Gamecube production halted !

[12noon]

http://www.msnbc.com/news/949543.asp?0si=-

Nintendo is to press the pause button on production of its Game Cube consoles while it clears inventory of unsold machines, the company’s president said on Thursday. But Satoru Iwata promised the struggling games company was developing a radical new product to be announced next year — however he gave few details save to say it would be a departure from mainstream gaming consoles “that will have a big impact on the world”.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030807/ap_en_ot/nintendo_gamecube_2

The Japanese manufacturer of Pokemon games won't be making more of its flagship GameCube consoles until this fall because of an inventory backlog, the president of Nintendo Co. said Thursday.

Satoru Iwata said the game market shrank dramatically last year, especially in Japan, because players were simply getting tired of spending the time and energy required to navigate increasingly sophisticated games.

"This trend is clear to everyone, and the trend continues this year," he told reporters at a Tokyo hotel.

Iwata acknowledged GameCube sales fell below company targets last year, but Nintendo hopes to drive sales this year with new games including a version of the 1980s favorite Donkey Kong, which was designed with Tokyo game-maker Namco.

He said a product set for release next spring "will deliver fresh surprises" and be fun for even novices to play, but he refused to elaborate or say whether it will be a new machine or game.

The GameCube console production halt is temporary to adjust the available inventory of GameCubes. Kyoto-based Nintendo declined to disclose the inventory figure or other details, such as how many consoles are normally produced at this time of year.

But analysts estimate the unsold inventory may be in the millions.

During the quarter through June 30, Nintendo sold 80,000 GameCubes. Nintendo is sticking to its target of selling 6 million machines this fiscal year ending in March 2004, saying sales generally pick up over the summer and Christmas.

Some analysts are pessimistic about Nintendo's ability to keep growing in the face of PlayStation 2 competition.

Iwata said there was potential for growth in China and other markets where games have yet to catch on. And Nintendo plans to court new players, including women and the elderly, he said.

It will also make more games linking GameCube with Nintendo's popular handheld GameBoy Advance and GameBoy SP to encourage sales, officials said.

Nintendo is forecasting a profit of 65 billion yen ($541 million) on 550 billion yen ($4.6 billion) in sales for fiscal 2003.
 

[4real]

There never gonna be able to compete with ps2! Have you seen the sales figures for it? Last time I look ps2 was selling 4 times as much as the xbox and gamecube.
Also they can't compete with xbox's HUGE budget.

PS2 has won this round as like PS1 won the first round. When the PS3 and XBox 2 comes out i don't think gamecube 2 will have a chance. But then Playstation and the XBox will have a very close battle.

[Queen Bee]

Sort of reminds me of what happened with Sega. They pretty much ended bankrupt after the whole thing was over... Then decided they were just going to make games for other consoles instead.

I do admit, their game selection is rather poor. It takes far too long for them to create anything, and then sometimes they never actually put it out on the market like they promised. It's hard to tell if what they claim now will actually happen.

What they NEED to do is create another addition to the Mother/Earthbound series.. Many old and new Nintendo gamers are upset that they haven't made it because the game was such a big hit a few years back.  
 
 

[12noon]

I own a Gamecube and used to own a Sega Saturn & Sega Dreamcast.
You don't think i'm a jinx, do you !
Anyway, i think the game is just about over for Gamecube. I just hope we get a few more good games before Nintendo kill it off.
 

[Queen Bee]

Don't give up hope yet. Some people are more optimistic than others... If Nintendo has stuck it out this long they won't give up without a fight.

[susieq]

This came from "newsfinder" yesterday....which I believe ios the latest update on this issue:

Nintendo says to resume GameCube production soon (NTDOY) By Mariko Ando
TOKYO (CBS.MW) -- Japanese video-game maker Nintendo (NTDOY) said Friday that it had halted output of GameCube machines to cut inventory levels but would "resume production shortly." Nintendo said it would resume production in order to meet a rise in demand ahead of the end-year shopping season, said Nintendo spokesperson Yasuhiro Minagawa, who denied media reports that the company had stopped producing the popular machine altogether. Nintendo recently announced that it sold 80,000 units of GameCube in the first quarter to June 30. Minagawa said the company would maintain it sales target for 6 million systems for the fiscal year. Nintendo's shares dropped 1.9 percent to 9,490 yen.

so again we "wait and see"

[Queen Bee]

Hmm... I think Nintendo is planning for something extra special to push them to the top again. I'm just curious to know what it is.

Another thing, game sales are probably slow around this time of year. People are getting ready for school, not purchasing video games. Besides, it's not like every GameCube owner has to replace their console every six months, or I'm sure they'd have more sales.

[SensoVision]

yeah I think Gamecube has hard times... not sure if it will be alive for long but hopefully it will not disappear from the marktet.

[Queen Bee]

Okay, here's my prediction:

Nintendo's not going anywhere!

If I'm wrong... You all are welcome to use it against me at any time you see fit.