The guy who spits venom.. MR. YAMAUCHI... in a friendly comment thread

http://video-senki.com/

SO NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN, MR. YAMAUCHI
 
 
Nintendo prez Yamauchi
giving a Mariners jersery to
teen idol Ichiro
There\'s no better way to reincarnate a Japanese video game news site than with some quotes from the coolest executive in all of Japan, Nintendo boss Hiroshi Yamauchi. The Sankei Shimbun interviewed him a bit in today\'s issue with his reaction on all that Sega rigamarole that\'s been grossly occurring. Read on and feel the curmudgeonliness flow over you...
On the effect of Sega quitting hardware
"Being a member of the game industry, I anticipated Sega\'s withdrawal to a certain degree. This won\'t change the flow of the industry."

The flow of the industry?
"Software companies have run out of new ideas, so now all they strive for is more graphics and more force. At the same time, development costs have risen [...] It\'s a very difficult situation for all of us. [Now] software companies are going multi-platform, running one game on lots of consoles, just to sell that little bit more. Even Sega. I can understand why the industry\'s flowing this way, but, speaking for Nintendo, I can hardly welcome it."

Why not?
"When a user chooses a game, he always searches for something new and fun in a way he\'s never seen before. If games on Nintendo machines are doable on other companies\' consoles, then we\'ll lose those users\' support. If we can\'t succeed in separating ourselves, then we won\'t win this battle. And that\'s the reason why I\'m not overjoyed about multi-platform tactics."

On the Game Boy Advance/Gamecube
"Right now, Nintendo\'s development teams are working on the creation of a totally brand new type of game, tying together the Gamecube and Game Boy Advance. Our goal is to introduce this product during the Christmas rush of 2002."

Until then?
"We will release a new Pokemon for Game Boy Advance as well... The main problem is Gamecube software. We won\'t be able to get any user support if we continue to release games on the brink of missing release dates. Our major goals are centered around Christmas 2002, but the Gamecube will fail if nothing interesting\'s released for it before then."

And what about your successor?
"Well, my successor\'s going to have to follow in my footsteps, of course. I\'d really like to stay until next Christmas to see what happens and then retire, but that\'s too long to wait, so right now I\'m intending to leave after I see how our new systems do this Christmas."

What? So Yamauchi admits that the Gamecube might not be a major success? What\'s up with that? I mean, why doesn\'t he just go all out and admit that the GC will take over the North Korea-style position the N64 has, with the occasional multi-million seller and hundreds of "top" third party titles like Mega Man 64? Or would that be losing too much face?

I will post comments in a little while when I find some time

That sure was a lot of talk about 2002.

On the effect of Sega quitting hardware
"Being a member of the game industry, I anticipated Sega\'s withdrawal to a certain degree. This won\'t change the flow of the industry."

I agree. Sega becoming a third party is a huge issue, but Sega will just fold right into the sea of great developers among the ranks of Square, Konami, EA and many others. Sure, they will be a much sought after commodity, but by reamining unexclusive, we all benefit in some way or another in the change. Sega produces TONS of quality titles, although VF4 is the tip of the iceberg for Sony, I\'m sure we can expect franchises that are equally as good such as Shenmue, Sonic, and many other top notch titles present and accounted for on other consoles.

The flow of the industry?
"Software companies have run out of new ideas, so now all they strive for is more graphics and more force. At the same time, development costs have risen [...] It\'s a very difficult situation for all of us. [Now] software companies are going multi-platform, running one game on lots of consoles, just to sell that little bit more. Even Sega. I can understand why the industry\'s flowing this way, but, speaking for Nintendo, I can hardly welcome it."

I completely agree. My reasons are for none other then MGS2. Sure, MGS2 will be one of the greatest titles of 2001, but it feels cheapened when it will be on another console. That doesn\'t mean I won\'t welcome MGS2 on X-Box if it actually does happen, but it means that having it on one console is just that much more of a reason to buy it. Just like with Nintendo, who can resist not buying it with games like Zelda and Metroid, but now Sony has come into their own with titles such as the FF\'s, Twisted Metal, Gran Turismo and the now (hopefully) the exclusive MGS2 and those are plenty reason enough to warrant a purchase (for me at least). I know all about Sony\'s weak 1st party situation, but with so many exclusive 3rd party titles, who can pass it up?

Why not?
"When a user chooses a game, he always searches for something new and fun in a way he\'s never seen before. If games on Nintendo machines are doable on other companies\' consoles, then we\'ll lose those users\' support. If we can\'t succeed in separating ourselves, then we won\'t win this battle. And that\'s the reason why I\'m not overjoyed about multi-platform tactics."

This just further strengthens my above point. He just says it a lot more eloquantly then I do. This is primarily the reason why I can\'t appreciate the X-Box as much as I do Sony or the GameCube. Sure, Nintendo excels at first party titles while Sony excels at acquiring third party titles exclusively, but in either case, we get games that won\'t appear on any other console. When X-Box comes around and tries to buy the same games that keep both Nintendo and Sony in competition, it just steals thunder from the industry. I\'ve said it before and I\'ll say it again, in terms of ingenuity, exclusivity, and console competition, X-Box brings nothing to the table except a fat wad of cash and some rehashed PC components wrapped with a DC controller and a plastic black box.

On the Game Boy Advance/Gamecube
"Right now, Nintendo\'s development teams are working on the creation of a totally brand new type of game, tying together the Gamecube and Game Boy Advance. Our goal is to introduce this product during the Christmas rush of 2002."

Sounds interesting. I hope the title is something we can all really sink our teeth into as original, fun, and completely revolutionary and fun. Knowing Nintendo, they\'ll come up with something amazing, but if it\'s just another franchise character rehash of some sort, I\'ll be really dissapointed.

Until then?
"We will release a new Pokemon for Game Boy Advance as well... The main problem is Gamecube software. We won\'t be able to get any user support if we continue to release games on the brink of missing release dates. Our major goals are centered around Christmas 2002, but the Gamecube will fail if nothing interesting\'s released for it before then."

This is something else I entirely agree with. When Nintendo delayed a full year after Sony\'s launch, people turned to Sony for games. Sure, the N64 had a phenomenal launch when it was released a year later, but then a year after launch, software sales and hardware sales began to dwindle fast. After awhile, a few things saved Nintendo, mainly in the form of a 98% market share on the handheld market, along with that infamous yellow zap machine, Pikachu. both of those commodities combined made Nintendo Billions of dollars which has funded them for this generation right up on through the 128-bit era.

Moving on, it looks as if Nintendo may be faced with yet another delay. That\'s good because we all want great software, but it\'s bad for Nintendo because it could be faced with a situation relatively the same as with the N64. However, this time, Nintendo\'s major back-up sales plan is the GBA. You all wonder why GBA is being pushed so much, well, it\'s because it will be Nintendo\'s serious cash cow. Dump Pokemon Green and Orange (shrugs) on that sucker and you\'ve got a 50 million unit seller at the very least. Nothing can compete with that, not even the almighty Sqare and WSC. The GameCube will undoubtedly be a sucess with the hardcore Nintendo fans, but with the casual gamer, Nintendo could be looking at losses and it\'s always nice to have a little insurance policy in the shape of a 98% market share figure.

And what about your successor?
"Well, my successor\'s going to have to follow in my footsteps, of course. I\'d really like to stay until next Christmas to see what happens and then retire, but that\'s too long to wait, so right now I\'m intending to leave after I see how our new systems do this Christmas."

So, the truth finally comes out about retirement. Many of you may be happy to hear this news and others may be dissapointed, but I personally am nuetral about the whole thing. Sure, he\'s a great president, but in favor of games over business, I\'d really like to see FF4-6 remade for the GBA. Call me a crazy FF fan, but I think nothing would be sweeter then that. What\'s so wrong with mising a few of my train stops on the way to school while I beat Kefka?

He really does have his head on his shoulders in terms of his company.  Much smarter then I ever thought and it\'s no wonder why his company is worth billions of dollars.

awesome post ryu...i agree with you 100%...like this for example:.

I\'ve said it before and I\'ll say it again, in terms of ingenuity, exclusivity, and console competition, X-Box brings nothing to the table except a fat wad of cash and some rehashed PC components wrapped with a DC controller and a plastic black box.

thanks for the sig;)

Haha, thanks.

"I\'ve said it before and I\'ll say it again, in terms of ingenuity, exclusivity, and console competition, X-Box brings nothing to the table except a fat wad of cash and some rehashed PC components wrapped with a DC controller and a plastic black box."

See, this is what I dont get (and lets do the the cool way and the teeth-gnashing way ).  I was using my analog controller and CD-ROM on my PC eons before the dual shock and PSX came out.  Where is the inovation?  Sony brought superior hardware that allowed developers to expand on their creations and the money to help break into the industry.  There was nothing awe inspiring about the hardware or some mandate from a gaming god, it was just great hardware with excellent exicution.  How is this any different than the Xbox?  The Xbox is bringing in the much needed HD to the market (remember how people flipped over the possibilities of the 64DD?) and by using BB MS is helping to push internet gaming where it needs to go.  Nothing new about any of that execpt that they had the great idea to put it in a console and bring the money they needed to break into the industry.  Where is the difference?

I know some point towards the EE as Sony\'s inovation but sometimes inovation is not the best thing.  The EE is causing developers and Sony headaches to no end and consumers are suffering by being asked to wait for a relaunch for the killer-apps.  The chip is very complex and has a poor yield rate, sure it is new and cool but wouldn\'t a more managable setup have been better for everyone?

You also mention the controller.  The Xbox controller looks like the evil seed of the GCN and DC controller, the GCN controller looks like the happy little kid of the Xbox controller and the Dual shock (Both the GCN and Xbox controllers where made independent of eachother so either way works), the PS2 controller looks like the PSX controller.  The point is,  when something works you stick with it and improve it; DC to Xbox, Dual Shock to GCN, PSX to Dual Shock.  That is the way everyone does it because that is the best way to evolve technology while not getting to far away from what has been proved to be popular with the people.

Man is he old!

Hey that was one of the best post that I have ever seen in here Ryu. :)Can\'t disagree with a thing you said.

Hey Ryu that was an excellent post. Nothing more has to be said.

Lol! I mean... I\'m completely wordless out of Ruy\'s post. You really put some thought to that

This should be moved to the "Other" forum!

This man is one wise jackass. I always thought he was an idiot. But he makes some very good points, albeit indvertadly. Sega lost in the hardware business because they were looking to make game swith better graphics or more force. The were looking for new FUN things to do. The huge third party base wasn\'t there, so they had to go out on their own. When the graphics area wasn\'t impressing people, they moved on.

    Yam. is saying, basically, that his company doesnt rehash and junk, which is completely hilarious. But oh well.

Eric Jacob