Voyons Donc wrote:

"...or else they'll rape us in the only market in which we're still making money." Maybe.

The three strikes that convinced everybody that the DS is another Virtual Boy:

1. There was still at least a year's worth of releases scheduled for the GBA, including guaranteed first-party moneymakers like a new Zelda (right after the DS's launch) and yet another Pokemon (in April). Message: "We're going to throw it out there before there are any games for it in the hopes that early adopter fanboys will be unable to resist the sharp, shiny hook. Meanwhile we'll hedge our bets. I CHOOSE YOU PIKACHU!"

2. The only decent launch titles were the Super Mario 64 port and the demo of Metroid (which won't be out until May). Message: "We are unable to interest third party developers in our wonderous new machine, even in spite of such gameplay enhancing features as uh IT HAS TWO SCREENS and um YOU CAN TOUCH THE SCREEN"

3. Holy Christ, just look at this release schedule. Dust in the wind noises. Solitary harmonica player. Look, I think I just saw a tumbleweed cross the screen. Message: "Our CEO will soon appear sobbing on NHK to carry out our traditional Japanese apology/self-humiliation ritual."