Can the Revolution be as successful as the DS?

[Nicked]

Gamecube wasn't as successful as the GBA which was (in similar timeframes) more successful than DS in every region except Japan (where it beat the GBA to 5mil by a whole month).

Now, I'm never going to say never. But as others have said, DS will have little to do with it.

 

[winstonsmith1978]

Gamecube wasn't as successful as the GBA which was (in similar timeframes) more successful than DS in every region except Japan (where it beat the GBA to 5mil by a whole month).

Now, I'm never going to say never. But as others have said, DS will have little to do with it.

I think everyone is missing the point of this thread. I think the origional poster was trying to suggest that the DS is proof that gamers want unique and fresh gaming experiences and the Revolution offers a similar unique experience.

He wasn't suggesting that the DS's actual popularity was going to sell Revolutions. He was showing that DS is popular because of it's unique games like nintendogs and electroplankton, etc. This shows that there is a large market out there for new games and if this unique approach worked for the DS then maybe the remote will do wonders for the Rev.

or maybe i'm wrong. But to answer the question about Revolutions succes. I think it'll sell really well and alot better then the GC. Just from my everyday personal experiences, i can name 2 people who haven't really played games since PS1, interested in Rev and i know a lot of hardcore gamers who want a Rev, yet don't own a GC.

 

[winstonsmith1978]

Revolution isn't all that revolutionary. I mean can't eye-toy do most of the things Revolution's controller can? That cup demo at e3 showed that right?

The big difference that i see with the eye toy is two things.

1) the eye toy will probably not be bundled with the PS3 so most developers won't use it.

2. the eye toy involves a direct line of sight for it to work like a rev remote and i doubt it'll be as responsive as the remote, being that room lighting will effect everything and the camera will have to actually see the device being used as reference (most likely different colored lights or LED's on a wand or something)

From what i understand. nothing has to actually "see" the Rev remote, it understands true 3D space using 3 points of reference.

Just like the touch screen on the DS, the Remote isn't very innovative, it's the fact that developers will actually use it, on every game, being that it's a major part of the system.
No one will use the eyetoy unless Sony ships it with every PS3.

 

[Nicked]

I think everyone is missing the point of this thread. I think the origional poster was trying to suggest that the DS is proof that gamers want unique and fresh gaming experiences and the Revolution offers a similar unique experience..

No he wasn't.
Hence his follow up post "I believe that DS suceeds because it has great portable games, not because of innovation". If anything he cited the need for smaller, simpler games but not unique ones.

And his point for why the DS succeeded is probably correct. Great games. Games that by and large could be done on the GBA, but still they're great. And its a new Nintendo portable. Its cheap. Its success is not unusual or out-of-line.

 

[Nicked]

No one will use the eyetoy unless Sony ships it with every PS3.

I guess those millions of Eyetoys sold don't count, the dozen+ games for it all bombed and the features it enables in 35 non-eyetoy games were never used?

 

[mckmas8808]

He wasn't suggesting that the DS's actual popularity was going to sell Revolutions. He was showing that DS is popular because of it's unique games like nintendogs and electroplankton, etc. This shows that there is a large market out there for new games and if this unique approach worked for the DS then maybe the remote will do wonders for the Rev.

Again how does the success of the DS, make the success of the PSP not important for the future of the PS3? Comparing them both (keeping in mind the DS had a headstart on the PSP worldwide) they are moving about the same amount of units.

Maybe people want something with higher tech? The PSP is more expensive and does other things other than play games and the people love it. Does this mean that consumers want something like the PS3?

My point is this question can go either way and this is my way in saying that I don't think the success of the DS will automatically go to the Revolution. Nintendo will have to work for it.

 

[Serenity Painted Death]

GBA sold insanely well too, but it didn't help the GCN.

Of course, what is yet to be determined (and especially so for consoles), is why the DS is selling like it is. Of course, namely, we have the games, but are they selling just because they are good games, regardless, or because of any new functionality/interface? If it is the latter that bodes well for the Revolution and the willingness for the Japanese to give something new a try. This could also happen quite indepedent of DS influence.

I'm just really hesitant to say that handhelds have any relation at all to consoles, but this historically just HAS NOT been the case.

 

[winstonsmith1978]

I guess those millions of Eyetoys sold don't count, the dozen+ games for it all bombed and the features it enables in 35 non-eyetoy games were never used?

are you joking? i'm not saying anything against Sony so don't turn this into a console war thread.

why was everyone mad at microsoft for creating 2 sku's, one without a HDD, maybe because developers don't like a fragmented userbase.

If you think that the PS3 will have alot of games that use the eyetoy as a rev remote replacement then youre blind.

I'm hoping that Sony ships the eyetoy with every system so that games like GTA, MGS4 and FPS's will use it. So that every developer will have a choice to use it.

The rev will allow every game to use the unique controller. Games like Metroid, Zelda and every FPS.

I'm still not sure the eyetoy could even replace all the functionality of the Rev remote, and even if it could, there still won't be nearly as many games that use it, if Sony doesn't fully support it.

 

[winstonsmith1978]

Again how does the success of the DS, make the success of the PSP not important for the future of the PS3? Comparing them both (keeping in mind the DS had a headstart on the PSP worldwide) they are moving about the same amount of units.

Maybe people want something with higher tech? The PSP is more expensive and does other things other than play games and the people love it. Does this mean that consumers want something like the PS3?

My point is this question can go either way and this is my way in saying that I don't think the success of the DS will automatically go to the Revolution. Nintendo will have to work for it.

I didn't say the DS will help the Rev in any way. I said if the DS is sellling well because it has a unique touch screen and unique games then maybe the rev will do good because it also has a unique way to game. meaning if the DS market is mostly non traditional gamers then Nintendo should do pretty well with the Rev and this same market.

the PSP is doing great for a similar reason, its selling to the market that wants a portable media device.

the PSP won't help the PS3
the DS won't help the Rev

but if people are buying the PSP for it's media elements then the PS3 should speak to the same market because it'll also be a media device

so if people are buying the DS for it's unique input device and unique games then the Rev should speak to the same market because it also has a unique input device.

 

[jpr27]

Nintendo GB, GBC,GBA, and DS have IMO kept the big N at a status to compete. Although GC did not do that well compared to other leading consoles I believe I read somewhere they they are not losing money on the hardware side of consoles? Is this correct I believe it is so correct me if Im wrong. As for handheld I believe they are making some serious $$ in that division and probably the driving factor of help keeping Nintendo in the running.

As for the Revolution I think it will fit in a nitch market. Diehard Nintendo fans will buy the system and of course Nintendo does have its strong first party franchises. Will this be strong enough to sustain it? Only time will tell but remember sure its great to be number one (and Nintendo does have the claim to this at one time) but being profitable and able to sustain yourself, innovate, and bring new games methods and ideas to the market are what Nintendo has been doing for years. Sure all their products havnt been great successes but we all know that lightning does strike and in this business anything can happen.

I myself just dont see it happening this generation

 

[Nicked]

are you joking? i'm not saying anything against Sony so don't turn this into a console war thread.

I didn't mention any other company or make inferences. I think with a quote like this you're more likely the one to be doing that.

If you think that the PS3 will have alot of games that use the eyetoy as a rev remote replacement then youre blind.

I think it'll have none. I think it'll have a metric ton of games used as an eyetoy.

I wasn't even responding to anything other than your claim that no one will buy an Eyetoy (or similar) for use with games (and hence the games themselves) if its not bundled with the system. Which was obviously false. A bit sensitive over nothing methinks.

I believe I read somewhere they they are not losing money on the hardware side of consoles?

GameCube has long been regarded as a break-even or small loss leader.
Now that they're selling them for next to nothing in good bundles, who knows.
After marketing, shipping etc. they probably are losing a bit on each. They make huge money on software sales though.

 

[pixelbox]

When i think of the eye-toy, i think of the ps2's headset. Consumers bought the headset because it has some use with games. It didn't have to be bundled in with the console for it to sell so as long as they have some uniqe uses for it, people will buy it.

 

[Powderkeg]

I didn't say the DS will help the Rev in any way. I said if the DS is sellling well because it has a unique touch screen and unique games then maybe the rev will do good because it also has a unique way to game. meaning if the DS market is mostly non traditional gamers then Nintendo should do pretty well with the Rev and this same market.

What if the real reason it's selling well is because it's the first Nintendo handheld with what could be considered good 3D graphics, and has a reasonable price?

What if the reason it's selling well is because it's primary market is children who don't really have a viable alternative in the price range their parents are willing to pay?

What if the reason it's selling so well in Japan is simply because it's goofy/different, and they like goofy/different gaming systems?


What if the sales has nothing at all to do with the dual screen or "unique" games, and has everything to do with the fact that for 20 years Nintendo has absolutely dominated the handheld market and it would be unrealistic to expect them to lose that market in a single year?


I seem to recall the Gamecube easily outselling the Xbox in 2001-2002. Maybe Nintendo's first year DS sales are due to Nintendo fans buying the system early, and after the first couple of years DS sales will drop like a rock, just like the Gamecube did.


Assuming is always fun, but has no basis in reality. If we are going to assume anything, let's assume that it's not wise to judge the long-term popularity of a product that hasn't even been on sale for a full year yet. If we are going to make an assumption, let's play it safe and assume that right now at least, Nintendo fans are buying Nintendo products, and that's why they have good sales.

 

[mckmas8808]

Well Powerkeg that's the best post I ever read from you man.

Great job.

 

[winstonsmith1978]

What if the real reason it's selling well is because it's the first Nintendo handheld with what could be considered good 3D graphics, and has a reasonable price?

What if the reason it's selling well is because it's primary market is children who don't really have a viable alternative in the price range their parents are willing to pay?

What if the reason it's selling so well in Japan is simply because it's goofy/different, and they like goofy/different gaming systems?


What if the sales has nothing at all to do with the dual screen or "unique" games, and has everything to do with the fact that for 20 years Nintendo has absolutely dominated the handheld market and it would be unrealistic to expect them to lose that market in a single year?


I seem to recall the Gamecube easily outselling the Xbox in 2001-2002. Maybe Nintendo's first year DS sales are due to Nintendo fans buying the system early, and after the first couple of years DS sales will drop like a rock, just like the Gamecube did.


Assuming is always fun, but has no basis in reality. If we are going to assume anything, let's assume that it's not wise to judge the long-term popularity of a product that hasn't even been on sale for a full year yet. If we are going to make an assumption, let's play it safe and assume that right now at least, Nintendo fans are buying Nintendo products, and that's why they have good sales.

I'm not suggesting that every person buying a DS is doing so because of the touchscreen, but some are.

http://www.joystiq.com/2005/09/15/joystiq-tgs-bach-and-iwata-keynotes/

This tells me that Nintendo is growing the market to people who normally don't play games(people above 30 years old and woman), and this is very real and good for nintendo, since they can't compete with Microsoft and Sony on a media device and graphics level.

this special market has worked for DS, so why not for the Rev. The problem with the GC, is that it's really just a less functional ps2 or xbox with a better price point. With the Rev and Ds, nintendo is trying to seperate themselves even more from the crowd with a better price point, but also unique ways to game, that speak to people who don't normally game.

and like i said, the real world and real statistics seem to suggest that it's working. + in many respects Nintendo and Sony are no longer competing against each other.

 

[pc999]

What if the real reason it's selling well is because it's the first Nintendo handheld with what could be considered good 3D graphics, and has a reasonable price?

What if the reason it's selling well is because it's primary market is children who don't really have a viable alternative in the price range their parents are willing to pay?

What if the reason it's selling so well in Japan is simply because it's goofy/different, and they like goofy/different gaming systems?


What if the sales has nothing at all to do with the dual screen or "unique" games, and has everything to do with the fact that for 20 years Nintendo has absolutely dominated the handheld market and it would be unrealistic to expect them to lose that market in a single year?

Those would be good questions, if many of those sales arent made by new gamers how dont care about 2D or 3D or anythingh related to nintendo and it is stated that the main demogrphic group is not kids (sorry no link).

 

[ninzel]

I think the REV has that potential like the DS, since it's formula is patterned off of the DS.
Much cheaper than the competition, great BC, unique interface,a focus on non games as well as hardcore games. This is according to a Nintendo article I read. The mistake they felt they made with the Gamecube was making it just another home console, patterend after and competing directly against the other home consoles.
The DS and REV are conceptually the same. Whereas the GBA/DS compared to the Gamecube are not.

 

[Powderkeg]

I'm not suggesting that every person buying a DS is doing so because of the touchscreen, but some are.

http://www.joystiq.com/2005/09/15/joystiq-tgs-bach-and-iwata-keynotes/

This tells me that Nintendo is growing the market to people who normally don't play games(people above 30 years old and woman), and this is very real and good for nintendo, since they can't compete with Microsoft and Sony on a media device and graphics level.

First off, that's what a Nintendo rep says. I wouldn't expect a Nintendo rep to say they were going the wrong direction, regardless of what decision they made.

this special market has worked for DS, so why not for the Rev. The problem with the GC, is that it's really just a less functional ps2 or xbox with a better price point. With the Rev and Ds, nintendo is trying to seperate themselves even more from the crowd with a better price point, but also unique ways to game, that speak to people who don't normally game.

And therein lies the problem. Nintendo is relying on people who don't normally buy gaming systems. That's a huge gamble, don't you think?

The basic philosophy here is that the sole reason these people don't game now is because of the controller, and if they just had a different controller they would jump right in and spend hundreds on video gaming.

I don't buy that. It overlooks the obvious flaw, which is most people who don't normally buy gaming systems do so because they have no interest in video gaming, period.

To use an analogy here, if I changed the box and put in a voice recognition interface, would you be interested in buying the next-generation Barbie collection?

and like i said, the real world and real statistics seem to suggest that it's working. + in many respects Nintendo and Sony are no longer competing against each other.

PS2 = 100+ million
GCN = 20 million

On that point, I will agree. Sony and Nintendo are no longer competing with each other.

 

[Branduil]

Why should Nintendo care about what other companies are doing as long as they are making a profit? Their strategy is working with the DS so far, especially in Japan. It's not just the hardware, DS software is dominating in the charts as well. Whether this strategy will work with the Revolution is unknown, but it would hardly be a surprise if it did. It is funny how some people think that if you're not interested in the kinds of games being made today then you must not be interested in games at all.

 

[quest55720]

I bought the DS just for the unique titles the touch screen allows. Games like trama center, nintendogs and warrio ware can not be done on the PSP or GBA. If the rev has unique games I can't get else where I will buy it also. I like my PSP but I like my DS much more for the unique games I can play.