08-08-2007, 07:28 PM
A very interesting article from IGN:
Quote:
August 8, 2007 - When the original Metroid Prime launched in 2002, it was the must-have GameCube title, which was a marketing feat if you considered that the Metroid series wasn't exactly the epitome of popularity. Back then, space bounty hunter Samus Aran had fallen off the map. It had been almost a decade since her appearance in 1993's hit Super Metroid, after all. Had you asked any videogame newcomer, the odds were probably better that he wouldn't know who Samus was or what she was hunting. But with Prime, Texas-based Retro Studios reinvented Aran's universe in 3D complete with stunning graphics and all without sacrificing the traditional re-traversal nature of the series. Nintendo of America recognized the potential and supported the first-person adventure with early buzz media blitzes, public relations outreach and eventually with a national advertising campaign. We were there to see it from the very beginning and we played the title countless times, interviewed the developer just as many, posted a barrage of media updates, and even flew to Australia to film the creation of a live-action Metroid commercial. The original Prime went on to sell more than a million copies in America alone -- not bad for a series re-imagined for a new generation of players, and on a system whose installed base would never rival its competitors.
Here we are again. Just as Metroid Prime launched about a year after GameCube debuted, so shall Prime 3: Corruption for Wii. But take a look around and you will notice that this sequel, which may advance the series more than any other, has been more or less ignored by Nintendo of America, as the company chooses instead to spotlight in-house creations like Super Smash Bros. Brawl and "expanded audience" efforts like Wii Fit, both of which are scheduled for release well after Corruption. Were Retro's latest set for release next year or even this December, like Brawl, we might be able to understand the disappointing lack of exposure for the game, but Prime 3 ships in America on August 27 -- fewer than three weeks from now.
Where's the pre-release hype? In 2002, prior to the original Prime's release, Nintendo had convinced the world that it was GameCube's Halo killer. And for franchise fans, it was. But since that time, the Big N's enthusiasm for the series seems to have dwindled, at least openly. Perhaps this is because Prime 2 Echoes sold about half as well as its predecessor, a significant drop-off for what should've been one of the company's most lucrative sequels. Of course, it could be argued that Prime 2 performed worse because Halo mania had caught on and, for some strange reason, Nintendo actually shipped Echoes three days after Bungie's hugely successful first-person shooter hit the market. It could also be argued, however, that Nintendo's heart just wasn't in it -- the pre-buzz hype, the PR campaigns and the aggressive advertising blitz that propelled the original game past the million-seller mark were not extended to the sequel.
Echoes, with its drab, purplish Dark World theme, was not nearly as innovative or enjoyable as the original Prime, and yet it was still a fine game. Corruption, though, brings about several innovations and a half-dozen more enhancements to the series. At the core of dramatically changed experience is, naturally, a new control scheme powered by the Wii remote and nunchuk, which enables a greater degree of movement and aiming speed and accuracy than ever before possible. We've gone hands-on with the new scheme and we can tell you that it more closely resembles a keyboard and mouse configuration on a PC than any other first-person-style console-based effort to date. Whether it will ultimately be classified as a shooter or an adventure title, there's little doubt that the responsive controls may be the first to fully prove that Wii has what it takes to enable precisely manipulated first-person titles. Corruption retains the old lock-on nature of the series, if you want it, but also features the option to manually aim in or outside of those targets with the Wii remote. You can finally run and gun while simultaneously looking around. There is a brand new storyline for the title, and it travels Samus Aran to several different planets. For the first time, the Metroid tale comes to life with character voice acting. Another first, Prime 3 runs in true 16:9 widescreen mode in addition to drawing larger, more detailed environments complemented by bloom lighting and advanced particles. Did we mention there are new visors and more complex environmental puzzles, as well as bigger bosses?
The point we're making is that by no estimation is Corruption a throwaway sequel. Clearly, a lot of development time and resources have gone into the creation of this sequel, the third and final act in the Prime trilogy. But here we are, three weeks away, and we remain excited for the product practically in spite of Nintendo's lackluster efforts.
When Nintendo started talking about its then-codenamed Revolution system, it demoed a very brief snippet of Prime 3 gameplay footage. The three-second video wasn't nearly as important as the underlying message, which was that, although the new console would open up a new avenue to casual players, the hardcore crowd wouldn't being forgotten. On top of that, the Metroid franchise would play a key role in the ongoing appeasement of the hardcore player. The publisher seemed to start big with Metroid, but there hasn't been much in the way of follow-through. Consider that the initial unveiling was back in 2005 and since that time, we've had only three chances to go hands-on with Prime 3, all of the sessions limited to under an hour (actually, all but one limited to fewer than 10 minutes). By comparison, we had more time with the original Prime at its first E3 appearance, and were able to milk that title with weekly video updates; unfortunately, Nintendo has not let us take any extended video of Corruption. Furthermore, the publisher has allowed only scarce access to the development studio, which means that we've been unable to talk to the people making the game to dig deeper into its intricacies.
At E3 2007, Nintendo showed only a few additional seconds of Prime 3 at its pre-show Media Briefing. It instead chose to dedicate the event to the casual audience, which is understandable. Later, though, as the company showed off games like Super Mario Galaxy from the official E3 floor, it kept Prime 3 locked away in its private suite and even then allowed press very limited time with the title. When all reactions have proven to be positive, it's a mystery why the company hasn't done more to build and maintain excitement for a project that has the potential to be one of 2007's biggest.
We're die-hard fans so is it possible that we're overreacting? Maybe we're just bitter that we haven't been able to play more of Prime 3 yet. While the latter is most definitely true, we're definitely not alone in our assertion that Nintendo hasn't really done enough to spread the word about Corruption. Earlier today, we posted a poll on the IGN message boards. We asked, Has Nintendo Hyped Metroid Prime 3: Corruption to Your Satisfaction? Of some 200 quick replies, almost 95% (about 190 polled) said no. Only 10 people said yes. One poster joked, "There's a Metroid Prime 3 coming?" Another wrote, "If Metroid Prime 3 does worse than MP2: Echoes, Nintendo only has themselves to blame." One more added, "If I did not go on the Internet and search out info on the game, I would not really even know of its existence. Mario Party 8, on the other hand..."
One astute poster pointed out a gross example of Nintendo's seemingly oblivious backing of Corruption. While Super Smash Bros. Brawl has a dedicated website that is updated five times per week, a quick check of the official Metroid website (http://www.metroid.com) reveals that it is still dedicated to the long-ago-released DS effort Metroid Prime Hunters, with no sign of Corruption in sight. There is not even an icon for the game on the page. And need we remind you that Prime 3 will be available to buy in, yes, three weeks?
What is most unnerving about the lack of awareness and hype for Prime 3 is that as we head into the final stretch, we still don't have any idea what Nintendo's plans are for the game, if any. We've heard no mention of developer blogs or studio tours, no hints of a major advertising campaign, and we're still not even sure when we'll get the game for review -- a frightening thought given that the Prime games have always been long affairs that require dedicated attention to complete.
It's possible that Nintendo feels it doesn't need to go the extra mile for the game -- that it will sell to Metroid fans regardless. We won't argue with that. But we would point out that the original Prime, backed by a tidal wave of hype, more than doubled its unhyped sequel in sales. Obviously, exposure helps.
Is there still hope? Yes. Nintendo has in the past only advertised for software when and after it has released to store shelves and the company still has about three weeks (technically, a little less) to generate some interest. When we contacted NOA for comment about this editorial, the company offered the following statement: "Nintendo fans will be surprised by the quantity and quality of Metroid Prime 3: Corruption information that becomes available before the game launches on Aug. 27. Your patience will be rewarded (or Corrupted)."
We hope so. Still, at this point, comparing the levels of hype between Halo 3 and Corruption would be like comparing an ocean to a swimming pool -- a sad truth when you consider that the Prime games have always been every bit as good as the Halo ones, if not better. We have to think that the Retro Studios team that has poured its heart into this latest title is at the very least unimpressed with Nintendo's present sidelining of it. Here's hoping that Nintendo can turn perceptions around in the time it still has.
Here we are again. Just as Metroid Prime launched about a year after GameCube debuted, so shall Prime 3: Corruption for Wii. But take a look around and you will notice that this sequel, which may advance the series more than any other, has been more or less ignored by Nintendo of America, as the company chooses instead to spotlight in-house creations like Super Smash Bros. Brawl and "expanded audience" efforts like Wii Fit, both of which are scheduled for release well after Corruption. Were Retro's latest set for release next year or even this December, like Brawl, we might be able to understand the disappointing lack of exposure for the game, but Prime 3 ships in America on August 27 -- fewer than three weeks from now.
Where's the pre-release hype? In 2002, prior to the original Prime's release, Nintendo had convinced the world that it was GameCube's Halo killer. And for franchise fans, it was. But since that time, the Big N's enthusiasm for the series seems to have dwindled, at least openly. Perhaps this is because Prime 2 Echoes sold about half as well as its predecessor, a significant drop-off for what should've been one of the company's most lucrative sequels. Of course, it could be argued that Prime 2 performed worse because Halo mania had caught on and, for some strange reason, Nintendo actually shipped Echoes three days after Bungie's hugely successful first-person shooter hit the market. It could also be argued, however, that Nintendo's heart just wasn't in it -- the pre-buzz hype, the PR campaigns and the aggressive advertising blitz that propelled the original game past the million-seller mark were not extended to the sequel.
Echoes, with its drab, purplish Dark World theme, was not nearly as innovative or enjoyable as the original Prime, and yet it was still a fine game. Corruption, though, brings about several innovations and a half-dozen more enhancements to the series. At the core of dramatically changed experience is, naturally, a new control scheme powered by the Wii remote and nunchuk, which enables a greater degree of movement and aiming speed and accuracy than ever before possible. We've gone hands-on with the new scheme and we can tell you that it more closely resembles a keyboard and mouse configuration on a PC than any other first-person-style console-based effort to date. Whether it will ultimately be classified as a shooter or an adventure title, there's little doubt that the responsive controls may be the first to fully prove that Wii has what it takes to enable precisely manipulated first-person titles. Corruption retains the old lock-on nature of the series, if you want it, but also features the option to manually aim in or outside of those targets with the Wii remote. You can finally run and gun while simultaneously looking around. There is a brand new storyline for the title, and it travels Samus Aran to several different planets. For the first time, the Metroid tale comes to life with character voice acting. Another first, Prime 3 runs in true 16:9 widescreen mode in addition to drawing larger, more detailed environments complemented by bloom lighting and advanced particles. Did we mention there are new visors and more complex environmental puzzles, as well as bigger bosses?
The point we're making is that by no estimation is Corruption a throwaway sequel. Clearly, a lot of development time and resources have gone into the creation of this sequel, the third and final act in the Prime trilogy. But here we are, three weeks away, and we remain excited for the product practically in spite of Nintendo's lackluster efforts.
When Nintendo started talking about its then-codenamed Revolution system, it demoed a very brief snippet of Prime 3 gameplay footage. The three-second video wasn't nearly as important as the underlying message, which was that, although the new console would open up a new avenue to casual players, the hardcore crowd wouldn't being forgotten. On top of that, the Metroid franchise would play a key role in the ongoing appeasement of the hardcore player. The publisher seemed to start big with Metroid, but there hasn't been much in the way of follow-through. Consider that the initial unveiling was back in 2005 and since that time, we've had only three chances to go hands-on with Prime 3, all of the sessions limited to under an hour (actually, all but one limited to fewer than 10 minutes). By comparison, we had more time with the original Prime at its first E3 appearance, and were able to milk that title with weekly video updates; unfortunately, Nintendo has not let us take any extended video of Corruption. Furthermore, the publisher has allowed only scarce access to the development studio, which means that we've been unable to talk to the people making the game to dig deeper into its intricacies.
At E3 2007, Nintendo showed only a few additional seconds of Prime 3 at its pre-show Media Briefing. It instead chose to dedicate the event to the casual audience, which is understandable. Later, though, as the company showed off games like Super Mario Galaxy from the official E3 floor, it kept Prime 3 locked away in its private suite and even then allowed press very limited time with the title. When all reactions have proven to be positive, it's a mystery why the company hasn't done more to build and maintain excitement for a project that has the potential to be one of 2007's biggest.
We're die-hard fans so is it possible that we're overreacting? Maybe we're just bitter that we haven't been able to play more of Prime 3 yet. While the latter is most definitely true, we're definitely not alone in our assertion that Nintendo hasn't really done enough to spread the word about Corruption. Earlier today, we posted a poll on the IGN message boards. We asked, Has Nintendo Hyped Metroid Prime 3: Corruption to Your Satisfaction? Of some 200 quick replies, almost 95% (about 190 polled) said no. Only 10 people said yes. One poster joked, "There's a Metroid Prime 3 coming?" Another wrote, "If Metroid Prime 3 does worse than MP2: Echoes, Nintendo only has themselves to blame." One more added, "If I did not go on the Internet and search out info on the game, I would not really even know of its existence. Mario Party 8, on the other hand..."
One astute poster pointed out a gross example of Nintendo's seemingly oblivious backing of Corruption. While Super Smash Bros. Brawl has a dedicated website that is updated five times per week, a quick check of the official Metroid website (http://www.metroid.com) reveals that it is still dedicated to the long-ago-released DS effort Metroid Prime Hunters, with no sign of Corruption in sight. There is not even an icon for the game on the page. And need we remind you that Prime 3 will be available to buy in, yes, three weeks?
What is most unnerving about the lack of awareness and hype for Prime 3 is that as we head into the final stretch, we still don't have any idea what Nintendo's plans are for the game, if any. We've heard no mention of developer blogs or studio tours, no hints of a major advertising campaign, and we're still not even sure when we'll get the game for review -- a frightening thought given that the Prime games have always been long affairs that require dedicated attention to complete.
It's possible that Nintendo feels it doesn't need to go the extra mile for the game -- that it will sell to Metroid fans regardless. We won't argue with that. But we would point out that the original Prime, backed by a tidal wave of hype, more than doubled its unhyped sequel in sales. Obviously, exposure helps.
Is there still hope? Yes. Nintendo has in the past only advertised for software when and after it has released to store shelves and the company still has about three weeks (technically, a little less) to generate some interest. When we contacted NOA for comment about this editorial, the company offered the following statement: "Nintendo fans will be surprised by the quantity and quality of Metroid Prime 3: Corruption information that becomes available before the game launches on Aug. 27. Your patience will be rewarded (or Corrupted)."
We hope so. Still, at this point, comparing the levels of hype between Halo 3 and Corruption would be like comparing an ocean to a swimming pool -- a sad truth when you consider that the Prime games have always been every bit as good as the Halo ones, if not better. We have to think that the Retro Studios team that has poured its heart into this latest title is at the very least unimpressed with Nintendo's present sidelining of it. Here's hoping that Nintendo can turn perceptions around in the time it still has.
I agree 110%. Nintendo overall does a pretty poor job at marketing games, especially AAA titles like this that will tempt the hardcore crowd. Go back to late 2006: did you ever watch TV for more than 20 minutes without seeing a Gears of War commercial? Now how many Zelda commercials did you see? Imagine what it will be like in September when Halo 3 comes out. Marketing is key in this industry and Nintendo needs to start utilizing it.
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