With the 3DS' rough start and Nintendo's financial faltering, some have already suggested that the dark days of the Gamecube have returned. However, Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata believes that the 3DS won't repeat past mistakes, and last week's price drop was in fact due to lessons learned last generation.
According to Iwata, the Gamecube suffered because Nintendo did not take certain opportunities when they were available. The general feeling within company management is that the console had a chance to succeed, but that chance was not seized upon.
Iwata claims that the company learned its lesson, and that's why a 3DS price cut has arrived so soon after launch.
If Nintendo had truly learned something from the Gamecube, we'd have an entire Donkey Konga series by now. Because that game was the best thing the 'Cube had going for it, and we need ten billion of 'em.
3DS Pricedrop Decision Came From GameCube Lessons [andriasang]
Jim Sterling serves as reviews editor for Destructoid.com, head of the Podtoid podcast, and produces a number of news stories, original features, one-of-a-kind videos. With his passionate argumentative style, controversial opinions, harsh delivery, and dedication to brutal honesty Sterling is a name that you can't help but recognize.
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Contest:
9:40 AM on 08.01.2011 | 
I think I still have some damn dirty bongos in my flat.
It's only a minor upgrade from the DS if you look apart from the 3D gimmick.
I have little sympathy for them. They admitted to raise the launch price due to the good reception at E3.
Because this is America where Call of Duty is king and the only real best selling series here is Final Fantasy.
Because this is America where Call of Duty is king and the only real best selling rpg series here is Final Fantasy.
I'd hate to see one of their handhelds do the same.
DK Jungle Beat > Donkey Konga.
the point is gamers buy consoles for games. not because they think the hardware is just so awesome or affordable.
which I know will never happen * cries in corner knowing I still will buy Wii U * I am so weak .....p.p
Whatever the problem is here is anybody's guess, but there is no denying there is one.
It doesn't really matter if Nintendo regards this as a problem or not, a significant proportion of their customers (and potential customers) do. I manage a game store & it is a frequent reason cited for not buying or returning/trading in a 3DS.
I believe the pricing structure of eShop content is also completely wrong and drastically needs amending.
Specific 3DS game (or at the very least some of the better Wiiware games ported) shop content is desperately needed along with some major third party support (where the **** is it..?)
I am a long standing big N zealot, but believe they have dropped the ball big time (at least so far) with the 3DS.
I still have faith, whether it turns out to be misguided is another matter.
While I mostly agree, as a long time nintendo fan I have to say I don't play Nintendo titles for nostalgia, but rather for the fact that in this fast, rapidly changing industry, Nintendo is a rock. There's something incredibly comforting about the idea that, for example, while a lot of other games I play I may be dissapointed by or unhappy with, I can always rely on a new kirby title to brighten things up.
Well its kind of cyclical isn't it? If the system doesn't sell, than games don't get made for it and if games doesn't get made for it, than more systems won't get sold. Its just a vicious cycle, that the GC just couldn't get out of. There was other factors of course, but if Nintendo had of acted earlier, than it might have had a different fate. I mean after all, the XboX really didn't outsell the GC by all that much. It was like 21 VS 25 million, so who knows what could of happened!
However this seems to be the consensus of opinion taken by the movie industry too. Nobody is really producing anything new due to "risk". So you can only milk a cow so many times until you end up like Square-Enix, with no new consumer products to release and failing interest.
Then to top it off, we have quite frankly baffling decisions like:
"We have no plans to release GBA games officially on the Eshop"...which is like saying: "We don't have plans to make money or utilize the tools at our disposal."
I think you have to remember they are a very conservative company Nintendo and its reflected in the fact they don't want to work with Indie (or as they call them "Garage Developers") Developers and the refusal to upkeep or design a user friendly and content filled online experience for its consumers.
In the end I DO think they will come out allright, however they need to reshuffle their management a bit since their decision making in the context of promotion and service structure is a little bit below-par up until now.
I've tried Zelda, Mario, Pokemon, Starfox, Pikmen, and Metroid. They all rely on nostalgia to overcome their awkwardness, while Kirby and Donkey Kong Country invite modern players to learn of their charm. Nintendo should learn from those two series as well as rebuild their entire network so that it functions like every other network on the internet. If not, the WiiU is going to have a hard time just like the 3DS.
The Gamecube suffered primarily from a poor image, just like the 3DS. For the Cube, it was the perception that it was a kiddie console with few worthwhile games released by a company that was stuck 5 years behind the competition. For the 3DS, the perception is that it makes your eyes bleed and has few games released by a company stuck 10 years behind the competition.
Cutting the price of the Gamecube was not going to make it a contender because both the public-at-large and the game developers had already pigeonholed it, and nothing short of a massive rethinking would have been capable of changing that, because that is the set-up for a reinforcing loop. Heck, even after Eternal Darkness and Resident Evil 4 were released, people were still saying that a Nintendo console only had kids games and couldn't have "mature" games.
The Wii has different problems. Its selling gimmick of 3D is pretty much a bust. It *is* lacking in the game department, worse than the Gamecube. Nintendo appeared oblivious to the damage inflicted by the PSP versus the DS, which was enough to cause some people to wait on a 3DS to see what the Vita would offer. And Nintendo is still oblivious to the rapidly increasing effects of the phone/tablet market.
I grew up. Nintendo hasn't.
Ever wonder why both nintendo and sony are pushing remakes and sequels like crazy>
Losing Rare for example... that's millions of sales down the drain.
Gamecube as second best console ever behind the N64. THE END.
People like you make me overjoyed to be me. How does that stick up your ass 24/7 feel, anyways???
Gamecube was the best thing last generation. It had THE most timeless and innovative games during it's lifespan.
Jim LOVES NINTENDO so much he can't stop bashing them. I think we know what his daddy was like growing up. LOL
Haha oh wow. If you're worried about such tripe you need to just get out of this medium as far as hobbies are concerned.
I find try hard mature titles to be a lot more embarrassing and immature than something simply trying to be fun and designed for that.
Most titles that are "mature" by other peoples standards contain the writing of a b-movie title and the pandering techniques used to lure males 12-18. A REAL MATURE GROUP. I have to say such titles really contain some real mature merits and wide appeal /sarcasm
ADULT CONTENT DOESN'T = MATURE
Anyone who thinks they need to be 10 to enjoy a Nintendo title has got to be kidding. A kid can enjoy the fun and colors but an adult can really appreciate the platforming and design and a game like Galaxy 2 is perfectly fine for adults who seriously appreciate video games.
I'm not saying a game shouldn't strive for high quality narratives or appeal to adults but I have to laugh at MATURE GAMERS and seriously Mad World? I love Madworld but if you think that game is mature and not for Bart Simpson kids with "COOL VIOLENCE! HURR" attitudes, than you've got to be kidding me. That kind of shit is the stuff that attracts kids WAY more. Just how many kids do you have to have yelling at you over an headset anyway?
I'm 23 and enjoy a variety of titles from Bioshock to Mario. I hardly think Nintendo is kids-only stuff. It's more like 'for everyone-stuff' who wants to play. Kind of like how Pixar movies are pretty damn good and I'd hardly say they're kids-only.