintendo is for kids" discussion. This thread has remained pretty clean so far so lets keep it that way.

You must be in a part of the country where they don't like video games then.

Nah, we just don't like kiddy videogames.