Nintendo dubious about GameCube 2 subscription model
Harrison again illustrates Nintendo online paranoia.
Interviewed over the weekend, Nintendo America boss George Harrison again demonstrated Nintendo’s reluctance to enter serious online market space, even with its next home console, the GameCube's successor, as yet un-dubbed.
The work is already under way on the underlying chip technology," said Harrison. "In the meantime, our priority is to get the GameCube's installed base growing again.” Could this be the recently disclosed $18 million payment for an unnamed project reported by ATi? Quite possibly.
Interestingly, Harrison went on to talk about the growth of online gaming, and the pitfalls therein. “It's a consideration. We're looking into it for the next iteration of the GameCube. We just don't believe consumers are ready for it. Right now, no one's paying for subscriptions. The real test comes when you have to start coughing up $15 per month.”
Not only does this seem to scupper any chance of proper online gaming for GameCube, but Harrison seems reluctant even to make an online commitment for the next home console from Nintendo.
It will be interesting to see if Nintendo’s online paranoia is a masterstroke of wait-and-see business, or whether Sony and Microsoft’s ever-growing Internet gaming community bury it.
The work is already under way on the underlying chip technology," said Harrison. "In the meantime, our priority is to get the GameCube's installed base growing again.” Could this be the recently disclosed $18 million payment for an unnamed project reported by ATi? Quite possibly.
Interestingly, Harrison went on to talk about the growth of online gaming, and the pitfalls therein. “It's a consideration. We're looking into it for the next iteration of the GameCube. We just don't believe consumers are ready for it. Right now, no one's paying for subscriptions. The real test comes when you have to start coughing up $15 per month.”
Not only does this seem to scupper any chance of proper online gaming for GameCube, but Harrison seems reluctant even to make an online commitment for the next home console from Nintendo.
It will be interesting to see if Nintendo’s online paranoia is a masterstroke of wait-and-see business, or whether Sony and Microsoft’s ever-growing Internet gaming community bury it.
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