Where would the video game industry in America be if the NES never came out?
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fragmanslayer
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What's an NES?
Seriously, I have no clue where gaming would be right now. No mario. wow, thats a scary thought.
Seriously, I have no clue where gaming would be right now. No mario. wow, thats a scary thought.
It would have been the Sega Master System and the Atari 7800 battling it out through the 80s. The Master System failed because of Nintendo's monopolistic tactics, so they would have done better, but I think Nintendo promoted the concept of Video Games more than they promoted themselves. Since Sega can't market, and Atari didn't make a single smart move after 1979 (Nintendo offered to licence the Famicom to them), video games would be a much more niche thing today.
I think PC gaming would be much bigger than console gaming, with the console being considered a child's toy as it was before Nintendo.
I think PC gaming would be much bigger than console gaming, with the console being considered a child's toy as it was before Nintendo.
[quote name='fragmanslayer']What's an NES?
Seriously, I have no clue where gaming would be right now. No mario. wow, thats a scary thought.[/quote]
Yeah, but its not only that. Nintendo with its Official Seal brought reliability and trust. They also had a constant supply of quality games. So Nintendo was both good and bad for the industry here in America, but IMO the good out weighs the bad. If Nintendo never came here, video games would have probably been thought of as a fad.
Seriously, I have no clue where gaming would be right now. No mario. wow, thats a scary thought.[/quote]
Yeah, but its not only that. Nintendo with its Official Seal brought reliability and trust. They also had a constant supply of quality games. So Nintendo was both good and bad for the industry here in America, but IMO the good out weighs the bad. If Nintendo never came here, video games would have probably been thought of as a fad.
[quote name='dafoomie']It would have been the Sega Master System and the Atari 7800 battling it out through the 80s. The Master System failed because of Nintendo's monopolistic tactics, so they would have done better, but I think Nintendo promoted the concept of Video Games more than they promoted themselves. Since Sega can't market, and Atari didn't make a single smart move after 1979 (Nintendo offered to licence the Famicom to them), video games would be a much more niche thing today.
I think PC gaming would be much bigger than console gaming, with the console being considered a child's toy as it was before Nintendo.[/quote]
I think you are correct dafoomie. Most probably, PC gaming would still be able to survive.
I think PC gaming would be much bigger than console gaming, with the console being considered a child's toy as it was before Nintendo.[/quote]
I think you are correct dafoomie. Most probably, PC gaming would still be able to survive.
imamario02
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I love my nintendo... yay... mario.... yay
zionoverfire
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Microsoft would own everything, well them and EA. Oh wait.....
greydemise
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i agree with u up there..pc games wud have more of a chance of survival..regardless of nintendo..computer gaming was still evolving..and it stil is today...but without a nintendo...wow..hard to imagine..so many tacky 80s commercials wud never have been..and great movies like THE WIZARD would never have come out
Ikohn4ever
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no zelda, I think would cry, its like a video game player's back to the future. You have a picture of your favorite games and they slowly start to fade away cause your mom has the hots for u
Duo_Maxwell
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[quote name='ananag112'][quote name='dafoomie']It would have been the Sega Master System and the Atari 7800 battling it out through the 80s. The Master System failed because of Nintendo's monopolistic tactics, so they would have done better, but I think Nintendo promoted the concept of Video Games more than they promoted themselves. Since Sega can't market, and Atari didn't make a single smart move after 1979 (Nintendo offered to licence the Famicom to them), video games would be a much more niche thing today.
I think PC gaming would be much bigger than console gaming, with the console being considered a child's toy as it was before Nintendo.[/quote]
I think you are correct dafoomie. Most probably, PC gaming would still be able to survive.[/quote]
Not only PC gaming, but I think arcade gaming would be bigger. Perhaps, not as big as it once was, but I think it would not be as dead as it is now if a definitive home console like the NES never came out and was never expended on with later generations (SNES, etc.).
I think PC gaming would be much bigger than console gaming, with the console being considered a child's toy as it was before Nintendo.[/quote]
I think you are correct dafoomie. Most probably, PC gaming would still be able to survive.[/quote]
Not only PC gaming, but I think arcade gaming would be bigger. Perhaps, not as big as it once was, but I think it would not be as dead as it is now if a definitive home console like the NES never came out and was never expended on with later generations (SNES, etc.).
Without the NES, the videogame industry would probably be much smaller than it is now. It may have survived the big crash, but probably just barely, being relegated to a niche hobby instead of the more mainstream pastime we know and love today.
A new book about the impact of Japanese videogames on the world was just released. It's called Power-Up: How Japanese Games Gave the World an Extra Life.
I just picked it up the other day, but I haven't had a chance to read it yet. It looks really good though.
A new book about the impact of Japanese videogames on the world was just released. It's called Power-Up: How Japanese Games Gave the World an Extra Life.
I just picked it up the other day, but I haven't had a chance to read it yet. It looks really good though.
FriskyTanuki
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When Nintendo offered Atari the chance to market the NES, Nintendo really pissed Atari by way of their licensing for Donkey Kong ports to consoles. Atari thought they had the exclusive license, but found out that it was only the cartridge license. When they found out that a floppy disc, though it was in a cartridge-like case, launched with the Commodore 64, I believe, they became extremely pissed and told Nintendo they were not interested. Atari died a few years later and Nintendo succeeded, I wonder what was the right choice.
[quote name='Wet Ninja']Without the NES, the videogame industry would probably be much smaller than it is now. It may have survived the big crash, but probably just barely, being relegated to a niche hobby instead of the more mainstream pastime we know and love today.
A new book about the impact of Japanese videogames on the world was just released. It's called Power-Up: How Japanese Games Gave the World an Extra Life.
I just picked it up the other day, but I haven't had a chance to read it yet. It looks really good though.[/quote]
Thank you Wet Ninja. I will have to check this book out.
A new book about the impact of Japanese videogames on the world was just released. It's called Power-Up: How Japanese Games Gave the World an Extra Life.
I just picked it up the other day, but I haven't had a chance to read it yet. It looks really good though.[/quote]
Thank you Wet Ninja. I will have to check this book out.
[quote name='fragmanslayer']What's an NES?
Seriously, I have no clue where gaming would be right now. No mario. wow, thats a scary thought.[/quote]
If the NES didn't come out there still would have been a mario. Donkey Kong came out in the arcades & other consoles way before the NES came out.
Seriously, I have no clue where gaming would be right now. No mario. wow, thats a scary thought.[/quote]
If the NES didn't come out there still would have been a mario. Donkey Kong came out in the arcades & other consoles way before the NES came out.
[quote name='CrashSpyro123']When Nintendo offered Atari the chance to market the NES, Nintendo really pissed Atari by way of their licensing for Donkey Kong ports to consoles. Atari thought they had the exclusive license, but found out that it was only the cartridge license. When they found out that a floppy disc, though it was in a cartridge-like case, launched with the Commodore 64, I believe, they became extremely pissed and told Nintendo they were not interested. Atari died a few years later and Nintendo succeeded, I wonder what was the right choice.[/quote]
The deal for Atari to license the Famicom was pretty much done, and they were going to sign it at the 1983 CES (consumer electronics show). For Donkey Kong, Atari had the "home computer" license, and Coleco had the "console" license. Coleco actually released versions for both the Colecovision and the Atari 2600, but intentionally made the 2600 version inferior to make the Colecovision look better. At the show, Coleco was demoing their version of Donkey Kong on their new Adam computer, which broke the license. Atari was mad at Nintendo, Nintendo was mad at Coleco, and things were delayed. Then the crash came, Atari's console and computer divisions were sold to the former CEO and founder of Commodore, who wanted to focus completely on computers and abandon videogames.
Atari went down, was sold to a company called JTS, sold to Hasbro (became Hasbro Interactive), and then (by now only the brand existed anymore) sold to Infogrames. The Adam failed so badly that Cabbage Patch Kids couldn't even save Coleco, they were bought by Hasbro. The arcade division of Atari, 'Atari Games', was bought by Namco, then the employees bought them out after a year. They kept making Arcade games throughout, and made NES games under the Tengen brand (yeah, that was Atari). They were bought back by Time Warner (became Time Warner Interactive), sold to Williams/Midway, and then closed in 2003 after being renamed to Midway Games West.
The deal for Atari to license the Famicom was pretty much done, and they were going to sign it at the 1983 CES (consumer electronics show). For Donkey Kong, Atari had the "home computer" license, and Coleco had the "console" license. Coleco actually released versions for both the Colecovision and the Atari 2600, but intentionally made the 2600 version inferior to make the Colecovision look better. At the show, Coleco was demoing their version of Donkey Kong on their new Adam computer, which broke the license. Atari was mad at Nintendo, Nintendo was mad at Coleco, and things were delayed. Then the crash came, Atari's console and computer divisions were sold to the former CEO and founder of Commodore, who wanted to focus completely on computers and abandon videogames.
Atari went down, was sold to a company called JTS, sold to Hasbro (became Hasbro Interactive), and then (by now only the brand existed anymore) sold to Infogrames. The Adam failed so badly that Cabbage Patch Kids couldn't even save Coleco, they were bought by Hasbro. The arcade division of Atari, 'Atari Games', was bought by Namco, then the employees bought them out after a year. They kept making Arcade games throughout, and made NES games under the Tengen brand (yeah, that was Atari). They were bought back by Time Warner (became Time Warner Interactive), sold to Williams/Midway, and then closed in 2003 after being renamed to Midway Games West.
opportunity777
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[quote name='CrashSpyro123']When Nintendo offered Atari the chance to market the NES, Nintendo really pissed Atari by way of their licensing for Donkey Kong ports to consoles. Atari thought they had the exclusive license, but found out that it was only the cartridge license. When they found out that a floppy disc, though it was in a cartridge-like case, launched with the Commodore 64, I believe, they became extremely pissed and told Nintendo they were not interested. Atari died a few years later and Nintendo succeeded, I wonder what was the right choice.[/quote]
Speaking of right and wrong choices, maybe the Big N should have partnered with Sony on the whole CD system idea instead of calling things off. I wonder what would have come of that?
Speaking of right and wrong choices, maybe the Big N should have partnered with Sony on the whole CD system idea instead of calling things off. I wonder what would have come of that?
[quote name='opportunity777'][quote name='CrashSpyro123']When Nintendo offered Atari the chance to market the NES, Nintendo really pissed Atari by way of their licensing for Donkey Kong ports to consoles. Atari thought they had the exclusive license, but found out that it was only the cartridge license. When they found out that a floppy disc, though it was in a cartridge-like case, launched with the Commodore 64, I believe, they became extremely pissed and told Nintendo they were not interested. Atari died a few years later and Nintendo succeeded, I wonder what was the right choice.[/quote]
Speaking of right and wrong choices, maybe the Big N should have partnered with Sony on the whole CD system idea instead of calling things off. I wonder what would have come of that?[/quote]
It would have been bad for Nintendo. The CD system would have been a Sony system that could also play SNES games. Developers would have had to go through Sony for the CD games, Nintendo would have been basically cut out of the picture.
Speaking of right and wrong choices, maybe the Big N should have partnered with Sony on the whole CD system idea instead of calling things off. I wonder what would have come of that?
[/quote]It would have been bad for Nintendo. The CD system would have been a Sony system that could also play SNES games. Developers would have had to go through Sony for the CD games, Nintendo would have been basically cut out of the picture.
[quote name='dafoomie'][quote name='opportunity777'][quote name='CrashSpyro123']When Nintendo offered Atari the chance to market the NES, Nintendo really pissed Atari by way of their licensing for Donkey Kong ports to consoles. Atari thought they had the exclusive license, but found out that it was only the cartridge license. When they found out that a floppy disc, though it was in a cartridge-like case, launched with the Commodore 64, I believe, they became extremely pissed and told Nintendo they were not interested. Atari died a few years later and Nintendo succeeded, I wonder what was the right choice.[/quote]
Speaking of right and wrong choices, maybe the Big N should have partnered with Sony on the whole CD system idea instead of calling things off. I wonder what would have come of that?[/quote]
It would have been bad for Nintendo. The CD system would have been a Sony system that could also play SNES games. Developers would have had to go through Sony for the CD games, Nintendo would have been basically cut out of the picture.[/quote]
Exactly, Yamauchi wanted to be the boss. He never wanted to be ordered around.
Speaking of right and wrong choices, maybe the Big N should have partnered with Sony on the whole CD system idea instead of calling things off. I wonder what would have come of that?
[/quote]It would have been bad for Nintendo. The CD system would have been a Sony system that could also play SNES games. Developers would have had to go through Sony for the CD games, Nintendo would have been basically cut out of the picture.[/quote]
Exactly, Yamauchi wanted to be the boss. He never wanted to be ordered around.
pumbaa
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[quote name='ananag112'][quote name='dafoomie'][quote name='opportunity777'][quote name='CrashSpyro123']When Nintendo offered Atari the chance to market the NES, Nintendo really pissed Atari by way of their licensing for Donkey Kong ports to consoles. Atari thought they had the exclusive license, but found out that it was only the cartridge license. When they found out that a floppy disc, though it was in a cartridge-like case, launched with the Commodore 64, I believe, they became extremely pissed and told Nintendo they were not interested. Atari died a few years later and Nintendo succeeded, I wonder what was the right choice.[/quote]
Speaking of right and wrong choices, maybe the Big N should have partnered with Sony on the whole CD system idea instead of calling things off. I wonder what would have come of that?[/quote]
It would have been bad for Nintendo. The CD system would have been a Sony system that could also play SNES games. Developers would have had to go through Sony for the CD games, Nintendo would have been basically cut out of the picture.[/quote]
Exactly, Yamauchi wanted to be the boss. He never wanted to be ordered around.[/quote]
Really? Wow. I always thought it was Nintendo was the bad guy in that situation... guess not. Now then, another what if.
What if Nintendo 64 used CDs?
Would we even have PS2 right now? Sony wouldn't have gotten Sqaure... (or FFVII). So the argument could be made that it was this single deiscion that got Nintendo where it is now. On the flip side... the "Greatest Game of all Time" (Zelda: TOoT) Might've been severely crippled by the CD-ROM medium... but who knows... LETS SPECULATE!
Speaking of right and wrong choices, maybe the Big N should have partnered with Sony on the whole CD system idea instead of calling things off. I wonder what would have come of that?
[/quote]It would have been bad for Nintendo. The CD system would have been a Sony system that could also play SNES games. Developers would have had to go through Sony for the CD games, Nintendo would have been basically cut out of the picture.[/quote]
Exactly, Yamauchi wanted to be the boss. He never wanted to be ordered around.[/quote]
Really? Wow. I always thought it was Nintendo was the bad guy in that situation... guess not. Now then, another what if.
What if Nintendo 64 used CDs?
Would we even have PS2 right now? Sony wouldn't have gotten Sqaure... (or FFVII). So the argument could be made that it was this single deiscion that got Nintendo where it is now. On the flip side... the "Greatest Game of all Time" (Zelda: TOoT) Might've been severely crippled by the CD-ROM medium... but who knows... LETS SPECULATE!
[quote name='pumbaa'][quote name='ananag112'][quote name='dafoomie'][quote name='opportunity777'][quote name='CrashSpyro123']When Nintendo offered Atari the chance to market the NES, Nintendo really pissed Atari by way of their licensing for Donkey Kong ports to consoles. Atari thought they had the exclusive license, but found out that it was only the cartridge license. When they found out that a floppy disc, though it was in a cartridge-like case, launched with the Commodore 64, I believe, they became extremely pissed and told Nintendo they were not interested. Atari died a few years later and Nintendo succeeded, I wonder what was the right choice.[/quote]
Speaking of right and wrong choices, maybe the Big N should have partnered with Sony on the whole CD system idea instead of calling things off. I wonder what would have come of that?[/quote]
It would have been bad for Nintendo. The CD system would have been a Sony system that could also play SNES games. Developers would have had to go through Sony for the CD games, Nintendo would have been basically cut out of the picture.[/quote]
Exactly, Yamauchi wanted to be the boss. He never wanted to be ordered around.[/quote]
Really? Wow. I always thought it was Nintendo was the bad guy in that situation... guess not. Now then, another what if.
What if Nintendo 64 used CDs?
Would we even have PS2 right now? Sony wouldn't have gotten Sqaure... (or FFVII). So the argument could be made that it was this single deiscion that got Nintendo where it is now. On the flip side... the "Greatest Game of all Time" (Zelda: TOoT) Might've been severely crippled by the CD-ROM medium... but who knows... LETS SPECULATE![/quote]
By all accounts the decision to go with cartridges was a mistake. They wanted control of a proprietary format that was hard to pirate. Plus you had to buy chips from Nintendo. N64 would have been the dominant system if not for that. Square going to Sony had nothing to do with the cartridge format, it was because Nintendo dicked them around too much.
Speaking of right and wrong choices, maybe the Big N should have partnered with Sony on the whole CD system idea instead of calling things off. I wonder what would have come of that?
[/quote]It would have been bad for Nintendo. The CD system would have been a Sony system that could also play SNES games. Developers would have had to go through Sony for the CD games, Nintendo would have been basically cut out of the picture.[/quote]
Exactly, Yamauchi wanted to be the boss. He never wanted to be ordered around.[/quote]
Really? Wow. I always thought it was Nintendo was the bad guy in that situation... guess not. Now then, another what if.
What if Nintendo 64 used CDs?
Would we even have PS2 right now? Sony wouldn't have gotten Sqaure... (or FFVII). So the argument could be made that it was this single deiscion that got Nintendo where it is now. On the flip side... the "Greatest Game of all Time" (Zelda: TOoT) Might've been severely crippled by the CD-ROM medium... but who knows... LETS SPECULATE![/quote]
By all accounts the decision to go with cartridges was a mistake. They wanted control of a proprietary format that was hard to pirate. Plus you had to buy chips from Nintendo. N64 would have been the dominant system if not for that. Square going to Sony had nothing to do with the cartridge format, it was because Nintendo dicked them around too much.
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