Japanese Game Publishers Show Mixed Results

Thanks to GameScience for its round-up of financial results for Japanese videogame publishers for fiscal Q1 2004. The piece muses on "disappointing figures for Konami and Sega with a lack of big titles for the period, and with two cancelled titles, Namco also suffered heavy losses. Sony's game division also suffered, while Capcom and Square-Enix had a comparatively good period." The article also notes Nintendo's "large-scale gains", pointing out: "the Gameboy Advance SP continues to enjoy good sales while software such as 'Mario vs Donkey Kong', 'Kirby' and 'Famicom Mini Series 2' was a great success [both series together have sold over 2.7 million copies]", whereas "the bulk of the losses" in Sony's game division can "be attributed to lower hardware sales than usual", as the PlayStation 2 nears the end of its lifecycle.

Nintendo don't cut the Advance titles!!!!

[FriedTurkey]

If Nintendo is smart they will continue the line of games like the excellent "Mario vs Donkey Kong". The original game boy had a lifespan of 8-10 years. The Advance series is getting cut off in 4-5 good years for the DS. The DS is gimmicky and the graphics upgrade isn't work purchasing for the use of a stylus.

Nintendo feels it needs to go after an adult market like the PSP. What they need to do is develop more adult oriented games like Advance Wars and people will still buy a SP. As an adult I like traveling with the SP because it's small, cheap, and the cartridges are tougher than nails. I won't be able to throw one of those PSP disks in my pocket without it breaking. I can't even keep track of my Palm Pilot stylus. How are 8 years not going to lose the stylus?