170°

Nintendo, Sony Thrilled as China Considers Lifting 12 Year Ban on Console Sales

Forbes - Potentially big news out of Asia today as China‘s official state-run newspaper, the China Daily, reports that the country is considering ending its ban on the sale of video game consoles which began in 2000.

Snookies124097d ago (Edited 4097d ago )

It would be nice if Sony can get a lot of sales out of this... They really need/deserve it because of the financial issues they're having. Not to mention all of the great things they've done for gamers the past few years.

Off-topic: Why is this picture used so much for Sony articles? Lol, it's pretty hilarious and makes me smile every time, but it's just getting crazy now.

Phil324097d ago (Edited 4097d ago )

How about instead:

"It would be nice if console manufacturers in general can get a lot of sales out of this."

Most companies deserve it, because I don't know if you've been paying attention, but the economy is not being nice to a lot of them. Why single out Sony only when there's so many other deserving companies as well?

Snookies124097d ago

I'm saying in general Sony is suffering the most of the big 3, and out of them has done more for gamers this generation than the others.

Root4097d ago (Edited 4097d ago )

...maybe because Sony are actually trying with the core market, the ones who got them where they are today and are the only ones left who have stayed true to it's roots and not gave their core market the middle finger....they've stuck with us through thick and thin.

Not to mention as Snookies12 said it would give them a little help during their financial problems recently. The deserve this more then others in my opinion

blackbeld4097d ago

"Nintendo and Sony stocks are already up in Japan just based on mere speculation the ban could be lifted."

Nice to see the game industry doing better.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 4097d ago
Phil324097d ago (Edited 4097d ago )

To say that only Sony is trying with the core market is absolutely ignorant, and makes you look like a fanboy.

"they've stuck with us through thick and thin."

Ah. You are a fanboy then. Sorry I wasted my time. I do realize N4G loves fanboys as it gives them heated debates and more hits, but I don't care for you at all.

Root4097d ago (Edited 4097d ago )

Woah....someone is a little upset

No offense but your the one being ignorant here because your jumping to conclusions assuming the worst out of someone

"they've stuck with us through thick and thin."

"US"

Us as in Gamers, not us as in PS3/Sony fans.

You have to give credit where it's due, Nintendo have only recently started to focus more on the core with the Wii U while MS...well we haven't seen a new IP from them in years and it#s pretty obvious after Kinect that they don't care for us anymore.

You say heated debates yet your the one starting an argument out of nothing. If I had said for example

"Sony rules, MS and Nintendo SUCK"

Then fair enough, call me a fanboy

phantomexe4097d ago (Edited 4097d ago )

lately i've agreed with most of what you have posted root and snookies but on this know way. I couldn't disagree more.I agree with phil32 only i know you guys aren't fanboys because i'm remember your other post but it does make it look that way. I'm guessing bad choice of wording.

GribbleGrunger4097d ago (Edited 4097d ago )

No, bad choice of interpretation. Snookie's no fanboy. Obviously he'll sometimes disagree with you but that doesn't automatically make him a fanboy. Jees, this needs to stop. Can't we fight like men and then shake hands when the gloves are off? After beating the living day lights out of some obnoxious youth, my friend grabbed him up off the floor, dragged him to a pub and bought him a pint. That's HONOUR. They're now best of friends and the youth learned something valuable.

Snookies124097d ago (Edited 4097d ago )

@phantomexe - I will admit that I do like Sony a little more than Microsoft or Nintendo (I'm sure everyone has a preference at least if nothing else), however I try not to put them above any others. I suppose you're right though, perhaps I'm just having difficulty trying to word what I'm trying to say right... Bottom line is, Microsoft and Nintendo seem to be doing alright in terms of money. While Sony on the other hand is amassing debt. I'd just like to see that debt relieved so that all 3 major companies thrive nicely.

Campy da Camper4097d ago (Edited 4097d ago )

@gribble. Honor like that is pretty much non existent in today's world.I, too, can have heated debates with folks at a pub or whatnot and at the end we toast and wish each other well. The topics are usually politics, religion, women's right to choose, quantum physics, etc. What really bothers me is the amount of pure hate over...video game consoles. Talk about first world problems.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 4097d ago
Phil324097d ago (Edited 4097d ago )

Well, for one:

1) Trying to say someone is upset to try to defame their position is an incredibly cowardly tactic to use. Don't do it. It makes you look silly and desperate to make the other side look bad. I know you from comments you've made before, and I know you're better than that.

2) Sony is a corporation like any other, and they did not "stick with you." They focused on Move and Wonderbook and went after the casual audience just as well as the other two. You can bet that if the Move was as successful as the Wii and Kinect, they would be courting casuals still.

And if you say, Sony at least created core games at the same time, then yeah, so did Nintendo and Microsoft while delivering casual titles as well.

The argument I'm getting from you is that because Sony did new IPs means they care more for the core? I respectively disagree. I think Sony simply doesn't have as many brands that sell astronomically well as Nintendo or Microsoft, so they were forced to create new IPs to try to get something that would. You are free to disagree.

Anyway, I apologize for coming off salty to you. It's hard not to think someone isn't a zealot just because N4G's most vocal and abundant users ARE zealots.

Root4097d ago (Edited 4097d ago )

1) Not really, you were, instead of looking at the possible meanings of what I said you jumped straight to the one which would get you p***** off, thus having your rant at me.

2) So your telling me Sony focused on Move and Wonder book AS MUCH as MS focused on Kinect. Sorry but that's a lot of nonsense, Sony did not shove those down our throats like what MS did with their casual stuff. Lets not forget Sony also didn't forget about the core in the process, we still have their support and we still got exclusive games which show you that they still rely on their first party studios to make core games. If they were like MS they would of told most of them to focus on casual, shovel ware for Move.

"And if you say, Sony at least created core games at the same time, then yeah, so did Nintendo and Microsoft while delivering casual titles as well."

Not that many mate...not as much

"The argument I'm getting from you is that because Sony did new IPs means they care more for the core?"

Of course it does...well it's one of the reasons to support that they do anyway, even despite their financial situation they still put faith and time into their first party studios to create these games....hell they even still care enough to buy them in the first place. If one of them became a big seller then it's a bonus for them, I'm not going to lie and say they aren't in it for the money because they are a business, all business's are like that but they didn't get side tracked because of this, they still stuck to their roots and cared for their core, main audience while making our games and messing around with the casual audience.

EddieNX 4097d ago

Wow just reading some of these comments , some people really are sour about shit lol.

Sony is the only company that hasn't sold out ?

Yeah Nintendo did nothing for gaming in Gen 7 /S Neither did Microsoft /S. It was all Sony /S.

ApolloAdams4097d ago

Sony doesn't "deserve" anything actually. If a company is having financial issues it is mostly their fault.

The consumers pick whether your products are good enough for purchase nothing is deserved in this business world. It is all earned and if Sony does gain millions of customers in China it is because they are offering a superior service not because they are deserving of the business.

Done more for gaming is a subjective thing and it isn't universal at all. So the opinion that Sony is the most deserving of the big three is an interesting one but not one based on fact just opinion.

Best case scenario is China opens the borders and the three compete for the money not we hand them to Sony because they "deserve" it.

shutUpAndTakeMyMoney4097d ago (Edited 4097d ago )

AAAA ps4 games will be funded now? I hope so!

live2play4097d ago

you make me vomit
your scum between my toes

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 4097d ago
RogueStatus284097d ago ShowReplies(2)
2pacalypsenow4097d ago

if it does happen sony and nintendo would rule the console market next gen

Conzul4097d ago

I can see that happening. M$ will keep moving to tablets and gimmicks. I wouldn't really mind that myself - I've never owned an Xbox.

animegamingnerd4097d ago

yeah from what M$ has doing these last few years is really even making me debate to get the next xbox but i am for sure going to get a wii u and a PS4

ApolloAdams4097d ago

Like Sony doesn't make tablets or try gimmick. Seems legit.

Kennytaur4097d ago

It would be awesome with such a huge new market. But China is both piracy-land and cheap-knockoff-land, so it won't be an easy conquering.

juandren4097d ago

Those were my first thoughts as well, but just take into account that China were forced to copy consoles because it isn't available to them. Though I don't think the knock-off market will be reduced to 0% and the big 3 will scoop up the full 100%, I think it will be a safe assumption to say that they will at the very least gain 30% of the market. With China's huge population that is still a MASSIVE leap. I think it will be a 50/35/15% split in the end for Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft, respectively. All fanboyism aside - it will be a huge step for gaming in general and I am interested to see how this will affect future games and add-ons for consoles with first and third parties adjusting their products to appeal to this new market as well

Kennytaur4096d ago

The main problem will be that Chinese gamers will be able to buy a pirated copy of a new game for next to nothing, so publishers may seriously struggle to make money there. And if consoles are sold at a loss there, then they won't make back the difference in game sales.

But I hope it turns out well.

Good_Guy_Jamal4097d ago (Edited 4097d ago )

I hope all 3 manufactures strike gold there. It's so sad that SONY's gaming department is yet to recoup all losses since ps3 launched. They deserve a break, though I still maintain they were very arrogant.
Nintendo deserve it simply because they are Nintendo and they are awesome.
Microsoft. . .well everybody else would be striking gold and it would be sad to see them be the only ones that miss out. Although I don't see Kinect working out in China, what with its space requirements. Also Xbox live being a paid for service is balls. There, I admitted it.

Show all comments (43)
80°

Nintendo's Massacre Of The 3DS And Wii U Is Finally Complete, Regrettably

Hanzala from eXputer: "The cruel hammer of Nintendo has fallen. Farewell, 3DS and Wii U, you surely brightened my life and many others; you won't be forgotten."

280°

Xbox's Preservation Step Sets A Much-Needed Example, Especially For Nintendo

Hanzla from eXputer inquires: "If Xbox can care about preserving its games and legacy, what exactly is wrong with Nintendo, trying to kill game preservation single-handedly?"

purple1015d ago

Ahh yes the good old game preservation of saving all your games to a removable hhd on the Xbox 360, taking it round your mates house, setting up multiple tvs to
Be met with “save data corrupted, please re download”

Or how about removing 360 games
From the store
, download them now or else, and, better hope to god that save data doesn’t corrupt, or it’s lost for ever

Nice one ☝️

Zeref4d ago

It's better than what Nintendo and Playstation is doing. It might not be perfect but at least they are TRYING. Unlike the others.

DarXyde4d ago

Trying? Take off the blinders for a moment, mate.

1. A failure to preserve games is just that: a failure to preserve games. Don't try to sugarcoat it: NO ONE is doing it properly. Better than awful is nothing to write home about.

2. At the time of this comment, isn't it the case that you need an internet connection to play Xbox games even if you buy physical discs that are hardly in circulation anymore? I don't have a Series X and I can't verify, but I think that is correct. I'm fairly certain you can at least play PS5 games at version 1.0 (not much of a win really when many games require day one patches). I think Microsoft's all digital, licensing approach is by far more aggressive than anyone else's. They really try to push you to game pass where you lose your entire library by umm.... Skipping a month of payments.

I don't think anyone is doing it right whatsoever. Don't get me started on Nintendo, who goes after anyone looking to preserve their games better than they ever would with extreme litigation.

Don't be a simp for any of these companies. Get it together.

PhillyDonJawn4d ago (Edited 4d ago )

@DarX never speak on Xbox again. You lost all credibility with your internet connection comment. Smh you have 0 clue and misinformed yet speaking on something you don't no squat about.

Einhander19724d ago

What has Sony done exactly? You guys keep deflecting to Sony but I am not actually seeing any results, and ai am certain nothing that you can come up with even comes close to what Microsoft has done and what they have tried and failed to do, like tie all your disks to your account on xbone.

Microsoft removed their whole indie section when they moved to the xbone because they were going to only allow games on the service that came from a publisher, id@xbox started after xbone launched and it only exists because Sony embraced indie and Microsoft was forced to cancel their plans and reverse course.

And every single game that was part of games for windows live including disk games (I have gta 4 on disk that won't work) so hundreds of games that use that DRM no longer work unless the company themselves patched it out which of course very few did.

MrBaskerville4d ago

Not trying. Tried. they killed of the backcomp program years ago. They set something up again, but sounds like it's more of an attempt to save the current library on whatever they are planning next. With luck they save everything and more, but let's see. I could see them killing off parts of the OG xbox and 360 libraries. Can't imagine that they would allow us to play Forza 5-7 in the future.

With that said, I do like what they've done and really wish they could have done more.

shinoff21834d ago

Zeref

So killing off physical media is trying what exactly. Ms don't really give a fk if you think they do your kidding yourself.

Profchaos4d ago

They are not trying this team is established for forward compatability the team is. It interested in preserving Xbox or 360 games.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 4d ago
isarai5d ago

Is that why Hellblade 2 is digital only?

Zeref4d ago

Just because it's digital only doesn't mean you can't preserve it. Just put it on an external and you have the exact same functionality of what a disc does.

MrNinosan4d ago

Guess you're trolling, but if you actually think that's how it works, I'd recommend buying some braincells.

mkis0073d ago (Edited 3d ago )

Volitile vs nonvolitile data. A disc will not corrupt either. A drive can be corrupted.

Einhander19725d ago

This is just a scammy PR move to distract from the fact they are going digital only and trying to push streaming and subscriptions only.

No gaming company has pushed harder to remove ownership than Microsoft.

Without discs there is no preservation, preservation can't be done by the rights holders it can only be done by the consumers, anything else is a lie.

5d ago Replies(3)
Einhander19724d ago

Anyone remember xblig which Microsoft removed their whole 360 indie section removing hundreds of games from people?

4d ago
4d ago
Zeref4d ago

Do you know you can put your games on an external and preserve them that way? There are no benefits to discs. ZERO. Idk why some of you are still obsessed with them.

DarXyde4d ago

Because games like Persona 5 exist. It's STILL V1.00. On Playstation, that's a win because 1.00 is installed on the disc—no need to download anything.

If a game does not require any updates, it's all on the disc.

Extremely low bar in the modern era, of course. It's not much of a win by any stretch.

But for now, physical media does have a purpose, at least on Playstation.

Einhander19724d ago

That is factually not how game licensing works, try plugging your hard drive into someone else xbox, It's not going to work, and it won't work if the licensing servers ever go down.

Einhander19724d ago

Anyone remember games for windows live.

I have around a dozen games, some on Steam itself that will not work because Microsoft shut off the licensing servers.

BehindTheRows4d ago (Edited 4d ago )

I do. I STILL have games (Gears of War being the big one) I cannot access because Games for Windows LIVE is total garbage and no one has held Microsoft accountable.

Zeref4d ago (Edited 4d ago )

You don't have an Xbox apparently. Because you can 100 percent plug in your external and play games from it on any Xbox console lol. You just have to be logged in to prove ownership.

Chevalier4d ago

"You don't have an Xbox apparently. Because you can 100 percent plug in your external and play games from it on any Xbox console lol. You just have to be logged in to prove ownership."

Damn how many times do people got to explain your idiocy to you? You can take a copy of Persona 5 like someone used as an example and play that game on ANY console WITHOUT logging in which means I can lend the game to a friend without internet and they can play my game. Can you lend your hard drive to anyone without logging in for them to play? NOPE. That is a huge difference and if you think otherwise then sorry you're an idiot.

Tacoboto4d ago

"No gaming company has pushed harder to remove ownership than Microsoft."

Ubisoft is literally erasing games people bought from their libraries... My PS1-3 discs are useless on modern hardware. Nintendo's re-published and resold almost their entire Wii U library, and the eShop is completely dead with no BC mechanism in the Switch software. Microsoft publishes everything they make today day one on Steam and Xbox/Windows. Sony only brings to PC the titles they think you might want some years later and Nintendo won't even design a functional long-lasting joystick.

You're absolutely trolling and not serious if you think Microsoft today is the worst offender.

shinoff21834d ago

Yay steam

Not everyone fks with computers though. The disc is still the best way as a console player. Period.

Tacoboto3d ago

How do Sony and Nintendo feel about these discs from 2001-2013?

Don't be stupid, you know Xbox is the best at this today.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 3d ago
Hofstaderman4d ago

Nobody wants this. Sales or the lack of it in the case of XBOX is very telling. I wonder how the adorably all digital series X will fare. Adorably dismal perhaps?

crazyCoconuts4d ago

Only time will tell, but for from someone like me suspecting that Xbox is trying to gracefully exit the console market, that "forward compatibility" team is trying to get Xbox games playing on Windows PCs. I mean, it's nice that they're not planning on exiting with a "enjoy your games while the hardware still works" message, so that's nice. They still have a brand to protect via Microsoft so probably feel obligated to have a better exit strategy.

Xeofate4d ago (Edited 4d ago )

That is not their plan, their plan is to transfer users accounts to the cloud.

Phil Spencer himself said as much a few months back, plans could have changed but I think people are reading way too much into one statement where Phil said he would allow Epic on xbox because he wants to be able to sell xbox games directly on other platforms. Aka, instead of selling Sea of Thives through PSN he wants to have an xbox store to sell his games on PlayStation without giving PlayStation any money.

Again, it's extremely unlikely that Phil plans to put PC on xbox and licensing would prevent them from just giving out other publishers games purchased on xbox copies of thier games on PC, Microsoft does not own their games.

crazyCoconuts3d ago

The thing that doesn't align with the cloud strategy is the giving up on exclusives. You'd still need strong exclusives for cloud streaming - it's still a "platform" , just with a lower upfront hardware investment. I feel like they've learned what PS learned with PSNow long ago. We're not ready to stream games and it's only gonna lose them money to try at this point

FinalFantasyFanatic3d ago

I would love that, I'd buy up some of the Xbox games if they could run on PC, like the Rare Replay, Lost Odyssey and Dead or Alive Ultimate, probably a pipe dream though.

Show all comments (43)
90°

Nintendo's War Against Player-Made Content Will Hurt The Company In The End

Danish from eXputer: "Nintendo has historically gone against player-made content and emulation of its games. This has done much to harm the company's image."

XiNatsuDragnel11d ago

I agree nintendo hire some these folks to help in your games it'll help imo.

banger8810d ago

They need to stop announcing these mods and fan remakes until they're finished. Finish it, upload it, and then if Nintendo dmca's it tough shit. Once it's online, people can share it around, even if the original download gets taken down.

Jingsing10d ago

True, but most modders need constant admiration during the process to motivate them.

PRIMORDUS10d ago

Yup, once it's a torrent nothing can be done Nintendo is helpless at that point. But it would be wise if they just had a site on the dark web, it's also easy to use with Tor and no one will bother you.

mastershredder9d ago

This is all coming from the mouth of short-sighted fandom and grifting madness.
No.... it wont. There is a clear defined reason why they don't. This is nothing new. Make your own shi7 from your own original ideas especially if you are trying to capitalize of it it. Duh.

Yeah, hire people that have zero respect or understanding for an established process. Wow. Yep. Totally makes sense.

shinoff21839d ago

Those guys that made that sonic game got a gig from sega or something along those lines and that game was dope as hell. One of the best sonics as of late.