Nintendo Earnings Result: 24.45m Wii & 70.60m DS

[Gaijin von Snikbah]

Wii and PS2 are neck and neck. Will Wii sell more than the PS2?

[Dante]

Iwata: I'd like to show you one example. This is a WiiWare software called "World of Goo", which is currently being developed by a company called 2D Boy.

What you are seeing now may be self-explanatory but this is a sort of puzzle game which makes use of physical calculations. You will use the pointer function of Wii Remote to control and guide the grid-like character to the goal pipe.

I was given an opportunity to look at this game this week and understood that this game contains a lot of gimmicks and tweaks. Internally at Nintendo, a lot of positive talks about this can be heard today.

Initially, two developers started this development project, and most recently, one developer has been added to the team, which brings the total development members to three. Nowadays, it is very hard for a small-sized development team like them to work on a software for home console game machine. We are hopeful that WiiWare can explore a new path for this kind of brand new products and we would, of course, like to aggressively support WiiWare.

 

 

(Number of employees per wiiware-licensed companies)

 

WiiWare software developments have already started in the U.S. and Europe too. I would like to note the fact that a number of small-sized developers are proactively entering into this business by sensing the business potential of WiiWare.

Companies with less than 20 employees comprise 56% of the total number of companies which have so far decided to make WiiWare software. When we look at the percentage of the companies with 50 employees or less, they constitute three quarters of all.

This must be the sign that these companies think that WiiWare is a worthwhile business for them to aggressively pursue.

[system_error]

WiiWare is the first step for a rather small development studio to show their skills and ideas to the general public with much less risk. Furthermore if a game is successfull a publisher might release the sequel on a DVD. I think it is a really great opportunity for small to middle size developers - especially because they can attract customers and publishers.

 

 

I really hope it turns out well for people who tried to achieve something special. Also I think small games are a new game area (I still prefer big, epic RPGs and stuff)

[Tellyn]

I've said it since last year, WiiWare is going to be revolutionary for the industry (or for the Wii at least).

[system_error]

I've said it since last year, WiiWare is going to be revolutionary for the industry (or for the Wii at least).

 

I really hope so - but don't expect sky rocketing sales for the first few months. The Wii user base is big but until the majority accepts that new form of content it will take a while I guess.

[Tellyn]

I really hope so - but don't expect sky rocketing sales for the first few months. The Wii user base is big but until the majority accepts that new form of content it will take a while I guess.

 

Some clever advertising will be required to get as many people as possible connected to the internet and aware of WiiWare. These titles are all third-party titles and will probably end up as cult hits, yet they won't reach the masses.

 

- World of Goo

- Toki Tori

- Plattchen

- Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People

- LostWinds

- LIT

- Last Flight

- Bruiser & Scratch

- Eternity's Child

- Gravitronix

- Gyrostarr

[dazzybee]

But McPhee, risks need to be made. The Wii has and will cotninue to dominate hardware sales ,meaning in theory there are more people to buy games on this console. rather than EVERYONE waiting and see whats happening, publishers/developers need to take a little risk and YES take development away from 360 and PS3, make the best game they can for the Wii and then see how it sells - these games DO sell on the Wii; but it's unfair to ignore this and pick out the games that don't sell.

 

There is more money to be made on the Wii, simple as; make a AAA game on Wii, market it, and you will make money!

[Jamba]

But McPhee, risks need to be made. The Wii has and will cotninue to dominate hardware sales ,meaning in theory there are more people to buy games on this console. rather than EVERYONE waiting and see whats happening, publishers/developers need to take a little risk and YES take development away from 360 and PS3, make the best game they can for the Wii and then see how it sells - these games DO sell on the Wii; but it's unfair to ignore this and pick out the games that don't sell.

 

There is more money to be made on the Wii, simple as; make a AAA game on Wii, market it, and you will make money!

 

Well, considering that you're not a publisher and market researching, knowing the userbase, understanding risk in the market and the profit and loss minefield that is game development are publishers specialities, I'd go so far as to say: "maybe they know what they are doing".

 

God, I can't believe all this time people were whining about Nintendo being niche and now everyone is whining about it being a mass market console.