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World-Wide Revolution Launch Unneeded 48

Posted by Zonk from the going-global dept.
GamesIndustry.biz reports that, in the words of Nintendo President Iwata, a simultaneous global launch for the Nintendo Revolution is not necessary. From the article: "We don't think it's necessary to do the simultaneous worldwide launch simply because others are doing this." He also goes on to mention that they plan to have the DS shortage problem at least partially taken care of by the end of April.
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World-Wide Revolution Launch Unneeded More

World-Wide Revolution Launch Unneeded

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  • Worldwide launches (Score:5, Insightful)

    by CastrTroy ( 595695 ) on Monday March 27, 2006 @01:52PM (#15004158)
    Worldwide launches are OK if you know you have enough units to make everyone happy, otherwise they aren't. Look at xbox 360. Tons of units sitting on the shelves in Japan, and people can't even find one in the US. Customers get very annoyed when they can't get something that's been released. Retailers get mad when customers leave their store empty handed because they don't have access to the products that the customers want.
    • Look at xbox 360. Tons of units sitting on the shelves in Japan, and people can't even find one in the US.

      You can't? I was under the impression that they were also sitting on the shelves in the States. At least, that's the impression I get from local game stores...

      • Re:Worldwide launches (Score:3, Informative)

        by Erwos ( 553607 )
        It's fairly common to put up a lot of empty boxes in a store front to act as advertising.

        That said, the supply situation, as you alluded to, is getting better. Once that's set, I would expect Microsoft to finally start marketing it heavily (there's been practically nothing going on the past few months).

        -Erwos
        • Depends on what you want. The core system has always been pretty readily available- noone wanted it. And judging from the secondary market (ebay), it can't be too hard to get them or the demand is really low- they go for barely above retail.
      • Well, you can probably find them, now, but when they were released it was quite hard to find them. Many stores had them, but only bundled with crappy games and other stuff you didn't want. Finding the platinum system is still quite hard from what I understand. You can get the core system, but not a lot of people want that either. There was definite supply problems from the beginning. Had they only released in the US to start, they probably wouldn't have had any supply problems.
      • They had a whole bin full at Costco here last Saturday.
    • Agreed. Not much else to say really.

      I just saw my first 360 in a store yesterday. The super walmart had ONE core system. Oh well... Maybe one day MS will give me a reason to want one.
    • There's like 30 360's (about half premium) in my town and I'm in a relatively small town (like 80,000 if you count all outlying areas) in Eastern Canada (New Brunswick).
    • Comment removed based on user account deletion

    • Re:Worldwide launches (Score:4, Insightful)

      by poot_rootbeer ( 188613 ) on Monday March 27, 2006 @03:35PM (#15004986)
      Retailers get mad when customers leave their store empty handed because they don't have access to the products that the customers want.

      Retailers can console (no pun intended) themselves with the knowledge that since consumers can't get the products elsewhere in the market either, it's not a lost sale yet; more likely just a deferred one.

      And if the three out of every ten customers who DO walk out with product in hand can be compelled to take x-hundred dollars' worth of add-on products with them as a condition of purchase, a product shortage isn't too bad for a retailer after all.

  • Good for who (Score:4, Funny)

    by Xiph ( 723935 ) on Monday March 27, 2006 @02:03PM (#15004233)
    While worldwide launches are probably a bad thing for the customers. I think it's a very effective way of creating media hype. Then again Nintendo is more fan-consoles than oooh-they're-trendy-consoles.
    Kudos to them!
    • Worldwide launches are not bad for consumers. Badly managed worldwide launches are bad for consumers.

      Microsoft clearly did their research and knew how badly the staggered roll-outs are perceived within the markets towards the end of the roll-out. In addition, staggered roll-out was never really going to support the "global community" concept behind Live.

      I think it was the right thing for Microsoft to try. It's a pity they didn't get it right. Nintendo, on the other hand, don't need to try this tactic for qu
  • He also goes on to mention that they plan to have the DS shortage problem at least partially taken care of by the end of April.

    What shortage problem? I live in Canada and I see lots of them in stores. Is this a problem outside of North America?

  • Headlines...damn those headlines (Score:3, Insightful)

    by killmenow ( 184444 ) on Monday March 27, 2006 @03:06PM (#15004731)
    Am I the only person who thinks Iwata is being quoted out of context? Perhaps he's saying they have other reasons for attempting a global launch and couldn't give two shits about what Microsoft and Sony are trying to do. It's like saying, "I don't think it's necessary to post comments on slashdot simply because others are doing this." Maybe I think it's necessary to post comments on slashdot because every post contains a link to my web site and I'm trying to bump up my page rank on google. But you could quote me as saying, "killmenow doesn't think posting on slashdot is necessary..." and add your stupid bit of guesswork that perhaps I'll stop.

    Perhaps...

  • According to plan (Score:3, Informative)

    by Kulilin ( 170982 ) on Monday March 27, 2006 @03:14PM (#15004792)
    Nintendo never said Revolution would launch worldwide exactly on the same date. Jim Merrick, Nintendo of Europe's Senior Director of Marketing, stated they hoped to launch Revolution globally within 14 weeks [revolutionreport.com].
  • I don't think it's particularly relevant for Nintendo to have considered it anyway. Consider the 360, the context was totally different:
    a) There were no direct competitors at launch. Other "competitors" were previous generation and the likely early adopters targeted at launch would most likely own at least one console from that generation.
    b) If it had worked, it would have been a hailed as a brilliant consumer friendly idea. Consumers in territories that receive the consoles last in the roll-out always feel left out. Microsoft wants everyone to feel "wanted". Remember, it is currently in second place.
    c) Microsoft could afford / were prepared to throw money at the logistics problem to (try to) solve it.
    d) The concept behind Live is of a global community, which does work better if everyone has access to consoles at the same time.

    Notice now, that Microsoft have upped the stakes too. They had a moderately low risk launch (so what if we're a few consoles short, there's nothing else to buy) in which they could try this out. Sony, on the other hand, now has to match that and better it. It's far from easy to manage. Although it would be a poke in the eye if they do.

    Nintendo, on the other hand, aren't even pitching at the same market as Microsoft / Sony. The (initial) audience for the Revolution will inevitably be smaller, just due to momentum from this generation of consoles. So why even introduce the pain? Far better to have a smoothly managed and *efficient* roll-out, than a painful and expensive one. If the Revolution is successful, it will achieve it through word of mouth, not big marketing budgets.

    BB
  • Microsoft did it simply to get a foothold in this gens "war". Sony is going to attempt it because they screwed up their Japanese launch. Note I said attempt. The fact that they are still showing fish and duck demos and there is sitll no finalized hardware or controller. Nintendo, on the other hand, dont need to do it. They arnt worried about hype, they arnt worried about media recognition, and they arnt worried about the MTV generation. Ill be upset if I dont see the system this year, but thats just h

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