Japanese Game VIPs Discuss 2004 Plans

Thanks to Game Science for their article revealing comments and plans for 2004 from many of Japan's top videogame publishers and developers. Among the items of interest is Sony's re-confirmation that "We will definitely release PSP in 2004... we'd like to release it mid-December", and that Capcom are "putting a lot of effort" into PSP launch titles - Konami, Namco, and Sega also mention planned PSP titles, although Square Enix are only "considering whether to release any PSP games." Elsewhere, Nintendo mention that "Miyamoto is hard at work on Zelda: Four Swords and Pikmin 2", and that they "plan to show the new game machine at E3" (a reference to their mysterious supplemental game hardware, rather than GameCube 2?), and Sega intriguingly note that they "plan to invest in an MMORPG for East Asia."

Comments

New Nintendo Hardware

[Yorrike]

Over the past few years, I have from being an over excited Nintendophile to being slightly apathetic about the whole gaming industry.

Back in 2001, I was so excited about the GameCube, I paid a lot of money to go to E3, just so I could be one of the first members of the public to play the damn thing (and I must admit, it was a whole lot of fun). All the same, since then Nintendo's up and coming announcements have not stired much with me.

This new mysterious hardware, however, is sparking my interest like nothing in the past 2 and a bit years. Not a home console or a portable? Sounds like orc mischeif, I know, but it could be one of those brilliant Nintendo gaming innovations that once revealed, has people slapping their foreheads thinking "why didn't I think of that?"

This combined with the PSP makes the months until E3 all the more irritating.

In regards to the PSP, I must say the device looks seriously cool. Despite my love of the GBA, I will certainly be looking forward to playing on the Sony machine, although Square Enix's hesitation is quite puzzling.

Re:New Nintendo Hardware

[Yorrike]

I know, replying to myself... blah, blah.

Anyway, I forgot to include this;
From the Pokemon company: " We're also preparing for a surprising turn of events".

Since Pokemon is tied to Nintendo, could this also be pertaining to the new machine, or could this be indicative of company politics and expanding the Pokemon franchise to non-Nintendo consoles? That would be surprising, I must say.

Re:New Nintendo Hardware

[Babbster]

Nothing puzzling at all about Square Enix hesitation to jump on the PSP:

1. The PSP hasn't sold unit one. They're not a company that looks to develop launch games for any console (kind of too bad since the launch titles for all three current home consoles were pathetic).
2. This is a corollary to #1. Square Enix games tend to be on the expensive side, especially since FFVII. The FMV, the large environments, the expected long playtime...These aren't 2D shooters that can be put together over a long weekend (hyperbole).
3. Finally, S E already has a large number of remakes available on current hardware, and [obviously] everything they did for the PS is playable on the PS2. Porting their software to yet another portable can't look overly appealing.

If the PSP is half as capable as Sony is hyping (in other words, at least as capable as a PSOne), and it sells well, I can see S E deciding to release FFVII through FFIX, the PSOne Dragon Warriors/Quests, etc. on the PSP at some point. But committing right now would be a mistake and would disappoint fans if they later decided the PSP wasn't a viable platform for that purpose. Even better, one would hope that they would do something new for the PSP, a la Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, but I expect THAT decision would be even further down the line.

Re:New Nintendo Hardware

[Fortunato_NC]

Will games be able to write back out to the MD they're stored on? The PSP looks like it has the potential to be a great RPG platform, if you can save games and pick back up later.

Re:New Nintendo Hardware

[jkcity]

I'd love for them to release pokemon on other platforms I just don't see it happening though.

My feeling is that sentence was meant something todo with pokemon events they have for pokemon games where you can go along and get a char loaded into your game, its usually the only way to get these chars withour cheating and they have had them for every pokemon game (gameboy anyway) so far.

since this is about pokemon I would just like to mention I'm a little disapointed these are just rehashed pokemon games with updated graphics.

Re:My best guesses

[scot4875]

Nintendo never really worked in the arcade? Uhh... Donkey Kong? (Super) Mario Bros.? Excitebike? Killer Instinct?

The arcade may not have been one of Nintendo's main focuses for quite some time, but to claim that they never worked in the arcade is just wrong. I mean, Donkey Kong was one of the most successful arcade games of all time, and may have single-handedly been responsible for the creation of Nintendo of America as it stands today.

--Jeremy