Finally Europe is becoming important to Nintendo. But is it enough as elsewhere? Our staff discuss Nintendos different markets.

Conor: As time goes on, Europe is becoming more important to Nintendo. For years we've had to put up with all types of crap; huge delays, barmy marketing, poorer games (borders, slower framerates) and overall, a feeling that we just aren't reognised. But things are gradually changing for the better. The setting up of a UK Nintendo office over the disastrous THE was a great first step, and GameCubes launch (apart from the wait) showed considerable consideration for us.

I think that Japan is meaning less and less for Nintendo. Don't get me wrong, it is still very, very important to Nintendo, nothing is better for a Japanese company than to do well in thier home country. But the Japanese market is becoming increasingly unpredictable, one week GameCube's on top, the next week it's being outsold by the Xbox, the next week it's beating it. It isn't good for a company to have an unpredictable market. Which is where America comes in...

Because the American market is so predictable. Nintendo will always do well there, which is why they are concentrating on it more, with better marketing, and more Western-type games and games companies (Metroid, Starfox, Eternal Darkness would do good in the US and Europe but not in Japan). This is no doubt a good thing, as we'll get an increasingly better deal, if not quite as good as other markets. The future looks bright.

Javid: From what i know, Europe is currently the 2nd biggest market for Nintendo behind their status in the US. Thats how it stands for the time being at least. They already, or are soon to have in their possesion the GameCubes biggest killer ap titles such as Eternal Darkness, Resident Evil and Mario Sunshine. Once we are presented to these such titles we will surely be a much larger market...who knows, possibly the biggest. This can only spell good news for us Europeans. As for Japan, they continue to be the heart and soul of Nintendo and will always recieve titles that we wont and get almost all games first, I cant see this changing anytime soon. From Nintendos point of view, maybe they had better try and find ways around delivering titles to Europe so late..especially if we do become the biggest market.

But...what can you do...the trend has been the same for many a year now. On the whole though, Nintendo should be proud of its growth here and the growth to come.

Pesten: Japan is weakening while the US and Europe is taking over the market. "Why?" you might ask. Honostly, I don't have any clue. But sales numbers are looking better up here than down there. That's for sure. What this means (I hope) is that Nintendo will open their eyes to Europe. As the European market is getting stronger, Nintendo should by all means focus on getting titles over here as fast as they could.

It's frustrating to be forced to wait half a year longer than the rest of the world before getting hand of the belonged title. The US market are strong. Have been strong for a while and will continue with that for a while. So, as Nintendo are doing their thing with US the same way as before, they should try to improve the marketing here in Europe. We are underestimated.

Let's show Ninty whos the biggest market!

Richard: Europe has been notoriously screwed when it comes to, well ... everything, especially games. Nintendo have been as bad as anyone, with delays, huge borders etc. We have been the fastest growing market in the industry for several years now and it's really showing, with some companies at least.

Sega gave us a 60hz option in pretty much all Dreamcast games, the GameCube gives us 60hz, full screen 50hz, and even low prices, we pay roughly the same amount for the console as the Americans do. Not to be left out are Microsoft, who dropped the price of the Xbox by a whopping �100 whilst keeping it the same across the other 2 territories, and we all remember Nintendo's response to that.

We have previously been seen as a little brother of America, getting mostly the same stuff, just lower quality and 6 months later, hand me downs if you will. This is all changing with the next gen consoles (save for Sony's refusal to drop the price of the PS2 and to support 60hz), we are a highly sought after market, one which is being fought for, as you can see by the price wars we experienced right in the launch period of the GameCube and Xbox. As time goes on I think we will become just as big as the American market, with only small delays in games for PAL optimisation and European languages.

David: I think Nintendo are FINALLY starting to take notice of the huge market that is Europe. Nintendo's hold on the Japanese market is weaking, but they never really had a hold anyways. I am surprised at the Europe's reaction to the Cube, one million already? Hard to believe, thanks to Nintendo's little care to Europe. It really is quite fustrating that Nintendo keep relying on the Japanese and American markets for cash, and see us as the bottom of the barrel, expecting little to nothing from us. But we do buy their products and whine at the lazyiness of Nintendos european release dates. They managed a really close worldwide release with Zelda, why not everything else?

Well, that rounds up this weeks Roundtable. Join us next week when we'll by puting forward our views on Mikes recent Retailers rant.