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Sales Data Indicates GameCube Underperforming
MikeT writes "FileFront is reporting that Nintendo's GameCube underperformed in 2004 and this holiday season by almost half! While Nintendo's spokespeople remain mum, the reporter from FileFront claims that Nintendo's beloved console's numbers are dwindling, quoting industry professionals and reputed sales figures. Clip: "The early word hardly looks promising. Market information group NPD Funworld put GameCube console sales at 350,000 for November 2004, far behind Xbox's 708,000 and PS2's 694,000."" We ran a related story recently discussing the possibility of UK retailers dumping the system.
Where were the Gamecube's must-have titles this Christmas? Metroid Prime 2 was pretty much the only even vaguely significant name. The PS2 had San Andreas and it's usual hordes of 3rd-party games, the X-Box had Halo 2 and KOTOR 2. The Gamecube had a sequel to a game whose first incarnation, despite critical praise, had received distinctly divided opinion from customers. With fewer and fewer third party and cross-platform titles, epic waits between increasingly formulaic first-party titles (cf. Mario Sunshine and Mario Kart Double Dash) and still no online services worth mentioning, you have to wonder whether Nintendo actually want to stay competative in the "desktop" console market.
Yes, Nintendo is still profitable for the moment, but I'm starting to doubt whether they really have the drive they'll need to stay that way, in a world of ever-increasing development costs and customer expectations.
Oh well, I guess I'm about to lose yet more karma to the usual slashdot Nintendo-fanboy horde. Let them go on modding down the truth until the day the facts finally hit home.
I don't think this is really a big surprise, For quite some time Nintendo has been the Apple of the games industry; high quality products that typically only sell to a niche fanbase.
Both Apple and Nintendo have wildly sucessful portable units, both typically release their products in a variety of colors, both remain profitable, both won't be going away any time soon.
In addition to the already stated points about how there wasn't really anything to buy for the GameCube this Christmas aside from Metroid Prime 2 (which had a very hard time against the overwhelming hype over GTA:SA and Halo 2), you can really blame the retailers. They've long since relegated the GameCube to 3rd place, and they'll only market it as an afterthought.
Next time you see an ad on TV for Walmart's electronics section, note what logos you see in the background. It's always the Xbox and the PS2. Walk into an EB or a GameStop, and the GameCube section is always in the back (not really a smart move from a merchandising perspective). Up until recently, the GameCube was always neck-and-neck with the Xbox, but just like how the media loves to see a hero fall, the game retailer executives love to see a new player take an old one down. They were happy to see Sega fall, and they helped.
What's interesting is that the GameCube's underwhelming performance is contributing more to the "Nintendo is doomed!" naysayers, and yet the hot holiday item this year was the Nintendo DS...
"Mod, mod, mod...and another troll bites the dust."
Nintendo's number one problem is their repeating failure to lure third party developers to their systems. Nintendo tries to rely on their own first party games to drive system sales, and it just doesn't work like that anymore. Everytime a Burnout 3, GTA, or whatever new game comes out for just PS2 and Xbox with no Gamecube version, Nintendo slips a little more.
The article I posted last week makes some good points too. Nintendo needs new franchises.
I too, very much hope Nintendo fares better with the Revolution next year.
"A truly wise man realizes he knows nothing."
Unless I see a /. article talking about one of the following:
the imminent demise of Nintendo
the imminent demise of the home PC
Michael's interesting-enough news stories ruined by adding one line of unnecessary commentary at the end which basically insults anyone who thinks otherwise.
If the Gamecube would at least have added DVD capability like the PS2 and XBox, it would have been more on-par with them in terms of capability.
With the exception of their Gameboy line, Nintendo's products are always half-assed, missing a key "something" that would add a decent piece of functionality.
Ever since the NES/SNES they've relied more on their name to sell games, rather than their innovation. A key example of this is how most of their games squeeze the last bit of life from their franchises, instead of trying to develop additional ones.
Heck, I was in BestBuy last week, and I'll be damned if 90% of the games on sale for GBA were simply NES games re-released... with the same graphics!
Nintendo's been sitting on its laurels for too long in the console gaming market and they're clearly falling behind because of it.
Beny"I'm a humble person really,
I'm actually much greater than I think I am"
Having already bought my Gamecube during release week, and seeing how it still runs just fine, thanks (connected to the set of Donkey Konga bongos I got for Christmas), I haven't bought another in years.
Unlike certain other machines. Lousy Nintendo! How do they expect to carry on selling them at this rate? The least they could do is offer me another colour to collect, like they do with the SP every few months.
"I Know You Are But What Am I?"
I've got to agree with the folks saying that there just aren't compelling reasons to buy the GCN, I have one and it's been slim pickings for games that ineterst me, my other consoles and PC have way more pull this year. This Christmas (and the months leading up to it)I bought software for my Xbox, PS2, PC, GBA and bought three DS's for me and the family (as soon as I got the first one the wife and kid wanted one)but my Gamecube remained sadly neglected. Multi platform titles I normally pick up the Xbox version, PS2 has great standout titles on its plaform that justify purchase, my PC has the MMORPGs there just isn't enough stuff on the cube that compels me to buy software for it. When Zelda hits I'll get it, I took a stab at an RPG on the cube, Tales of Symphonia, but was dissapointed, found more fun stuff on the PS2 and Xbox again. The only thing gaceing my Game cube has been GBA games through the adaptor when I'm home and want to see stuff on a big screen. besides that my GCN hasn't seen much love at all.
Karma be damned...
I don't know what the deal is, but Nintendo needs to get their fucking act together with the GCN.
Look back at the SNES days: a huge number of games spanning every genre. Awesome first and third party support. Far, far fewer instances of Nintendo's franchise whoring. The SNES has, in my opinion, the best game lineup any console's ever had. Even today, I find myself spending more time with SNES9x than I do my GCN.
What the hell has Nintendo done? Is there a cultural difference at the company? Do developers have the perception that everything on the GCN needs to be aimed at the 10-and-under crowd?
Nintendo's got the hardware - the Gamecube is so sleek and well-made that it makes the PS2 and Xbox sseem downright amateurish in comparison. Their stance on online support is asinine. Yes, having a bunch of friends over to play is more fun than online multiplayer, but for many of us that don't have gamer friends, live far away from our gamer friends, or aren't 8 years old, having our friends over after school to play Pokemon, at the very least online multiplayer would let us play)!
The fact that the GCN's sales are poor shouldn't suprise anyone. In this generation of the consoles wars, Nintendo strutted out with the most awesome equipment there was, and then promptly impaled themselves on their own sword.
I think it's too late for the GCN. Let's hope Nintendo stops catering to the Pokemon demographic with the Revolution, and goes back to their old SNES days.
Year to date console sales as of 12/26: ...looks like the GC isn't doing that bad. The Xbox on the otherhand...
Nintendo DS 1,286,074
GameBoy Advance SP 2,530,961
PlayStation 2 2,691,666
GameCube 696,839
PlayStation Portable 352,295
GameBoy Advance 198,025
Xbox 37,083
PSone 14,029
Swan Crystal 7,464
If you think education is expensive, you should try ignorance -- Derek Bok, president of Harvard
No one looks at sales numbers and says, "I think this bestselling console will be my favourite." No one goes, "Well, you know, I would've bought a Gamecube, but they're losing in the marketplace, you know? It's got all these games I lust after, but, it's just not the #1 console." You have already made your decision about which console(s) to like, based on factors which are actually important.
Just enjoy your fucking games, however you play them. Shut up about numbers. They don't fucking matter.
I'm sure plenty of people will respond with "I don't want a swiss army knife, I want a game machine."
What they don't understand is that CD audio/DVD functionality/Online capability is "More". Joe Sixpack likes "More". Mr. 6P goes to Best Buy to buy a console. He doesn't know much about any of them, except he wants to play videogames. He looks at the Gamecube. Plays games. He looks at the Xbox. It plays games too. And you can store your music on it. And you can play DVDs (with optional remote, natch). And you can play online (with Xbox Live subscription).
In other words "More". "More" is good. "More" is worth an extra $50 to a lot of people.
Until Nintendo wakes up and realizes that their NES/SNES model is no longer working, and that people do indeed want "More", they're going to play second fiddle to those corporations that realize a device that only plays games isn't going to cut it any longer with the unwashed masses.
I love Nintendo. From the SNES to the N64 to the Gamecube, not to mention the Gameboy series, I've never really found a need to look toward other consoles for my enjoyment (well, except dancing.* Damn you, DDR!)
For all that, I have many reasons to scoff at them. Someone commented once, long ago, that it looked like they had very different companies running the Gamecube and the Game boy divisions.
Here we have the Game Boy. People wanted it slimmer. Alrighty, here's a Game Boy Pocket. People want color. Game Boy Colors are now for sale! And when they came out with the Game Boy Advance, everyone was drooling and patting them on the back and giving them 'at a boys'... except for one thing: "I can't play in the dark!"
Boom, Game Boy Advance SP. It seems that the Game Boy side listens, and listens well.
The Gamecube side doesn't seem to hear much. Someone earlier in this thread posted the numbers in Japan, where the XBox doesn't hold a candle to the Gamecube. Hell, the Dreamcast was selling better. It seems that they are doing all they can to appeal to the Japanese consumers with inventive, quirky games (Monkey Ball (yes, third party,) Donkey Konga,) while ignoring the fact that Japan and America are two very different markets.
Don't get me wrong; I love Mario. I can't wait for the next Zelda (you're going to see a huge sales jump when that comes out.) I just picked up Pokemon Colosseum. But when you look at American gamers as a whole, they are into the more 'mature' games- Grand Theft Auto, Halo, etc. Nintendo, while not a kiddie console by any means, still has most of it's appeal to the younger generation.
Where's another Eternal Darkness? I recently picked that up, and have played through it once. If that had been a 3rd generation game, I don't think anything could have trumped it. The controls, the story, the entire thing is awesome. It only lacked in the graphics department (flat textures, bumpy character models.) If it had come out later, nothing would have rivaled it.
One of my other things about Nintendo is that they should be leading any kind of gaming revolution (pun intended.) They have their big fat cash cow, the Game Boy, so they should be able to pump some money into new ideas, and be able to take the financial hit if it happens. But they're being a bit too careful.
Of course, I still hold the opinion that the Gamecube is a throw-away product. It was meant to try and make up for the tragedies of the N64, while still being careful. Even if they don't sell the most, they are still making a large wad of cash, because they aren't shorting themselves on the console price. I think they're using the GCN to test the waters, see where edges are, and the info they gather now will be used to make the Revolution trump everything when it comes out.
*Yes, I know there's that new dance game for the Gamecube, but the song list looks like a Billboard Top 40. It looks for shit. I want my quirky Japanese songs, dammit!
More like rumor and inneundo. Re-hash some analyst's emails. There's no info here about profitability, for one thing. Sure, Nintendo's numbers might not be as large as Microsoft's - but they aren't losing a bundle per unit either.
People have been saying the sky is falling for Nintendo for like, a decade. In return, Nintendo hasn't gotten tired of laughing all the way to the bank.
Oh I forgot. Profit doesn't matter in business anymore. We live in a magic fairy tale land where money grows on trees. The XBOX can be a success when it loses over 1 Billion dollars, and Sony's processor shortage is just a clever marketing ploy.
Yes, times are very bad for Nintendo indeed.
I think Nintendo didn't push the cube this xmas on purpose. I think what they really wanted to do is push the DS. If they can effectively cut off the PSP from making inroads into the portable market, then Nintendo will have secured their profits for many years to come. Ofcourse, this is only one man's theory.
the cosmos in 20 words or less: thumbuki.com
His plans for the machine? A couple of used games and every emulator he can get his grubby mitts on. Basically, MS is not going to see a dime from him, other than for the (again, discounted) machine. Contrast to his buying habits of usually getting GC titles at launch and mine of getting (T-RPGs and Katamari Damashii) PS2 games.
My household ending up buying three GC titles this Christmas season - Paper Mario, Metroid Prime 2, and Naruto 3 (imported). We're looking at importing Donkey Konga 1+2 and buying Pikmin 2. That's, of course, not to mention numerous GBA games. My point being, I would like to see software sales for both machines as well as hardware and worldwide sales. I believe I saw sales in the 300s recently for the Xbox in Japan.
"There is no time, sir, at which ties do not matter," Jeeves, (Jeeves and the Impending Doom)