From what i hear animal crossing wont be out this year. I guess we will just have to see how the year plays out, but if nintendo doesnt release a major game by the end of the year, then i think they will regret pushing all of the out in the spring.

Or it may be a genius move to sell consoles in the slow time. I dunno. Time will tell.

From Nintendo's Investor Relations Briefing

http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/library/events/080425qa/02.html

Q8 When I look at the supplemental material distributed for this Financial Results Briefing, I feel that the number of titles prepared for the latter half of the year is small. Are you intending to announce the software lineup for the latter half of the year in mid-July at E3? When I compare with the software you have actually sold from the end of last year to the former half of this year, I feel the future lineup is not strong enough. Are you preparing for some big title?

A8 Iwata:
When we prepared the Wii software lineup from the end of last year to the first half of this year, we were very conscious of the fact that we had to make a strong enough lineup in order to expand the Wii platform install base. Of course, we are preparing for a variety of software for the latter half of this year [2008]. However, we are now feeling that the speed at which new information is consumed and made obsolete has become quicker than ever. When I think of today’s situation as a consumer, when I am exposed to new information too early on, I find that I am already tired of it when the product is launched. This is one of the reasons why we would like to keep news at bay until we really have to disclose them.
Rest assured that we are preparing for a variety of products for the latter half of this year and early next year. Also, you will begin to see the many results of our third party partners, who have since recognized that Wii will be a platform for their success. So, I am hopeful that there will be rich contents available for Wii software in general. I am sorry but we are not ready to announce the details today.

For something like Wii Fit, you want to launch it well before the holidays. That way all the people who want it can buy it before the holiday season. Then when the holidays roll around, they won't be competing with all the gift buyers.

NIntendo always have surprises... For example look at the Wario Game for Wii that is going to be released on Japan, almost not detail revealed... Only release date...

And E3 will clear all doubts.

 /thread

People seriously don't think Nintendo has anything to offer later this year? Really?? Like all they have is Smash Bros and Mario Kart and then they went and screwed themselves?


They wouldn't have thrown out Smash Bros, Mario Kart, and Wii Fit all in a 3-month period if they didn't have games lined up for the latter half of the year. We already know Fatal Frame IV has a July release in Japan, which translates to a fall or winter release elsewhere. I wouldn't be surprised in the least bit if it launched in October in the US with a big presence on the Nintendo Channel, now that I know the Nintendo Channel will actually be used to promote M-rated games (after seeing the Dementium trailer pop up on it).


On top of which, it was already leaked that Animal Crossing is slated for a winter 2008 release in Japan and likely America as well and Kirby for Wii was also leaked. Kid Icarus is all but confirmed to be in developement at Factor5. Finally, the third party companies that jumped onboard with the Wii a little late (after it launched) will start pushing out their new titles the last few months of this year--perhaps starting as soon as July or September.


On top of which, we have no idea whatsoever what Nintendo is going to suddenly reveal at E3 and Disaster: Day of Crisis is still slated for a 2008 release. If that's not enough, Call of Duty 5 was confirmed for the Wii (so Nintendo will be with the big boys this time) and will be coming out around March 09, and there is still the neutered Rock Band and upcoming two Guitar Hero games coming--and Guitar Hero 4 was revealed to have downloadable content for the Wii this time. The Conduit is also still supposed to come out in 2008.

All of Nintendos big releases have been revealed very close to their release (a matter of months) so who knows what they have up their sleeve.

Dont underestimate them when they trumped GTA4

Nintendo always have something up their sleeves, so we'll see more games announced for the wii throughout this year and E3, we can also expect many good games coming out from third parties too.

There are almost as many Doubting Thomas' as there are Nintendo Wii's.

Sigh.

/sigh.


Nintendo can hold themselves up just fine... They have more popular and incredible franchises than you can shake a stick at.