Why You Can't Blame Reggie If "Disaster: DoC" Doesn't Make it to the US

[mike_intellivision]

There are several reasons why you cannot blame Reggie Fils-Aime of Nintendo of America if "Disaster: Day of Crisis" never makes it to American shores. (I bring this up because so many people, upon hearing Reggie's comments about the game, want to blame him).

 

* Sluggish Sales

This game has not taken off in its home market of Japan. This is the market where the game was developed. This is where there is no console competition. And yet the sales have been modest -- Less than 27K. About half were in the debut week of 13K -- which placed it 11th in Japan that week among all games, just ahead of Mario Kart Wii. Meanwhile, the first-day sales in Europe were less than 4K.

* Third-Party Predictiment

This is the type of game that Nintendo wants third-parties to produce and convince them it will sell on the Wii. So releasing a first-party game (especially one that might not sell well), could really get other companies to re-think their plans. That is exactly what Nintendo does not want to see happen.

*Greater Competition

In the US, all three consoles sell. That is very different from Japan, where only the Wii has had any sort of relative traction as compared to previous generations. It is also different from Contintential Europe where the PS3 has made up ground after the Xbox 360's early start and subsequent stall.  So if you are looking to play a complex third-person adventure game in the US, there are two consoles which sell which also can produce a game with better graphics and more size. In the other markets, there are no more than one.

* Market Segmentation

Nintendo's Blue Ocean Strategy has come at the expense of being able to lead in the Male 18-34 market demographic. The HD consoles do that in the US. Nintendo takes everything else. The market for this game is Males 18-34. If the game is not super-great, it may not be in Nintendo's best interest to release it.

*Mixed Reviews

The game got an 8.0 from IGN UK -- but the review did not read like an 8.0. It got 34/40 from Famitsu -- but there are validity questions with that source. It has also gotten some 5s and 6s from European reviewers -- along with other 7s and 8s. In other words, the game is good but not great. And unlike some games, it is not one that can be confused for what it is or what it is trying to be.

*American Political Attitudes

Having terrorists attacking the US is not a real popular theme right now in the US. Given the grief Nintendo got for "allowing" Manhunt 2 to be published on its "family friendly" console in the popular press and among politicos, publishing a game that depicits an attack on the nation itself may be more risky than profitable.

*He's Reggie

Hello. Reggie has brought Nintendo back. He deserves the benefit of the doubt -- at least this time. Unlike most people here, he has seen/played the game. And if Nintendo HQ really wanted the game released in the US, it would be done. But it is his choice and he is taking a wait-and-see attitude. He knows what is coming and may just not to spend money dubbing out the voice track (full of swearing) to avoid an M-rating when other games

 

Mike from Morgantown

 

I still believe that this game will come to the US -- if European sales are strong. However, I am beginning to doubt that European sales will be sufficiently strong.