Contributor: Nintendo in a Land Down Under

Before the days of Operation Rainfall, I used to find myself complaining about release dates and prices in the United Kingdom. We always seemed to get the bum deal compared to our cousins across the Atlantic. Things have changed for the better in my native Britain as of late. However, now I’m living in New Zealand and things seem to be worse than before. Much worse.

It’s already a well established fact that gaming down under is an expensive hobby. Many of the dedicated gamers here can only wish that prices would go down under too, but they don’t; they continue to be high, remaining at the top of worldwide expense charts for video game hardware and software. On top of costs, the region also tends to receive games later than the rest of the world. Just look at the Wiki page for any major release you care to pick, and chances are high that Australasia was the last territory to receive said game. Some of the delays are shocking. Super Paper Mario, for example, hit shores here a full 6 months after the US. Strewth!

So, I find myself in the land of the Long White Cloud, trying to keep my head out of it, and stay informed with the goings-on in the gaming industry in the rest of the world. Foreigners in New Zealand, like myself, are usually too busy skiing, mountain climbing, or wandering down Hobbit holes to play video games. After all, the country is crammed with exciting and unique things to do, all set against a stunning backdrop. Packing my bags, however, I held aside some room for my 3DS, Game Boy Micro and a hoard of games (I didn’t think a Wii U would fit in my luggage allowance), not willing or able to let my love of gaming go stagnant during my time away from home.

It quickly came to my attention that Nintendo seems to take a back bench in popularity to Sony and Microsoft here, often to the point of fading into obscurity. Whilst browsing through the EB games New Zealand website, I discovered that the 3DS and Wii U are listed on the main page under the “other” category, even behind Laptops and Tablets (which get their own place on the menu bar). This is a dedicated gaming company, yet this years biggest hardware release, the Wii U, is not one of the company’s main attractions and is surely lacking the attention it deserves. In fact, you will be hard pressed to find Wii U units or games on the New Zealand high street, unless you happen to be in an actual EB Games store. Electronics stores will even still stock Playstation 2 titles, but finding Wii U merchandise here is as unlikely as stumbling upon the rare and elusive Kiwi bird. Also, despite living in the second largest city on the south island, Dunedin, I’ve only encountered one stranger on Streetpass, and this is a bustling student city (don’t let the “second largest city” title fool you–it only has a population of just under 120,000).

Certain bundles and hardware inexplicably don’t make their way here either. Despite sharing the same region coding as Europe, NZ misses out on systems released in the UK. Some of the gorgeous limited edition 3DSs, such as the Fire Emblem bundle, are a prime example of mouth-watering Nintendo products that fans and collectors alike struggle to purchase, unless they’re willing to shell out for a product to be shipped around the world. I had wanted to purchase the limited edition Animal Crossing: New Leaf 3DS, but having no confirmation of releasing here either, I would have to order it from Britain. Situations like this also cause many fans down under to feel excluded in comparison to the rest of the world, and their loyalty is often tested as a result. This is not something Nintendo is to blame for, though, as it occurs right across the board.

So how has the situation here recently affected me? Well, a few weeks ago I eagerly pre-ordered a copy of Animal Crossing: New Leaf from another large NZ company. The pain of hearing about American gamers enjoying it was becoming too much to bear. So imagine my anguish when come launch day there is no sign of it in the mail. “Shoddy NZ postal service, late again,” I thought, but upon checking the company website, I was told “Sorry Thomas, but your game is in another country!” It was due to be shipped from Australia and could arrive as late as the 11th of July, a staggering two weeks late. I obviously cancelled the order, rushed into the city, handed over my bells to purchase a copy and ran back. Even that didn’t go smoothly. The only major video game store in the city had sold out and had a back order of copies. Luckily, a nearby electronics store came to the rescue. So, a day after Europe, six days after the USA, and two hundred and nineteen days after Japan, I had my copy. Fortunately for me, I can still usually make eShop purchases from the UK store and pay in good old British pounds. But when I’m after physical hardware, as I usually am, being a Nintendo gamer in New Zealand can be difficult.

The very fact that the initial order was due to be shipped from Australia helps to underline Nintendo’s position in NZ. Almost all of Nintendo’s official products, be it the website, the magazine or the advertising campaigns, go through Nintendo of Australia. Release dates can differ between the two countries and the currencies, although both in dollars, are far from the same, causing further confusion. On the other hand, to wait for a game, predicted to be one of this year’s best sellers, to arrive in a country which should have had plenty of units ready to post seems short-sighted. Nintendo once again seemed to have been overlooked.

Overall, there are a number of factors that contribute towards the state of the gaming industry here, which could be discussed in great length. Admittedly, NZ has never been much of a gaming hub. The country has a very physical, hard working mentality and is extremely agricultural. The range of gamers is far less varied in NZ than it is in the USA or UK. The majority of gamers here are young children and students, two of the groups with the lowest income, if any. So it seems the lack of a high gaming demographic contributes to an increase in retail prices. NZ is relatively small in size, and this results in prices being higher due to storage and shipping costs. A weak NZ dollar and higher taxes have also been blamed. Delays can mainly be put down to shipping, or classification procedures, as the majority of games now use the European or American localisations, but it would be true to say that the industry usually prioritises the US and Europe as getting the first release, outside of Japan.

However, before I put anyone off visiting this breathtaking country, I should stress it’s not all doom and gloom. Things could be on the up. Announced recently was the news that Pokemon fans across the globe will be able to get their hands on Pokemon X/Y on the same date wherever they may live–technically meaning Australia and NZ can receive it a day early. Sweet as! That’s one bonus fans down under can cheer about. Gamers here will hope that such releases can one day become a regular occurrence.

Don’t get me wrong, I love it in NZ. It’s a fascinating place to live, but there’s a part of me that wishes gaming here was as accessible and affordable as it was back home, or better still, in the USA. Until my next purchase though, I am quite content. I have my copy of New Leaf, which hasn’t left my 3DS in over two weeks, and I don’t plan on taking it out any time soon. Maybe by the time I do, Nintendo games will be cheaper here… just maybe.