Dr_Lugae

@Ralek85 tbf in the current games industry uncommercially viable games rarely get second chances, they die and often take out the development studio with them.

It's likely only through the case that Pokemon is low-risk high-reward that they'd experiment like this. Give Pokemon a AAA budget and they'd probably be solidly iterating the same old formula because even one failure would become costly.

@Striker21 That's all just semantics. I already explained why you can't just add the audiences together or treat the active Switch base like its actually has more buying power than in 2022. As someone as owns both a Switch and a Switch 2 you'd be counting me as two potential customers for the game but I'm not.

If you expect Legends ZA to eventually sell in the ballpark of Legends Arceus, LGPE, etc. You can't possibly believe anyone is sending a message through sales. I mean what if it does outsell Legends Arceus in the end? What does that say?

I also want to see the series improve, but I'm going to be keeping an eye out for Nintendo surveys for the game to say what I like or don't. I'm not going to read or push fluctuations in launch week sales that are negative in some regions and positive in others, as a message from the fanbase about the state of the games.

@Striker21 I updated my post but God of War Ragnarok went on to sell 35% less than GoW 2018. I don't recall any statements by the Playstation fanbase hating on Ragnarok nor do you seem to believe this bigger sales gap was a statement on the poor state of God of War.

I never said Switch 1 owners won't buy the game I do expect they will, and I explained why think the Switch 1 will skew away from 1st week sales. The more active game buyers will be on Switch 2 hence how with possibly 1/15th of the audience size the Switch 2 bought more copies of Legends ZA.

I don't even think the sales are poor. Pokemon Sword/Shield sold 6million first week and they went on to sell 26million. Pokemon LGPE sold 3million first week and they went on to sell 15million. Pokemon Legends Arceus sold 6.5million first week and they sold 15million too.

Pokemon Legends ZA sold 5.8million and you think it's some grand statement on the series. Hell it's only bloody 10% lower than Legends Arceus worldwide 1st week which means in some countries Legends ZA will have had to have matched or outsold Legends Arceus 1st week for the numbers to work out. (and at the very least its known in Japan ZA sold more)

@Striker21 God of War Ragnarok only sold 5.1million in its first week which is lower than Legends ZA's 5.8million.

The PS5 wasn't new when it launched, the PS5 was 2 years old and the PS4 was 8 years.

Also Ragnarok only ended up at 15million to GoW 2018's 23million despite being on two platforms. 35% less, what do you read from that? What were the Playstation audience punishing Sony for?

@TheBigK The Digital sales might, but I think the bigger factor is that the Switch 2 is only estimated to have sold 10million.

It's probably just not big enough yet to offset the decline of the active userbase of the Switch 1. But the Switch 2 took more than 50% of the sales despite having 10% of the userbase suggests that Legends ZA's sales will probably increase a lot over the holiday season in a way previous Pokemon games would not.

@Dylansuxx Half the people complaining about the game didn't even play it.

That's why you get results like Pokemon Scarlet/Violet getting loads of "backlash" yet ending up selling better than Sword/Shield when other Nintendo franchises like Zelda had Tears of the Kingdom sell much less than BOTW despite the fact both games were critically acclaimed.

The silent majority like the Pokemon games. A loud minority who don't even play the games, complain loudly about games they were never interested in.

Fans of the games don't care if these people buy the games or not, but the complainers and whiners seem to care way too much over what fans want to buy and enjoy. They can vote with their wallet, but they can't vote with ours.

@Striker21 There's a big difference between launching at the peak of a systems lifecycle and the end of one and start of another.

Final Fantasy IX (2000) sold about half of Final Fantasy VII (1997) and that isn't because of backlash against the franchise, it got even higher critical reception. It just that the PS1 was 6 years old and the active userbase was dwindling. The Switch is almost 9 years old. The fact it still supporting multi-million launch weeks is exceptional, previous Nintendo systems couldn't do that.

If you look at LGPE it launched smaller than Legends Arceus too, but it endedup selling 15million too because it benefitted from the growth of the Switch. Legends ZA will benefit from launching even earlier in the Switch 2's lifecycle because its sales will ride on the growth of the Switch 2 while the Switch 1 declines.

I would not be surprised if Legends ZA ends up outselling Legends Arceus.

@FishyS Probably differ in whether they've actually played the games.

I'll call it out here but if anyone has bombed the review score of Legends ZA without playing it, then they're pathetic.

If they've played it and rate it negatively that's fair enough it's their opinion.

@Jarodlaraus Yeah I think when someone points to Pokemon (or any game) and goes "Hey Look at this! I think it sucks!".

If the game is appealing and doesn't actually suck it might as well be a free advertisement.

@UpsideDownRowlet I think they should mind their own business lol. Its up to the players who play the game to provide feedback on what's good or bad to the developers.

Not some random who watched some YouTube videos and didnt play the game.

@Jeronan And yeah its kind of telling instead of engaging with your comments, the first port of call is for them to remove it.

Like is this a discussion or a one way broadcast?

@Jeronan I read what you said before it got removed, and yeah agree.

I even think there's a horrible slant in this article because for all they're saying the NPCs and Pokemon on lumiose and the sidequests show a lot of character and personality like its probably one of Pokemon's most believeable settings. Especially compared to the original Pokemon XY which was rather barebones, but I don't recall complaining then.

The idea the setting is creepy is absurd.

Nintendolife really hate this game.

I personally think SEGA have bungled the DLC out of the gate.

If Spongebob is supposed to be an incentive for non-fans to buy the game why is he paid DLC?

Ten year old Little Timmy who likes Spongebob more than Sonic isn't going to spend $70 on the a Sonic game where he has to pay a further $30 Season Pass to play as Spongebob. He'd probably just buy one of those cheapo Nick Racing games for $20.

They should have put fully voiced SEGA/Sonic characters as paid DLC because the biggest fans are also going to be the biggest spenders.

Spongebob and the Nicktoons should have been free and the licensing fees would get made up by the extra sales on account of having those characters. It defeats the purpose of having those character to draw in new players if all the non-Sega characters are behind a fairly big pay wall.

That would be like if all of the third party characters in Smash Bros were paid DLC and all of the Nintendo characters (including post-launch) were free. It'd just be stupid and make non-Nintendo fans less likely to buy the game.

@Yosher Sorry but Legends ZA has no performance issues or bugs even on Switch. It runs solid 60FPS on Switch 2 and 30FPS on Switch 1.

Stop reading through what kind of pre-written platitude-laden script you have you numpty, and actually acknowledge what each game does or doesn't do.

What kind of fan faults a game for issues it doesn't even have? How can you even pretend you want the series to be better if you wouldn't even acknowledge it anyway and will just rant about what happened in a 6 year old game?

@Yosher Well you didn't even say what you meant. The new battle system works well. The game's performance is spot-on. The story and characters are a big step up from what tbe original story for the setting in XY.

You can't just say a vague "settling for less" and be baffled when someone tries to fill in the gaps in what you're talking about.

@Willo567 It came out in peak Switch years where games like it, Animal Crossing, Pokemon SV, LoZ TOTK and Super Mario Wonder we'll doing 10-20million in their launch quarter

Like we were seeing games launch with numbers as big as or even bigger than many of Nintendo's biggest games in those series would take years to sell in the past.

@Yosher 25 years ago you could argue the same about Pokemon Gold/Silver. I do remember gaming magazines reader older gamers pissed off over Pokemon being as big as it was.

G/S recycled a great amount of Red/Blue's overworld graphics even in the Johto sections even though they could have easily afforded to re-do everything. Though obviously the game was still good, production values be damned.

Voting with your wallet can include buying the game after all.

@horizonisland tbf regarding monster numbers. A lot of Pokemon's ZA roster get mega evolutions which are effectively new models arent counted. Galatians Slowpoke and its evolutions and Alolan Raichu are in but they don't count towards the roster.

A lot of Digimon Time Stranger's roster is pumped up by recolours. Having Goblimon/Sharmamon/SnowGoblimon, Gotsumon/Icemon/Meteormon as separate monsters even though they're just recolours or minor model edits. It' be a bit like saying Pokemon has 460 monsters on the basis of the Shinys.

Between Pokemon not counting Megas and Digimons recolours being counted the number of unique monsters is probably quite close.

However Pokemon Legend ZAs biggest edge has more impressive animations and dynamic battles this time as the monsters move around, make contact with their physical attacks. Whereas in Time Stranger monsters are just animated attacking the camera and not actually moving w/ physical attacks which makes them look like they're striking the air.

Noticed the streams have crossed for Sonic Racing Crossworlds. With Switch version now in the lead over PS5.

Like all these PS centric advertising and stuff Sonic is getting seems to be getting just seems like a waste if in the long run it's just going to do best on Switch.

That's a pretty good split for Switch 2 it kinda suggests that if the Switch 2 had 2x the userbase Legends ZA probably would be close to Legends Arceus. (Even ignoring Digital) or if it had 3x the base the Switch 2 would have matched Arceus by itself without Switch 1 sales.

I think with how much room the Switch 2 has to grow this holiday and the bundles it'll probably make up for the decline in Switch 1 game sales.

@PeterTomlan86 I think because ZA is using a whole new battle system they're using these as an incentive to get people to try it out.

I'd imagine if it was just the standard Pokemon battle system they'd just expect people would play it.

I'd say I can't believe Nintendo life doesn't like Pokemon but I'm not convinced they even like Nintendo anymore lol.

@Mythra Yeah supposedly Galaxy dropping two spaces from #3 to #5 is "all the way down".

Yet Yotei dropping the same number from #1 to #3 is just "pushed down".

Like why does Galaxy deserve the exaggerated language?

@mikegamer And you're the reason Digimon Hadn't changed in 20 years. Enjoy your reheated slop from the millennium.

I'll Enjoy the actual new Pokemon, with new gameplay. Maybe someday you'll get something new but I doubt it, enjoy yet again the same old Digimon Story game in 2035 I guess.

@mikegamer You call your load of lazy platitudes "criticism". Then immediately roll over and give up in the face of actual critique backed up with examples.

You're the one coping lol. Skulk off now, maybe next time you can come back with a real argument. These comments are supposed to be a discussion, not a one way broadcast.

@mikegamer As they say those in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

@mikegamer Digimon Story Time Stranger locks the best grinding spots behind paid DLC though like they're purposely hamstringing your ability to level and selling you the cure for money.

Not to mention Time Stranger plays like the same halfbaked Digimon World/Story DS game from 2006 though with spruced up graphics. No explorable overworld, just hub town and linear dungeons selected from a list. Endless filler sidequests. Boring grindfest gameplay as content. A "new" Digiride mechanic that is just purely cosmetic and serves no real purpose, how exciting lol.
(I'll point out when Pokemon lets you ride a monster it actually means something in gameplay)

20 years of stagnant Digimon Story paired with cash grab DLC the only thing Bandai is passionate about is shaking the last few pennies out your wallet with a game series they've never innovated. What's different this time? Just the models look slightly better, good to know lol.

Pokemon Legends ZA is actually innovating on its gameplay systems and doing new things with the genre. It's actually bringing interesting ideas because they actually have passion about advancing the genre. I suppose you don't care because you seem to care about the graphics more than the actual gameplay.

@mikegamer Enjoy your "Superior" game filled with over $100 of DLC ontop of the $70 base price.

@Clammy The Switch 2 has launched with what is practically guaranteed to be its best seller (Mario Kart World) and something that was a big 3D Mario in all but name (Donkey Kong Bananza).

I think just dismissing them is flimsy because as shown by Mario Kart 8D last gen. Once Mario Kart releases it's in the charts for the rest of the generation and usually into the next gen.

You're saying it lacks a must-have or system seller to explain the sales, but it literally had one the day it released. I don't get how lightly people dismiss Mario Kart when it's pretty much Nintendo's Grand Theft Auto or Minecraft.

@WiltonRoots Yeah the cycle of complaints.

"It's going to flop" turns into "Nintendo's scamming it's audience" turns into "it's only fanboys buying it, it will stop selling soon" turns into "it was always going to sell".

@OwenGamer22 Because they can be against IP theft by both Humans and AI and that would just be Nintendo being consistent.

The key point is they don't want others using their IP without permission, why would it matter who or what was doing it?

Pretty good for Mario Galaxy. I think the big question will be what impact the movie will have on it. Itd be interesting if it can beat the originals.

@illmatic20xx Yeah even looking at the chart. Chances are Crossworlds is going to be under Mario Kart 8 by next week. Let alone MKW.

The series just aren't in the same ballpark.

@Kobra Also if the guy just likes to jump into a race how can he be happy with Crossworlds customisation options?

Fiddly stuff like that where pieces can make miniscule stat changes actually gets in the way of getting into a race, its that sort of stuff that can delay a local multiplayer. Whereas in Mario Kart World you just pick the character,the Kart and you're sorted.

I played Crossworlds on Network test on Series X and it really doesn't seem to reflect what the article writer says. It controls awkwardly, the music is uncharacteristically poor for a Sonic game (especially the noxious thene song blaring on the main menu) and the customisation granularity os overkill for a Kart Racer.

I think this is probably the best looking Pokemon game and it looks perfectly fine barring the cube buildings. But I think it's a bit silly to both go after the visuals and then also doubt the performance on Switch. It runs smoothly on Switch 2 according to previews.

The visual concessions are likely important to making sure the Switch version has a consistent framerate which will be important given the battles will be in real-time. They can't just abandon the Switch audience just because they've got a powerful system to run the game on.

I think the main problem is it seems since Sonic x Shadow Generations SEGA have some kind of exclusive advertising arrangement with Sony. Because Nintendo hasn't really advertised Crossworlds or shown it in there directs, but has been showing in state of plays.

It seems like they've sacrificed advertising on their biggest platform in order be mildly antagonistic towards it in the advertising and when the head of Sonic Team took potshots over MKW not having cross-play at the SGF. And not having a Switch 2 version available.

Between this chart position and being below MKW here in the UK Where Sonic is most popular I think they've kinda squandered Sonic's resurgence in an attempt to be combative with the platform it relies on most.

@RupeeClock I think the Switch Crossworlds will do better than the PS5. The Sonic games tend to do better on Nintendo due to the wider audience age range.

But for a £60 game, it's very likely the younger audience will be slower to buy it (Whether from saving up, asking for it for Christmas, Birthdays,etc>0. Whereas day 1/week 1 sales is skewed to older players who have control of their own income. The same happened with Sonic x Shadow Generations, high PS5 sales upfront and then a shift to Switch.

Though it launching below a single week of Mario Kart World is a bit funny. Like even with the bundle that's not very good at all considering MKW already has a near 100% attach rate to the system so there isn't many people who own a Switch 2 who don't already have the game.

@GrailUK It's the ever moving goalpost. People want what they cant have (SMG2) and complain about when they get it lol.

This thing will sell millions. Half the people complaining about it will pony up the money, and I think a lot of kids who learn about Mario Galaxy from the movie next year and get a Switch or Switch 2 will be bound to get this.

I'll bet it will probably sell over 10million when all is said and done, showing the continued toothlessness of Internet outrage in face of a good product.

@Zeebor15 I think they announced the paid DLC for Mario Golf World Tour and Fire Emblem Awakening on 3DS

@UltimateOtaku91 Probably the best chance for it tbh. The Movie comes out during the start of the new financial year and Nintendo will want something to ensure the Switch 2s second year can beat the first.

So having a new Mario game come shortly after the movie would be perfect.

@aznable If the guy made $2million or more from selling the hardware the fine would be no punishment.

He was given an out the first time they caught him, Nintendo wouldnt have taken to him to court and he'd have kept the money, but he continued doing it.

If he was fined only what he could afford to pay you can guarantee he'd still be selling modded systems with pirated games right now. Why wouldnt he?

"Final Fantasy I - VI Collection Switch 75%, PS4 25%"

I swear if Square Enix don't make FFXVII a multiplat with Switch 2 as a platform day 1 instead of Playstation exclusive they've totally lost it. It's so obvious their audience simply isn't just on Playstation as much as they attempt to force it to be.

That's very big. I wonder if this will be feature rich like Kid Icarus Uprising.

If so I'll look forward to playing this for hundreds of hours lol

@Anti-Matter The point of this is to be a dedicated competitive battling app. If they stuck a story and adventure in then there's no difference between it and the mainline entries.

If you want an RPG with a story there's Legends ZA in a few months lol

@PinderSchloss Because bland is:

Action RPG Sandbox - Legends Arceus
Open World - Scarlet & Violet
Real Time battle System - Legends ZA

All in the last 3 years lol. What series has explored more different approaches in the last 3 years?

That Yoshi is really cute.

@Tasuki I mean they held themselves to the same standards by removing the art immediately after discovering it.

The people they end up taking legal action against are always defiant and either deny or continue infringing even after being warned.

If the people/company Nintendo sued acted like The Pokemon Company did here. They'd stop whatever they were doing and never get sued in the first place

If they acted like Gary Bowser or Pocketpair the old art would still be in the game right now, and they'd be denying it was copied from fanart. They wouldn't be making new art and issuing a statement confirming the old art was from unofficial material.

@CobaltFan I think you'd only be able to tell the frame rate in the movement and button response.

The characters themselves only have a few frames of animation so 60FPS or 120FPS probably won't make any difference with the walk cycles.

Why didn't they ask permission?