User:GoneIn60/GameCube

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The Nintendo GameCube received generally positive reviews following its launch. PC Magazine praised the overall hardware design and quality of game titles available at launch. CNET gave an average review rating, noting that while the console lacks a few features offered by its competition, it is relatively inexpensive, has a great controller design, and launched a decent lineup of games. In later reviews, criticism mounted against the console often centering around its overall look and feel, describing it as "toy-ish" and less durable than the competition. In the midst of poor sales figures and the associated financial harm to Nintendo, a Time International article called the GameCube an "unmitigated disaster."

Looking back, Joystiq compared the GameCube's launch window to its successor, the Wii, noting that the GameCube's "lack of games" resulted in a subpar launch, and the console's limited selection of online titles hurt its market share in the long run. Time International concluded that the system had low sales figures, because it lacked "technical innovations".

Nintendo sold approximately 22 million GameCube units worldwide during its lifespan, placing it slightly behind the Xbox's 24 million, and well behind the PlayStation 2's 153 million. The GameCube's predecessor, the Nintendo 64, outperformed it as well selling nearly 33 million units. The console was able to outsell the short-lived Dreamcast, however, which only sold 10.6 million units. In September 2009, IGN ranked the GameCube 16th in its list of best gaming consoles of all time, placing it behind all three of its sixth-generation competitors: the PlayStation 2 (3rd), the Dreamcast (8th), and the Xbox (11th).

Market share
Despite Nintendo's efforts, the GameCube failed to reclaim the market share lost by its predecessor, the Nintendo 64. In terms of overall hardware sales, it remained a steady third place behind its direct competitors – Sony's PlayStation 2 and Microsoft's Xbox – throughout the lifespan of all three consoles. The console's "family-friendly" appeal and lack of support from certain third-party developers skewed the GameCube toward a younger market, which was a minority demographic of the gaming population during the sixth generation (see chart). Many third-party games popular with teenagers or adults, such as the blockbuster Grand Theft Auto series and several key first-person shooters, skipped the GameCube entirely in favor of the PlayStation 2 and Xbox.

While many of Nintendo's own first-party titles saw strong sales, this did not typically benefit third-party developers or drive sales of their games. Many cross-platform games — such as sports franchises released by Electronic Arts — sold far below their PlayStation 2 and Xbox counterparts, eventually prompting some developers to scale back or completely cease support for the GameCube. After several years of losing money from developing for Nintendo's console, Eidos Interactive announced in September 2003 that it would end support for the GameCube, canceling several games that were in development. Later, however, Eidos resumed development of GameCube titles, releasing hit games such as Lego Star Wars: The Video Game and Tomb Raider: Legend. In addition, several third-party games originally intended to be GameCube exclusives – most notably Resident Evil 4 – were eventually ported to other systems in an attempt to maximize profits following lackluster sales of the original GameCube versions.

The 1.5 GB proprietary mini-disc format may also have been a limiting factor, since the PlayStation 2 and Xbox could use 8.5 GB Dual-Layer DVDs for larger games. The GameCube mini-disc still had sufficient room for most games, although a few games would require an extra disc or, sometimes, feature less content than the other versions. Higher video compression for some games was also potentially more apparent on some GameCube versions, if employed by developers as a workaround for storage constraints.

With sales sagging and millions of unsold consoles, Nintendo halted GameCube production for the first nine months of 2003 to reduce surplus units. Sales rebounded slightly after a price drop to US$99.99 on September 24, 2003 and the release of The Legend of Zelda: Collector's Edition bundle. A demo disc, the Nintendo GameCube Preview Disc, was also released in a bundle in 2003. Beginning with this period, GameCube sales continued to be steady, particularly in Japan, but the GameCube remained in third place in worldwide sales during the sixth generation era due to weaker sales performance elsewhere.

As of June 2003, the GameCube had a 13% market share, tying the Xbox but falling far behind 60% for the PlayStation 2.

Some third-party companies, such as Ubisoft, THQ, Disney Interactive Studios, Humongous Entertainment and EA Sports, continued to release GameCube games well into 2007. These titles include TMNT, Meet the Robinsons, Surf's Up, Ratatouille and Madden NFL 08.

Proposed changes
The Nintendo GameCube received generally positive reviews following its launch. PC Magazine praised the overall hardware design and quality of game titles available at launch. CNET gave an average review rating, noting that while the console lacks a few features offered by its competition, it is relatively inexpensive, has a great controller design, and launched a decent lineup of games. In later reviews, criticism mounted against the console often centering around its overall look and feel, describing it as "toy-ish" and less durable than the competition. In the midst of poor sales figures and the associated financial harm to Nintendo, a Time International article called the GameCube an "unmitigated disaster."

Looking back, Joystiq compared the GameCube's launch window to its successor, the Wii, noting that the GameCube's "lack of games" resulted in a subpar launch, and the console's limited selection of online titles hurt its market share in the long run. Time International concluded that the system had low sales figures, because it lacked "technical innovations".

Nintendo sold approximately 22 million GameCube units worldwide during its lifespan, placing it slightly behind the Xbox's 24 million, and well behind the PlayStation 2's 153 million. The GameCube's predecessor, the Nintendo 64, outperformed it as well selling nearly 33 million units. The console was able to outsell the short-lived Dreamcast, however, which only sold 10.6 million units. In September 2009, IGN ranked the GameCube 16th in its list of best gaming consoles of all time, placing it behind all three of its sixth-generation competitors: the PlayStation 2 (3rd), the Dreamcast (8th), and the Xbox (11th).

Market share
While many of Nintendo's first-party game titles resulted in strong sales, third-party development on the GameCube was far less profitable, prompting some developers to scale back or completely cease support for the GameCube. Toward the end of the console's lifespan, a majority of third-party releases consisted of movie tie-ins which, for the most part, only landed on the GameCube as a result of the publisher's intention to reach every corner of the video game market. Nintendo's lackluster online strategy coupled with the console's limited disc storage capacity led to higher video compression and missing content in many third-party releases. Consequently, Sony and Microsoft gained a strong foothold in the video game console market that would endure beyond the sixth-generation of consoles. In addition, several third-party exclusives – most notably Resident Evil 4 – were eventually ported to other systems further extending the damage.

Though Nintendo would strive to address these limitations in the GameCube's successor, the Wii, market share fallout from the previous generation would linger in respect to third-party video game sales. Consumers more often than not opted to purchase multi-platform titles from popular franchises on competing consoles. Strong first-party titles and other innovations helped mitigate the damage over time, but the GameCube's market share performance would mark a departure in the company's history of success enjoyed during previous generation consoles.