N-Banter Edition 3: The Commercial Conundrum
Edition: February 3, 2003Two minds...one site. Two motives...one goal. Two editors...one conversation. You have now entered a dimension unlike any other. This is N-Banter.
In this edition Jeff and Glen discuss the Triforce arcade hardware, Namco, and the overwhelming reality of Nintendo's continuing stumbles in marketing the GameCube.
Jeff: I found it interesting that Sega's new president spoke about the company taking a new direction and developing even more arcade games.
Glen: Hopefully GameCube will be a part of that. I doubt it though. Since we're talking about Sega, Xbox's Chihiro will no doubt get it all.
Jeff: I wouldn't be so sure about that. Nintendo may have a foot in there yet.
Glen: Perhaps. The Triforce has a lot of potential. It'd be pretty cool if developers actually took advantage of it. Arcades in general still have potential, in my opinion.
Jeff: Yeah, the GameCube architecture is perfectly suited for arcade. I am still hopeful that Namco will take advantage of it before the next blue moon.
Glen: I'm sure they will. Afterall, Namco is an arcade company at heart. Plus, they wouldn't have participated in the making of Triforce if they didn't plan on taking advantage of it.
Jeff: ...but then again, I was hopeful that Nintendo would ensure Soul Calibur II released on GCN first. Didn't happen.
Glen: Namco's and Nintendo's relationship nowadays is creepy. They're so close, yet just a generation ago they had grudges against each other. I suppose that was because their presidents clashed.
Jeff: Most likely. Yamauchi has been known to make some pretty rude comments about other companies now and then, usually resulting in controversy.
Glen: Now with Yamauchi gone, it appears they've mended their relationship. I mean, Nintendo is publishing all of Namco's in-the-near-future GameCube and GBA games. I think that's pretty significant.
Jeff: I still think the relationship is distant. Nowhere near what it should be.
Glen: I think it's great. I mean, Namco must still make money, hence Soul Calibur II being multiplatform. Anyway, do you remember which platform the video of Soul Calibur II appeared on?
Jeff: Yup.
Glen: ...on the GameCube at Nintendo "Spaceworld 2001". They've most definitely got some sort of relationship going on.
Jeff: I hope that Adult Link will prove to be a large selling factor. It would mean great things if the GameCube version sold more than the PS2 and Xbox incarnations of Soul Calibur II.
Glen: Heh, I know I'll probably buy the game because of that. However, I predict the PlayStation 2 version will sell the best.
Jeff: Naturally, but engaging in a bit of wishful thinking never hurts. Anyway, so what do you think of Satoru Iwata's recent statements?
Glen: The ones regarding the next-generation Nintendo console? It's hella publicized. I'm surprised by how many websites reported about it. All the big business publications and even some television news networks.
Jeff: Yeah, the one where he talked about the shortcomings of the GameCube and Nintendo's firm commitment toward launching their next-generation console when Sony and Microsoft do. Indeed. I do doubt whether or not Nintendo will be able to make a 2005 launch...
Glen: Well, at least he realizes the GameCube hasn't lived up to its potential. I don't think Nintendo should give up on it so soon though. However, if that is indeed their plan, I hope they're addressing the GameCube's failings and truly "fight" for the next-generation. If they were to give up so easily on GameCube though...it makes you wonder if their heart is really in this anymore. A 2005 console launch - combined with a board made up of game directors - is going to, as always with Nintendo, be a case of whether there is enough quality and exclusive software ready for launch.
Jeff: Nintendo is out of touch with reality at this point. They have been marketing the GameCube like they are "so far ahead" that marketing is irrelevent.
Glen: They probably realize that it's too late in the game to change the GameCube's image. While Iwata doesn't have as much control over Nintendo as Yamauchi did before him, I hope he has at least some influence on the next Nintendo console. Just this past year with him as head as well as the directors, Nintendo has made drastic changes. They're actually treating third parties with respect. Nintendo doesn't appear to be the bully on the school ground anymore. Capcom, Sega, Namco, etc. are now Nintendo's peers and allies. It's something they should've been doing all along, as games make the console. Anyway, Nintendo, it's time to use that knowledge for change.
Jeff: Absolutely, but why weren't they thinking about "image" a meager year ago?
Glen: A year ago? Heh, Yamauchi was stuck in his ways...the heritage of Nintendo. With the board of directors presently in control, you now have many people making the decisions. I do see things changing.
Jeff: In an industry that glorifies violence and adult themes, marketing a purple console that looks odd and doesn't play DVDs is not a wise move. Along with the reduced price it has led millions to believe that the GCN is inferior.
Glen: But the sad thing is...they could've done it. It could've really been something "cool". I mean, what other console in history comes with a handle? (No, that's not sarcasm either.) They delivered the wrong image from the beginning. Launching a year later than the PlayStation 2 and only having Luigi's Mansion as the flaship launch title? Give me a break.
Jeff: Hey now, the handle is cool. It makes it easy to transport. It is just about the most portable console in history as far as I'm concerned. It just wasn't presented well.
Glen: Nintendo tried changing their image with Resident Evil and Metroid Prime...but it was too late. Their image from the beginning was "fun"...and that simply wasn't enough. I mean, I can have fun with my PS2, Xbox, or even my crusty ol' microwave oven.
Jeff: I agree. They didn't market anything unique about it and from the get-go just promoted odd titles. Nintendo didn't market Eternal Darkness or Resident Evil well either. And both of those were in late spring and summer.
Glen: Yeah...Nintendo's commericals have been pathetic this generation. Sadly, they haven't improved at all since the Nintendo 64, which I might add, actually had some good commericals -- Super Smash Bros. with Pikachu, Mario, Yoshi, and Donkey Kong happily smacking each other up, the Braveheart esque battle for the multi-colored Nintendo 64s, and of course the epic, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
Jeff: The thing is Glen, they haven't tried changing it. Not with Resident Evil and not with Metroid Prime. If they really wanted to change it they could do so.
Glen: You're probably right. I wanted to cry when I saw Super Mario Sunshines' commerical...I felt like I had to be in preschool in order to buy the game. Why Nintendo thinks there is something wrong with making Mario look "cool", I don't really know. I mean, there is such thing as being tasteful and "cool" at the same time. Link has a coolness to him, no?
Jeff: Metroid Prime had one advertisement. Nowhere in the commercial was Nintendo's name mentioned, and nowhere were the high review scores ever mentioned. In fact, I don't really see that the Metroid Prime commercial would get many hyped if they didn't know what the series was about. I wasn't even very hyped after watching it and I have been a huge Metroid fan for over a decade. It was better than many, but not the type of advertisement that should be run for six weeks straight. What Metroid Prime needed was something that would make it stand out and draw huge attention. There should have been many promotions and actual network television spots. Not everyone watches MTV.
Glen: Most gamers these days don't know Metroid as the younger teenage audience of today grew up on PlayStation. Nintendo's franchises aren't enough to sell a console anymore and that's the truth. Has Nintendo realized this yet? If the list of games it plans on showcasing at E3 2003 is any indication, the answer is no.
Jeff: Nintendo's franchises aren't enough to sell a console anymore because Nintendo's franchises are associated with Nintendo. The mindset of many (non-nintendo fans of course) is to lump together all Nintendo titles as if they are all inferior in some way. Even new titles like Super Mario Sunshine and Metroid Prime.
Glen: It just seems no one even acknowledges the dinosaur anymore. I'm sure it would take more than both hands to count all the news articles I've read that don't even mention Nintendo's presence in console gaming.
Jeff: Exactly. The media is partly to blame. It runs deeper then that though.
Glen: Nintendo should have taken a hint when Goldeneye became such a success on N64. They should've realized then that the demographics of gaming was changing.
Jeff: I agree. However, I don't think that they should have changed their game design process a whole lot. With the exception of Mario Sunshine, which could have been a little less childish and more like the Mario I have come to know over the years, games like The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker could be huge hits in North America. You just have to prime your audience up. Make them do a double take.
Glen: I agree. F-Zero could make a wave as well.
Jeff: Anyway, I really think Nintendo should have made a really unique Superbowl commercial for the new Zelda.
Glen: Yeah, however, Nintendo was completely absent from the Superbowl.
Jeff: It shouldn't have been. That is the way to get the attention of nearly every demographic Nintendo is striving for.
Glen: Must not have fit into their advertising budget. Which, compared to Sony's and Microsoft's, might not hurt to expand.
Jeff: How surprising. Nothing seems to fit into that budget. It wouldn't hurt Nintendo to help promote a few 3rd party titles as well.
Glen: I agree with that. Skies of Arcadia Legends deserves to be shamelessly shown off. In my opinion, it is an incredible RPG and should be able to satisfy any RPG gamer's appetite. Nintendo could help with advertising sports titles too. Losing Sega and EA sports games isn't going to do anything but further damage the GameCube's image. After dumping Left Field, Nintendo no longer has to support its line of sports software. So why doesn't Nintendo pool its resources together with Sega or EA?
Jeff: Indeed. Here is a good example of a powerful commercial. Panzer Dragoon Orta. I still have that theme stuck in my head. Have you seen it?
Glen: Yeah. Sega's Shinobi one is pretty good as well. Hehe, I think Sega should be doing better too. It appears the veterans in the industry are having a difficult time evolving to the expecations of today's gamers.
Jeff: With proper marketing the industry will conform to you. As far as I'm concerned at least. Anyway, did anything about the Metroid Prime commercial stick with you like those?
Glen: It was just like the game...and the game itself can't just be played for a few seconds to get a feel of it. But I suppose that's the essence of a commerical. It was okay but I guess not "epic".
Jeff: I still think that the Zelda E3 trailer has the best thing going for it.
Glen: I don't recall that one.
Jeff: Haha, I must be wrong then.
Glen: Was it similar to Ocarina of Time?
Jeff: "Every game has a story, Only one is a legend."
Glen: Ah, yeah. Is that the one with the girl in the tower?
Jeff: Nope, that was a theatrical trailer. This one is way better than that.
Glen: Ha, where were those anyway?
Jeff: Not in my theater, I will tell ya.
Glen: I went to multiple movies in November and December and didn't see a single Nintendo preview.
Jeff: Me neither.
Glen: Besides the obvious answer of making games, where are you Nintendo?
Jeff: Yeah, I suppose that's about the only thing we can be assured of Nintendo always exceeding in. If only it were enough...
Don't agree with the positions taken by Jeff or Glen? Want to have your voice heard? Send questions, feedback, or even a bit of ranting to the revived N-Sider Q&A Mailbag.