Nintendo Revolution, XBox 360, Def Diva, Morning Musume and why I hate fans
There are few things that I've wanted in much in life as a Nintendo Revolution.
http://media.cube.ign.com/articles/651/651334/vids_1.html
I highly encourage anyone who has seen the controller and has doubts to watch the video. XBox can keep its market of gamers who want the same game done with different tones and jiggling jubblies. Playstation, I love you and dearly, and I'll always be in your camp...
But wow.
The worse thing the XBox has done for the market was to enter it. Before I get hazed too much, let me explain: The XBox has spawned a bunch of gamers who view games as adult. As cool. As something not for kids, never was for kids, and thank you kindly for remembering the difference. These are probably the same people who violently explain that anime is not for children, and we Americans don't understand.
How these people reconcile Sailor Moon or Pokemon, I don't know.
Here's a newsflash: anime isn't /just/ for kids, but that doesn't make it not for kids at all. Same thing with video games.
Now, I'm not saying all games are for kids, not by all means... but some are. The fact that there are people violently complaining about Nintendo making games for kids just kinda blows my mind. What they mean isn't "Make games for kids," but "Make games that aren't aimed at the 18 to 35 male American market."
Microsoft isn't exactly a company of innovation. In fact, I would say they're violently anti-innovation and try their best to buy and then subjugate anything that looks like innovation in order for them to maintain profits. I won't deny that it isn't an effective business strategy, and for computers, I typically don't mind too terribly much. I don't care about what my computer does so long as I can write my papers and check the internet.
Video games, however, are an entirely different story.
I want to have the biggest, most eclectic variety of video games that can be made. I love role-playing games and adventure games, but I don't need fifty million of them. I have product loyalty as much as the next girl (Final Fantasy whatever, and Dynasty Warriors 9 bazillion to name a few) but I like seeing a game I can't fathom and buying it, to find out that it's totally something I've never seen before. I like brightly colored beat matching games, or rapidly tapping the A button in order to pump up a balloon before my friends. I like /games/.
XBox players seem to, by and large, believe I have sinned against humanity for this. Video games cannot be made for children, oh no, after all, they are gamers and not children so why should anyone have games for children? (Note: do not ask me to explain the logic.) They want Halo... and... Jubblies... and... er.. Madden. Did I mention Halo?
Shooting games are fine and good. Okay, that's a lie; I hate shooting, fighting and sports games like I hate few things else in the world. Still. But I look to the idea of XBox winning the video game war with something akin to fear and lament. There won't be Katamari Damancy, or Mario Party, Frequency or Eye Toy flailing in such a world. Microsoft doesn't like innovating; it involves too much risk of not being popular, of not knowing your market, of other people doing what you do better--and as a computer company it sucks but it's reasonable to tolerate. As a gaming company, it's death. It's slow death as the market gets tired of the same old games and as you fail to make anything new.
Games stagnate. Markets saturate. And the dark, dark times of the Atari 2600 come down upon us all.
Nintendo has an idea, and presumably, a hopeful way out of this. From what I can tell, their model is to make games accessible to everyone and anyone. To get games from all regions of the world and make their play so intuitive that grandma and you're spastic little cousin could play with equal ease. And most importantly--to get games that replicate anything fun made by anyone. Fighting games, sports games, racing games, fishing games, even old classics (Nintendo Revolution will be backwards compatible and you will be able to download and play SNES, NES and it's rumored also Sega games) can be played with equal ease.
The gloves are off in this video game race.
Playstation has called up its first big ally by making each and every PS3 installed with Linux. Given its hardware and specs, PS3 might be revolutionizing the market as well--if the PS3 can function as a computer with Linux, Microsoft has taken a very hard hit. Linux' main drawback was lack of true game capabilities in the eyes of many. Now, with a good processor behind it, a great video card, a stable of games and marketing on its behalf, Sony and Linux might be able to inch the XBox out of the market.
Now if only Nintendo could work something out with Apple...
I'd like to add that the new HP song for Def Diva is great. It's got a really great dance beat, it's catchy, and it's really... well, great. I hear there are rumors that they may do more than one song if it sells well. I encourage everyone to try and give it a listen.
As a final note, and excuse the caps:
CHARMY ISHIKAWA IS NOT A REAL PERSON, IT IS A CHARACTER DONE BY RIKA ISHIKAWA. RIKA ISHIKAWA DOES NOT TALK ABOUT HERSELF AS THE CUTEST THING IN THE UNIVERSE 24/7, SHE IS NOT A DITZ, NOT THAT WHINY, NOR THAT EGOTISTICAL. IT IS A CHARACTER FROM A SKIT. THE SAME CAN BE SAID OF SAYUMI'S "ICHIBAN KAWAII" OF MORNING MUSUME. IT. IS. A. JOKE.
KOHARU KUSUMI DID NOT KILL THE MUSUME. SHE BARELY GETS TO SING MORE THAN A HAND FULL OF LINES--FOR THE LOVE OF CHRIST SHE SINGS SLIGHTLY MORE THAN SAYU. -SLIGHTLY- MORE THAN SAYU PEOPLE!! THE OLD MUSUME GREW UP, THEY TURNED 25. IT IS NOT TSUNKU'S EVIL PLAN TO KEEP YOU AWAY FROM YOUR FAVORITE MUSUME, IT IS THE FACT THAT THEY WANT LIVES AND TO SPEND TIME BEING REAL PEOPLE. THIS DOES NOT MAKE THEM WRONG, OR MAKE THEM HAVE TO QUIT SHOW BUSINESS FOR WANTING IT. THEY ARE ENTITLED TO LIVES AS MUCH AS ANYONE ELSE IN THE WORLD--THEY'RE ENTERTAINERS NOT WORLD LEADERS.
FOR THE LOVE OF FUCKING CHRIST, GIRLS GRADUATE AND MOVE ON AND HAVE LIVES. PRISON SENTENCES ARE SHORTER.
That is all.
http://media.cube.ign.com/articles/651/651334/vids_1.html
I highly encourage anyone who has seen the controller and has doubts to watch the video. XBox can keep its market of gamers who want the same game done with different tones and jiggling jubblies. Playstation, I love you and dearly, and I'll always be in your camp...
But wow.
The worse thing the XBox has done for the market was to enter it. Before I get hazed too much, let me explain: The XBox has spawned a bunch of gamers who view games as adult. As cool. As something not for kids, never was for kids, and thank you kindly for remembering the difference. These are probably the same people who violently explain that anime is not for children, and we Americans don't understand.
How these people reconcile Sailor Moon or Pokemon, I don't know.
Here's a newsflash: anime isn't /just/ for kids, but that doesn't make it not for kids at all. Same thing with video games.
Now, I'm not saying all games are for kids, not by all means... but some are. The fact that there are people violently complaining about Nintendo making games for kids just kinda blows my mind. What they mean isn't "Make games for kids," but "Make games that aren't aimed at the 18 to 35 male American market."
Microsoft isn't exactly a company of innovation. In fact, I would say they're violently anti-innovation and try their best to buy and then subjugate anything that looks like innovation in order for them to maintain profits. I won't deny that it isn't an effective business strategy, and for computers, I typically don't mind too terribly much. I don't care about what my computer does so long as I can write my papers and check the internet.
Video games, however, are an entirely different story.
I want to have the biggest, most eclectic variety of video games that can be made. I love role-playing games and adventure games, but I don't need fifty million of them. I have product loyalty as much as the next girl (Final Fantasy whatever, and Dynasty Warriors 9 bazillion to name a few) but I like seeing a game I can't fathom and buying it, to find out that it's totally something I've never seen before. I like brightly colored beat matching games, or rapidly tapping the A button in order to pump up a balloon before my friends. I like /games/.
XBox players seem to, by and large, believe I have sinned against humanity for this. Video games cannot be made for children, oh no, after all, they are gamers and not children so why should anyone have games for children? (Note: do not ask me to explain the logic.) They want Halo... and... Jubblies... and... er.. Madden. Did I mention Halo?
Shooting games are fine and good. Okay, that's a lie; I hate shooting, fighting and sports games like I hate few things else in the world. Still. But I look to the idea of XBox winning the video game war with something akin to fear and lament. There won't be Katamari Damancy, or Mario Party, Frequency or Eye Toy flailing in such a world. Microsoft doesn't like innovating; it involves too much risk of not being popular, of not knowing your market, of other people doing what you do better--and as a computer company it sucks but it's reasonable to tolerate. As a gaming company, it's death. It's slow death as the market gets tired of the same old games and as you fail to make anything new.
Games stagnate. Markets saturate. And the dark, dark times of the Atari 2600 come down upon us all.
Nintendo has an idea, and presumably, a hopeful way out of this. From what I can tell, their model is to make games accessible to everyone and anyone. To get games from all regions of the world and make their play so intuitive that grandma and you're spastic little cousin could play with equal ease. And most importantly--to get games that replicate anything fun made by anyone. Fighting games, sports games, racing games, fishing games, even old classics (Nintendo Revolution will be backwards compatible and you will be able to download and play SNES, NES and it's rumored also Sega games) can be played with equal ease.
The gloves are off in this video game race.
Playstation has called up its first big ally by making each and every PS3 installed with Linux. Given its hardware and specs, PS3 might be revolutionizing the market as well--if the PS3 can function as a computer with Linux, Microsoft has taken a very hard hit. Linux' main drawback was lack of true game capabilities in the eyes of many. Now, with a good processor behind it, a great video card, a stable of games and marketing on its behalf, Sony and Linux might be able to inch the XBox out of the market.
Now if only Nintendo could work something out with Apple...
I'd like to add that the new HP song for Def Diva is great. It's got a really great dance beat, it's catchy, and it's really... well, great. I hear there are rumors that they may do more than one song if it sells well. I encourage everyone to try and give it a listen.
As a final note, and excuse the caps:
CHARMY ISHIKAWA IS NOT A REAL PERSON, IT IS A CHARACTER DONE BY RIKA ISHIKAWA. RIKA ISHIKAWA DOES NOT TALK ABOUT HERSELF AS THE CUTEST THING IN THE UNIVERSE 24/7, SHE IS NOT A DITZ, NOT THAT WHINY, NOR THAT EGOTISTICAL. IT IS A CHARACTER FROM A SKIT. THE SAME CAN BE SAID OF SAYUMI'S "ICHIBAN KAWAII" OF MORNING MUSUME. IT. IS. A. JOKE.
KOHARU KUSUMI DID NOT KILL THE MUSUME. SHE BARELY GETS TO SING MORE THAN A HAND FULL OF LINES--FOR THE LOVE OF CHRIST SHE SINGS SLIGHTLY MORE THAN SAYU. -SLIGHTLY- MORE THAN SAYU PEOPLE!! THE OLD MUSUME GREW UP, THEY TURNED 25. IT IS NOT TSUNKU'S EVIL PLAN TO KEEP YOU AWAY FROM YOUR FAVORITE MUSUME, IT IS THE FACT THAT THEY WANT LIVES AND TO SPEND TIME BEING REAL PEOPLE. THIS DOES NOT MAKE THEM WRONG, OR MAKE THEM HAVE TO QUIT SHOW BUSINESS FOR WANTING IT. THEY ARE ENTITLED TO LIVES AS MUCH AS ANYONE ELSE IN THE WORLD--THEY'RE ENTERTAINERS NOT WORLD LEADERS.
FOR THE LOVE OF FUCKING CHRIST, GIRLS GRADUATE AND MOVE ON AND HAVE LIVES. PRISON SENTENCES ARE SHORTER.
That is all.