Xbox really becoming Dreamcast 2?

Its really interesting to see Xbox is showing signs of being the next DC. Sega is making tons of games for the system(at least until every game in production is done--> RUMOR thread ), is loved in Japan much like DC hehehe, price cut in Europe to spike sales, and soon to be announced price cut in NA market for what reason I don't know. But fortunately for Xbox, its maker has tons and tons of money, it can never lose

From $299 to $199, that really sounds reasonable enough for me, I guess M$' entry is good for the industry, its allows for Sony to be held in check and kept honest(wihout really monopolizing the whole console market), and Sony isn't able to be the price maker at least when it comes to NA market where Xbox has a good chunk of the market. So will this force Sony to price cut too? What of Gamecube and Nintendo, will they be affected?

Stay tuned, but as for me, this can only mean one thing, if it happens then its all good. Sega will have more reason to make games for the system because for sure alot of gamers will warrant a second look at the BOX, and I want to play the Sega games that are out and coming out for Xbox, and Xbox' games have been plentiful and lots mor to look forward too. Emulation scene has been getting some attention as well.

[ May 09, 2002, 04:47 PM: Message edited by: Jedi Knight JM ]

Those rumors about Sega not supporting the Box any more sound like pure BS to me. Even if they weren't supporting Box much in the first place, they'd still want Sega Sports stuff everywhere. The NA price cut is just rumors (we all know it'll come within a year, though), but after Europe, nothing's gonna surprise me. Unlike DC, it could be argued Xbox was overpriced, whereas DC was never overpriced.

Sony's getting away with murder with the PS2 pricing here, but it seems that unlike last time, Microsoft will be the one to initiate every price cut, a role held by Sony with the PSX. And like last time, the competition really should be following suit.

How would you think Nintendo would react? I mean if all three consoles are priced at 199, who would come out the loser in that one? Its great M$ is here, I like the fact that Sony is forced to react, however not as quick as they should(doesn't hurt to lead the pack by a wide margin). But I am surprised that talks of price cuts are forthcoming(seems too early for that by standards), its like there's sense of urgency that isn't really there, guess the three way race does have its good sides.

I thougth Xbox was the one that was priced just right considering its package(excluding the EU market) and PS2 seems the one that was overpriced. DC was jsut right, ppl just never saw it that way and PS2 hype got everyone thinking its a second rate machine.

[ May 09, 2002, 05:14 PM: Message edited by: Jedi Knight JM ]

Nintendo would drop. Cube's not worth the same. It's arguable whether it's even worth $100 less.

Price cuts usually hit in September. The reason the talks are so early is the Euro cut. Now everyone wants more.

At its launch price, it was iffy. After the initial drop, too cheap.

I would not be surprised if NIntendo would pull that move, anything would be out of question if Nintendo would lose any ground. Dang, those words are just pure anti-Nintendo Shane, GC is worth what it is priced for. Ppl in parts of the other world thinks so, in Europe and Japan where it is beating XBoX at the moment.

I think its reasonable enough that ppl wants more, I can't afford that xtra 100 bucks, I could use that to buy me 2-3 games or for better purposes outside gaming.

In Japan it's beating Box. Not sure how that's worth much, though. In Europe, Microsoft's doing better than people claim/hope, and Nintendo's gotta prove they can keep up good sales past two days.

It's not reasonable to expect the decisions of one territory to come true in another.

Most people don't really care too much about those extra features. So they'd be willing to pay the same for GC as the rest.

Japan's an important territory.

The Xbox spike in Europe is recent and it's not surprising (or even that impressive) considering it's basically a 2nd launch. GC is the one breaking records and probably poses the bigger threat to PS2.

Sure its not reasonable enough, so I'll take your answer and add M$ with Sony , both are getting away with murder at least when it comes to the NA market. But I'm not in a hurry...

I would care for those extra features, if I were to look at between Xbox and GC, I'm more inclined to get Xbox since its package are really are bargain at that price or looks like it. But between GC and PS2, its closer but I reckon the DVD movie capability amongst enthusiast and mature gamers will be more popular but for those willing to get past those, GC is the better choice(?). GC has its games but will it be enough?

I'd agree with you MMM, BigN does show a bigger threat, but lets see how it holds in the coming weeks, months etc.

[ May 10, 2002, 11:38 PM: Message edited by: JM: 'GO Spurs GO' ]

That's the philosophy that made Nintendo the only one that didn't focus on them (well, that and cheapness).

Yes, I know, 20%.

Like how the Xbox launch was supposedly pathetic, this followup is pathetic? GC is breaking records? Just like how it broke records here? (And you fell for it again? You'll learn, maybe.) Nintendo's no threat in Europe. That's a given.

Microsoft's launch price is reasonable. Sony's getting away with murder because they should've dropped the price half a year ago but didn't have to.

Affordability to the mass market as well.

20% of sales and home of many of the most important developers and console makers that give it more priority than it should get.

They admitted their sales were pathetic before the price cut.

Not sure when I said their sales were pathetic after the cut but it's nothing to get very excited about since it's a more or less a 2nd launch. If they're able to sustain that, then maybe you can start celebrating.

I've got a DVD player. So that feature isn't much of a deciding factor.

If they even tied Sony (despite less marketing and a late start to hype), that's impressive. Though it's not just Nintendo that thinks its console is a huge threat to Sony in Europe.

I agree Sony's unnecesarily screwing Europeans over.

Nintendo wasn't interested so much in mass market affordability as a pricing advantage. They've made it quite clear they don't believe anyone will pay anywhere near for the Cube what they will for the competition.

Other than first parties, as far as the most important developers, I count Sega. Occasionally a Capcom or a Konami. Westerners (80% of the market) want Acclaim, THQ, Activision, and EA, all from outside Japan.

No, they said their sales were below expectations pre-price cut.

I'm amused by this second launch philosophy. Almost.

Maybe you would, but most people wouldn't shun a free (or $30) DVD player.

Who else? Retro? Sony couldn't care less. They've made it clear Microsoft is the enemy for many months now. They (and Nintendo) have basically acknowledged Nintendo's no threat.

When did I say Sony's screwing over Europeans? They've made a 1/3 price cut there.

[ May 11, 2002, 02:47 PM: Message edited by: Shane - The Neglected American ]

Proportionally Japan is more influential than the numbers would indicate.

Same thing.

I wouldn't shun it but I'd probably go with the system with the games I liked.

Microsoft's got money so they could be a major competitor. Though as time goes on, they're less threatening.

You said they were getting away with murder.

2/3 of an extortionist price this much later is still too high.

The sales of both hardware and software in Europe and here are wrong about Japan's influence?

Below expectations is not the same thing as pathetic.

Most of the market a) doesn't like that philosophy and b) doesn't think the Cube has the most good games.

How do you get less threatening as time goes on? I'm thinking more threatening. But maybe you've got a secret formula that makes a better brand and stronger developer support bad.

Here they're getting away with murder.

It's not an extortionist price. It's the same price the PSX was.

Nintendo always kind of independant, and gamecube is just another example of that, as soon as sega started using CD's with sega CD and saturn, Atari came out with Jaquar CD, and Neo Geo CD. Then Sony came out with psx(made by sega). But Nintendo stuck right with those cartridges. I can't really blame them though, the above CD systems were failiers(psx at first), but still. Then they came to their sences and realized their mistake when sony started kicking their ass, so then Dreamcast was born. Dreamcast was then sold to Sega which gave Nintendo the funding to create the pokemon games that kept it alive for a bit longer. Finally 64 died. Then later during the ps2/X-box era(current) the gamecube (originally named "project dolphin-classic nintendo) was made. But with mini-disks and NO extra features. So I think nintendo doesn't really care about what other companies are doing(hence the mini-disks and feature-less cubed wonder system), They are just continueing their legacy of wierd yet cool ideas.

Welcome Blue_velocity! Good views but Nintendo never sold Dreamcast to Sega, it has always been Sega and Nintendo would never think of a system as good as Sega

Anyways, that's why nitnendo needs to change its ways. Those you mentioned, their decisions post-SNES have just been terrible and that said, they still think they still set the industry standard which is just foolish of them. Unlike Sega, Nintendo hasn't learned I guess, Sega has joined the times or at least were forced to becuase they needed money, but NIntendo just keeps pushing thmeselves to the brink of defeat.

[Pikahobbes]

Originally posted by JM: 'GO Spurs GO':
Welcome Blue_velocity! Good views but Nintendo never sold Dreamcast to Sega, it has always been Sega and Nintendo would never think of a system as good as Sega

Anyways, that's why nitnendo needs to change its ways. Those you mentioned, their decisions post-SNES have just been terrible and that said, they still think they still set the industry standard which is just foolish of them. Unlike Sega, Nintendo hasn't learned I guess, Sega has joined the times or at least were forced to becuase they needed money, but NIntendo just keeps pushing thmeselves to the brink of defeat.

Actually, Nintendo's engineers have very good ideas, sometimes better than Sega's. Howver, they have problems with their hierarchy. The engineer has just made a game that will sell millions if released, and he brings it to Hiroshi Yamauchi for final judgement, and Yamauchi says, "What, this thing is fun and innovative?! Make something boring and copy something!" Sad, isn't it.

-Hobbes
Gunslinger

"C'mon, Dance for me"-Gilder

Or as dead.

I always thought Yamauchi said "Add Mario to it."

I completely agree. They know what will sell(or at least the engineers do), but for some reason they continue to put out this totally diverse garbage, I mean the mini-disks were cool for maybe a couple minutes, but then I went to watch a DVD on ps2(reluctantly I might add), when you look past all the stupid little extras like small disks and a handle on the back, and just look at the raw material, the one that can do more is gonna pull it out, hence why ps2 is still alive and will be for some time now. That's also why dreamcast was so incredibly great is because where it lacks in extra features such as dvd's, it makes up in emulation(which is capable of watching dvd's anyway. The only downside to that is that's a sort of big reason why it died, people burned games instead of buying them. Oh yea, sorry about that nintendo selling dc to sega thing, I punched myself for that.

I always thought that handle was such a joke, it completely made GC look like a handbag, its funny sometimes when I carry it. You can always count on Sony to lead the pack technically, DVD was the smart meduim of choice, so what do Nintendo does, no to be outdone takes the DVD meduim and shrinks it. Smart yet stupid, how nice...but I can argue that Nintendo did a much better job in what it inside its system than PS2.

Yah, Dreamcast without any given publicity had a lot of features that certainly added its uses. VCDs, emulations, mp3s, etc. Agreed, people burned the games to death and it came at a time when DC needed some cash for its supporters and Sega. Xbox presents the same situation as Dreamcast, its capable of emulation etc etc as well. Hence Xbox = dreamcast 2.

Oh yeah, gamecube has much better technical specs, graphics, processing, ect. than ps2, sorry I didn't make that clear, and also I think X-Box has a good chance to be Dreamcast 2, but it will be harder to use emulation with x-box because it can't read most burned cd's. But even so, I can defenitely see the rise of x-box in the future.