JUNE 29, 2011
NINTENDO IGNORES FANS PLEAS
Despite numerous overtures from fans, Nintendo of America (NOA) announced today they still have no plans to release three sought after Japan-only games in the West.
"We promised an update, so here it is," NOA announced on its official Facebook page. "We never say 'never,' but we can confirm that there are no plans to bring these three games (Xenoblade aka Monado, The Last Story, Pandora's Tower) to the Americas at this time."
With this update, Nintendo still has not announced release dates for any first-party 2011 games for the "hardcore" crowd, a demographic they sought to capture at this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3). The WiiU console - successor to the Wii - was their main focus at the conference, in lieu of titles for their current home console. The WiiU may arrive next year, but also has no release date or games with release dates.
Fans of Xenoblade, The Last Story and Pandora's Tower had taken their impassioned pleas to Nintendo directly through a social media campaign known as Operation Rainfall (who also managed to push Xenoblade to the top of Amazon's pre-order charts days earlier). Quickly going viral, the effort spread across the internet to various message boards and gaming web sites. However, Nintendo has thus far refused to provide a more in-depth response on Rainfall's efforts to those sites.
"Nintendo has not responded to IGN's requests for comments from, or a brief interview with, Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime," said IGN Nintendo Editor Rich George.
Nintendo's response - or lack thereof - did not deter Rainfall supporters, who still have a letter-writing campaign scheduled for July. However, the final line of the company's response - "Thanks so much for your passion, and for being such great fans." - did not sit well with many online posters.
“The bottom line is if the games are not released, how are we supposed to take their E3 comments about a 'commitment to the core gamer' seriously?"
JUNE 29, 2011
OPERATION RAINFALL'S REPLY
"We never say never."
So said Nintendo earlier tonight, in a reply to Operation Rainfall that simultaneously applauded our efforts while also informing us that they may likely be in vain.
Fortunately, we never say "never," either. This effort has grown beyond any of us, touching gamers across the world. That's how a relatively unknown Amazon page, displaying a little-known title, was pushed to the top of the largest internet retailer's pre-order list in a matter of days. We've been able to speak in one clear voice to Nintendo, only asking them to provide us with the type of content we expected when we originally purchased our Wii consoles. Thus far, they have respectfully denied our requests, which is why we must respectfully continue to tell them that their answer isn't acceptable.
The letter writing campaign remains ready. If you haven't copied a template below and printed it out, please do so if you have any desire for a deep, engaging game (or three). New ideas are being created all the time for Operation Rainfall, many of them coming directly from strangers who we had never crossed paths with. This is all your work; it has been an ever-shifting, ever-changing, ever-rewarding experience.
And it's not over yet.
I just pre-ordered Xenoblade. Anyone else who's serious about this, go do the same.
ReplyDelete(if it never comes out, you can always cancel)
I have pre-ordered all three! Let's go!
ReplyDeleteWhy dont we just put in our letters that if aleast one of these games doesnt come out here, that well abandon nintendo? I mean with as many people who are on this, they would have no choice right?
ReplyDeleteWe should ask Anonymous and Lulzsec for their support via twitter.
ReplyDeleteWow....just...wow. I am impressed. THIS is the power of the gaming community. What Nintendo, sitting high atop their stacks of money, haven't yet realized, is just how much an impact their consumers have on them. As a whole, we're not game pieces to be managed. We're the most important people to their company.
ReplyDeleteI fully agree. If Nintendo decides to NOT publish this game, then they need to be taught a lesson. Its simple, don't buy the Wii U. Ignore it. Atleast until they wise up and release Xenoblade and such for the Wii U. Then, and ONLY then can we forgive them.
Heck, I use my Wii to play Gamecube games most of the time anyways. Still, in response to Zephyr....
Yes they have a choice. They always have a choice. The problem is, one of these choices can be described only with 'idiocy'. What perplexes me, is just how stupid Nintendo could be.....
Considering many/most of the games on the wii are... well... terrible I'm surprised they'd decide not to release games they know people will: buy, love, and support.
ReplyDeleteAs a Rain Gauges Expert I really appreciate the post...Thanks for the sharing...
ReplyDeleteGo on the counter offensive. You need to boycott the Wii-U respectfully and teach them the bane of their ignorance. It's only fair. If you do not have something they want, they will simply not listen.
ReplyDeleteThe Wii-U is poised for a terrible sales run and the share stocks have dropped since it's first announcement, you could very well land a mortal blow by taking out even a tenth of it's install base from beneath it's feet.
Nintendo can always kick back, money or not, given their penchant for innovation with ground zero technology. They would love to think otherwise but they do not thrive off of finances as crucially as other companies. You just need them to know we're not chess pieces to be managed, and I fully endorse you my sword even as a European enjoying Xenoblade.
This counter offense will not be only for yourself, but you will wage it for the sake of all other gaming cohorts who feel tragically betrayed by their disregard of the 'core' gamer.
ReplyDeleteYou will wait for a trigger, something they do which tragically upsets the hardcore and that will be a roll call signal for a boycott campaign to avenge not just that, but the painful scope of our last seven years with casual horseshit.
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ReplyDeleteFinished Xenoblade recently and I seriously do not understand why NoA has no plans (as of yet) to release it in the states. This must be one of the best, if not THE best, RPG I have ever played. It makes me angry to see games like these go almost "unnoticed" while crappy games sell millions of copies.
ReplyDelete