Nintendo pledges long-term Cube support

By Rob Fahey Published 14 June, 2004

Won't go to the guillotine in Revolution.

Comments made in a Japanese newspaper by Nintendo president Satoru Iwata indicate that the company is planning to continue to sell the GameCube hardware well into the lifespan of its next-generation console, codenamed "Revolution."

Iwata told Yomiuri Shimbun that Nintendo may well sell the "Revolution" device alongside the GameCube hardware for quite some time - presumably hoping to follow in the footsteps of Sony, which continued to sell large volumes of the PSone long after the launch of the PS2.

However, it's not clear whether Iwata's comments represent a commitment from the company to continue developing new software for the GameCube into the next console cycle, or simply an intention to continue supplying the channel with new units for as long as they are required.

The "Revolution" system, which is Nintendo's next home console, will be unveiled at E3 next May in Los Angeles, and is expected to launch in 2006 - although the E3 unveiling could equally indicate a late 2005 launch in Japan.

Nintendo has pledged that "Revolution" will mark a genuine departure from traditional home consoles, with a focus not only on increased processing and graphical prowess but on new ways of interacting with the system and new forms of gameplay.

Picture of Rob.

About Rob Fahey

Rob Fahey is a former editor of GamesIndustry.biz who spent several years living in Japan and probably still has a mint condition Dreamcast Samba de Amigo set.

Read more articles from Rob by visiting the Rob Fahey archive page.

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Comments (21) Latest comment 8 years ago

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  • CrunchinJelly #1 8 years ago

    Didn't Nintendo pledge 'long-term support' to the N64 some 6 months before it eventually fell on its arse?

  • malloc #2 8 years ago

    Hmmm, hope that this doesn't turn into not being able to support 4 systems very well and they all do poorly. Also some more short-term support would be nice.

    Having said that N generally seem to go cold about 18 months before the release of their next console, and with Zelda mid-2005 that's obvioualy not happening this time around.

  • #3 8 years ago

    not happening this time around?! THEY ARE COLD NOW.

  • Pirotic #4 8 years ago

    they'll continue supporting it?

    i take it that should be read as "continue doing fuff-all of interest apart from remakes of N64 games which may not get a pal release anyway"

  • Pirotic #5 8 years ago

    with nintendos track record you can hardly blame us, they couldn't wait to ditch the N64.

  • rebelradiouk #6 8 years ago

    im sorry but in this case respect given where respect is due, nintendo was one of the big consoles when i was younger, and if things where different and nintendo didnt argue with sony in the first place the ps1 would never have happened but in this it shows nintendo are comited to there cause and if they dont back out of that ill stick by them to cause i believe they have a lot of fire in them yet

  • AlcohollicA #7 8 years ago

    Nintendo kept making nes titles well into the snes lifetime, but then i suppose nes games werent that hard to make.

    And Nintendo has enough problem supporting 1 console at the moment never mind 2.

  • andrewfromdoncaster #8 8 years ago

    "And Nintendo has enough problem supporting 1 console at the moment never mind 2. "

    They're currently supporting 2 and that will rise to 3 by the end of the year

  • beep #9 8 years ago

    Funny if Nintendo's "Revolution" system turns out to be a Gamecube with a waffle iron attached to it.

  • jumpdeveraux #10 8 years ago

    *sound of yet another nail being driven into Ninty coffin*

    can't see anyone apart from their inhouse dev creating games for both Cube and 'Revolution', imagine all 3rd party's will just port their XBox2 and PS3 titles to Revolution... :-/

    heard revolution will feature a new kind of disc, 12", made of vinyl, spins at 33.3 rpm with streaming audio data...

  • 3william56 #11 8 years ago

    "Funny if Nintendo's "Revolution" system turns out to be a Gamecube with a waffle iron attached to it."

    And two TVs. And a biro.

  • Blerk #12 8 years ago

    the company is planning to continue to sell the GameCube hardware well into the lifespan of its next-generation console

    Shame they've already stopped selling the software, then. At least in Europe.

  • martyngates #13 8 years ago

    releasing online enabled versions of old games.. that would be a good way to help your lifespan n(and dont pretend youve never done cheap updates! mario 64 and wave race 64 with rumble support!)

    imagine it GC and wavebird playing fzero and mario kart online mmm..

  • Singularity #14 8 years ago


    "Funny if Nintendo's "Revolution" system turns out to be a Gamecube with a waffle iron attached to it."

    And two TVs. And a biro.

    That'd be great. I can never find a pen when I need one.

  • malloc #15 8 years ago

    >not happening this time around?! THEY ARE COLD NOW.

    In fairness I did mention that by saying more short term support would be nice. Where on earth it is I don't know. We seem to get two games at the end of the year from N and one or two others during the year. Dont' know why they are so slow. If they have 4 platforms to support (GBA, DS, GC, Rev) then it'll probably decrease aswell :(.

  • malloc #16 8 years ago

    I reckon that this idea is a good one in theory, keeping momentum going all the way through rather than appearing to start from scratch each time like they've done before. Just hope that they can pump out the software to keep up and I'm not holding my breath.

  • timo180 #17 8 years ago

    "imagine all 3rd party's will just port their XBox2 and PS3 titles to Revolution... :-/ "

    That already happens with all the consoles now, it is made for the ps2 then ported to the rest.

  • jumpdeveraux #18 8 years ago

    Hopefully they will focus on the aesthetics of Revolution as whilst I'm a Nintendo fan the lack of AAA titles makes my Cube an ornament right now...

    *waits for the announcement of Mario 128 as the launch title...*

    /cues soundbite of final large nail driven into N-shaped coffin

  • jawolf #19 8 years ago

    Maybe there will be an interface where you can connect 4 Gamecubes into the "Revolution". ;o)

    And you'd only be able to play Crystal Chronicals: Revolution if you purchased four GameCubes and the necessary interconnecting cables.

  • Kay #20 8 years ago

    There's still a good year and a half left. Lets just wait and see.

  • jawolf #21 8 years ago

    I was hoping also more for a "Revelation" from Nintendo. Or a "Re-evaluation" of the market by them.

    Maybe it will come with inbuilt "Donkey Konga" drums and "clap"(tm) sensor.

  • pjmaybe #22 8 years ago

    Forget the long term support, how about some fucking support NOW!

    Peej