Holy crap! Last week's question-deficiency is more than made up for in this massive
update. Have a query or thought not addressed here? Send it to qa@n-sider.com.
As much of a rant as a question:
Money can buy you love, at least if you are Microsoft.
I'm constantly amazed at the "free" press Xbox gets
from PC/Computer magazine whose pockets are lined with
multiple full page adds for Microsoft's "other"
products, and the bias at other sites (Gamespot) and
news rags for the same reason.
Here is a company which is losing millions upon
millions of dollars, with no current end in site,
based on the Xbox platform. No industry commentators
focus on this loss, but rather mention it in passing.
Yet every financial hiccup from Nintendo causes
pundits to speculate on the end of the Gamecube
platform.
The question is this: how to counterpunch M$'s FUD:
fear, uncertainty and doubt. Microsoft has employed
this strategy in the computer world, as leaked
internal documents reflect the company's efforts to
discredit open source software like Linux, and the
company's earlier efforts to "break" other MS-DOS
variants back in the 1980s.
Nintendo needs to develop a strategy to counter FUD by
better communication - something most would
acknowledge the big N is bad at. Likewise, cut this
"our only competition is ourself" crap and communicate
the difference in the available software libraries.
Really, other than Halo, Xbox has a bunch of slightly
better looking PS2 ports, and not much else. N really
needs to communicate with the masses better: do you
agree with this assessment, and, if so, what
strategies do you think N needs to adopt to accomplish
this goal.
Thanks for a thoughtful and well executed site.
Josh: I bet many people -- particularly those who delight in posting "NIntend0 is D0omED!" on messageboards -- have
neglected to consider the point you bring up. The Xbox is an absolutely gigantic drain on Microsoft's finances (not
necessarily in comparison to the company's net worth, but certainly big enough to justify significance), but aside from a few
speculative articles put out around the console's launch, you'd be hard-pressed to find a member of the media commenting on
Microsoft's questionable state of finances with regard to the Xbox. I also think you're dead-on with your suggestion to
Nintendo; whether they want to admit it or not, Sony and Microsoft are their competition. If the Xbox and PS2 did not
exist, more GameCubes would be sold. Therefore, those consoles must be regarded as competetion, as they are competing
for marketshare.
James: I can only really concur with what's already been said. The only thing I'd add is that, too often, the Game Boy Advance isn't brought into the equation. If you combine the marketshare of both platforms, you have Nintendo's overall share in the market. Sure, GBA isn't a competitor to the likes of Xbox and PS2. But by the same token, Nintendo's strategy is fundamentally different. You're absolutely right about the way the media perceives and reports both Microsoft and Nintendo; whereas Microsoft's operation is incredibly inefficient (and causing Microsoft to bleed cash), Nintendo's operation is both efficient and effective (and obviously a highly profitable venture). All too often, when predicting GameCube's demise, the media fails to understand that the GBA is an equal part of Nintendo's hardware strategy. So I definitely find it funny when people say that Nintendo will go third party, simply because GameCube might be struggling in a particular territory. But what can I say; the mainstream media in particular is freuqently guilty of misreporting the video game industry, whether we're talking about this specific case or something like violence in video games.
So what's the dilly? Earthbound is on it's way but for which system? GBA or GCN?
Josh: Just today, Planet GameCube reported
that a commercial for a remake of Mother 1 and 2 (which became Earthbound stateside) on the GBA was recently aired. The end
of the commercial had a teaser for a possible Mother 3, but did not specify a system. I'd wager a considerble amount of
money, however, to say that an Earthbound GCN game is most definitely in development, and that we may see something at this
year's E3. Earthbound 64 was worked on just a little too long and hard to be completely abandoned.
James: I've just heard that Mother 3 will be a GBA release. I can't confirm that at the time of writing this, but I'm sure N-Sider will be reporting the details as soon as we have them.
What are the chances of Panasonic and Nintendo working together on the next console(GCN2)?..i mean they would make a killer
console.What are you thoughts about this idea? Josh: Virtually non-existent. Nintendo is far too independent to produce a central console that was collaboratively
co-designed with another company (keep in mind the Panasonic Q is most accurately described as a DVD player with the ability
to play GameCube games, not vice versa). On a side note, ATI will almost certainly be involved with the production of the
graphics chip.
James: In today's game industry, it's very hard to know what is far-fetched and what is realistic! The last year in particular has been nothing short of a massive rollercoaster ride. I don't think it's unthinkable for Nintendo to partner with another company on a next generation console, but it's extremely unlikely.
Hi N-Sider,
Will (or do you think) Yoshi will get his own adventure on the GameCube?
I really enjoyed Yoshi's Story (even though I completed it after two
days of owning the game) but it really was too short. Super Mario
Advance 3 was dun too...but I'd like something new. I wouldn't even
mind if we got another side scrolling game...as long as it's longer. I
hope Nintendo aren't gonna just leave Yoshi in cameo roles in other
games this generation.
Donkey Kong +. Anything on this game? I was really glad when I heard
about this game at last year's E3 but haven't heard much since...I was
hoping to get an addictive ame just like the Donkey Kong game for GB
years ago. Speaking of DK, any idea if Nintendo have totally scrapped
the code for Donkey Kong Racing...or plan to release it sometime? I
know RARE were working on it and everything, but they looked way into
the game and it'd be pretty sad to just get rid of it. Thanks,
Josh: Yoshi on the GameCube is possible, but I don't know how likely. Nintendo is slowly growing more sensitive to
its "kiddie" reputation, and may view a Yoshi-centric game as too condusive to that image. After all, it's not as if Yoshi is a character of the system-selling stature of Mario, Link, etc. However, if Miyamoto has a solid
design idea that just happens to feature the green dinosaur, I don't think Nintendo would sit on it. For the time being,
however, no Yoshi game is known to be in development.
Expect to hear a lot more about Donkey Kong + as well as an original Donkey Kong Country game for the GameCube at this year's
E3. You might want to abandon your attachment to Donkey Kong Racing, however; the project has been scrapped.
I was reading an interview with shiggy and he said that cel shading would not work with an adult Link. So I was wondering if
the new Zelda could had you switching between young and adult, like OOoT, if it would be feasible to switch engines mid game.
"cel-da" for young Link and the space world 2000 demo look for old Link. It may sound dumb but you guys said you needed
questions so here one is.
Josh: Well, technically speaking, having multiple engines in the same game would certainly not be a problem,
although the cost and effort of developing two separate engines could be a little dissuading. However, I doubt that this is
the direction Nintendo is taking for the next Zelda game. Those two completely different styles in the game would seriously
clash with each other, not to mention giving the impression that Nintedo was shamelessly attempting to pander to both sides
of the market without any regard for artistic integrity.
It's pretty obvious that Nintendo couldn't care less about on-line play, and I agree with them. It has been said that they
may introduce a way to hook up cubes and play on LAN. LAN play is very fun. I recently attended a party with a LAN
tournament of Counter Strike and it was awesome! You don't need to play with people across the country to have a heated and
enjoyable battle. Nothing would be cooler than playing a game with 13 or 14 wavebirds going on at once. I guess my question
is: Why do so many people diss the cube for not going on-line. Nintendo knows how to have fun, and (Most of the time) it
makes great games. Give them a break! It doesn't have to copy everything the oversized XBox does just for it to be "cool"
to me. Maybe I'm just hard-core or something, but let them do what they are going to do because it will probably be right.
Josh: Aside from people simply wanting to play their games online, Nintendo is most often "dissed" for being
reluctant to enter the online market because many see it as the future of gaming. By not entering the online market now, some
argue, Nintendo is giving the impression of being a stubborn, stagnant company, unwilling to change with the times. Whether
you agree with this or not is up to you, but it is important to keep in mind that Nintendo hasn't completely abandoned
the idea of gaming online. The company is still looking very seriously at the various options and processes for going online,
and there's still a title or two on the way to keep your copy of Phantasy Star Online company.
James: Nintendo is exploring the online question. And Nintendo is developing at least one online game (as everyone knows by now). But realistically, this isn't going to be Nintendo's focus for a very long time. Even companies that are heavily investing in online gaming are still only producing a limited percentage of online games, when compared to what they produce in total. I think everyone understands that this is a new area and that it is relatively untested (at least in the console market). And certainly, I think it's reasonable to say that online gaming hasn't been "proven" as yet. But as with any new technology, some companies will dive in head first and others will be a little more cautious. I personally feel that Nintendo is doing the right thing, from a business perspective. Of course, I'm sure that won't satisfy gamers who are dying to play Mario Kart Online or something of that nature.
I was wondering about your thoughts on the current video game industry. I personally enjoyed GTA 3, it was original, plenty
of freedom and fun. GTA 3 sold like hotcakes and its still selling well for an old game. Then comes Vice City, which is the
same exact game, and it still sells extremely well. While this is happening great games like Metroid and even the
disappointing but still a good game Mario Sunshine sells like crap compared. Do you see this as the trend of violence
selling games, if that's so where does it leave Nintendo? Also have you noticed the originality in games has been
diminishing every year. I'm sure in a couple years Tony Hawk 12 will be out. Do you see this as more of a consumer being
stupid and either buying crappy games or the same game year after year or is it the fact that originality costs more money
because of the high risk in loss of cash? Thanx in advance. Josh: I think GTA selling well is a combination of violent content being popular and the free-roaming gameplay.
Consumers have always been interested in games that have a "do what you want" factor, partially as a means of further
utilizing games as an escapist device and partially because games like that have simply not existed in abundance due to a
variety of factors such as limited technology, limited development tools, and limited time; games that encourage the user to
go anywhere and do anything are still new enough to be considered a novelty to many. Obviously, however, the current trend of
"mature" games being more popular than ever must be considered in GTA's sales.
The good news is that even with this arguably upsetting trend in more violence, the public still can recognize a fun game
that may not necessarily be concerned with loping off people's heads or running them down with cars. The latest installment
of Zelda is currently the best-selling game in the U.S., coming off a pre-sale campaign that is the most successful in video
game history. Certainly, the fact that Nintendo gave away Ocarina of Time and its old 64DD counterpart with the preorders had
a hand in this...but those two free games were not especially violent, either. If the industry were truly completely obsessed
with violent content in games, not even this generous presale offer would've been enough to raise Wind Waker pre-orders to
the levels they reached.
For more on your questions, you may want to check out our Industry Problems special.
James: This is such a difficult question. There are so many issues to consider here. But basically, I own both GTAIII and Vice City. Both games are quite good, yes. But on any level, I don't think they come close to matching a game like Metroid Prime. I think part of the reason some of these really great games don't sell as well (especially the games that are truly deserving of high sales), is that there just isn't the right communication and image out there. People were buying GTAIII without having any clue what it was like or how it played. Part of it was marketing and part of it was public perception.
It's very difficult to know how that situation can be changed. I think Cory made a great point in our Industry Problems Week chat, where he said that people don't expect Nintendo to make these sorts of games (and thus, perhaps they're automatically disregarded). In truth, I really don't know what can be done. Considering that Kangaroo Jack was number one in the United States only recently, it's definitely obvious that this problem isn't exclusive to the video game industry. It's definitely a shame that some of the greatest masterpieces in gaming are also the least played games.
N-Sider folks,
Josh: The game comes from Rayman creator Michel Ancel and is primarily a third-person action game set in a
futuristic sci-fi environment. The game's biggest selling point is its "Promise Of Discovery" engine, which allows the game
to draw massive worlds of incredible variety and scope. BG&E also features vehicles, including hovercraft and aircraft. The
tentative release date for all platforms is sometime this quarter, with a full unveiling scheduled for E3. Screens of the
GameCube version can found here.
Greetings all,
Josh: A soundtrack is already available in Japan, and will be arriving in the U.S. sometime in the near future.
Dean: If we're so lucky, much like Rare did with Conker's Bad Fur day, Nintendo might have a few copies of the Soundtrack on hand at E3. If this is the case, I'll try my hardest to get a copy and possibly give it away through a forum contest. No promises, but rest assured, if there's a Soundtrack at E3, I'll get my hands on it.
Hi! That article about TooHuman was it all true???because there's so much information about it, that i havent read anywhere
else.........nonethe less i have a question about the game, are we going to see it at E3????What about other Silicon Knights
projects?And last but not least, is Factor 5 working on another game besides Rogue squadron 3???? regards,
Josh: Our Too Human preview is
entirely based on facts divulged from when Silicon Knights was at work on the game when it was in development for the PSX,
with any updated information or commentary revealed since the switch to Nintendo hardware included as well. We will likely
see it at E3. As for additional Silicon Knights and Factor 5 projects, I think we'll be seeing one more game from each of
them at the show in video form.
WHich games should I get for this month. I would get splinter-cell, but I feel too much that it's not a perfect port(in
shame). So I don't know what to get. Help me.
P.S. How long to play through conflict?
Josh: This month's scheduled GCN U.S. releases:
April 1 - Def Jam Vendetta
Look at the list, then decide which game you think you'll like the most. I can't tell you what you'll enjoy playing, though I
can say that if you're not getting Splinter Cell because you don't think it's a good port, your reasoning needs some
re-evaluating.
Heyo,
I figured someone could use this information and put it to good use ^_~ Sincerely,
Josh: Thanks for the info, Brian. As stated above, the Wind Waker has quickly ascended the sales ranks to become
the number one selling game in the U.S., with over 1.5 million copies sold as of this writing.
When are you guys going to update your release dates for games.
Josh: Yikes. Good question. Now that you've drawn attention to it, we'll try to get it done as soon as humanly
possible.
These are questions directed to the staff in general.
1. What color is your GameCube ? Josh: 1.) Black. 2.) Platinum, though my first one was Glacier. 3.) When it originally debuted on the PC, yes. For
GameCube? Rent first. 4.) If it's multiplayer goodness you're after, you damn well better have Super Smash Brothers Melee,
Super Monkey Ball 2, and Timesplitters 2 (I don't care what anybody says, the multiplayer of that game is amongst the best
FPS multis I have everplayed). Depending on what kind of games you and your mates like, you may want to look at some
of the sports offerings, as well. Also, if you have your little Festivus in late August, you'll be able to include Soul
Calibur 2 -- it hits the states on the 27th.
Hi guys,
Josh: Development on hardware has definitely begun, but I would be surprised if software was beyond very basic
testing stages at this point. A few very early game designs may be floating around, perhaps. Nintendo has stated repeatedly
that they intend to release the GameCube's successor a bit more competitively this time around, so I'm sure they're very much
aware of the time window they've got to work in. At least, they better be. ^_^
James: Yeah, as Josh pointed out, Nintendo are already well underway on their next console. Nintendo did say that they expect to launch during 2006, I believe. I think it's reasonable to expect that Nintendo will begin development a little earlier than they did with GameCube. But who knows; GameCube has a long way to go before it becomes obsolete.
Nintendo recently put up a poll on their metroid prime 2 section for the most wanted additions for the next installment.
Multiplayer mode was winning hands down. How do you think retro could implement multiplayer into the game?
Josh: That's a very good question that Retro themselves may be trying to answer at this very moment. Given
Metroid's emphasis on isolation and exploration rather than battle, a multiplayer mode typical of other FPS' could feel out
of place. On the other hand, would we really think about whether or not it fit the feel of the rest of the game if we were
having enough fun blasting our friends? It's a tough call, and one that I really couldn't speculate on at this point.
James: Well, Retro did such an amazing job with Metroid Prime, that if anyone can work a multiplayer mode in, Retro can. I think the targeting capability really lends itself to some very intense multiplayer battles. For instance, it can be tough to aim precisely when your screen is split into four smaller windows. And so, by having the auto-targeting feature, this might become a little easier and potentially, a lot more fun. I'd also love to see Retro have a go at creating some amazing multiplayer environments. Throw in some kind of customization tool/editor and I think we'd have another 10/10 game on our hands. ~_^
Do you guys know when Megaman Transmission for GC will be released??
Personally I wouldve liked the "orignal" Megaman series to return to Nintendo.
As for the online aspect of the GC, when will there be some new online games for our lovable Cubes??
Dont get me wrong PSO was awsome but im a little bored with it.
And finally...."whose bad"
Josh: Megaman Transmission has a tentative U.S. release date of sometime in the second quarter of this year. As for
online games, expect to see at least two or three titles supporting online play at E3 this year.
Uh...you bad?
Hi, I was wondering about Magical Vacation. I know that there were some rumors that it was going to be released in the USA,
and it isn't, but I can't find any new info. on Magical Vacation...Has it disappeared forever as a game, as too bad it didn't
come out in the US?
Josh: Unfortunately, it doesn't look as if Brownie Brown's acclaimed RPG is headed anywhere outside of Japan. Some
release date lists have it as "TBA 2003", but I wouldn't hold my breath. Hopefully, Brownie Brown is working on something
that will get proper exposure all over the world.
Q&A By: Josh Righter and James Burns.
Send your questions for next week's Q&A!Microsoft ranting
-JP Turner
Earthbound: portable or console?
-~Mr. Glub Glub
Panasonic and Nintendo?
-i am Sead
Yoshi and Donkey Kong
Pop-in/out visitor here...have a question or two:
-Zak
Dual-engined Zelda?
-hamby
Nintendo: we don't need no steenking online!
-Anonymous
State of the industry
-Ira
Project BG&E
Tell me everything you know about Ubi Soft's upcomming game, Project BG&E. And that is all I have to ask.
-Mr. Bloober
Zelda soundtrack
As an avid procurer of video game music, I have a question regarding
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. Is Nintendo planning on releasing
a soundtrack for the game at any point in the near future? Thanks for your time, and I'm loving all of your articles lately.
Keep it up!
-Brian
Too Human
-Joo Rossa
Games of April
-Thomassie Mangior
April 1 - Red Faction 2
April 8 - Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell
April 8 - Burnout 2: Point of Impact
April 11 - Lego Drome Racers
April 15 - Ikaruga
April 15 - Top Angler
April 15 - Tube Slider
April 15 - X-Men: Wolverines Revenge
April 22 - Conflict: Desert Storm Shooter
April 24 - NBA Street Vol. 2
Release dates
I figured I'd drop in with a little tidbit of information that I acquired
while killing time in the local mall here. Out of curiosity I asked the
sales clerk at Electronics Boutique how well Zelda was selling. She told me
that 300 copies had already left their hands since its release, and that
amazingly, not a single one has been returned.
-Brian
Release dates
-R.K.
Grab bag
2. What color is your Game Boy Advance/ Advance SP ?
3. Is Red Faction 2 a good buy ?
4. Come 'round August, I hope to have serveal friends over for
a night of Festivus Nintendus. What do your recomend for
this for a 24-36 hour Nintendo Festival ? I can get drunk on
Animal Crossing and LoZ: Oot/MQ and LoZ: TWW....
* prays that Soul Calibur II wil be out by then... * When does
that come out, by the way ?
-Mike Krenzer
GameCube 2
Do you know if Nintendo has started (at least preliminary) development on software for the Gamecube's successor? Would they
even be thinking about it at this point? The reasons I'm wondering are as follows: a) Nintendo's hardware was finished around
a year before launch (please correct me if I'm wrong! :-) ), and b) the main reason the PS2 sold so well was that, for a year
and a half, it was the only show in town. I hope I'm not overly simplifying things, but if Nintendo had started software
development a year earlier (with adjustments made as the hardware was finalised), maybe the global sales figures would look a
bit different. What do you think? Aren't Microsoft talking up developers for XBox Next as we speak? Thanks for your time :-)
-Matt
GameCube 2
-Anonymous
Megaman
-Joedi Yanyk
Magical Vacation MIA?
-Joedi Yanyk