Is 2005 too soon for the next generation consoles?

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Originally posted by spacecowboy
But as we've seen from games that haven't been released over here, Japanese game companies don't always consider the American or European markets when making a game. The U.S. companies, like M$, do. I may been a little off on this, but it's how I see it and I think it's a fair view on the situation.

SC

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Actually they are showing that they know the US market is becoming more important. Look at titles like Metroid Prime and MGS2. Both were released in the US market first. Japan has also shown signs that consumers are taking interest in Western style games. 007:Agent Under Fire, actually made it into the top 10 over there.

If Sony decided to launch the PS3 in 2005, and it was still backward compatable with the PSOne and 2, I would be all for it. I think it would be silly not to do that at this point.

If not? Ehhhhh....maybe.

I don't even want to talk about XBOX and GC. For Nintendo, I think it would be ridiculous for them to launch another console that soon. Hell, they can live off the GBA forever now :)

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Originally posted by Melf
Personally, I think the whole Japanese market is highly overrated. Their xenophobia to foreign products pisses me off. As I said before, I wouldn't be surprised if their influence in the market drops greatly in the next 5 years.

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Next 5 years? Japanese influence has already dropped off greatly. Open EGM and look at the next wave of games. Largely western releases. Heck, Sega games are barely even mainstream anymore.

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Originally posted by gamevet
Actually they are showing that they know the US market is becoming more important. Look at titles like Metroid Prime and MGS2. Both were released in the US market first. Japan has also shown signs that consumers are taking interest in Western style games. 007:Agent Under Fire, actually made it into the top 10 over there.

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1) The US market is the biggest in the world.

2) metroid prime was developed by a US company, so not surprising it came out here first.

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Originally posted by MVS
1) The US market is the biggest in the world.

2) metroid prime was developed by a US company, so not surprising it came out here first.

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Which proves my point. Japan has shown an interest in Western style gaming and that the US market is the bigger peice of the gaming pie. Japan's interest in videogames has dropped, not just because of the economy. Some survey I read, charted videogames as a 3rd place interest for kids in Japan. 10 years ago, videogames were the number one interest of kids in Japan. The videogame demographics have changed dramatically, from what it was 10 years ago.

Assuming a Fall rollout, 2005 is 2 and 1/2 years away. Seems like plenty of time to squeeze whatever juice remains in this generation.

By then, I won't care what's "untapped" with the current consoles -- I'll be ready for something new.

Sorry Prince Planet, that's 1 1/2 years, not 2 1/2. It will probably be about 2 1/2 years to hit the US market though.

If it hits the US in 2.5 years, that's fall 2000 to fall Fall 2006, that's 6 years between the PS2 and the PS3.

6 is more than enough time for the PS2, considering it's going to have a few more peak titles and then a slow decline.

N64 was September 26, 1996
GC was November, 2001

5 years and 2 months there, and I don't see anyone bitching and saying that the GC came out too fast or fucked up the market. Even if it's Fall 2005 for PS3, that's no too fast.

Unless they have 0 games ready by then, of course.

Yep. U.S. is what I was referring to (see the part about "Assuming a Fall rollout"). Fall 2005 will arrive in ... ready? ... 2 and 1/2 years.

Edit: Even if we see a general rollout in early 2005 (a non-holiday season rollout?), I think it will be time for a change. Spending $200-300 on a new console every half decade or so doesn't seem that burdensome to me.

I better go back to sleep. I've only had about 3 hours of sleep, been working the night shift.