Why does nintendo do this...[underproduction]

[GameHED]

Maybe nintendo don't want to compete with themselves and in the long term lose out money? If they've got other nintendo games on shevles, and kid A still hasn't got those games, (and he still wants them) but see a copy of SMS on shelves instead, then maybe he might pass on the other nintendo titles altogether and only get sms. Whereas if nintendo make it harder to get SMS, chances are the kid will have to settle with buying another nintendo game, and then also getting SMS at some later date. Kid A then, has bought 2 games thanks to the timing of releases. Don't all companies kind of spread out thier releases to make sure all thier titles are fully milked before the next titles? If they unleash everything at once while the older stuff is still selling well, they are under threat of cutting profits generated from the existing titles on shelves. That's my theory anyway. I still haven't bought pikmin and plan on getting it, but had I gone to the store right now and seen SMS sitting right next to it, I'd forego my purchase of pikmin to get SMS instead. (and postpone my purchase of pikmin at some later date, possibly hoping to get it cheap second hand or at a reduced price somewhere. But as the game I haven't got yet ages and sits there and I'm still absorbed by other games, the chance increases that I may never bother getting the game at all and be happy with the next batch of games.)

If the demand for SMS is still there it shouldn't matter when the supply is met should it? People will still buy that game at some date anyway so there is no threat of lost profits from that title is there? But what about the other games still sitting on shelves that nintendo has yet to milk? If they want bigger overall profits they'd keep pimping the old stuff until they are satisfied and only limit releases of the newer games to fewer numbers. (for all the early adopters who bought the gc early and who are sick of the old games and have played them to death. Those are the ones that are under threat of buying some other company's game, not Kid A in the example above.)

[MVS]

You guys are stretching more than a bit. It's very simple.

How many of you have gone to a movie, seen it sold out, and watched another one?

Casual gamers do the same. They go, if A isn't there, B is more than likely bought.

Lets be realistic here, Nintendo has about 3 solid chances a year to change momentum in Japan, and not break the big rule of sales. Namely, don't piss off and frustrate your target audience.

If I can walk into a store and get SMS when it launches here along with a GC, then I will probably do so.

If it's like the PS2 launch, and I can't do that, then I guess nintendo will lose out on my money like sony did.

They are only undercutting their own potential profits by releasing a low number.

[GameHED]

How many of you have gone to a movie, seen it sold out, and watched another one?

Well I've gone to a store, expected to buy a certain nintendo game, and after seeing it wasn't in that particular store yet, bought another nintendo game I hadn't played yet instead. Nintendo are better of for it now that they've just forced me to get this other game I hadn't expected to get when I first came to the store, but will give a try anyway. (if the quality really sucks I can return it, but nintendo games have a pretty good track record)
So nintendo are competing with themselves. By controlling when (and how many of) the game is released, it increases people's chances of getting more nintendo games overall. which = more overall profit (stretched over the long term).

My theory is that the lucky early few who do get one of the games that were released in small numbers, have a chance to play and get good at the game and unlock things within it, and spread the word about how good that game is. Nintendo then save money on ads because the hype from the dedicated few end up doing all the work in spreading the word about the game and why it's great or whatever. (it's like when you play a game, spend 100 hours doing it, and through some sort of time release you start to really see the depth in it or the features contained within the game and increasingly grow to like it more even more.)

Remember Super Mario Kart? That game didn't initially wow many people until a certain few people got used to the techniques of the game over a time, and then through word of mouth it grew in popularity and became a classic fan fave. It might be similar to arcades, and how certain games have a time release feature where more of the game reveals itself to maintain interest by the public in the game for longer. The awareness about the game stays around longer and people can come back to that game, while newer people (who had no intention of buying the game in the first place) hear about the merits of it from others talking about it, and may end up wanting to see what's so good about it by finally buying the game themselves..

A good example is little kids in a playground with the latest toys. The kid with the latest stuff is talking excitedly with his friends about these things that the others don't know about. Others kids listen in, and envy him and want them too. They later go to the store to get it for themselves. (begging the parents: "But all my friends have one!! I want one too!" The parent is forced to find out more about them and this stays in their mind nonstop. If they want the kid to shut up, they'll search for this rare nintendo item and be forced to know what a nintendo thing is. This is actually the start of the nintendo brand recognition thing going on. Nintendo get to the kids, to get to the parents, to get the $) But if every kid had these toys from the beginning, they wouldn't be special and the other kids would have nothing to envy him for. Nintendo now had all the marketing done for them from a small batch of people instead of promoting it themselves. Well that's what I think is going on.

[MVS]

Okay.

Assume not everyone lives in the nintendo world.

If joe blow goes in next month to get a GC and SMS, and they don't have SMS, he might try a few stores, but if all are sold out, like was the case with the PS2 launch debacle, then nintendo are outta luck.

There is not a way to spin this, and say that nintendo is going to do better by controlling supply over a fixed price product.

If they want to sell SMS and consoles (as many think that SMS will be the system seller), they better have SMS games or it's a bust.

Your example of the 'lucky few' falls apart on one thing:

If 400K is good, isn't 1 million better, and can spread even more word on this?

If it's production fuck up, like sony, then I can understand, but if it's not, it seems like a stupid move and one that will only cost potential dollars.

[GameHED]

If 400K is good, isn't 1 million better, and can spread even more word on this?

Nope because, the other games still haven't had a chance. Why would nintendo shoot itself in the foot if the other games continue to sell well? The guy who wanted SMS may just as well buy another nintendo game instead. (impulse purchase. You got some money, you're at the store and need to spend it) Or, he'll wait and get it at some later date. When you're not spoilt for choice in titles, you're more likely to settle for something else because you're bored and want to play something. One of my earlier points was that maybe they hope more people are going to go to the store looking for SMS, not get it, and end up buying luigi's mansion or some other game. If nintendo just released enough SMS, those other nintendo games would suffer. So they spread everything apart to try and milk the most out of each title. If you're a dedicated nintendo fan and can't get a copy of SMS when you go to the store, chances are you're not silly enough to boycott the game or anyhthing in future when that game is more widely available anyway.

You're need for this game (when you go to the store and complain to the store owner that they didn't order enough copies of this awesome game,.. is free marketing for nintendo, because now every store is more aware of this demand for the game and forced to bow to nintendo's needs and listen to them. Nintendo then guage interest by how much complaints of shortages there are for the game and make only enough of the game.)

Nintendo don't want you to play though the games quickly and then that's it, they want to stretch it's awareness over a long period of time so it is reknown for a lot longer. When something is old and nobody talks about it anymore, the sales suffer. Stretching the interest over a long period of time allows it to stay in people's minds for longer.

To answer your question: by making enough copies of the game from the beginning, everyone is exposed to it at once, everyone that was interested buys it, and then suddenly nobody talks about it after they have it. Those people who bought it (everyone who wanted the game from the start) now don't (have no reason to) go looking around for the game or talk to others about it, and so newer people who hadn't intended on buying it in the first place, won't hear about it. I know it's just a silly theory, but I can't think of any other better reason.

[Tracer]

Originally posted by SearchManX


DDR RAM and the memory chips used in N64 cartridges are different. Cartridges also drive up the cost. You can get an expansion RAM if you are willing to put up with Donkey Kong 64. IMO, Zelda:MM is worth the price it is. And I see many people here who pay $100+ for "rare" Saturn/PC-Engine games. Accessories like twin sticks and maraca's cost almost $100 alone. Price shouldn't be that much of an issue if you want it that badly.

The point was not that the RAM is or isn't the same. I'm well aware that the RAM in the Expansion is diffrent (wholy proprietary I think). My point on that was cost versus value :/

People can pay for whatever they like, but they are paying for items sold by collectors or previously played on eBay or equivelent. Not a new release. I'm saying a 1st party game has NO REASON, especially on N64, to be more expensive than any given thrid party one. Sure they knew they would make money - but by bending customers (most of which are moms/dads wanting to shut thier kids up) over for it. Whether or not it is worth it is not the problem anyway. The issue I wanted to address is that Nintendo HAS raised prices because of limited quantities that they themselves limited.

As to the Donkey Kong business - at the time of Z:MM's release DK64 was about $35 dollars - 5 dollars more than the expansion pak :/ I suppose I could have traded-in the DK to knock-off some of the hurt of the Z:MM new retail price. But still - I would be looking at paying 85 - 90 bucks. For one game. It used to be like that for every game - but it's something else when games left and right are being released at 39.99 and less - good games too.

ºTracer

[JefmcC]

Tickle Me Elmo
PS2
Furby
Beanie Babies
N64

Just add SMS to the list.

Did SMS even sell out in Japan? I think Nintendo is just trying to create additional buzz for a product that doesn't need it.

[MVS]

It is a silly theory, yes.

More is better. More money for them. More exposure.

If SMS has any chance to be a system seller, which it is for me, and will determine if I get a GC that day, or walk a few aisles over and make do with a DVD-RW or something else I want, it needs games to push the system.

Intentionally alienating your demographic is simply too stupid a thought to assume that nintendo would do it.

[Rumpy]

Magic Box lists SMS selling 380,000 something copies...so there would be something around 20,000 unsold copies.

I'm just nit picking though. *Fans the flames a little more*

[SearchManX]

Originally posted by JefmcC
Tickle Me Elmo
PS2
Furby
Beanie Babies
N64

Just add SMS to the list.

Did SMS even sell out in Japan? I think Nintendo is just trying to create additional buzz for a product that doesn't need it.

Thank you Jef, history has proven that if you have limited supplies, your product will sell out faster, even though people complain, that causes more publicity. The same thing happened during Christmas with the Furby and the Tickle Me Elmo. I would've never heard of the Tickle Me Elmo if it weren't for coverage on the news about the short supply and frustrated parents trying to get their hands on one.

What you guys (mvs and burgundy) are talking about are HYPOTHETICAL situations where Nintendo COULD make more money. Sure they could, but they could also lose some PR momentum. If customer A is at a store and asks for SMS and the sales clerk says "sorry we're all sold out of Mario Sunshine" that may raise a few ears of other customers in the store. Which do you think would have a better impact, an X greater number of games sold that only gets printed on a game site or word of mouth that Mario Sunshine is SOLD OUT. I think the latter has a bigger impact.