Zelda bundle confirmed (1 Viewer)

[JustinCleveland]

If you feel that Nintendo treats you unfairly, you could sell your GameCube, all of your games, and refuse to buy any more of their products.

Oh, don't give me that BS line. I stated several facts that would lead a person to believe that Nintendo was more interested in selling more GCs than supporting the people who already owned one. Instead of offering a rebuttle, you throw out a non-argument, the same that's used to chastize people who criticize the US (If you don't like it, leave.)

The points I made are all still valid. Why would Nintendo, who has survived on fanboys like me, do everything in their power to screw me? Why would they offer a cheaper system with a free game for 150 when I paid 300 for the same setup? These are certainly good deals for people getting in on the ground floor, but don't you agree it's frustrating knowing that if you'd waited, Nintendo would have catered to you instead of simply assuming you would buy their product?

I like my GC, I'm not looking to sell it. Will I subscribe to Nintendo Power? Yes. Would they have made more money if they had sold it straight up (since I don't believe NP gets ad revenue)? Absolutely. If you actually READ my second post, you would notice that I said that I have bought a GC, I have bought Metroid, Zelda, etc, despite Nintendo's attempts to turn me off.

 

[Lee M T]

The Metroid situation is a different kind of animal. I mean, it's a game, we knew it was coming, etc, etc, etc. All systems usually offer some sort of bundled type projects. But, this offer now is so different. The disc is sort of a "spur-of-the-moment" type of project it seems. I don't mind that others who do not own a Cube will get theirs free with a Cube. I think it's great for them and for Nintendo. But it shouldn't be an adventure and chore for us to get one.

 

[Chris Bardon]

You know what-I really don't care. If you think about it, most of us probably have the ocarina of time disc from WW (which has the master quest that this new disc is missing). I also noticed that Link to the Past is conspicuously absent from the game list (buy it on GBA though!), making it a far from complete package. Finally, I still have my copies of Zelda, Link, Link to the Past, Ocarina of time, and Majora's Mask, as well as the working consoles to play em on. I'm sure I'm not the only one in this position, so why all the complaining about not being able to get the same old games a second (or third) time?

 

[Jean-Michel]

Why would they offer a cheaper system with a free game for 150 when I paid 300 for the same setup?

Hi, welcome to Earth. This is the way every consumer product in the history of the universe works. Prices drop and in some cases additional incentives come along. The NES worked this way, the SNES worked this way, the N64 worked this way (I'm not sure how you can call yourself a Nintendo fanboy and apparently not be aware of this), the Saturn, PSOne, Dreamcast, Xbox and PS2 worked this way, washers and dryers work this way. If you seriously believed the GC would somehow not follow this pattern and would stay at $199.95 forever, I really don't know what to say. It just boggles my mind.

 

[Romier S]

Exactly Jean-Michel.

I stated several facts that would lead a person to believe that Nintendo was more interested in selling more GCs than supporting the people who already owned one

*GASP* Seriously?! Nintendo wanting to sell more consoles?





Justin seriously, I know where you are coming from here. You want that Zelda disc and feel that Nintendo has not made it available to you, the hardcore fan, in the fashion that you want. However, again let me restate: This is the price we pay for being early adopters. At the very least Nintendo is making the disc available through several channels as opposed to not at all which is something that many other companies might do.

 

[JustinCleveland]

Romier,

Cute gif.

The issue is the overall marketing strategy Nintendo has decided to adopt. While it may pay off in the present, it will irrevocably harm them in the future.

Think about it logically; Both X-Box and PS2 had price drops, and though PS2 gave away the (mediocre and outdated GT3) there was a free game, when did they give away A-list titles at the same time they were going for a premium on the shelves? Certainly there was an incentive to wait, but those that wanted the system didn't feel slighted that they had jumped on right away. Same with X-Box.

But what about the GC? I bought one the week it came out. Fine. But what if you were a person who bought it a month before the first price drop, or the first promotion with free games? You'd feel very upset. And then there was another promotion. And now the Zelda deal. That, in the long term, is going to dissuade the average purchaser from making an investment, since "Nintendo always brings along a better deal in a year." We hardcores will always buy on fast, you're right. But this marketing strategy isn't ingraining a sense of brand loyalty, instead it's driving a wedge between Nintendo and its fanbase, the very people who, as has been mentioned time and again, would be most apt to buy a GC for this Zelda package. I earnestly feel this is a symptom of a larger woe in the Nintendo organization that they are failing to address; they are selling units now, at a reduced cost with greater perks that are costing them more, and alienating thier fanbase.

Now I'm not a marketing guru, I'm just the guy who makes marketing work. And let me tell you, if I continually screwed my listeners, they wouldn't come back. The problem is that you're confusing the early adopter/Nintendo Enthusiast with the regular gamers. That's where the money is. But again, it's all my own opinion. I'm going to go play Viewtiful Joe.

At the very least Nintendo is making the disc available through several channels as opposed to not at all which is something that many other companies might do.

I agree, this is the best thing they've done, and I'll admit that forcing those that want it to buy two new titles or pay to subscribe to a monthly Nintendo advertisment is a good idea, whatever happened to good, old fashioned marketing? Sell this bad boy for 20 or 30 bucks, tout the new graphics, extras, disc format, and watch people line up with dollars clenched in hand. Hell, sell it though Nintendo's website only. Pure. Profit.

 

[Romier S]

Hell, sell it though Nintendo's website only.

You'll forgive my ignorance, but what in the sam hell is the difference between spending 19.95 on a magazine subscription to get the game for free or spending 20-30 bucks on thier website to get the game anyway? Seems to me your winning here since you get some toilet reading material while waiting for your game to arrive. Talk about a contradiction in terms.

 

[BrianB]

I dunno, I think Nintendo have done the right thing here for a change - they've given existing owners methods to getting hold of this disc, associating it with their key in-house games for this Christmas (and has been said many times, it's Nintendo's own games that make up the majority of software sales for the machine), and giving them an alternative mehtod through the Nintendo Power subscription.

I was expecting them to NOT offer either scheme & stick with it being a pure bundle offer. In different times, that's what they would have done...

If people genuinely feel they're being screwed over by pricedrops & bundles, well, there's really no great time to ever buy a console, is there? Early adopters are always going to pay a premium for getting the latest & greatest hardware, and prices are always going to drop to increase sales/market share as costs get cut & marketing gets desperate It's a fact of life in this market, and it's not going to change - it's not just consoles, look at the reduction in cost of HDTVs for example.

The problem is that you're confusing the early adopter/Nintendo Enthusiast with the regular gamers. That's where the money is.

The money is with the regular gamer, not the hardcore early adopter. The gaming "hardcore" makes up a small, but very vocal, part of the market apparently.

 

[Jeffrey Forner]

You know, I was going to respond to Justin's remarks, but Romier and everyone else have done such a good and thorough job of rebuking him, that I find no need to add much of anything at all!

I will say this though. Justin, don't look at its as if you have to buy a subscription to Nintendo Power to get the disc. Instead, look at it like you're paying $20 to get the game, and the subscription is free.

 

[Andre_L]

So what you're all saying is if i subscribe to NP, I will get the disc?? 1 year, 2 year or 3 year?? does it make a difference??

--Yes, i don't post on here often enough. lmao.. great board though

 

[JustinCleveland]

You know, I was going to respond to Justin's remarks, but Romier and everyone else have done such a good and thorough job of rebuking him, that I find no need to add much of anything at all!

Glad to see you adding something useful to the discussion. Instead of taking it upon yourself to "rebuke" a member, why don't you discuss the issue. If I wanted to get flamed, I'd head elsewhere... like a Nintendo board and post the same as I have here.

Save for romier's sarcastic gif, he and I had a useful discussion about marketing practices, the role of an early adopter in a company's marketing strategy, and the fostering of support for people that already own a system. Unfortunately, as we have learned, it's not a black-and-white issue, and one that's difficult to separate from emotion. He and I have different opinions about the gaming industry, and that's perfectly acceptable. I'm a casual gamer who wishes that Nintendo would reward me as a loyal customer who has adopted each of their consoles and sacrificed thousands of dollars. He is a hardcore gamer who doesn't have the same feeling of entitlement. To each their own.

That having been said, I am getting a free copy of Mario Party 5, so I might as well buy Mario Golf, or the new Kart game, and get it that way. I have no problem spending money, I just don't want the Nintendo Power!

 

[Chris Duran]

So what you're all saying is if i subscribe to NP, I will get the disc?? 1 year, 2 year or 3 year?? does it make a difference??

1 year would be fine, unless you want more years of NP. Here's the FAQ from the Nintendo site, you are in Canada right?

How do I get the disc through the subscription if I live in Canada?

Canadian consumers can go online and register for a My Nintendo online membership at any time. Once the My Nintendo profile is active and the subscription offer is available to order (on November 17), Canadian consumers can call 1-800-255-3700 to order the subscription by phone.

 

[Lee M T]

I think they should just slap $14.95 on the bad boy and put it on the shelves. Done deal. I hate rigamaroo.

I have no problems with bundles, price drops, etc. That's just the nature of the business.

 

[JustinCleveland]

I hate rigamaroo.

I know... they've got the standard legal language... "While supplies last." That always makes me nervious.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

They're trying to get people to buy their stuff. It's a bonus for buying their products. Its incentive. No biggie, IMO.

 

[Paul Simmons]

It'll probably be all over Ebay a week after the bundle comes out. Look in your local classifieds, people will probably be selling these things off, or check local game stores, as they might sell them seperately.

 

[John Berggren]

I'm likely to consider Nintendo Power (though I don't specifically want it) because of the "while supplies last" angle. I'll be getting Mario Kart : Double Dash!! soon enough, but 1080 doesn't arrive until the program has been running for 2 weeks.

 

[JustinCleveland]

Well, I pissed. I moaned. But on the first day it was offered, I subscribed to Nintendo Power to get my Zelda. I feel dirty.

 

[Jason Quillen]

Another new Nintendo Power subscriber here. But having all the Zelda titles on the Cube is worth it. I hope they cleaned up MM like they did for the OoT bonus disc.

Maybe if this disc and the Mega Man Collection do well more classic games will show up in compilations for the GC.

JQ

 

[Mike Blais]

picked a replacement cube up this morning, can't wait to play zelda tonight!