News Hound: This Week In Gaming Issue 3

By James Temperton 04.05.2003 1

News Hound
One man and his dog, went to mow a meadow. The dog got bored, ran back home and became a journo...

What's Hot...
Yes my friends its that time of the week when we have to take a look at what's great in the ever changing world of videogaming. So, prepare yourselves as I delve deep into the news and forage out the best bits...

  • The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker | The biggest game to come out of Nintendo in quite some time has been mighty impressive, and so has the way it has been launched. Deals with Sky, ITV, MTV and Nickelodeon have ensured that Nintendo can reap the rewards of one of the best advertised launches of a Nintendo game in years. Prime time slots were there for all to see, and the adverts where not all that bad either. In store presence was excellent, with an increase in demo units in stores up and down the country allowing gamers to try before they buy. The game itself is a true masterpiece and is being hailed as the best ever...

  • Happy Birthday GameCube | It's hard to belive that the launch of the GameCube in Europe was just one year ago. Quite a lot has happened since then and it is a true testament to the hard work of Nintendo that it has made such an impact on the scene. It is worldwide the second best selling console, just pipping Microsoft's XBOX to the place. Whilst it has not been the success that many people who support and follow the exploits of Nintendo would have liked, it was certainly a good year. Talks about Nintendo failing and slanting down towards DreamCast status are utter shit. Nintendo are a very secure company, and we should all be supporting them over the next twelve months.

  • Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes | Perhaps one of the strangest announcement in quite some while, Konami, the company whom it appears have been ignoring and rejecting Nintendo and their GameCube rather emphatically. The fact is that Konami were to damn scared to get their bloody asses into gear and make a good game for Nintendo. So, what changed? Well, unless you are a total ignoramus and or you have been living in a cave for the last few months, you will have noticed one or two surprise announcements from the Nintendo campus. EA showing huge devotion to a format that up until then it was reluctant to support being the major example. Nintendo are handing out cash sums and huge deals to the worlds biggest developers to make them special and exclusive games for the GameCube. Whilst Twin Snakes may not be a totally new game it will be a truly special experience...

    • What's Not...
    Of course not all news is good news, and an old saying is very much the case with this bunch of stinkers; 'No news, is good news...'

  • Capcom | How the mighty have fallen. Capcom seemed like one of the true untouchables, but they have fallen foul to the games depression in Japan. People are, to put it bluntly, beginning to bore of Capcom. They are no longer buying their games, and it will need some desperate actions from Capcom if they are to find a new niche in the market so they can re-establish their status. With E3 is coming along soon they Japanese giants will be out to prove a point and I very much doubt they will disappoint. Whether this will carry over the improved sales is another m
    atter.

  • People not understanding the industry| This is beginning to become a major problem now. People are continually pretending that they know about the industry and what's what within in, but they don't have a fucking clue. These people just assume that things are a certain way and are completely oblivious, or prefer to ignore the truth. Such is the manner of Internet forums; even people with the charisma of a garden herb can be mister big shot, and it simply doesn't do anyone any good. People need to start to put things into perspective. Forums are for fun and discussion, not dictating how things should be done. The people who make the decisions are there because they are good at that, the day people realise this most simple of facts, is the day that my brains stops having nervous and sporadic spasms.

  • Not enough crap | A strange thing to say, I'll admit that, but it is most definitely the case. As I have mentioned elsewhere in this piece Nintendo have been spending more and more money on getting the worlds best to give them the best, but this is not the sort of tactic that is going to hoard in the masses who make the tripe that bring in more and more gamers. The fact is there is no way to get this support, it will just happen. With more support from the best they will come but the thing is the GameCube is getting more and more support, but the rest of the s industry seems to be sitting there tapping its feet. What are they waiting for? World piece perhaps, the world to be deemed flat; who knows, but I for one wish they would get their act together...

    • In the Kennel: The Weekly Analysis
    So, what to analyse? Well, not much of real interest has happened within the news this week. Indeed much of what I have looked at is more of an ongoing subject. The industry is in something of a decline, and I guess that is what I should be telling you about...

    Several companies have been hit, Nintendo have had to reposition themselves a tad, and when tracking their share value over the last few weeks, it becomes clear that success and failure both rest on a pin head. One week they will be flying high as confidence rises during the good sales, but then there will be a dip in value. It is a noticeable pattern in the industry and one that is often only too well hidden by the creative mask that is worn. It is obvious in the music industry that money plays a huge part, and in films, but with gaming it is still something that is thought and indeed talked about very little. Perhaps it once again shows how far behind the other entertainment sectors we really are.

    With E3 around the corner, the industry will inevitably rise up into the green, but it will only be a temporary success, and it is what companies do after that which will gives us a true overview of what is left. Various companies might have to adjust their position and status in the industry, some will take a gamble, and there is little doubt in my mind that the industry is changing and thus it is maturing. The prospect of the industry taking the next big step to being able to push more and more into the mainstream. We shall indeed, as the clich

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