Nintendo has some serious competition

[EnemaEms]

What is this DS you speak of? Does it stand for Dead System?

 

-Dean-

[Romier S]

You're such a troublemaker Dean. In all seriousness though I think a great many folks would disagree with that assesment of the DS (including myself).

 

I don't think the DS is anywhere near dead but Nintendo finally has some real competition in the handheld arena. We talked about this over AIM and the system (the DS) already has a 5+ million userbase to work with. Despite a lack of games it is still selling strong and Sony has the disadvantage of playing catchup. The cheaper 150 price tag makes it much more appealing to the mass market folks who trust that "dug in" Nintendo name. The PSP at 250 is a reasonable price for us hardcore folks but Sony definitely needs to get a basic package out there to really break open the market for the PSP. (at the same price point it was released in Japan or cheaper.)

 

The DS just needs more games but it's definitely in a good position at the moment. I also don't doubt we'll see a successor to the GameBoy as well.

[kelley]

Speaking of the next gameboy, Nintendo is going to definetely have to pull out some hot shit to top the PSP.

[JoeyN]

Split these posts off as im sure it will be discussed more.

 

 

Im no fan of sony but if the DS was the best Nintendo could come up with to go vs the PSP they could be in for a hard road. Nintendo says its not worried about PSP as its different. Wake up, its the same market wether you want to believe it or not. I like the DS a lot as i stated on many occasions, but they totally blew the launch game wise and the release list is not looking any better till around September. When i saw the PSP i couldnt believe how much better tech wise it is then the DS. Im sure there are plenty of DS systems that are going to be traded in or sold in the coming months from bored gamers . Nintendo still sold those units but when these lesser titles comes out, not many wil be around to buy them. I wish it didnt happen but it will. As for the price, the Ipod became insanly popular and back then its price tag was $299 and higer, if you build a good product they will buy it .

 

Nintendo's big hope is they must announce its next regular gameboy at E3 , and it better be something that takes a huge step forward

 

capt

[exile]

Wake up, its the same market wether you want to believe it or not.

For a certain amount of the user base sure but I hate to bring this up as its pretty comman but the comman thought about Nintendo is how they are mainly for kids. I don't honestly believe most parents will rush out and get their young ones a PSP. I think if Nintendo thinks they are going to continue to compete with the older crowd with the PSP out there, they are dead. However if they stick to a specific audience, I think they'll be just fine. I know I wouldn't trust an 8 yr old with a PSP.

 

They will coexist but only if Nintendo realizes what audience they should focus on and keep up with that. They'll still make games that the adults want to buy but I think if Sony is smart they'll counter with versions that are similar.

 

I honestly believe that when I think MP3 players I think Ipod, when I think of Soda Pop I think of Coke and before too long when I think about Portable gaming, PSP will be it.

[dogbert]

I think exile speaks a lot of truth. I know when I'm out for dinner etc, I see a lot of kids with GBA-SPs & I doubt their parents are going to rush out & buy a PSP for them. However, I talk to the guys at work & other "tech loving" friends & they'd be much more comfortable with a PSP than a GBA. As before the launch, Sony are aiming at the iPod, not the GBA.

[foogledricks]

I still don't understand how the DS and supposed "new" gameboy can co-exist. I already find GBA software lacking, you guys are speaking concerns for DS software lacking, and I can only imagine that yet another platform for developers and consumers will make it worse...if not simply confuse developers and consumers.

 

It's offseason for me. I have no intention of buying any new handheld simply because I'm not itching for it. Perhaps I'll be ready when the version 2 or DS and PSP are released, or when the new gameboy is released. I hope by then it will be clear which system is a good investment. Right now it is unclear for me. I'm not sure what I want. But I'd like an SP design with the 3D power of the PSP.

[JoeyN]

Beware the power of crying children!!

[Romier S]

I don't honestly believe most parents will rush out and get their young ones a PSP.

 

Exactly. Nintendo will always have a strong hold in the handheld market if it continues to make systems that appeal to a broad range of consumers. The fact that the DS and GBA are quite cheap is one of the biggest obstacles any competitor has to overcome. Any parent walking into a game store will see the GBA for around 79 bucks and will easily pick one up for thier child. Hell many grown adults would do so as well. Sony is marketing to a much older crowd with the PSP, the Ipod crowd. Of course they used that same strategy with the original Playstation to an extent and look where it's gotten them.

 

It will be interesting to see initial sales figures for the PSP for sure.

[The Daisy]

It will be interesting to see initial sales figures for the PSP for sure.

 

I'd agree. I saw them available at two stores this afternoon in Madison.

 

The other funny thing is that all of the in store exchanges will still be considered as sold units, seeing as how the store already paid for the units. No one will ever report on the return percentage from the stores.

 

Glen

[JoeyN]

Every place around here is sold out except for a small hole in the wall FYE nearby which still has a handfull of units left. They are in the same strip mall as gamestop.

 

How many DS systems were available at launch?

 

capt

[The Daisy]

550,000 units at launch

 

Glen

[JFo]

550,000 units at launch

 

To avoid confussion, it should be mentioned that this is a figure for the DS launch, not the PSP.

 

As for local availablity around these parts, a local GameStop didn't have any available that weren't already reserved for preorders. However, when I went into a nearby Target Thursday night, the display case had more than enough units to go round. I couldn't believe it to be honest. I figured they'd all be gone period by the late afternoon. Of course that was on Thursday and this is two days later. Who knows if there are any left now?

[JoeyN]

It wasnt until around this time over DS launch weekened that every place was sold out around here. Then again there are double the amount of the systems out there. DS also had a lot more advertising for the launch. PSP was quietly released for the most part

 

capt

[Camp]

Our early reports are that PSP sold well but didn't necessarily sell out. It's not at all uncommon to walk into a store and find them available for sale. Sticker shock has got to be part of the reason but once the public gets their eyes on a working PSP I would expect word-of-mouth to be very strong -it worked for the iPod.

[JFo]

Just to go off what Camp said in the above post, IGN has a story on how the system is selling. It contains letters from readers across the country discussing how it's selling. From the way it sounds, dedicated gaming stores (GameStop, EB) are mostly sold out, but there are still plenty of units available at other retail chains (Target, Wal-mart, etc.). It will certainly be interesting to see how the system sells in the coming weeks after some of the initial excitement dies out. Will word of mouth fan the flames or not? We'll see, I guess.

 

Here's another thought: In chatting with Romier on the subject the other night, he mentioned that Sony upped their initial first batch just before launch. Perhaps there are still a lot of them available because there are more in stores than most people initially expected? I'm not sure if the economics of that makes any sense or not, but I figured I'd bring it up as a talking point.

[bickle]

If the PSP was $150, then I'd think Nintendo was in trouble. As is, I think most familys see even $150 as pricey for a handheld. $250 is out of the question.

 

If they wanted to make a $250 handheld, I'm sure it could be very comparable to the PSP. Of course, it'd have some goofy-ass thing like a third handle or a second screen.

[Big Daddy Bling Bling]

There were plenty of PSPs to go around here. I wasn't planning on buying one since Sony screwed US gamers with the value pack, but Walmart had one left when I went in the evening so I bought it since it was there. When I went to Best Buy to get my games, they had quite a few systems left. Two days after the launch, the local Gamestop still had plenty of systems left. I guess $250 is higher than the market will bear for a portable.

 

If the DS succeeds, it will be because of Sony's miscalculations rather than its own merits. I gave it a shot but the software schedule has been even more pathetic than the early days of the N64. All it basically has is the 2 launch games I bought, and 2 other decent games that I kind of want to try but aren't worth buying since the money could go towards PSP or console games. Hell, since buying the DS at launch, I've bought more GBA games than DS games. The DS's primary function is to provide a bright screen for the playing of Advance Wars 2.

 

I'm going to just skip any diplomacy and say what I really think: The gimmick is crap. The DS is the most uncomfortable system I've ever played with, console or handheld. It makes the Lynx seem like a joy to hold. Trying to hold the system with one hand and play with the stylus in the other is just a terrible and wretched idea. The thumbstrap is one of the stupidest control mechanisms ever concieved. The PSP shows that it's easily possible to implement a small analog stick that does not protrude from the system.

 

Game designers don't need 2 screens and a stylus to make innovative games. In fact, now that I've seen what the DS has to offer, I think they're barriers to innovation. In the DS games I've played, it seems like the designers spent more time trying to figure out how to get some mileage out of the DS features than they did designing a compelling gameplay experience. I'd rather see the 'noise' stripped out so designers can focus on the fundamentals of what makes a game good.

 

Just look at the PSP and DS libraries from top to bottom. Almost every game on the PSP is solid at minimum since the designers focused on the fundamentals instead of worrying about a half-assed use for the second screen. On the other hand, the DS library months after launch doesn't offer the same depth or quality.

[Camp]

I'm going to just skip any diplomacy and say what I really think: The gimmick is crap. The DS is the most uncomfortable system I've ever played with, console or handheld. It makes the Lynx seem like a joy to hold. Trying to hold the system with one hand and play with the stylus in the other is just a terrible and wretched idea. The thumbstrap is one of the stupidest control mechanisms ever concieved. The PSP shows that it's easily possible to implement a small analog stick that does not protrude from the system.

 

Game designers don't need 2 screens and a stylus to make innovative games. In fact, now that I've seen what the DS has to offer, I think they're barriers to innovation. In the DS games I've played, it seems like the designers spent more time trying to figure out how to get some mileage out of the DS features than they did designing a compelling gameplay experience. I'd rather see the 'noise' stripped out so designers can focus on the fundamentals of what makes a game good.

 

Skipping diplomacy is good.

I actually agree with every point you make. The DS is (to me!) a gimmick and a joke of a gaming machine. The release of the PSP further reinforces my opinion. It shows what handheld gaming can really do. I'd like to see Nintendo strike back with a high performance Gameboy of their own. GBA2 would be welcomed but the DS is dead in the water, IMO.

[JoeyN]

The reason DS is dead in the water at the moment is no games. All of the big guns are delayed till sept and later. Castlevania, Animal Crossing, mario kart DS, Advance wars DS, Metroid and so forth. You would think Nintendo would have have one big game ready for launch. Or at least a month after launch. However i do agree that PSP is a far better gaming machine

 

capt

[kelley]

I think what we all have to remember is that the DS is not ment to compete against the PSP, its a whole new market segment! :lmfao :lmfao :lmfao

[The Daisy]

The DS is (to me!) a gimmick and a joke of a gaming machine. The release of the PSP further reinforces my opinion. It shows what handheld gaming can really do. I'd like to see Nintendo strike back with a high performance Gameboy of their own. GBA2 would be welcomed but the DS is dead in the water, IMO.

 

I know we've all had this discussion before, but does just adding "(to me!)" and "IMO" allow anyone to state anything negative that they want?

 

Personally, I think most companies would be more than happy with 4 to 5 million units sold within 4 months of a "gimmick" item.

 

I would agree that Nintendo has competition in the handheld arena, and I truly believe that it's a good thing. 15 years without anyone being able to create even so much as a ripple in the sales numbers has, IMO, caused Nintendo to rest on their laurels with the Gameboy.

 

Now, in all fairness, I do believe that they have created some absolutely terrific games in that time as well. Whether it be the Zelda and Metroid titles, the Fire Emblem and Advance Wars franchises, or the Golden Sun and Pokemon RPG's, I believe that they've given us a great deal of very good handheld console gaming.

 

I do like that they've created the DS as a different approach to handheld gaming, and I'm happy that I own one. I greatly enjoy the pickup and play aspect of the games that I've purchased for it to this point. I also really look forward to the release of the next Gameboy unit as well.

 

Having said all of that, I don't think it's fair for me to even venture an opinion about the PSP console. Why? I don't own one. The lineup that is out there for the system doesn't really interest me, and I don't really have a need for a portable music or video player.

 

Personally, I've always been of the believe that if you have nothing invested into something, then why should your opinion truly be taken as anything other than someone with either an axe to grind or someone who just wants to talk to hear their own voice.

 

Long live the PSP, Gameboy, and Nintendo DS.

 

Glen

[secretvampire]

Very well said, Glen. I'm glad to see some competition in the handheld arena, but personally I hope that both succeed. Why? They both offer unique gaming experiences.

 

I love picking up Wario Ware Touched! and playing it for a few minutes, I think the touch screens add a lot to the original concept....and in the same vein, I love Feel the Magic. I see a lot of cool games in the DS's future, true they need to push out more, but the Nintendo franchises always deliver and there are some cool sounding 3rd party titles on the way. My GBA titles look and sound better than they ever have before.

 

On the other hand, the PSP is a work of art. I am totally blown away but what I've played so far and the power and polish of the system. I played a single session of Lumines on Challenge mode today for about 40 mins straight, and it felt like 2 mins. Wipeout Pure feels like a dream after getting used to the analog nub, and I can't believe how immersive it feels for a handheld. I really look forward to throwing DVDs and TV shows on it later for travel, even though I could do the same thing with my laptop, the simplicity, size, and beautiful display of the PSP make it a winner hands down.

 

I hope there are enough gaming dollars out there to support both platforms. I've been shopping a lot this weekend and have seen several people trading in their DS's for PSP credit, and that saddens me a bit. Even though I love what the PSP does, they are uniquely different platforms and offer something a bit different from each other.

[Camp]

I know we've all had this discussion before, but does just adding "(to me!)" and "IMO" allow anyone to state anything negative that they want?

 

Get off it man. This is a god damn forum. I'm here to express my opinion and read the opinion of others.

Who died and made you judge of all opinions? Post your opinion and don't devalue mine.

 

*Apologies to everyone on the board but that's just not necessary* -IMO

[Whooter]

Yikes.