Nintendo Ruins Holiday Season: Smash Bros. Delayed

[DeathscytheX]

Sheesh, like anyone should be surprised? Why would Nintendo want to release the sequel to their best selling gamecube game, and one of the top games of all time BEFORE Christmas? I mean, they only would have dominated the holiday season... In fact, why release anything on the intended release date when you can always delay it?!

We reported yesterday that the highly anticipated title Super Smash Bros. Brawl had its release date changed to TBA. Today, at the Nintendo media event in San Francisco, Nintendo’s Senior Vice President of Marketing George Harrison confirmed the delay.


Super Smash Bros. Brawl is now slated for a February 10th, 2008 release. If you circle that date, you might notice that it falls on a Sunday. This should raise an eyebrow or two, since anyone that’s shopped for a movie, CD, or game knows that new releases are almost exclusively released on Tuesday. While this may take one AAA-class title out of the Holiday Season for Wii gamers, they still have Mario Galaxy to look forward to, right?
http://wii.vggen.com/news/news.php?id=7077

[Tristan9480]

I hate it when they pull this shit on us *cries*
I don't own any current systems....XD

[Strider Hiryu]

Ha, I knew it was going to happen. Nintendo always fails to deliver when they say they will. Not like I really care though, I don't own a Wii so it's not like I'm missing out.

[DeathscytheX]

Well this is why I didn't get a Wii. I think this time around I'll make them wait for me to buy their system AFTER they bring out everything I want. I'm not waiting on their ass anymore. I don't give the Wii a second thought.

[Myk JL]

I'm more mad about the fact they added Sonic... Sonic sucks.

[Mathias]

Companies have high expectations for getting games out for the holidays. If they would have said December 2008, and came out with it in June 2007, everyone would have been ecstatic!

[DeathscytheX]

I'm more mad about the fact they added Sonic... Sonic sucks.

You should be more mad that they kept the Ice Climbers than the addition of Sonic. Sonic's fanbase is huge, whether you like him or not, it's an excellent move marketing wise... Ice climbers are useless and and suck as smash characters regardless if anyone liked the original game or not.

Mathias, if Nintendo held that philosophy, their fans wouldn't be pissed off all the time. But instead, as always, they promise and don't deliver just as they do with ever big title. I still have not forgiven them for the year delay on Twilight, I have yet to play it and I'm really not in a rush to do so.

[Myk JL]

You should be more mad that they kept the Ice Climbers than the addition of Sonic. Sonic's fan base is huge, whether you like him or not, it's an excellent move marketing wise... Ice climbers are useless and and suck as smash characters regardless if anyone liked the original game or not. I never played the actual Ice Climbers game so I have no beef with them. This will be my first Smash Bros game since I didn't own a GC. If it wasn't for Sonic most of my hate would currently go to Pikachu & Poke'mon Trainer. I don't care for how big Sonic's following is because I find him over hyped. The only good news that comes out of that is I'll be bitch slapping Sonic with Snake.

[Eppy]

you are all a bunch of whiners with no patience...that is all

[Myk JL]

you are all a bunch of whiners with no patience...that is all ... Thank you for having a valid point.

[DeathscytheX]

Excuse me for believe things shouldn't be delayed every single time. I'm only paying hundreds of dollars for the product. I expect a delay or two, but not every single major title ever throughout the entire lifespan of the console.

This is why Nintendo has been in last place that last couple of generations, they finally pull ahead somewhat and they don't capitalize on it. This is why they will fall back into last place within the next two years. I just find it silly, and old.

[gokuDX7]

*cough* assassins creed delay for xbox/ps3 *cough* lol. You can't expect everything to work out even though the company's could cleanly move faster.

PS. So they added sonic?

[Myk JL]

Excuse me for believe things shouldn't be delayed every single time. I'm only paying hundreds of dollars for the product. I expect a delay or two, but not every single major title ever throughout the entire lifespan of the console.

This is why Nintendo has been in last place that last couple of generations, they finally pull ahead somewhat and they don't capitalize on it. This is why they will fall back into last place within the next two years. I just find it silly, and old. If you want games that come out on a due dates play movie-based games. If you want something good wait for it, but don't expect it to be out just because they set a date for it. Better to play a delayed game than one that's buggy.

I wonder where you got that idea. Sony never had a problem when GT was delayed. Why Nintendo was in last place during the last couple of generations has had more to do with their dislike toward mainly M Rated games & 3rd Party Game Companies going more toward PS & Xbox. I just find your rant silly & immature.
PS. So they added sonic? Yup, the good news is at least I know which character I'll be fighting first.

[DeathscytheX]

If you want games that come out on a due dates play movie-based games. If you want something good wait for it, but don't expect it to be out just because they set a date for it. Better to play a delayed game than one that's buggy.

I wonder where you got that idea. Sony never had a problem when GT was delayed. Why Nintendo was in last place during the last couple of generations has had more to do with their dislike toward mainly M Rated games & 3rd Party Game Companies going more toward PS & Xbox. I just find your rant silly & immature.
Yup, the good news is at least I know which character I'll be fighting first.

I think the fan base for Smash Bros. is far larger than that of GT or any racing game for that matter. Did I not just say I don't expect every game to come out on time? Maybe before you try to insult me and fail miserably, you should not only read the entirety of my posts, but also review the history of Nintendo in relation to the delay of their major titles.

Yes third party has always been a problem with Nintendo, I am well aware of that. That being the case, delaying 90% of your blockbuster titles from their original release date (on the biggest selling weeks of the year) doesn't make much sense. Nintendo has blundered in every category. Maybe if they'd stop promising dates they can't meet, and be more realistic, it wouldn't put such a strain on their fan base. Yes, games get delayed... but they shouldn't every time. What if you were told every good movie you wanted to see would come out on a certain day, but every time it didn't and instead it came out 3 months later? Wouldn't you find that kind of silly? I already knew Smash was going to be delayed the minute December 3rd was announced... I expected no less.

gokuDX: Both Sony and Microsoft are fairly good about keeping their release dates TBA until they get a good idea of when it will be released. Their delay ratio is far lower than Big N's... possibly combined. Sony recently delayed Ratchet and Clank... for less than a week. Most all of Nintendo's delays are 3 months to a year or more.

Anyways, back to the original topic. I don't see how a character being added to the game could cause such anger. For all we know Sonic could very well be one of the better characters. Ice Climbers flat out suck, and unless they've been overhauled for this game, I don't see the point in waisting space that could have brought a better character back.. I've never played earthbound in my entire life, yet Ness has been my best character in Smash... well now I'll have to go with Lucas apparently.

[Myk JL]

I don't usually pay attention to release dates. When a game finally comes out I tend to wait a month after it's release or later if their are other games on my list. If you want to be more realistic don't pay attention to the dates they say. Think about the game after the release; not before.

[DeathscytheX]

You're not the pre-ordering type I'm assuming? Maaan, back when department stores were my only option, I hated life for the simple fact that they never did get things in on release dates, more like a week after them. I don't purchase many games. I'm very picky. This is one of the first times I've ever had so many games I've wanted to play I haven't bought them all/can't buy them all at once.

[Myk JL]

You're not the pre-ordering type I'm assuming? Maaan, back when department stores were my only option, I hated life for the simple fact that they never did get things in on release dates, more like a week after them. I don't purchase many games. I'm very picky. This is one of the first times I've ever had so many games I've wanted to play I haven't bought them all/can't buy them all at once. I don't preorder unless I have to. I still do some of my shopping online if I can't find what I'm looking for at a store. Preordering from what I've seen always causes a frenzy if something goes wrong. Then you hear about the problem over & over again from people who can't solve it. I at least buy 1-2 games a month. So I have games I need to finish in order to be really desperate for a new game.

[gokuDX7]

I don't purchase many games. I'm very picky. This is one of the first times I've ever had so many games I've wanted to play I haven't bought them all/can't buy them all at once.

thats because you spent so much on a PS3 :P. You should have waited nooblet.

[Sledgstone]

I remember ebgames.com had a "Guaranteed street date" listed for pre-ordering because the previous delays had people getting pissed.

They did this same shit with Twilight Princess, I think it missed two christmases because of delays just like whats happening to smash bros now.

Sonic in smash bros sounds bad ass to me. helluva lot better than "Mario and Sonic in the Olympics" X'D

btw DX, Twilight Princess for the gamecube is honestly the best Zelda game I have ever played. plot, controls, characters, etc. Absolutely fantastic game and Nintendo really fucked up by not releasing this game back when the gamecube was their primary system. I honestly think they would have had huge console sales from people buying the system just for that game at the time.

[DeathscytheX]

thats because you spent so much on a PS3 :P. You should have waited nooblet.

pfft. I have a PS3 and Xbox 360 thank you. Lets see you buy 4 or 5 games at once. :P


Sledge: Yeah I heard it was good, I was dying to play it when I had a cube, but now I'll get to it when I get to it. I'll probably get a Wii sometime after smash comes out. The only games I want to play for Wii is Smash, Metroid Prime 3, and Twilight. But I'd mainly be buying it for smash, and smash parties.

[gokuDX7]

pfft. I have a PS3 and Xbox 360 thank you. Lets see you buy 4 or 5 games at once. :P


Thats what I'm saying, you should have waited till the price dropped lol. You ended up spending a shit tone of money that could have gone twords the games you wanted now :/.

[DeathscytheX]

Thats what I'm saying, you should have waited till the price dropped lol. You ended up spending a shit tone of money that could have gone twords the games you wanted now :/.

You kind of need the console to play the game that they are on... I could have bought the games I wanted instead... but then they'd just be sitting there. My list spans across both consoles.

[Ladywriter]

E I expect a delay or two, but not every single major title ever throughout the entire lifespan of the console.


amen to that brother >.<

[DeathscytheX]

At least someone understands where I'm coming from. :p

[Sledgstone]

i remember the good days of the super nintendo. the system launched with super mario and everything was right in the world. :p

[Caine]

well I think the "hardcore" fans should actually be pleased with this, this delay only means that they have more time to work harder on refining the game play to please every, ecspecially the hardcore fans. Would you want an unbalcened mess of a game where it's only fun to play 4 characters out of a huge roster (marvel vs capcom 2 im looking at you...) I don't think so. So everyone hold your horses and wait for your precious party game to arrive. Just save your x-mas card money or something :P

[DeathscytheX]

well I think the "hardcore" fans should actually be pleased with this, this delay only means that they have more time to work harder on refining the game play to please every, ecspecially the hardcore fans. Would you want an unbalcened mess of a game where it's only fun to play 4 characters out of a huge roster (marvel vs capcom 2 im looking at you...) I don't think so. So everyone hold your horses and wait for your precious party game to arrive. Just save your x-mas card money or something :P

Yes the hardcore fans should be pleased to have their games promised on a much earlier date than it really could be completed on... every time.

If they would have originally announced the game to be released in Feb or later, we wouldn't have this problem. For the 3rd or 4th time: Its not about the game being completed in perfect form or being released before its finished. Its about Nintendo setting dates they can never meet... ever.

[Myk JL]

Yes the hardcore fans should be pleased to have their games promised on a much earlier date than it really could be completed on... every time.

If they would have originally announced the game to be released in Feb or later, we wouldn't have this problem. For the 3rd or 4th time: Its not about the game being completed in perfect form or being released before its finished. Its about Nintendo setting dates they can never meet... ever. But if you know that Nintendo is bad at setting release dates then why bother listening to these release dates? All you're doing is ruining the actual fun you'll have with the game when its finally released.

[DeathscytheX]

Sheesh, like anyone should be surprised? Why would Nintendo want to release the sequel to their best selling gamecube game, and one of the top games of all time BEFORE Christmas? I mean, they only would have dominated the holiday season... In fact, why release anything on the intended release date when you can always delay it?!

I stopped listening a long time ago, if you didn't notice the sarcasm in the original post. It doesn't mean its still not stupid. You're in the minority when it comes to not caring about first day of release. Its not very smart of them competitively speaking. The Nintendo 64 was a complete bomb because of delays... everyone got sick of waiting and got a Playstion instead. I guess all those people ruined the fun they would have had by getting a 64, and the developers ruined the fun they would have had making games for the 64 too... everyone should have waited for Dolphin/Ultra/Nintendo 64.

[Myk JL]

PlayStation had a lot more M Rated games. I remember back when I was subscribed to Nintendo Power that Nintendo liked to dis M rated games & the fans who wanted them. They also liked dis games that were on PlayStation.

But Nintendo lost most games it could have had because it is cheaper to make Game Disc then it is to make Game Cartridges.

[Sledgstone]

With the newer systems, couldn't it be possible to buy a game like smash bros, and then lets say nintendo makes a patch, then you could download the patch onto the wii's memory card and/or harddrive and everytime you load the game smash bros it could detect the downloaded patch and apply it on the fly while loading the game? Installed PC games have been doing it for years obviously, but I would just assume with every system having online capabilities now, something like that could be done. If it is, then there wouldn't be a need to hold off on releasing a 'perfect game' when they could release the game for christmas, and then release a patch in february...

[DeathscytheX]

PlayStation had a lot more M Rated games. I remember back when I was subscribed to Nintendo Power that Nintendo liked to dis M rated games & the fans who wanted them. They also liked dis games that were on PlayStation.

But Nintendo lost most games it could have had because it is cheaper to make Game Disc then it is to make Game Cartridges.

Playstation had more games period, because it came out on time. the 64 went through a ridiculous amount of delays, it practically had a new name every 3 months. Sony was a nobody in the gaming world, and thanks to Nintendo's incompetence they handed the market to Sony, who held it for a nice long run until recently. People just got sick of waiting for the 64 and got a PS instead. It wasn't because it had more M rated games, because Nintendo had no next gen games at that time seeing as they had no console to show. Yes the M rated issue played a factor after its release... they couldn't catch up, but the M rated issue took more of a role during the Gamecube era. Nintendo's formating is another issue, not only was the cartridge a problem, but then they decided to be cute with the mini disc's. There's a whole lot of problems with Nintendo, but the main one is there lack of urgency.

[Myk JL]

I don't see how urgency has ever had anything to do with Nintendo's problems. Every time I have read & heard about Nintendo, urgency was never the problem.

[DeathscytheX]

I've not only read it, but I've witnessed it for the past 20 years I've been playing video games. Its why I wasn't surprised when Metroid Prime 3 was delayed, and I'm not surprised when Smash was delayed. You don't see it because like you said, you don't care about when new games come out...

[gokuDX7]

With the newer systems, couldn't it be possible to buy a game like smash bros, and then lets say nintendo makes a patch, then you could download the patch onto the wii's memory card and/or harddrive and everytime you load the game smash bros it could detect the downloaded patch and apply it on the fly while loading the game? Installed PC games have been doing it for years obviously, but I would just assume with every system having online capabilities now, something like that could be done. If it is, then there wouldn't be a need to hold off on releasing a 'perfect game' when they could release the game for christmas, and then release a patch in february...

That would require everyone to have Internet connection (something that the boxes do not state as a "must have"). So the console makers have to assume that not everyone is going to have Internet when they buy their system and games.

In an ideal world everyone would have high speed Internet and the console makers would do what The Phantom system was attempting to do before going under, just eliminate the game cds and allow its users to buy and download the games right from their servers (ie. turn it into a PC for your TV).

[DeathscytheX]

That would require everyone to have Internet connection (something that the boxes do not state as a "must have"). So the console makers have to assume that not everyone is going to have Internet when they buy their system and games.

In an ideal world everyone would have high speed Internet and the console makers would do what The Phantom system was attempting to do before going under, just eliminate the game cds and allow its users to buy and download the games right from their servers (ie. turn it into a PC for your TV).

Actually, Nintendo promised that the Wii would have an auto-patch system via online, whether it does or not, I don't know. I know it was met with some criticism because the premise was suppose to be that the game was patched without the consent of the gamer. Of course as some of us know, patches aren't always a good thing, and not leaving the option to patch or not to patch, the idea could have been dropped when the system was finalized.

Phantom LOL, I signed up for beta testing on that thing. I thought it turned out to be a big scam, or some college research project to see how many people they could get to sign up? I remember courts getting involved or something.

[Myk JL]

I've not only read it, but I've witnessed it for the past 20 years I've been playing video games. Its why I wasn't surprised when Metroid Prime 3 was delayed, and I'm not surprised when Smash was delayed. You don't see it because like you said, you don't care about when new games come out... I've played Nes & PS1. And I've owned a Snes, N64, GBA, & Xbox. My usual problems with Consoles comes from just about everywhere except delays. And my older problems for the most part eventually get solved. And I didn't have any so called problems until N64. During my Snes days I could play just about anything and not care how new it was. I didn't get picky until after playing PS1.


My 1st so called real problem with Nintendo was when Sin & Punishment was Japan only. But this problem is basically solved. If I want it now I can get it on the Wii's buy channel.
My 2nd was when Nintendo advertised Silent Hill for the GBA, but that was later Japan only too. I lost interest in some what 2D games for GBA sometime after I lost Driver for it.
My 3rd problem came from Xbox when they canceled TFLO (True Fantasy Live Online). But I got over it eventually when I realised I wasn't able to get Xbox Live for my Xbox.
A month or 2 ago I heard Project HAMMER was canned. For a moment shocking. But from what I remember the game play wasn't that impressive.My point? The game you want isn't being made exclusive to Japan or being canned. You're just making big deals out of a small problems just because they set a release dates? Be happy that the game isn't being canned.

[Sledgstone]

Phantom LOL, I signed up for beta testing on that thing. I thought it turned out to be a big scam, or some college research project to see how many people they could get to sign up? I remember courts getting involved or something.

I was going to say that! I remember signing up for the beta after you sent me the link. I remember reading the company was legit because it was at an E3 or something, but I also remember reading it was all just some big scam before that.

good point tho gokudx7, they do have to assume the general player does not have a connection.

hmm.. but didn't they have some stupid kiosk thing setup for wireless gamebody DS playing at malls? or maybe that kiosk they had in blockbusters back in the day for some pokemon game.. maybe they could have update kiosks for wiis. someone could go to a mall or blockbuster and insert their memory card or memory stick into a wii update kiosk, choose the game they own, download all updates for the game onto their memory card, put the card back into their system and they'll be all set. i think wii memory cards are standard sd memory cards, most computers come with memory card readers that could easily transfer data onto them even... people could even take their card to a library, use their internet connection to jump on a wii update website and get any patches they could need. theres so many options, i wonder if the 3 main consoles will take advantage of something like that.

I remember the old days of my dreamcast, jumping online and downloading halloween and christmas patches for Sonic Adventure. :nod: Hell, if Sega did it back in the dreamcast/ps2 days, I see it as a completely achievable goal with todays systems.

[DeathscytheX]

I've played Nes & PS1. And I've owned a Snes, N64, GBA, & Xbox. My usual problems with Consoles comes from just about everywhere except delays. And my older problems for the most part eventually get solved. And I didn't have any so called problems until N64. During my Snes days I could play just about anything and not care how new it was. I didn't get picky until after playing PS1.
My 1st so called real problem with Nintendo was when Sin & Punishment was Japan only. But this problem is basically solved. If I want it now I can get it on the Wii's buy channel.
My 2nd was when Nintendo advertised Silent Hill for the GBA, but that was later Japan only too. I lost interest in some what 2D games for GBA sometime after I lost Driver for it.
My 3rd problem came from Xbox when they canceled TFLO (True Fantasy Live Online). But I got over it eventually when I realised I wasn't able to get Xbox Live for my Xbox.
A month or 2 ago I heard Project HAMMER was canned. For a moment shocking. But from what I remember the game play wasn't that impressive.My point? The game you want isn't being made exclusive to Japan or being canned. You're just making big deals out of a small problems just because they set a release dates? Be happy that the game isn't being canned.

Oh.. excuse me then. What you see to be the problems obviously reflects the entire gaming market. Obscure games that weren't released in the US because they wouldn't sell profitably in the US. None of the real facts, that have been documented time after time by marketing expert analysis matter, only because you have never read about it. http://forums.ancientclan.com/images/icons/elite/faint.gif

Sledge: I believe Valve's Steam is the best example of the auto patch we have right now. Although its not a console, I'm sure the method could easily be applied.

[Myk JL]

Oh.. excuse me then. What you see to be the problems obviously reflects the entire gaming market. Obscure games that weren't released in the US because they wouldn't sell profitably in the US. None of the real facts, that have been documented time after time by marketing expert analysis matter, only because you have never read about it. http://forums.ancientclan.com/images/icons/elite/faint.gif I think you're making up facts because I have never seen or heard these facts you write of. Further more this & the site you brought up are the only places where I've seen someone complain about SSB being delayed. I haven't seen complaints about this anywhere on Google news or G4. All you seem to be doing is complain about small problems.

[DeathscytheX]

I think you're making up facts because I have never seen or heard these facts you write of. Further more this & the site you brought up are the only places where I've seen someone complain about SSB being delayed. I haven't seen complaints about this anywhere on Google news or G4. All you seem to be doing is complain about small problems.

IGN is one if not the largest gaming site on the entire web. I don't make up facts. I'm not in third grade. If this is the first time you've ever seen IGN, you have no basis to argue anything, Gamepro and Nintendo Power don't cut it. You haven't seen it because you can't find it on G4 and Google News. Those two sources are far too young to even have a database of articles, and G4 is absolute garbage. Just because you haven't read it, doesn't mean it must not be true. You're just one person that seems to stick to a limited amount of information that heavily relies on your own personal favoritism.

You've ran out of things to say, because you cannot credibly dispute what I have had to say. I don't use arguments like "I" or "Me" because my likes and dislikes don't encompass the majority interest of the gaming market. I'm a Playstation person, it isn't number one anymore despite the fact that I like it better than 360 and Nintendo. If you could have seen the past 5 years of this game section of the forum you would have seen a lot more posts by others posting such articles and stating similar things that I have in this topic. I have read a broad variety of sources over the the years... not just 2, in which only one is a half-way gaming media outlet.

You're not following down a smart path accusing me disrespectfully of making shit up. I'd tame that mouth of yours real fast. Consider this topic over, and refrain from further discussions unless you can do so in a civilized manner.