Mr. Hawkins Nasty Frocast for Nintendo

[Gamemaster_ca_2003]

As posted on IGN.com

http://cube.ign.com/articles/590/590427p1.html

He says that Big N will be acquired by Microsoft within 5 years.

Read for yourself

[Shane R. Monroe]

You're listenting to Trip Hawkins? That's classic.

The WORST that will happen to Nintendo is that they move to handhelds only with software for other consoles.

Honestly, there won't BE dedicated consoles in the next 5 years. Xbox whatever, PS3, et al .. they aren't gaming boxes any more than PSP is a gaming handheld. They are convergance devices that happen to play games.

I personally think hardware manufacturers are losing their minds. PSP (and to a lesser extent - DS) software sales PROVE what happens when you offer pure convergance devices.

There won't be any such thing as a "video game platform" ... there will be a "home medium" (see Nuon for more information) and that will DEVASTATE sales of software and, remake the software market into something else.

This, it would seem, would be a great spot on the editorial commentary on the show.

I believe I'll cover this.

[Gamemaster_ca_2003]

You're listenting to Trip Hawkins? That's classic.


No I am not lisening to that guy. He is wrong about Nintendo. I thought is article was Intresting for people to look at.

[Shane R. Monroe]

WHEW! I thought I knew you better ... turns out I was right!

You should submit that on the site.

[TheGrandPubaa]

Yeah, I know Trip did a great job making EA a huge force in the industry despite the waning early years(kudos), but didn't he also do the whole 3DO thing? :D

[Chewchilla]

Yeah, I know Trip did a great job making EA a huge force in the industry despite the waning early years(kudos), but didn't he also do the whole 3DO thing? :D

He did indeed do the whole 3DO thing and it was that kind of forward thinking that made the 3DO the great success it was.

I believe if Trip can convince Nintendo to cut its GameCube game production in half and develop a lightgun, flightstick, and VideoCD add-on module for the console, GameCube sales will skyrocket. And when Trip gets Nintendo to start converting all of those unsold DS's into Mini George Foreman Grills, there will be no stopping the "Big N."

[devilshed]

www.penny-arcade.com commented on the article.

If you're reading this Friday, view the comic, hit the previous comic arrow, and view the news to see it.

[kinglumby]

Does Trip really think that Nintendo is going to fall over? Aren't the GameBoy Advance and the GameBoy the most successful gaming consoles even now? Figures on the year end 2004 show the GBA sold over 8 million units in 2004 which made is the number one gaming platform of the year well ahead of PS2.

So explain to me how this equates to MS owning Nintendo in 5 years time.

The only people who lose money on Nintendo products (apart from the Virtual Boy) are 3rd Party software developers. Even on the N64 1st party titles made money and the platform was profitable.

Whether you love them or hate them Nintendo appears to have the financial reserves to go outlast even Sony. If I'm not mistaken Nintendo is still one of only a handful of companies that have a AAA rating in terms of debt.....in otherwords they have none. Not even Toyota can say that now.

[jamcat]

If anything, I'd see Nintendo join with Sega.

I can't see why Microsoft would buy Nintendo if the story was true. Microsoft isn't targeting the kiddie pre-teen market, so what use would it have in owning Nintendo?

Nintendo may rock in the handheld market, but they are sucking ass in the console market at 3rd place. I don't think things will be any different in the next generation of consoles. I think Sony & Microsoft have 1st(Sony) & 2nd(MS) place locked.

[Deanster]

Erm there is every point in controlling the pre-teen market, if they do that when they become teenagers, they will be eating out of micrsofts hands? Mind you it would be fun to see mario on xbox, that will kill the charictor scene, and the homebrew versions of mario, because ms will prolly sue the lots of them (even the freeware developers). Intresting note there was an articall about nintendo on the Game Makers Forum, a guy was making a Mario game, he was told to stop otherswise he woulda got sued the crap out of. This guy is like 13 - 14 and nintendo are saying we are protecting are intrest. Well how much damage can a homebrew version of mario really make, i mean common hes only doing it so he can learn to use the game maker software.

[devilshed]

Nindo could definately buy Sega, but they aren't whores and Sammy has already merged with Sega.

Bill Gates is also interested in acquiring Nintendo, but they are being passive about it.

[TheGrandPubaa]

To be honest, I think this is one case where Microsoft would be killing themselves in the Gaming market(ok, well one more case...). I mean, we all agree that there are some truly hardcore Nintendo fans. Nintendo has one of the most diehard fanbases in existance, save the Atari fanbase. I think if Microsoft tried to buy Nintendo, there would be such a consumer backlash that it would do some serious damage to the gaming industry. But, that's just one Nintendo fan's opinion... ;)

[madomatic]

Nintendo are going to quit the gaming market and sell canned food for the next 50 years. Then they will run donkey rides around the streets of Japan.

[jamcat]

Better yet, I can see EA buy Nintendo. Then they can can corner the kiddie sports game market with EA Kid Sports Mario Golf, EA Kid Sports Mario Football, EA Kid Sports Mario Tennis, and so on.

Who knows. If whatever gimmick Nintendo has in mind for the Revolution doesn't work out, I think they may get out of consoles & stick to the handheld market.

[devilshed]

EA buy Nintendo. Don't be rediculous.

Maybe when hell freezes over with flying pigs.

Could someone do a favor and look up the worth and whatnot of Nintendo and EA.

[jamcat]

Hey, it could happen. Hell, remember when people said Sony had NO CHANCE against Sega & Nintendo? So there's always a chance hell will freeze over and EA could assimilate the Big N.

[Nectar]

A 116 year old family-based Japanese company get assimilated by the gaijin company EA? Pardon the stereotype, but they will likely impale themselves on their katanas before that happens.

[Demolition Man]

Hey, it could happen. Hell, remember when people said Sony had NO CHANCE against Sega & Nintendo? So there's always a chance hell will freeze over and EA could assimilate the Big N.

That sounds like a fanboy wish there jamcat.