XBox related rumor

[CaptainHowdy]

its been confirmed in interviews that they have online games up thier sleeve

Right, just like it was confirmed that nothing was going on with Rare. We all know how that ended...

noone ever said it was confirmed it was never happening, but I did say it never was confirmed it was, and unlike you, I dont base everything on every Rumor I hear(as long as its pleasing, and ignoring the bad), I wait till I hear something solid before jumping the gun.

but the internet thing, thats not a rumor, its staight out of the horses mouth(of yea, and lets all just assume Nintendo made deals with 3 different internet server companys for no reason at all, and the BBA and modem are for nothing but Phanstasy star online... if you are really going to argue this, your pathetic, go play Billy the Quality gameplay Slayer, end the discussion, and come December, prepare to eat some humble pie(because Internet play is the big bomb that all the mags are talking about, whether its too little too late noone knows, but early 2003 isnt THAT late, considering Xbox promised to be online right out of the box, well ....its been out of the box for almost a year now)

 

[Qroach]

Nah, this is more of a closer parternership with MS and Sega. MS wants sega to stay even closer then the previous contract and theya re willing to use the packins as an incentive.

But dam, the consle coming with games in the box is just what it needs! I know some people that want an xbxo this fall and that will be the deciding factor.

 

[bbot]

The rep finally told us what the surprise was: The prices on certain games will be reduced to $19.99.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Well, it's after midnight, and the price changes go into effect... today, so I guess it's cool...

NFL Fever 2003
NBA Inside Drive 2002
Fuzion Frenzy
Bloodwake
Azurik: Rise of Perathia
Nightcaster
Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee
Amped: Freestyle Snowboarding

And a whole crapload of third party games. Still trying to get a list of what games. Should be a total of twenty games, with more coming. Most of the 2002/2K2 sports games, I'm guessing. Maybe some surprises.

PGR and RSC are going to $29.99. Halo's staying at $49.99. No idea if the other million seller, DOA3, is dropping or not.

We are expanding the Xbox sections in TRU stores this week, and they have a sign up on one side of the interactive kiosk for the $19.99 games.

The DVD Remote Rebate is good only with the purchase of the current console w/ the Duke controller. The new version that ships with the S controller is not part of that.

I have to say that I have heard NOTHING about a console price drop or anything to confirm this Sega bundle business. As far as I'm concerned, unless I hear it from work info, or the official site, it's a non-issue for me.

Here's keeping my fingers crossed, though. That would explain why JSRF was pulled when it really wasn't doing that badly. They needed to hoard them to pack into the bundles. Speaking speculatively, of course.

There is a downside to this rumored bundle, though. If Sony opts to go markdown instead of pack-in, what do you do if you're MS? It's too late to drop the pack in in lieu of a price decrease. So do you just stick to your guns with the PS2 out cheaper (and less loaded, which it is already, anyway)? Or do you go ahead and discount the bundle? Damn, that would get expensive.

Anyway, I already have a thread for conjecture. $19.99 line is a go. Bundle, as far as I'm concerned, is still a rumor.

If I were a betting man, and considering the huge number of GameCubes gathering dust in the US, I wouldn't be surprised to see them end up as the, excuse me, the hot item for the Day after Thanksgiving sales, with retailers practically giving them away. Best Buy's done it before with $10 DVD players, free scanners, etc. But this would be a "limited to stock on hand, first come first served, no rainchecks, sale prices good for 30 minutes only" kind of sale.

One question about the rumored Sega bundle... if the poster who brought this up said that Sega was insisting on being in a bundle, why would they do that? Besides the extra exposure (which isn't coming cheaply), what else would they be getting out of this (RUMORED) deal?

 

[Qroach]

Not only that, Nitenendo has recently cut their sales estimates.

http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentS...FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1031119802873

Nintendo confirmed growing worries about its performance with the announcement on Tuesday that shipments of its games consoles this year would be lower than initially forecast.

The group said shipments of GameCube, would be 10m rather than 12m and those of Game Boy Advance would be 15m rather than 19m, due to weaker than expected demand amid the Japanese economic slump.

Nintendo also lowered its full-year recurring profit forecast from Y150bn ($1.23bn) to Y110bn and net profit from Y90bn to Y80bn.

Nintendo said, however that shipments of GameCube software would be 55m units rather than the forecast 36m because third party games had been selling better than expected.
In the first half, Nintendo expects a sharp drop in recurring profits, or 77 per cent below its initial forecast, due to the yen's rise against the US dollar.

Nintendo said that its first half group recurring profit would be Y7bn rather than an initially forecast Y30bn due to a large appraisal loss on foreign currency based assets.

However, Nintendo still expects to achieve its forecast group net profit of Y18bn in the first half, thanks to a one-off gain from its sale of Rare, the game developer. Nintendo has sold its 49 per cent stake in the games developer to Microsoft.

Satoru Iwata, president, said the group aims to raise its share of the US market from 20 per cent, to over 30 per cent after the Christmas shopping season but had no intention of reducing the price of GameCube, its latest console.

Nintendo has had a difficult time with its new consoles, which have not had the big push from popular titles that is crucial for hardware sales.

In particular, Super Mario Sunshine, the latest game developed by games legend Shigeru Miyamoto, has not lived up to the initial high expectations that had built up around it. This is one of GameCube's most important titles and was launched in August, but it has not seen the huge following Mr Miyamoto's titles have enjoyed in the past. "We are concerned that [technical and design problems] may keep the game from becoming the perpetually best-selling, 10-million unit classic that Super Mario 64 was," said Noriko Manabe, games analyst at JP Morgan in Tokyo.

Ms Manabe is also concerned that Super Mario Sunshine did not seem to be "moving that much hardware".

The concerns about Nintendo's software line-up were aggravated by its decision to sell its 49 per cent stake in Rare, which had provided many of Nintendo's hit games in the past. Although Rare has not delivered as significantly recently, the sale, "almost guarantees that XBox is going to be number 2 in Europe," said Ms Manabe.

I'm obviously not the only one that thinks the line up isn't going to provide much (other than a few obvious titles) in the short term. I'm sure Sony will have a pack in this christmas, but nintendo will need one as well...

 

[PC-Engine]

Here's something interestng.

One of Japan's biggest magazines hints at big things to come later this year.

September 30, 2002 - The latest issue of V-Jump, a monthly Japanese magazine that combines videogame coverage with comics, features a miniature one year anniversary celebration of the GameCube (yes, it's been a year since Nintendo's purple console launched to Japan allowing IGNcube to bring you such stories as Journeys of Box). Included as part of the festivities is a tantalizing hint at big things to come in GameCube land towards the end of this year.
The magazine states that, in addition to seeing more detailed coverage on its pages, the GameCube will also see something of "mega-ton level" (that means like a nuclear explosion, kids) happening at the end of the year. Above this little blurb is another, seemingly speculative pondering by V-Jump: "The start of a super-big project that will cause a worldwide boom for the GameCube?"

 

[Qroach]

The "start"? Well, if it's just starting at the end of the year, it will take a while before we see it. even still, if Nintendo knew something was coming soon (and they certainly should) why would they cut sales projections? They need mroe games that are better at moving consoles...

 

[Teasy]

In particular, Super Mario Sunshine, the latest game developed by games legend Shigeru Miyamoto, has not lived up to the initial high expectations that had built up around it. This is one of GameCube's most important titles and was launched in August, but it has not seen the huge following Mr Miyamoto's titles have enjoyed in the past. "We are concerned that [technical and design problems] may keep the game from becoming the perpetually best-selling, 10-million unit classic that Super Mario 64 was," said Noriko Manabe, games analyst at JP Morgan in Tokyo.

Last time I checked SMS had sold 350,000 in under 10 days, what are the latest numbers for game sales?.. does anyone have the top 500 list for August?

The concerns about Nintendo's software line-up were aggravated by its decision to sell its 49 per cent stake in Rare, which had provided many of Nintendo's hit games in the past.

That's pretty funny considering they've only just released their first GameCube game, something that took them 4-5 years and is nothing more then a good game not a excellent game, as well as the fact that there next game will be out in early 2004 or even later.

I'm obviously not the only one that thinks the line up isn't going to provide much (other than a few obvious titles) in the short term.

I'm sure if you dig around long enough you can find a few people who'll agree with you, but then I could very easily find a few people to agree that Elvis is not dead so...

The "start"? Well, if it's just starting at the end of the year, it will take a while before we see it.

That's a bit weak isn't it? Firstly the comment your refering to was a guess, as shown by the ? at the end, it was not any sort of specific info.

Secondly considering you have no idea what this is "the start" of you cannot possibly suggest that it will take a while to see the effects.. its just a silly assumption based on wishful thinking.

 

[Magnum PI]

The "start"? Well, if it's just starting at the end of the year, it will take a while before we see it. even still, if Nintendo knew something was coming soon (and they certainly should) why would they cut sales projections? They need mroe games that are better at moving consoles...

while they lowered their projected console shipments somewhat, they increased their software sales projection from 36 million units to 55 millions units.

 

[Qroach]

Teasy, the great GC defender

Last time I checked SMS had sold 350,000 in under 10 days, what are the latest numbers for game sales?.. does anyone have the top 500 list for August?

In the first 10 days yes it did, but since then it hasn't remained in the #1 spot and hasn't driven up consle sales sginificantly. If it's not moving consoles like the N64 mario 64, then it's not going to reach 10 million in sales.

Using the first few days to think of how well a game will sell ove rthe course of a few years is NOT the way to gauge something like this. Sales are typically better in the first few days and slow down after word. If I remrmber correctly, we had this same discussion about ED and it's big sales in the first few days. As we all know it's sales slowed down after a few weeks.

That's pretty funny considering they've only just released their first GameCube game, something that took them 4-5 years and is nothing more then a good game not a excellent game, as well as the fact that there next game will be out in early 2004 or even later.

Teasy, god do you need to be so uninformed? For one thing because they just released only one GC game, doesn't mean Rare didn't provide hit titles on previous nintendo consoles. Also, the game wasn't in development for 4 or 5 years. You keep repeating that without anything to back it up!

Starfox IS an excellent game. You're really kidding yourself it you don't think it is. Obviously people in japan and all over the world seem to really enjoy it, since it's selling very well worldwide (even for a title developed outside of japan). The next games on GC would have been out next year, not 2004.

let me ask, do you even own starfox?

I'm sure if you dig around long enough you can find a few people who'll agree with you, but then I could very easily find a few people to agree that Elvis is not dead so...

Dig around? It's not hard to find many people that agree that GC's lineup is weaker now that it was before the rare sale. I even thought it was weak with rare, so don't bother posting alist of games again, beucase you obviously won't change your mind. Anyway, people many people that agree are too busy playing and enjoying games on multiple consoles to bother being around. however, it IS much easier to find fanboi's that will argue anything that doesn't sound postive about GC IMO (eyes pointing at you).

That's a bit weak isn't it? Firstly the comment your refering to was a guess, as shown by the ? at the end, it was not any sort of specific info.

It was a quote from a japanese magazine. The MAGAZINE asked the question. All I know is "if" (notice the word IF) nintendo has something up thier sleeve and it won't "start" until the end of this year, it will be a while before we actually see it.

Secondly considering you have no idea what this is "the start" of you cannot possibly suggest that it will take a while to see the effects.. its just a silly assumption based on wishful thinking.

I said IF it's starting at the end of the year, then we won't see it for a while. I didn't say or imply that it was a fact or anything like that. It's no more a silly assuption that we'd see anything right away Teasy. In fact I think it's even more silly to think something would arrive right away IF anything happens at all.

 

[Teasy]

Teasy, the great GC defender

The only reason GC ever gets defended by anyone in this forum is because of people like you who see anything they think is negative about GameCube as a victory for their beloved XBox.

Using the first few days to think of how well a game will sell ove rthe course of a few years is NOT the way to gauge something like this

I didn't say it was. I said last time I checked it was selling brilliantly, so could someone give me the latest numbers.

Teasy, god do you need to be so uninformed? For one thing because they just released only one GC game, doesn't mean Rare didn't provide hit titles on previous nintendo consoles.

I did not take issue with the statement that they had being influential for past Nintendo consoles. The funny part was that apparently GameCube's software lineup has just been damaged because they've sold a dev that used to make allot of great games in the past A dev that so far has made one not so great game and with no other game scheduled before 2004. 2 games from RareWare in 3 years for GameCube would really have strengthened GameCube's lineup a hell of a lot compared to 1 game

Also, the game wasn't in development for 4 or 5 years. You keep repeating that without anything to back it up!

I was under the impression that Star Fox adventure was started back in 1998 for N64 as dinosaur planet, that would make it at least 4 years of development if true. When was is started then?

Starfox IS an excellent game. You're really kidding yourself it you don't think it is.

9 on IGN is not excellent, its good to very good, SFA is not a great game.

next games on GC would have been out next year, not 2004

I'm sure one RareWare game would have been scheduled for late 2003 on GameCube, but it would have been delayed int 2004. RareWare never fail to do that, of course they never fail to make solid quality games either, but at the price of time.

let me ask, do you even own starfox?

I've played it a little bit, also read reviews and user opinions. And overall the opinion is that the game is good, even very good but not excellent or great. The graphics are excellent though.

Dig around? It's not hard to find many people that agree that GC's lineup is weaker now that it was before the rare sale.

Neither your comment or my replied mentioned Rare or GameCube's lineup looking weaker right now after selling Rare (obviously it looks weaker, not significantly weaker or even close though). You said that GameCube's lineup isn't going to provide much, other then a few obvious titles, in the short term. As I said you can find some fan-boy's to back up your opinion, but its not a common one.

Anyway, people many people that agree are too busy playing and enjoying games on multiple consoles to bother being around.

Make all the excusses you want, the fact is not many people agree with your opinion that GameCube has a poor lineup.

however, it IS much easier to find fanboi's that will argue anything that doesn't sound postive about GC IMO (eyes pointing at you).

Its even easier to find one particular fan-boy that will post anything he see's as negative for GameCube, because he see's it as a victory for XBox. I don't even need to tell you who I'm pointing at.

It was a quote from a japanese magazine. The MAGAZINE asked the question. All I know is "if" (notice the word IF) nintendo has something up thier sleeve and it won't "start" until the end of this year, it will be a while before we actually see it.

You put far to much emphasis on one word just to put a negative spin on the comment. The guy could just have easily said "A super-big project that will cause a worldwide boom for the GameCube?". Its just sad that you read so much into one word just because it gave you a negative way to spin this.

I said IF it's starting at the end of the year, then we won't see it for a while.

Ok then even IF this does start at the end of the year how do you know that we won't see it for a while? How can you even suggest that without any knowledge of what this is? For instance game development could start on a game and we wouldn't see it for at least around a year or two later, but a console pricedrop could start and we'd see it instantly (not that I think this is a pricedrop because I don't). Point being this could have an immediate effect.

I didn't say or imply that it was a fact or anything like that. It's no more a silly assuption that we'd see anything right away Teasy.

Well its good that I didn't make that assumption then isn't it? Your the one making assumptions not me, because I didn't say it would have an immediate effect if it started at the end of this year. All I said is there is no reason to even suggest that we will not see this project for a while simply because someone basically said "could this be the start of a big project?".

 

[CaptainHowdy]

The "start"? Well, if it's just starting at the end of the year, it will take a while before we see it. even still, if Nintendo knew something was coming soon (and they certainly should) why would they cut sales projections? They need mroe games that are better at moving consoles...

funny words coming from an Xbox fan..
they have a long way to go to catch Nintendo

 

[Johnny Awesome]

Not really. Xbox is only a little behind in Europe, ahead in North America, and behind by two million in Japan (which is expected). The battle as always, will be won in North America. 50% of console sales and software sales are in North America. That's what Nintendo is worried about.

Mario isn't really moving hardware, as I predicted, and 350,000 in 10 days is really bad when you consider how starved the Gamecube was for games at the time. 1/8th penetration is really bad. It will probably sell well to parents/kids at Christmas, which is where Nintendo traditionally gets their sales. I'm sure it will still sell 2-4 million world-wide.

I own an Xbox and 12 games, and a Gamecube with 3 games (which would in all fairness be 6 games if I had bought it first). Nintendo needs to solve this disparity in a hurry and I don't think they're going to. Metroid Prime is the only bullet left in their gun right now.

Teasy:

Starfox is an EXCELLENT game. It's better than SMS and is my favorite game on the GCN. The story is cool, the graphics are the best on the system, and the game is just plain fun. It's a 9/10 for sure - which means AAA in my book.

 

[Qroach]

The only reason GC ever gets defended by anyone in this forum is because of people like you who see anything they think is negative about GameCube as a victory for their beloved XBox.

Whatever teasy, you plainly showed that you don't have an open mind to anything but the cube. there's a difference between liking it, and being fanatical. You obviously are more the later.

I didn't say it was. I said last time I checked it was selling brilliantly, so could someone give me the latest numbers.

Ok fine... I can tell you right now it's slowed down since then, without even looking at the numbers.

A dev that so far has made one not so great game and with no other game scheduled before 2004. 2 games from RareWare in 3 years for GameCube would really have strengthened GameCube's lineup a hell of a lot compared to 1 game

Teasy i really think that your saying Starfox is a "not so great game" for the simple fact you don't want to be proved wrong. even though you always included it on you must have game lists. What' you're saying about (a game I have no idea you've ever played), is purely bull. Also, yes the big name ittles using nintendo's chracters that Rare was working on would have strengthend the Gamecube's lineup.

I was under the impression that Star Fox adventure was started back in 1998 for N64 as dinosaur planet, that would make it at least 4 years of development if true.

Ok, then so what proof of that do you have?

9 on IGN is not excellent, its good to very good, SFA is not a great game.

Teasy, and you think the extra ".4" between SFA and Mario Sunshine really make the difference between these two titles? Unless you're saying that Mario is "good - very good" and not excellent?

Anyway, no matter what you're saying, it's complete BS imo. Just making more excuses.

I'm sure one RareWare game would have been scheduled for late 2003 on GameCube, but it would have been delayed int 2004. RareWare never fail to do that, of course they never fail to make solid quality games either, but at the price of time.

As I've said in the past, delaying games is something nintendo is famous for. it must have rubbed off from them.

I've played it a little bit, also read reviews and user opinions. And overall the opinion is that the game is good, even very good but not excellent or great. The graphics are excellent though.

I've also read reviews and user opinons and the people with an ounce of sense (which is just about everyone has said the game is great). That's also why the average user voting is an 8.5 at gamerankings.com (currently .1 higher than mario sunshine).

(obviously it looks weaker, not significantly weaker or even close though).

Well at least you can agree on something.

Make all the excusses you want, the fact is not many people agree with your opinion that GameCube has a poor lineup.

So says you. if you don't mind, I'll trust the opinion of many gamers out there that have a MORE open mind than yourself. You already proved yourself to be fantical with your "9.0" isn't a excellent score BS...

Its even easier to find one particular fan-boy that will post anything he see's as negative for GameCube, because he see's it as a victory for XBox. I don't even need to tell you who I'm pointing at.

Ha, yes that's exactly why I pickup a gamecube last weekend. the difference between you and myself is, that I don't try to sound overly optimistic about xbox OR gamecube. I can enjoy games on both platforms and can also see the strentghs and weeknesses. From what you wrote above you obviously think this is some sort of battle. Me, all I care about is playing the game's want and trying to keep everything in persepctive. It's very typical for a person like yourself to call someone a fan-boy when they don't agree, even if they also own the same console as yourself.

You put far to much emphasis on one word

...and you don't put enough emphasis on one word I wrote. The word "IF"

Its just sad that you read so much into one word just because it gave you a negative way to spin this.

It's called keeping it real. Something you haven't got ahold of yet, since you'll always be the GC optimist. It's not negative, IF what was written is true and it's a game starting development, then I thin kthat will happen. Try using some logic.

Ok then even IF this does start at the end of the year how do you know that we won't see it for a while? How can you even suggest that without any knowledge of what this is?

Exactly, IF it's a game going into development. I can suggest that because I used the word "IF". This isn't hard to understand. IF it's a game that is starting, then we won't see it for a while. IF it's something else then that's a differnt story. I'm NOT saying I know what this is, I'm speculating just like YOU are!

For instance game development could start on a game and we wouldn't see it for at least around a year or two later, but a console pricedrop could start and we'd see it instantly (not that I think this is a pricedrop because I don't). Point being this could have an immediate effect.

Am I arguing that what you wrote isn't possible? NO! So why are you arguing with me what might be possible? We don't really need to play this game.

 

[Qroach]

Captain fan-boy

funny words coming from an Xbox fan..

...and a GC fan. Two consoles...

 

[BenSkywalker]

Mario isn't really moving hardware, as I predicted, and 350,000 in 10 days is really bad when you consider how starved the Gamecube was for games at the time.

You've seen Sept numbers? I have no idea what they will be at, but anecdotal all the stores in my area are sold out of Cubes for the first time in a while. Hitting 12.5% market penetration in ten days is supposed to be bad? That obliterates GTA3's numbers. As of this point Mario has almost certainly gone platinum world wide(which shoudln't be a surprise) and we still have another month to go to reach the holiday shopping season where Mario always does the majority of sales.

Starved for games? In the three weeks prior to Mario- Smuggler's Run, Madden, Beach Spikers and NFL2K3 hit. SMB2 hit the same day as SMS.

Same time period for the Box you had the two previously mentioned football titles plus Fever and NCAA 2K3, Dead to Rights, Buffy and Soccer Slam.

For the PS2 you had the football titles minus Fever but add GameDay and The Thing.

The above ignores all the crap titles on the different systems. How was the Cube starved for games? If it was, the PS2 and XBox were at least equally starved if not worse. Out of all those titles I see one worth owning on the PS2(The Thing, although I'll take it on another platform ), none on the Box(I am a huge football fan but not football video games) and three on the Cube(Smuggler's Run, SMS and SMB2).

 

[Qroach]

I dunno about you, but I seriously consider smugglers run and beach spikers just your run of the mill games.

 

[CaptainHowdy]

well, that 3-4 games was a drought, if you compare it to the release list of Oct-Dec

all three months are just nuts, no way on earth I can afford every game I want.

on one day alone in Oct(the 15th), there are 5 titles I want releasing, that doesnt even cover the rest of the month

 

[BenSkywalker]

Have you played them Quincy? I'm not a big fan of the Beach VolleyBall genre, although neither am I for soccer and I included Soccer Slam. I wouldn't argue for either of those though, I included both because I included one. Smuggler's Run Warzones I had a blast with however. Four player bomb tag on the game is loads of fun, and the single player game was certainly entertaining. It isn't a classic, but I bought it and don't regret it in the least.

 

[Qroach]

I'm not much of a volleyball fan (althought volleyball games on the NES rocked). I have no interest in soccer slam and I've played previous smuggler run games an though it was fun... I'm sure it would be better multiplayer, but many of my firends aren't game players so multiplayer (on one console) isn't my cup of tea.

Although I can't wait to play some xbox games online...

 

[CaptainHowdy]

Have you played them Quincy? I'm not a big fan of the Beach VolleyBall genre, although neither am I for soccer and I included Soccer Slam. I wouldn't argue for either of those though, I included both because I included one. Smuggler's Run Warzones I had a blast with however. Four player bomb tag on the game is loads of fun, and the single player game was certainly entertaining. It isn't a classic, but I bought it and don't regret it in the least.

SM is good, I would not call it GREAT, but very fun in multiplay.
Beachspikers was a big suprise though, very fun gameplay, I think
fondly back to Virtua Tennis.
I think DOAXVB has an edge graphically(maybe, once we see some actual gameplay instead of pinup shots, we can judge), but I think BS has a huge edge in gameplay.