SydLexia.com - The Forums :: View topic - Konami ranked worst major publisher of 2010

Posted: Feb 10 2011 11:57 am

http://features.metacritic.com/features/2011/game-publisher-rankings-for-2010-releases/

Konami had more poorly received released than any of the other 12 major game developers last year. They are also rumored to be in severe financial trouble, and may be bought out.

Konami has 6 major franchises of their own: DDR, Metal Gear, Castlevania, Contra, Yu-Gi-Oh, and Silent Hill. They also own Hudson, who pretty much do nothing except Bomberman these days.

Of these franchises: DDR, Silent Hill, Metal Gear, Castlevania, and Contra are at home on any console. Bomberman only ever seems to do well on Nintendo systems, and Yu-Gi-Oh is only successful on Nintendo handhelds. Contra games produced for Nintendo systems generally tend to be more critically and commercially received than ones on other platforms, and the handheld Castlevanias for DS and GBA have again been the most critically and commercially successful Castlevania games since Symphony of the Night.

So, in short, Nintendo should buy Konami. Konami makes a lot of stupid decisions with Castlevania and Nintendo can rein them in and force them to stick to the stuff that works, like handheld games. And under non-Nintendo ownership, Hudson would likely be dismantled, because their games don't cater towards the Sony/Microsoft demographics. Also, having exclusive access to Metal Gear and Silent Hill would help Nintendo build up an audience of hardcore gamers, something which it is currently lacking. Meanwhile, DDR caters to the casual market that Nintendo has completely cornered. So Nintendo, buy Konami.

Posted: Feb 10 2011 12:07 pm

Since a lot of content from Harmony of Despair came from the DS games, they should port it to 3DS. The levels have a hard time limit of 30 minutes anyway, which sounds ideal for a quick portable Castlevania experience when I think about it.

Posted: Feb 10 2011 02:33 pm

I'd have to agree with Nintendo buying out Konami to get the mature franchises. Sure they don't cater to the hard core gamer as much as any other company, but with the way that some of their (Konami) games are being made, they would fit better with the Wii Control Scheme and the potential exclusive classic re-releases. Example of which, the upcoming Metal Gear game would be a likely candidate, seeing as how No More Heroes is the same hack and slash idea.
That said... the most recent 3D Castlevania SUCKS... glad I only rented it for a weekend, versus me paying for it.

Joined: Sep 25 2009 Location: Bergen, Norway Posts: 395

This would be a great idea, and fantastic for all of us old-school Nintendo fanboys, but it sounds very unlike Nintendo to do anything like this. I am sure they have the money to do it, but it would be risky, and they might end up losing a lot of the more prominent people like Kojima (not that it necessarily would be bad for the Metal Gear-franchise) who wants to work on the top-level systems. Well, at least we can dream right?

Joined: Oct 01 2009 Posts: 5316

I'm torn on this. While I love the idea of Nintendo being in control of properties like Castlevania and MGS, I really don't think they'll do much with either one. Nintendo enjoys sitting on a lot of their nest eggs for too long.

Posted: Feb 10 2011 03:59 pm

Maybe they'll force Konami to make their own Silent Hill games again.

Posted: Feb 10 2011 04:01 pm

Kojima apparently has a good relationship with Nintendo, or least HAL, as he used his personal friendship with the head of HAL Labs to get Solid Snake in Brawl.

But I could potentially see Kojima leaving. Kojima is used to being giving whatever budget he wants to do whatever he wants, and that's part of the reason why Konami is in financial trouble it's in. Nintendo wouldn't give him that. They'd probably give him plenty of creative freedom, but not so much in terms of budget. He also wouldn't be the top dog at his company anymore, as Miyamoto will always be Nintendo's golden boy. On the plus side, he'd be in a pretty lax environment in terms of deadlines, and that's something many other publishers don't offer.

Sega Sammy would potentially be a good buyer for Konami as well, but I'm not sure what their financial state is.

Posted: Feb 10 2011 04:13 pm

I wish I had the money to buy Konami.

2010 SLF Tag Champ Joined: Jun 07 2006 Posts: 12294

capcom should buy konami.

Posted: Feb 10 2011 05:33 pm

Disagree.

How about Disney Studios?

2010 SLF Tag Champ Joined: Jun 07 2006 Posts: 12294

Nintendo would probably do best overall, but I think some wild stuff could come out of capcom owning castlevania and contra.

Posted: Feb 10 2011 06:04 pm

FNJ wrote:

Nintendo would probably do best overall, but I think some wild stuff could come out of capcom owning castlevania and contra.

that would be awesome.

Posted: Feb 10 2011 06:18 pm

I'd like to see their version of Castlevania... granted playing the original DMC made me feel like I was playing a good 3D Castlevania

Posted: Feb 10 2011 06:26 pm

They should put Samus in Harmony of Despair and make the whole genre come full circle.

Posted: Feb 10 2011 06:30 pm

I don't want a Suikoden game to come out for Wii.

Posted: Feb 10 2011 08:36 pm

Hm, I don't know what to say to your posts here, guys. After seeing that list and reading Syd's post, I'm kind of feeling terrible for Konami. They made a lot of awesome games, but when a company's in trouble, a company's in trouble.

I'd almost agree with you there, Syd, as I love Nintendo and Konami, but I seriously don't know how the market would react to that. While there is a possibility that the games will sell well, it could also alienate a lot of people who don't own any of Nintendo's current consoles, as they won't be on any of Sony's or Microsoft's consoles anymore.

Posted: Feb 10 2011 08:49 pm

Douche McCallister wrote:

I don't want a Suikoden game to come out for Wii.

I sadly don't think there will ever be another Suikoden game Sad

Posted: Feb 10 2011 10:32 pm

Ky, I don't really understand your point. Their options are looking like:

A) Close the doors and sell off IPs.
B) Accept a buyout.
C) Keep slugging it out until A or B is unavoidable.

Konami needs a buyer who will care about the IPs. None of the big third party studios can do that. If EA or Activision bought Konami, they'll bury them quickly if the underperform and send the IPs to other studios under their massive corporate umbrellas.

Capcom could do some interesting stuff with Konami's IP, but likely they'd just use them to make Castlevania/Contra DLC titles to improve their margins.

Ky, selling to Nintendo is in Konami's best interest, because it keeps them in business. How the fans feel about it is irrelevant. Either they get onboard, or they whine like little bitches. You know why I got a 360? Because I wanted to play Soul Calibur 4 and I got tired of whining like a little bitch how unfair it was that I couldn't play it on the Wii. So I got onboard. Anyone who feels "alienated" is bringing it on themselves. Get onboard. But if a sale occurs, that's not Konami's job to sell the games, it's Nintendo's. And exclusivity has always been Nintendo's selling point. Adding more of the most recognizable game franchises ever made to their already impressive portfolio would only help them.

Posted: Feb 10 2011 11:46 pm

The games that Konami has released for the Next Gen systems.
PS3
2006
Mahjong Fight Club
2007
Pro Evolution Soccer 2008
Pro Yakyuu Spirits 4
2008
American Idol
Hellboy: Science of Evil
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
Metal Gear Online
Pro Evolution Soccer 2009
Pro Yakyuu Spirits 5
Silent Hill: Homecoming
2009
Pro Evolution Soccer 2010
Pro Yakyuu Spirits 6
Saw: The Videogame
2010
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
Pro Evolution Soccer 2011
Def Jam Rapstar
Pro Yakyuu Spirits 2010
Gradius Last Gaiden
Dance Dance Revolution

Wii
2006
Elebits
2007
Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party
Dewy's Adventure
Kororinpa: Marble Mania
MLB Power Pros
Wing Island
2008
Castlevania Judgement
Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party 2
Lost in Blue: Shipwrecked
Pro Evolution Soccer 2008
2009
Kororinpa 2
Pro Evolution Soccer 2009
Silent Hill: Shattered Memories
Scene It? Twilight
2010
Pro Evolution Soccer 2010
Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Duel Transer
Def Jam Rapstar
Dance Dance Revolution

Xbox 360
2006
Bomberman: Act Zero
Pro Evolution Soccer 6
Pro Yakyuu Spirits 3
Rumble Roses XX
2007
Dance Dance Revolution Universe
Dance Dance Revolution Universe 2
Dancing Stage Universe
Pro Evolution Soccer 2008
2008
Dance Dance Revolution Universe 3
Hellboy: The Science of Evil
Otomedius Gorgeous
Pro Evolution Soccer 2009
Silent Hill: Homecoming
2009
Dance Dance Revolution Universe 3 Chinese Music Special Edition
Pro Evolution Soccer 2010
Saw: The Videogame
2010
Adrenalin Misfits
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
Def Jam Rapstar
Dance Masters
Gradius Last Gaiden
Pro Evolution Soccer 2011
2011
Dance Dance Revolution

Other than Metal Gear and Castlevania I haven't owned or wanted to play anything they have made. They seem to be in love with soccer and DDR. Maybe if they made different games or did something more with their IPs I would care. It's their own fault they are floundering. Back in the PS2 days they actually had quite a well rounded library of games/genres.

Posted: Feb 10 2011 11:49 pm

nothing wrong w/soccer

2010 SLF Tag Champ Joined: Jun 07 2006 Posts: 12294

rumble roses is more fun than smackdown vs. raw. it's too bad i feel like a pervert when i play it.

I heard hellboy was okay, too.

Posted: Feb 11 2011 12:02 am

You left out PSP and DS.

Posted: Feb 11 2011 12:06 am

Well I was trying to show how bad their console library of games are looking. DS has a lot of good titles and PSP has a handful as well, maybe they should be bought by Nintendo.

Joined: Sep 25 2009 Location: Bergen, Norway Posts: 395

What a sad, sad list of games Sad

Lets hope Nintendo (or somebody) gets in, and gets rid of all the crap so that Konami can focus on the good stuff again like Contra and Castlevania.

Posted: Feb 11 2011 12:50 pm

And Snatcher! And more downloadable Rocket Knight games.