21-01-2003 01:55									#2
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quote: So now it's official, the only region (indeed, country) in the world that the Gamecube outsells the Xbox is Japan.

It's a good thing for Nintendo that Japan is much more important than mere sales data indicates. MS needs to think of something to boost their sales in Japan or they could be in some trouble...

	21-01-2003 01:59									#3
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quote: Originally posted by Drake Tungsten It's a good thing for Nintendo that Japan is much more important than mere sales data indicates. MS needs to think of something to boost their sales in Japan or they could be in some trouble...

I really don't think it matters much to the people buying the Xboxes.

Let's face it, the people who want Japanese games buy a Japanese console.

The Xbox appeals more to more mainstream gamers. MS isn't in trouble if Japan keeps tanking, and for evidence I point you to the worldwide sales numbers where the Xbox has been increasing in sales since launch to the point of passing the Gamecube...

Of course, it'd be awesome if the Xbox did well in Japan, but let's deal with the facts: It'll never do well in Japan. Ever. It's a lost cause, even though MS thinks they can crack the market with persistence, I think it's a waste of their money.

Japan's market is in decline, good Japanese developers still produce games for the Xbox because they know the market outside of Japan is favorable for the Xbox...

Plus MS is the only game console manufacturer who doesn't force you to submit your game to three different quality assurance people for each region: You send it to one center, they okay or send it back. Saves time & money for developers...

	21-01-2003 02:06									#4
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quote: The Xbox appeals more to more mainstream gamers. MS isn't in trouble if Japan keeps tanking, and for evidence I point you to the worldwide sales numbers where the Xbox has been increasing in sales since launch to the point of passing the Gamecube...

I'd be really suprised if the Xbox wasn't leading the Gamecube, given the vast amount of money MS has dumped into this venture.

quote: Of course, it'd be awesome if the Xbox did well in Japan, but let's deal with the facts: It'll never do well in Japan. Ever. It's a lost cause, even though MS thinks they can crack the market with persistence, I think it's a waste of their money.

MS is smarter than you are. They know that they have to gain the support of the major Japanese development houses to beat Sony and they know that success in Japan is a vital part of gaining that support. They're being persistent because they have to crack the Japanese market to make their Xbox plans work out.

quote: Japan's market is in decline, good Japanese developers still produce games for the Xbox because they know the market outside of Japan is favorable for the Xbox...

There's more to the Japanese development world than Sega and Tecmo. MS has a long way to go in gaining Japanese support.

	21-01-2003 02:10									#5
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I don't see why you make such a big deal about Japanese developer support for Xbox.

Capcom, Konami, Tecmo, Sega, etc. all make Xbox games.

I mean, there's tons of big name Japanese games on the Xbox. Off the top of my head: DOA3, DOA4, DOA:XBV, Ninja Gaiden, Steel Battalion, Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance, SegaGT 2002, JSRF, Gunvalkyrie, Panzer Dragoon Orta, Shenmue II, Dino Crisis 3, Crazy Taxi 3, House of the Dead III, Sega Soccer Slam, True Fantasy Online, Crimson Sea, Silent Hill 2, Marvel vs Capcom 2, Capcom vs SNK 2, Genma Onimusha etc.

	21-01-2003 02:16									#6
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that other consol will rise of fall likfe all the others, based upon their games

Jon Miller

	21-01-2003 02:17									#7
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That's pretty sad support from Capcom and Konami. 2D fighters and ports of year-old PS2 games? Like I said, Tecmo and Sega are Microsoft's only real friends in Japan and that isn't enough, especially when you consider that Sega still has divided loyalties. MS needs some exclusives from Japanese developers and the boys in Redmond know this. That's why they're doing their best to crack into the Japanese market.

	21-01-2003 02:22									#8
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I have not bothered to get any of the new consoles. I had a nintendo (Mario Bros 3!), a super nintendo (Mortal Kombat! Zelda!), and a nintendo 64 (Golden Eye! Zelda!). Of all the people I know, only ONE has a game cube, and only one has a Sega Dreamcast. Anyway, since i have all these friends with consoles, ive been able to sample them all.

In my opinion, X-box is the best, due to that I like the controler design much more than the others, and simply put, because of Halo. The game is good in single player mode, but in multiplayer (ive played with 13 other people once before) its just awesome, and after more than a year still hasnt gotten old. Too bad by the time Halo II comes out all my friends and I will have moved on...

PS2, initially, was very disappointing. All the games I played were mediocre, at best, and they got boring quickly. It wasnt until I played SOCOM that the system began to look good. SOCOM is probably the best single player game I've ever played, and I wish i could try its multiplayer function, but i cant.

Kman

	21-01-2003 02:22									#9
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MGS3 is rumoured to be a 6-month time exclusive on Xbox before being ported to the PS2.

Capcom spent a TON of money on Steel Battalion, for example, and they're developing Steel Battalion II right now as well.

Of course most of Konami and Capcom's games go to other consoles, but all of their major blockbusters find their way on to Xbox eventually. It'd be nice if more game out at the same time or before, but it's hardly critical...

The majority best selling games in North America and Europe no longer come from Japanese developers.

I still think the Xbox has ample Japanese games. In fact, a main reason not many Japanese developers make games for Xbox is because they simply don't sell very well.

Why? Because nobody really cares about the Japanese gmaes when they buy an Xbox. They buy the Xbox for kickass English games like Halo, Splinter Cell, Rallisport Challenge, MechAssault, Perfect Dark Zero, etc.

Japanese games don't hold much interest to most people with the Xbox. And that certainly hasn't stalled sales at all for the Xbox.

The people who should be worried about developer support is Nintendo. With Sega withdrawing its Sega Sports brand from Nintendo's console, and with really pathetic third party sales compared to Xbox and PS2, it desperately needs more North American/European developers...

	21-01-2003 02:23									#10
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Gamcube is in better shape than Xbox IMHO. MS looses money on each Xbox sold, where as Nintendo makes money on each one sold. So for MS to do better than Nintendo, they would have to hugely outsell Nintendo in games. Which they didn't (i dont think, does anyone have the numbers?)

	21-01-2003 02:27									#11
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quote: Originally posted by trickey Gamcube is in better shape than Xbox IMHO. MS looses money on each Xbox sold, where as Nintendo makes money on each one sold. So for MS to do better than Nintendo, they would have to hugely outsell Nintendo in games. Which they didn't (i dont think, does anyone have the numbers?)

MS does do better in software, but not "hugely" (yet).

We're not talking about financial shape. Nintendo is profiting off the Gamecube, while MS is losing money on the Xbox, but that really doesn't matter. The money MS loses on the Xbox hasn't even dented their profits, they still post insane profits...

	21-01-2003 02:29									#12
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quote: They buy the Xbox for kickass English games like Halo, Splinter Cell, Rallisport Challenge, MechAssault, Perfect Dark Zero, etc.

I think only one of those games is English...

quote: The people who should be worried about developer support is Nintendo.

Nintendo's doing alright. They could do a lot better, but they aren't doing badly. Capcom is staunchly in their corner and their first party games make up for lot. As long as they can maintain good relations with the other Japanese developers, they'll do fine. Having less ambitious goals than MS doesn't hurt either...

	21-01-2003 02:30									#13
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Jap games = who needs 'em? (this question is only open to people over 13 years of age)

	21-01-2003 02:32									#14
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quote: Originally posted by Asher MS does do better in software, but not "hugely" (yet). We're not talking about financial shape. Nintendo is profiting off the Gamecube, while MS is losing money on the Xbox, but that really doesn't matter. The money MS loses on the Xbox hasn't even dented their profits, they still post insane profits...

XBox is getting MS's foot in the door, the XBox is just a loss leader to XBox2

	21-01-2003 02:34									#15
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quote: Originally posted by Drake Tungsten I think only one of those games is English...

By English I mean developed in an English-native country. It's far easier to say English than "Canada, US, and UK"

quote: Capcom is staunchly in their corner and their first party games make up for lot.

Not really.
Remember the 5 "exclusive" Capcom games announced a while ago? 4 of those are no longer exclusive. They won't name the other platform(s) they're going to yet.

RE4 is the only exclusive one of the bunch, due to the contract Nintendo signed with them years ago for it...

I thought these sales figures might be interesting, to show why Nintendo should work on third party support. Xbox vs Gamecube US software sales by third parties in November 2002 (source: http://system-zero.com/sales/nov/500.html )

Platform Game Release-Date Publisher Monthly-Sales Year-To-Date-Sales Avg-Retail-Price Total-Revenues

XBX MORTAL KOMBAT: DEADLY NOV'02 MIDWAY 104,155 104,155 $48.88 $5,091,133.27
GCN MORTAL KOMBAT: DEADLY NOV'02 MIDWAY 38,169 38,169 $48.74 $1,860,447.94

XBX MEDAL HONOR FRONTLINE NOV'02 ELECTRONIC ARTS 96,885 96,885 $49.68 $4,813,521.28
GCN MEDAL HONOR FRONTLINE NOV'02 ELECTRONIC ARTS 34,864 34,864 $49.71 $1,732,912.41

GCN HARRY POTTER: CHAMBER NOV'02 ELECTRONIC ARTS 83,998 83,998 $49.24 $4,136,003.99
XBX HARRY POTTER: CHAMBER NOV'02 ELECTRONIC ARTS 37,521 37,521 $49.38 $1,852,658.28

XBX TONY HAWKS PRO SKATR4 OCT'02 ACTIVISION 55,749 91,320 $47.58 $2,652,589.47
GCN TONY HAWKS PRO SKATR4 OCT'02 ACTIVISION 45,057 66,852 $49.33 $2,222,654.44

XBX BOND 007: NIGHTFIRE NOV'02 ELECTRONIC ARTS 53,279 53,279 $49.54 $2,639,535.84
GCN BOND 007: NIGHTFIRE NOV'02 ELECTRONIC ARTS 49,897 49,897 $49.51 $2,470,139.53

XBX MADDEN NFL 2003 AUG'02 ELECTRONIC ARTS 45,865 292,269 $47.14 $2,162,184.17
GCN MADDEN NFL 2003 AUG'02 ELECTRONIC ARTS 28,989 112,889 $38.80 $1,124,747.44

XBX SPIDER-MAN: THE MOVIE APR'02 ACTIVISION 41,543 391,849 $39.10 $1,624,342.29
GCN SPIDER-MAN: THE MOVIE APR'02 ACTIVISION 20,751 300,088 $47.10 $977,311.18

XBX TIGER WOODS PGA 2003 OCT'02 ELECTRONIC ARTS 39,054 51,858 $49.62 $1,937,766.24
GCN TIGER WOODS PGA 2003 OCT'02 ELECTRONIC ARTS 10,939 13,557 $46.91 $513,134.65

XBX SW: JEDI KNIGHT II NOV'02 LUCASARTS ENTERTAINMENT 33,189 33,189 $51.13 $1,696,787.08
GCN SW: JEDI KNIGHT II NOV'02 LUCASARTS ENTERTAINMENT 18,355 18,355 $51.00 $936,062.55

XBX NBA LIVE 2003 OCT'02 ELECTRONIC ARTS 30,417 84,106 $49.48 $1,505,046.47
GCN NBA LIVE 2003 OCT'02 ELECTRONIC ARTS 13,549 27,263 $46.83 $634,463.24

XBX TIMESPLITTERS 2 OCT'02 EIDOS INTERACTIVE 30,174 91,583 $49.56 $1,495,507.75
GCN TIMESPLITTERS 2 OCT'02 EIDOS INTERACTIVE 23,801 63,546 $49.52 $1,178,704.54

XBX NFL 2K3 AUG'02 SEGA OF AMERICA 22,113 117,197 $31.69 $700,802.48
GCN NFL 2K3 AUG'02 SEGA OF AMERICA 6,025 24,289 $32.39 $195,123.20

XBX NBA 2K3 OCT'02 SEGA OF AMERICA 21,234 75,101 $49.43 $1,049,643.39
GCN NBA 2K3 OCT'02 SEGA OF AMERICA 5,246 13,213 $49.52 $259,799.29

XBX FIFA SOCCER 2003 NOV'02 ELECTRONIC ARTS 20,326 20,326 $49.64 $1,009,060.05
GCN FIFA SOCCER 2003 NOV'02 ELECTRONIC ARTS 8,125 8,125 $46.95 $381,471.04

XBX NEED SPEED: PURSUIT 2 SEP'02 ELECTRONIC ARTS 20,171 68,990 $49.41 $996,574.18
GCN NEED SPEED: PURSUIT 2 SEP'02 ELECTRONIC ARTS 19,496 44,570 $49.40 $963,075.28

XBX NCAA FOOTBALL 2003 JUL'02 ELECTRONIC ARTS 19,167 183,216 $46.81 $897,131.76
GCN NCAA FOOTBALL 2003 JUL'02 ELECTRONIC ARTS 14,195 64,135 $32.30 $458,507.33

	21-01-2003 02:35									#16
	Inflate your Upload Space

It'll be interesting to see how the next generation of console wars shape up. If one of them doesn't get a 1-year headstart on the others, I'd imagine there could be some fierce competition.

	21-01-2003 02:39									#17
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It only makes sense that Gamecube owners buy fewer third-party games than Xbox owners. Third-party games on the GC have to compete with excellent Nintendo first-party games for the game buyer's attention. No such dilemna exists on the Xbox.

Although I do own three of those games...

	21-01-2003 02:42									#18
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Notice how the EA Sports games sell for cheaper on the Gamecube than Xbox.

EA ain't too happy about that, they make less money.

	21-01-2003 02:43									#19
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quote: Notice how the EA Sports games sell for cheaper on the Gamecube than Xbox. EA ain't too happy about that, they make less money.

I enjoy it. I bought Tiger Woods 2003 for $30.

	21-01-2003 02:45									#20
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Instead of lowering the price like EA did, Sega just left the platform.

I think the only reason EA's staying now is nobody else makes sports games for the console.

Sports games are a huge market -- Nintendo needs to get more suppliers.

MS has Sega, EA, and makes lots of first-party sports games (NFL and NBA already around, Tennis and Baseball coming for the 2004 seasons, Hockey also in development).

Sony has Sega, EA, and 989 Sports.

Nintendo has...EA?

	21-01-2003 02:49									#21
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quote: Instead of lowering the price like EA did, Sega just left the platform.

Sega Sports is having problems that go far beyond the Gamecube. I don't really know why, as most of their products are better than EA's, but who understands the mind of the mainstream gamer? The Xbox is selling better than the Gamecube, after all...

quote: Nintendo has...EA?

And their occasional first-party sports game. It is an area they need to work on, I agree.

	21-01-2003 02:55									#22
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quote: Sega Sports is having problems that go far beyond the Gamecube. I don't really know why, as most of their products are better than EA's, but who understands the mind of the mainstream gamer? The Xbox is selling better than the Gamecube, after all...

Probably because gamers realize it's cheaper to buy an Xbox.

2 free games, DVD player support, built in ethernet and harddrive (no need for memory cards), $50 more than Nintendo's console.

Plus there's more games available for the Xbox. And Xbox Live... and stuff like in-game Dolby Digital, HDTV support, and being technically more capable in general.

It's a no-brainer to me. The only reason to get a Gamecube is if you're a fan of Nintendo games. Which is why I got one.

quote: And their occasional first-party sports game.

When was the last non-arcade style first-party Nintendo sports game?

	21-01-2003 02:58									#23
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quote: The only reason to get a Gamecube is if you're a fan of Nintendo games.

That's one hell of a reason. Who isn't a fan of Nintendo games?

quote: When was the last non-arcade style first-party Nintendo sports game?

That Kobe Bryant game? I've never played it, but I think it is a somewhat accurate representation of basketball.

	21-01-2003 03:00									#24
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quote: Originally posted by Drake Tungsten That's one hell of a reason. Who isn't a fan of Nintendo games?

Look at the SMS sales in North America.

Even Metroid Prime's sales weren't that great, a non-exclusive game from Ubi Soft outsold it.

	21-01-2003 03:00									#25
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Mario Golf & Tennis kicked ass. And I eagerly await Mario Kart on the Cube.

	21-01-2003 03:02									#26
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Those aren't what I was thinking when I was thinking of sports games.

I'm talking about yearly games with real teams.

	21-01-2003 03:04									#27
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quote: Even Metroid Prime's sales weren't that great, a non-exclusive game from Ubi Soft outsold it.

For now. I think it's a little too early to be making final determinations...

quote: And I eagerly await Mario Kart on the Cube.

Aren't we all?

	21-01-2003 03:06									#28
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Peter Moore, former president and COO of Sega America, just joined Microsoft. (Wonder if he'll be working with Ken Lobb? )

http://www.teamxbox.com/news.php?id=4021

quote: Peter Moore Joins Microsoft 01.20.2003 @ 04:59 PM Microsoft Corp. today announced that Peter Moore, video game industry veteran and former president and chief operating officer of SEGA® of America Inc., has joined Microsoft as corporate vice president of retail sales and marketing. In this newly created position, Moore will oversee retail business in the Home and Entertainment Division, including the Xbox™ video game console, Xbox and PC games from Microsoft Game Studios, and home software and hardware products sold at retail, in Europe and Japan. Moore brings to Microsoft more than 20 years of global management, marketing and sales experience. At SEGA, Moore played a critical role in repositioning the SEGA brand and product suite to achieve a leadership position in the industry. Before serving as president and chief operating officer, Moore was the senior vice president of marketing and was responsible for the successful launch of the SEGA Dreamcast™ video game console. Before joining SEGA, Moore was with Reebok International Ltd., where he held senior management positions including vice president of global sports and senior vice president of Reebok Footwear. In his new role as vice president of retail sales and marketing at Microsoft, Moore will report directly to Robbie Bach, senior vice president of the Home and Entertainment Division and chief Xbox officer. “Peter has an outstanding track record of success in the consumer market and video game industries. In addition, we look forward to utilizing his deep knowledge of foreign markets to continue to grow our retail business in Europe and Japan,” Bach said. “In Europe, where we have made enormous progress, particularly with the Xbox business gaining the No. 2 position there, Peter will be working to maintain and accelerate that good standing. In Japan, we expect that he will contribute greatly to the work already being done there to advance the business.” “I am excited to be joining Microsoft at a time when the company’s drive toward innovation and creativity is at the forefront of its retail and in-home strategy,” Moore said. “In particular, I look forward to applying my combined experience in global consumer sales and marketing and the interactive entertainment industry to enhance the global reach of the Xbox product line.” Additional Management Changes in Europe Microsoft also today announced the retirement of Sandy Duncan, regional vice president of Home and Entertainment in Europe. Duncan retires after 17 years with Microsoft, three of which were spent overseeing the retail business, including Xbox, in Europe. “Sandy leaves Microsoft on an incredibly high note,” Bach said. “Having worked with a fantastic team of people on one of the most exciting launches in history, in addition to the success of the first Xbox holiday in Europe, he can retire knowing that he helped establish Microsoft firmly as a serious player in the games industry.” Eduardo Rosini, a 10-year Microsoft veteran currently driving product development projects at Microsoft Game Studios, has been appointed the new regional vice president managing the day-to-day activities of the division in Europe. Rosini and Duncan will work together during the next few months’ transition period. Rosini will report to directly to Moore. Rosini has worked on Xbox since its inception, initially as a business manager working directly for Bach. He joined Microsoft in 1992 and spent seven years managing key Microsoft subsidiaries overseas, moving to Redmond, Wash., in 1999 as general manager of the Worldwide Enterprise Group. “I’m very excited for Eduardo to join the European team,” Bach said. “Building on the success of holiday 2002, he will work closely with Peter Moore to continue to fulfill our mission of bringing value to consumers through the strength of our products.”

	21-01-2003 03:08									#29
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So now MS is hiring Sega's failures? That isn't a good sign...

	21-01-2003 03:09									#30
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Sega's failures were in made at the corporate HQ Japan, it wasn't Sega of America's fault.