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World-Wide Revolution Launch Unneeded
GamesIndustry.biz reports that, in the words of Nintendo President Iwata, a simultaneous global launch for the Nintendo Revolution is not necessary. From the article: "We don't think it's necessary to do the simultaneous worldwide launch simply because others are doing this." He also goes on to mention that they plan to have the DS shortage problem at least partially taken care of by the end of April.
Worldwide launches are OK if you know you have enough units to make everyone happy, otherwise they aren't. Look at xbox 360. Tons of units sitting on the shelves in Japan, and people can't even find one in the US. Customers get very annoyed when they can't get something that's been released. Retailers get mad when customers leave their store empty handed because they don't have access to the products that the customers want.
Anthropic principle: We see the universe the way it is because if it were different we would not be here to see it.
While worldwide launches are probably a bad thing for the customers. I think it's a very effective way of creating media hype. Then again Nintendo is more fan-consoles than oooh-they're-trendy-consoles.
Kudos to them!
Blah blah sig blah blah blah irony blah blah
There has been a DS shortage over in Japan while manufacturing for the new DS Lite ramped up. It seems that both DS's are now in short supply with used machines being sold for the same price as new PSPs.
The supply for DS Lites has been slowly increasing though and it's rumored that a big shippment is due within the next few weeks.
Chewie does not get a medal. Come on, George. Can a Wookie get a medal?
but not that big. Nintendo is making a killing and the new DS Lite and the coming Zelda are just going push things even higher I expect.
A guy from work is willing to buy my DS for his daughter at a fair price if I want to trade up to the DS Lite. I guess a lot of children are asking their parents for them. My dentist will even loan one to you so that you can play other patients while they clean you teeth, fix a cavity, whatever.
Nintendo never said Revolution would launch worldwide exactly on the same date. Jim Merrick, Nintendo of Europe's Senior Director of Marketing, stated they hoped to launch Revolution globally within 14 weeks.
Goddammit! I knew I should've paid more attention at school, all I learned was United Kingdomish. :-)
10 PRINT "LOOK AROUND YOU ";
20 GOTO 10
I don't think it's particularly relevant for Nintendo to have considered it anyway. Consider the 360, the context was totally different:
a) There were no direct competitors at launch. Other "competitors" were previous generation and the likely early adopters targeted at launch would most likely own at least one console from that generation.
b) If it had worked, it would have been a hailed as a brilliant consumer friendly idea. Consumers in territories that receive the consoles last in the roll-out always feel left out. Microsoft wants everyone to feel "wanted". Remember, it is currently in second place.
c) Microsoft could afford / were prepared to throw money at the logistics problem to (try to) solve it.
d) The concept behind Live is of a global community, which does work better if everyone has access to consoles at the same time.
Notice now, that Microsoft have upped the stakes too. They had a moderately low risk launch (so what if we're a few consoles short, there's nothing else to buy) in which they could try this out. Sony, on the other hand, now has to match that and better it. It's far from easy to manage. Although it would be a poke in the eye if they do.
Nintendo, on the other hand, aren't even pitching at the same market as Microsoft / Sony. The (initial) audience for the Revolution will inevitably be smaller, just due to momentum from this generation of consoles. So why even introduce the pain? Far better to have a smoothly managed and *efficient* roll-out, than a painful and expensive one. If the Revolution is successful, it will achieve it through word of mouth, not big marketing budgets.
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