UK Retailers Dumping Gamecube?

ALL OTHER POSTERS DUMPING FP BUSINESS by Anonymous Coward · 2005-01-02 11:42 · Score: -1, Offtopic

Netcraft confirms it! All other posters have dumped the FP business in the "UK Retailers Dumping Gamecube?" article on the /. news site. Could this be the nail in the chest for the FP business?

Even so, by Bagels · 2005-01-02 11:43 · Score: 3, Interesting

I have a sneaking suspicion that they'll start carrying them again when this year's blockbusters ("mature" Zelda, the Pokemon RPG) come out for it. Otherwise, their competitors will stand to gain quite a bit.

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--- Bwah?

Re:Even so, by blahplusplus · 2005-01-02 11:51 · Score: 2, Insightful

Still, it's not like Nintendo is going out of their way to woo 3rd parties. I mean the gamecube was originally supposed to go head to head and be neck-and-neck with the PS2 but there was no developer support for the GC at all and all the exclusivity deals with 3rd party killer apps (MGS, GTA, FFX, etc) killed any hope for the GC and even Xbox as well from really competing with the PS2.
Re:Even so, by Anonymous Coward · 2005-01-02 15:53 · Score: 0

Gamecube received both exclusive MGS and FF games, and Xbox has two GTA games. Not to nitpick, but choose better examples :)
Re:Even so, by blahplusplus · 2005-01-02 16:34 · Score: 1

A port of a game everyone has already played doesn't count. MGS Twin snakes is the FIRST Metal gear solid game from the playstation 1 updated for the gamecube, its the exact same game. MGS1 was released for the PS1 and the PC so why would anyone want to buy it for the cube when they'd already played the game years prior?

And FF crystal chronicles was not a final fantasy game in the slightest. You show your ignorance here. FF crystal chronicles was not final fantasy, period. It a badly designed 3D hack and slash with no story and it only sold something like 250K units. It was a total cash in attempt.
Re:Even so, by Belgand · 2005-01-02 16:37 · Score: 1

Having never played it on the Playstation (I missed that entire generation of consoles) and not bothering with the PC version: me. I picked it up a month or so ago and just really got into recently and I've been enjoying the hell out of it. Improved graphics, longer, improved cinematics, gameplay enhancements (I can't imagine trying to play this without the first-person view... you can only see two feet ahead of you most of the time).

Then again at the same time I also picked up the graphically enhanced port of Resident Evil, another PS1 game that I never got a chance to play.
Re:Even so, by Anonymous Coward · 2005-01-02 17:18 · Score: 0

I have played/tried MGS on PS, MGS Integral on PS, MGS via Bleemcast on Dreamcast using a PS controller adapter and a real Sony controller, MGS in epsxe on a fast PC with texture smoothing, MGS Integral on PC, and MGS Twin Snakes on GameCube. I've played it all the way through as MGS on PS, MGS Integral on PC, and MGS Twin Snakes on the GameCube. (Too many quirks in the emulated versions on PC and DC.) I love the game.

The troll above you "shows his ignorance" when he calls Twin Snakes the exact same game as what was on the PS and the PC. I like all the games in the MG and MGS series (except Snake's Revenge, which was not a true sequel and relied too much on fighting and not enough on stealth, and I have very serious doubts that I'll like Metal Gear Acid at all), and let me tell you, Twin Snakes is something all MGS fans should experience. The AI, graphics, and logical flow of the game are so much better than in MGS/MGS Integral that there's no comparison: Twin Snakes is the definitive version to play nowadays. If you've played MGS before, in any form, you will find enough cool surprises to want to play it again. (Like, look UNDER the truck where you find the SOCOM). :) If you're new to the series, you're starting at the right point with MGS Twin Snakes.

I liked the enhanced GameCube Resident Evil for the same reasons, but I was never a huge fan of the PS original. I've played through the director's cut on PS, RE2 and RE3 on Dreamcast, and Code Veronica X and RE Zero on GameCube. I've also tried the N64 version of RE2 and rented RE for GameCube (will probably buy it now that it's $20 in the U.S.) I will buy RE4 for GameCube when it comes out in 2 weeks, because the demo has HOOKED me like no other RE game has ever done. In fact, I'm more excited about RE4 for GCN than I was about MGS3 for PS2 before I got it, and I usually like MGS more than Resident Evil.
Re:Even so, by zeno_2 · 2005-01-02 17:43 · Score: 1

I wouldn't consider anything made after Final Fantasy 7 a "real" Final Fantasy game either.
Re:Even so, by badasscat · 2005-01-02 18:57 · Score: 5, Insightful

Move along, nothing to see in this article. I mean, did anybody actually read it? It starts off like this:

A while ago Argos reduced the price of the GameCube console because they wished to get rid of their stock. After an incredible increase in sales they decided to carry on stocking it, but seem as if they wish to get rid of it now.

Let's all ponder that for a minute. "A while ago" Argos "wished" to get rid of their stock, and now they "wish" to get rid of it again. The trouble is, people just keep buying the stupid things! Poor Argos, their wish just never comes true! Those pesky customers just will not stop giving them their money.

Seriously, though, two points:

1. This is not new. The article itself says Argos first did this "a while ago", meaning (since this author can't seem to remember exactly) in 2003.

2. The rest of this article is nothing but speculation. "it is worrying that retailers are seemingly giving up on the GameCube" is an opinion based on an assumption based on nothing. The article itself says that prices were reduced previously and yet GameCubes are still on sale - why not assume this is simply a sales-generating tactic that's now been used repeatedly? Do stores never have loss-leader sales in the UK? (Rhetorical question - they obviously do, because Argos did it before with the GameCube.)

Nintendo's in a lot better shape than people seem to think they are. Just read their financial reports and look at the worldwide sales data (it's out there, though Europe's the toughest to come by - NPD and MediaCreate reports are pretty easily obtainable from various sources, though). They're profitable and they've got the #2 home console and #1, #2 and #3 handhelds in terms of current worldwide sales.
Re:Even so, by blahplusplus · 2005-01-03 05:37 · Score: 1

Again your still missing the point, you're the troll here. The game didn't sell well and thats not good news for capcom releasing games for Nintendo systems period. Being a hardcore player of MGS, you are in the minority not the majority.
Re:Even so, by WhyCause · 2005-01-03 16:09 · Score: 1

And FF crystal chronicles was not a final fantasy game in the slightest. ... It was a total cash in attempt.
A cash-in, yes, but not just to get money out of GameCube owners. The previous Nintendo president dictated to Square that if they wanted to develop for the GBA (which they really, really did) they would have to also develop for the GC, and include GC to GBA connectivity. I believe that Nintendo even fronted some of the development money for Crystal Chronicles via a jointly owned (Square and Nintendo) dev studio.
The current Nintedo administration has realized that the connectivity aspect is a dead horse, and has stopped beating it. Personally, I'm waiting for the rumored DS Crystal Chronicles to see if it requires other players (as the GC version more or less did), as I do not have gamer friends interested in long play sessions.

I still find it amusing... by Anonymous Coward · 2005-01-02 11:52 · Score: 0, Insightful

...that with all the bad press the GameCube gets, it's still sold more units worldwide than the Xbox.

I guess it's true that money can buy you whatever you want, and in this case Microsoft has bought public perception...

Re:I still find it amusing... by tsalem · 2005-01-02 11:59 · Score: 2, Insightful

Maybe that's because the Gamecube's cheaper than the Xbox, and parents buying a system for their kids would opt for a Gamecube instead, cause of the lower prices?

MS didn't buy anything, their console is succesful with excellent first-party games and third-party support, something the Gamecube lacks.
Re:I still find it amusing... by Jane_the_Great · 2005-01-02 12:06 · Score: 0

" Maybe that's because the Gamecube's cheaper than the Xbox, and parents buying a system for their kids would opt for a Gamecube instead, cause of the lower prices?"
Well, without any actual data on the age of the primary user of the Gamecubes sold, you're really just pulling that idea out of thin air. And I would argue that your statement that MS didn't buy anything is incorrect. The sales of the XBox for quite a long time relied upon Halo as the killer app - produced by a company that MS bought.
Furthermore, your assertion that the Gamecube lacks "excellent first-party games and third-party support" is incorrect. I think most gamers can clearly recognize that Nintendo has produced some excellent games for the Gamecube. And companies other than Nintendo have made games for the Gamecube - thus third party support exists. You did not quantify your "third-party support" assertion and therefore, it is false. Finally, Nintendo is making money. The MS games division is not.

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Re:I still find it amusing... by clu76 · 2005-01-02 12:06 · Score: 4, Interesting

MS didn't buy anything, their console is succesful with excellent first-party games and third-party support, something the Gamecube lacks.

I own an Xbox. And I still recognize that Microsoft bought their way into the market. They took huge losses selling their product below cost and on an extremely aggressive advertising campaign. They bought Bungie which made Halo and Halo 2, their best sellers. And Nintendo is still king of first-party games, being the second largest publisher of games in 2003.

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Re:I still find it amusing... by buffer-overflowed · 2005-01-02 12:14 · Score: -1, Redundant

Wha? You're nuts. Microsoft's first/second party development doesn't hold a candle to Nintendo's, and they're about tied when it comes to 3rd party exclusive development(which is to say, both screwed by Sony[Something 3rd party does well, it's getting ported to the PS2!]).

And yea, I think they(MS) did buy something. Looking at sales of a number of things like Burnout 2, the worst selling platform was kept(XBox), while the 2nd best selling version was dropped.

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Re:I still find it amusing... by dackroyd · 2005-01-02 13:41 · Score: 1

MS didn't buy anything.

Microsoft has officially confirmed details of its acquisition of Rare Ltd this evening at X02 in Seville. The deal, worth $375 million, will see five Xbox exclusives titles including a sequel to Perfect Dark appearing in the next 12-24 months.

Oh you obviously meant they didn't spend more than 2% of their cash reserve.

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"Free software as in beer, copy protection as in racket" - Telsa Gwynne
Re:I still find it amusing... by Mortlath · 2005-01-02 14:17 · Score: 1

Quote: "The MS games division is not."
Just because MS is not making money on the consoles themselves, does not mean that the game division isn't making money.
They make money from games and licencing fees. I believe that this is the case for Sony as well with their PS2.
The money is in the games and licensing.
Re:I still find it amusing... by Jane_the_Great · 2005-01-02 15:08 · Score: 1, Interesting

The net loss on the console sales is greater than the net gain on the software sales according to the most recent financial report from MS.

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Re:I still find it amusing... by skyman8081 · 2005-01-02 18:09 · Score: 1

The article say there will be a new perfect dark game 12 to 24 months from the announcement. It was published in 2002.
Where is it? I guess I should try to finish the first one, before the second one comes out. (I hate area 51)

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Re:I still find it amusing... by NanoGator · 2005-01-02 19:52 · Score: 1

"They make money from games and licencing fees. I believe that this is the case for Sony as well with their PS2"

I'm really curious to know if MS has made the 2+ billion they spent on it back or not. Even if they don't, I imagine they'll make it up in the next gen. It's an interesting gamble. I'm curious to see how things end up in a few years.

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"Derp de derp."
Re:I still find it amusing... by Fred+Or+Alive · 2005-01-02 20:32 · Score: 1

Unfortionatley it doesn't appear to be selling that well in the UK, which is all that really matters for UK retailers. You can go on about it being second worldwide, but for Argos, and Woolworths (my local store appeared to be dropping the GameCube, just like the article says), it's UK sales that count.

All these retailers making noise about dropping it can't be good. The cube is definatley the console that's disappearing slowly from the UK market. IMO.

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Re:I still find it amusing... by gl4ss · 2005-01-02 21:50 · Score: 1

ok.. first of all.. ms basically 'bought' the whole machine(which is why it got relatively fast to the market - but which is also why it's big, bulky and expensive to create in large numbers compared to the others).

second of all.. they more than 'bought' the number 1 title for it that kept it going.

anything "first party" for ms just means "ms bought the creators a while before the game release to gain exclusivity".

or did they port ms flight sim to xbox - the one thing that could be considered first party?

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world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
Re:I still find it amusing... by Anonymous Coward · 2005-01-02 23:33 · Score: 0

Haha, consider this a liberal reply.
Re:I still find it amusing... by unclethursday · 2005-01-02 23:59 · Score: 1

Just because MS is not making money on the consoles themselves, does not mean that the game division isn't making money.
False. Go to the SEC website and check Microsoft's quarterly and anual financial reports. The Xbox division is part of the Home and Entertainment Division... and since the Xbox was launched in november of 2001, the Home and Entertainment division has lost over $2 billion.
Since the Home and Entertainment Division is not making more money than they are spending, and the Xbox and its games account for most of that divisions revenues and losses, it is quite clear to anyone who knows basic algebra, that Microsoft is not making any money on the Xbox.
Microsoft's last quarterly report clearly shows another loss on the Home and Entertainment Division for the quarter ending Setember 30, 2004 of $126 million on earnings from the division of $601 million. They didn't lose as much money as the same quarter of 2003 ($181 million lost), but they still lose over $100 million... yet again. If you check over their past few quarterly reports, you'll easily see the Home and Entertainment division losing over $100 million per quarter, pretty much consistently for over a year now, with a few of those quarters topping $200 million lost and one or two going over $300 million lost.
The money is in the games and licensing.
Yes, it is. Too bad Microsoft isn't actually making any money off of these things. If it wasn't for Windows and Office, they wouldn't be making the billions they make... although MSN showed a profit again, which is rare.
Re:I still find it amusing... by Anonymous Coward · 2005-01-03 00:25 · Score: 0

Agreed. I work in the entertainment section of Smiths. We have shelves of PS2 titles, shelves of XBox titles, shelves of PC titles, a stand of GBA titles - and a little dusty corner with a couple of Gamecube titles that nobody ever looks at. It doesn't take fashionable Nintendo-bashing to deduce that the Gamecube is not doing very well here.
Re:I still find it amusing... by squiggleslash · 2005-01-03 01:25 · Score: 1

Give it time, man, give it time. Microsoft are doing their thing, the console game makers their's, and it's all good. Microsoft just has to build the base, that creates the momentum; then game sales will truly become the ying to Microsoft's yang. You have to remember that the larger the sales for the console in the short term, the larger the loss for Microsoft, but the better the long term prospects for profitability become.
We're not talking about the Iraq war here: Microsoft knew what it was getting into, it wasn't blinded by ideology, it did the calculations, and most importantly, nobody's ever died because of Microsoft's X-Box strategy.
So relax. Let it happen. What they're doing isn't hurting you, there's no need to be mean or critical about it.

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Re:I still find it amusing... by Jane_the_Great · 2005-01-03 02:05 · Score: 1

"So relax. Let it happen. What they're doing isn't hurting you, there's no need to be mean or critical about it."
Pardon me? Where was I critical or mean? Someone said something that was blatantly wrong and I corrected him.

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THIS ACCOUNT IS OFFICIALLY RETIRED/RETARDED.
Re:I still find it amusing... by dackroyd · 2005-01-03 03:50 · Score: 1

The conventional wisdom is that it will now be a launch title on the xbox 2 possibly along with the next conkers game.

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"Free software as in beer, copy protection as in racket" - Telsa Gwynne
Re:I still find it amusing... by Anonymous Coward · 2005-01-03 19:20 · Score: 0

Can someone get a tally on the total marketing budget for Halo 2? Yeah, like that was gonna be a sleeper hit.
Re:I still find it amusing... by realityfighter · 2005-01-03 19:33 · Score: 1

Yeah...Every time I check out the clearance bin at Fry's, it's always a sea of green cases. These games are selling for ostensibly less than the cost of getting them on the shelves, minus the retailer's cut. I don't see how anyone other than Fry's makes money off them. (Although I imagine some of them were intended for the bargain bin in the first place. It's a legitimate market niche, after all.)

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A strain of paranoid prevention can be worse than the disease, whate'er the intention.

Now's the time. by tsalem · 2005-01-02 11:54 · Score: 5, Interesting

If you live in the UK, I think now would be the best time to get a Gamecube, if you haven't already. At the current price at Argos, it's selling for cheaper than it is in the US (correct my if I'm wrong, I'm aware of the difference between the pound and the dollar).

There are a good deal of games worth getting for the system that you can find for cheap noawadays. Matroid, the Mario/Luigi games, Zelda Wind Waker, Star Wars, Smash Brothers Melee, amongst others. As an earlier poster stated, they might raise the prices again, so get 'em while they're cheap.

Re:Now's the time. by general_re · 2005-01-02 12:14 · Score: 3, Informative

At the current price at Argos, it's selling for cheaper than it is in the US (correct my if I'm wrong, I'm aware of the difference between the pound and the dollar).
No, you're right. Despite the weak dollar, at the current interbank exchange rate £39.99 is worth $76.76 - most US retailers are still at the $99 point, IIRC. Of course, back before the dollar started its slide, it would have been around $60. ;)

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ABSURDITY, n.: A statement or belief manifestly inconsistent with one's own opinion.
Re:Now's the time. by abdulla · 2005-01-02 13:03 · Score: 1

You can pick one up in Australia for $99, the system and games are cheap everywhere here. I'm thinking of getting one myself, they're heaps of fun.
Re:Now's the time. by Anonymous Coward · 2005-01-03 05:53 · Score: 0

http://www.xe.com/

converts all of your international money into just about anything... dollar's at about 52p right now.
Re:Now's the time. by YOU+LIKEWISE+FAIL+IT · 2005-01-03 09:53 · Score: 1

Indeed - they've hit a price point now where not only is it not even economically viable on a pure fiscal basis to buy second hand, but that new shelf units are cheaper than they're selling for in many pawn shops.

However - the "mass" market here in .au seems to be drying up as well, I wandered into a Harvey Norman the other day while I was killing time at a mall, and found they'd silently dropped 'Cube from the lineup.

I sold my XBox and used the proceeds to buy a cube and a handful of accessories and games for it a few months ago after the good experiences of playing my ex-flatmates girlfriends one - I consider it a very worthwhile switch.

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One god, one market, one truth, one consumer.

A pity by sycomonkey · 2005-01-02 11:56 · Score: 4, Insightful

It would be really sad if what caused the failure of Nintendo was not them loosing money, or them not having fans, but companies being short sighted enough to drop support for Nintendo simply because it's not selling as well as Xbox and PS2 stuff. As it is Nintendo could live enitrely on it's fanbase for an indefinate period of time, but if you can't walk into a store and buy the games, then it doesn't matter how many much money you're making. If it ever comes to those dark times, hopefully Nintendo will have the forsight to just open up an online store, or start their own chain of Nintendo stores. Or both.

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--The universe will not be altered by forum threads, even those which are very wry. --Tycho Brahe (Penny Arcade)

Re:A pity by verrucagnome · 2005-01-02 12:03 · Score: 1

It would be really sad if what caused the failure of Nintendo was not them loosing money, or them not having fans, but companies being short sighted enough to drop support for Nintendo simply because it's not selling as well as Xbox and PS2
Um, surely: Not selling well = Losing money + not having fans? Some mistake?
Re:A pity by xgamer04 · 2005-01-02 12:13 · Score: 1, Informative

[Nintendo is] not selling as well as Xbox and PS2 stuff.

Hmm, really? The numbers disagree

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When you look at the state of the world, how can you not become a radical, liberal anarchist?
Re:A pity by Jane_the_Great · 2005-01-02 12:15 · Score: 2, Insightful

Just because the system isn't selling as well as the PS2 or XBox does not mean that Nintendo is losing money. With the already installed user base, Nintendo can make profits from sales of the games they release. So, your "equation" is wrong.
But that should be pretty obvious to anyone who knows the profit margins on console hardware in comparison to console software.
On a note in regards to the grandparent - Nintendo fans can always go to Nintendo's website and order the products they want if their local retailer stops carrying Nintendo products.

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Re:A pity by Jane_the_Great · 2005-01-02 12:19 · Score: 1

From the article you link to: "An editorial by Sam Altersitz - 2004-02-29"
Isn't it 2005? If you're going to refute the parent, at least get some recent sales numbers.
I'm not saying that you are incorrect in refuting the parent. It seems like MS has been moving quite a few units during the holidays but who knows - it's very difficult to get accurate sales figures in regards to consoles. One thing I can say for sure is that the Gamecube is outselling the XBox in Japan.

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Re:A pity by Stoo · 2005-01-02 12:25 · Score: 1

Hmm, really? The numbers disagree

Those numbers are for what country?

Nintendo isn't as strong in the UK as it is in the US. The PlayStation series has always been a bigger seller.
Re:A pity by xgamer04 · 2005-01-02 12:35 · Score: 0, Troll

Those numbers are for what country?

Oh crap, I posted a link on /. . My bad, I forgot 99% of people don't RTFA. The article points out that the reason businesses drop support for Nintendo is because of the huge stigma that is leveraged toward them in the press.

The PlayStation series has always been a bigger seller.

The Playstation consoles have been bigger sellers WORLDWIDE, but only during their existence. I would doubt, however, that they sold better during the NES and early SNES days.

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When you look at the state of the world, how can you not become a radical, liberal anarchist?
Re:A pity by Malevolyn · 2005-01-02 12:38 · Score: 1

Anyway. Nintendo does have a very solid user base, me included, but people are starting to slip, me included again. I've all but dropped buying games for my GameCube until the new Zelda game is released.

Nintendo's problem was discussed in an earlier article. Personally, I think Nintendo's being naive.

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Re:A pity by NanoGator · 2005-01-02 12:53 · Score: 0, Redundant

"Just because the system isn't selling as well as the PS2 or XBox does not mean that Nintendo is losing money. With the already installed user base, Nintendo can make profits from sales of the games they release. So, your "equation" is wrong."

It's also worth noting that we're talking about 1 region here, not the entire world. As I recall, XBOX wasn't doing so well in Japan.

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"Derp de derp."
Re:A pity by Anonymous Coward · 2005-01-02 13:02 · Score: 0

It seems like anyone who replies to you gets a rather rude reply. Why are you so angry? Is there something going on in your personal life that is leading to these rude posts on Slashdot? Or was there some childhood trauma that is preventing you from behaving like a reasonable adult and replying to comments without resorting to attacking people personally. Honestly, perhaps you should take a break from Slashdot - it seems like you're coming unhinged.
Re:A pity by Freexe · 2005-01-02 13:12 · Score: 2, Interesting

In Japan the sales figues were (official Media Create figures):
XBOX - 37,083 GameCube - 696,839 PlayStation 2 - 2,691,666
But that doesn't include include DS and Gameboy figures which add up to almost 4 million units in Japan alone. Nintendo doesnt spend as much as Sony and Mircosoft so they dont need to make as much. I'm sure they still turn a healthy profit.

They also have 7/10 of the best selling games of the year.

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"In a time of universal deceit - telling the truth is a revolutionary act." - George Orwell
Re:A pity by Anonymous Coward · 2005-01-02 16:22 · Score: 0

The article points out that the reason businesses drop support for Nintendo is because of the huge stigma that is leveraged toward them in the press.
Hmm... Didn't that start around when the Xbox came out? Grumble...
Re:A pity by sycomonkey · 2005-01-02 18:11 · Score: 1

No. That didn't come out right. They ARE amking money and they DO have fans, I'm one of them. I meant that if either of those happened, yes, I could see them going under, but it would be stupid to have them be defeated by corperate stupidity.

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--The universe will not be altered by forum threads, even those which are very wry. --Tycho Brahe (Penny Arcade)

it not selling so get rid of it.... by johnjones · 2005-01-02 11:58 · Score: 1, Interesting

simple really if you had a lot of stock and the sales where low/nonexistant what would you do ?

nintendo cube sales are not good in the highstreet

frankly all the kids I know have playstation / playstation 2 or xbox

what is going to be intresting is the price of a GameBoy after PSP is released

regards

john jones

PAL neglection by dutt · 2005-01-02 12:13 · Score: 5, Insightful

Since Nintendo has neglected the PAL market by not releasing close to the amount of titles for the gamecube, this doesn't really come as a big surprise.

What would surprise me though, is if Nintendo just would let this pass without action.

It's still expensive here... by sH4RD · 2005-01-02 12:15 · Score: 1

It's still 79.99 when I checked online, and that is ~$150 here in America. I can pick them up for $100. So, number one, why are they more expensive in the UK, and number two, why did the price go back up?

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Re:It's still expensive here... by nmec · 2005-01-02 12:25 · Score: 1

Firstly you have to take into account that the pound is very strong against the dollar at the moment and secondly they haven't gone back up, at least they haven't here as was mentioned in the article
Re:It's still expensive here... by Anonymous Coward · 2005-01-02 14:54 · Score: 0

here in canada standard price is about $100 for a new gamecube... thats like $81 USD i think
MrBig
Re:It's still expensive here... by The+Islamic+Fundamen · 2005-01-02 17:49 · Score: -1

Hmm, I looked in the Future Shop Boxing Week Sale flyer and it advertised the cube for 89.99. And thats in Canadian Pesos.....

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TROLL by xgamer04 · 2005-01-02 12:22 · Score: 0, Troll

do not reply, etc

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When you look at the state of the world, how can you not become a radical, liberal anarchist?

Re:TROLL by Anonymous Coward · 2005-01-02 12:31 · Score: -1, Troll

xgamer04@yahoo.com
xgamer04@yahoo.com
xgamer04@yahoo.com
xgamer04@yahoo.com

Why would you call someone a troll just because they're smarter than you? That's perplexing, you moron.
Re:TROLL by Anonymous Coward · 2005-01-02 14:54 · Score: 0

do not reply, etc xxxxxxx@@@yahoo.com

Posting his e-mail address publicly, in hopes that spammers will pick it up, just because you don't like what the guy's saying?

Reply with something sensible to refute what he's saying; wait for someone to mod him down; or don't post at all. What you're doing is disgusting.
Re:TROLL by Anonymous Coward · 2005-01-02 15:11 · Score: 0

He did it first. Tell him to reply with something sensible rather than posting meaningless posts that just call people trolls.
Re:TROLL by Anonymous Coward · 2005-01-02 18:37 · Score: 0

Ooooooh, go cry to your mommy!

Does this really come as a suprise to anyone? by Dragoon412 · 2005-01-02 12:32 · Score: 2, Interesting

First off, a bit of a disclaimer: I own all 3 current consoles, and I enjoy them all. ...but let's be honest. I own, oh, say 20 games for my PS2. Mostly RPGs, plus Armored Core and a handful of others.

For the Xbox, I own about 15 games. Obviously, Halo, Halo 2... plus MechAssault 2, Breakdown, Burnout 3, Soul Calibur, Rainbow 6, Splinter Cell 2... Anything cross-platform, I get on the Xbox.

For the Gamecube? I have 2 games. Smash Bros and Mario Kart. I had Metroid Prime and Echoes - both were great the first time through for all of a few hours. Wind Waker? Lame concept - Link shouldn't be a fat little kid, but all and all a pretty decent game. Mario Sunshine? It may as well have been called random_generic_platformer01.

That's the problem with Nintendo: Nintendo is the problem with Nintendo.

The Gamecube has awesome hardware. It's without a doubt the coolest console from a hardware perspective. It has damned near Xbox-level performance in a much smaller, sleeker package. The controller? The Wavebird is the best controller ever made (with the Xbox controller S coming in second). From a hardware perspective, it makes the PS2 (and those godawful Dual Shock controllers) seem downright amateurish, and the Xbox seem like it was designed by a neaderthal.

But the PS2 has fantastic 3rd party support, with fairly solid first party support.

Xbox has lacking 3rd party support, but is great for cross-platform games because of its power, and Xbox Live makes all the difference in the world.

Nintendo? They have some of the most solid first-party support ever, but their first party games either...

A) have absolute SHIT for replayability; many of Nintendo's first-party games are definitely worth a rental, but not worth buying. Or...

B) Require that you have multiple friends over to really get the most out of (a design tendancy that obviously favors the younger Hey, come over to my place after school crowd).

Meanwhile, Nintendo's 3rd-party support is virtually non-existant. Their artistic style is almost hopelessly skewed towards Disney animation (and while there's nothing necessarily wrong with that, it's sort of limiting the scope of games that can be made - I mean, just think: if Pirates of the Carribean replaced Depp and co. with a bunch of animated characters styled after the 7 dwarves, would it really have the same flavor?)

So what this console race winds up looking like is Sony's kicking everyones' asses because of their fantastic 3rd party support, Microsoft's hanging in there because of a few awesome games and Xbox Live, and Nintendo's taking the most awesome console to date, and trying to sell it by whoring their own characters out more than a $5 Vegas hooker. Sure, sure, they're "innovative" but have you ever noticed how every time you want to take advantage of one of Nintendo's "innovations" you wind up having to buy a new peripheral?

The best thing Nintendo could do, in my eyes, anyways, is stick to making hardware (because they do a damned fine job of that), license their stable of franchises out to 3rd parties (I mean, just look what Retro managed with Metroid Prime - those fucktards at Nintendo let their most adult-oriented franchise just rot for years and years, cranking out the odd Super Metroid clone on the GBA, and then Retro takes it off their hands and makes one of the best consoles games ever), and try to build a functional platform behind their console; something like Xbox Live.

In the mean time, yeah, the Gamecube may sell as well as the Xbox, but I'd hazard a guess that your average Xbox owner is buying a lot more games than your average Gamecube owner. Maybe that is why stores are dropping it.

Re:Does this really come as a suprise to anyone? by Craig+Maloney · 2005-01-02 12:56 · Score: 5, Informative
I think you missed a few great games for the GC:
- Pikmin: Arguably one of the better concepts to come out of gaming.
- Viewtiful Joe: Yeah, it's now out for the other consoles, but it's still a great game. Not sure of the other consoles can compare with this title on the GC.
- Soul Calibur II: Each platform has their own special character. For the GC, it was Link. Link actually manages to make a good showing on this console.
- Harvest Moon: Might not be everyone's cup of tea, but it's the most fun farming you'll ever have.
- Puyo Pop Fever: I think this is now on all of the platforms, though.
- Rogue Squadron II: Star Wars done right.
- F-Zero: Great racing game.
I'm no Nintendo apologist by any stretch of the imagination (the GC is the first Nontendo console I'll actually have in my house) but they've put out some great games for it. The PS2 and the XBox have some great exclusive titles, and the cross-platform titles are a bit better on those systems, but the GC does have a lot going for it. The GC has a lot in common with the Dreamcast when it's all said and done, and that's unfortunate, because both systems have excellent hardware, excellent software, and are so completely not to American gamer tastes.
Re:Does this really come as a suprise to anyone? by NanoGator · 2005-01-02 13:02 · Score: 0, Redundant

"The best thing Nintendo could do, in my eyes, anyways, is stick to making hardware (because they do a damned fine job of that), license their stable of franchises out to 3rd parties (I mean, just look what Retro managed with Metroid Prime - those fucktards at Nintendo let their most adult-oriented franchise just rot for years and years, cranking out the odd Super Metroid clone on the GBA, and then Retro takes it off their hands and makes one of the best consoles games ever), and try to build a functional platform behind their console; something like Xbox Live."

Ouch. Talk about recipe for disaster.

A.) Nintendo makes its own hardware because it can afford to with all the first party titles it sells. Metroid Prime is cool and all, but it's hardly an indication that 3rd parties could, in general, carry Miyamoto's torch. So they'd lose money and there's a weaker guarantee of quality.

B.) XBOX live isn't making Microsoft any real money, nor is Sony's on-line service. If Nintendo provided one, they'd be lucky to get half a million subscribers. Lots of people want on-line pay, few actually want to pay $x per month for it.

C.) It'd be nice for Nintendo to get more 3rd party support. But there is a point of diminishing returns. I'll never forget when the PS1 first released. It had a TON of games on the shelves. Nearly all of them were CRAP. I was surprised that Sony hadn't created another 'Atari' here by flooding the market with a bunch of me-too -look-at-me-because-Im-3D games. I'm not saying it'd hurt Nintendo to have more 3rd party games, but if Sony and Nintendo got into "let's see how much we can cram the shelves" war, there'd be a serious risk of people just not caring anymore. (Just like what happened with the Atari 2600)

Nintendo's not in its death throes by any stretch of the imagination. But I do agree with you that they need to work harder to broaden their appeal. I just wanted you to know that, I'm not trying to shoot down your entire point. Just saying I don't agree with your plan.

--
"Derp de derp."
Re:Does this really come as a suprise to anyone? by Dragoon412 · 2005-01-02 14:21 · Score: 1

You make a few good points. I actually intended to mention, though, that I've played just about all the big-name titles on the GCN. But I've been bitten in the ass about buying Nintendo games before; I always pay full price, beat them in a week or two, and then leave them there, collecting dust for months before I trade them in for something else. Cheaper to just rent.

Pikmin didn't seem like a bad game at all, but it just didn't grab me. I thought F-Zero was a terrible racing game that was way too difficult to boot. Viewtiful Joe was a lot of fun, but the difficulty level was a bit high. Harvest Moon, well, I didn't like it on the SNES, so I didn't bother, here. And Soul Calibur 2, while I completely agree is cool, I've already got on the Xbox.

The Dreamcast comparison is a good one, though. I had a Dreamcast. PSO was (and remains) one of my favorite games (yes, I had it on the GCN and the Xbox, but the rampant cheating online made it unplayable, and the fact that it was nothing but a port, as opposed to an update, really irked me) - I had my Dreamcast essentially just for PSO, and practically nothing else on the console interested me. I've never thought of it before, but you're right, it reminds me a lot of the GCN. At least Nintendo's got a good controller, though. ;) ...although, it's kind of funny (and sad) -- the Dreamcast had more online functionality 4 years ago than the GCN's had to date.

One other reason I think Nintendo really dropped the ball: Squaresoft.

Nintendo finally gets Square to make a game for the GCN, and instead of a new Sieken Densetsu, or a new franchise, or a new Final Fantasy Tactics, they release that absolutely abhorrent Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles. The gameplay was amazingly shallow and repetative. It was one of the worst (not buggy or unprofessional, I mean just plain bad) single player games I've ever played, and the GBA connectivity "feature" was the kiss of death. I mean, had it been an actual feature (instead of a requirement), it could've been fun, but having the game designed from the ground up around multiplayer with multiple GBAs and link cables is, I believe, the reason the game was so shockingly bad.

Nintendo needs to strive to be more like they were in the SNES days... better third party support, less derrivative crap from their first party titles, and fewer failed peripherals and gimmicks.

*sigh*

Sorry for the rant, just frustrated with Nintendo, now that I'm thinking about it. ;)
Re:Does this really come as a suprise to anyone? by geminidomino · 2005-01-02 15:21 · Score: 1

Viewtiful Joe - Capcom
SC II - Namco
Puyo Pop Fever - Sega
Rogue Leader - Lucasarts

Those wouldn't be first-party games.
Re:Does this really come as a suprise to anyone? by Anonymous Coward · 2005-01-02 15:43 · Score: 1, Interesting

Your experiences are definitely not invalid, but they simply don't represent what I see regularly at my shop.

What I see are guys who have PS2s for the exclusives only. Most (mind you, this is a domestic & import game shop with not-so-low prices, so the people that shop there obviously dedicate some conscious time to "being gamers" beyond your typical Wal-Mart game shopper) also have at least one other current console, and almost all also have GBAs. Most often, the two consoles that my two-console shoppers own are PS2 and GameCube, while the PS2/Xbox combo isn't as prevalent. In fact, it's less than the number of GameCube/Xbox combo owners I've noticed, but those guys tend to be weird anti-Sony elitists. :^)

PS2 games sell the most, obviously, just because of the number of PS2s out there, but multi-platform games show a surprising trend. For certain games that have a Japanese origin/influence, the GameCube versions will often sell better. I don't ask why, but I think people just like buying games for their GameCubes, based on the way they talk. Like, we've sold way more copies of Viewtiful Joe 1 & 2, Mega Man Anniversary, and Mega Man X Command Mission for GameCube than for PS2. A _lot_ more. I think some gamers have a weird concept of titles that "belong" on such and such console. For domestic releases of Western games, the Xbox version sometimes ties (but doesn't often surpass) the sales of the PS2 versions of those games. Again, I don't ask why, since it seems like the Xbox is _the_ "Western" console. Maybe such gamers just tend to own PS2s more than Xboxes, for whatever reason. And yes, early imports of Nintendo titles always sell well for Cube, GBA, and DS, prior to U.S. launch. We always stock up.

As for console sales, we sell a lot of modded/unmodded PS2s, modded/unmodded Xboxes, and unswitched GameCubes. Nobody ever buys our switchable GameCubes, but our supplies of Freeloaders and Action Replays have a very high tie-in with our GameCubes, even more when we used to import and sell spice and special-edition GameCubes from Japan. If we count modded systems, we sell more Xboxes than GameCubes (disclaimer: we never pre-install games or emulators, even when offered money to do it!), but if we count unmodded systems, we sell quite a few more unswitched GameCubes than unmodded Xboxes every week, with almost no exceptions. We still sell more unmodded PS2s though. And we always get requests about HDLoader/HDAdvance, though we've never stocked them. I'll let you guys figure out why unmodded GameCubes sell so well despite the weird pirate-ability of the other two consoles, especially at a store that does mods/switches and deals in (admittedly expensive) import games.

So no, as a U.S. retailer, WE would never drop GameCube. Not when it's become a huge cornerstone of what we offer in the current generation. And while your analysis of Nintendo's hardware ingenuity is spot-on (we like it), I disagree that Nintendo's first-party software is anything other than THE biggest reason to own a GameCube. Because that's exactly the biggest reason that Nintendo systems leave our doors so frequently, with third party games following in good tow afterwards. Nintendo's first-party popularity drives system sales, creating a market that is receptive to third-party offerings, therefore profitable for all around. It's not Nintendo competing with third parties for game sales, it's making sure that people own the platform so third parties can leverage that penetration. So when a Nintendo title seems "out there," just remember that the third-parties can provide the same-old same-old, if that's what you want. But the people who might buy THOSE games are attracted by the Nintendo quirks.
Re:Does this really come as a suprise to anyone? by Ondo · 2005-01-02 16:29 · Score: 1

The best thing Nintendo could do, in my eyes, anyways, is stick to making hardware (because they do a damned fine job of that), license their stable of franchises out to 3rd parties (I mean, just look what Retro managed with Metroid Prime - those fucktards at Nintendo let their most adult-oriented franchise just rot for years and years, cranking out the odd Super Metroid clone on the GBA, and then Retro takes it off their hands and makes one of the best consoles games ever), and try to build a functional platform behind their console; something like Xbox Live.

Nintendo is, to some extent, licensing out their franchises. Capcom has made three Zelda titles, Sega made F-Zero GX, and Namco is working on a Star Fox game. While Metroid Prime was great, Retro didn't "take it off their hands"; the programming and art was Retro's, the music was Nintendo's, but the design was a collaboration. It wouldn't have been as good a game without Miyamoto's influence.

And Nintendo didn't "crank out the odd Super Metroid clone on the GBA". They've made two, and the first came out at pretty much the same time as Prime.
Re:Does this really come as a suprise to anyone? by Wylfing · 2005-01-02 17:43 · Score: 1

I see you got your karma for fashionably bashing the Nintendo and GameCube. It reminds me a lot of the 1980s when "real men" running MS-DOS 4.0 gleefully bashed the "babies" who used Macintosh.

--
Our intelligent designer has never created an animal that we couldn't improve by strapping a bomb to it.
Re:Does this really come as a suprise to anyone? by DarkZero · 2005-01-02 20:20 · Score: 1

Nintendo? They have some of the most solid first-party support ever, but their first party games either...

A) have absolute SHIT for replayability; many of Nintendo's first-party games are definitely worth a rental, but not worth buying. Or...

B) Require that you have multiple friends over to really get the most out of (a design tendancy that obviously favors the younger Hey, come over to my place after school crowd).

I think the problem is that Nintendo isn't aiming at your demographic. They're aiming for the sort of casual gamers and young children that would be put off by something like Metal Gear Solid 3, due to its enormous amount of cutscenes, numerous complex systems, and complicated button controls (Hold Circle + Hold Circle and R1 together + Hold Circle, R1, and Square together = use a guard as a human shield, anyone?). For Nintendo's intended demographic, Nintendo's games ARE a buy, as they're a game that they'll enjoy for a good, long while, and might even be entertained enough to play again.

The problem is that while there's a fairly large niche of casual gamers in Japan, there isn't in America. Games that would seem extremely hardcore to the casual gamer ARE the mainstream, million-selling titles here, to the point where there isn't even any room for games like Nintendo's. Hell, a couple of years ago, the most popular game for a year straight was Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec, a complicated, unwieldy racing game with a decidedly user-unfriendly tuning system that required you to actually know a little bit about cars, or at least read an FAQ on it.
Re:Does this really come as a suprise to anyone? by Christopher+Cashell · 2005-01-02 22:31 · Score: 1

Curious. . .

I have all three consoles, too. Plus a Dreamcast. And of course, a PC.

I have 5 XBox games, about 15 PS2 games, about 10 Dreamcast games. . .

And 32 GameCube games.

There are a handful of awesome games on PS2, a couple of great ones for Xbox, and even a few for Dreamcast. But I've got over a dozen games on GameCube that I consider great.

It seems like the ratio of great games to average games is higher on GameCube. Xbox and PS2 are both about the same, but the PS2 has more great games by simple virtue of it having a *lot* more total games available.

I don't know what it is, but I simply seem to find more games that I truly enjoy on GameCube. To each their own, I suppose.

--
Topher
Re:Does this really come as a suprise to anyone? by Craig+Maloney · 2005-01-02 23:22 · Score: 1

See original post. Original poster stated there was no good third part support as well.
Re:Does this really come as a suprise to anyone? by Weirdofreak · 2005-01-02 23:30 · Score: 1

Retro is a subsidiary of Nintendo. I'm not sure whether that makes them first or second party (I'd guess first, like Sonic Team compared to Sega, but I really have no clue how these things work), but they aren't third. They were second when they began development on Prime, but got bought before it was finished.

To the GP: I don't have any other consoles, but I have 36 'Cube games. 10 or 12 (Prime and Echoes?) of them are first party, if I counted my bookmarks correctly. Granted I didn't buy all of them myself - my brothers also get some, so I haven't actually played the Sims (doesn't appeal to me, plus I have better uses for my 60 blocks), Rouge Squadron III (the second got boring quickly) or XIII (my brother bought it in France, not realising it would be in French), but that's still 33 that I enjoyed, if only for a short time in some cases. None of the first party titles has disappointed me. There are another two titles that I'd have if I wasn't still playing Echoes, one of which (Paper Mario 2) is first party. I also have seven (or nine if Prime and Echoes aren't first-party) second/third-party exclusives (I don't think any of them have been ported at any rate, although two of them are ports from the Dreamcast, and I missed out some which I wasn't sure about), one of which (Skies of Arcadia Legends) is among my favourite games to date. Nineteen games which I couldn't get on any other platform, and I regret none of them. Replay value is something that can be found in just about any game: leave it on the shelf for a while and eventually you'll want to play it again.

By contrast, there are very few Xbox exclusives which interest me. Halo/Halo 2, obviously, as well as Ninja Gaiden and possibly a few others I've forgotten, but by and large there aren't many that I can't get on Gamecube. If I had an Xbox I wouldn't just buy those of course, but if I attempt to look at this objectively, if I didn't have a 'Cube I think I'd still be interested in at least eight of the exclusives. PS2 has the Final Fantasy games as well as some other kick-ass RPGs, but there isn't much else for it that I'm interested in, and I'd rather have a system with a wider range of genres. I plan to get one at some point, but I can live without.
Re:Does this really come as a suprise to anyone? by ElleyKitten · 2005-01-02 23:36 · Score: 1

Nintendo finally gets Square to make a game for the GCN, and .... they release that absolutely abhorrent Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles. ... it could've been fun, but having the game designed from the ground up around multiplayer with multiple GBAs and link cables is, I believe, the reason the game was so shockingly bad.

The GBAs were not the reason it was bad, and it's not even that bad if you played it multiplayer. Legand of Zelda: Four Swords uses GBAs, and it's one of the best games I've ever played.

Maybe I'm just a silly fangirl, but I think the gamecube has better games than any other system. I've got a PS2 for Final Fantasy, and an XBox for Dead or Alive, but most of the rest of their game are either boring or are on Cube too. So I don't understand when people rant that the Cube doesn't have enough good games. Maybe I just like different things than other people.

--
"What is Internet Explorer 7? Are you saying we can't access the normal internet?" - I love tech support. Really.
Re:Does this really come as a suprise to anyone? by Zangief · 2005-01-03 00:38 · Score: 1

I've got 25 games on my gamecube. WindWaker is the best looking game this gen. Period. And a great game.

Live has what? 1 or 2 millions of users. It's irrelevant.
Re:Does this really come as a suprise to anyone? by pnice · 2005-01-03 07:46 · Score: 1

Do you sell Phantsy Star Online with the BBA for the Gamecube? Maybe people don't buy switched Gamecubes because they are using that to play their import/pirate games instead. ...probably not though.

--
My Xbox Live Gamer Card
Re:Does this really come as a suprise to anyone? by prockcore · 2005-01-03 14:54 · Score: 1

And I'm just the opposite.

I own all 3 consoles. I have 4 games for the xbox, 5 for the PS2, and over 40 for the gamecube.

Whenever there is a game available for all 3 consoles (like Tony Hawk games) I get the gamecube version because I like the controller better than the xbox controller, and because the PS2 version always looks like shit (and the PS2 controller is the worst of the 3).

3rd party games are almost always available for all 3 consoles, and the king of first-party games is Nintendo.

So honestly, I have no idea why anyone *wouldn't* want to get a gamecube.
Re:Does this really come as a suprise to anyone? by realityfighter · 2005-01-03 19:13 · Score: 1

I'd just like to say that I for one loved Crystal Chronicles. There was a period where my friends and I all got together - I think we had 4 GBAs between 9 people, and we rotated and played the hell out of it.

I could go on about blah blah modular leveling blah secret goals blah blah spell fusion, but really, you get my point. Great game. I highly recommend it if you can get all the equipment together.

--
A strain of paranoid prevention can be worse than the disease, whate'er the intention.

Down from £79.99 to £39.99? by dn15 · 2005-01-02 12:35 · Score: 1

Down from £79.99 to £39.99? Wow! I wish one of the US retailers would follow their lead in deciding that the GameCube isn't selling well enough. :P

Re:Down from £79.99 to £39.99? by Anonymous Coward · 2005-01-02 12:46 · Score: 0

down from ~$150 to ~$100? yes, a lead was followed. but you got who followed who wrong.
Re:Down from £79.99 to £39.99? by The+Milkman · 2005-01-02 13:04 · Score: 0

$150 -> $80
Nnnnnnggggghhhh....
Re:Down from £79.99 to £39.99? by dn15 · 2005-01-02 14:29 · Score: 1

$100 is still more than £39.99 (which converts to about $75.) Maybe the price dropped first in the US, but not as far. Now the ball's in the court of whatever store I might potentially visit to buy a GameCube. If they don't do something about it I just might have to fly to the UK for a cheaper gaming system. :P

TROLL by Anonymous Coward · 2005-01-02 12:41 · Score: 0

do not reply, etc

xgamer04@yahoo.com

I can't blame them... by nicksthings · 2005-01-02 12:47 · Score: -1, Troll

Last time I checked my sales mix, Gamecube wasn't doing so hot. Now granted, it's only being lead by a small margin by the Xbox (with the PS2 decimating them both), but more and more I see people lamenting at the lack of Gamecube titles available vs. it's competitors and I also see kids that are no longer interested in Mario Party/Tennis/Kart/Golf/Cheerleading Melee. They want to play what the big boys are playing, Pokemon Battle Arena Championship Turquoise edition notwithstanding.

Sure, there are people who will tell you that they love their Gamecube more than life itself, but 99% of the time it's what you'd call your typical "fanboy." Whatever that might mean.

Re:I can't blame them... by WhatAmIDoingHere · 2005-01-02 12:56 · Score: 2, Insightful

I'm 20 and I still play my game cube Every Day

With great games like Super Smash Bros Melee, Metriod Prime, All The Zelda Games and I love the Mario Party games.

--
Not a Twitter sockpuppet... but I wish I was.
Re:I can't blame them... by nicksthings · 2005-01-02 12:59 · Score: 2, Insightful

I'm 26 and I'm currently enjoying a game on my Gamecube right now. But you have to understand and realize that you're in the minority. There's not much room for argument there.
We could sit here and debate what a great library the Gamecube has, but the bottom line is that it's competitors offer a wider selection of games and that's appealing to consumers (and people who play games, I'd think).
Re:I can't blame them... by fwitness · 2005-01-02 13:33 · Score: 1

Spot on nicksthings. I love my cube, but the gamecubes only real problem is the lack of 3rd party support.

It's the double edged sword of Nintendo's reputation. They have developed a rep for making excellent games that are great for the whole family. Yes, there are some which are not-so-family friendly, but that's their rep.

Devs seem to think that cube owners are all children, so few mature games.

--
-- I have fans? Wow.
Re:I can't blame them... by WhatAmIDoingHere · 2005-01-02 13:36 · Score: 1

I can't stand the Playstation 2.. I just don't like 4500 different fighting games and 320 racing sims.

And the X-Box has what.. cross-platform games and halo.

--
Not a Twitter sockpuppet... but I wish I was.
Re:I can't blame them... by nicksthings · 2005-01-02 14:00 · Score: 1

Don't take this as me attacking you, but you're reply to me is uninformed and typical of someone who is quick to slag systems they're not keen on...for what appears to be no valid reason.
The PS2s library is incredibly large and varied; it would be easy to find a handful of games I'm sure you'd enjoy. The Ratchet and Clank series is by far the best action/platform game on ANY system, period. Let's say for instance there ARE 320 racing sims (the Gamecube has a severe LACK of racing games, BTW) - the grandaddy of them all, Gran Turismo 4 is an exclusive title. For a racing fan, this is reason enough to own a PS2. Then you have your more "mature" series, Grand Theft Auto. Ico, Katamari Damacy, La Pucelle Tactics, Onimusha, the Jak series...this is a small handful of amazing games that are NOT fighters or racing sims.
As far as the Xbox is concerned...Halo isn't a selling point for me, but most people tend to view it as such. I don't think it's something worth buying a system for. I'll tell you what is: Xbox Live. The online gaming on the Xbox is ummatched on any other platform (including the PC). The Cube doesn't even HAVE an exisiting online pressence (whether this is your cup of tea or not, is irrelevant to my point).
So let's say you have your cross-platform title...let's take Madden 2005 for instance and theoretically, you have all 3 major player consoles. As with most cross platform titles, the major features of the game and the gameplay are nearly identical. So with the PS2 you get your online play, but on the Gamecube the graphics are crisper, smoother, and the game generally plays better (barring the fact that most people think the Cube controller is the poo for games NOT made specifically for it - and I tend to agree). But you don't HAVE the online option. So you look at the Xbox which features the best of both worlds AND you can log right into your Xbox Live account and easily connect with your friends to start up a game or league. For many (myself included), the cross platform choice is clear in most cases.
So you want solid exclusive games? There aren't that many, admittedly. But I'll give it a shot: Fable, Halo 1/2, Mechassult 2, Ninja Gaiden, Dead or Alive Ultimate, Project Gotham Racing 2...these are good games in ADDITION to the bevy of cross platform goodness.
And for the record, if I had to choose one system to take with me to a desert island (with an unlimited amount of games that would wash up on the shore in little plastic baggies, of course), I'd pick a PS2 simply because the variety and sheer number of games is completely insane.
But hell, at $99 (and even less if you're buying one used), I can't tell someone NOT to get a Gamecube anymore. With Resident Evil 4 on the way and uh...Resident Evil 4 on the way, it's nice to have as a second (or third) system.
Re:I can't blame them... by nicksthings · 2005-01-02 14:02 · Score: 2, Insightful

One thing I took notice of that was interesting...Nintendo likes to shout from the roof tops that a game is exclusive to their system. "Only for Nintendo Gamecube." But check out the handful of great first party games on the PS2 for instance...I don't hear people raving about how Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal is a "Playstation 2 exclusive!" You know why? They don't have to play the "Hey, uh, we have some stuff over here, too," game.
Re:I can't blame them... by WhatAmIDoingHere · 2005-01-02 14:19 · Score: 2, Funny

If you're serious about gaming there's two letters for you: PC.

If it's not native, you can probably find an emulator for it.

--
Not a Twitter sockpuppet... but I wish I was.
Re:I can't blame them... by geminidomino · 2005-01-02 15:25 · Score: 1

Yep, nothing like turning a high-end $2000 PC into a $200 Playstation.
Re:I can't blame them... by Anonymous Coward · 2005-01-02 15:55 · Score: 0

Nintendo's fighting a defensive fight, given their current market position. They tout the exclusives because it is one of the things they can use to prove the GameCube's worth to people that don't own one yet.

Nintendo didn't have to point out all their exclusives in the SNES days because it was a given. There's nothing insightful about recognizing that the big dog doesn't have to brag as much to get the same recognition. Because shit, he's the big dog. Underdogs take what they can get, and sometimes it works. What's special or new about that, fellow shopkeep?
Re:I can't blame them... by Firehawke · 2005-01-02 15:59 · Score: 1

Unfortunately, you leave out the sheer asshat factor. MOST online opponents are assholes. Period. I've not yet gotten a chance to finish an online match of Madden for the opponent disconnecting as soon as it's apparent they're not going to pull a victory out of nowhere.

X-Box Live really isn't much of a factor for me at this point for that reason. No matter what they do, they're never going to get rid of the idiots that permeate the entire online gaming community anymore. They're on PC, they're on PS2, they're on X-Box.. hell, they're on GC and still on DC (Remember PSO and the PKing? It still happens on the 3rd party servers that're up!).

I think that while the X-Box has some nice hardware, it really needs analog buttons and a controller redesign. I shudder to think of how MGS3 will play on X-Box when they port it minus the analog. The PC port of MGS2 and the GC Twin Snakes make it all too clear how that's going to be.
Re:I can't blame them... by WhatAmIDoingHere · 2005-01-02 16:38 · Score: 1

You can also play pc games and have the greatest online experiance.

Your point?

--
Not a Twitter sockpuppet... but I wish I was.
Re:I can't blame them... by geminidomino · 2005-01-02 17:40 · Score: 1

My point is that I use gaming consoles for gaming and computers for computing. Occasionally, there is some overlap (now and again I'll throw Diablo II or Tie Fighter in to kill an afternoon), but for the most part, I have better things to use my computer for than playing games.

Online play is a non-selling point for me, as you really can't play RPGs online (No, I am not convinced that so-called MMORPGs are aptly named) and twitch-shooters and sports games bore me.
Re:I can't blame them... by Anonymous Coward · 2005-01-02 17:51 · Score: 1, Informative

MGS Twin Snakes was a completely redone version of the first MGS, which didn't use analog buttons. And at least the GameCube, Dreamcast, and Xbox have the analog stick in the correct (more natural) position for 3D games on their controllers, unlike the PS2's controller, which is uncomfortable to use for a long time if your game uses the analog sticks.

Analog buttons with no give = pointless anyways. For PS2 games that don't need them, I prefer to use my PSone controller with digital buttons, since it is more responsive. Heck, for games that don't need the analog sticks, I still prefer the non-analog PS controller over any analog Sony controller as well, even though it lacks rumble. It just feels right.

Oh, BTW, the PSO community is bigger on Cube than on Xbox. (You seemed surprised that people were playing the Cube version, but they outnumber the PC and Xbox players combined.) Ignoring the Cube-exclusive PSO III, Cube gamers only pay one fee to play PSO, unlike on Xbox, where they pay for their hunter's license on top of Live fees. The Cube version also got two separate releases (second version is enhanced with exclusive content that was only available online, so it can be played offline), and this second version is still selling alongside PSO III.

Also, there is no solid reason to think MGS3 will hit PC or Xbox. MGS2 on Xbox was a major letdown for Konami, sales-wise, and the PS2 version that came after and included the "enhancements" from the Xbox version even looked and animated much better on the PS2. And as you know, MGS2 on PC was a joke and didn't sell well either. Still, it's a Konami game, so a shitty PC port is a possibility.
Re:I can't blame them... by UWC · 2005-01-02 18:28 · Score: 1

Out of curiosity, what was wrong with the PC port of MGS2? Obviously there were the technical issues (DVD only, 7GB HDD space for full install, nVidia-only compatibility initially...), but were there other problems that connecting a PSX-to-USB adapter woudn't mostly remedy? How extensive is the reliance on the analog buttons in the PS2 version? The tiny amount of movement on the PS2's buttons makes the analog aspect seem pretty much useless to me, anyway.

--
Honor Among Slackers. A veri
Re:I can't blame them... by Anonymous Coward · 2005-01-02 18:50 · Score: 1, Interesting

I'm not sure MGS2 used any of the analog functionality, but I know MGS3 uses it quite extensively. For example if you are holding an enemy in a choke hold, press O lightly will just choke him. Press O down harder to cut his throat. If you have your gun drawn, relesing the X button lightly will put the gun down without firing. Those things will have to be reworked if a port is made.
Re:I can't blame them... by nicksthings · 2005-01-02 19:01 · Score: 1

The Xbox Live online experience far surpasses anything you have found or can find on the PC. Anyone who has extensively used both would be hard pressed to disagree on that point.
Re:I can't blame them... by Anonymous Coward · 2005-01-03 00:28 · Score: 0

But check out the handful of great first party games on the PS2 for instance...I don't hear people raving about how Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal is a "Playstation 2 exclusive!"

Maybe because it's not a very hyped-up game. I do however seem to be able to see an "Only on PS2" sticker on this here GTA: San Andreas box...
Re:I can't blame them... by WhatAmIDoingHere · 2005-01-03 03:42 · Score: 1

Really? Have you played Battlefield 1942/Vietnam? How about Starcraft/Warcraft/Diablo? World Of Warcraft? No?

We had it first and we do it best.

--
Not a Twitter sockpuppet... but I wish I was.
Re:I can't blame them... by mink · 2005-01-03 06:21 · Score: 1

I seem to remember SONY still being delusional about FFVII only being on the PSX even though the PC version had come out.
They made a HUGE deal about FFVII "Only available on Playstation", well I think they also said that about crap games, but they hype it as much as anyone else IMO. YMMV.

--
Well I've wrestled with reality for thirty five years doctor, and I'm happy to say I finally won out over it.
Re:I can't blame them... by DeadScreenSky · 2005-01-03 13:32 · Score: 1

I think that while the X-Box has some nice hardware, it really needs analog buttons and a controller redesign. I shudder to think of how MGS3 will play on X-Box when they port it minus the analog.

Huh? The controller buttons (minus Start and Back, IIRC) are analog on the Xbox. They always have been. And you get better analog triggers and sticks, too.

Some people obviously aren't into online play, and you sound like one of them. A lot of us can put up with the occassional dumbass, and smart developers can design their games to punish that kind of behavior in most genres. Easy fix for sports games 'droppers': after a few drops that player is put into a category where they can only play against people also in the dropper category. Keep the assholes busy with each other. Allow a gradual shift back into the good player category if they clean up their act (say, every 10-20 games with no drops they can subtract one from their total).

But I find the most important thing to play against nice, polite people is to choose the right game to play. Some games appeal more to grievers than others - Counterstrike and leveling treadmill games being the classic examples. But when playing games like Dead or Alive 2 Ultimate online (which is my main online game lately), I maybe encounter 1 asshole every 20-30 players. No big deal.

--
There is no excellent beauty that hath not some strangeness in the proportion. -- Francis Bacon
Re:I can't blame them... by DeadScreenSky · 2005-01-03 13:39 · Score: 1

Really? Have you played Rallisport Challenge 2? Project Gotham Racing 2? ESPN NFL 2K5? Dead or Alive Ultimate? Kingdom Under Fire: the Crusaders? How about universal buddy systems, stats tracking, and voice communication? How about an essentially cheat-free environment? You have any of that yet?

The first attempt at anything is often improved upon.

--
There is no excellent beauty that hath not some strangeness in the proportion. -- Francis Bacon

Troll exposed by xgamer04 · 2005-01-02 12:55 · Score: 0, Troll

The troll logic here really is so stupid that I have to bite. Sorry, common sense, I apologize.

Isn't it 2005? If you're going to refute the parent, at least get some recent sales numbers

Isn't it 2005? If you're going to refute the parent, at least use some brainpower. I know that it's been 2005 for almost, 0M6, 2 D4Yz0RZ now, and I'm sure your 31337ness gives you access to NPD's live feeds or something, but I'll go with what's been published. The article also points out the stigma that Nintendo faces in the press, that which makes no sense.

It seems like MS has been moving quite a few units during the holidays

This is an interesting statement. You accuse me of using out-of-date data, and yet you fail to provide any link to a source that would back up your claim.

it's very difficult to get accurate sales figures in regards to consoles.

Yeah, there's no way to add up the total numbers of how many units are sold. No company would ever attempt to do that.

(sig)--> I hate liberals. If you are a liberal, do not reply.

Move every sig, for great trolling.

--
When you look at the state of the world, how can you not become a radical, liberal anarchist?

Re:Troll exposed by Anonymous Coward · 2005-01-02 13:00 · Score: 0

How long ago was February 2004 tough guy?
Re:Troll exposed by Anonymous Coward · 2005-01-02 13:53 · Score: 0

8 months, a timespan in which the GameCube kept in good stride with Xbox sales in the U.S. thanks to the highly-anticipated RPGs that hit the GameCube mid-year, the Metroid Prime 2 promos and release, and the Mario Kart DD promo. In Europe, Nintendo's been focusing on GBA promos, so I don't know what the GameCube situation is there (probably not great, though undoubtedly better than Xbox's performance in Japan). In Japan, Naruto and the Capcom offerings have been moving GameCubes in quick pace. Zelda Four Swords Adventures and Paper Mario 2 did their parts as well.

The parent's troll about Xbox sales over the holidays ignores the GameCube's sales in the same period. Why do fanboys always think that "the competition" (a foolish concept from the customer's POV) is always standing still with their feet stuck in the mud? Nintendo's in a better market position than Microsoft is, by nature of the fact that they are making money in it, while Microsoft is not. At the end of the day, all Microsoft has done is bought credibility for the next generation. If they don't utterly destroy both Sony and Nintendo in the next generation, all their sacrifices will have been for naught, because that would be failure on a scale that is far beyond what is commensurate with the losses they've already eaten (at their stockholder's expense). Sony are likewise at a similar crossroads, since they have the most to lose. Meanwhile, if Nintendo even just maintains the status quo in the next gen, they will still be in a money-making position. It's so obvious, for the critical thinkers at least.
Re:Troll exposed by Anonymous Coward · 2005-01-02 14:27 · Score: 0

Really?

Where are the figures to prove it?
Re:Troll exposed by Anonymous Coward · 2005-01-02 16:53 · Score: 0

Where are the figures to prove it?

Probably up your ass, same place as you pulled all of your figures, dipshit.
Re:Troll exposed by Anonymous Coward · 2005-01-02 17:28 · Score: 0

Feburary 2004 was 8 months ago? What kind of math is that? It is January 05 right now. That means Feb 04 was 11 months ago.
Re:Troll exposed by Anonymous Coward · 2005-01-03 07:47 · Score: 0

Metric years, obviously.
Re:Troll exposed by Anonymous Coward · 2005-01-03 18:36 · Score: 0

I think he might have moved to using decimal years.

Why did this even get posted? by Khuffie · 2005-01-02 13:17 · Score: 4, Insightful

I mean seriously. A single retailer reduces the price on a console, and suddenly all UK retailers are somehow magically thinking of dropping the GameCube? Perhaps the single retailer has an overstock of GameCubes. Perhaps they didn't sell them as many GameCubes as competing retailers. Perhaps, you know, this is a limited time offer in an effort to spark sales.

Go to the site's gamecube listing. "Offer ends 21st January 2005. " Last thing you do is trust anything from GameCube Europe. They're just as bad as Nintendo Now.

Re:Why did this even get posted? by Andy_R · 2005-01-02 13:23 · Score: 1

Every electrical retailer in the UK that I can think of has a 'price match' policy, so yes, all our retailers are going to magically drop their prices.

--
A pizza of radius z and thickness a has a volume of pi z z a

fanboys are their own worst enemy by TheAdventurer · 2005-01-02 13:41 · Score: 0, Troll

I remember that when the xbox was nearing release, and for a while after its release, there was a constant river of slime coming from the hard core Nintendo fan base about how the Xbox was just a paperweight, it was bigger than a Dodge Truck, it was stupid, it was just a pc, it sucked, halo sucked, Microsoft sucked, the controller would eat you and rape your mom because it was so big, and the people who worked for microsoft were souless imps who wrote code in between picking their butts and stepping on puppies.

I went and bought an xbox just because it seemed like anything that so many people hated had to be cool. I was right. It's bitchin' fun. I sometimes wonder if a lot of other gamers didn't choose xbox for the same reason.

Re:fanboys are their own worst enemy by incom · 2005-01-02 16:05 · Score: 1

You experience does not a universal truth make. I bought an xbox last january, mostly because it was the most graphically capable console, and after you get bored of halo, the xbox sucks. I bought a gamecube in the summer and haven't played my xbox since then, except for halo2, but that was a huge dissapointment that I stopped playing after 4 days. Maybe I just don't like american style games as much as japanese style, but the xbox just bores me, and the gamecube provides decent entertainment. If your wondering why I have no ps2, well I holding out for the backwards compatability of the PS3 :)

--
True genius is grasping a situation like a peice of fruit, and peircing it just right so that it drains dry.
Re:fanboys are their own worst enemy by Anonymous Coward · 2005-01-02 16:25 · Score: 0

You bought an Xbox regardless of what some Nintendo fanboys said about it. I bought a GameCube despite what the Xbox fanboys said about it.

What do you want, a medal? You think anyone cares about what we're buying?
Re:fanboys are their own worst enemy by TheAdventurer · 2005-01-02 18:04 · Score: 0

Yeah, I know. I wasn't claiming that my experiences dictate market reality. I was just offering my point of view and expressing curiosity as to whether anyone else experienced that. The xbox/gamecube thing definately comes down to taste. A lot of Nintendo folks say that the only good thing for xbox is Halo, and I totally disagree. I got Halo for fun, but it isn't the driving app on my xbox. I would buy two xboxes just to play Knights of the Old Republic. It's my favorite game of all time. (KOTOR 2 is excellent as well). I also happen to LOVE racing and sports games. The Xbox is ballistic when it comes to those. Not to mention my growing addiction to Crimson Skies and Dead or Alive 3. Combine all that with Xbox live and it just boils down to a top notch video game experience.
Re:fanboys are their own worst enemy by Anonymous Coward · 2005-01-02 23:03 · Score: 0

Dude... those comments weren't from nintendo fanboys... they were from everyone over 14...

Love for the 'cube by Belgand · 2005-01-02 17:00 · Score: 3, Insightful

Earlier this summer I decided that a console system would really be nice. I've been a PC gamer for years, but my latest console was my beloved SNES. Yes, I think that the PC is, in many ways, a superior platform for many games there are plenty of things that a console does better that I was missing. I wanted something that I could just pick up and play some basic, light games on yet still gave me something to really sink my teeth into when I felt like it. I wanted something where I could just sit around and play with some friends or my girlfriend without each of us just staring into our own, distant screens. As far as game selection I wanted something that had a good lock on some exclusive titles that I would enjoy.

After looking at all of these factors I really had to choose the Gamecube as being the best of the batch. It has four player support out of box (unlike the PS2) and a number of great multi-player games that are fun for groups (Super Smash Bros., Mario Kart). It also has some really great exclusive titles (both the aforementioned, Zelda, Metroid, Paper Mario, Eternal Darkness). The major titles I'd be missing are often not only ported to the PC where they're often better (e.g. Grand Theft Auto), but many are originally designed for the PC and only co-developed for consoles. What's left is often multi-platform meaning I won't miss out (e.g. Prince of Persia, X-Men Legends, Tony Hawk). It also has a few revamped PS1 games that I'd wanted a chance to play (Metal Gear Solid, Resident Evil) but had missed out on. Online play is something I'd often be able to get better on the PC regardless and while it would suck for a few titles, it was something I could deal with.

Thus, in my opinion, at least, while the Gamecube might not be the best system for someone who will be playing consoles exclusively (I do miss Katamari Damacy, Burnout 3, and some others) if you already have a PC it's probably the best console to pick up to scratch those itches that only a console can.

Prices in Sweden by Anonymous Coward · 2005-01-02 17:06 · Score: 0

In Sweden a GC is 1000 SEK in normal stores. Currently the US Dollar is about 7 SEK or lower (used to be 11!). So, a GC here is 145 USD (without games). Tax situation leaves us a little less money too.

It's not unusual to walk into a toystore and find prices twice as high as in the US. Games can go as high as $80.

hmm.. by ImTheDarkcyde · 2005-01-02 18:43 · Score: 1

..stop hating. think of consoles like races, you dont want to be a racist, do ya?

Yep by Fred+Or+Alive · 2005-01-02 20:39 · Score: 1

I'd guess so, seeing as a couple of days before Christmas I was able to pick up the GameCube "Ultimate Bongo Bundle" ('Cube, Bongos and Donkey Konga) for £60, when the RRP was £90. Rather nice game really. I also noticed that in the post-christmas sales the local Woolworths only had about two Gamecube games about, a Simpsons game and a James Bond one. Both had sale stickers on.

I don't live in that big a town, so the only shops selling Cube games now is an ASDA supermarket, but there the Xbox (and PS2) selection is bigger than the 'cube one. Blockbuster will let my rent 'cube games, but not buy them (at least not new).

Still, Nintendo do make great games, don't they. Pity they seem to be completley crap at actually selling them. ;-)

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10 PRINT "LOOK AROUND YOU "; 20 GOTO 10

Australian Cube by etherspin · 2005-01-02 21:56 · Score: 1

im in Queensland Australia and the gamecube game stock is absolutely appalling everywhere..particularly in the after christmas sales.. 0 gamecube on sale and 30 percent of the xbox and playstation had at least 25 percent off...

--
before you criticise someone ,walk a mile in their shoes because then, not only will you be a mile awa

Second-class gamer by BenjyD · 2005-01-02 23:36 · Score: 1

This does seem quite common in the UK. Non-specialist shops that sell games (Virgin,HMV etc) very often have shelves of X-Box and PS-2 and no Gamecube games at all, or maybe a few of the bigger games. Gamecube--only games are released months or years later here with virtually no advertising (I think I saw one TV advert for Double Dash and a few for Mario sunshine, but that's it).

Dixons group stores (PC World, Dixons etc), the main high street electrical goods retailers, stopped stocking GC completely a while back.

I guess the slightly kooky gamecube ("it's for kids, innit?") doesn't fit in too well in image-obsessed Britain. A shame really, as there are so many great games on it.

linux box? by polyp2000 · 2005-01-03 01:15 · Score: 1

so ... I suppose this begs the question ... at this cheap price is it possible to use wholly or in part to create a funky little linux box ? has anyone figured out a way of attaching a hard drive to one yet?

Nick ...

--
Electronic Music Made Using Linux http://soundcloud.com/polyp

Re:linux box? by Paladine97 · 2005-01-03 03:01 · Score: 1

I am part of the development team working on this goal and we are almost there. We have hardware guys who are working on creating an IDE interface and perhaps even USB interfaces which would open up a world of endless peripherals. I am doing a lot of kernel driver work to get these devices supported.

We have Linux with full networking/sound/3D support. The only thing we have yet to complete is external storage. I will be receiving an SD card HW interface in the mail within a week so I will write a kernel driver for that. If you want to keep up with the development, head to gc-linux.org or join #gc-linux on irc.oftc.net

Sega Saturn by Shadow_139 · 2005-01-03 02:19 · Score: 2, Interesting

I remember they did this with the Saturn.., I sat on the shelf of ages and no body was buying, the PS had taken over...

Virgin Mehastores sold it stock of real cheap just before xmas about £35 for the unit and £2-15 for the games...,
I just missed out on it, but and a friend got a crapload of stuff from it even got the crap fishing game with real pole for £5...,he ripped the sensors out of it.
It allso have a full keyboard and modem for the this Web on TV crap...,
Anybody got *nx running on the thing?

It's all about attach rate really... by DeadScreenSky · 2005-01-03 13:19 · Score: 1

Devs seem to think that cube owners are all children, so few mature games.

The fact is that Gamecube owners just buy less games than owners of other systems, mature or not. I don't have the game attach rates handy right now, but they are easily the lowest among this generation. Something like half or even less of what PS2 gamers buy. And of course most of those comparatively meager sales go to Nintendo, so there just isn't much room for third parties.

The GBA's attach rate is also pretty low, which is kind of interesting I think. Is it an advertising issue? Is it a demographic issue (ex: kids don't get too many new games)? Is it some kind of issue with Nintendo and their policies? I wish I knew.

Incidentally the Xbox has the highest attach rate this generation, which is one of the reasons it does get comparative third party support even though the PS2 handily outsells it most months. Xbox owners buy lots and lots of games...

--
There is no excellent beauty that hath not some strangeness in the proportion. -- Francis Bacon

Gamecube in Australia by Anonymous Coward · 2005-01-03 21:05 · Score: 0

The gamecube never got significant marketshare in Australia. Its a very distant 3rd place.

Kmart was dumping stock after christmas for $89 AUD. (About $69US or 36UKP)

Did anyone actually manage to BUY one? by drxray · 2005-01-05 15:57 · Score: 0

I tried - ordered on 29th December. Out of stock at my local store, so I went for home delivery. They let me place the order, then emailed me to tell me they were out of stock at the warehouse as well, and wouldn't be honouring that part of the order. Of course, I went for the bundle (also half price with the gamecube), so now I have a 3rd party GC controller and Mario Sunshine, but no cube. Ha bloody ha.
If you already have a GC and want to pick up a half-price game it might be worth a look, but if you actually want to buy a cheap gamecube from Argos, make sure they have one in your local branch.

--
Slashdot - Mutual Assured Discussion

Stupidity Makes You Blind by the_mad_poster · 2005-01-06 06:08 · Score: 1

--
Alito: A vote for Alito is a punch in the eye to put that bitch back in her place!

my guess is.... by dextr0us · 2005-01-07 07:01 · Score: 1

Since the gamecube is the '1337' gamerz' choice of console (my choice as well...) I bet the reason why it isnt selling is the same reason why g4techtv sucks now.

People would rather have their games be cool, rather than well designed.

Look at G4techtv (if techtv even fits in there.) Before the so called 'merger,' tech tv was a bastion of great programming. Post 'merger,' techtv turns into G4techtv, a way for game companies to hype their games. Its sole purpose is to attract advertisers, and turn a profit. Techtv wasn't profitable at all, ever.

While I hate the new g4, i understand their logic. Since gamecubes have a less installed userbase (in north america and europe) 3rd parties are less likely to make games for it. Its economics people.

I prefer the cube, but understand where publishers are coming from.

--
"Martha Stewart can lick my Scrotum......do i have a scrotum?" -- Sharon Osbourne

Liberal circle-jerkoffs make YOU blind, Asspussy. by Anonymous Coward · 2005-01-08 11:51 · Score: 0

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UK Retailers Dumping Gamecube?

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