Bohdy said:
No.
Anyway, there's maybe another one game to be shipped on the GC.
Only one thing has been announced, it's that the exclusivity contract has expired (or breaked). That's all.
So this next SK GC game could be "multi platforms".
Silicon Knights and Nintendo split
- Thread starter godshand
- Start date
No.
Anyway, there's maybe another one game to be shipped on the GC.
Only one thing has been announced, it's that the exclusivity contract has expired (or breaked). That's all.
So this next SK GC game could be "multi platforms".
Oh, you're all simply in denial!
sorry, I just couldn't resist
Seriously, what do you guys think Silicon Knights are working on now? I say/hope Too Human on GC [others]. Here's a thought - they might have been waiting for the end of the exclusivity contract so they can bring it both on Sony hardware (again) and GC. I say GC since Denis still insists they have a strong relationship with Nintendo.
sorry, I just couldn't resist
Seriously, what do you guys think Silicon Knights are working on now? I say/hope Too Human on GC [others]. Here's a thought - they might have been waiting for the end of the exclusivity contract so they can bring it both on Sony hardware (again) and GC. I say GC since Denis still insists they have a strong relationship with Nintendo.
They are probably working on Too human. I occasionally hear tidbits on what they are doing since they are about an 1 hour 30 minute drive from where I'm located (for some reason I always thought St Catherines was north of my location but it's between Oakville and Buffalo).
Too human has been in development for ages, and I heard Denis asked his employees to vote on if they should keep developing it, or abandon it for somehting new. From what I've heard they all voted to abandon it as the game just wasn't any fun, but Denis decided to keep working on it as it seems the game is his baby. If they do it, it will probably be for all platforms. it'd make sense since he could bring in the most money that way. I also heard they had a nintendo enforced hiring freeze about two months back... I'm sure he didn't like that after loosing some people to rockstar toronto...
Johnny Awesome
Veteran
Not really when you look at things from a world-wide perspective. I'll agree that it's a decent franchise in Japan, but it's clear that Namco doesn't perceive any real Cube strength outside of Japan.
It's not worth a full breakdown, but between MobyGames and IGN's Namco breakdowns (as both Developer and Publisher), all the bases are pretty much covered. Namco's priorities are certainly apparent--Playstation--but if they're an example of bad 3rd developer support for Nintendo, then you'd rather have to fear for Microsoft as well, eh? There's all of one Xbox exclusive title (Breakdown) and a number for GameCube (Baten Kaitos, Pac-Man Vs., Family Stadium 2003, Donkey Konga, Mr. Driller, Choice, Star Fox 2, that Druaga thing), plus what seems like a good number of titles for a developer Namco's size for the GameBoy. The most exclusives are, of course, for the PS2, but there are a handful of PS2/Xbox titles (namely Dead to Rights 2 and kill.switch) as well, and a few PS2/GC to match.
Granted the information is not complete, some could be wrong as I don't have the time to do a thorough checking, and there isn't region and sales-analysis along with (those seem to be a pain in the ass to obtain in full or even marginal detail), but offhand things don't appear to be at all worrisome from the likes of Namco. Lots of their notable projects are all-platform, and they're not weighed disproportionately in Sony's favor (though where there is weight, it is there first ); in short, they're much like other major publishers. Their future releases will probably tell you as much about their platform intent as anything else; the rest one can follow from this generation certainly isn't sounding off any huge klaxons.
Granted the information is not complete, some could be wrong as I don't have the time to do a thorough checking, and there isn't region and sales-analysis along with (those seem to be a pain in the ass to obtain in full or even marginal detail), but offhand things don't appear to be at all worrisome from the likes of Namco. Lots of their notable projects are all-platform, and they're not weighed disproportionately in Sony's favor (though where there is weight, it is there first
); in short, they're much like other major publishers. Their future releases will probably tell you as much about their platform intent as anything else; the rest one can follow from this generation certainly isn't sounding off any huge klaxons.Johnny Awesome said:
It is quite clear also that Nintendo was more concerned this gen by increasing its japanese support for its domestic market. From that perspective, one Tales is maybe the biggest franchise they could reasonnably get from Namco.
Funny that you consider the Ridge Racer series to be still big, considering the last opus is a big letdown on both quality and sales, and you dismiss Tales. Kloonoa is also a big big flop this gen on the ps2 as far as I remember. It could be debated that the Tales series is the second (or third) worldwide licence of Namco at the current time behind Tekken (I'm not sure about Soul calibur, which is also on GC).
Johnny Awesome
Veteran
Well it could be debated by Nintendo fans that are in denial.
Seriously, Namco's support for Cube is not really that great. It's marginal except for a few titles like Tales. Namco support for Xbox is also poor. I'm not denying that. Namco is still Sony's biatch.
Xbox has poor support from Japanese developers. Cube has poor support from nearly every developer now. That's the difference. Considering that Nintendo has lost 15 points of market share this generation and MS has gained 15, Nintendo really doesn't have much to cheer about in the console space. GBA is the only thing keeping them afloat.
Seriously, Namco's support for Cube is not really that great. It's marginal except for a few titles like Tales. Namco support for Xbox is also poor. I'm not denying that. Namco is still Sony's biatch.
Xbox has poor support from Japanese developers. Cube has poor support from nearly every developer now. That's the difference. Considering that Nintendo has lost 15 points of market share this generation and MS has gained 15, Nintendo really doesn't have much to cheer about in the console space. GBA is the only thing keeping them afloat.
Johnny Awesome said:
Cube has more support than we could reasonnably hope considering its relatively poor sales. Now, you will always downplay the importance of having a FF, 3RE, MGSTS and a few others. That is just a matter of taste; and we know your western (respectable) bias.
It is always easier to gain marketshare than to lose some. Anyway, I agree that Nintendo did not thought they would lose so much.
and MS big pocket is the only reason, Xbox is still alive. Everybody relies on its personal strength. At least, GC is a viable business.
I'd say i's quite the opposite. It's easier to lose market share then it is to gain. That's why the barrier for entry into the console market is so expensive.
Johhny made a very valid point. Just look at the tops sales each month in north america and europe, and you rarely find japanese made titles up there for very long. Johnny isn't the only one with a bias towards western games, the general public in these areas also have that bias.
That's what people keep syaing is that MS could throw money away to keep it afloat. However anyone that tries to enterthe console biz needs to do that in order to compete. If you don't then you won't have developer support and that console will die. (3DO, Atari jaguar, etc...)
Not for most developers and publishers unfortunately.
Qroach said:
Yes, in fact, it is more like this.
I think, it is more a cycle phemonenom. At the current time, western games are on the top (we could debate that EA is on the top mainly). I agree that some of the top jap of last gen are very disapointing currently on both quality and sales (Namco and Sega, for example). Nintendo is still the second publisher worldwide.
Have you any reference to a company not willing to get its money back for MANY years and sinking multi billion dollars other than MS ??
THAT is really the GC main problem.
I don't think it has anything to do with cycles as this has never happened since the NES restarted the gaming craze. Look at it this way, The 8 bit, 16-bit, and then the playstation was dominated by the japanese developers. Only towards the end of it's lifetime were western and european developers holding their own. Actually European developers lead the change on the PSX with many high profile/popular titles.
Now on the PS2, it's mainly been western and European games that have proved to be the most popular to the people buying PS2. I think part of this change revovled around the move from 2D to 3D, but I gues sit really comes down to being able to find what people like in the regions you live in.
Just look at any consles that has tried to launch and compete with (the big boys) over the years. All of those consoles failed because they didn't get backing from somoene with enough money to stick it out, or even compete with the money sega, sony, and nintendo was spending. Because the barrier to entry in this market is so high, you have to spend even more then the people in it, just to get your name out there.
Qroach said:
high profile and poular are two different terms. I stiil consider the high profile games to come from the east, despite the most poular here to be from the west.
Marketing and massmarket, that what really changed. The more we get into the massmarket, the less we get high popularity for weird games (most Japanese games are weird, don't you think so ?). It relates to what you say in some sense.
What I meant is none of the successful guys (Sony and Sega in its time) - when they had to enter the market- lose so much money as MS now. The ps1 was a very viable business despite being the first sony console. IF sony lost as much money as Ms now, do you really think we would have a ps2 ??