MajorTom

@AmplifyMJ That can be said for every major eShop release right? Are there any statistics that prove the pre-orders for GTA far outweigh the sales after release on the eShop?

With Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition being that high up it shows that games from some franchises will sell regardless. Some franchises are just too big to fail even if the game releases as a broken mess.

@dmcc0 Pretty sure the San Andreas version that is on Game Pass is different from the latest Trilogy. There have already been some public apologies by Rockstar about the game and it has one of the lowest user ratings possible on Metacritic (0,5), https://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/grand-theft-auto-the-trilogy---the-definitive-edition
https://metro.co.uk/2021/11/22/rockstar-sincerely-apologise-for-gta-trilogy-not-offering-refunds-15642508/

My point mainly was that some series will keep selling even if there is information about them being almost unplayable.

@dmcc0 These also are first week sales, so most of these sales are day one or pre-orders. The GTA Trilogy also still is on the 3rd place (right after the two Pokémon versions) in the eShop charts of Europe while that game also is known for all its game breaking bugs and refund requests.

Why does sales equate to quality according to some commenters here? Cyberpunk 2077, the GTA Trilogy and every FIFA game sells millions and we all know how these turned out.

It was pretty obvious that they would sell well. Pokémon is still the biggest multimedia franchise of the world. Last week was COD number 1 and for 5 consecutive weeks before that FIFA 22. The GTA trilogy with all its issues is on the eshop chart in Europe at number 3 right after Pokémon. Those games will sell regardless of quality.

The 3rd best seller right after the two Pokémon versions is the GTA trilogy. (in Europe at least)
This should mean according to some people here that those also are very good games without any glaring issues, because they are selling well.
At this point is it even news if games from the biggest multimedia franchise of the world are selling well on one of the best selling consoles right now? Games like Pokémon, FIFA and GTA will sell regardless their problems or quality.

@Friendly This post gave me more clarification and I now understand your point. I can agree to a certain extend. I myself am content with the game while it felt lacking at certain points in time. The previous games of the series felt more like complete packages when they release to me while New Horizons was more reliant on updates.
I guess it is best to agree to disagree on this subject. Have a good day/night.

@Friendly I am not sure what you are getting at right now. Now you are just giving reasons why the game was not complete at launch? You yourself said "but saying something is incomplete when in total it has more features at launch than the previous game"
You are contradicting yourself right now. You were first saying the game was complete at launch but now give reasons why the game was not complete at launch?

@Friendly Yes you certainly are correct about the staggered releases being intentional, but that seems to be a big part of New Horizons.
New Horizons seems to be build upon releasing features while time passes. The art section of the museum was datamined far before it released, same goes for the Roost and gyroids. The halloween update of last year introduced farming of pumpkins. This likely was a set up for the update that will release next week with the cooking and farming of other crops.
This itself is what people are complaining about. The game was set-up as being complete after all the updates and withholding features which were not in the game at the release. Therefore are people saying that the game released unfinished. It was meant to be that way.

@Friendly "but saying something is incomplete when in total it has more features at launch than the previous game"
While this is correct for the game after all the updates, but saying that it has more features at launch is just misinformation. The holiday events were even released in New Horizons as updates. If you consider an Animal Crossing game without holidays complete, I am not sure if you ever played a game from the series.

While the state of the game at release is another topic. I am fine with these being the last update and DLC. It seems like a very good final update and with all the updates combined it certainly is a full package. The additions of the final update were the ones I missed the most in New Horizons.

@Friendly There certainly are shifts in features that come and go, but there also are basic features which have been there since the beginning. The art section of the museum and diving were obviously planned to be in the game, but were not finished on release. Hence the game releasing unfinished. Many of these updates certainly weren't afterthoughts. All the seasonal holidays were also updates that released later down the line.
Same goes for other recent Nintendo games like the extra courses in that Mario golf game and the maps/weapons from Splatoon that released later on.
The recent Nintendo games seem to go a sort of half live service route with thought out updates for a year or two.

@Friendly In general was every previous game of the Animal Crossing franchise only adding upon the main features of the games before it. They never removed the basic features like the art section of the museum which was in every game of the franchise since the N64 at its release. Same goes for upgrades of the Nook shop which was in every installment after Wild World and seems to not even return in New Horizons. Previous installments only ever removed some minor parts, but New Horizons removed so much of the basic features it even felt like a different series at some point.

@Friendly Come on the game was clearly unfinished when it was released, the art section of the museum and diving even released as updates. The game is not bad and now with the last update it will have almost all the features of the previous installment, but that still took a bunch of updates.
Also if the day that Nintendo starts with life service games is the day that Nintendo as we know it dies. What do you think about the current Nintendo? They already released a bunch of live service games on phones such as Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, Fire Emblem Heroes and Mario Kart Tour

@SpaceboyScreams Thanks, I now see your edit. It seems I had the right idea with comparing it to iceborn.

@SpaceboyScreams I think you will likely be able to keep the items, but won't be able to access the new locations or features from the DLC like the Happy Home Design islands and changing the abiance sounds. This has been done before in games like Monster Hunter World where all content was released in game but you couldn't access the new village from iceborn without the dlc while you can still play with players with the new weapons, armour etc.

@SpaceboyScreams They certainly can revoke access to it. Games like Tetris 99 and the SNES and NES applications also check for an active subscription when you have it installed on your Switch. The trailer clearly said it requires an active subscription to access it, not download it.
Edit: Same happens for online modes of plenty of games.

@SpaceboyScreams You won't be able to keep the Animal Crossing DLC forever, you will loose access to it when your memberschip becomes inactive. It is mentioned in the trailer at the 1:30 mark https://youtu.be/fNsGXJ6Cl00?t=93
"An active Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack is required to access DLC at no addition cost"

I am very pleasantly surprised. This update seems to include most that I felt was missing from Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Guess I will actually return to my town after having left it for about a year.
I am not really interested in the DLC thought, the only stuff that I wanted seems to be in the free update.

@megasean The trailer mentions at the 1:30 mark "An active Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack is required to access DLC at no addition cost"
So you won't purchase it and lose access once your membership becomes inactive.

I think this will probably be a better fit for the series. Having smaller open areas such as Monster Hunter or the Yakuza series will likely make the areas seem more lively compared to big open worlds.

@sanderev It even is € 299 on the French My Nintendo Store. Only some select stores in France seem to have the lower price, but that is the free market in general. I really don't understand where NintendoLife gets their 269 price from. https://mynintendostore.nintendo.fr/nintendo-switch-with-neon-blue-neon-red-joy-con-controllers.html

Is there any real source about a price reduction to €269,- outside of some specific stores? All of the My Nintendo Store websites still seem to give the price of €299,-.
Since Europe has a free market those specific stores are more likely just having special deals, sales or want to get rid of their old stock instead of it being a general price reduction.

@Snatcher Like @Dizzymario said, the first 2 weeks to maybe a month if you take it slow is where New Horizons shines. The progression at the beginning is probably the best of the series, but after that you pretty much unlocked everything. After the start you can decorate your island to your own desire, but you will not unlock any shops, mini-games or be able to invite villagers over or do hide and seek with them.
If you are into decorating it will likely be worth it for the long term, but otherwise you should consider it as a good game for some weeks and then be done with it. You will not see much progression like New Leaf with the main street or Nook Cranny upgrades.
Overall I would say it is a good game and worth trying, but if you are less of a type to decorate your island it certainly is the weakest game of the series.
Edit: sorry I just noticed that your comment was from some months ago. I hate it when an article gets a small update and then shows up as new in the timeline.....

@JaxonH Ok, I can agree with the fundamentals. But also like mentioned in the video has New Horizons lost a lot of its experimental edges from the previous games and that the new features sacrificed a lot of its nuance. In general I agree that Animal Crossing games iterated per instalment, but New Horizons is a bit of a mixed bag. It took more of the basic features away than it should have, like the upgradeable shops, the minigames on the island and many of the old furniture sets.

@Friendly True, them getting worse with "every release" is obviously not true. I get your point. His statements were certainly exaggerated to a bit of an extreme extend.

@JaxonH "And Animal Crossing, that’s just objectively better than previous entries. It offers everything the previous game offered and much more, and each entry has added more than the previous one. Regardless of what criticisms you may have, the game is the best the series has ever seen."

This is just factually untrue, New Horizons cut the most content from previous instalments of the series. It certainly does not offer everything and more.
Edit: This video can probably elaborate about the amount of lost content. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qt5hk5tsFik&list=PL39XjrUXa8HHqYLvyGhaIDfZYSTR1ULFC

@Jey887 Are you already a troll when you consider Wario Ware one of the less Nintendo franchises that did not get worse with time? He just did not like the most recent Nintendo games as much. Guess that makes you a troll now......

@Friendly Can't the same be said the other way around? You are stating that Mario Odyssey, Zelda Breath of the Wild, Mario Kart 8 deluxe, Animal Crossing New Horizons, Luigi’s Mansion 3, Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze, Fire Emblem Three Houses, Pikmin 3 or Super Smash Brothers Ultimate are the best of the series while not everyone agrees.
I know some people who are long time Zelda fans but did not like BOTW because the lack of dungeons. I myself also consider New Horison one of the worst of the series which I am certainly not alone in.
Edit: I also prefer Galaxy 1 and 2 over Odyssey while it still was a good game and I couldn't get myself into Three Houses as much as some previous Fire Emblem games.

Very nice to have a demo. Before trying it out I was not sure if the game would feel as special as the previous ones because you play as the characters, but now after playing some rounds it gets more fun every time when you get to play as a different character in a microgame. I am sold, will definitely get it.

This game certainly does not deserve the score. Suda games are obviously not for everyone. But everyone got their taste for that matter. Personal taste should not be a reason to give a game a 3 on a professional review if it is not some unplayable broken mess. The controls certainly were a bit clunky at first, but it did not take that long to get used to them. Same could be said about the new controls for games like Skyward Sword HD.

@Mountain_Man You are partially correct, some of those upgrades mainly give you more options for items, but not all do.

Some are more gameplay focussed like the disco where you can listen to Dr. Shrunk's jokes (which unlocked the emotions instead of you just getting them handed to you by villagers) and dance to the music of DJ K.K. in the night. The Roost unlocked a mini-game to serve coffee to your villagers who all got their own coffee tastes you had to learn and Katarina will tell you your future/ lucky item. The police station gave you lost and found. All of those are more on the gameplay side than aesthetics.
Same goes for the museum shop which gave you access to silver tools which all had their own original features, like the shovel that made ores spawn faster and the others helped you with catching. While now the only upgrade for tools is being able to use them more before they break. This is all gameplay not aesthetics.
You calling the Rooster and Police station only aesthetics while they obviously added mechanics seems to show that you really only can think of decoration instead of seeing the whole picture.

The aesthetics content also had more progression for that matter. For example you unlock the feature to buy shoes after you unlock Kicks instead of him just randomly showing up, or unlock the feature to change your hair, eyes etc. at Shampoodle instead of getting it handed to you with your first mirror which is part of your first DIY set in the tutorial. You were later on able to have more variety in the Nooks shop by unlocking the floors.

@Mountain_Man I am not talking about the aesthetic content. I am talking about features, like unlocking the disco, unlocking more floors for Nook's store, unlocking a shop for Rooster, Leif, Kicks and Katarina. This all progresses the game with more features. Now you got most of those through updates like the dream suite or they are just based on luck like how Kicks or Leif just randomly appear. In New Leaf many of those villagers first appeared randomly but after meeting them enough or donating a certain amount of items to the museum you unlock the feature of always having them in your town. Donating 20 items to the museum unlocked the museum shop with Celeste, 50 donations unlocked Rooster. Katarina and Gracie required a certain amount of visits. Rooster will likely just be handed to you in a later update without any requirements in New Horizons and for the last two I mention you even have to pray that they will come back in an update in the first place.

@Mountain_Man I can see your view with progression, but that progression is more decorating related than game features related. I myself am not much of a person who want to fully decorate their island. I had my fun with New Horizons but I do consider it the weakest in the series. At the same time I still consider a town with only two small shops barren even if you got your island fully decorated. All the decoration on the island never gave me much of a satisfying feeling since all of it is more for show. Most of the items are not really intractable or you give any benefit.

The most that I miss of the game is unlocking the multiple floors for the shop of the Nooks. I really don't see any reason why that does not exist in the game. That had been a feature since Wild World that only got expanded upon in the games. How New Horizons only has 2 small shops now really feels empty. Also you stating that grinding bells to unlock gated content is incorrect. Many of the shops unlocked by having a higher approval rating, having a special villager visit a set amount of times or donating a certain amount to the museum. You can read it here. https://www.thonky.com/animal-crossing-new-leaf/shop-unlock-guide

I guess we can best just agree to disagree. I certainly understand the reasons why you like New Horizon but I myself prefer progression in features instead of decoration.

@johnvboy You yourself said
"Not really trying to change your or others minds, as it's pretty much impossible, and the same the other way, just trying to get away from the whole attack and defend narrative, because neither camp should have to justify liking or hating the game."

While you reply to many posts who give their opinion while defending your own. You seem to want justification, since you directly @ them. If you don't see the contradiction in those actions then I guess I can't help you any further.

@Mountain_Man Let's keep it factual. Outside of unlocking the first Nook shop upgrade, the museum, clothes shop and terraforming what is there more to unlock? You can catch fish, bugs and dig up fossils but those were in every animal crossing. In New Leaf you had 4 upgrades for the Nook shop and also unlocked all the shops from the main street in their own way. Now most of the main street shops were put into the game by updates with instant access from a furniture item. When the dream suit released you can just access it directly by lying on a bed. Shampoodle is from having a mirror, kicks and leif are randomly on the plaza etc. While in New Leaf you unlocked those shops in the main street by reaching certain conditions.
Edit: Oh I forgot unlocking the big amount of DIYs for New Horizon. I guess that is something you can do, while I myself don't consider that much of a fun activity some probably will.

@johnvboy I never said you weren't allowed to put your opinion on the subject as much as you like. I was just pointing out the hypocrisy.

Btw counting posts is rather easy, there exist a shortcut with ctrl + f to search the amount of times a word exists on a page. Since I first had to scroll down to comment anyway and noticed a name pop up a lot I wondered what the exact amount was. It was very easily done. I did not have a slow day overall since this is only my second post today on some Nintendo news site. Have a good day yourself.
Edit: Also I never accused you of trolling. I said that I was not sure if it was some weird kind of trolling or that you are that blind to your actions. With such a passive aggressive reply to the subject it could still be either of the two, or maybe a third option I could not even think of.

@johnvboy "Not really trying to change your or others minds, as it's pretty much impossible, and the same the other way, just trying to get away from the whole attack and defend narrative, because neither camp should have to justify liking or hating the game."

15 of the 82 comments here are literally you replying to others to defend the game. I am really not sure if it is weird trolling or if you are this blind to your actions. Also I am pretty sure most ignored you by now since I am only the secend person who actually replied to you. Does not seem like "trying to get away from a attack and defend narrative" from your part. XD

The opening ceremony of the Olympics featured songs of series from Bandai Namco, Square Enix, Capcom and Sega (who also made the Olympic game). So it seems that Nintendo is a bit the odd one out of the Japanese game companies.

@fafonio Where did you get the idea that Desperate Struggle was the better game? Many of the fans prefer the original actually over it and wanted the overworld to return. No More Heroes is also not much of a game to follow ongoing gaming trends, if you think that was the reason that the overworld existed. It parodies these trends far more than it would follow them.

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.”

• Albert Einstein

Seeing the same rumours every month for years reminds me of this quote. Can we at least get some new rumours instead of the same old ones over and over.

@Iggy-Koopa How does having DLC change the value of the base game? If the standard game is 60€ then it is 60€. You can consider the DLC not worth it, but that still is optional.
Dread also has amiibos which pretty much work the same as day one DLC and also ramp up the price even more if you want to go by that analogy.

@ModdedInkling The original Skyward Sword on Wii already had a hero mode, so it will probably just keep the original one.

@Dethmunk You are incorrect about Wind Waker not having changes in the control scheme since it added motion aiming and some touch control features for item selection and using the baton. They also implemented Miiverse functionality into the game with the Tingle bottle, which is likely far more original code than adding amiibo support. Mapping the aiming in Skyward Sword to a second joystick and adding amiibo support are likely very easy to implement. I expect Nintendo having a library for the NFC-functionalities which can easily be imported in the source code of a switch game. It likely requires some testing and tweaking but that has to be done for every project.
Nintendo also has their own Wii emulation software which they already have used before to port Mario Galaxy and I expect they did the same with Skyward Sword.

I summon Pokémon Exodia!

@johnvboy Not having an issue with something is a big difference from defending such practice. I myself don't have the biggest issue with it, but I do not approve of this practice.
However I consider the few people who fill up almost half of the comment sections of those articles by replying to most complaints to defend those practices fanboys.
Edit:
On topic, I think that a big part of the issue also is that this game is a remaster of a Wii game with rather small improvements for full price. Back when this game originally released it was 70 Euro with a soundtrack CD and controller included while the base game now already is 60 Euro.

@Tyranexx Horizon Zero Dawn and the games of Quantic Dreams (Heavy Rain, Beyond: Two Souls and Detroid: Become Human) are already in the epic store and Days Gone will release in it on 18 May, so one of the big 3 already did it.
I don't see Nintendo games coming to any pc platform anytime soon, but Sony certainly is considering it and already released some games.
https://www.gematsu.com/2021/04/sony-group-corporation-invests-another-200-million-in-epic-games
https://www.gematsu.com/2020/08/sony-interactive-entertainment-to-continue-to-invest-in-or-acquire-companies-explore-expanding-first-party-titles-to-pc

@Muddy_4_Ever Wario Ware Smooth Moves and Touched both released on the first year of the platform they released on. Those two were one of the best of the series. The only good wario ware that released during the end were Gold and Twisted as far as I know. The first was released in the 3rd year of the gba, so more of a half way point.

@blindsquarel
It was on the Wii which sold more than a 100 million units.