QA: 10-07-2003

any word on how the GCN version of Soul Calibur 2 fared against PS2 and Xbox salse wise?
-Jason

Josh: You may or may not have heard by now (this question is a bit dated), but the GCN version currently is ahead of both the PS2 and the Xbox versions sales-wise, according to tracking data as recent as through September. Obviously Link's inclusion in the game is the reason, but it will be interesting to see how the chips fall after Christmas.

Violence in video games.

Hey guys,
I was surfing the net earlier when I stumbled across an interesting article regarding violence in videogames and it's impact upon gamers, which surprisingly strays from the norm. I figured I'd pass it along. Take care,
-Lurch

Josh: Considering many of the other mainstream articles concerning this topic that we've all read, this article isn't bad at all. Good find, Lurch.

Fire Emblem GC?

Some time back, a Nintendo fan site (I can not recall which :(), posted a rumor that a version of Fire Emblem was under way for the GameCube. I was wondering if you guys have heard anything about it or have any opinions as to the likelihood of it ever coming to the Cube? I would also like to know what in you opinion is the best GCN racer (forthcoming games included) in the same vein as World Driver: Championship for the N64. Thanks
-Jamesc359

Josh: I have heard the occasional stirring about a Fire Emblem appearing on GameCube, but nothing solid. Some people have postulated that the inclusion of GBA-downloadable Fire Emblem content on the forthcoming Mario Kart preorder demo disc is some kind of indication of the existence of a GameCube version of the game, but I think this is grasping at straws a bit. Still, I don't think it's out of the question, especially for Japan. I would not at all be surprised if the game was announced for a Q3 or Q4 2004 Japanese release.

Racing games: well, I've never played World Driver Championship, so I'm not sure if you're interested in more simulation-based or arcade-based. Keeping this in mind, I'm just going to shoot off a couple of already-released and upcoming titles for you to check out to see if you'd like them: Auto Modellista, Burnout and Burnout 2, Need For Speed Underground, and GT Cube. This is just a casual list; I'm sure there are a few more, as well.

Nintendo not online: a mistake?

Greetings Josh,
I was reading last week's Q&A and there was an email which provoked a certain something out of me. Sure the question of, "Will Nintendo go online?!" is nothing new, but the current situation is fearfully reminiscent of a time years ago when Nintendo refused to jump ship on the CD software bandwagon. As a matter of fact, back in the day I personally wrote Nintendo about the cartridge vs. CD issue and here is a direct quote from consumer service representative Jacki Elutris...

"This is what we think CD ROM is good for:
1. Encyclopedias
2. Frisbees
3. Wall Clocks
4. Boring video based, non-interactive games
5. Music
And that's the short list."

Fast forward past the Playstation boom where the chosen software medium was a major reason companies shied away from the N64 and we're here in the Gamecube era with an image problem and a lack of explosively innovative titles.

As a Nintendo fan, one wants to support the big N even in choices that the average gamer can interpret as irrational and suicidal. Thus, naturally one nods his or her head in agreement that indeed there is no profitable online market at the time. In turn Nintendo is taking the wait-and-see approach; allowing the other guys to test the waters and when and if it becomes successful, ta-da! introducing The Nintendo Network (TNN?) Is this the progressively innovative thinking that us Nintendo loyalist have come to know and love? And let's not pretend that GBA/Cube connectivity is an attraction to the average gamer. I have a Gamecube and a GBA SP and I have little to no interest in the current gimmicky connectivity concepts, and I consider myself a pretty hard-core Nintendophile (heck I'm going to school right now to work on games in the future because of Nintendo).

I'm not quite sure how the online gaming market is overseas and if that has any say on Nintendo's timidness. I'm sure they've done endless research on the market and but it seems that, at least for now, they're missing out on golden opportunities like Animal Crossing, Mario Golf, F-Zero GX, etc. Opportunities that I think would establish a solid online market for Nintendo. I'm fully aware of future LAN possibilities and the online loopholes they can lead to, but we need something official with strong support.

Anyway, my point is that I hope Nintendo isn't missing the boat once again, we all know what happened the previous time Nintendo miscalculated the future. For now I suppose all we can do is desperately hope that online plans will be solid and embraced on Nintendo's next console. Talk to me dude(s), what do you think has to be done? what kind of network would we most likely see from Nintendo? should Too Human have a finger-lickin' online multiplayer mode? etc. Thanks and great work as always. Sincerely,
-Tootles the Dancing Cat

Josh: That email is classic! You made a great decision by saving it. Funny, painful memories for Nintendo...

However, even though no-one can tell the future for certain, I think that if saved a similar email from Nintendo defending the company's decision to abstain from entering the online market, it would not be quite as funny as your letter years later. Though you are completely correct in your statements concerning the amount of fun to be had with many of Nintendo's existing games if they were online, the fact of the matter is that only a very small fraction of Nintendo's fanbase would be experiencing these games, as with the respective online services of the PS2 and Xbox. In Nintendo's view, satisfying this small amount of people would not be worth the capital lost on the investment. For Sony and Microsoft -- who, unlike Nintendo, generate revenue from other sources besides videogames -- this point may not be so important.

I can understand and relate to your frustration at not being able to enjoy some of your favourite Nintendo titles online, but unlike the cartridge vs. CD decision, this one is not costing them marketshare or third parties. It is simply a question of profitability, and in this regard, Nintendo's choice is a logical one. When more gamers are ready for online -- enough for Nintendo to make a profit from them -- we'll have our Animal Crossing and F-Zero online-enabled. When this will be is a question I simply cannot answer.

Glen: Hey there, Tootles. I can relate to your worries. We all want Nintendo to succeed. A question everyone forgets to ask, however, is if online gaming is necessary for Nintendo's future success. Shifting Nintendo games to online will probably not provide a direct or vital contribution to the company's success. Instead, as with all the consoles, online gaming may simply be a novelty such as DVD capabilities - things that may provide assistance in attaining sales but not an aspect (such as actual video games) which determines the public's genuine desire for the product.

Also of note, the online realm is nothing new for Nintendo. It's not a question of whether or not Nintendo will support online gaming but simply a question of "when?" You might be surprised to find out just how aggressively Nintendo has approached online in the past. There's been an online component for just about every single generation of Nintendo's consoles...and all signs point to a continued implimentation in future consoles. I have an article in the works that goes into a lot more detail. Keep an eye out for it.

Rogue Ops = Riqa?

Hey, how are you guys doin?? Anyways Rogue Ops seems like it could end up being a pretty good game in vain of Splinter Cell and MGS. I was wondering what you guys thought, and if you have had any play time with it. Also, with it being developed by Bits Studio is this just the evolution of the canned N64 title Riqa?? Thanks
-Geno

Josh: While there are undoubtedly some similarites between the two, I think it's unlikely that Bits Studios used any of the actual code from the scrapped N64 title for Rogue Ops. At most, a concept or two may have been recycled, but that's probably all.

Disillusion.

I just got the new GameInformer (Oct) in my mailbox and this is getting ridiculous! Overlooking that 3/4 of the ads are for games NOT on the GC , the Basketball feature reveals that only 1 title will be available for GC and that is Midway's NBA Ballers .... :^/

Earlier in the Summer , Madden and NFL Blitz were the only football offerings for the GC. WTF?? The Big N is really making it hard for gamers of my particular type to hang in there! So sports titles are not important ; and online is not important; What the heck is? Niche titles ? I respect the N's integrity but I'm tired of having to rationalize why a game about a kid with an egg is more interesting than all those titles that GC is not getting....
-A disillusioned N fan

Josh: You are indeed disillusioned -- the GameCube is not about sports games, simple as that. It may be a shame, but it's just a fact. If the latest basketball and football offerings are the kinds of games you most prefer, you should invest in another console. But instead of thinking of the titles you are missing out on, perhaps you could try a more optimistic view of what you are getting: Mario Kart: DD, Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes, Pikmin 2, Rogue Squadron III, and Viewtiful Joe represent a wide variety of games (arcade racing, stealth/3rd person shooter, strategy/RTS, arcade aerial fighting, sidescroller) hitting the GameCube in the coming months, and they're all exclusive to the system. If this lineup of acclaimed and likely soon-to-be acclaimed games doesn't excite you, maybe the GameCube isn't the system for you.

Q&A By: Josh Righter and Glen Bayer.

Send your questions for next week's Q&A!