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

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Nintendo's new machine

[Anonymous Coward]

Nintendo's New Machine is the Virtual Boy 2.

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

[blueZhift]

Call me crazy, but I'm guessing the new game device is (drum roll....) Virtual GameCube! They'll call it something else, but the very terse comments about how existing titles will work with the device got me thinking about the ill fated Virtual GameBoy of years past.

Seriously, I expect some kind of 3D headset, with stereo headphones built in that will plug into some kind of expansion deck that you connect to the bottom of your GC. The headset will look kinda like those cool wrap around sunglasses (a .hack look) and the phones will be those high end noise cancelling type.

The idea will be to fully immerse you in the game like never before. This will work with current games, but since they haven't been made with it in mind you'll only get the full effect from new titles. Imagine, instead of moving Mario around, you ARE Mario. Oh, and of course this will have a mike and the expansion deck with plug into broadband.

Nintendo is a proud company. They aren't going to let the failure of the Virtual Boy just sit there. This is their chance to get sweet revenge, but doing it right this time! ;-)

Re:New Nintendo Hardware

[Rallion]

Damn you. It's not really going to be that cool. But now I'm all excited. If you had just said that like a week before E3 that would have been fine. But now I have to wait a good long time for my disappointment.

You go to hell!

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:New Nintendo Hardware

[Anonymous Coward]

Writeable optical media in a portable system? Goodbye profits, hello tech support nightmare!

No, I think it's safe to assume that Sony isn't that stupid (although looking at the mockups of the PSP might trick one into believing as much - flush buttons and flush circular d-pad?)

Re:New Nintendo Hardware

[Yorrike]

You're right! I want my damn Nintendo 3D goggles! Imagine playing, not Mario, but Metroid Prime with a set like that.

Damn you blueZhift! Damn you and your brilliant flights of fancy!

Re:New Nintendo Hardware

[Anonymous Coward]

Do you know what would make the PSP a really great platform? Ogg support.

Re:New Nintendo Hardware

[Anonymous Coward]

You guys: "We want Pokemon on non-Nintendo consoles! We want to have less reasons to buy your hardware!"

Nintendo: "Sure! We'll get started on the Xbox version of Pokemon right away for you, kind sirs! Would you like us to stab ourselves in the eyeballs with sporks as well, because we'll do that too! Heck, you're the boss! DUM DE DOOO"

Re:New Nintendo Hardware

[CashCarSTAR]

The new Nintendo device will be a wireless grid networking device. It will both send/receive signals.

The purpose of it, is if you live in a big city or something, you can turn it on, and play with those over a fairly wide area without Internet Access. As well, it will be almost lag free.

Put some voice networking over it, and you have a very interesting idea, although it'll remain to be seen about the range.

They've been working on this for a while now, although mum has been the word since the initial announcement.

(Would be even cooler if you could hook the GBA over it as well and play link-up games through that. That would be neat, especially for something like Pokemon. Killer App!)

Memory Stick?

[gearheadsmp]

I think the PSP has Memory Stick support.

PSP is only mid-Dec in Japan?

[orthancstone]

Geez, I wonder when it'll finally hit the states...that sounds like atleast one full year after E3. Doubt I'll get one, but I'm sure lots of people will be waiting impatiently :O...gonna be a crazy year.

My best guesses

[xenocide2]

What seems most likely to me is the hardware in question is some sort of keychain device for migratnig data to and from arcades. Nintendo has neglected its arcade potential until just recently, and I think they might be moving toward a more integrated experinece, just as they've tried to move the GBA and cube together (somewhat successfully). The F Zero game has arcade attachments, and I think its done well for them in Japan.

If its not that then it might be some sort of Hanfunda deal. I've wondered why Nintendo hasn't tried to introduce the world to the game they were founded on. It would have been pretty nifty to find an introduction and card game for the "No game has been inserted" software.

I've also heard that a certain powerful figure behind the company is interested in Go. Perhaps they've found a program that can compete at a stronger level than amateur against humans.

It may also be that they're reviving the Game & Watch series. Its not really a handheld, and its not really a console...

Re:My best guesses

[MMaestro]

Nintendo has never really worked in the arcade area and F-Zero's arcade connection was setup by Sega/Sammy because of their strong arcade roots and strengths.

As much as we'd all like to take a look at some of the company's very old roots, the fact is some of them might be too much of a culture shock for the mainstream gamers. (Outside of learning about it on Slashdot or Super Smash Bros Melee, how many of you knew about the Game & Watch series Nintendo made? I, for one, did not know about it.)

Re:My best guesses

[IntergalacticWalrus]

If its not that then it might be some sort of Hanfunda deal. I've wondered why Nintendo hasn't tried to introduce the world to the game they were founded on. It would have been pretty nifty to find an introduction and card game for the "No game has been inserted" software.

Actually in Japan Nintendo has never stopped their traditional card game business, even now they still make them. So there's not much to "introduce" people to (in Japan at least).

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

Re:My best guesses

[Anonymous Coward]

What about the Play-Choice 10? That was how most of the world first got to play NES games. And it was a decent Multi game arcade system.

Re:My best guesses

[chrismcdirty]

Donkey Kong and Mario were Atari properties when they were in the arcade. Nintendo "borrowed" them until Atari tanked and then they became Nintendo properties magically.

Ports on PSP

[Anonymous Coward]

I think this quote is most telling:
"Namco (Yoichi Haraguchi)
- We are looking forward to the PSP, we hope to release 2 or 3 titles at launch. It'll take a bit of time before original titles come out though."

Seems like the PSP might be a port heaven after all. My guess it'll be to PSX as GBA as been to the SNES.

not true [nt]

[Anonymous Coward]

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