Zelda Delayed until Spring 2006
Written by DeathscytheX   
04-09-2006


DeathscytheX
August 16th, 2005, 09:39 PM
August 16, 2005 - Nintendo announced this morning that its anticipated new adventure game, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (http://cube.ign.com/objects/572/572738.html), has been delayed. The title, formerly scheduled to debut this November around the world, has since been postponed to 2006 so that the developer can continue to make the game better.

"After much discussion, the Zelda development team has requested extra time to add new levels, more depth and even higher quality to Zelda: Twilight Princess," said Nintendo of America's vice president of corporate affairs, Perrin Kaplan. "Consequently, we're announcing a new global launch in 2006, after the conclusion of this fiscal year (March 31). We'll provide a specific date at a later point in time. While this may come as a disappointment to many eager fans, it will absolutely enrich the game and make it a multi-million seller." Twilight Princess, developed by Nintendo and directed by Majora's Mask overseer Eiji Aonuma, was previously set to be the company's big holiday game. In fact, analysts expected the game to be Nintendo's single greatest deterrent to consumers potentially interested in Microsoft's next-generation console, Xbox 360, which is set for a November launch. The delay leaves Nintendo without a major holiday release on GameCube.

In the epic adventure, a 17-year-old Link travels across a gritty, realistic world and is able to move into an alternate dark land called the Twilight Realm, where he transforms into a wolf. Twilight Princess won a number of considerations by critics when it was presented in playable form at the Electronics Entertainment Expo. However, even then, members of the development team hinted in interviews that they would have to work overtime in order to meet a holiday release.

Speaking with IGN, Kaplan elaborated on the delay of the new Zelda. She explained that Nintendo has not yet committed to a new release date for the game, except to say that it would arrive sometime after March 2006. "But it will be worth the wait," she added.

Asked whether Nintendo would launch any previously unannounced GameCube titles this holiday to stand in for Zelda, Kaplan pointed to already-shown software.

"Of course, we don't suggest that any game can replace the unique nature of Zelda. However, GameCube owners have an excellent lineup of new games from which to choose, including Battalion Wars, Mario Super Baseball, Fire Emblem, Super Mario Strikers, Pokemon XD, and a host of great new games from third party publishers," the Nintendo executive stated. "Add to this a plethora of great DS games, the launch of Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection and several Wi-Fi games (Mario Kart DS, Animal Crossing DS, etc.), plus the launch of Micro (which will be hot!), and there is a lot for consumers to choose from."

With Twilight Princess being pushed in 2006, some Nintendo fans are wondering if the game might ultimately be killed for GameCube and instead repositioned as a launch title for Revolution, the Big N's next-generation platform. Revolution is set to launch sometime in the second half of 2006, according to sources. According to Kaplan, though, the game is still scheduled to ship for GameCube.

"In effect, because of the backward compatibility built into Revolution, every GameCube game also will be a Revolution title," she said. "But we feel a commitment to the GameCube owners who've been patiently awaiting this new Zelda title, and don't want to force them to wait and buy a brand new system in order to play the game."

Kaplan dismissed the notion that the delay of Zelda would put Nintendo in a tricky situation as GameCube owners decide whether or not to stick with the system or purchase Microsoft's new console this November.

"I think we are talking two different things here," she said. "Those who love Zelda will be thrilled when it arrives, and we believe will still want to purchase it even though the wait might have been a disappointment."

The Nintendo spokesperson also had a message for GameCube owners deflated by this latest delay. "Our message is that we understand what a disappointment this is solely because we know people are eager to play Zelda," she said. "The philosophy of 'quality-first' still lives within Nintendo and it's something we won't compromise on. When Zelda game arrives, we hope to hear that players are thrilled with it and believe the wait was worth it. We think it will be."

Nintendo has released seven new screenshots of the game in motion. Readers are directed to our images section for new shots of Link exploring a populated town and manipulating the snow as the wolf.



http://cube.ign.com/articles/642/642238p1.html

-_-; I hate nintendo.. I knew this was going to happen but I am still pissed off....

Strider Hiryu
August 16th, 2005, 09:46 PM
Grrr........just had to post this.

Was pissed myself when I read it on RPGamer earlier today. God Nintendo sure knows how to piss us off. So I suppose I should plan on buying a Revo then since it's most likely going to come out when that does.

Sledgstone
August 16th, 2005, 10:32 PM
did nintendo have anything else scheduled to come out by the end of this year? as far as i was concerned, this was their one shot at spuring more gamecube sales for christmas. -_-;

btw, it looks like the official site added a couple more screenshots.. -_-
*added the link to the screenshots topic*

DeathscytheX
August 16th, 2005, 10:38 PM
No Nintendo has nothing coming out. It looks like I will be using the backwards compatability of Revoluton to play this one. I'm dropping my Cube around feb. for store credit on my PS3. F*** you nintendo.

Sledgstone
August 16th, 2005, 10:56 PM
this and final fantasy XII, both coming out in 2006 for systems about to go out of date.. hmm.. i'm having flashbacks of chrono cross's crap sales. if nintendo is going to delay they might as well bring it out on the new system to improve it even more. its bad marketing to bust out with a new game system only to have your best selling game out on an old system. *imagines ahead to christmas future* grandparents will get confused when it comes to christmas time.. "hmm, he wants a revolution, but this game says 'gamecube', oh hell, i'll just buy this marked down xbox 360 with game."

yeah.. nintendo might as well start digging it's grave next to sega's hardware department.

DeathscytheX
August 16th, 2005, 11:04 PM
What is worse is that Nintendo's nonchalant attitude towards Sony not seeing them as a threat... that blatant ignorance is what is their undoing. It's like Nintendo is just trying to commit suicide or something. The fact that Nintendo claims that the number of buttons one current controllers turns off some gamers that find it too complicated is a farse. To cater to the 1% of gamers and only them is completely retarded. Revolution's controller will have less buttons? wtf. Whats next? the return of the power glove?

Saiel
August 16th, 2005, 11:15 PM
I see no reason to be pissed...when you see a Nintendo release date, you should automatically add about half a year to it to figure out the real date.

Sledgstone
August 16th, 2005, 11:24 PM
The fact that Nintendo claims that the number of buttons one current controllers turns off some gamers that find it too complicated is a farse. To cater to the 1% of gamers and only them is completely retarded. Revolution's controller will have less buttons? wtf. Whats next? the return of the power glove?

lmao, if its going to have less buttons it'll probably be a touch screen only controller... with a power glove attachment. X'D

DeathscytheX
August 16th, 2005, 11:25 PM
I see no reason to be pissed...when you see a Nintendo release date, you should automatically add about half a year to it to figure out the real date.

It is when all the new systems are going to be out and cube will be old news -_-;

Sledgstone
August 16th, 2005, 11:44 PM
i was a dreamcast supporter until the day they stopped production.. it'll be a sad day when nintendo does the same. :crap:

Saiel
August 16th, 2005, 11:45 PM
It is when all the new systems are going to be out and cube will be old news -_-;

Not to me. *will play GCube until the Rev. is down to $100* X'D

DeathscytheX
August 17th, 2005, 12:02 AM
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! :p

With the way Nintendo is being a bitch, that will probably be less than 6 months after it released X'D