Joystiq readers give Game Boy Micro a big fat thumbs down

by Vladimir Cole { Sep 9th 2005 at 7:00PM }

Joystiq Game Boy Micro purchase intent poll

Last Friday, we asked Joystiq readers if they intend to purchase a Game Boy Micro when that device is released on September 19th. The results are in, and the answer is a resounding "No."

Out of 4,048 votes, 15% of our readers said that they'd be purchasing a Game Boy Micro, 72% said that they wouldn't, and 13% remained undecided. The most commonly cited reason for not purchasing one is that most either already own or are considering purchasing a more powerful Nintendo DS or Sony PSP.

This, we suspect, indicates that the Game Boy Micro's target market is not the Joystiq reader at all, but the casual gamer who could generally care less whether the games he or she plays are the most cutting-edge or recent. Nintendo is going after the cell phone gamer and couldn't care less what people like us think about the diminutive device.

In other words, Joystiq polls on casual gaming devices just might be strong contrarian indicators.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

The1 @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

Polls mean nothing because according to many Polls the PSP was going to kill the DS. I think this MICRO will do extremly well in the US. I own a PSP and DS but I will not by a Micro. How ironic of me. LOL

chudgoo @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

I don't think that this poll reflects what the headline suggests.
The appropriate follow-up poll would be

"Do you -currently own- a GameBoy Advance compatible platform and has this affected your opinion of the GameBoy Micro?"

("compatible platform" used to catch the GBA variants. Only the DS really)

I don't think that this handheld is intended for people who already own Nintendo products. It seems to be aimed at kids who have never experienced Nintendo's portable-fu and older gadget hounds who are looking for a retro gaming fix.

....NEVER underestimate the buying power of the aforementioned groups.

jay @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

it will do well. its another Nintendo handheld. its like Apple and the iPod. they... just... sell...

funny how people take polls like this seriously. so people on this site don't want a Micro? ok, how small a minority is this site? its a fraction of a fraction in the mass global market.

that said, im not getting one just yet. too many killer DS games coming out this year...

chudgoo @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

Wow. reading past the headline is helpful...It said almost exactly what I was saying! Oops! Knee jerk!!

It's too bad that joystiq (and sister sites) don't allow for revising/amending comments (or moderating them).....hint hint....

dusda @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

Woah, wait a second. I didn't give the Micro a thumbs down. I just said I'm not buying one, since I own a GBA SP and a Nintendo DS.

I think the Micro will be successful even if it doesn't sell in droves, since I doubt they had to spend a lot of money in R&D for it. Don't be so quick to assume the meaning behind poll results, Joystiq...

LaughingTarget @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

The Micro won't bring in any significant new audience. Sure, there are those that never experienced the greatness of the GBA, but why buy the Micro when the SP is $20 less? The Micro doesn't have any real advantage.

Eran Hawke @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

I don't think the Joystiq readership is the intended audience for the Micro.

Sean @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

Not to mention the GBA SP can also play GB/GBC color games while the GBAM can't.

Hell, if this were $50, I could easily see myself buying one. I really don't understand why Nintendo priced it the way they did. Then again, some guy(I forgot who commented on some GBAM article on joystiq) explained it fairly good to why the price is so high. Basicly what he said was Nintendo doesn't understand the US market. Japanese market, all they care about is how small it is. Why us americans complain about a cell phone's buttons being too small and the japanese would also pay more for it to be smaller then to have something with more uses that is a little bigger and cheaper.

He said something along those lines but, makes sense. :P

Mark @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

It'll sell like hotcakes. I might buy one just because it's so tiny, but I might not just because the screen's so tiny.

John @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

Any demographics? It'd be interesting to how people voted by age and sex. If the target is casual gamers then maybe it'll appeal to the woman gamer...

vladimir cole @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

John -- none yet, but we'll do some polls to get a sense of Joystiq reader demographics. I bet this device will appeal to the woman gamer. It's cute, it's purse-sized, it's functional.

batman @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

women gamers? ha ha ha don't make me laugh!!! those don't exist! just like the easter bunny santa claus, duh! ;)

Patrick @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

Anyone who thinks that Nintendo should have or were ever going to price the Micro at $50 is on crack. It costs more to make an existing technology smaller -- look at the price difference between home computers and laptops.

There have been arguments that the SP plays the same games and is a little cheaper, so you'd be nuts to choose the Micro. People also say that the DS plays DS games and is a little more expensive, so again you'd be nuts to choose the Micro.

On the first point: have you seen a GBA game playing on a Nintendo DS? They look really nice on the backlit screen. Now have you gone back to the SP screen since then and noticed anything? It's like going back to the green-and-grey Game Boy after playing the GB Pocket. The front lights wash the screen out in a light blue hue, and the game is simply not displaying as it was intended to.

The Micro screen is even brighter than the DS's, and yes, it's substantially smaller, but the resolution is the same. You don't lose any pixel detail. Having seen one for real, let me tell you, the Micro screen is crisp, bright and gorgeous.

For those who argue that the DS is a better choice because it also plays GBA games: you *cannot* play multi-player GBA games with a DS. It is not a complete GBA system. Also, it must be four times the physical size of the Micro and at 9.7oz it is almost four times heavier (the Micro is 2.8oz).

The fact is that people will take these stats into account and decide if the small size, brighter but smaller screen, and cool looks of the Micro are worth a little extra over the SP, with which it shares the exact same functionality in almost every respect. They will also consider if they want to play DS games enough to pay a little extra for that functionality, while sacrificing some portability and GBA multiplayer ability.

Look at the iPod mini -- when it was announced the net resounded with cries that it would never sell because for x more dollars you could get y times more storage space. This is a technology buff's reasoning, and it's perfectly logical. But some people didn't want or need the extra space and liked the smaller, cooler form factor. Some even sold their iPods to get a mini!

Well, I sold my iPod photo to get an iPod Shuffle when it came out for similar reasons, and I've sold my SP and pre-ordered a Micro. I own a DS, but mostly play DS games at home. I take it in my bag to play GBA games, but it's just too bulky for that. I'm looking forward to picking my Micro up on Tuesday and shedding a little extra bag-weight.

Philip Wesley @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

I think a lot of people really over-estimate how many people actually own GB/GBC games still.

The screen isn't too small, actually. Once people see it in real life, the Micro will sell well.

The reason why people will buy the Micro instead of the SP even though the SP is $20 cheaper is similar to why people bought the 1GB Shuffle, when $50 would have gotten them a screen, and 4GB. Part of the Micro is about individual needs. None of those individual needs are restricted by price. Those needs being shape, familiarity, size, style, and a sharp screen. The ability to customize is a nice bullet point, but it is not the drive behind the unit. The Micro matches up with consumers who have three basic needs.

1. They want something that looks nice, but fits in their pocket.
2. They don't care for audio/video/touch things.
3. They don't own or care to own GB/GBC games.

I think the Micro owner will own at least five games on average. In comparison to the other ways to play GBA games, the Micro is superior.

1. The unit does not have that empty screen or that weight the Nintendo DS has when playing GBA games.

2. The unit is not washed out or have that ghosting the SP has. It also does not have those terrible L & R buttons the SP has, nor does it cramp up as much as the SP.

3. You can actually see the screen in comparion to the original GBA.

4. Games look correctly on the Micro as compared to the Game Boy Player. Also, the Micro is portable.

That said, for your extra $20, you're getting a more durable metal system with a very sharp screen that shames the SP unit, the ability to customize, and a completely different form factor. You lose the ability to play GB/GBC games, but that brings up an interesting question.

Since the GB Micro does not play old GB/GBC games like Kirby's Dream Land 2, Super Mario Land, Wario Land, Link's Awakening, the Final Fantasy Legend series, and others; would you buy enhanced re-releases of those games? For example: If SquareEnix took the Legend games and upgraded them like they did with Sword of Mana (Final Fantasy Adventure): Would you buy those? Nintendo has just removed the only superficial excuse to prevent you from wanting a remake of old GB/GBC games, would you buy enhanced versions of those old GB/GBC games now?

How about it?

Philip Wesley @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

I meant to say that individual needs are not restricted by price. Gah! Evil inability to edit. -_-

Mark @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

OK, I'm sold if the screen is really that good.

BlackYoshi @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

There are something like 90 million GBA/SP owners out there already. I really do not see why they would want to buy yet another GBA. So, how many more people can they hit? I mean, they hit a MASSIVE audience with the GBA, and I just don't see it increasing that much.

Patrick @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

BlackYoshi: sales figures will certainly indicate that many GBA/SP owners, but perhaps a not insubstantial number of those people don't use their systems anymore -- because they can't see the screen on their first gen GBA, or because of the SP's frontlight/shoulder button issues.

(As I mentioned before, I stopped using my SP because of the washed-out screen.)

Some of these users will be tempted to "upgrade"(?) to the Micro.

Stinky Freak @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

If you say, "could care less" then you must care, because to be able to care less you have to care some. You should say, "couldn't care less."

In my house there's 2 GB Pockets, GBA, 4 GBA SP's, Xbox, PS, PSOne, PS2, Gamecube, 2 PSP's, 2 Ngages. I'm getting a GB Micro. I'm old. Kiss my ass.

Andrew @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

What is the exact appeal with the Gameboy Micro?

I would still prefer the GBA SP even if I were getting a new system, it's got a bigger screen therefore it is better.

I don't want to play on a cell phone dammit.

Stinky Freak @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

GBM: It's friggin cool. It fits in ur pocket. It's small and shiny and has buttons. Nuff said.

Damn, japanese chicks are hot.

I'm playing lumines drunk right now. I don't know what it is you people see in that game. The music fucking sucks. ".....creepy silence, creepy silence." WTF kind of shit is that?

BoB @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

This means nothing, this asked how many people are going to buy one AT LAUNCH. You did not ask how many people are going to buy one eventually. Stupid polls. I urge everyone to take statistics, it gives you a new outlook on all polls and studies.

And besides, those that respond to a voluntary response question are usually those with a strong negative opinion.

This poll means nothing, and you cannot draw the conclusions that you made from it.

Mark @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damn lies and statistics." - Benjamin Disraeli

shawn @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

WOW. That's all i have to say. It's incredible to me how ANY article that has even a SLIGHT hint of anything bad about Nintendo, and the Nintendo fanboy's/40 year old men who live in their mother's basement's, bumming a wifi connection off their neighbor, come out in DROVES. here's a novel idea? Who give's a shit. Buy it or don't, but what do you people care? Unless you hold Nintendo shares, why the hell would you care how well it sells or doesn't? Good god, do something productive with your lives.

Chris @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

Hey Shawn, you want to save some apostrophes for the rest of us?

Jules @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

Shawn, I agree. When the Next Gen survey showed a higher favour for Xbox 360 and PS3 the Nintendo fans even began a poll of their own on the comments. How can you ignore one poll and agree with another.

Anyway, I do think the Micro will sell a lot, but not as much as the DS.

chill @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

Hey all Im living in miami at this time, our house in [Gulfport ms] was destroyed and I lost all my systems and games....sucks. But at least we were smart enough to get the fuck out before the storm came...

mike @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

Of course, this poll is people who frequent a site called JOYSTIQ..

Duh!

The Micro is for people that haven't played the GBA yet (ie. casual gamers and women).. so obviously the target market is not on this site..

Amazing that about 25% of respondents will pick up a Micro!

Shawn @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

Mike, what you say makes alot of sense. However, this isn't xbox or playstion we are talking about. We're talking about a system that has been wildly sucssessful with both hardcore gamers and the casual gamer. ALOT of people own the gameboy advance. The gameboy advance SP was more than enough to get the "casual" gamer involved, and that came out 2 years ago. Anyone who ever wanted a gameboy has one by now, the advance has enjoyed a long cushy life. But after 2 iterations of the same product, it think its time to move onto bigger and better things. I'd like to see a gameboy rival the psp, maybe something that would play my extensive gamecube collection.