Nintendo Ditching This Years E3 Presser

[Retro_Link]

Wii 2 would have solved the issue.

 

As well as put across the additional [lame] 'This console is about YOU... U' message that no one has picked up on anyway, and isn't even the case. Fuck what were Nintendo thinking!

 

We'll have to see if it's too much for what it is when the others launch, then it might seem much better value compaired to a potential £400+ PS4, with 'no games', no BC, paywalls, etc.

At least you'll be investing in a console that's future proofed for the next 6-7 years!

 

Plus if the Wii U only lasts for 3 years... you'll be buying 2 Nintendo console in the lifespan of a PS4/720, so will probably be a lot more expensive anyway!

Edited April 26, 2013 by Retro_Link

[madeinbeats]

I was just stated one of the MANY problems plaguing the console at the moment.

 

All issues stem from key title development delays and no opportunity to build momentum. Advert on TV 'this is the new Wii, Wii U' is that so hard to understand? I don't think it is IF adverts existed.

 

3DS built momentum and awareness and that's why the name isn't an issue for it now. Sure, maybe things might have played out different if they used a number convention in some way, but how different? They still wouldn't be advertising it right now because of the base momentum building issue.

 

So what if people went into a shop and thought it was an add-on, at least they went to the shop to ask about it. Result lol.

 

 

At least you'll be investing in a console that's future proofed for the next 6-7 years!

 

Plus if the Wii U only lasts for 3 years... you'll be buying 2 Nintendo console in the lifespan of a PS4/720, so will probably be a lot more expensive anyway!

 

Two very large assumptions and no consideration of the economy, Sony's financial affairs or Joe blog consumer.

[Hero-of-Time]

All issues stem from key title development delays and no opportunity to build momentum. Advert on TV 'this is the new Wii, Wii U' is that so hard to understand? I don't think it is IF adverts existed.

 

No point advertising at the moment though really. If the games aren't there, due to the delays you just mentioned, then why waste money on adverts? Its the same thing with these people crying out for a price cut. Without the software, both a price cut and advertisements are pointless.

[madeinbeats]

No point advertising at the moment thouthe really. If the games aren't there, due to the delays you just mentioned, then why waste money on adverts? Its the same thing with these people crying out for a price cut. Without the software, both a price cut and advertisements are pointless.

 

Bingo. That's what I'm saying. There's the underlying issue, and then there are various symptoms of that issue.

[Daft]

I maintain that Nintendo simply are not big enough to remain in the home console business. As a company, they are smaller than Microsoft's whole marketing arm. They have a shit load of cash in reserve but apparently they have no idea how to invest it in themselves.

 

I imagine having to 'rescue' the 3DS must have pulled a hell of a lot of resources off the Wii U. I can't think of any other reason for seeming to be utterly incompetent.

[Kav]

They don't need a plethora of games immediately available to sell. They needed a killer app bundled in at a decent price that was heavily and correctly advertised. Nintendoland should've been online and bundled in with every console.

 

The Wii launched on the strength of the new way to play and the fact that Wii Sports was bundled with it gave people that experience immediately, at a very affordable price. It was THE killer app!

Sure the WiiU isn't the drastic change the Wii was but it still opens up different ways to play and Nintendoland could've shown it off if bundled at the right price. Make Nintendoland online and the attraction becomes greater as you can connect with more people with this new way to play.

[Hero-of-Time]

They don't need a plethora of games immediately available to sell. They needed a killer app bundled in at a decent price that was heavily and correctly advertised. Nintendoland should've been online and bundled in with every console.

 

The Wii launched on the strength of the new way to play and the fact that Wii Sports was bundled with it gave people that experience immediately, at a very affordable price. It was THE killer app!

Sure the WiiU isn't the drastic change the Wii was but it still opens up different ways to play and Nintendoland could've shown it off if bundled at the right price. Make Nintendoland online and the attraction becomes greater as you can connect with more people with this new way to play.

 

This is true.

 

The only time I play Nintendoland is when I my nephews or nieces come round the house. Had it been online I would have played it a lot more. Not being online is one thing, but not being able to compare highscores with people on your friends list is beyond a joke, especially when the game is pretty much centered around getting highscores.

[Ronnie]

I maintain that Nintendo simply are not big enough to remain in the home console business. As a company, they are smaller than Microsoft's whole marketing arm

 

Funny that, considering Microsoft are a little bigger than a games bussiness. Doesn't make any difference that that's the case.

[Daft]

That doesn't contradict my point. In fact, that's exactly my point. Nintendo are up against multifaceted companies that are more diverse and have much better territory-to-territory reach (Just an example, Nintendo still don't have a global submission process after Microsoft instigated it at the beginning of this generation).

[dazzybee]

I maintain that Nintendo simply are not big enough to remain in the home console business. As a company, they are smaller than Microsoft's whole marketing arm. They have a shit load of cash in reserve but apparently they have no idea how to invest it in themselves.

 

I imagine having to 'rescue' the 3DS must have pulled a hell of a lot of resources off the Wii U. I can't think of any other reason for seeming to be utterly incompetent.

 

The first sentence is an utter joke, but the rest I agree with. I'm hoping their big ideas of partnering with 3rd parties to make cross games and the likes of Lego, wonderful 101 and Bayonetta 2 are a sign of bigger things to come, but it's not looking good.

 

As for the first sentence... why are they two small? They've done okay for the past 30 years. They make more money than sony and MS from the gaming industry? Weird you doubt their survival. I reckon one of MS and Sony are more likely to leave than Nintendo; NIntendo is different; although we don't know, I'd imagine we all agree that MS and PS4 will offer sensationally similar experiences.

[Daft]

I don't doubt their survival. I doubt the quality of their product.

 

I think Sony are gearing up to leave hardware behind (not really sure why they'd leave the industry). All the signs are there: aggressive increase of first-party studios and investment in cloud gaming.

 

The reason I say they are too small is that, unlike Microsoft and Sony, (and people constantly say this on here) people buy a Nintendo console for their games and the proof is in the pudding - the Wii U is lacking (and so was the 3DS for a while). I might be wrong, I'm just finding it hard to imagine how their size doesn't directly impact launching two consoles and supporting them with two different production lines of games.

[Agent Gibbs]

NIntendo is different; although we don't know, I'd imagine we all agree that MS and PS4 will offer sensationally similar experiences.

 

Only with M$ you have to pay for online and always be online.....so yeah Ps4 is better, i hope M$ die in a fire this gen

[madeinbeats]

The Wii was a special phenomenon, who here doesn't agree with me on that?

 

It's far too much to ask of the Wii U to match that level. As good as NL is, it's no Wii Sports and online features wouldn't have had much effect at all on sales. I think NL bundled in every SKU may have had some impact on sales; mistake; arrogance; greed; financial necessity; I don't know.

 

But look, Wii U is no Wii - that's a tall order to ask for anyone. No Wii U Sports equivalent exists and may never exist in the way it did on the Wii.

 

Wii U needs to fall on more traditional methods to drive sales like the majority of consoles do.

[Hero-of-Time]

The Wii was a special phenomenon, who here doesn't agree with me on that?

 

It's far too much to ask of the Wii U to match that level. As good as NL is, it's no Wii Sports and online features wouldn't have had much effect at all on sales. I think NL bundled in every SKU may have had some impact on sales; mistake; arrogance; greed; financial necessity; I don't know.

 

Agreed.

 

Given the expanded audience seems to have moved on the Wii U is never going to get the same level of sales as the Wii. Granted it's very early days and anything could happen, but at this point it's looking very unlikely.

 

The 'core' gamers have moved on to the PS3/360 and are waiting for the next models, which leaves only the dedicated Nintendo fans supporting the console. This fan base has been shrinking every generation and the only reason the Wii was an exception to this rule was because of the expanded audience.

[madeinbeats]

Agreed.

 

Granted it's very early days and anything could happen.

 

Edited your post for you ;-P

[liger05]

The Wii was a special phenomenon, who here doesn't agree with me on that?

 

It's far too much to ask of the Wii U to match that level. As good as NL is, it's no Wii Sports and online features wouldn't have had much effect at all on sales. I think NL bundled in every SKU may have had some impact on sales; mistake; arrogance; greed; financial necessity; I don't know.

 

But look, Wii U is no Wii - that's a tall order to ask for anyone. No Wii U Sports equivalent exists and may never exist in the way it did on the Wii.

 

Wii U needs to fall on more traditional methods to drive sales like the majority of consoles do.

 

I agree with that but I dont think Nintendo did. Nintendo seemed to think those who bought wii's would just flock to the wii u not taking into account that that expanded audience is fickle and will move on to the next thing easily.

[dazzybee]

I don't doubt their survival. I doubt the quality of their product.

 

I think Sony are gearing up to leave hardware behind (not really sure why they'd leave the industry). All the signs are there: aggressive increase of first-party studios and investment in cloud gaming.

 

The reason I say they are too small is that, unlike Microsoft and Sony, (and people constantly say this on here) people buy a Nintendo console for their games and the proof is in the pudding - the Wii U is lacking (and so was the 3DS for a while). I might be wrong, I'm just finding it hard to imagine how their size doesn't directly impact launching two consoles and supporting them with two different production lines of games.

 

Well they've balanced two consoles for 20 odd years so I don't know why they'd suddenly find it difficult.

 

Also don't understand why there'd be any doubt on their product, their games have always been fantastic and sell very well, even that isn't changing on the wii u.

 

And like you say, they turned the 3DS around in absolute style, see no reason why they wouldn't do the same with the wii u.

 

Also find it quite funny you keep speaking of failed launches and such, with you being such a huge fan of the vita. 3DS turned it around but even before it was more successful than the vita. The Wii u is almost as successful as the vita and I'm sure it won't be long before it takes over it. I'm not saying it's important, but you keep talking about failed launches, not sustaining things and lack of software. The vita is the biggest criminal of this for a long long long time

[Helmsly]

The Wii was a special phenomenon, who here doesn't agree with me on that?

 

It's far too much to ask of the Wii U to match that level. As good as NL is, it's no Wii Sports and online features wouldn't have had much effect at all on sales. I think NL bundled in every SKU may have had some impact on sales; mistake; arrogance; greed; financial necessity; I don't know.

 

But look, Wii U is no Wii - that's a tall order to ask for anyone. No Wii U Sports equivalent exists and may never exist in the way it did on the Wii.

 

Wii U needs to fall on more traditional methods to drive sales like the majority of consoles do.

 

Not to match that level because just as you said, it was a special phenomenon. But you would think there would be a lot more people interested in the Wii U, being that it carries the Wii name and yet the name has had almost no effect in increasing its sales. Its barely reaching gamecube levels despite carrying the name.

[Wii]

Well they've balanced two consoles for 20 odd years so I don't know why they'd suddenly find it difficult.

 

Also don't understand why there'd be any doubt on their product, their games have always been fantastic and sell very well, even that isn't changing on the wii u.

 

And like you say, they turned the 3DS around in absolute style, see no reason why they wouldn't do the same with the wii u.

 

Also find it quite funny you keep speaking of failed launches and such, with you being such a huge fan of the vita. 3DS turned it around but even before it was more successful than the vita. The Wii u is almost as successful as the vita and I'm sure it won't be long before it takes over it. I'm not saying it's important, but you keep talking about failed launches, not sustaining things and lack of software. The vita is the biggest criminal of this for a long long long time

 

The costs of game development is a lot higher than it was 20 years ago. And in the case of the Wii U, Nintendo have admitted they're struggling to make the leap into HD graphics. That's partly why they're reaching out to 3rd parties for help. It's a sad indictment that they're 7 years behind the curve.

[Happenstance]

Personally I think the Wii name is a hindrance. Not all gamers liked the Wii (like myself for its motion controls) so will associate it with that. The more casual gamers will be the ones that dont even realise its a new console and just think the pad is an add on. The other problem is that that casual market that the Wii tapped into so well last gen just arent interested anymore, theyve moved their gaming onto tablets and their phones.

[Helmsly]

I'm sure part of that casual market has moved on, but I can't believe all of those millions and millions of wii owners have just all moved to ipads and Kinect.

[Jonnas]

Are we still talking about the E3 thing? I seriously can't distinguish this thread from any other Wii U thread right now.

 

Meh, whatever Nintendo does, any Nintendo Direct will fill the E3 gap. We've started to get as excited for those as we usually are for E3, and the fruit is far more rewarding. This, from a gamer/consumer point of view.

 

For everyone else, there's Mastercard other ways to show what they're doing, and how much profit they're making.

[Daft]

Well they've balanced two consoles for 20 odd years so I don't know why they'd suddenly find it difficult.

 

Also don't understand why there'd be any doubt on their product, their games have always been fantastic and sell very well, even that isn't changing on the wii u.

 

And like you say, they turned the 3DS around in absolute style, see no reason why they wouldn't do the same with the wii u.

 

Also find it quite funny you keep speaking of failed launches and such, with you being such a huge fan of the vita. 3DS turned it around but even before it was more successful than the vita. The Wii u is almost as successful as the vita and I'm sure it won't be long before it takes over it. I'm not saying it's important, but you keep talking about failed launches, not sustaining things and lack of software. The vita is the biggest criminal of this for a long long long time

 

The world has changed a lot in 20 years, I don't think Nintendo have adapted. If anything, it's pretty damning that of the big three, Nintendo is the most experience in the games industry and manages to mis-understand the industry so badly with it's last two launches.

 

I don't think the Wii technologically is a quality product at all. I'm not talking about just the graphics, I'm talking about a whole myriad of factors like their OS, the user experience, things like the the lack of cross-game chat, custom soundtrack - by the end of the year it will be lacking live streaming/video capture, the ability to download and play on the fly and god know what else. There's no dynamism in their general strategy either, nothing like a subsidised console contract like Microsoft (even if Microsoft's strategy is generally awful) no ideas like Playstation Plus. And their games? It's subjective, obviously, but they generally don't excite me - I don't like the Nintendo aesthetic and I'm much more into - I dunno, it's hard to describe - 'visceral' games? 'Emotional' games? Things like BioShock, Uncharted, Portal, Journey. Even crap games like Heavy Rain are at the least interesting to play, no matter how piss poor they are.

 

Sony seemed to have matured as time have passed. I use to hate their shitty games, crap like Spyro and Crash - they didn't even come close to the things Nintendo did. Sony have grown up and I've grown up, too. Nintendo still make the same games they've always had. It's that Nintendo 'magic' that is why they have such a special place in people's hearts and it doesn't work on me anymore.

 

The situation the 3DS was in and the situation the Wii U are in are different. They exist in two completely different sectors of the market.

 

Why are you even mentioning the Vita? I haven't said anything about the Vita. I think it's a great piece of hardware. I'm not really surprised its sales are so low. Its marketing has been dire - hell its whole positioning is confused. The memory cards are painfully expensive. There are enough games for me personally, but I can't keep up with the free games I want to play on Plus so I'm not in need of more games (I'm still nowhere near close to completing Persona 4). It doesn't look appealing at all, though.

 

I guess I'd be more vocal about it if I didn't consider handhelds 'fringe' gaming to me. I don't need the Vita to be the greatest thing ever. Honestly, I don't think there's really a market for the Vita (at least not at its price point).

 

TL;DR

1 - Balancing two consoles for two decades doesn't guarantee anything in a changing landscape.

2 - The 3DS and Wii U exist in different spaces. A comparison is facile.

3 - The Vita is an answer to a question no one asked. If it can reposition itself then maybe it'll find some prosperity, as it is I have very little reason to complain - for most, there are plenty of reasons to complain, however.

[liger05]

There is no reason why nintendo cant expand and support two platforms at once. That will take time and the Wii U could be an absolute disaster that last 3 years on the market before nintendo pull the plug. Still the company could recover from that and come again. One bad console wont kill them.

[Wii]

I'd also add to my earlier point that games take a lot longer to develop now than they did years ago.