Would you say the 3D with films is on par (or at least close) to the 3D at cinemas these days? I've read some reviews and some people have claimed its better because its smaller screen and obviously no need for wearing the glasses. Really interested on how they shape up on the 3DS.
I don't think that any device that has sold >65 million units could be classed a "failure". I'm with you on the 3D PSP2 with a single, large touchscreen, though. That would be really interesting.
I think you can if your competitor sold well over twice as many units. Hell, the Game Gear seems to be considered a "failure" by some people even though its sales figures weren't actually that bad.
Well I'm assuming that, since I dont believe sony will be that stupid to launch it with a lower spec hardware than the 3DS. On the second analog, I was thinking they could replace the analog itself with one of those optical trackpads the new Blackberrys have, which are more reliable and precise. Now the BC, thats tricky: stick with UMDs and you got bad battery life, loading times that hurt portability and a higher cost due to the drive. You can make it with a massive storage instead and get rid of the UMD drive, but then what happens with the millions of discs sold? the only way would be letting users trade their games for DoD versions. Back when the PSP was unleashed everybody, and I mean EVERYBODY, thought that that was it for nintendo: finally somebody was breaking the monopoly on the portable market, and with a console that was lightyears beyond the GBA. I remember when the DS was released and everyone was thinking "is this a joke? they really believe they stand a chance?" since the hardware was merely an upgrade on the GBA, like the GBC was to the original GB, and the two screens sounded gimmicky. But it turned out completely different: the DS won by a big margin, the PSP was the gimmick with no games, tons of bugs (before slim) and a media format that was inferior compared to MDs, which were launched 15 years before.
Sony won't replace the analog stick/nub for another tech. It will still be there. PSP2 will be BC via PSN Digital versions and not UMDs.
Portable gaming is one thing that Nintendo simply knows how to do it, ever since the Game & Watch days. Lots of other companies have tried to get that share of the market. Atari, SNK, Sega, Bandai, Sony... Even with tons of GBA and DS redesigns, the games are entertaining, fun and addictive. So people don't care if there's a new revision a year later. Also, Nintendo has to take it seriously, since it was the portable division that kept them on the market after the Nintendo64 and Gamecube not being so succesful. The Wii was their first home console, after the SNES, to be so succesful.
Didn't say they would, just that it would be a good idea, specially for portable FPS gaming. And that wouldnt be BC but some sort of virtual-console scheme, since you would have to buy the games again. I cant say that N64 and GC were failures, but most of nintendo's growth after the Snes came from pokemon first and the GBC/GBA later. Too bad SEGA didnt get a lift like that at some point...
They weren't failures, but the Nintendo64 couldn't compete with the PS1. The high cost for cartridges, among other things didn't helped it either. The Gamecube on the other hand, wasn't a big competition to the PS2 and Xbox. I love how small and compact the GC is, but it's market was basicly of first party games.
The point is that both N64 and GC were profitable for Nintendo because Nintendo tend to launch the hardware at a profit or at worst at parity ( like they did with the GC ). The sales of first party games , even on those systems that saw limited hardware sales, are always quite impressive. Sega on the other hand marketed system that caused them huge losses ( and Sega never had the huge amount of money in the bank like Nintendo ) and their software never quite reach the sales land mark of Nintendo flagship games. Sure portables helped Nintendo boost even more profits but the company wasn't ever in bad financial status ( at least from when they entered the vg market on ward ). Now with the combined income of Wii and DS business Nintendo is simply printing money at a rate never before seen for a videogame company.
I dont know if during the price wars of 1996-1997 the N64 was sold with a profit, considering it had just been launched. And pokemon did help a lot, it was like the iPod is to Apple, it created a whole new source of revenue for Nintendo. The GBC and GBA were both alone in the market with no competition, and thats no small advantage. On the other hand SEGA had a similar winning streak with the original Sonic series which sold like crazy (and not only the games) but that was it.
Yes, it was. Nintendo ( with the exception of the Wii ) has always offered systems with fancy graphics but they always achieved that by 1) launching the system 1/2 years after competitions when electronic components were more capable and at a lower cost. 2) Cutting features ( like the "weak" SNES' CPU ). They do/did so because they are a very talented company in making money of every entertainment products they release on the market ( and when things won't go as they should they kill it or lower the support as happened with the Virtual Boy ). Sonic was ( and still is ) a very successful brand but that doesn't change the fact that their software was never as popular as Nintendo ones. Give a look at this section and then compare to the Nintendo system ones: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_video_games#Sega_Mega_Drive.2FGenesis
Yeah nobody is denying that, is one of the reasons why they are still there despite going on the opposite direction (changing concepts, moving from emphasis on graphics and power to controls and gameplay)
It's not bad, is just moving the other way, like Apple did from computers to consumer electronics. Some may not like it, but hey both companies are bigger than ever now, while their competitors are either out of the picture or making considerably less money.
Does anyone know when the 3DS is going to be released? I read on a couple different sites that it'll be released in March 2011, but they didn't cite their sources. I don't remember them listing a release date in their presentation either.
TBH nobody knows shit, not even basic stuff like actual CPU/GPU. Some leaks on the 3DS price in EB australia says its going to be a whooping $303 bucks (348 AU) but I say if nintendo goes anywhere above $200 then its going to flop. In fact even at $200 it would be too much considering you can get a Wii+motion for that.
"TBH nobody knows shit, not even basic stuff like actual CPU/GPU." Meh. It'll come when it comes unless Nintendo pulls a Wii specs hiding thing. Let's be honest. Analyzing tech specs for videogame consoles/handhelds is something we all do just to give us jollies and kicks. I heard it would be released before the end of the fiscal year. (Before April 1, the start of the new fiscal year NO NOT APRIL FOOLS). So yes, that could mean March 2011. It had better be worldwide release within a small time frame, too. The handheld must be $199 or less or else balls. (Obviously, less than 199 ) Over $200 will not happen as a rule.
The guys at kyoto would be really pushing things if they price the 3DS at $300 bucks. But then again the wii launched at $250, lots of people (myself included) couldn't believe nintendo asked that much for a repackaged GC (that went for $99 just two years before) yet they did, and it sold like crazy nonetheless. Dunno, maybe if the 3D screen is really that awesome, and people are willing to pay that much...
