Has importing gone 'mainstream' with the GameCube?

[Max M]

Today I was at HMV in London when I was surprised to see that there's an official UK Animal Crossing guide despite the game never being released here!

Anyway, it got me thinking... although the GameCube by it's very nature isn't very 'mainstream' in Europe, could this be the first time importings reaching a wider audience... reaching, the casual gamer? Or is it just that most GameCube owners are hardcore gamers who know their stuff? Let's look at the facts.

- UK guide writers are making guides or American-only games, surely the first time this has happened?

- CUBE magazine giving out disks for free on their front cover that allow you to play various import games, making it more easier than ever.

- Even NOM who used to have an extremely strict PAL-ONLY policy has started reviewing import games such as the Japanese Soul Calibur 2, a move eerily similar to that of the Sega Saturn Magazine when the PAL market started to die.

So what do you think? Could the GameCube have the biggest import scene of any console in Europe yet? We've certainly moved on from the days when people were paying ?100 for Street Fighter 2.

I can see why NOE is starting to get worried.

[edandersen]

Yet NoE are *STILL* going after importers. You watch as I ask the most awkward questions at their ECTS breakfast press conference. Gosen will wish he never turned up.

If they are so worried that importing is now mainstream, and NoE isn't getting any money, they have two options.

1. Become part of NoA and NoJ, like Microsoft and Sony Europe are part of a global outfit and really couldnt care less about importing. A sale is a sale, abroad or not.

2. Tackle the reasons why the majority of their customers are now importers. I'd love to head down to Game and pick Fzero up now, but can I? Like hell I can. NoE, bar random accessories (pads, cables etc) will never see any of my money. The sooner they change their business model, the better.

[nips]

Well on a small scale, I have a lot of gaming friends, some who buy EDGE every month and bought the GC on launch becuase of the fantasitc line up etc.... but I'm still the only one of them who imports!

It certainly hasn't reached this part of town!

---

But I certainly think that the internet has catalysed a wider-spread acceptance of importing!

[bingowings]

it was only after buying a PAL GameCube (for Metroid Prime), and the release of Freeloader that i began to seriously consider buying imports instead of European releases. it has got to the point now where i have more Jpn/US games than PAL.
i wouldn't consider myself a 'casual gamer', more of a 'fanboy' as i've always had an interest in import gaming, especially with the Dreamcast, (oh, Ikaruga how i love thee) but Freeloader has consolidated my position on import gaming and now i always look for the Jpn/US release dates rather than the usually appalling European ones. which goes to show what a shoddy job NoE are doing, and the more the press cover import games the more NoE will have to change their attitude.

but the strange thing is i have no interest at all in modding my Xbox - i think it's because of the simple nature of the boot disc. you buy it, and on the same day you can be playing Viewtiful Joe.

[Max M]

but the strange thing is i have no interest at all in modding my Xbox - i think it's because of the simple nature of the boot disc. you buy it, and on the same day you can be playing Viewtiful Joe.

Well my Xbox is modded, but I still only really buy PAL games on it. I think it's because Xbox doesn't have many Japanese games... Western games don't take as long to reach Europe.

GameCube is my first real import console as well, although I imported quite a few Dreamcast games too.

[Ginza]

So what do you think? Could the GameCube have the biggest import scene of any console in Europe yet?

Does any other console have such an amazing set of tricks like the GameCube?

Take the Freeloader mainly. It has transformed imports from being a hobby for the minority to a hobby for the majority. Your points in your post are extremely valid as companies are effectively promoting imports and Nintendo dont want you to. Why do you think CUBE magazine give away disks for you to import games? Why do you think NOM review import games now?

Basically because of demand.

No other console has the Freeloader and ok its not 100% perfect but its sure as hell brought imports in to more homes in the UK.

[Scoey]

I wouldnt say it's brought import gaming to the "casual gamer" since I wouldnt consider anyone I know who has a Gamecube to be a casual gamer. I do know a few people who've imported games for it who wouldnt even consider importing for other consoles. Basically I'd say its due to the ease of use of the freeloader, Nintendos decision not to release Animal crossing in Europe and the fact that an exclusivity licence keeps the Cubes best football game (Winning Eleven 6) from coming out here. Most people I know who've imported only get games they know won't come out here at all. If its just a case of waiting a few months they wont bother importing.

[Popo]

- CUBE magazine giving out disks for free on their front cover that allow you to play various import games, making it more easier than ever

Didn't DC-UK release a similar boot disk for the Dreamcast? Pretty sure they did...

If you ask me, importing for the GC is on a similar level to that for the Dreamcast, and that is simply because it's easy - no modifications (believe me, a big turn-off for the un-initiated), just stick a boot disk in and hey-presto, instant overseas access. The PS2 or Xbox don't really offer this level of accessibility, making importing a matter of course for GC owners.

Furthermore, it's cheap as chips (sorry). Freeloader is at ?12.99 on Play, whereas a PS2 mod chip is on average about ?30-35, and that's if you plan on fitting it yourself. Londonconsole charge ?65 for fitting - that's a hefty sum.

I wouldn't say it's popular, but it's certainly popularised. And that's a good thing.

[davidcotton]

Theres also the added convienence of most people having some form of internet connection in the home. THAT makes it much more easy to import as well.

[bangaio]

I'd have thought that importing on the GC is no easier than getting a ?5 spacer for say a pal megadrive or filing the tabs away "back in the day"

The vast majority pf consumers do not want to go to the effort of importing as it is still perceived to be difficult, most people probably do not even appreciate the time delay between some releases.

[insin_]

2. Tackle the reasons why the majority of their customers are now importers.

Earth to edandersen, earth to edandersen

[Lyris]

GameCube is only my second console (before I got my Dreamcast I was a big PC gamer). The European Dreamcast situation to me wasn't too bad, any imports I have (like Daytona, the other ones that got half-releases missing the online options over here) can be easily booted.

After that I got a PAL Xbox. The frustration of seeing games I thought I might sorta like for 45 pounds was unbelievable. As such a few months later I sold it after only getting 4 games (and not paying the full RRP for any of them). Then Russ and Smeghead from here convinced me to join the US Cube scene, and I've never been happier.

I have absolutely no idea why I didn't get NTSC stuff earlier. I knew I could order games for cheap, but the idea of expensive import consoles stuck in my head, but talking to actual people who've done it convinced me. Now my friend has eBayed his PAL GameCube and games for a Japanese/USA version, and another says he will buy NTSC next time around. (Another friend who for some reason is against it all still likes to talk of my "cheap imported crap" )

Anyhow, after getting my Cube, I was expecting to order all the games from places like PlayCentric.com and other online stores, but Smeghead showed me the amount of US Cube stuff on eBay which surprised the hell out of me. Any game I wanted I could just punch the buy it now button and pay over PayPal... I'm just one of the many people who's turned over and there is nothing Nintendo can do about it.

[edandersen]

But if Nintendo suddenly killed Gosen and his cronies and got someone from NoA or NoJ to do a decent job, would you come back to PAL? I sure as hell would.

Simulateous worldwide releases can happen when they want to. Ocarina of Time, Sonic Adventure 2 anyone? It is possible, but Shelly "Gimpface" Friend needs to pull her finger out and make it happen, or she isn't going to have a job in two years' time.

[jimtendo]

As far as i know Zelda OOT did not get quite a simultaneous release across the board. It was better than the usual 6+ months after the USA release though.

Zelda no Densetsu - 21/11/1998 - JP
The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time - 24/11/1998 - NA
The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time - 11/12/1998 - EU

Probably the only time Nintendo came up top trumps for the PAL N64 release...

Sonic Adventure 2 is the only one i would consider a simultaneous release.

[gIzzE]

one of the reasons importing is more popular is because of the internet, and more specifically online shopping.

the atari, colecovision, through to mega drive, snes and then the n64 and dc have all been easy to play imports on but, the games were ridiculous prices.
you could pay ?100 for street fighter 2 on super famicom or wait a few months and pay ?39 for the pal version, also you had to ring round all the mail order outlets from the back of magazines to get the best price which took effort.
And when the game was costing ?70-100 you would normally wait for the magazine reviews before parting with your hard earned, now you read the message boards, get all excited and buy it for less than the PAL price withing minutes of reading the first few opinions of a title and you know it will be on your doorstep before lunch the next day.

We live in a global village now and we shop globally, we also sit on a forum that is based around the import scene, which may make you think importing is bigger than it is. Importing is a tiny percentage of gaming in this country, that may change when regional protection is dropped and we all use the same tv system but that wont be for a while.

Just my thoughts