Nintendo boss talks first and third party software and GameCube online
What the future holds for GameCube
In a recent interview, Nintendo of America chief Minoru Arakwa spoke candidly about what the GameCube will entail when it debuts in Japan next month and the States two months after. The less said about the European launch the better.
When questioned on the ratio of first to third party software Arakwa said, “Initially, it will be about 6:3. Naturally when the console first comes out the proportion of Nintendo software will be high. As our licenses get up to speed that ratio will fall, eventually it will be around 8:2.”
Is this a good thing or not? The best games for the Nintendo 64 were, without doubt, Nintendo’s in-house offerings.
Arakwa then went on to discuss Nintendo’s online strategy. “We've been involved with the online market for years, particularly in distribution,” he said. “We've considered trying to get the modem and compatible software ready for launch, however, most other companies are entering into the online market without thinking up a profitable business model. Nintendo's not going to rush into it. In any event, we're expecting a lot from the Game Boy Advance and GameCube this year, and I hope our users are too.”
This is a bit of a double-edged sword. The PlayStation 2 has suffered badly at the hands of online delays and software that should have oozed connectivity has left gamers with a sense of missing out. The Dreamcast on the other hand, jumped straight in at the Internet deep end. We all know what happened there.
When questioned on the ratio of first to third party software Arakwa said, “Initially, it will be about 6:3. Naturally when the console first comes out the proportion of Nintendo software will be high. As our licenses get up to speed that ratio will fall, eventually it will be around 8:2.”
Is this a good thing or not? The best games for the Nintendo 64 were, without doubt, Nintendo’s in-house offerings.
Arakwa then went on to discuss Nintendo’s online strategy. “We've been involved with the online market for years, particularly in distribution,” he said. “We've considered trying to get the modem and compatible software ready for launch, however, most other companies are entering into the online market without thinking up a profitable business model. Nintendo's not going to rush into it. In any event, we're expecting a lot from the Game Boy Advance and GameCube this year, and I hope our users are too.”
This is a bit of a double-edged sword. The PlayStation 2 has suffered badly at the hands of online delays and software that should have oozed connectivity has left gamers with a sense of missing out. The Dreamcast on the other hand, jumped straight in at the Internet deep end. We all know what happened there.
Companies:
Nintendo
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