Oui, il existe aux USA !
Tiens j´ai trouvé ça alors y´a peut-être de l´espoir :
N-Gamer recently had the great privilige to be able to host a short question and answers session with David Tomlinson from Nintendo of Europe. Wherein many new things were highlighted.
Let us just say that any Europeans desperately awaiting Animal Crossing will be very very interested.
Add to that news on Nintendo´s European online plans, and a little bit of information for anyone wanting to get into the games industry and you got one hell of a Q+A!
N-Gamer: Mr. Tomlinson how did you get into the gaming industry?
David Tomlinson: I got in the gaming industry through Electronic Arts. I applied to become part of their temporary Quality Assurance ( testing) team, and I got in. From there, I went to a full time tester, and onto lead tester. A few years after I started with EA, I was contacted by THE Games ( the old publishers of Nintendo games in the UK), who asked me if I wanted to join their Quality Assurance team, so I jumped at the chance.
A few years ago ( can’t remember exactly), Nintendo of Europe decided to publish their own games in the UK, and so all the testers at THE Games were fired. Luckily, Nintendo asked me if I wanted to stay on and work for NoE, so I did, and that’s where I am now.
N-Gamer: What would you say is the best way of getting into the gaming industry?
David Tomlinson: Getting into the industry is different for everyone. It’s about being in the right place at the right time, and knowing the right people. The way I got into the gaming industry was a long, hard process, and if you are afraid of hard work, it isn’t the route for you.
It also depends on what you want to do as well. If you are good at drawing, and want to draw the artwork in the planning stages of a game, there could be an easier and better route than the one I have taken.
N-Gamer: Why did Nintendo of Europe decide to start the Nintendo VIP scheme exclusively in Europe?
David Tomlinson: Nintendo of Europe started the VIP scheme to give something back to all of the consumers who have bought a Nintendo product. This is because the European public were complaining of being treated badly by Nintendo. In the very near future, you could see games and accessories being given away for collecting points ( That’s happening already: Platinum GBA and Wavebird). Unfortunately, I do not know which games and accessories, but I am assured that they will be given away for a suitable amount of ‘stars’.
N-Gamer: Why did Nintendo of Europe decide to not bring Animal Crossing to Europe?
David Tomlinson: Nintendo of Europe decided not to bring Animal Crossing to Europe because this genre of game hasn’t been tested in Europe or America. Because of this, Nintendo made a business decision to launch Animal Crossing in one region other than Japan. The region chosen was America. They then decided they couldn’t bring a new type of game out it one region, and not in Europe, the region complaining about being treated badly, so they launched Doshin the Giant here. Both games have been a success in both regions, and Nintendo of Europe is currently in the process of translating Animal Crossing for Europe.
N-Gamer: Will Animal Crossing every reach European shores?
David Tomlinson: Well, let’s just say that I am testing a PAL conversion of it at the moment…
N-Gamer: As you may have seen, there are rumours circulating over the internet about a ´Gameboy Advance 2´. Some say this is a backlit GBA, and others say it is a whole new console. Is there any truth in this?
David Tomlinson: As I work in the testing department, I am only given certain information. This is information which I am not given. I would hope that the Gameboy Advance 2 has a better screen, and maybe a backlight, depending on how Nintendo can reduce power consumption.
N-Gamer: What are Nintendo’s main business objectives for the near and distant future, and does online gaming play an integral part in these objectives?
David Tomlinson: Nintendo of Europe have told me that they plan to launch online gaming some time in 2003. This means that, yes, online gaming plays a part in whatever objectives the people high up in NoE have set.
N-Gamer: What do you think of the current fashions in gaming and how do you believe Nintendo fit into these " fashions"?
David Tomlinson: Gaming is currently a casual thing, something that everyone does. Unfortunately, this has lead to a decline in the quality of games, due to publishers seeing an easy way of making money, and taking it. Nintendo aims to develop games of an excellent quality, and stay true to the origin of gaming. When I worked at EA, I was working on games that really were dreadful. This made my job boring and tedious. Now I am working at Nintendo, and my job is great. I love most of the games I test there. This is why Nintendo have been around for so long, and will be around for long to come.
N-Gamer: Do you think the best way for Nintendo to succeed in the gaming industry is to find a " niche" market or to go mainstream?
David Tomlinson: As I mentioned in the last question, Nintendo don’t want to go mainstream, and make the same, boring games as every other developer under the sun. This is why Nintendo spend millions each year on developing new and interesting ideas for games instead of redoing the same idea over and over again.
N-Gamer: Thanks for taking the time in your busy schedule to speak with us, it is highly appreciated!
David Tomlinson: No problem.
So there we have it, Animal Crossing coming to Europe, denial of a Gameboy Advance 2, confirmation that GameCube will go online in Europe sometime in 2003 and a little bit of David Tomlinson´s life story. A very productive Q+A session if I ever saw one!
Special thanks goes to David Tomlinson and pdhq64 for arranging this interview!
