Seal of Quality?

[Peter Paltridge]

http://www.1up.com/do/minisite?cId=3162919

The article doesn't exist in an online form and I don't want to spend two hours typing up three pages' worth of it, but there's an expose in the new EGM of Nintendo's third-party approval process. Mainly, that there isn't one.

With the success of the Wii, this has led to many small publishers trying to make a quick dollar by spending little effort on a game and pushing it out; they give examples such as a title that was actually ported from Game Boy Advance to Wii with no changes. Apparently you could never get away with this on a Sony or Microsoft console, as you have to go through an approval process first. With Nintendo, all you have to do is pay a licensing fee and give them some royalties, and they don't even look at the game you sell.

This, of course, does nothing to improve the historically crummy third-party situation of Nintendo consoles.

[Gokou Ruri]

Huh, then why did they refuses to let Manhunt with an AO rating be on Wii?

[BCVM22]

Huh, then why did they refuses to let Manhunt with an AO rating be on Wii?

Because no console manufacturer will allow AO-rated software on their machines. None of them. I don't think it's in writing anywhere, but that's what it is.

[HG Revolution]

What led this to happen? I know Nintendo used to check for glitches at least. What led to this change?

[Shawn Hopkins]

All the seal of quality ever seemed to ensure was that the game worked reasonably okay with the system and that the publisher had cut Nintendo a check for its licensing fees. Now the seal doesn't even mention quality, it just says Nintendo seal and basically means the product is officially licensed.

The seal has always been a marketing gimmick. If you thought it meant the ever watchful and all good Nintendo was making sure every game was as good as it could be, I've got some bad news for you about the Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus.

ESRB ratings are a completely different, unrelated issue.

[Hanshotfirst113]

Because no console manufacturer will allow AO-rated software on their machines. None of them. I don't think it's in writing anywhere, but that's what it is.

Yeah, I noticed that I've never seen and AO rated game; has one ever come out for PC or something? I don't think that I've EVER seen one on a console.

[SNS]

Yeah, I noticed that I've never seen and AO rated game; has one ever come out for PC or something? I don't think that I've EVER seen one on a console.

So far the only AO rated console game has been "The Joy of Sex" for the CD-i (unless you count "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" before they re-released it with the Hot Coffee coding removed). There was going to be an AO game for the PS1 called "Thrill Kill" but the company that was making it was bought by EA, then they cancelled it right away (it was just a week before it was going to be released when the purchase of that company happened). It was mostly rated AO for it's violence (but ironically I hear several M rated games these days are more violent then it).

[Dark Fact]

No company is ever going to release a game with an AO rating because it's financial suicide, period. No retail store would ever agree to stock an AO title because they're more concerned about their image to the consumer. In the end, the game developers are at the mercy of the retailers and are thus forced to tone down the game for the more acceptable M rating.

I guess to the retailer, a game with an AO rating is the equivalent of selling porn. :shrug:

[Tanooki]

mod note

how did this thread go from talking about nintendo's worthless seal of quality to AO discussion? *goes to re-read thread* oh. anyway. back on track. we have a AO discussion thread somewhere around here

[Lord Dalek]

Well part of the reason for the seal of qulaity silliness can atributed to the fact that Nintendo themselves manufacture the cartridges not the software makers. Since they control that facet of production, they are able to subject their product to a series of stress tests, none of which involve quality of the product.

Its lousy, but it's been their trademark for years.

[Hanshotfirst113]

I guess to the retailer, a game with an AO rating is the equivalent of selling porn. :shrug:

Porn is a big industry, though, in all fairness. Obviously, the comparison doesn't apply, but to make a point.


Well part of the reason for the seal of qulaity silliness can atributed to the fact that Nintendo themselves manufacture the cartridges not the software makers. Since they control that facet of production, they are able to subject their product to a series of stress tests, none of which involve quality of the product.

Its lousy, but it's been their trademark for years.

Wouldn't stress tests involve the quality of the product by definition?