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Nintendo DS gains hefty 3rd party support

No Control

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No Control

No Control

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Press release.

New Nintendo DS Attracts Worldwide Developer Interest; Major Publishers Create Games for Industry's Most Innovative Device

E3Expo 2004

REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 6, 2004--The video game industry's biggest and best game developers are lining up to be the first to create innovative content for Nintendo's upcoming dual-screen hand-held innovation, code-named Nintendo DS.

"Nintendo DS is going to push hand-held technology to uncharted territories," says Yves Blehaut, senior vice president of Atari. "It's going to energize both developers and consumers with amazing new game mechanics and new game design. Once more, Nintendo leads the way with something unexpected and totally innovative."

To date, more than 100 companies worldwide have received software development kits and are planning games for Nintendo DS, which for the first time offers gamers two separate perspectives on the action. Companies include THQ, Electronic Arts, Activision, Atari, Ubisoft, Majesco, Capcom, Sega, Konami, Hudson Soft, Namco, Bandai, Koei and Square Enix, to name a few.

"The Nintendo dual screen is something that we're really excited about developing for," says Nick Earl, vice president and general manager of Electronic Arts. "It's very innovative, which is classic Nintendo."

Nintendo DS will revolutionize how people approach, perceive and enjoy video games, while including additional options that enhance the game-play experience.

"It's exciting to see so many publishers are as inspired about the Nintendo DS as we are," says George Harrison, Nintendo of America's senior vice president of marketing and corporate communications. "The creative contributions of the publishers will reinforce Nintendo's reputation as the industry's leader in innovation."

In effect, thanks to the success of the wildly popular Game Boy® franchise, Nintendo owns the current hand-held video game market: The Game Boy line has sold more than 168 million units worldwide during the past 15 years. And with the introduction of the revolutionary Nintendo DS, Nintendo's dominance is certain to continue in the future.

The Nintendo DS will be unveiled at the 2004 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), May 12 to May 14 in Los Angeles. The Nintendo DS remains on track to launch before the end of the year.

I can't wait. From the excitement of software developers over the machine's innovation (not just this press release) I'm thinking those who slated it before we knew anything about it (RedEye, anyone?) are gonna look a little foolish come next week.

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Warszawa

Warszawa

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Having developers *say* they'll be bringing their wares to a system is often very different to them actually doing so in practise though. The N64 would've been a haven for 3rd party software otherwise.

If the DS arrives and is massively overshadowed by the PSP it'll be dropped like a stone.

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DarhkFox

DarhkFox

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Having developers *say* they'll be bringing their wares to a system is often very different to them actually doing so in practise though. The N64 would've been a haven for 3rd party software otherwise.

If the DS arrives and is massively overshadowed by the PSP it'll be dropped like a stone.

overshadowed in what way? as in i the PSP is more technically advanced?

I dont think it will make much difference, because if 1 million people have the DS for example, and only 200,000 have the PSP - the software companys would be stupid to stop making DS games and release them on PSP just because its more technically better.

The same reason why Neo Geo Pocket Color failed, because companies didnt want to release games on a higher spec system because they wouldnt get the amount of sales rather than selling on the gameboy.

I am still a bit cautious about the DS, but hope it turns out well. The PSP isnt out till next year here and the price is gonna be at least double than the DS id expect.

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Alex W.

Alex W.

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I'd say the DS' biggest problem is this confusion, right here. Nintendo said they were going to aim it as a product to stand beside the GBA, the "third pillar", but right there in the press release they mark it out as the GBA's successor-to-be...

...which is a console with two screens, and possibly motion sensors and a touch-screen. Not exactly the obvious choice to lead such a conservatively engineered product line.

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Burai

Burai

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I don't think the confusion will happen, nor will it be easy to say "Well screw that, we'll just chuck it on the PSP."

I think the DS is intended to be dramatically different and next week I predict a large number of dropped jaws and "what the fuck?"s when it's unveiled.

If a DS game gets scrapped and put on PSP instead, then the developer blatently hasn't been creating a game in the spirit of the machine and it will be no great loss to the system.

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Floppy

Floppy

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It'd be smart for them to include the word 'Gameboy' in its name somewhere.

Two thoughts on that.

Firstly, perhaps Nintendo are trying to distance the DS from the Game Boy brand - presumably the DS and GBA will be sold at the same time, and two GBs on the market simultaneously will confuse the less clued-up games buyers (i.e. parents).

Secondly, if the former strategy doesn't work out, I strongly suspect that Nintendo will 'rebrand' the DS as a new incarnation of the Game Boy in order to make use of the brand loyalty towards the GB monolith. I mean, 'Game Boy' is one of those infrequent household names spawned by the games industry along the line of Playstation, Sonic the Hedgehog etc.

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Burai

Burai

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What most people can't seem to understand is that this thing is going to be more than just a GBA with 2 screens.

If it wasn't, there would be no point - it'd be a GBA 2, not a third standalone product.

Personally, I can't wait to see what it can do. If all those third parties are interested, they have to like what they've seen so far.

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Alex W.

Alex W.

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Hmm, in retrospect, the passage that made me think they weren't distancing it from the GBA too well:

In effect, thanks to the success of the wildly popular Game Boy® franchise, Nintendo owns the current hand-held video game market: The Game Boy line has sold more than 168 million units worldwide during the past 15 years. And with the introduction of the revolutionary Nintendo DS, Nintendo's dominance is certain to continue in the future.

Really more of an implicit connection than an explicit one. Obviously not having Gameboy in the name will help seperate the two products.

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No Control

No Control

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I'd say the DS' biggest problem is this confusion, right here. Nintendo said they were going to aim it as a product to stand beside the GBA, the "third pillar", but right there in the press release they mark it out as the GBA's successor-to-be...

Actually is sounds like some devs are more confused about the PSP:

What's more, Sony's decision to put out a machine that plays movies as well as games has some creators scratching their heads.

"Will it be a game machine or a video Walkman?" asks Michihiro Sasaki, general manager of corporate strategy at Japanese video-game maker Square Enix Co. "We're still not sure what Sony wants to do with it -- that's a problem."

"It would be better if [the PSP] were just a game machine," says Kazumi Kitaue, executive in charge of video games at Konami Corp., which puts out the popular Metal Gear Solid series. "It's silly to talk about watching movies anywhere anytime; you want to concentrate."

http://www.adr.com/adr?page=adrnews&formty...40505&mseq=9791

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gavin the shifty

gavin the shifty

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Slim.

well, a bulky one would be kind of crap ;)

This two screen thing. Hmmm. I've been wracking my brains and I just can't come up with a game concept that would only work or would be significantly better on two screens as opposed to one. Playing both pokemon games at once maybe?

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Guest

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i really don't see much point in having a portable movie player though. how often do you get a couple of hours to watch a film when you're commuting? portability and films just don't go together in my opinion.

although, i'm not saying i won't be buying one.

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PopeSmokesDope

PopeSmokesDope

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Why do you think you need a couple of hours to watch a movie???

You don't mind listening to an album over several journeys on the way to work, do you??

Anyone who thinks the PSP will fail or the DS will perform better with regards to sales, really needs their head examining.

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Alex W.

Alex W.

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The fact that neither company is trying to make either product compete with the other formally (Sony aiming the PSP for the iPod market rather than the GBA market, Nintendo aiming the DS for the Eyetoy market) would say: yes.

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Guest

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Why do you think you need a couple of hours to watch a movie???

You don't mind listening to an album over several journeys on the way to work, do you??

Anyone who thinks the PSP will fail or the DS will perform better with regards to sales, really needs their head examining.

music and movies couldn't be further removed though.

so, i do listen to music on my way to work but don't forget albums are generally split into tracks and can be listened to in short bursts. also you're only using one of your senses so you're still able to do other things like walk. perfect for being on the move if you ask me, in fact when was the last time you sat down at home and just listened to an album from begining to end without any distractions?

movies on the other hand require a much bigger degree of concentration not only do you have to listen but you have to watch as well. and with most movies being a couple of hours long and story driven you have to concentrate to keep up with the plot. personally i couldn't watch a movie over a few days split into 20 minute chunks, knowing that i could sit at home and enjoy it all together. i just don't see the point.

it just seems like a gimmick to me, i suppose similar to having a camera on your phone. i just don't get it. a phone's a phone and a camera's a camera, why are we being told that it's a good idea that these things need to be together?

anyway, that's just my opinion and i never said that it'd fail. actually i'm sure the movie playing aspect will be a good selling point for the masses. it's just a side of it i'm not too bothered with. that said though i'll definitely be picking on up for the games and i'm sure it'll sit nicely along side my ds.

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