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Posted

I covered why I don't think they can't afford to make a loss. Nintendo isn't a private company, the management has to appease their shareholders. If they start bleeding money like the PS3/360 did this generation their stock price would plummet. Sure they have their reserves but it doesn't make sense to spend more than your yearly revenue when it can be avoided. It's similar reason to why they don't just ignore third parties and create/buyout new studios to make new games, they need to live within their means. Sure spending money in the long term could lead to a big pay day, the 360 is a testament to that, but it's still an undesirable business move to make losses on purpose when it is easily avoidable.

 

Of course Nintendo want to make money, as you said they're a buisness. But as I noted Iwata's buisness philosophy seems to be innovation first. He said 11 years ago that graphics would get much better, nothing like the jump from 2D to 3D. Sure you can argue he was misguided and point out HD gaming but it still clearly shows his philosophy. He seems to believe that going with full out power won't be a successful venture in the long term, It doesn't seem to me a case of "ha ha we can just half ass this new hardware and makes millions" the Gamecube experience has seemed to solidify the view within Nintendo that being successful in the gaming industry requires trying new things and taking a risk. The Wii U is a huge risk, so was Motion controls and the DS. These are things that had never been attempted before, sure you can argue that the Wii U is riding on the back of the Ipad but I think that's just downplaying the issue.

 

I think the situation with Sony is an example of what Nintendo shouldn't do. Like you said their gaming division was a major money maker back in the day. I was reading through their 1999 financials and gaming revenue outstripped the revenue of their electronics division. They became too complacent after the success of the PS1 and the PS2, look at the PSP. They believe they could create a new storage format that people would flock to and this idea was carried on with the PS3 where they expected fans 'to get a second job'. It shows that just going with power won't necessarily create a success, which was a change from the PS1 and PS2 where arguably they weren't the most powerful hardware on the market. The Vita shows that they have completely lost any direction they once had, perhaps it's because Sony is imploding as a whole.

Posted
You say Nintendo can't afford to make a loss etc; but why not? Sure they don't have other sectors propping them up but...what about having two of the most successfully selling consoles of the current generation? That they never made a loss on(unless they did for DS, I don't know). Or are you saying, despite what you're saying, they haven't actually made any money on them? Loss leaders are another simple business practise, but they can be risky if you don't have the money - I am of the view that Nintendo surely do from the Wii and DS doing so well so far.

 

Nintendo's philosophy is sound business. If they cover their costs and make a profit on each unit sold - whatever it is, then they know they will still be around for the next generation.

 

This sound - for both their fans, their employees and their shareholders. That's why they survived the GC era. When the console sales dropped off for Nintendo they were still highly profitable and survived the situation.

 

Sony on the other hand has made massive losses, they are rapidly moving toward insolvency and their credit rating is literally junk now. In fact getting credit to launch a major new product could be problematic.

 

Sony have been cavalier. They have made huge losses on hardware. Now even at the end of the generation, when they should be making their largest profits (based on the model of a loss leader where the idea is profitability later in the product life cycle) they are still posting a loss.

 

This might seem great for the consumer, after all the PS3 would have had to have been in excess of $900 for it to have been profitable at launch. You could say Sony are always putting their fans first and giving them a great deal - in part that is true.

 

However, they are not acting in a responsible manner for others who have a stake in the company. They have had to let large numbers of staff go and certainly haven't pleased share holders. What's more, if Sony do go belly up, I'm sure there will be a lot of Sony fans who are upset.

 

I think Nintendo are merely acting in a level headed fashion to ensure their future - it's something I'm grateful for, as I personally would hate it if Nintendo ended up like Sega.

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...
Posted

I was playing around on my Wii before it gets packed up today (on it's 6th birthday too :sad:) and I noticed the Youtube app was up on the EU store. It's actually really good and a lot more comfortable to use compared to the Youtube apps found on the PS3, smart TVs etc particularly for searching. I ended up watching a Giant Bomb Quick Look and there was no buffering. Definitely worth checking out the app if you don't have a Wii U.

  • 3 weeks later...
Posted
Ine is playing Muramasa after I recommended it to her.

 

I am proud. What a beautiful game.

 

I bought it for you, you silly person. =P

  • 1 month later...
Posted

I've been useless at starting games and then finishing them in the last year or so. I started No More Heroes 2 ages ago but only sat down properly last night and finished it.

 

Next one...Red Steel 2. I've forgotten just how beautiful NMH2 is. The humour is fantastic, too. :)

 

Sequel on WiiU please.

Posted
I've been useless at starting games and then finishing them in the last year or so. I started No More Heroes 2 ages ago but only sat down properly last night and finished it.

 

Next one...Red Steel 2. I've forgotten just how beautiful NMH2 is. The humour is fantastic, too. :)

 

Sequel on WiiU please.

 

Yeah I got past the baseball stadium boss or haunted house section of NMH2 and kinda just stopped playing. Was loving the humour of it all too. Hate it when you stop playing a game only to return eons later and forget what the hell is going on. It was the same with Red Steel 2 as well. I was killing Ninja's and the next thing got bored and just stopped playing.

 

More time off work is probably needed to get through these games!

My Wii list also includes Kirby's Epic Yarn/Skyward Sword(!)/Prime 3/Madworld and House of the Dead: Overkill

Posted
Yeah I got past the baseball stadium boss or haunted house section of NMH2 and kinda just stopped playing. Was loving the humour of it all too. Hate it when you stop playing a game only to return eons later and forget what the hell is going on. It was the same with Red Steel 2 as well. I was killing Ninja's and the next thing got bored and just stopped playing.

 

More time off work is probably needed to get through these games!

My Wii list also includes Kirby's Epic Yarn/Skyward Sword(!)/Prime 3/Madworld and House of the Dead: Overkill

 

The controls for NMH2 threw me off for a while, but I got back into it and loved it again. I don't know why I stopped, I think life just got in the way, or something.

 

Looking at my collection, I've got more than enough to see me through the year. No WiiU for 2014, I expect.

Posted

I can't get back into Okami, no matter how many times I try to return to it :hmm: It has kinda got to the point where I just want to get it finished so that I can say it's done..

Posted
I can't get back into Okami, no matter how many times I try to return to it :hmm: It has kinda got to the point where I just want to get it finished so that I can say it's done..
Well you should have persevered with it the firs time! :p It's fantastic!! Where are you up to?
Posted
Well you should have persevered with it the firs time! :p It's fantastic!! Where are you up to?

 

I had it on a couple of weeks ago with the intention of seeing it through this time.. but I haven't played it since :indeed:

 

The last thing I remember doing is wandering around some underwater palace or something..

Posted
I had it on a couple of weeks ago with the intention of seeing it through this time.. but I haven't played it since :indeed:

 

The last thing I remember doing is wandering around some underwater palace or something..

Ah yes, I'd say you've got the best third of the game still ahead of you! Only gets better and better story wise until it's finished.
Posted
Ah yes, I'd say you've got the best third of the game still ahead of you! Only gets better and better story wise until it's finished.

 

I'll probably try again soon :heh: I seemed to be really bad at fighting when I last played it, too.. I have no idea what techniques to use half the time ::shrug:

Posted
I can't get back into Okami, no matter how many times I try to return to it :hmm: It has kinda got to the point where I just want to get it finished so that I can say it's done..

 

Okami's quite a nice game, but it does have a reputation for going on a bit too long.

Posted
Okami's quite a nice game, but it does have a reputation for going on a bit too long.

Yeah it's a bit crazy, I think it spent 70hrs on it or something! :p

Still, I did pretty much enjoy every single one of them, but it's quite a bit to ask.

Posted

Wohoo, finished Goldeneye, too! Clearing my backlog...one game at a time. I'm not going to go back and try to clear it on uber-high-difficulty, because that would take me forever and I suck at shooters. Even with Wiimote controls.

 

I love how you can stealth pretty much anywhere. It's fantastic.

Posted
Wohoo, finished Goldeneye, too! Clearing my backlog...one game at a time. I'm not going to go back and try to clear it on uber-high-difficulty, because that would take me forever and I suck at shooters. Even with Wiimote controls.

 

I love how you can stealth pretty much anywhere. It's fantastic.

I tried playing through Goldeneye on the highest difficulty... and it's a lot of fun, because there are certain additional objectives and things...

 

but then I got to Archives. :weep:

 

I think I may have completed it once as well (can't remember exactly what happened now), but don't think I saved properly, and I couldn't face it again! :p

 

What did you make of the sun/laser/whatthefuckisthisthingburningtheroomtopieces bit! :p

 

Have to say generally the level design in this was amazing, and nunchuck to lean was incredible!

Posted
I tried playing through Goldeneye on the highest difficulty... and it's a lot of fun, because there are certain additional objectives and things...

 

but then I got to Archives. :weep:

 

I think I may have completed it once as well (can't remember exactly what happened now), but don't think I saved properly, and I couldn't face it again! :p

 

What did you make of the sun/laser/whatthefuckisthisthingburningtheroomtopieces bit! :p

 

I genuinely panicked at that bit.

 

"Wtf...I can't see shit. What should I doooooo?"

 

There were still one or two enemies showing up on radar and I just couldn't see them. Brilliant moment. Although, fucking Natalya, "Bond, help me, bla blah." Work faster, woman.

 

The part on the actual Cradle was hilarious, where the Sun burns the platforms. Enjoyed that a lot.

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