Key Publishers Scaling Back GameCube Titles, Zelda Sequel Hints

Thanks to Gamesindustry.biz for its article discussing the list of specific games and publishers going without GameCube support, mentioning: "Joining the swelling ranks of publishers without any Cube titles in their portfolios (which already includes the likes of Acclaim and Eidos) is Lucasarts, which currently has no titles for the platform on its internal schedules." It goes on to note: "While support from Japanese publishers remains strong... Western third-party support for the Cube is facing a serious decline this year." Elsewhere, 1UP reports that a Game Developer's Conference lecture by Nintendo's Eiji Aonuma had oblique news on a GameCube Zelda sequel, since he "showed in his presentation a slide reading 'Wind Waker 2: 2XXX,' so we can expect to play the game within the next 996 years." Aonuma also "strongly hinted at the prospect of a new Legend of Zelda or Zelda-related game for the DS."

Comments

Re:Nintendo hard to work with?

[FinestLittleSpace]

They've always held a firm grip on the third parties; this was especially apparent on the N64. many many things would get rejected as they had specific standards. I like their style.

Acclaim *does* make games for the GameCube

[Ondo]

(which already includes the likes of Acclaim and Eidos)

No, it does not include Acclaim. It was reported that they were dropping support for the GameCube, but the *same day* they clarified that this was wrong, they were merely no longer going to release every game on every platform. A check of their website shows upcoming GameCube games, including one that's not coming out for the PS2.

Pointless article...

[scot4875]

The only 'new' information in this article is that EA isn't planning on publishing a European football game on the 'Cube.

Umm, so? The 'Cube isn't selling terribly in Europe, which is a large part of the non-Madden-type football-game-buying market. I can hardly say I blame them.

Lucasarts has no games scheduled for this year? Well, it's fairly well known that Factor 5 is working on a Pilot Wings sequel for the next Nintendo system, so in that sense they've dropped support for the 'Cube ... to work on the N5.

Codemasters isn't releasing any 'Cube games? You mean they made it out of the '80s alive? Why should I care again?

After those few factoids, the author of the article apparently had to flesh it out with the usual "so and so has also dropped support, as has such and such," but then they don't even get those facts straight. Acclaim is still working on Gamecube titles ... Maybe he meant Midway.

Pointless article, author didn't even do rudimentary fact-checking ... Wake me up when the next Metroid and Zelda games get cancelled, or at least fail to sell a million copies.

--Jeremy