http://blog.wired.com/games/2007/04/if_nintendo_att.html
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If Nintendo Attends Tokyo Game Show...
TgsBrian Ashcraft is reporting on Kotaku that Nintendo will actually have a booth at this year's Tokyo Game Show. And the guy writes for Wired too, so you know he's legit when he's says that "multiple, high-placed insiders" are confirming it.
Nintendo traditionally sits out Tokyo Game Show. This is mostly because Tokyo Game Show was started as a venue to show off games that weren't on Nintendo platforms -- those were always at Nintendo's own Space World show. Since then Nintendo has generally preferred to stick to its own expositions, though they occasionally drop in to TGS to drop a bomb like the Wii remote in 2005.
So what does it mean that they might show this year? It will probably be looked upon as the event that solidifies Nintendo's return to domination in their home country; they'll be invading a show that in years past has been absolutely owned by Sony products. Microsoft was always shoved off in a back room and without Nintendo there, not even the DS got that much love on the show floor in recent years. It was always PlayStation-centric.
But now with the industry no longer PlayStation-centric, Tokyo Game Show can't be, either, or it won't be a draw anymore. I imagine that the TGS management lobbied hard to get Nintendo on board this year.
Japan-living NeoGAF poster and accomplished armchair industry analyst "Jonnyram" weighed in with this: "If true, PS3 is officially finished. This TGS is crucial to the PS3's success. If Sony is outshone by Nintendo, they can kiss the console market goodbye." It's certainly not going to be fun for Sony having to go up against Nintendo in front of the Japanese gaming public.
Ashcraft says the main reason for the return is Dragon Quest IX, which will hit the Nintendo DS late this year in Japan. Fair enough: it's likely that Square Enix's booth space wouldn't be large enough to handle all of the DQIX demand. Nintendo might even make the demo downloadable, which would be super-hot and a magnanimous display of mercy towards the TGS crowd, who would otherwise have had to wait in five-hour lines to play it.
Or worse, considering that the promise of a playable DQIX is the sort of thing that will likely cause a whole lot of people who would ordinarily never attend a TGS to come in and try it out. TGS has been playing host to more families in recent years with a special section for young kids, so it's not entirely a huge den of crazy otaku. If this turns out to be true, TGS 2007 could be packed deep with casual gamers. Kind of scary. I'd better book my ticket now
----
If Nintendo Attends Tokyo Game Show...
TgsBrian Ashcraft is reporting on Kotaku that Nintendo will actually have a booth at this year's Tokyo Game Show. And the guy writes for Wired too, so you know he's legit when he's says that "multiple, high-placed insiders" are confirming it.
Nintendo traditionally sits out Tokyo Game Show. This is mostly because Tokyo Game Show was started as a venue to show off games that weren't on Nintendo platforms -- those were always at Nintendo's own Space World show. Since then Nintendo has generally preferred to stick to its own expositions, though they occasionally drop in to TGS to drop a bomb like the Wii remote in 2005.
So what does it mean that they might show this year? It will probably be looked upon as the event that solidifies Nintendo's return to domination in their home country; they'll be invading a show that in years past has been absolutely owned by Sony products. Microsoft was always shoved off in a back room and without Nintendo there, not even the DS got that much love on the show floor in recent years. It was always PlayStation-centric.
But now with the industry no longer PlayStation-centric, Tokyo Game Show can't be, either, or it won't be a draw anymore. I imagine that the TGS management lobbied hard to get Nintendo on board this year.
Japan-living NeoGAF poster and accomplished armchair industry analyst "Jonnyram" weighed in with this: "If true, PS3 is officially finished. This TGS is crucial to the PS3's success. If Sony is outshone by Nintendo, they can kiss the console market goodbye." It's certainly not going to be fun for Sony having to go up against Nintendo in front of the Japanese gaming public.
Ashcraft says the main reason for the return is Dragon Quest IX, which will hit the Nintendo DS late this year in Japan. Fair enough: it's likely that Square Enix's booth space wouldn't be large enough to handle all of the DQIX demand. Nintendo might even make the demo downloadable, which would be super-hot and a magnanimous display of mercy towards the TGS crowd, who would otherwise have had to wait in five-hour lines to play it.
Or worse, considering that the promise of a playable DQIX is the sort of thing that will likely cause a whole lot of people who would ordinarily never attend a TGS to come in and try it out. TGS has been playing host to more families in recent years with a special section for young kids, so it's not entirely a huge den of crazy otaku. If this turns out to be true, TGS 2007 could be packed deep with casual gamers. Kind of scary. I'd better book my ticket now
