Today we don't bring you one roundtable, but three! We talk about outsourcing franchises, Sony's PSP, and Nintendo's recently held press conference.

Ash: I think some people were too worked up about it, thinking we'd see the next console, or the next Game Boy, or a big huge game but when was the last time that happened at a Thursday press conference? I just saw it as a conference, I wasnt expecting a great deal to come out of it so I'm not too bothered.

The Wario game sounds intresting, I wonder if they'll slip in parts of N64 games, that would be cool. As long as Namco dont turn the new Donkey Kong game into one similiar to DK64 it should be okay. That game was Banjo Kazooie with monkeys and it wasnt as good as it could of been. The Zelda game is good to know that it'll be here next year (or there next year anyway). The 'air mile' scheme I dont mind being in Japan, some people are angry that NOE's only exclusive thing is not available in Japan. One way of thinking of it is America doesnt have it, for a change.

The biggest thing is the "new Nintendo product", that could be as simple as a new game to a GameCube/ GBA accessory to the next Game Boy and/or GameCube, so its going to be an intresting few months full of rumours and guesses. I dont think it would be the next GameCube, I see that being announced at E3 2004.

Link: I have to say I didn't think much of it. I didn'y expect much, though, either. Considering Nintendo's secretive past you can't expect much. From what was said, though, I'm hoping for the best. We heard that though the GameCube sold poorly last quarter it's expected to reach it's goal. I'm sorry to sound pessimistic, but I don't think Nintendo is going to reach its goal unless it drastically changes its approach to marketing and to mainstream gamers. Not that we want Nintendo to go mainstream, but some more third party support for mainstream games would be nice. AND HOW ABOUT SOME BETTER MARKETING!? I guess I'm getting a bit carried away and a bit off-topic.

As for the announcement that they will soon announce a new Nintendo product; my guess is that it will be software or an accessory. I don't think it's the next home console (it could be the next handheld) because I don't think anybody would try to steal Nintendo's approach to "games-only" consoles. I'm hoping that this next "big thing" is a killer game for the GameCube. I'm hoping for a game that will have us saying "Now this is Nintendo!"; I'm hoping for some exclusive and unique Nintendo magic. And we all know that Nintendo can do it, but we'll have to wait to see how far Nintendo is going to go.

Franklin: Ok let's see, the biggest thing i see from the conference was the new product to be revealed in Spring 2004. This will likely be at E3 and since we know that Nintendo plan to have the next console out in 2005 before PS3 and Xbox2 then i would say it's likely that that is what we'll see. This leaves me a bit excited and a bit dissapointed. Excited because i'm very curious as to how the next generation of consoles can improve games in ways other than graphics. But dissapointed because the GamceCube is still young and i don't think it's full potential has been seen yet and i just hope we'll see it soon before the new console is revealed.

The next thing that interests me is a new Zelda game. Personally i don't care what style of graphics they use cell shaded or otherwise so long as it has a lot more to offer than Wind Waker and has a story that's strong like Ocarina of Time. And hopefully if they do have sailing parts of WInd Waker they better be MUCH shorter cause i just hated those long journeys with nothing to little to explore.

The news that Namco will work on the new Donkey Kong game is interesting, personally i hoping Nintendo themselves would do it just to see what they'd come up with. But letting other companies have their hand at it might give it something new and different for us to look forward to.

Conor: As always I got my hopes for some new game unveiling or something. I really should stop doing that...disappointment is starting to sting.

The question on everyone's lips is "What is this secret product?". If I was a beating man I�d put my money on a new console, everyone else seems to be doing so anyway. But then what could it be? A new home console, or a new handheld console? Either is plausible really. With Nintendo's new home console linked to a 2005 release in Japan, E3 2004 is the ideal time, and place, to show it off. If the project isn't the next home console, then it will still be shown off next year anyway. Far more interesting though is the handheld theory. Nintendo need to combat Sony's PSP (whether they proclaim it in public is irrelevant) and the thought of seeing the next Game Boy...well as a Nintendo fan it's anticipation of pant-wetting proportions. Ahem.

Satoru Iwata's comments were very interesting, for those who checked them out. He spoke of making games that appeal to all gamers, and are easily accessible. Nintendo has been saying similar things for a while now, but laying it out so bluntly, while simultaneously announcing a secret project, makes me wonder how exactly the two are connected. Could this new console have a controller that compromises only one button and a joystick? Okay, perhaps not. But still, this conference has got me wondering.

The conference gave few answers, but offered more questions.

Tim: Because of the announcement of the lacking Q1 2003 Nintendo hardware sales, Nintendo stated it was planning in holding a press conference that week. The conference was supposed to be low-profile. Unfortunately, it got hyped on the internet. Nintendo was never planning in revealing huge new franchises or other products. This is why some people were disappointed in the results.

I myself wasn't disappointed. Nintendo announced some new games, and the that they will unveil a new product spring 2004. Very exciting in my opinion. Why the disappointment guys?

James: The PSP is, in my opinion, a major threat to the GBA and, consequently, Nintendo themselves. Nintendo are being over-reliant on GBA sales, due to lacking GameCube sales. However, they do not seem to realise how big a threat the PSP could be.

There has been a lot of talk on the net recently about what would happen if all the companies merged together and created a single games format. Many have argued that this would be disastrous, as developers would not strive to make games better than those on other formats.

However, the single handheld format has done well for Nintendo, as the Game Boy has, over the years, had many quality games and earned Nintendo millions over the years. However, while many companies, including Sony, are joining the handheld market, Nintendo still refuse to see it as a threat.

When the PSP joins the market, it will be a case similar to PS2/GCN sales at the moment - because of the head start, the PS2 has far better overall sales figures than the GameCube.

This would be the case at first, except the other way round, with the GBA being the console with the advantage.

However, because of how late the PSP is being launched, Nintendo would soon unveil their new Game Boy, and the PSP would have a head start on that. Brand name alone will sell the PSP, and if Nintendo don't do something that makes them stronger in either the handheld or console market, the PSP will perhaps bring the Game Boy brand into the same situation the GC is now, which could spell the end for the Game Boy, and consequently Nintendo themselves.

Ash: I think the amount of uproar and conversions this little unseen product has caused is shocking. Nintendo fans are buying PS2s because apparently Nintendo aren't going to compete with the PSP. Think how quickly the GBA SP came out after it was announced. While that may have been an upgrade I can see Nintendo just saying "Hey, we've got a new handheld out in a few months." They have their exciting new software to be announced next spring and it could be the new Game Boy.

Back to the question. I think it's bad for the handheld gaming market but not for the handheld multimedia entertainment market. Think about it, when the PS1 came out it featured a CD-player and when the PS2 came out it had a DVD player and other features. Now every console has to have it or it's shunned by casual fans because they apparently want another DVD player or CD player. With the PSP it will have all these features and stuff and it seems like games are about 5th in their list or priorities. People will expect the new Game Boy to have all these Inspector Gadget like features on it and I dont, I want something to play games on the move.

As a handheld multimedia entertainment device it would be great because it can do a lot of things all in one, saving money on buying them seperatly.

Link: I think the PSP is good for the handheld market. Competition only means lower prices and higher quality products. It does have me a bit worried about Nintendo because the majority of their profit comes from the GBA, but I confidence that Nintendo will rise to the challenge. The release of the PSP really is a huge event. It will either mark the first failure of a Sony gaming(/multimedia) platform or, if Nintendo continues on its current course, the death of Nintendo. If the PSP becomes more popular than Nintendo's handheld platforms then Nintendo will not be able to survive.

Does this spell doom for Nintendo? I don't think so. Nintendo, though it seems this way sometimes, is not a stupid company. If the PSP truly threatens Nintendo's surivival then the head people at Nintendo will have to wake up and say these are our problems, in both the handheld and home console market, and we can fix them. If this happens then it will be Sony who is sorry for entering the console market as they will start losing their near-monopoly of the home-console market.

So, in the end, the PSP will be good not only for the handheld market, but for the video games market as a whole. It will ensure that handheld games are of high quality and cheap(er) and it might rebalance the game hardware giants in the home console department.

Conor: Surprisingly, I welcome the arrival of Sony's PSP.

Although there have been some great games coming out on the GBA, you get the feeling Nintendo are just taking the easy way out with it. I don't know of one original title Nintendo's in-house development teams have made for the GBA. Rather than take advantage of the opportunity to make another 2D Mario game, they've decided to just roll out ports of NES and SNES Mario games. Other developers have been doing the same too, following Nintendo's lead. In my opinion classic ports are great and all, but never at the expense of new, original games. This apparent apathy for the GBA has undoubtedly been shaken up by Sony's PSP, whether Nintendo acknowledge in public or not.

Competition is always a good thing. It means lower prices and more effort by the rivals to pump out quality titles. Nintendo didn't have to make sure the GBA had killer games, because they knew they had a vice-like grip on the handheld market. Previous handhelds have been buried by the might of the Game Boy (the Nomad, the Game Gear, the Wonderswan...) but the PSP is different. Why? Because of the brand. Time will tell whether or not that will be enough though.

For Nintendo fans there comes an uncomfortableness with this, because we all fear Sony doing another Playstation. But risks have to be taken if Nintendo are going to wake up and pay proper attention to the handheld market. They've already been forced to announce the GBA's successor, and no doubt the PSP's presence will guarantee hard work done on it. For that, at least, the Sony PSP is a good thing.

Jav: Mixed emotions i have to say. I myself dont feel drawn towards the PSP because im happy with the GBA and will remain to be for quite some time i feel, even with a new one. Thats not because i fear change, i was a great fan of Sega's Game Gear i just dont see the PSP offering anything overly special. Maybe im wrong and in denial, time will tell...

Good for the market? possibly, kicking Nintendo firmly up the rear end might spark some more interest to the hand held market but at the end of the day it could be a devastating turn to proceedings with the companies, if the PSP 'does a Playstation' as so elequantly put by some to the GBA, and Nintendos new console isnt the dream console we all wish and hope it to be things could take a turn for the worse. Think about it the Game Boy brings in the most cash for Nintendo and has done throughout the N64 and now the GameCube days. It could be hell, but it will be interesting. Thats the extreme scenario of course.

Franklin: Stop? Why? Nintendo have so many franchises that people expect new games for sooner or later. Far too many for Nintendo to be working on all of them and trying to come up with something new. Allow 3rd Parties like Namco (Donkey Kong) or Capcom (Zelda GBA) work on Nintendo franchises frees up Nintendo developers to work on other games. Meaning we get more games released and (hopefully) more fun with our cubes. And look at the companies that get the honour of working on Nintendo franchise, other than Retro Studios all are well known and well respected studios by gamers (which Retro have now become thanks to Metriod). Nintendo games are in good hands.

Ash: It's Nintendo's way of getting friends in other companies and fair enough, they cant make a new Mario, Zelda, Donkey Kong, Pikmin etc games all by themselves. They have been careful with who they hand it out and all the games have been great so far. It's a good way for Nintendo's great franchises to be flexed a bit due to the change in who makes it, but as Nintendo oversee it the games still end up well.

Obviously they shouldn't go around handing Mario to an unknown developer but overall I think Nintendo are wise for doing this.

Link: That's a hard question to answer. So far things seem to be working out well. Retro Studios did an excellent job on Metrpoid Prime and from what I've heard F-Zero GX is top notch as well. I would definitely never want to see Nintendo let another developer develop Zelda (again), but it's nice for Nintendo to be able to develop new ideas and while knowing that their other franchises are still being worked on. It's not like Nintendo is just giving the developers projects and saying "Good Luck!"; Nintendo is keeping a close eye on the projects and making sure that they live up to and even exceed expectations.

So, providing that Mario and Zelda stay with Nintendo, and Metroid can stay with Retro Studios, and as long as Nintendo keeps its eye on the developers working on other projects than I say it's a good idea. It will provide fans of franchises the nexy sequel and at the same time it will allow Nintendo to work on new, groun-breaking ideas.

Conor: Although some are edgy about giving out some of our treasrued franshies to other developers, they really have to reason to be. It�s natural to be a little apprehensive, these are YOUR franchises after all. These are characters and games you�ve grown up and love so damn much. Nintendo have always steered them right, always (well, most of the time) done them justice. But this is Sega doing F-Zero. Namco doing Donkey Kong and Starfox. Capcom doing Zelda. How dare Nintendo just hand out your precious franchises to outsiders. They don�t know about the games, they can�t do as good a job as Nintendo, they can�t possibly do the name justice. Oh wait, this is the top Japanese developers we�re talking about here, not some 2-bit upstart.

These developers know what they�re doing. The GB Color�s Oracle games from Capcom are proof enough of this. Yes, they felt different (not quality-wise, just a vage, strange sort of difference), but they were two of the best games on the GBC. More proof? Early verdicts on F-Zero GC have been very positive. Considering Amusement Vision�s experience with the Daytona games, this isn�t surprising. Franchise farming leaves Nintendo time and resources to get on with other things, all they have to do is keep an eye on how the games are getting along.

Of course, that�s not to say they can simple dump all the baggage into other developers� hands. Their are certain games that are strictly off-limits, two of which being a home console Zelda and a home console Mario platformer. These are to be treated with such care that only Nintendo themselves should be allowed to develop them. Sports games, board games, sure. But a Mario platformer is such a revered concept that Nintendo fans would rise up and take over the Kyoto HQ if anyone but Nintendo handled it. Same with a home console Zelda.

As long as Nintendo respects these limits, franchise farming is alright by me.

Tim: I think it is a very good initiative. Outsourcing some franchises gives Nintendo more time to focus on building new franchises. Or develop even better Mario and Zelda games. Sega, Namco, Capcom, Silicon Knights etc. do an excellent job.

Outsourcing famous franchies also tightens the relationship between the developers and Nintendo. It is a good way to gaurantee a steady flow of quality games towards to the GameCube.