Sorry to sound a bit sinacle in the topic name but I really feel that Australian citizens get the crapest deal when it comes to video game systems and game releases. There are many examples of how Australian game owners get ripped of in Australia, take for instance the case of release dates for Metroid Prime. The US got the game on the 17th of November and I believe that the UK will get it on January 3rd? but there still isnt an offical release date yet for Australia.... Maybe March?? 
I understand the process of having to convert the game from NTSC to PAL, as well as getting approval from the governing bodies regarding ratings etc. But I really dont think that Nintendo as well as alot of other companies give a shit about the Australian gaming markets (as well as other non US/JAP regions).
I feel that the fact that the Gamecube hasnt had a "flagship" bit of software is hampering it sales up towards christmas. Currently the Gamecube only has about 3% of the gaming market in Austrlia, coming in a close second behind the X-Box. However the GC has managed a 52% increase on previous months, larger than any other console for the same period of time.
The whole point of this is that if Nintendo wants to make money in this region on the GC, then they need to have simultaneous release dates for us and other PAL regions, maybe even the NTSC regions. I dont want to see the GC go the same way as the Ill fated Saturn or Dreamcats went in Australia due to crap release dates and poor management of releases on Behalf of Nintendo Australia. Why release flagship games after Christmas?, especially when the final code of the game is ready?
Another solution may be to have a unified game region as far as software goes and let the machines region dictate the consoles output instead of having the game optimised for each region?
Inevidably i think that the Gamucube will be anhiliated in the Australian market due to mismanagement of releases and havind decent games available around key sales times. I know that this will change as more games become available but at the moment it is a situation that is hampering sales of the GC compared to PS2 and XBox.
I understand the process of having to convert the game from NTSC to PAL, as well as getting approval from the governing bodies regarding ratings etc. But I really dont think that Nintendo as well as alot of other companies give a shit about the Australian gaming markets (as well as other non US/JAP regions).
I feel that the fact that the Gamecube hasnt had a "flagship" bit of software is hampering it sales up towards christmas. Currently the Gamecube only has about 3% of the gaming market in Austrlia, coming in a close second behind the X-Box. However the GC has managed a 52% increase on previous months, larger than any other console for the same period of time.
The whole point of this is that if Nintendo wants to make money in this region on the GC, then they need to have simultaneous release dates for us and other PAL regions, maybe even the NTSC regions. I dont want to see the GC go the same way as the Ill fated Saturn or Dreamcats went in Australia due to crap release dates and poor management of releases on Behalf of Nintendo Australia. Why release flagship games after Christmas?, especially when the final code of the game is ready?
Another solution may be to have a unified game region as far as software goes and let the machines region dictate the consoles output instead of having the game optimised for each region?
Inevidably i think that the Gamucube will be anhiliated in the Australian market due to mismanagement of releases and havind decent games available around key sales times. I know that this will change as more games become available but at the moment it is a situation that is hampering sales of the GC compared to PS2 and XBox.
