# Is the Gamecube a ship sinking into the abyss of failed game systems? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 23, 2003, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-gamecube-a-ship-sinking-into-the-abyss-of-failed-game-systems/156947 "2003-02-23T09:26:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![erislover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71e660/32.png) [@erislover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erislover)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-gamecube-a-ship-sinking-into-the-abyss-of-failed-game-systems/156947/61 "2003-02-26T22:49:44Z")
In light of that salient point, **JDeMobray** , and the cost of games+console in a tighter economy, I want to comment that I like to recommend that people rent the games they might like _along with_ the system. IMO a console, any of them (nevermind all of them, which I of course impulsively buy :p), is an investment in fun. Shop around! Would you agree with that? And… Three dozen titles?! Wow. I’ve never owned that many for one system since the NES. Even the PS, having tons of great games, never inspired me to buy that many. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-gamecube-a-ship-sinking-into-the-abyss-of-failed-game-systems/156947/62 "2003-02-26T22:55:12Z")
“Three dozen titles?!” For my GC, I have none… Waiting for Metroid to come in the mail. Just sold my Zelda bonus disks today without opening them cause they really aren’t much in the way of a new game for me. You can get them at some electronic boutique stores right now if you put down $15. As a matter of fact, [ebgames.com](http://ebgames.com) now has Factory Reconditioned Gamecube consoles GC consoles for $89.00!.. ---
**Author:** ![JDeMobray](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/85e7bf/32.png) [@JDeMobray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JDeMobray)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-gamecube-a-ship-sinking-into-the-abyss-of-failed-game-systems/156947/63 "2003-02-26T22:59:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by erislover \* > \*\*Three dozen titles?! Wow. I’ve never owned that many for one system since the NES. Even the PS, having tons of great games, never inspired me to buy that many. \*\* My house is like some kind of a console gaming museum. I’ve dragged my old consoles from my parents house, to dorm room, to apartment to here. You don’t even want to know the number of PS1 and SuperNintendo cartridges that I have stored in boxes here. Help me. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![erislover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71e660/32.png) [@erislover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erislover)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2003, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-gamecube-a-ship-sinking-into-the-abyss-of-failed-game-systems/156947/64 "2003-02-27T00:37:26Z")
Help you _play_ them, sure! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2003, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-gamecube-a-ship-sinking-into-the-abyss-of-failed-game-systems/156947/65 "2003-02-28T12:15:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by amanset \* > \*\* A service which is already failing on its initial promise of one monthly fee to cover all games (Phantasy Star Online will charge a seperate fee) \*\* Can I get a cite for this claim please? From a reliable source that has confirmed that PSO will require monthly fees to play. Not a fansite. FTR Xbox live is great and I am happy that they have limited it to broadband only. If I wanna watch people skip around the screen while playing Ghost Recon I will play my PC so I can play with people in back woods KY who just upgraded to 28.8. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2003, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-gamecube-a-ship-sinking-into-the-abyss-of-failed-game-systems/156947/66 "2003-02-28T12:45:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Stinkpalm \* > \*\*Can I get a cite for this claim please? From a reliable source that has confirmed that PSO will require monthly fees to play. Not a fansite. > \*\* Is IGN OK? > **[Xbox Games, Wikis, Cheats, News, Reviews & Videos - IGN](https://www.ign.com/xbox)** > > IGN is the leading site for Xbox games with expert reviews, news, previews, game trailers, cheat codes, wiki guides & walkthroughs “All of Phantasy Star Online’s offline and online components will require the user to have an active Xbox Live account otherwise the game will not function. To play through Xbox Live however, gamers will have to pay $8.95 per month for a “hunter’s license,” the key to all of PSO’s depth, special adventures and content.” That too much of a “fan site” for you? How about the official Xbox site? [http://www.xbox.com/pso2/default.htm?det=1&nrmode=published&nroriginalurl=%2Fpso2%2F&nrnodeguid={3fff1910-c3f8-48ec-9042-78ed4a0b9f6e}&nrcachehint=guest](http://www.xbox.com/pso2/default.htm?det=1&nrmode=published&nroriginalurl=%2fpso2%2f&nrnodeguid=%7b3fff1910-c3f8-48ec-9042-78ed4a0b9f6e%7d&nrcachehint=guest) “An Xbox Live account is required to play Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II. To play the game online, Xbox Live subscribers will be required to buy a Hunter’s License, which will give gamers the ability to travel on wild adventures with other Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II gamers. It also provides access to a plethora of online exclusive content, such as seasonal quests, downloads, and rare, in-game items. The Hunter’s License is free of charge for the first two months and, after that, will carry a service fee of $8.95 per month.” > [@](#): > > \*\* > FTR Xbox live is great and I am happy that they have limited it to broadband only. If I wanna watch people skip around the screen while playing Ghost Recon I will play my PC so I can play with people in back woods KY who just upgraded to 28.8. \*\* I agree that makign it broadband-only will increase the quality of service. I was only arguing that requiring something that such a small percentage of people have (broadband) is somethign that’ll stop Xbox Live being mass-market and hence a “killer app”. ---
**Author:** ![ravage2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d07c76/32.png) [@ravage2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ravage2)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2003, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-gamecube-a-ship-sinking-into-the-abyss-of-failed-game-systems/156947/67 "2003-02-28T15:28:26Z")
According to this: > **[The latest from the StarTribune](https://www.startribune.com/)** > > Follow the StarTribune for the news, photos and videos from the Twin Cities and beyond. > [@](#): > > Even while losing on selling consoles, Microsoft still could make a lot of money from gamemakers. They pay the consolemakers about $10 for each copy of the games they manufacture – and they made in excess of 50 million games in the United States last year. Games typically sell for $50. > > For now, though, there are only losses for Microsoft. It won’t say how much it loses on each console, but industry analysts estimate the figure at close to $100. This implies that for Microsoft just to break even, the average gamer has to buy at least 10 games. At least Nintendo is already making a profit, so I don’t think they’re doing too badly. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-gamecube-a-ship-sinking-into-the-abyss-of-failed-game-systems/156947.md?page=3)