Re:DVD players and next gen consoles
on
Mario's Revenge?
·
· Score: 1
Nintendo has stated a good million times that the Game Cube will NOT play standalone dvds, and the X-Box will ONLY if you get a special remote for it (it'll "unlock" that function).
Yes, but you seem to forget the Squaresoft part of this.
Do you have any idea how many MILLIONS of people bought a playstation for Final Fantasy VII alone?
Do you have any idea how many RPG fans there are out there?
Do you have any idea how well the Final Fantasy VII-IX remakes will sell?
Do you have any idea that most people don't care how good the games look or how quick they're made, if they're targeted at 11 year old kids?
Re:Probably not going to happen
on
Mario's Revenge?
·
· Score: 1
"Please tell us how you got to be so lucky!"
Japanese import with a Japanese PS2. Not too hard...
I'm sorry, but Nintendo will NOT be taking Sony's top spot, whether we like it or not (M$ does have a chance though).
Why? Because the majority of Nintendo's games are still marketed at the 6-12 age group. For every Goldeneye and Conker, there's 50 Pokemon and Hot Wheels games.
And Microsoft? Well, they still have to win over the Japanese market, which will be about as touch as trying to win back the people pissed off about their "conceptual artwork" (read: photoshopped screenshots).
Plus, there's one company neither Nintendo or Microsoft has, and has determined the top console three times in a row. Squaresoft. Now, look at past history; Squaresoft was with Nintendo on the NES and the NES sold well, Squaresoft was with Nintendo on the SNES and the SNES sold well, Squaresoft was with Sony on the PSX and the PSX sold VERY well. Now, Squaresoft is already making at LEAST three games at this point for the PS2 (Final Fantasy X, XI, and XII are all in development, not to mention REMAKES of Final Fantasy VII, VIII, and IX for the PS2), and it looks like the Sony will come out on top. Plus, Nintendo's president bashing Square a month ago pretty much secured Nintendo a plot in the graveyard populated by 3DO, CD-I, and Atari.
And its not just Squaresoft. Nintendo pretty much ignored the RPG market with the N64, with only one REAL RPG being released (Zelda is NOT an RPG). Paper Mario, the "sequel" to Squaresoft's Mario RPG is not only original and fun, but it reminded me how much Nintendo ignored the RPG crowd.
Also, dvd playback will NOT be an option on the Game Cube, and Nintendo has said that they'll market this as a gaming-only machine. Well, that rules out the CASUAL gamers, who would rather buy a gaming unit WITH dvd playback instead of two seperate machines. Not a good move on Nintendo's part, especially since I know people who were sold on the PS2 simply because of the dvd playback.
Plus, I've had the luxery of playing the Metal Gear Solid 2 demo since its Japanese release. And I can honestly say that this is one game that could sell PS2s by itsself (and this is a DEMO!). What's Nintendo going to fire back with, Pokemon Snap 3?! *Ooh...I'd rather be taking virtual pictures of a wild Pikachu than guiding Solid Snake through kick ass top secret missions in one of the most immersive console games ever* Ugh.
The Game Cube WILL find some popularity, even if for no reason other than the option of hooking up our Game Boy Advances to. But, as far as Nintendo reclaiming the console throne? Not going to happen. So, aside from some games like Luigi's Mansion, Nintendo is going to have to work DAMN hard to win back the hardcore gamers who were left with only about seven good games for the N64.
At the very least, they can show off their hadware. You'd be surprised how many investors, who know nothing about gaming, will be interested in hearing that some small company has hardware that can compete with, and possibly surpass the X-Box.
Besides, they could always team up with NVidia and at least show off what the GeForce 3 can do together.
Indrema's only chance of survival is if they make a showing, a STRONG showing at this years E3 Expo. And as of now, Indrema is NOT listed as an exhibit at E3. Hm...not a good idea. Not a good idea at all.
Why aren't they there? Who the hell knows? Its only the biggest gaming expo in the country with tens of thousands of members of the press reporting on the biggest and best things to come in the next 12 months of console gaming. Its only the expo where Bill Gates is going to have his chance to "sell" his machine to the public, and for Nintendo to try and regain people who were displeased with the N64.
At last years E3, I had the luck of watching Konami show their Metal Gear Solid 2 trailer, and almost a year later, people are STILL asking to borrow my promo dvd that its on. E3 can make that much of an impression on gamers, and Indrema is ignoring it.
I want this console to survive, TRUST me, I do. But there's no way it can unless it gets some press. And if its not mentioned in any gaming mags, barely any websites, and almost none of the print/tv media, where are these people even going to HEAR about it? Unfortunately, your average gamer isn't a/.'er, and most of them have almost no knowledge of the system at all.
If anyone working on the Indrema is reading this...REGISTER for E3! What have you got to lose? You'll only be showing your hardware off to a good 30,000-40,000 software developers, investors, and members of the press, who are people with video cameras just itching to upload the coolest videos they shot that day.
Hey, this COULD be good! Remember all of us who bought Ultima IX, only to find it filled with more bugs than Joe's Appartment? Let them work on it, I'm sure we'll have plenty of other games to play, both online and offline.
After dealing with too much going out with not enough money going in, I pulled the plug on my site. Now, I'm faced with a similar decision.
Do I set up some kind of "subscription" to the site for people to access all of the content, as well as the stuff in the archives? Do I set up the "free" stuff to be bombarded with commercials?
Believe it or not, most webmasters who really put their hearts (not to mention time and money) into a site really want to do EVERYTHING they can to avoid obtrusive ads (especially pop-ups). We know how it is to be at a site with popups and LARGE banner ads, and we don't like it any more than the rest of you do. But when you're forced with trying to find a way to finance your site, you're left with either shutting it down, or finding some other source of income. Most people are unsymathetic to this because they don't know what goes into making a large site run, and run well.
"They do many great things such as defend known homosexual pervert organizations like NAMBLA, represent members of the KKK and protect our right to burn the American flag."
You know, I don't know why schools and libraries even have filters. If you can't tell some horny little 13 year old is looking at some porn, then YOU have a problem.
I don't know why librarians/parents/teachers think that just because they bought a computer, that some piece of software is supposed to teach them morals and respect.
Look mommy! I can download hardcore asian bestiality on our cable modem, but it blocks info on our former president's scandal (the Starr report)! It blocks a Cancer site specifically for the breast or testical, but let's me view pages with info on building bombs from household items! Wow! It even blocks sites such as M$'s Passport.com, but still lets me see the homepage of the Klan!
Ugh, give me a break. I'll be cheering the ACLU on in this one.
Its too bad they couldn't do what they want, but oh well, its only for fun.
I'd much rather watch something funny like a Star Wars meets the Princess Bride short,
http://www.theforce.net/theater/shortfilms/brains/ index.shtml
Or Dave Macomber's Duality (which kicks some serious ass)
http://www.theforce.net/theater/shortfilms/duality /
*Comment removed by The Church of Scientology for violating Section 512 of the Digital Millenium Copyright Act. All your rights are belong to us. And now that we're friends, come join us in our religion. Remember, if it wasn't for us, there would be no Battlefield Earth*
Wow...watching people walk into walls, stand there and scream when the oven catches on fire (for the sixth time that week), and then die in a puddle of their own piss when you decide to build a wall surrounding the pathetic "Sim".
Riiiight, that sounds like entertainment
Jeez...at least if they made a show based on something like Conker's Bad Fur Day, we could all laugh at the raunchy humor like the Operatic Shit (literally) like the children that we are.:p
"I am Jack's complete lack of surprise"
Did you really expect for some comany and/or person to NOT do that? I'm surprised Napster stayed in the US at all, since it would be much harder for the RIAA to get them (Napster Inc.) legally if it was WAAAAAY out of jurisdiction (i.e. Antarctica, Guam, New Jersey).;p
Hm...how far DO these copyright laws extend anyways? If I happen to download a Zeppelin track (don't worry, I own all 10 cds) while vacationing in the Congo...theoretically, could the RIAA go after me for copyright infringement? (Sorry if its a dumb question, but copyright law is fairly new to me).
I'm sure anyone could consider the "initial" sales at a loss, due to the fact that they poured millions into it and have JUST begun to sell it. But, it comes to a point where that line fades, and they'll start to profit from it. Now, if and when they dropped prices, the line is back and takes a while to fade again. I know the DC is probably one of the best consoles since the SNES, and the hardware is still mindblowing. But after almost a year and a half, I'm sure that when they were last producing them, it couldn't have cost more than $120~$150.
No, Dreamcasts are NOW sold at a loss. When they were $200, or POSSIBLY $150, they were not selling them at a loss. No, it wasn't a great profit, but like I said, a little volume goes a long way.
Great....now half of America will stop and think...Linux? Is that some kind of new Microsoft software? I am still surprised that some people don't know that you can have a PC with a non-M$ OS on it. But then again, I forgot that I was overestimating the American public's intelligence/attention span/interest in this stuff.
Personally, I doubt I'll ever see a Linux tv commercial, but we can always hope. Either that, or they should make some kind of "Tux: The Movie". Just as long as they make him as bad ass as "Feathers McGraw" (from Wallace and Gromit fame).
I wasn't looking to get into a moral discussion about this.
Personally, I don't have a copy of a game that I have not purchased myself. But, I use copied games as backups, plus, modchips allow me to play import games that either never make it to the states, or only after a few months. Most people wonder why I've had a copy of The Bouncer since its release in Japan a few months ago, even though the US release is in a few days (hint: its not worth it, trust me). But, ESPECIALLY since I (used to) cover games on my site, I needed to make sure I had the biggest and the best...FIRST. People loved me for the fact that they could watch me play though the whole game in less than an hour on a streaming video channel, while IGN is still releasing a few screenshots and "rumors".
Going back to your question, I'm not saying one way is more "right" than another. BUT, if you look at the statistics, and how consumers behave, its easy to see why this is a bad move on Sony's side. I'm saying that Sony would not have had the system with the popularity and sales that it did if it hadn't been for easy copies. Yes, that allows people to just search the net for half an hour to download the game they want. But you know what? In order to play that game, they would have to AT LEAST have purchased the Sony console in the first place. So, even though Sony is not making any money off the game (they're not "losing" it either), they would have at least gotten the $100/$150/$200 or whatever for the price of the console. Volume is underestimated in today's business. Groups like the RIAA think that they need to sell CDs for $20 to make a profit, when they'd probably make the same profit if they were $8. There IS some kind of curve to explain this (I forgot what it was called), and it does almost always equal out. But, if you sell them for less, not only will you make the same amount of money, customer satisfaction will rise. Trust me, you'll be a lot less pissed if you buy a crappy cd for $8 than if it was $8.
This is why Nintendo will probably be screwing themselves too, with their own kind of dvd/mini disc-like format for their Game Cube. Obviously, they didn't learn their mistake the first time. Then again, not only are they refusing to publish Squaresoft titles unless its on their own terms (BIIIIIG mistake), they're also going to go the same route in marketing it to the 6-13 crowd, which controls a relatively small share of console buying power today.
Now, the encryption/copy protection on the M$ X-Box hasn't really been discussed. But, if it is relatively easy to copy X-Box games compared to PS2/GC games, then Microsofts console WILL SELL, and it will sell WELL. I can guarantee that. Personally, I think Microsoft should basically ADVERTISE that their system lacks copy protection. Do you have ANY IDEA how many people will, upon hearing that, run out to their nearest EB to buy one? There would be an X-Box in almost half the homes in the country within a year or two! Of course, the chances of that happening are pretty slim, but I always wonder when these companies will start thinking with their heads and not their wallets. Only THEN will they know the true meaning of profit.
*Tonight at 11: Nintendo sues Jack Valenti for his phrase "Gotta catch 'em all!" in reference to anyone using DeCSS. Valenti runs looking for shelter from an industry that is bigger than his. Film at 11.*
You know, the first company that DOESN'T go after the "pirates" is going ot be the most successful. The original PSX had WEAK copy protection, and look what happened? Sony's console sold well, while Nintendo's (which you couldn't copy, only emulate) didn't.
VHS tapes are relatively easy to copy, and look how vhs sales are STILL thriving. CDs are easy to copy, and the RIAA has been making more money than they ever have been.
Look at the time when Kalisto and UTOPiA started releasing their boot discs and Dreamcast ISO's. Suddenly, within a few weeks, the Dreamcast consoles are starting to finally SELL, instead of collecting dust on the shelf. I PERSONALLY know of six people who bought a DC at that time, and for that reason. One simple demonstration on how my purchased copy of Virtua Tennis was identical to the burned cdr version was all they needed. But look what happened when Sega started going after these people, and the people with just the INFORMATION on it online. Sega's console sales suddenly drop (and that's WITH some big-name titles being released)!
Besides, backups have become an ESENTIAL part of my gaming life, both console and PC. Anyone who's ever watched their young cousin SNAP Jedi Knight or Quake II in their bare hands knows EXACTLY what I'm talking about.
I wonder when these companies finally learn that, as much as it goes against traditional business practices, GIVING more things away will most likely increase your profit. And with the millions (rough worldwide estimate) of "pirated" Playstation games alone, Sony and all of the 3rd party developers (ESPECIALLY Squaresoft) managed to do pretty damn well from '95-'00 with their PSX sales. Hm...coincidence? I think not.
Slashdot Mirror
Nintendo has stated a good million times that the Game Cube will NOT play standalone dvds, and the X-Box will ONLY if you get a special remote for it (it'll "unlock" that function).
Yes, but you seem to forget the Squaresoft part of this. Do you have any idea how many MILLIONS of people bought a playstation for Final Fantasy VII alone? Do you have any idea how many RPG fans there are out there? Do you have any idea how well the Final Fantasy VII-IX remakes will sell? Do you have any idea that most people don't care how good the games look or how quick they're made, if they're targeted at 11 year old kids?
"Please tell us how you got to be so lucky!"
Japanese import with a Japanese PS2. Not too hard...
I'm sorry, but Nintendo will NOT be taking Sony's top spot, whether we like it or not (M$ does have a chance though).
Why? Because the majority of Nintendo's games are still marketed at the 6-12 age group. For every Goldeneye and Conker, there's 50 Pokemon and Hot Wheels games.
And Microsoft? Well, they still have to win over the Japanese market, which will be about as touch as trying to win back the people pissed off about their "conceptual artwork" (read: photoshopped screenshots).
Plus, there's one company neither Nintendo or Microsoft has, and has determined the top console three times in a row. Squaresoft. Now, look at past history; Squaresoft was with Nintendo on the NES and the NES sold well, Squaresoft was with Nintendo on the SNES and the SNES sold well, Squaresoft was with Sony on the PSX and the PSX sold VERY well. Now, Squaresoft is already making at LEAST three games at this point for the PS2 (Final Fantasy X, XI, and XII are all in development, not to mention REMAKES of Final Fantasy VII, VIII, and IX for the PS2), and it looks like the Sony will come out on top. Plus, Nintendo's president bashing Square a month ago pretty much secured Nintendo a plot in the graveyard populated by 3DO, CD-I, and Atari.
And its not just Squaresoft. Nintendo pretty much ignored the RPG market with the N64, with only one REAL RPG being released (Zelda is NOT an RPG). Paper Mario, the "sequel" to Squaresoft's Mario RPG is not only original and fun, but it reminded me how much Nintendo ignored the RPG crowd.
Also, dvd playback will NOT be an option on the Game Cube, and Nintendo has said that they'll market this as a gaming-only machine. Well, that rules out the CASUAL gamers, who would rather buy a gaming unit WITH dvd playback instead of two seperate machines. Not a good move on Nintendo's part, especially since I know people who were sold on the PS2 simply because of the dvd playback.
Plus, I've had the luxery of playing the Metal Gear Solid 2 demo since its Japanese release. And I can honestly say that this is one game that could sell PS2s by itsself (and this is a DEMO!). What's Nintendo going to fire back with, Pokemon Snap 3?! *Ooh...I'd rather be taking virtual pictures of a wild Pikachu than guiding Solid Snake through kick ass top secret missions in one of the most immersive console games ever* Ugh.
The Game Cube WILL find some popularity, even if for no reason other than the option of hooking up our Game Boy Advances to. But, as far as Nintendo reclaiming the console throne? Not going to happen. So, aside from some games like Luigi's Mansion, Nintendo is going to have to work DAMN hard to win back the hardcore gamers who were left with only about seven good games for the N64.
At the very least, they can show off their hadware. You'd be surprised how many investors, who know nothing about gaming, will be interested in hearing that some small company has hardware that can compete with, and possibly surpass the X-Box.
Besides, they could always team up with NVidia and at least show off what the GeForce 3 can do together.
They're out of Illinios...a quick glance at their fax number being a 309 area code pretty much narrows it down.
Indrema's only chance of survival is if they make a showing, a STRONG showing at this years E3 Expo. And as of now, Indrema is NOT listed as an exhibit at E3. Hm...not a good idea. Not a good idea at all.
/.'er, and most of them have almost no knowledge of the system at all.
Why aren't they there? Who the hell knows? Its only the biggest gaming expo in the country with tens of thousands of members of the press reporting on the biggest and best things to come in the next 12 months of console gaming. Its only the expo where Bill Gates is going to have his chance to "sell" his machine to the public, and for Nintendo to try and regain people who were displeased with the N64.
At last years E3, I had the luck of watching Konami show their Metal Gear Solid 2 trailer, and almost a year later, people are STILL asking to borrow my promo dvd that its on. E3 can make that much of an impression on gamers, and Indrema is ignoring it.
I want this console to survive, TRUST me, I do. But there's no way it can unless it gets some press. And if its not mentioned in any gaming mags, barely any websites, and almost none of the print/tv media, where are these people even going to HEAR about it? Unfortunately, your average gamer isn't a
If anyone working on the Indrema is reading this...REGISTER for E3! What have you got to lose? You'll only be showing your hardware off to a good 30,000-40,000 software developers, investors, and members of the press, who are people with video cameras just itching to upload the coolest videos they shot that day.
Hey, this COULD be good! Remember all of us who bought Ultima IX, only to find it filled with more bugs than Joe's Appartment? Let them work on it, I'm sure we'll have plenty of other games to play, both online and offline.
Wonder what they'll name this one. Sgt. Pepper?
After dealing with too much going out with not enough money going in, I pulled the plug on my site. Now, I'm faced with a similar decision.
Do I set up some kind of "subscription" to the site for people to access all of the content, as well as the stuff in the archives? Do I set up the "free" stuff to be bombarded with commercials?
Believe it or not, most webmasters who really put their hearts (not to mention time and money) into a site really want to do EVERYTHING they can to avoid obtrusive ads (especially pop-ups). We know how it is to be at a site with popups and LARGE banner ads, and we don't like it any more than the rest of you do. But when you're forced with trying to find a way to finance your site, you're left with either shutting it down, or finding some other source of income. Most people are unsymathetic to this because they don't know what goes into making a large site run, and run well.
"They do many great things such as defend known homosexual pervert organizations like NAMBLA, represent members of the KKK and protect our right to burn the American flag."
Wow? They finally decided to defend your father?
You know, I don't know why schools and libraries even have filters. If you can't tell some horny little 13 year old is looking at some porn, then YOU have a problem.
I don't know why librarians/parents/teachers think that just because they bought a computer, that some piece of software is supposed to teach them morals and respect.
Look mommy! I can download hardcore asian bestiality on our cable modem, but it blocks info on our former president's scandal (the Starr report)! It blocks a Cancer site specifically for the breast or testical, but let's me view pages with info on building bombs from household items! Wow! It even blocks sites such as M$'s Passport.com, but still lets me see the homepage of the Klan!
Ugh, give me a break. I'll be cheering the ACLU on in this one.
Its too bad they couldn't do what they want, but oh well, its only for fun. I'd much rather watch something funny like a Star Wars meets the Princess Bride short, http://www.theforce.net/theater/shortfilms/brains/ index.shtml
Or Dave Macomber's Duality (which kicks some serious ass)
http://www.theforce.net/theater/shortfilms/duality /
*Comment removed by The Church of Scientology for violating Section 512 of the Digital Millenium Copyright Act. All your rights are belong to us. And now that we're friends, come join us in our religion. Remember, if it wasn't for us, there would be no Battlefield Earth*
Wow...watching people walk into walls, stand there and scream when the oven catches on fire (for the sixth time that week), and then die in a puddle of their own piss when you decide to build a wall surrounding the pathetic "Sim".
:p
Riiiight, that sounds like entertainment
Jeez...at least if they made a show based on something like Conker's Bad Fur Day, we could all laugh at the raunchy humor like the Operatic Shit (literally) like the children that we are.
Note to self. Cross eFront off of the "Save CHV.net list".
http://www.oshealtd.com/
As far as I know, they had a wharehouse full of Atari games (2600, 5200, 7200) going for around a buck a piece.
They don't have a "classic" like Ninja Golf anymore, but it shoudl be a good start.
Shoot, you know, I forgot that about Guam. ;)
"I am Jack's complete lack of surprise" Did you really expect for some comany and/or person to NOT do that? I'm surprised Napster stayed in the US at all, since it would be much harder for the RIAA to get them (Napster Inc.) legally if it was WAAAAAY out of jurisdiction (i.e. Antarctica, Guam, New Jersey). ;p
Hm...how far DO these copyright laws extend anyways? If I happen to download a Zeppelin track (don't worry, I own all 10 cds) while vacationing in the Congo...theoretically, could the RIAA go after me for copyright infringement? (Sorry if its a dumb question, but copyright law is fairly new to me).
Heheh, I'm a dork for knowing this. Ah well, at least my years of gaming experience comes in handy to help an AC. ;)
Up, Dp, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, B, A, Start.
I'm sure anyone could consider the "initial" sales at a loss, due to the fact that they poured millions into it and have JUST begun to sell it. But, it comes to a point where that line fades, and they'll start to profit from it. Now, if and when they dropped prices, the line is back and takes a while to fade again. I know the DC is probably one of the best consoles since the SNES, and the hardware is still mindblowing. But after almost a year and a half, I'm sure that when they were last producing them, it couldn't have cost more than $120~$150.
No, Dreamcasts are NOW sold at a loss. When they were $200, or POSSIBLY $150, they were not selling them at a loss. No, it wasn't a great profit, but like I said, a little volume goes a long way.
Great....now half of America will stop and think...Linux? Is that some kind of new Microsoft software? I am still surprised that some people don't know that you can have a PC with a non-M$ OS on it. But then again, I forgot that I was overestimating the American public's intelligence/attention span/interest in this stuff.
Personally, I doubt I'll ever see a Linux tv commercial, but we can always hope. Either that, or they should make some kind of "Tux: The Movie". Just as long as they make him as bad ass as "Feathers McGraw" (from Wallace and Gromit fame).
I wasn't looking to get into a moral discussion about this.
Personally, I don't have a copy of a game that I have not purchased myself. But, I use copied games as backups, plus, modchips allow me to play import games that either never make it to the states, or only after a few months. Most people wonder why I've had a copy of The Bouncer since its release in Japan a few months ago, even though the US release is in a few days (hint: its not worth it, trust me). But, ESPECIALLY since I (used to) cover games on my site, I needed to make sure I had the biggest and the best...FIRST. People loved me for the fact that they could watch me play though the whole game in less than an hour on a streaming video channel, while IGN is still releasing a few screenshots and "rumors".
Going back to your question, I'm not saying one way is more "right" than another. BUT, if you look at the statistics, and how consumers behave, its easy to see why this is a bad move on Sony's side. I'm saying that Sony would not have had the system with the popularity and sales that it did if it hadn't been for easy copies. Yes, that allows people to just search the net for half an hour to download the game they want. But you know what? In order to play that game, they would have to AT LEAST have purchased the Sony console in the first place. So, even though Sony is not making any money off the game (they're not "losing" it either), they would have at least gotten the $100/$150/$200 or whatever for the price of the console. Volume is underestimated in today's business. Groups like the RIAA think that they need to sell CDs for $20 to make a profit, when they'd probably make the same profit if they were $8. There IS some kind of curve to explain this (I forgot what it was called), and it does almost always equal out. But, if you sell them for less, not only will you make the same amount of money, customer satisfaction will rise. Trust me, you'll be a lot less pissed if you buy a crappy cd for $8 than if it was $8.
This is why Nintendo will probably be screwing themselves too, with their own kind of dvd/mini disc-like format for their Game Cube. Obviously, they didn't learn their mistake the first time. Then again, not only are they refusing to publish Squaresoft titles unless its on their own terms (BIIIIIG mistake), they're also going to go the same route in marketing it to the 6-13 crowd, which controls a relatively small share of console buying power today.
Now, the encryption/copy protection on the M$ X-Box hasn't really been discussed. But, if it is relatively easy to copy X-Box games compared to PS2/GC games, then Microsofts console WILL SELL, and it will sell WELL. I can guarantee that. Personally, I think Microsoft should basically ADVERTISE that their system lacks copy protection. Do you have ANY IDEA how many people will, upon hearing that, run out to their nearest EB to buy one? There would be an X-Box in almost half the homes in the country within a year or two! Of course, the chances of that happening are pretty slim, but I always wonder when these companies will start thinking with their heads and not their wallets. Only THEN will they know the true meaning of profit.
*Tonight at 11: Nintendo sues Jack Valenti for his phrase "Gotta catch 'em all!" in reference to anyone using DeCSS. Valenti runs looking for shelter from an industry that is bigger than his. Film at 11.*
You know, the first company that DOESN'T go after the "pirates" is going ot be the most successful. The original PSX had WEAK copy protection, and look what happened? Sony's console sold well, while Nintendo's (which you couldn't copy, only emulate) didn't.
VHS tapes are relatively easy to copy, and look how vhs sales are STILL thriving. CDs are easy to copy, and the RIAA has been making more money than they ever have been.
Look at the time when Kalisto and UTOPiA started releasing their boot discs and Dreamcast ISO's. Suddenly, within a few weeks, the Dreamcast consoles are starting to finally SELL, instead of collecting dust on the shelf. I PERSONALLY know of six people who bought a DC at that time, and for that reason. One simple demonstration on how my purchased copy of Virtua Tennis was identical to the burned cdr version was all they needed. But look what happened when Sega started going after these people, and the people with just the INFORMATION on it online. Sega's console sales suddenly drop (and that's WITH some big-name titles being released)!
Besides, backups have become an ESENTIAL part of my gaming life, both console and PC. Anyone who's ever watched their young cousin SNAP Jedi Knight or Quake II in their bare hands knows EXACTLY what I'm talking about.
I wonder when these companies finally learn that, as much as it goes against traditional business practices, GIVING more things away will most likely increase your profit. And with the millions (rough worldwide estimate) of "pirated" Playstation games alone, Sony and all of the 3rd party developers (ESPECIALLY Squaresoft) managed to do pretty damn well from '95-'00 with their PSX sales. Hm...coincidence? I think not.