The summer gaming drought is upon us

45 Comments by Christopher Grant May 31st 2006 12:50PM
Filed under: Nintendo DS, Nintendo GameCube, PC, Sony PlayStation 2, Sony PSP, Microsoft Xbox, Microsoft Xbox 360

Nintendo sent out a list of all of their slated releases from now until the end of October (available after the break) and, guess what? There ain't much! Gamers know that along with brighter skies and warmer temperatures, an absolute dearth of game releases is a surefire way to tell it's summer.

While researching a summer gaming guide (for my other job), I realized this summer was bad ... really bad. A confluence of events -- next-gen development, Microsoft's fall focus, general summertime slumps -- all conspired to make the task at hand fairly difficult. Luckily, I'm not the only one who's taken notice.

MTV's Stephen Totilo took a look at the problem and managed to dig up with some interesting explanations:

Valve's Doug Lombardi blames Europe, saying, "In Europe, roughly half the continent closes from mid-July until the end of August while everyone enjoys extended vacations, the likes of which are completely foreign to Americans."
Analyst P.J. McNealy says, "This year you have the launch of the PlayStation 3 and the Wii this fall," continuing, "So a lot of the game development focus is on those platforms. And if you're Microsoft, you'd rather fire your big guns in October and November to thwart some of those sales."
There are some games that come out in the summer: football games. EA's Christopher Erb explains, "NCAA is the fourth best-selling game in the U.S. of all genres ... people stay out of its way. I think that's true for both Madden and NCAA."

So there you have it folks. We're not getting many new games this summer because of Europeans, sports-gamers, and pesky fall console launches. Knowing why helps, but it still hurts. A shiny new DS Lite may make it all better.

Nintendo DS

June 5: Big Brain Academy
June 5: Magnetica
June 11: Nintendo DS Lite
June 26: Sudoku Gridmaster
Aug. 28: Star Fox DS
Sept. 18: Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team
Sept. 25: Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis
Oct. 9: Clubhouse Games
Oct. 30: Pokemon Ranger
Oct. 30: Children of Mana

Nintendo GameCube

Sept. 25: Baten Kaitos Origins
Oct. 9: Super Paper Mario

Game Boy Advance SP

Sept. 18: Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team

Tags: releases

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(Page 1) Reader Comments

JJ: May 31st 2006; 12:55PM

ya know I used to love summer... back when i was in school, but now that i've graduated... it sucks cuz there's nothing to play for the most part.

But i guess thats a good thing, allows me to save up for fall so i can buy stuff for the 360, Ps3 and Wii.

Hmm... gonna need to make space in my electronics cabinet...

Sol Dowdal: May 31st 2006; 12:58PM

OMG 3 "more" pokemon games, nobody likes pokemon anymore they just need to let it die.

David: May 31st 2006; 1:02PM

Pokemon is in the worlds top 3 best selling games...

daddycool: May 31st 2006; 1:03PM

No problem, just buy those good older games that you never bought. It's cool cause you save money too with platinum editions and the like. I'm laying off the 360 these days, playing my PS2 again. I just got God of War for £12.

student: May 31st 2006; 1:03PM

Dear lord, there is a 2 month draught from end of june to end of august when nintendo will release no new ds titles. What will i play during my 12 hour family car ride! Nooooo. At least Star Fox, Mario Vs Donkey Kong, Children of Mana, two VERY nice gamecube titles and a Wii are at the end of the tunnel

Chessasaur: May 31st 2006; 1:06PM

A good chance to play some of those games I bought and are still sitting on my shelf.

RazorElite: May 31st 2006; 1:06PM

Ah boy. I hate summer for games. The time I'm on vacation for a whole 4 months and no games are released. Then all get released in fall, when I have no time to play them. Really sucks. Good thing I got my 360 and loving all the games. Just want moreee!

Greg2k: May 31st 2006; 1:07PM

Us Gamecube owners have had this drought for over a couple of years now, so stop your whining.

David: May 31st 2006; 1:15PM

I'm not sure of the validity of this list but it seems that at least ps2 has a healthy levy of titles coming out

http://topshop.com.au/index.phtml?hspt=54&action=schedule

Sol Dowdal: May 31st 2006; 1:18PM

"Pokemon is in the worlds top 3 best selling games..."

yah i used to like the old ones

(this is gamespot.com's most popular GBA games)
Today's #1 Game
Pokemon Emerald
Score: 7.5

3 Pokemon FireRed Version
score:8.4

4 Pokemon Ruby Version
score:8.1

5 Pokemon Sapphire Version
score:8.1

7 Pokemon LeafGreen Version
score:8.4

thats really sad that the most popular GBA games suck

thrillho: May 31st 2006; 1:21PM

isn't it star fox command now, not starfox DS?

Sol Dowdal: May 31st 2006; 1:24PM

yes

"When Nintendo named the first DS installment of its 3D space-based shooter series as Star Fox DS earlier this month, it appeared the company was tapping into the same well of creativity that produced titles for Tetris DS, Super Mario 64 DS, and Mario Kart DS. Now it appears that the Star Fox DS moniker was only temporary, as Nintendo's Web site now lists the game as Star Fox Command.

Star Fox Command puts players through a branching set of missions in the familiar Arwing fighter. There's also multiplayer co-op and competitive game modes for up to four players on the Wi-Fi Connection, or eight players locally. Co-op mode will also allow a player designated as team leader to plot out a course through the level using the system's touch screen.

Star Fox Command is set for release August 28, according to the Web site. Nintendo reps were not immediately available to confirm the new name."
(from gamespot.com)

PizMa.T: May 31st 2006; 1:26PM

These gaming droughts are pretty bad in most cases and for most people. But I keep myself busy by tring to collect every collecteable in a game. And if it's an RPG, then I try to make sure that i get my level up to 100. Just try to make the best of it. Get a quick summer job and save up for the games coming out in the fall.

idioteraser: May 31st 2006; 1:36PM

Those are Nintendo published titles. Not all the titles coming out for the GBA, DS and Wii.

There are dozens more DS titles coming out in the summer. Sheesh can people not understand this simple fact?

Ianc02: May 31st 2006; 1:38PM

Ahh summertime, great. Inbetween tanning,working and holidaying, time to dust off PSO and go hunting again methinks before the arrival of Wii. Splendid, AND of course NSMB for DS.

TxdoHawk: May 31st 2006; 1:41PM

The summer droughts do indeed suck. But along with following the suggestion on cheap older games (I caught the tail end of Overstock's sale on PC Quake 4 collector's edition, $14!), I'm looking to pick up a 360 in June. That + some games = plenty of spent money this summer, probably more than I want to spend.

(Speaking of 360 games, it's not unfathomable to think that something cool and unexpected might drop into Live Marketplace this summer. Hoopworld looked cool, and Streamline said they had other titles in development for XBLA.)

haegen: May 31st 2006; 1:44PM

why don't you kids go play outside in the sun for a change? when i was your age all i had was a hoop and a stick.

Sol Dowdal: May 31st 2006; 1:47PM

"why don't you kids go play outside in the sun for a change? when i was your age all i had was a hoop and a stick."

what is this "sun" you talk of?
is it that big bright ball that sits in the sky and burns your skin off?

C. Grant: May 31st 2006; 1:47PM

idioteraser: e x t r a p o l a t e

Princess Zelda: May 31st 2006; 1:49PM

No drought for me, I'm buying a DS Lite and have a list of games I want to play. I usually play my handheld in the summer, I'm outside a lot more.

Geist: May 31st 2006; 1:55PM

You hear that Europe? Yeah, it's YOUR fault. Way to go. All cause of your....ummmmm cheese. Your cheese and wine! Damn you alllllllll!

Gamer: May 31st 2006; 2:10PM

In response to the guy that talked about Gamecube owners and drought. That is why you dont buy a Nintendo home console anymore as your only system.

The N64 had hardly any games. The Gamecube had hardly any games. And now the Wii will not change. Granted there will be different games available for it but if you want variety go with the Xbox 360. The console will have over 150 games availabe by the time the Wii and the PS3 come out.

coffee: May 31st 2006; 2:12PM

I am glad I have the summer to save up $. I have too many games I haven't finished anyway.

unimental: May 31st 2006; 2:20PM

I'll be playing plenty of DS on my porch this summer, mostly Tetris Wifi until a new game catches my eye. Outdoor gaming rocks (except for the glare).

What else to do during the so-called drought? Emulate some classic 8-bit on your laptop or PSP.

Get outside and game, folks... and prepare for plenty of hours INDOORS once we get our hands on the PS3 and Wii. (hehe, once I get my hands on my... oh, nevermind)

calthaer: May 31st 2006; 2:20PM

All of gaming is in a drought, where games with true depth and substance are few and far between - draughts of cool water amidst a desert of thumb-twitching clones with shiny graphics, all mirages that disappoint as soon as one gets close.

Oh, that Richard Garriott, Warren Spector, Chris Crawford, Greg Costikyan, and their ilk would deliver us from this wasteland, and create a gaming oasis!

Tim Marman: May 31st 2006; 2:27PM

"There are some games that come out in the summer: football games. EA's Christopher Erb explains, "NCAA is the fourth best-selling game in the U.S. of all genres ... people stay out of its way. I think that's true for both Madden and NCAA."

Of course people stay out of their way... EA has an exclusive license for the NFL and, if I recall correctly, the NCAA as well.

Branewalker: May 31st 2006; 2:54PM

Y'know, I never really understood this. Typically, videogames have been for kids, and most kids have a lot of free time in the summer. What I usually filled it with was: videogames.

My dad bought us our first system, the SNES (before that I played NES at my grandmother's house) at the beginning of summer. We had so much more time to play games it was insane. And now I hear that most of Europe gets extended vacations then too?

Seems to me like the time off would create a huge demand for games. No one complains about the lack of games in teh January-March season, do they? With TOO much focus on fall, most gamers can't buy all the good games they want when they are released. And that doesn't even count time to play them.

So, the big 3 need to step back and assess the situation. Nintendo, especially, has some GREAT games that it's saving up, inexplicably, for the current gen systems, instead of making Christmas all about the Wii. It's gonna hurt one product or the other. Not to mention gamers' wallets.

Branewalker

JJ: May 31st 2006; 3:02PM

sun?
bah, my ancestors spent enough time in the sun... thats why i'm so damn dark. heh heh

Momus: May 31st 2006; 3:13PM

Why not take the opportunity to check out some older games that you might've missed, people?

epobirs: May 31st 2006; 3:30PM

Drought? Perhaps if you're limited to one machine other than the PS2 or the GBA-encompassing DS. Even on any of the other consoles with more limited libraries it would take a major portion of my life during this so-called drought to have played everything of interest to my satisfaction. There are still PS1 RPGs I haven't gotten to yet. The backlog is overwhelming. Circuit City just sold me DragonQuest VIII for $10 but I don't know when I'll get to it. Too many bargain are already impatiently waiting for their turn.

Unless you have extremely specific taste in games it would require both almost unlimited funds and unlimited leisure time to have any hope of keeping up with the industry's output. Limiting the choices to games that earn an average 8.0 or better would still present an overwhelming number of choices. Lower that to 7.0 and the image becomes a clutching hand emerging from an avalanche pile of games.

Robotic House Plant: May 31st 2006; 3:41PM

Doesn't Microsoft have a bunch of Xbox Live Arcade titles waiting in the wings? There were a bunch announced at E3 that have yet to be released.

Neko Tsukimi: May 31st 2006; 4:02PM

Maybe the best thing about the summer gaming drought is that you can go back to all those stellar games everyone else was playing earlier this year when you had no money and go back and pay half price for some of them (or less if you can find 'em used)! That's what I'm gonna be doing :D

neohx_7: May 31st 2006; 4:11PM

Ya seriously, I still have hundreds of games from the past 20 years that I want to play. Why shouldn't the industry slow down a little and develope some better games rather than putting out below average titles.

oldhat: May 31st 2006; 4:17PM

May be a drought to some people, but it doesn't seem that way to me. I'm satisfied with what's available. R* Table Tennis, Hitman, Moto GP 06, Chromehounds, and Over G Fighters.

I wont be bored.

sev4 pri1: May 31st 2006; 4:24PM

Am I the only one on the planet waiting for Chromehounds?!?

How about Dead Rising? Sheesh, 360's mid/late summer looks great.

lebowsky: May 31st 2006; 4:43PM

I'll be catching up on God of War, Shadow of the Colossus, Metroid Prime 2 (thanks Circuit City sale!), Phoenix Wright, plus many more games that you can now snag on the cheap.

Razer: May 31st 2006; 4:47PM

Most of Europe shuts down between mid july - Aug ?? Wow, I think I'm moving to EU!!! America sucks! if they could get people to work 24hours a day and on weekends they would. A nation of wage slaves! (hears a voice in the background yelling GET BACK TO WORK") Land of the free, home of the workaholics..no thanks

The Little Wii-Person: May 31st 2006; 4:48PM

I fight the drought by "borrowing" my friend's PS2. Catching up on classics I miss for being a Nintendo fan.

cringer8: May 31st 2006; 6:49PM

The DS is actually looking decent this summer. My only salvation. There is one good title for each month (multiples in June, if you like Brain Age).

June: Scurge:Hive
July: Freedom Wings (dogfighting with the stylus, nice)
August: Tenchu:Dark Secret

Tenchu is the one I look forward to the most. If this title has snuck under your radar, check it out:

http://e3.nintendo.com/games/ds/tenchu_dark_secret/

Over 40 single-player missions; Constructing your own weapons; "Shopping" and "Trading" online; Online combat...

Sounds good to me.

cringer8: May 31st 2006; 6:53PM

As for playing outside; the DS Lite's highest brightness setting outdoes the sun at its best. Take that, you fat ball of gas! (referring to the sun, not one of you guys)

Pretty Obvious: May 31st 2006; 7:26PM

Summer drought? Nintendo has been on a yearly drought when it comes to games. And after buying the Cube and N64 at launch I will prob never buy another Nintendo console again.

Why pay over $200 for a system if its only use is collecting dust?

Sami: May 31st 2006; 8:10PM

The summer drought isn't a problem - finally, some breathing space to chop away at that backlog! Oh, and I'm one of those silly Europeans with a long summer vacation - I'd be completely in shambles without!

I've also had some of greatest game purchases and experiences in the summer - Ducktales and Megaman IV for the NES, Final Fantasy II and Secret of Mana for the SNES, Shining Force III and Panzer Dragoon Saga for the Saturn, and Vandal Hearts and Suikoden II for the PlayStation. This summer, I'm looking into the potential of Fire Emblem: PoR, Tales of Symphonia and Baten Kaitos, besides all the nifty DS games already released.

John De Block: May 31st 2006; 10:05PM

Hey, what does it matter? Some people (like myself) will use this summer drought to save up so I can buy a Nintendo Wii and some games, and a bunch of 360 games in the fall. Of course, I'll probably fail the first semester of school, but atleast I'll be having fun. :D

I'm sure I might just download a few XBArcade games to play. Geometry Waaarrssss...

Unimental: Jun 1st 2006; 7:30AM

@43 - I skipped a little over a week of school my senior year to play through Final Fantasy VIII twice... and still graduated. You'll be fine!

wolfie: Jun 1st 2006; 2:11PM

Drought for Gamecube? Yes, we allready knew that. Tell us more about last year.
Has anyone heard of Titan Quest? If it wasn´t for the graphics I would have thought it was a Diablo 2 mod. It really looks interesting and comes out end of June. IF it is any good as Diablo 2, it will have me playing for a good while, until the Wii comes out.

See trailers:
http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/titanquest/media.html?sid=6151904&autoplay=6151904