I'd like to congratulate the board members (and myself) for going through a total of ten editions of this feature. This week, our member answered the following question: how can Nintendo combat the overtaking Xbox sales in the UK?

Thank you to the 23 participating members for this week: well_chuffed, Lockey, Omega, Solar, SSJGoku, pdhq64, qbas, NickUKGC, L0rdPain, Nozumi, DSN2K, Yammez, Zeromat, 4-Q-2, Schpickles, Blackbird, SSJ2_Young_Gohan, GC God, mattcube, weeyellowbloke, richy_boy, Lord_Kristof, and spikeydude.

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well_chuffed: The sudden rush of Xbox sales is mainly due to a great package deal they are offering in association with Sega, because of this I don't think the sales figures will hold for an extended period of time. To compete, Nintendo should bring out some good value package deals such as a GameCube/Resident Evil pack with a memory card 59 for �150. And I'm sure a large advertising campaign across the board (TV, Radio, Etc) couldn't hurt.

Don't forget Nintendo are planning to make a rather large announcement in December, though what this will be can only be speculated about until they actually tell us! It's quite possible the GameCube sales will start to heave after that.

Also, it would have been nice if Metroid Prime had a release before Christmas instead of the new proposed date of March 2003!

Lockey: With Billy lowering the price people are going to be attracted to the X-Box. You can get a GameCube and for an extra �20 you can have a DVD player and two free games! If Nintendo want to over take them they will have to drop the price of the GameCube and make special package deals in the run up to Christmas. I would also like to see Nintendo produce a DVD player for the GameCube and people would flock to it like sheep!

Omega: We need bigger games sooner and with more adverts. That?s really all I can say.

Solar: When Microsoft combines a Sega deal, "X-box Live" and lower prices, it will of course catch a pile of sold consoles. Nintendo has one way to stop this. To fight back! More advertising, new surprises (they've done well regarding the "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Ura Zelda" deal and the Capcom announcement, but we need to see more. Right now, we can just sit back and wait what Christmas brings.

SSJGoKu: The only thing I can think of is that they make more commercials, I mean I never see the new games of the GameCube promoted here (Holland).

Oh yeah and I also think that Nintendo should make bundles like Xbox. A Metroid and a Zelda bundle would be great.

Pdhq64: What Nintendo need to do is bring their big games out sooner, and more of them. The only games that are going to sell well, and have done are Super Smash Brothers Melee, Resident Evil, Mario, Eternal Darkness, Metroid, and Zelda. The average gamer is rapidly losing interest in games like Mario, and with Zelda's graphics as they are, that?s probably lost a few thousand fans in the UK alone. When my brother bought an Xbox, he put his free Jet Set Radio Future in, and as soon as he saw the graphics, he turned the game off, and refused to play it. I tried to explain to him and my dad that cel-shading requires twice (more or less) the power, because instead of the graphics being rendered once (like most games), they are rendered twice to create a cartoon effect, but they wouldn?t believe it.

They have no big games being launched over the Christmas period either. If they could get Animal Crossing out before Christmas, that may sell a few games, but I don?t see how Nintendo can get back above the Xbox in terms of sales in the short and long term.

Qbas: Nintendo should make some bundles like MS is doing and much more advertisements. Xbox is almost as cheap as GC with those extras...i think Nintendo could lower GC's price a lot and then it would sell like hot cakes in my opinion. MS bundle tactic is doing great in terms of sales so what is up with Nintendo? No word from them or any announcement to make bundles down here or any advertisements running on TV. Nintendo of America is doing great that they are advertising Nintendo's products a lot...like Metroid Prime's advertisements etc.

I wonder what happened after the phenomenal launch of GC...Nintendo of Europe should start doing something and soon.

NickUKGC: Do Nintendo really have to do anything? Ok at the moment the sales of X-Box are doing better then Nintendo but why the big worry? The GameCube came out a couple of months later then the X-Box and still hit the million figure in Europe before the X-Box! At the moment it is a quiet time for the GameCube on the European front, Star Fox Adventurs is probably the only must have game we are all waiting for so it is going to be a quiet time for GameCube till early next year. We already have Super Mario Sunshine, Resident Evil, Eternal Darkness and Timesplitters 2 which will keep us happy till then though. The GameCube has a great line up of games at the moment, advertise them!!! I've seen plenty of Eternal Darkness adverts and the X-Box section at GAME in Oxford Street, London is always deserted compared to the GameCube section. I say there is nothing to worry about...Just wait till next year...Metroid Prime, F-Zero GC, Mario Kart Online (supposedly), Star Wars Bounty Hunter and the 5 new exclusives from our friends Capcom...Nobody will be talking about the sales then because those games and the ones that have already been released will topple the X-Box...Why do you think Microsoft/Bungie are already making Halo 2? They have no games...

L0rd Pain: Tough decision really. I mean, the problem is you have to check Nintendo in total balance, meaning the GameCube and the GBA together. This magical duo is kicking any other company's ass for the moment and puts Nintendo in a "no money problems what so ever" situation. And so what if Xbox sells better than the GameCube for now? I mean, both Metroid and Zelda are likely to do the opposite again. I say, let Microsoft do what it think it has to do. i mean, back in the beginning, they said they lost money on the Xbox-console when they charged almost 500 for it. the loss must be enormous right now. Nintendo always said they would look to themselves and simply create the best games to compete, no need to change that strategy now.

Nozumi: I think that people are getting worried for no reason. The console industry is about making profit and having a strong brand. Recent market moves show Microsoft don?t have a clue. The idea of packaging Jet Set Radio Futures and Sega Gt is a good one for the customer. But for the shareholders it is awful. Microsoft have the worst profit model of any of the manufacturers. Furthermore by giving away two of the best games on the XBox for free they are losing a substantial amount of lost game revenue because it encourages gamers not to buy anymore games with the console. Also the UK though the biggest market in Europe isn?t worth more than 20% - 30% of the Euro Market that Nintendo is winning overall in and doing so in a profitable manner. Also the difference in sales is minimal especially considering the opposing attitudes to spending money with Nintendo thinking long term and shedding excess weight such as with Rare (who haven?t performed of late) and re- investing the money wisely in such endeavours as F-Zero or the Q-Fund. While Microsoft is paying over the odds for certain software companies and losing much needed support in Japan at the moment. Konami anyone.

DSN2K: Ask yourself, If you went into a Game store right now and looked for the best deals for coming christmas season, what would you choose.....

Xbox, sad but true, 2 free games with the Console is a stunning bundle, Microsoft might as well just be giving Xboxes away. What has Nintendo got to show ? StarFox Adventure ? Mario Party 4 ? that?s not going to catch kids and Parents eye's, Games Like Splinter Cell, Grand theft Auto VC are what is going to pull people in, and Nintendo are lacking, only thing they can do is Pray that some XBOX stock go missing from Europe, because that?s the only way the GameCube?s going to out sell the XBOX this year.

Yammez: The Xbox has quite an enticing deal going on right now with the 2 free games and all. It's even got me wanting to buy one. But the thing that?s keeps me from buying the Xbox is its lack of games. I know Nintendo will come out with a lot of awesome games in the future, like Metroid, Zelda, F-Zero and the RE series, but they're not here yet, and I would say that the majority of people do not know about them. There is a great lack of advertising that would otherwise let consumers know that the GameCube is going to be the console to have. So when your average mother or grandmother goes into a game store to find something to buy her kid for Christmas, she'll see what's there right now rather than know what's coming in the future. This is why Xbox is selling right now.

Zeromat: What NINTENDO really has to do is advertise. I mean it has great games but nobody but the ones who search for them find them. So if they advertise they will really raise GameCube sales. Also it's a good idea to have some games come out in EUROPE first than the rest of the world so UK gamers will be happy and like NINTENDO more.

4-Q-2: They need to treat the UK as a proper market to start with. Games in development are always late, its expected especially with Nintendo and is usually an understanding of anyone buying a Nintendo system... One problem comes in JAP/US to Europe releases and distance between them, and don?t forget the uncertainty of various games being released here at all.

I agree that they need to push the product more and get stores to actually promote it, adverts are turning into something you catch once if you are lucky, although the little they come up with up to yet has been good. There is plenty of hype on some of the exclusive cube games as of recent, if they play it right there is no reason why they cant outsell the Xbox.

Qbas: Nintendo's problem in Europe is the lack of advertisement for the games we will have here and Nintendo should lower their price for GC because Xbox and GC are almost the same price but with Xbox you will get DVD and Hard Drive and as a result of that lower price I get Xbox for Christmas...I just can't pass this opportunity up and Xbox is having great games also. Nintendo: you should start making something to counteract MS's bundles.

Schpickles: Knee-jerk reactions are not in Nintendo's nature, and I don't think that they will, or indeed should, do anything about the burst of pre-Christmas sales.

Microsoft have really pulled their finger out in the past few months, with Christmas a crucial period for the Xbox's year to come, with publishers undecided on its fate with consumers.

The fact that it is a DVD player in for the price and is cheaper than the PS2 will have a few people giving it a second look now that weren't before. It also at last is starting to have one or two games worth buying the console for, other than the big names that were available at launch. MS have timed their development run well, and now have TimeSplitters2, Blinx, Splinter Cell, Unreal Championship, Mech assault, Colin MacRae 3 and many others all out before Christmas - a big boost to a line-up that was a bit threadbare of decent titles before.

The GameCube, as we have unfortunately become accustomed to with Nintendo, is off to a slower start. A few choice titles such as Eternal Darkness and Star Fox Adventures have made the pre-Christmas PAL release, but most of us are waiting to see what the new year will bring, with eyes glued to Zelda, Metroid and F-Zero.

What?s more important is that currently Nintendo seem to be shifting to a kind of "Phase 2" for the GameCube. The major players in Japan are gradually being coerced into making killer titles for the console, and I think that Capcom's recent 5-barrell salute to the GameCube will only mark the start of an exciting few months of announcements. Nintendo certainly would seem to be in for the long term in rectifying sales in Japan, and I think that the developers are being lured by the development environment and the power that the GameCube offers them relative to the PlayStation2.

This will impact on the UK probably around this time next year, rather than now. Nintendo will organise things and make the GameCube to appear most appealing at a time it is most needed. Xbox Live and the PS2 broadband in Europe will be launched by then, and Nintendo, as we understand things, will not be throwing much money towards online gaming. It will wage its war on content, and current industry dealings are assuring just that: exclusive, high quality games for the GameCube.

If the "Boom" announcement is as big as we are all hoping it will be, the GameCube and not the PS2 could be the must-have console next Christmas. It may well be that the publishers that are jumping on board have been given some insight into what Nintendo has planned, and this has lured them to make GameCube-exclusive games. If that is the case, then Nintendo are onto something big, and we need only wait and see what they have up their sleeves - the sales will look after themselves.

Qbas: I think we all should be glad that GC is doing better than N64 in terms of sales and the amount of 3rd party support Nintendo is getting now. And to me it is good news that the competition is getting better and better with the 3 consoles...good games coming for us all.

B-l-a-c-k-b-i-r-d: I think the GameCube should have some more blockbusters in all countries at the same time. Not releasing Metroid Prime first in Japan, two months later in the US and about 3 years later in Europe.

I also think Nozumi is right: packaging of games could actually work. Take some older games, which are still most people's favourites, and sell them together! Cash without much effort, while sales/fans rise...

Qbas: I think there should be lower price games like PS2 has Platinum games...Nintendo should have that kind of packages for GC as well.

SSJ2_Young_Gohan: I think Disney should have brought out Kingdom Hearts for the GC, too. I might have bought it! I think it's a cool game. And yes, the release dates are pretty ridiculous. PLUS, how did Nintendo release Metroid later! Argh, I asked it from my mommy for St. Nicolas, and now the game won't be in time for him to drop it off. Darn it. O well, at least I'm getting Mario Party 4 coming up Friday.

GC God: The best thing for Nintendo to do is to bring out some bundles, like the SMS bundle for example, ones for the upcoming big Nintendo titles like Metroid Prime, Zelda should all be GameCube bundles.

Mattcube: It seems to me that for the moment in time Nintendo are quite happy to let Microsoft have their day. There are no killer apps for GameCube this Christmas (apart for StarFox maybe but that?s very debatable), Nintendo have no need to drop the price and why should they do that for Christmas alone. The only competition its receiving (apart form PS2 but I'm going to ignore that because lets face it - this is a race for second place now) in the business market is from Microsoft?s 2 free games deal, which will help with sales in the short run but bring money problems in the long run, and the soon in coming and eagerly awaited Xbox live service which will see a rise in hardcore gamers taking up the system.

It seems to me that Nintendo are going to make their comeback against this in march with the GameCube GBA add on, their online service and an BIG announcement this Christmas. This should see a boost in sales and already developers are getting on the bandwagon - lets hope its something big.

However at the moment the biggest problem is one that will be that hardest to over come. This is Nintendo?s image and software. At the moment we are seeing a bit of a dry period in software and Microsoft are capitalising with big releases like Blinx, Splinter Cell and LOTR Two Towers this is also give them an image which makes people think that all the newest and coolest games are coming out for Xbox. I know many people trading in their GameCube for a Xbox - to me it seems silly, as there are always good time and bad times.

This also brings me to the point about multi-format games - why do we always see to get them after a delay. Now you may not think this is a big deals but it is. It means that Nintendo miss out on marketing and also people see these games coming about for the other consoles and this tarnishes GameCube?s image as people believe that it is being ignored - and it is! What must developers think of GameCube - it obviously not high on their priority list, as they don't seem to care to much about it. LOTR Two Towers is a good example of this, by the time it has been released on the GameCube no is really going to care.

Also we are seeing a return of Nintendo?s kiddie image. Most adults and GameCube owners don't care as they know about good games and also know about GameCube titles such as Resident Evil and Eternal Darkness, but with today?s very youth driven culture teenagers and 20somethings a like are being put out off by this.

How Nintendo are going to combat all these things I don?t know.

This is a dark time for GameCube.

Weeyellowbloke: Why worry about Nintendo getting beaten now. As well as bringing out games in the future that will beat anything Microsoft has planned in the future ( Zelda, Metroid, F-Zero, Harvest Moon)they also have profit from Gameboy Advance and so don't need huge GameCube sales. Let Microsoft win this Christmas, it will just lull them into a false sense of security leading to their downfall.

Richy_boy: I agree with you matt, GC is having a sparse period. Seeing games come out on other consoles and knowing it is going 2 be a while before it comes to GC is really annoying!

I cant wait for things to pick up a bit, imported games are a bit too expensive for me, *sigh* GC really should have though about Xmas a bit more!

Qbas: Well Christmas time here in Europe isn't too bright but looking at US and Japan sales...I mean wow Nintendo is selling really awesomely in both markets.

Lord_Kristof: I think Nintendo can't think "how do we beat X-Box" they have to think "how do we win the console war". People think PS2 has won when GameCube still has a good chance if Nintendo work harder. Nintendo is still regarded as a kiddie company. They can't convince people by saying Mario isn't for kids because people don't listen. GameCube needs to get "mature" games and advertise them properly. Eternal Darkness was advertised like a children's game. GameCube needs a price drop. It is dirt cheap but in comparison with its rivals it isn't competitively priced. It needs more sports and racing games. Proper ones! Like Sega Rally. They need to make more of the GameCube/GBA interconnectivity. It feels like I know about it by accident even though it has great potential. Finally, it needs to sort out release dates. Metroid prime keeps getting delayed. Time Splitters 2 and Turok were released on the GameCube weeks after PS2 and X-Box. The GameCube is a great console. It deserves better.

SSJ2_Young_Gohan: Actually, with my new Demo CD for the Xbox that I watched on my PC, I'm very impressed of games like Ninja Gaiden, Blinx looks interesting, and of course I LOVE the babes of Dead or Alive Extreme Volley Ball. The graphics in that game are simply so much better than any game I've seen for the GameCube! One thing that the Xbox has more, is perfect movies. I don't think that Nin. has quite mastered that yet. Although FF series are coming for the GameCube, I should wait with saying that...But hey, up until now, the Xbox is very impressive. Not only the ones that I mentioned just then, but also ones like Splinter Cell, Dead Or Alive 3, Mech Assault, Halo, Halo 2 and of course the amount of demo CD's they have brought out. I hope that Nintendo will bring out demo CD's in game magazines. I think that will help Nintendo a lot more. Simply because it will give gamers a more look into the future, for what's coming for the GameCube. We gamers, do have the right to see the previews on not only from internet, books and so forth, but also from demo CD's that we can actually 'play' at home.

NickUKGC: Most people have already picked up the point about the late releases on GameCube games but the reason for this isn't because developers see the GameCube as a second priority console. Sometimes it is, Time Splitters 2 for example, supposed to be a week later release compared to X-Box and PS2 but got put back another week, which is an absolute disgrace!!! But what Microsoft are doing is basically filling the pockets of developers with loads of money so they can delay game releases on other consoles. Another example is Splinter Cell, this game is a MULTI-FORMAT game, don't let the X-Box exclusive fool you, this game will be released on the GameCube. I wouldn't give up my GameCube for anything but Nintendo really have to sort this out, even if they have to throw money at developers, Nintendo can't live on first party and second party games, third party games are just as important. I just hope this BIG announcement from Nintendo is as BIG as everybody thinks. I'm so excited by it but does anyone have the feeling that it won't be as big as everyone thinks?

1. Capcom becoming second party? what use would that be, loads of Street Fighter games that don't work on the GameCube pad! (the pad is amazing but it really doesn't work with beat ?em ups).

2. Konami confirming support and actually making a DECENT game for the GameCube would be nice! I have read they have an announcement to make in December as well. Metal Gear Solid anyone? Just remember that Metal Gear Solid is already out on PS2 and X-Box already, Nintendo is last AGAIN!!! The Pro Evolution confirmed by Konami for GameCube is not made by the same developers as the PS2 version! The developers for the PS2 version were Konami KCET, the ones for the GameCube are Konami KCEO, they made a version which only came out in America, this version is no where near as good as the PS2 version.

3. Sega bringing some of their amazing games or Sega Sports series to the GameCube! When I look at Jet Set Radio Future, it just looks like a GameCube game! I have Super Monkey Ball and I love it but I would of preferred say Virtual Tennis 2 which was a classic on the Dreamcast! Shonobi anyone? All we have been given is Monkey Ball, Beach Spikers, Sonic and now Sonic Mega Collection! The Sega sports series is amazing, they was played endlessly on my Dreamcast NBA 2K2, NFL 2K2 but there seems to be no effort to even bring these titles out in Europe on any format!

4. Nintendo suing Sony? I really don't think Nintendo has any grounds for that as it was Nintendo who decided to end the partnership with them!

I hope for Nintendo's sake that this announcement does the business for GameCube and we can start looking forward to amazing games gracing the little box of wonders!

Spikeydude: I think Nintendo could combat rising Xbox sales by:

Putting out way more adverts - the GameCube ads are great.

Paying GAME for floor space - it really is the only way, point of sale is, unfortunately a big decider for casual gamers.

Emphasize their superiority over the Xbox and PS2./P>

Reduce the price of their Super Mario Sunshine bundle - I think at the moment you only make a saving of �5 - not an incentive to buy it.

Pay for big newspaper advertisements - I have asked several people who's only exposure to video game advertising would be from the papers they read, and I found out this - When I covered up the 'PS2' logo on the front of the Playstation 2 they were still able to recognise it, and when I covered up the GameCube logo they guessed that it was an Xbox! these are prospective buyers of games for their children and they hadn't even heard of the GameCube, and when they walk into their local GAME they aren't going to find out about it.

Solar: qbas is right, Nintendo is doing splendid in the USA and remarkable in Japan, I don't doubt that we will surpass the Playstation 2 in the east for a while. Nintendo can advertise, don't forget, the Zelda cinema trailer is supposed to be shown in US cinemas, and Japan is Zelda these days. 13th December can't come soon enough, Zelda will be released and Nintendo will really show off the GameCube potential.

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And that completes the first ten Board Roundtables! To add your thoughts and comments on our next feature, make sure you visit our forums, go to the GameCube Discussion board, then click on Board Roundtable #11. Have fun!