The biggest hitters in Japan officially comment on GameCube.

Suddenly I feel more confident about GameCube\'s chances to be a major success in Japan, keep reading to find out why.

March 2, 2001

The latest issue of overseas gaming magazine Famitsu Weekly has published a piece focused entirely on Japanese software companies\' opinions of Nintendo GameCube. The magazine interviewed all of the major players, including Sega, Capcom, Game Arts, KOEI, Konami and, of course, Namco. Following is what they had to say:
[CAPCOM)

Yoshiki Okamoto, director of research and development at Capcom, indicated full support of Nintendo\'s next-generation console. "We plan on putting a lot of effort behind GameCube," he said, and added that the firm doesn\'t yet have a complete picture of where the console is headed.

Full support from Capcom huh? Thats great news for Nintendo. BUt personally, I\'m not much of a Capcom fan so I don\'t really care. But most people here seem to like the famous RE series...

Game Arts-

Game Arts officials told the magazine that the industry is in store for a big change and that Nintendo is the only company really serious about making games better. As such, the developer is looking forward to what Nintendo has in store this year, and will be pursuing a mult-platform release strategy.

More great news. I hope Game Arts decides to make Grandia 3 for GameCube. Grandia 2 was an awesome RPG and a sequal is needed.

KOEI\'s Keiko Erikawa commented that while it seems Nintendo\'s strong suit is the younger crowd, it\'s highly possible that if KOEI was to bring their more adult-oriented titles to the console it could help attract a wider audience. In the case of Nintendo, Keiko stated that it will be a question of whether or not Nintendo can market the GameCube to older audiences so that it can attract more support from third-parties.

Just one question- who the hell is KOEI?

 

Konami, meanwhile, stated that it is still securing its GameCube and Xbox plans and there are no plans to make either console the company\'s "main focus" this year. The firm\'s Mr. Kitakami said that it can be costly to take on new hardware compared to sticking with PS2 and Game Boy Advance development, which it plans to do through the remainder of the year.

No one likes Konami anyway.

 

Finally, Namco\'s own Yasuhiko Asada seemed very open to GameCube development. "Nintendo is the one to watch," he stated and added, "we have great interest in making the GameCube our \'target\' machine." This comes as more proof that Nintendo\'s ties with the third-party developer have been greatly improved.

Holy **** thats good news for NIntendo fans and terrible news for Sony lovers( good news for the hardcore gamer too). GameCube- Namco\'s target system? Excellent...I really hope Soul Caliber finds it\'s way on GameCube eventually. Nintendo needs some fighting games this time.

However, Namco\'s US branch had this to say in response to Bloomberg Japan\'s recent report on the company: "As far as developing for GameCube or Xbox, there have been no agreements signed, though Namco is considering developing for these platforms." The subsidiary added: "Can you name one software company that isn\'t?"

Stupid americans.

Finally, Sega\'s chief operating office Tetsu Kayama commented: "If [Nintendo] manages to keep its current schedule, I think [the GameCube] has a chance to be a tremendous success." Tetsu\'s biggest fear is that Nintendo president Hiroshi Yamauchi will hold back the GameCube hardware because he feels that there aren\'t enough games that deliver something new. "It will be pretty tough if it\'s delayed because 45% of the hardware sales in America are done during the holiday season."

I knew all along Sega would support the GameCube. I mean, Sega and Nintendo are friends and they both believe in quality software.

Now that Nintendo has official gained some key Japanese developers, do you think they can reestablish the kind of success they used to have in Japan? Its a given that the GBA will be a tremendous success,but what about GameCube? Did the N64 scare the Japanese away from Nintendo? Does Sony have too much of a stronghold to let anyone come near them? Opinions wanted.

Quite frankly, as has been stated many times before Nintendo machines are for Nintendo games. I could care less if Nintendo dominates the market or conquers the land of the rising sun or whatever. If I want to play third party titles I play them on my PS2, that\'s what its for. If I want to play Nintendo titles (and I do) there\'s only one machine I can get: GC. Hell, there\'s nothing special about playing Namco titles on a nintendo machine, it doesn\'t make them any better, same thing with Konami,Koei, etc. I mean you, Jumpman, are a huge Nintendo fan you\'re always saying how there\'s nothing better than their games, and their games are going to come out on the GC for sure, and they will be great fun, some even revolutionary, without a doubt they will sell millions of units, so why should you posibly care that Nintendo dominate the market?

And if you still want an answer to your questions I think it is quite possible that the Nintendo could dominate in Europe, if the console is released at a low price, because the Europeans are getting sick of being screwed over. As for the other markets,it\'s really hard to tell. Despite the fact that major publishers are now backing Nintendo, they aren\'t backing Sony any less. As a matter of fact with Namcos recent announcement of titles waiting to come to the PS2 it seems that they are actually putting more effort int them. The GC is still a ways off and a lot can change in that period, I think a lot will depend on how succsessful the most recent batch of March titles is.    

This bodes well for gamers of all sorts.
Who is KOEI?!
They are the ones repsonsible for that little bit of launch brilliance called dynasty Warriors 2, which already seems to have a cult following.
If they get a Dynasty warriors game over on the GC, then that will sell some machinces(Im also sure that wont be the only Mature type games they make for it)
They also published Winback(at least they are for the PS2, and Winback was originally a N64 game.)
Though one comment you made kinda miffed me.
You said if Namco makes the GC its "target System" then thats good news for hardcore gamers.
I personally own a PS2 and no others at the moment but I do plan on getting at least the Dreamcast, but I still consider myself a Hardcore gamer.
Does this comment mean that you think That there are no Hardcore gamers on the PS2?
Which, if that is what you are saying, is very wrong.
If thats not what you are saying, then please dont take offense.

so why should you posibly care that Nintendo dominate the market?

I don\'t care. In fact, Nintendo could bomb in Japan and I still wouldn\'t care because I\'d still get the games I wanted. Besides, I just wanted to get a debate going.

Who is KOEI?!
They are the ones repsonsible for that little bit of launch brilliance called dynasty Warriors 2, which already seems to have a cult following.
If they get a Dynasty warriors game over on the GC, then that will sell some machinces(Im also sure that wont be the only Mature type games they make for it)
They also published Winback(at least they are for the PS2, and Winback was originally a N64 game.)

ooooooo those guys. *shrudders*

Does this comment mean that you think That there are no Hardcore gamers on the PS2?

It doesn\'t mean that. In fact, I don\'t have a clue in the world what it means.

*Me wonders why I said that in the first place*
 

Ok, well thats understandable, I often say things for no reason.

****!!!!!!

See..I think they call it Terates(spelling?) syndrome.
You dont like KOEI, Jumpman?
Why not?

I just thought that DW2 and WinBack wern\'t very enjoyable games.

Winback had a very confusing and hard to get story line. The controls were horrible and the multiplayer was no where near as good as the multiplayer in Goldeneye. It just wasn\'t anything exciting.

DW2 was just..weird. I didn\'t play it very long but the levels were extremely hard and frusterating. Can\'t really make a solid opinion on this but from what I played I didn\'t like it very much.

It\'s all about preference. Some people don\'t like KOEI games and some people don\'t like Konami games.

I wasnt flaming you or anything, I was just curious, people are open to thier opinion.
Some people like wrestling games, I personally cant sand them.
Though, if you only played DW2 for a short time, then you should defianlty give it another chance.
The game is ALOT deeper than people give it credit for.
Stay with your army for the first two levels.
Then go and play them a bunch times more in the free mode,
and then continue to play.
Its very enjoyable.
If you still dont like it then..oh well.
All games arnt for everyone.

[Living-In-Clip]

Originally posted by Jumpman
Suddenly I feel more confident about GameCube\'s chances to be a major success in Japan, keep reading to find out why.

March 2, 2001



 

Konami, meanwhile, stated that it is still securing its GameCube and Xbox plans and there are no plans to make either console the company\'s "main focus" this year. The firm\'s Mr. Kitakami said that it can be costly to take on new hardware compared to sticking with PS2 and Game Boy Advance development, which it plans to do through the remainder of the year.

No one likes Konami anyway.










 [/B]

Yeah, who likes those silly CastleVania titles? Or that stupid Metal Gear Solid franchise? How about that poor looking game called ZOE? Ha! Nintendo doesn\'t need a bad developer like Konami.
:rolleyes:

I like the news...more third party support equals a bigger audience.  

Namco wants to target GC...cool.

Konami has no plans yet...get to it dammit.

Koei...ummmm, okay.

Capcom...awesome

Sega...hell fukking yes!!!!

Yeah, who likes those silly CastleVania titles? Or that stupid Metal Gear Solid franchise? How about that poor looking game called ZOE? Ha! Nintendo doesn\'t need a bad developer like Konami.

Notice the .

( I was obviously joking because Konami has nothing planned for GameCube)

who is Koei? how long have you been playing games? Because the company is older than you are. Ever hear of Romance of the Three Kingdoms? Or Aerobiz? Aerobiz Supersonic? jeez, it isnt like they started out last generation.

Eric Jacob

Originally posted by AlteredBeast
who is Koei? how long have you been playing games? Because the company is older than you are. Ever hear of Romance of the Three Kingdoms? Or Aerobiz? Aerobiz Supersonic? jeez, it isnt like they started out last generation.

Those are all niche games. Was that supposed to make KOEI seem brilliant. I am not saying those games were bad(I for one was addicted to Aerobiz, I don\'t know why) just nothing that would make or break a console.