Should Nintendo be releasing the DS whilst the GC is still on shaky ground?

[MyDogTheProphet]

I think it's pretty safe to say that the sales performance globally of the Gamecube hasn't met Nintendo' s initial expectations, and in some regions - like here in Australia where many chains have slowly begun abandoning it - has been outright struggling.

In that light, I have to wonder whether the DS is what Nintendo need right now, especially since it's barely a year since the release of their latest hardare revision, the GBA SP.
Surely it would have been wiser to spend all that time and effort developing more games for the GC, and promoting the system to non-users.

I know Sony's PSP is making Ninty kinda nervous at the moment, but I just can't help shake the feeling the release of the DS, in turn neglecting the Gamecube, is going end up as yet another in a long line of 'mistakes' by Nintendo in recent years.

Whatever, I'll probably buy the damn thing anyway....

[Gadfly2317]

I think it's pretty safe to say that the sales performance globally of the Gamecube hasn't met Nintendo' s initial expectations, and in some regions - like here in Australia where many chains have slowly begun abandoning it - has been outright struggling.

In that light, I have to wonder whether the DS is what Nintendo need right now, especially since it's barely a year since the release of their latest hardare revision, the GBA SP.
Surely it would have been wiser to spend all that time and effort developing more games for the GC, and promoting the system to non-users.

I know Sony's PSP is making Ninty kinda nervous at the moment, but I just can't help shake the feeling the release of the DS, in turn neglecting the Gamecube, is going end up as yet another in a long line of 'mistakes' by Nintendo in recent years.

Whatever, I'll probably buy the damn thing anyway....

First off, I just want to say. . . that is a killer avatar you have.

Who knows if from a busuiness angle the DS will hurt or help the Gamecube. I do think Nintendo has spent an awful lot of its game design resources on the handheld, like Mario and Luigi Star--an A+ Mario game, but they didn't do it as a GC game.

I've long thought of Nintendo more as artists, dreamers and creators than as shrewd business man. It's why I love their stuff, but worry about their potential demise at the hand of ruthless business sharks for whom games are a secondary venture (the big electronic appliance giant, and the big Operating System giant.)

And because Nintendo usually designs hardware with some specific games in mind, frankly, I can't wait to see what they've got planned for the DS. I think it could be a lot more than just a gimmick. A two-screen handheld with the processing power of an N64 could be the home to some very original games (not to mention it has long range wireless. Think about pokemon battles against any kid in your school building, regardless of whether you're in the same room or not.) I wish there'd been toys like this when I was a kid.

[PapaSmurf]

First off, I just want to say. . . that is a killer avatar you have.

Who knows if from a busuiness angle the DS will hurt or help the Gamecube. I do think Nintendo has spent an awful lot of its game design resources on the handheld, like Mario and Luigi Star--an A+ Mario game, but they didn't do it as a GC game.

I've long thought of Nintendo more as artists, dreamers and creators than as shrewd business man. It's why I love their stuff, but worry about their potential demise at the hand of ruthless business sharks for whom games are a secondary venture (the big electronic appliance giant, and the big Operating System giant.)

And because Nintendo usually designs hardware with some specific games in mind, frankly, I can't wait to see what they've got planned for the DS. I think it could be a lot more than just a gimmick. A two-screen handheld with the processing power of an N64 could be the home to some very original games (not to mention it has long range wireless. Think about pokemon battles against any kid in your school building, regardless of whether you're in the same room or not.) I wish there'd been toys like this when I was a kid.
Pokemon battle with kids in a different room. If I was 12 again, I would have been sold QUICK.

[no.1gamer]

I think it's pretty safe to say that the sales performance globally of the Gamecube hasn't met Nintendo' s initial expectations, and in some regions - like here in Australia where many chains have slowly begun abandoning it - has been outright struggling.

In that light, I have to wonder whether the DS is what Nintendo need right now, especially since it's barely a year since the release of their latest hardare revision, the GBA SP.
Surely it would have been wiser to spend all that time and effort developing more games for the GC, and promoting the system to non-users.

I know Sony's PSP is making Ninty kinda nervous at the moment, but I just can't help shake the feeling the release of the DS, in turn neglecting the Gamecube, is going end up as yet another in a long line of 'mistakes' by Nintendo in recent years.

Whatever, I'll probably buy the damn thing anyway....



My opinion may differ from most of yours. Perhaps because I haven't engaged in any portable gaming since the Sega Game Gear. But I think that the Gamecube and Nintendo are doing just fine. How many million selling Nintendo games have appeared on the little Cube? I can think of several:

Super Mario Sunshine
Zelda: Wind Waker
Metroid Prime
Super Smash Bros. Melee
Mario Kart: Double Dash!!

That's just a list of 5 games from the top of my head that have been big successes. And of course this doesn't even include 3rd party and multiplatform games.

I hope you guys enjoy your new Gameboys. I probably won't jump at this new Nintendo portable or the Sony PSP for that matter. I would hope that Nintendo still gives attention to the Cube for the next few years. I'm anticipating a Donkey Kong game to be announced at this E3. Perhaps we'll be playing another million selling Nintendo game by the end of this calendar year...

[trebor]

It think the DS is beginning to sound pretty cool, and from what I understand, it is a hint of what the next Nintendo console will be like.

This is pure conjecture, but I have the feeling that the next Nintendo console will have embedded wireless broadband capabilites. Which would be a nice big extension of Nintendo's middle-finger in Sony and Micro$oft's general direction. Can you imagine having online capabilities right out of the box, but not needing a broadband connection?

But more to the point of your thread, I think the DS would effect GBA sales far more than GC sales.

[no.1gamer]

This is pure conjecture, but I have the feeling that the next Nintendo console will have embedded wireless broadband capabilites. Which would be a nice big extension of Nintendo's middle-finger in Sony and Micro$oft's general direction. Can you imagine having online capabilities right out of the box, but not needing a broadband connection?

That's an interesting theory there trebor. I think the next Nintendo console being released with wireless broadband capabilities would be ingenious under 1 condition:

There simply can NOT be a monthly fee for having the online service. It would seem to me like Nintendo would jump at the opportunity to put its console online. For the simple reason that they sell so many 1st party games. Nintendo could provide a free server called "Nintendo Online" or whatever. To tell you the truth that's all that would need to happen for me to jump onboard. All 3rd party games can do whatever they want for online abilities. They can also put up servers for free, charge a monthly fee or even pay to use the "Nintendo Online" server.

The only convincing I need is for a handful of Nintendo 1st party games to appear online. Super Smash Bros. Melee, Animal Crossings and Mario Kart: Double Dash!! would be online games that blow away the competition. Not to mention that all other Nintendo single player games could have online ladders displaying the highest scores.

[trebor]

First read this...


Nintendo Announces JOY Spot Wireless For Game Boy Advance

Starting March 25th, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata will implement a wireless radio-communications program called JOY Spot, exclusively available for the GBA, confirming the previous rumors that Mario Golf: Advance Tour would feature wireless capabilities.

JOY Spot will utilize the wireless adapter, which in turn will be used in conjunction with Pokemon Fire Red & Leaf Green.

Demonstrated in front of Japanese retail outlets and such at kiosks, the technology will allow players to transfer data and play multiplayer Game Boy Advance games with the same freedom as Nintendo's Wavebird. Though not specifically mentioned, Iwata did not rule out the possibility of wireless GameCube/Game Boy Advance connectivity.

The first titles to use the wireless feature will be the aforementioned Pokemon and Mario Golf titles.

Going beyond the Wavebird's capabilities, the JOY Spot will even allow for transmissions to be sent from afar and uploaded onto the handhelds -- meaning completely free roaming online play is not far off.

Each store demonstrating this new feature will include a Game Boy Advance SP endowed with both the wireless adapter and the JOY Spot enabler cartridge, placed in a specific area for exhibitors to view together.

Gamers will be able to hook up their Game Boy's enabled with the feature to the corresponding JOY Spot stations in the various Japanese stores to acquire new and exciting features. It's only a matter of time before NOA announces, at the very least, a similar plan. (wj)
Source: NCL


What if they implement similar "hot spots" using GPRS technology? The next Nintendo console would have wireless internet anywhere "next generation" cell phones work.

Given that, they wouldn't necessarily need to charge a monthly fee, because it would be using existing wireless technology, and therefore, would be far cheaper to Nintendo over setting up their own online network and such.

Plus, it's no rumor that Nintendo was in talks with AOL.

[no.1gamer]

The wireless broadband is a rapid growing technology. I suspect that if you live near a major city or a college campus you'll have wireless freedom in the next 5 or so years. In other words in the middle of the Gamecube replacement's lifespan. However I would think that jumping the gun and incorporating this technology in a console now is a very big risk.

I'm not very educated in the field of wireless communication, so if I've left out some very important info. or details please elaborate...