Which console is dominating the market?

>>> Why do you think Nintendo wouldn't give sales figures to back up their claims for tihs spring?<<<

Thats standard practice for Nintendo. They put out a press release claiming how well they sold, minus any real sales data. Then a couple weeks later when the independant third party numbers come out they always prove Nintendo wrong. No doubt sales are up With Zelda and the SP's, but they do have a tendency to fudge their numbers.

As for the Panasonic Cube, thats is a Japan only product. It was decided a while ago that it would never see the light of day in North America.

-----signature-----
"Rabid Balding Ewok, you make me sick.
If there was an enemies list, you'd be on mine."


:::*::(^^) :(^^) :::::::
::::::/::::^^:::::\ ::*::
:::::/###-^^-##I :::::
: *:.l##/(*)# (*)\\:::::
:::/##(###.00#)#I ::::
::(___/#*#(XXX)/__) ::
::/000{{{{www}}}}\:: Ewoks Will Eat You!

 

I'm pretty sure they had that promotion for the extra Saturn games before the N64 came out. Because I know they had that deal when I bought my PSX and it was out long before the N64 was released. And it wasn't the N64 that was the competition for the Saturn it was the PSX that laid the smackdown on Sega. Nintendo was late coming to the party. Hehe, I came close to buying a Saturn because of that deal. I'm so grateful that I didn't give it a chance after the Sega CD and 32X.

-----signature-----
"Rabid Balding Ewok, you make me sick.
If there was an enemies list, you'd be on mine."


:::*::(^^) :(^^) :::::::
::::::/::::^^:::::\ ::*::
:::::/###-^^-##I :::::
: *:.l##/(*)# (*)\\:::::
:::/##(###.00#)#I ::::
::(___/#*#(XXX)/__) ::
::/000{{{{www}}}}\:: Ewoks Will Eat You!

 

The PSX had the bigger library and better specs. The real competiton had been between the PSX and Saturn, the N64 came out like a year later and by that time the PSX had alrady done the damage. The N64 was a non-issue in that battle. Crash didn't come out untill the Saturn was long gone. It was games like Ridge Racer, Tekken, Wipeout XL that helped out in the early days. Not to mention the fact that the multiconsole saturn/PSX games like Battle Arena Toshiden always ended up looking best on the PSX which furthered along the demise of the Saturn.

-----signature-----
"Rabid Balding Ewok, you make me sick.
If there was an enemies list, you'd be on mine."


:::*::(^^) :(^^) :::::::
::::::/::::^^:::::\ ::*::
:::::/###-^^-##I :::::
: *:.l##/(*)# (*)\\:::::
:::/##(###.00#)#I ::::
::(___/#*#(XXX)/__) ::
::/000{{{{www}}}}\:: Ewoks Will Eat You!

 

Proof, that whoever has the next system out first will have an advantage.

Ya, the dreamcast came out early, but Sega was dying anyway.

 

Yep, very true.

I don't buy the nay-sayers talk about Nintendo 'doing a sega' quite yet. I reckon they'll be around for a good 2 or 3 generations yet, at the least.

Also, what RBE said about Xbox leading GC everywhere but Japan is not strictly true. Nintendo have had a boost lately in the UK taking them back to 2nd (and 1st for a week ahead of PS2) resulting in Argos changing its mind on not re-stocking the Cube and Dixons re-considering its intentions to drop it.

I reckon Nintendo should view this as proof that a new, official price cut is in order to around £99. However, they have the problem of the GBA SP. Any price cut to GC would have to result in a GBA price cut as they would be the same price.

I reckon we'll see a cut after Zelda has came and gone, say around August/ September.

 

Nintendo profits fall

>>>Nintendo revises its earnings estimate for the year ended March 31 after disappointing sales of its GameCube console.

Nintendo has today announced that it has slashed its earnings estimate for the year ended March 31, blaming disappointing sales of its GameCube console.<<<

>>>"GameCube sales were bad worldwide,'' said chief financial officer Yoshihiro Mori at a news conference in Osaka.<<<

Just because the Cube had a good week doesn't mean it's in the number two slot. Hell the Xbox outsold the Cube in japan for a whole week when Extreme Volleyball came out. Still didn't change much in the Xbox's overall sales in Japan. M$ is still in third there.

-----signature-----
"Rabid Balding Ewok, you make me sick.
If there was an enemies list, you'd be on mine."


:::*::(^^) :(^^) :::::::
::::::/::::^^:::::\ ::*::
:::::/###-^^-##I :::::
: *:.l##/(*)# (*)\\:::::
:::/##(###.00#)#I ::::
::(___/#*#(XXX)/__) ::
::/000{{{{www}}}}\:: Ewoks Will Eat You!

 

I'm aware that the GC lags in overall sales in the UK but I was just pointing out that they have atleast had a temporary surge in interest and I believe they should capitalise on that.

Also, I think the lack of Pokémon has alot to do with their fall in profits and I reckon we'll see a big change when Ruby and Sapphire are released in the US and Europe plus the inevitable Pokémon Stadium.

I also believe Zelda will create a big surge of interest in Europe for a couple of months and we'll see hardware sales rise roughly in line with the US.

So, in short, I reckon Nintendo will have a pretty good Q2 and Q3. Winter, however... I really don't know. Perhaps Final Fantasy (or has that been pushed into next year in the States)?

 

Although I never owned a Saturn, I liked the Nights controller. It was the true predecessor to the DreamCast controller. I don't think it was a rip-off of the N64 controller though.

For controller rip-off, see XBox. That controller is essentially a badly designed Dreamcast controller.

 

I hated the Xbox controller...till I played more than an hour with it. Staying up all night playing Halo without a pain to speak of changed my mind. Not perfect, but very good.

 

My hands sometimes cramp after long use with the GC controller. But my hands have been giving me problems for a while, so I don't really blame the controller. I think the GC's is pretty good in regards to gameplay.

 

I like everything about the GC controller except the Z button. I find it difficult to use. They should have put it in the handle like on the N64 controller.

 

I actually think that the Z-button's new location makes it faster to use. It's meant for your right forefinger, and the N64's version was meant for your left. I'm better with my right hand than I am with my left. I suppose lefties might have problems with it, though.

 

Lefties are not really given choices for consoles since there are no backward controllers.

I'm pseudo-ambidextrous, so I don't think it's the left-handed thing. For my hands, it's just an awkward angle to have my index finger and it hurts to keep my finger in place.

 

The Xbox controller is to hard to use, I played on my friends, it would be impossible for someone with stubby fingers. The PS2 controller is much better to use but I think GC controller is perfect, its shape fits right into your hands and all the buttons are easy to use.

 

How about the Wavebird? Is it identical to a standard GC controller?

 

Whats the Wavebird?

 

Gamecube controller without the cable. Quite handy...

 

I haven't bought one because I don't like that it requires batteries. My household has bad luck with keeping a quantity of batteries around.

 

Hmm, I'd have to go with PS2 due to the amount of merchandise available at most stores, and the amount of advertising I see on TV.

 

Which Xbox controller is the worst one out there? The original controller first released with the console or the now standard "S-controller"? Since I bought my Xbox early this year I got the S-Controller and it's not too bad. Slightly bulkier than the PS2's and that took a bit getting used to. Heck, I find it even a bit more comfortable than Sony's Dual Shock and I could play Halo non-stop for hours without major cramping. Now, for some reason the controls frustate me no end on Indy Jones' new game, but I'm guessing this is more of a software problem, as i've read elsewhere that the control scheme for both the PC and Xbox versions leave a bit to be desired. And it does, which mars the game a bit.

Now, getting back to topic...where exactly could we find overall AND reliable global sales figures for each console, just to settle the matter for. Because it seems that the thread has strayed a bit and we've been discussing the strenghts and weaknesses of each console and why it should be leading the market. It's obvious that Sony's PS2 is #1. It's huge game library, and an enourmous headstart over M$ and the GC have given them market leadership...at least for the time being. Nintendo will never attain that market leadership, what with the little third party support they have and their reliance over their own kiddie-oriented franchises.

The Xbox by rights should be #2, if not #1. It's a robust console; definitely more powerful than the dated PS2 and now with an apparently more developer-friendly architecture than Sony's. It's a true gaming-dedicated PC, unlike the PS2 or the GC. However, the thunder it should've made upon its debut was stolen by its release delay, THEN a slighter higher price tag than Sony's toy, THEN the flak Microsoft was going under at the time of its release, THEN the fear that the console would die a lose support/die a quick death since each unit was -- and still is being -- sold at a retail price quite below its actual cost and FINALLY the common consumer rationale: "Sony's established already in the console market, Microsoft isn't. Why should I take a chance with Microsoft on such an iffy console?". Sadly, Sony came out winning here and that's why it'll remain #1 for the time being.

 

Here's a very thorough editorial on Nintendo's actual place in the market right now.

You ask me though, despite what might be said here, I think the GC's doomed. Nintendo oughta stick now to developing their handheld thingies, on which they totally dominate the market right now, and get out of the console thing now while the getting's good.