Nintendo Must Inspire at E3

[Goron_3]

Nintendo’s move to not do a traditional E3 presentation last year was an interesting one. In fact, it was as interesting as it was naïve, because it showed the world that they did not understand the gaming industry anymore, and that they didn’t have a clear vision for the Wii U. Talking to @Serebii on twitter, he believes that E3 is only about one thing and that’s the games, but I disagree. E3 is about much more than that; it’s about convincing the industry that YOUR console in the one to back, YOUR console is the one worth investing in and YOUR console is one that developers must support. This is where Nintendo and Microsoft failed last year, and where Sony succeeded.

 

Nintendo showed games off last year but they did it in a different way than they did before; they used a Nintendo direct to show off a new Mario, a new Smash and Retro’s Donkey Kong sequel. Of course, die-hard Nintendo fans were delighted but the implications of this terribly weak direct had much wider implications. For a start, the Wii U was already doing poorly, and the Wii brand itself already had some very negative connotations to it by 2013 (and much earlier than that in fact). As a result, Nintendo’s E3 had to prove the following to the industry:

 

-What their strategy was for getting people excited about Wii U. What is the ‘grand plan’ behind the gamepad and what exciting software can they produce to make the audience and developers excited for the system.

-What the new hardware capable of. When we moved from SNES->N64, we went for Super Mario World to Super Mario 64, and a Link To The Past to Ocarina of Time. Nintendo gave us BIGGER, more immersive worlds and the hardware allowed for it. Going from N64->Gamecube, the leap was just as big. We went to even bigger, more living worlds, from The Wind Waker and that giant ocean to Metroid Prime (nuff said).

 

The problem with Nintendo last year was simply that it was clear that they had no vision for the Wii U other than making it a sequel machine to Wii games. There was no effort to create any excitement, particularly amongst those in the industry, and as a result the Wii U continued to die a slow, slow death. All those fantastic decisions with the Wii were reversed; instead of getting the industry on their side, they decided not to even try. Maybe they decided that the Wii U was a dead horse, even as early as last summer, but that’s another story. There was no effort to build partnerships, no effort to tell the industry ‘back us’.

 

E3 is much more than about showing games, it’s about showing the industry you know what you’re doing. It’s about creating allies and partnerships, more so than it is about showing games off. I was told by David Milliband last year when I had the opportunity to sit with him and discuss some things; he said that ‘the biggest decisions and partnerships don’t happen in a board room, they happen outside them. They happen wherever you can convince people to back you’, and that’s why the industry turned against Nintendo last year. It’s not because the world hates Nintendo, it’s because Nintendo never even tried with the Wii U in the first place.

 

The best example of my point that E3 is much bigger than games and it being about winning the industry over? No, it’s not Nintendo’s 2004 conference, where a dying Gamecube was capturing the hearts of the industry due to the sheer variety of its gaming catalogue (plus that awesome Zelda and DS reveal) and it’s also not Nintendo’s 2006 presentation, when the Wii wiped the floor with the competition.

 

 

The best example is Sony’s presentation last year. They won the generation right there by saying ‘We are for the gamers’. No big announcements, no exclusive content like Microsoft. Just a statement that they ‘got it’. The crowd reaction to the ‘It plays used games’ says it all…it won them the generation before it started.

 

 

Whatever Nintendo do this year and whatever they do in the future, the truth is that they have a long way to go before they can inspire the industry, particularly the companies and developers that actually make the games, to believe in Nintendo again. Nintendo need to get it; they need to get the industry to believe in them again. E3 2014 must inspire the industry in ways that 2012 and 2013 didn't.

[Kav]

Fantastic post, I can't agree more... or really add anything to it. Just clicking thanks wasn't enough though!

[Dcubed]

Not much more to add really, you're spot on. Choosing to not go with a live publically broadcast E3 conference was a terrible mistake...

 

That being said though, E3 as a whole hasn't really been great since 2010 across the board (not just Nintendo). I wouldn't really say that Sony's E3 2013 conference was anything special in of itself (indeed the thing that made the biggest splash was the no-used-game-blocking jab and that only came about a result of Microsoft shitting their own bed)

 

TBH, even if Nintendo did go with a live conference again, what could they even bring to the table that would blow people away? Zelda? I doubt it...

 

I get the feeling that no matter what they show, it won't be enough to turn heads... Their own games alone aren't going to cut it and even then, there's only so much they could even produce on their own...

[Blade]

Yeah Nintendo need to get the industry. I agree there is nothing more to add.

 

The evidence suggests that they do not get the industry and on this basis I cannot see sales of the Wii U picking up.

[Ronnie]

Considering they rolled out most of the big guns last year, everything hinges on the Zelda reveal time time around, hopefully it'll blow people away.

[Goron_3]

Not much more to add really, you're spot on. Choosing to not go with a live publically broadcast E3 conference was a terrible mistake...

 

That being said though, E3 as a whole hasn't really been great since 2010 across the board (not just Nintendo). I wouldn't really say that Sony's E3 2013 conference was anything special in of itself (indeed the thing that made the biggest splash was the no-used-game-blocking jab and that only came about a result of Microsoft shitting their own bed)

 

TBH, even if Nintendo did go with a live conference again, what could they even bring to the table that would blow people away? Zelda? I doubt it...

 

I get the feeling that no matter what they show, it won't be enough to turn heads... Their own games alone aren't going to cut it and even then, there's only so much they could even produce on their own...

 

I think they need to show more than just Zelda tbh. They need to show the industry, particularly those in the west, that they are going to start getting new, exclusive I.P (whether it's developed by themselves, Retro or a new developer)

on their system to seriously diversify their line up. Of course, I'm not saying they need their own 'Gears of War' or Uncharted, but they need to get people interested in the system, regardless of what genre of games they like. The Wii U is platformer heaven at the moment, but there are plenty of other genres out there! I'm sure they'll come out attacking though...maybe it will be a repeat of E3 2004 when they just announced game after game after game?

 

Considering they rolled out most of the big guns last year, everything hinges on the Zelda reveal time time around, hopefully it'll blow people away.

 

If it's a realistic Zelda (well, more akin to TP than WW) I think it'll create some real positive vibes. That said, I think they need more than just Zelda. Nintendo do not have a good reputation in the west at the moment (particularly in the U.K) and Zelda alone won't change that.

[Serebii]

They are going to impress at E3. Mark my words

 

There have been hints all over the place. It will be glorious.

 

Unless they just do a Direct, in which case, even I can't defend them. Image, unfortunately, is everything, like you said.

[Ronnie]

If it's a realistic Zelda (well, more akin to TP than WW) I think it'll create some real positive vibes. That said, I think they need more than just Zelda. Nintendo do not have a good reputation in the west at the moment (particularly in the U.K) and Zelda alone won't change that.

 

I think it's really sad how obsessed Nintendo fans are about Zelda's art style, seemingly assigning that more importance than the actual gameplay. I agree with you, the art style will determine how it's received, but it shouldn't be like that.

 

The thread on here about what we want from Zelda U is mostly filled with what people want to see, rather than experience.

[Falcon_BlizZACK]

Really though - whats with all the worry mongering?

 

You will buy Smash, you will buy MK8... you will buy Zelda. I know given the pedigree of these games, they will be great and I know going by history there will be more games than just those three (four or even five ). Regardless of a shitty E3, crappy Directs and Iwata.

 

At the end of the day its always the same; buy what you want/don't buy what you want. I dont really care about sales and influence - its not my company.

 

If they quit hardware, they become third party developers, if not, so be it.

 

Relax'a your face/eat your snickers/get your testosterone levels checked out (low test is linked to a lack of positivity). :p

Edited April 29, 2014 by King_V

[Goron_3]

I think it's really sad how obsessed Nintendo fans are about Zelda's art style, seemingly assigning that more importance than the actual gameplay. I agree with you, the art style will determine how it's received, but it shouldn't be like that.

 

The thread on here about what we want from Zelda U is mostly filled with what people want to see, rather than experience.

 

True, but now Nintendo finally aren't limited by GC hardware I would love to see them expand on the world created in Twilight Princess. That game looked great but it was clear it was a bit too ambitious in its scope; the textures were terrible.

[Ashley]

I think it's really sad how obsessed Nintendo fans are about Zelda's art style, seemingly assigning that more importance than the actual gameplay. I agree with you, the art style will determine how it's received, but it shouldn't be like that.

 

In fairness, it changes more than the gameplay does at times....

 

(not necessarily a criticism, as Zelda games are a polished affair, but we pretty much know the general structure/play manner we can expect from Zelda)

 

Plus art is nice

[Retro_Link]

I genuinely don't think Zelda is even close to being enough. Not even close.

 

Everyone's expecting it. Everyone's expecting a kick-ass trailer, a different art style, probably a different structure or an alternate perspective. As incredible as it would be to have in a Zelda game, if it gives us a huge interactive world it's still only catching up to what other games like Skyrim and Red Dead Redemption have provided. I think the best way Nintendo can wow through Zelda actually is through the art style. Is it possible to do something through that which the industry hasn't seen before and really create a huge buzz around it 'how are Nintendo doing this?'... 'this is the best art style in the industry right now'. But it will be tough, the likes of Journey, with it's sand, it's snow, the way the character interacts with it has shown me beauty I'd never seen before.

 

A combination of some stunning, unexpected new IP and fan service with the likes of F-Zero/WaveRace/Starfox etc... could do a huge amount for them however. They're two years late with a 'statement of intent for the console' (they should have had a show-reel with the reveal), but one now would certainly inspire trust in consumers.

 

In terms of inspiring the industry with the Wii U, they've already missed the boat, their QoL platform is the only chance they have at doing that, until the E3 in which they show off their next home, handheld or home-handheld console.

[Cube]

On top of that, Zelda is likely going to be a brief trailer. After Skyward Sword, that alone won't excite me. I need to see gameplay and hear some details on the world and NPC interaction. Skyward Sword was a dated game with awkward controls. Although A Link Between Worlds did get a good balance between nostalgic and new.

 

I suppose my biggest problem that I've lost my faith in them. I'm still sceptical about Mario Kart 8, and that's out in one month and a day. They need to do something special to restore it.

[Serebii]

On top of that, Zelda is likely going to be a brief trailer. After Skyward Sword, that alone won't excite me. I need to see gameplay and hear some details on the world and NPC interaction. Skyward Sword was a dated game with awkward controls. Although A Link Between Worlds did get a good balance between nostalgic and new.

 

I suppose my biggest problem that I've lost my faith in them. I'm still sceptical about Mario Kart 8, and that's out in one month and a day. They need to do something special to restore it.

Says whom? Zelda was ready to be shown at E3 last year. Logically, we'll get a decent trailer and it'll be playable on the show floor.

[Cube]

Says whom? Zelda was ready to be shown at E3 last year. Logically, we'll get a decent trailer and it'll be playable on the show floor.

 

If that's the case, then good.

 

I'm still expecting a short trailer with music from the Conan the Barbarian.

[Retro_Link]

Says whom? Zelda was ready to be shown at E3 last year. Logically, we'll get a decent trailer and it'll be playable on the show floor.

Not that I doubt you, but have you got any quotes about this because I genuinely can't remember hearing anything along those lines. In fact I think the last thing I remember hearing about Zelda Wii U is that they were still deciding on a direction for it... and thus I always presumed it was likely quite a long way off still.

 

Exciting if it's true, but Wind Waker HD only came out in Autumn of last year didn't it and I thought that game was helping Nintendo with Zelda Wii U's development... so can they really have had something to show from Zelda Wii U months before that games release at E3?

 

with music from the Conan the Barbarian.

I'd be dissapointed with anything less :p

 

The Skyward Sword reveal trailer was ridiculously short wasn't it, 30 secs or so. Hoping for something more, something substantial and representative of the goal for the end game, unlike TP.

Edited April 29, 2014 by Retro_Link
Automerged Doublepost

[Ville]

I think it's really sad how obsessed Nintendo fans are about Zelda's art style, seemingly assigning that more importance than the actual gameplay. I agree with you, the art style will determine how it's received, but it shouldn't be like that.

 

The thread on here about what we want from Zelda U is mostly filled with what people want to see, rather than experience.

 

The visual side is very important in any game, at least to me. It is one of the first things I look at (...) in a game, i.e. is it visually appealing or not, and that can either seal the deal or put me off completely. Skyward Sword is the first Zelda that I didn't like visually, the colours just look dull and washed out, especially if you compare to games like Xenoblade. Video games are art, so of course the visual side has to be in order! Doesn't mean it has to be super realistic or anything, but the player should get some kind of joy from just looking at the game's art, especially with high-caliber titles like the Legend of Zelda. #imo

[Ganepark32]

Nintendo's issue with putting on an E3 conference is that we know they'll bring their own games. We know that they'll have Zelda, X, Yarn Yoshi, and Bayonetta 2 and some "surprise" titles on the Wii U and 3DS (I put it that way because the surprises are likely to be within franchises we know of and are unlikely to be new IPs) but none of it will truly lift the Wii U to a position that many gamers will consider due to being put off by Nintendo's own loack of progress in moving with an industry they once upon a time spearheaded.

 

Where they'll be let down is having minimal third party titles to showcase and it's going to be very noticeable. Bringing Ubisoft representatives on stage to demo Watch_Dogs 2 weeks after it's released on the other consoles would be stupid (and something Nintendo would think of doing). But aside from maybe a game from Ubisoft and Sonic Boom, what are they going to have to show on that front? They really need to sort their third party relations out and stop being so bloody minded and insular.

 

The only way around the lack of big third party titles would be for them to bringing indie devs on stage to showcase their games. Spend loads of time on those guys to really show they get that these guys are an important part of their platforms. Again, it's something that Sony did right last year and would garner some points/faith. And get a Wii U version of Minecraft sorted Nintendo. It's actually ridiculous they haven't bothered to get that sorted.

[Serebii]

Not that I doubt you, but have you got any quotes about this because I genuinely can't remember hearing anything along those lines. In fact I think the last thing I remember hearing about Zelda Wii U is that they were still deciding on a direction for it... and thus I always presumed it was likely quite a long way off still.

 

Exciting if it's true, but Wind Waker HD only came out in Autumn of last year didn't it and I thought that game was helping Nintendo with Zelda Wii U's development... so can they really have had something to show from Zelda Wii U months before that games release at E3?

 

I'd be dissapointed with anything less :p

 

The Skyward Sword reveal trailer was ridiculously short wasn't it, 30 secs or so. Hoping for something more, something substantial and representative of the goal for the end game, unlike TP.

 

E3 2013:

http://nintendoeverything.com/miyamoto-zelda-wii-u-progressing-well-thought-about-showing-it-at-e3-2013/

“We’re also working on a new Wii U Zelda game. Work on that is progressing fairly concretely. In fact, we were thinking about showing it here at E3 but decided to wait just a little bit longer before sharing it with everyone.”

 

NY Comic-Con 2013

http://www.gonintendo.com/?mode=viewstory&id=214951

So my final question, are you already preparing a new announcement for the next E3, in 2014? Maybe a Zelda for the Wii U? How about this?

 

“Actually I wanted to prepare something for my visits in Germany and New York, that I can announce. But I was so busy preparing my presentation of A Link between Worlds, that I can’t show you anything “new” today. But you can enjoy my next announcement. As soon as I am back at my office I will start preparing something new that I can show.”

[Goron_3]

Not that I doubt you, but have you got any quotes about this because I genuinely can't remember hearing anything along those lines. In fact I think the last thing I remember hearing about Zelda Wii U is that they were still deciding on a direction for it... and thus I always presumed it was likely quite a long way off still.

 

Exciting if it's true, but Wind Waker HD only came out in Autumn of last year didn't it and I thought that game was helping Nintendo with Zelda Wii U's development... so can they really have had something to show from Zelda Wii U months before that games release at E3?

 

I'd be dissapointed with anything less :p

 

The Skyward Sword reveal trailer was ridiculously short wasn't it, 30 secs or so. Hoping for something more, something substantial and representative of the goal for the end game, unlike TP.

 

Miyamoto did say Zelda was ready to be shown last year but they pulled it back because they believed that they showed enough. It'll be playable, I'm sure.

 

As you mentioned before though, Zelda won't be enough. There are tens of millions gamers out there that aren't interested in what Nintendo is currently offering and many are burnt by the 'Wii' brand in general. They've got a lot of work to do to get back those games. I mean, the american market in general likes third/first person games and sports titles but Nintendo don't have any exclusives in those genres; building up a catalogue of games like Wave Race, 1080 etc would have helped hugely.

 

I still have no idea why Iwata disbanded most of their western development teams. When they showed off the Gamecube they had so much exclusive, western talent available...Where's it all gone?

[Ronnie]

The visual side is very important in any game, at least to me. It is one of the first things I look at (...) in a game, i.e. is it visually appealing or not, and that can either seal the deal or put me off completely. Skyward Sword is the first Zelda that I didn't like visually, the colours just look dull and washed out, especially if you compare to games like Xenoblade. Video games are art, so of course the visual side has to be in order! Doesn't mean it has to be super realistic or anything, but the player should get some kind of joy from just looking at the game's art, especially with high-caliber titles like the Legend of Zelda. #imo

 

Yep visuals are important, but ultimately superficial. I care more about the actual game, than how it's presented. My point was that whenever the topic of what people would like to see in Zelda U comes up, 90% of responses are about art style, completely ignoring, well, the actual game behind the presentation. I love a beautiful art style, don't get me wrong, I just think it's sad that art style decides whether fans are happy or not.

[Retro_Link]

Yep visuals are important, but ultimately superficial. I care more about the actual game, than how it's presented. My point was that whenever the topic of what people would like to see in Zelda U comes up, 90% of responses are about art style, completely ignoring, well, the actual game behind the presentation. I love a beautiful art style, don't get me wrong, I just think it's sad that art style decides whether fans are happy or not.

But that's probably because we all largely want the same thing with regards to gameplay?.. we all want that large explorable open world full of secrets and adventure... we all share in one another's disappointment when a new Zelda comes along and we don't get it, and we all anticipate it's arrival together.

 

Outside of changes like that Zelda would have to reinvent itself to offer something new in terms of gameplay.

 

Art style however, people have very different opinions on.

[Falcon_BlizZACK]

Yep visuals are important, but ultimately superficial. I care more about the actual game, than how it's presented. My point was that whenever the topic of what people would like to see in Zelda U comes up, 90% of responses are about art style, completely ignoring, well, the actual game behind the presentation. I love a beautiful art style, don't get me wrong, I just think it's sad that art style decides whether fans are happy or not.

 

TBF thats a bit of an overestimation. There are loads of great ideas for gameplay mechanics in the Zelda Wii U thread.

[Grazza]

-What their strategy was for getting people excited about Wii U. What is the ‘grand plan’ behind the gamepad and what exciting software can they produce to make the audience and developers excited for the system.

-What the new hardware capable of. When we moved from SNES->N64, we went for Super Mario World to Super Mario 64, and a Link To The Past to Ocarina of Time. Nintendo gave us BIGGER, more immersive worlds and the hardware allowed for it. Going from N64->Gamecube, the leap was just as big. We went to even bigger, more living worlds, from The Wind Waker and that giant ocean to Metroid Prime (nuff said).

 

What a great paragraph. For me, this is exactly what's been missing for almost a decade now. When I played games like Wind Waker I couldn't wait to see where it would go next, but from Wii onwards, I've felt like there wasn't much of a "grand vision" for each franchise at all (Super Mario Galaxy could be the exception).

 

I was pleased when Nintendo finally debuted some really good hardware (after all, the Wii U is a big hardware jump from GC/Wii), but I thought there would be more ambition from the games themselves.

 

But that's probably because we all largely want the same thing with regards to gameplay?.. we all want that large explorable open world full of secrets and adventure... we all share in one another's disappointment when a new Zelda comes along and we don't get it, and we all anticipate it's arrival together.

 

Outside of changes like that Zelda would have to reinvent itself to offer something new in terms of gameplay.

 

Art style however, people have very different opinions on.

 

Also, art style is the first thing you notice from the initial trailer. It might not have much effect on how much you enjoy the final game (then again, it might - everyone's different), but it is a big factor in how excited people get in the first place.

[Dcubed]

I don't think that any of their existing franchises can make the kinds of waves that Nintendo needs right now. The only thing that could potentially wow the world is a new IP that does something truly unexpected and previously un-imaginable...

 

But I don't think that'll happen; especially with them choosing to forgo the live conference again...