@Gonzo
Das würde zumindest klären, warum Microsoft keinen Handheld macht.
Von IGN:
Screw Factor 5. Seriously. I mean, what did they expect? The rumors of them working on the Xbox – particularly regarding a Live-enabled, „all-in-one“ Rogue game – were bouncing around BEFORE Rebel Strike (GC) even released. I doubt it was enough to affect sales substantially, but I can only assume at least some multi-console gamers, like myself, just figured they should wait for the better version. And on an only tangentially connected note, screw Lucasarts, too. I mean, supporting the PS2 is a no-brainer: I can’t hold that against them. But quietly dropping Cube support, while obviously still supporting the Xbox? Sheer lunacy. Sure, KOTOR rightly sold well, but so did Rogue Leader. Any other Lucasarts games do well on either console? No? Didn’t think so. Sorry to vent, but this kind of business „sense“ frustrates the bejezus out of me. I’m a realist, so I was expecting steely-eyed objectivity when it comes to this type of thing, not half-cocked, pseudo-fanboy, coat-tail riding.
Matt responds: I can’t really blame Factor 5. The developer set out to in many ways alter the Rogue Squadron experience by adding third-person character elements, but as we know the company’s ambitions weren’t adequately realized. It happens. In my opinion Rogue Squadron III was still a fun game, but its character-based missions were a chore.
The game didn’t sell nearly as well as the first. If, because of that, Factor 5 chooses to make an Xbox title, I can’t really fault the company. It has to survive, after all, and there is the bottom line to think about. Xbox owners who have never played the Rogue Squadron games before may be more prone to pick them up, especially if they are presented in a compilation set as rumors suggest.
Don’t forget, though, that Factor 5 is and will remain a Nintendo developer for a good bit, at least. It’s working on Pilot Wings for Nintendo’s next-generation console.
As for LucasArts, I’m disappointed that the company seems to have pulled GCN support, too. On the other hand, Knights of the Old Republic sold very well on Microsoft’s game system, which is the opposite of any recently released LucasArts GCN title. Even the poor selling software sold better on Xbox than it did on GCN. With that, if you have to make a decision to cut one console, the answer is obvious.
It’s the third-party dilemma that often proves problematic for Nintendo’s consoles. Maybe it’s because Nintendo’s software is just so damn good, or maybe it’s simply because Nintendo fans are loyalists at heart, but GCN owners seem most interested in software that is exclusive for GameCube and published by Nintendo. Look at Nintendo’s top selling GameCube titles and just about every last one is published by the company.