Nintendo finally does the smart thing: Improving release dates outside Japan

I’ve made no secret of my bitter distaste when it comes to the ridiculous, insulting and totally unnecessary release dates that we have to put up with from Nintendo in Europe. Having to wait over six months for Super Paper Mario was little more than a slap in the face, and a company that claims to be serious about its online market simply can’t pull such rotten stunts with today’s global gaming audience.

Finally, however, it seems that the Big N is finally seeing the light and realizing that gamers outside of Japan are increasingly growing frustrated with their shoddy treatment. After complaints forwarded by equally downtrodden Australian gamers, the legendary corporation went ahead and promised that it was working on releasing games in other territories no more than two weeks after the Japanese street date. Now that’s more like it, Nintendo!

“Our fans are very passionate and want games straight away,” Nintendo stated. “We are working on that as a priority and trying to get [the release schedule] to be more global.” That sounds just about dandy to me. Microsoft and Sony can manage less than a week, but I’ll let you off if you actually come through on this.

Nintendo has been one of the worst offenders when it comes to screwing other markets over, so this promise of a more global release date is very encouraging. Of course, it was said that Nintendo was going to make the Wii a global launch too, and that never happened. Fingers are crossed, though. The last thing Nintendo needs is to draw heat on The Podcastle, am I right?

[Aerox makes me smile]