Demise of the Cube

[Malone]

Far be it for me to start an unofficial rumour, my sister recently asked some advice regarding the purchase of a console. Not having any idea regarding the state of play with this generation of consoles she was asking which one would be suitable for her kids (6 & 8) My obvious reply was the Gamecube for its numerous cartoony games, Mario etc. Tonight she called me saying, "had I heard that Nintendo were ceasing to manufacture the Cube". Well, I myself have heard nothing regarding this suggestion by two high street retailers and wondered whether anyone else has heard anything ??? The last thing I want to do is suggest a console to her which is on the way out!!

Matt

[m000]

Prob some PS2 fanboy sales assistant trying to get her not to buy the cube

At the present its a fantastic console for the money and the games are simply breathtaking. Been playing F-Zero all weekend - nothing better and Mario Kart out soon !!!

[Miyazaki]

Theres no reason not to get a gamecube even if it were to cease being made. It's only £80, hardly a vast sum of money and there are plenty of kid-oriented games out there for it. Far too many to name here, and plenty of games geared towards big kids too .

I still play on my dreamcast all the time and that ceased manufacturing ages ago and there hasn't been any new games for ages.

But that could be the problem for gamecube, as many 3rd party developers have stopped making games for gamecube, and if it were to stop being made, then even fewer would want to make games for it. It does have a small games library, but for £80 you can't really complain.

We've never had it so good regarding console prices, lets just hope they bring out console games at more friendly prices too!

[RL123]

The third parties that have ditched it are the ones that never mattered anyway - who cares about Midway and Eidos when the Cube has full support from Nintendo.

If I wanted crap, rushed generic software I'd buy it for my PS2. And if it wasn't for precisely 4 games I'd sell my PS2 without thinking twice about it.

[JamesOD]

I am not the gamecubes biggest fan but to clear up the situation Nintendo have made the wise move of ceasing production of the cube for the short term future so that they can clear the large backstock they have of the console.

I think this is a very smart thing to do because it will keep costs down for them and allow them to free up more capital which would otherwise have gone into manufacturing the machine.

When parents of young children come into my shop looking for a console we ALWAYS recommend the cube it is an ideal robust little machine with some great kids games and some stunning exclusive titles as well as the main multiformat stuff and quite a few more mature titles on the horizon as well (for the adults to play) oh and mario kart rocks

[Malone]

Thanks for that, I've forwarded your points to me Sis and I think she is now happy to invest in said console....

Matt

[RL123]

The cube is a fantastic choice for so many quality games. I can't be bothered running through the list but there is something for anyone, IMO

Pikmin is a great choice for kids. It might be a bit difficult for them but it's a lot of fun (I loved it anyway)

[NeilMcRae]

Originally posted by JamesOD
I am not the gamecubes biggest fan but to clear up the situation Nintendo have made the wise move of ceasing production of the cube for the short term future so that they can clear the large backstock they have of the console.

You mean like how Microsoft and Sony did this year as well? :D

Regards,
Neil.

[Ono]

This takes me back to a conversation I overheard between a staff member at Gamestation and a customer.

To cut a long story short he basically told the guy not to buy a GC because they wouldn't last another year.

I felt like saying something but didn't. :/

[Miyazaki]

they probably won't last another year ono.

Go into any high street shop and the range of gc stuff they stock is a joke. My game has about half a shelf, my hmv a shelf and a half, virgin the same, my gamestation about 2 shelves (quite big shop).

Thats still no reason not to buy one. I mean at £80 they're almost giving them away.

Yes they might have great games, zelda being one of them. But i know so many people who'd laugh if i said zelda is great. Because of the patronising cel shaded graphics. It puts people off. In exactly the same way gamecube does.

A lot of the gaming audience has shifted away from young kids and teenagers, to older 20-30 somethings who want to play on a console for 30 minutes - 1 hour after coming home from the pub.

Gamecube simply doesnt cater to this increasingly important audience. With every "cutesy" game they release that has real content behind the childish exterior they are alienating themselves more and more.

It's sad that people can't see through that, as it has a lot to offer as a console.

[Azrikam]

Even if they do cease production next week, they aren't about to recall all the consoles. There's more games released for the Cube than any one person is going to buy, so what's the big deal? Even if they did close up shop, there are still many games in development that would still be released. Look at how long games were coming out for the Dreamcast after Sega gave up on it.

I'm constantly boggled by people who gauge a console on its popularity. If the price is right, and the games are good, who cares about the lifespan of the console?

[Malone]

What exactly boggles you Azrikam. I think the question I posted is a fair one. My sister who has no knowledge of the gaming industry asked my advice regarding potential consoles for her kids. I immediately suggested the Gamecube due to the fact its software is kiddy friendly. I myself have no interest in the GC, I am more than happy with my PS2 and Xbox. My sister then went out to the shops to discover what was available. To her surprise two retailers tryed to dissuade her from buying the GC due to the lack of support and the ceasing of manufacture. As stated I had not really paid great attention to the GC and as such had no idea of the software available, so rather than suggest a console that was potentially going to have minimal support I thought if anyone had more information to share it would be here on this forum. If you consider the lifespan of the PS2 then value for money (irrespective of software quality) comes into play as there is a vast library of good games whereas an unsupported platform would very soon dry up. Yes it maybe that the GC has a great selection of games already, I only am aware of a few quality games, but if my sister is to make a decision on her purchase surely it is prudent to have as many facts regarding said purchase rather than just go out and buy a PS2 because these retailers " said so".

Matt

[Sinzer]

The sales of the GC are neck and neck with the X-Box.

It simply boils down to misinformed opinions. TBH I have never been in a gamestore where I have ever been impressed by their knowledge. It is like going to Dixons and asking for a demo of the best home cinema.

Everyone has their preferences and like has been said many times before you should buy a console because of the games it provides, not because it has better graphics or sound.

[puddleduck]

I bought one when the price dropped and am really enjoying it - great for a quick half hour session - F Zero is very good - so fast I forget to breathe when playing it...!

I also had an XBox until recently, but I'm finding the Gamecube much more fun.

[Azrikam]

I just meant that its kind of silly to put so much stock in the lifespan of a console. Sure, if a system dies in the first week, anyone who bought one is going to be S.O.L. when it comes to quality games. But at this point, that really isn't an issue.

My comment was directed at shop employees who would discourage sales of a system for the sole reason that "it won't last a year." But, as mentioned, it's pretty difficult to find someone working in a game store to know about games. (akin to asking the clerk at Blockbusters about movies )

But your question was a fair one, and you've come to the right place, IMO.