What do Bobby Kotick and Michael Pachter have in common? They received CoffeeWithGames' Video Game Turkey Award in 2009 and 2010, respectively.
The Video Game Turkey Award goes to either a video game company, and/or a person within the video game industry that through actions or words caused uproars in the video game community during the last year; and in return the company/person was roasted/baked/fried like a good turkey by the video game community.
A lot has happened in the video game world in 2011, but did Bobby Kotick or Michael Pachter receive the Video Game Turkey Award again? Take a look and see which video game company/person receives the 2011 Video Game Turkey Award!
The Brew
Reggie Fils-Aime, and Nintendo in general, receive the 2011 Video Game Turkey Award! Why do they receive the Video Game Turkey Award? Here's are the reasons, separated in bullet points:
- Nintendo released the new 3DS system and drastically dropped its price within months. The 3DS price dropped from $249.99, down to $169.99 in North America, and though Nintendo did the 3DS Ambassador program to alleviate people's anger/concern, many people felt burned by the price drop.
- Nintendo released the 3DS without all its features fully functional: no web browser, no 3DS eShop, no effective communication with friends, etc. Why would a company release a system without having all its features fully functioning? I still have no idea.
- Nintendo failed to see the usefulness of a second circle pad with the initial 3DS' design, and then it was leaked within months of the system's release that a separate 3DS Circle Pad attachment would be coming out for the system, sold separately of course. This rumor/leak made many people wonder if an imminent 3DS redesign would be announced, something that I think will happen in early 2012.
- Reggie's apparent failure to lead Nintendo of America by having very few first-party Nintendo titles for the Wii in 2011, lead to the Operation Rainfall effort. For me, this is why Reggie gets the 2011 Video Game Turkey Award. I know many Nintendo fans like Reggie, but I think he failed Wii owners and Nintendo fans in 2011 by not bringing either Xenoblade Chronicles, The Last Story, or Pandoras Tower to the States; just one of those titles would have been nice. This wasn't the first time Reggie and Nintendo of America failed to bring fully developed Wii game to the States though, as Disaster: Day of Crisis still has not been released for us, but it has been out for a few years now in Japan and Europe. The failure of Reggie Fils-Aime and Nintendo to support the North American Wii in 2011, with games that were already developed, makes me wonder what/if any pull Reggie actually has in decision making.
While I have many more areas I could mention(Wii U), for me the 3DS' rough start, and Reggie's and/or Nintendo's failure in bringing fully developed games to the Wii in North America, caused them to get baked/fried/roasted in 2011, and I believe most of it was absolutely deserved.
If you are interested in trying to get Reggie and Nintendo of America to bring Xenoblade Chronicles, The Last Story, and/or Pandora's Tower to North America, you can learn more about the ongoing effort at OpRainfall.Blogspot.com.
I personally think that North American Wii owners will probably get Xenoblade Chronicles, The Last Story, and perhaps Pandora's Tower in 2012, but then again I have been looking for Disaster: Day of Crisis for a while now.
Questions
Do you agree with my 2011 Video Game Turkey Award? If not, what company/person would you give the award?
Also, do you think, like I do, that the main three Operation Rainfall games are likely to see a North American release in 2012?
