Nintendo Switch - Happy Switchmas Everyone!

[Mr-Paul]

Really, thank god for Fire Emblem Fates. Without that, I'd probably barely be touching anything new from Nintendo this year apart from a Zelda remake.

 

They may still announce some things that take my fancy for later this year, but today has really drained my hope.

[david.dakota]

I've just woken from the worst dream ever; Nintendo announced NX would launch in March 2017, Zelda delayed, no games for Wii U and no games at E3. Best get some coffee and wait the news from the earnings briefing.

[Retro_Link]

I can't fathom how Nintendo are going to fill this E3...

 

Are they just going to replay that direct we had last month?

 

I don't want to sit down and watch loads of stuff about the new Zelda, nor do I want to watch Treehouse playing it. What is there to watch? new trailers for games we already know about, and I guess a Pokémon trailer maybe? It's baffling.

[killthenet]

I imagine that Nintendo's digital event will feature an in-depth look at Zelda (15mins), some more gameplay from Federation Force (5mins), more gameplay from Colour Splash (5-10mins) a montage of some indies and eshop titles, some sort of Pokken announcement and reflection on it's performance so far... maybe Mother 3 released on the eshop and Yokai Watch 2 announcement?? I'm really scraping the barrel.

[Hogge]

Perhaps Nintendo have remade something else.

I talked with a journalist today and we somehow got into the subject of a F-Zero GX remake. That game looked fantastic, so just bumping it up to HD, fixing some textures and adding online feels like a worthy game. Considering how Twilight Princess was remade by relative nobodies, it doesen't feel like a stretch that something similar could be done to other games. Although I can't remember any more Gamecube games I'd like to see remade (OK, I can, but no first party ones).

 

When it comes to the N64, however... Gimme Mario 64 HD! Or Pilotwings 64. Or Excitebike 64. Or Waverace 64. Hell, I'd even buy Ridge Racer 64! That would naturally require more work and a higher budget than Gamecube remakes, considering basically no 3D models are up to todays standards. Perhaps they could release an HD version of Ocarina of Time 3D or Lylat Wars 3D.

 

Hell, why not go in and buy out a Kickstarter project? I'd gladly see this one as a Wii U exclusive:

Edited April 27, 2016 by Hogge

[Mr-Paul]

Do we even know they're having a digital event/Direct?

 

Maybe they'll just release a Zelda trailer, then let the press play the demo at E3. Seeing they're not showing anything else on the E3 show floor, why show it in a video beforehand?

 

Wouldn't surprise me at all, to be honest!

[nekunando]

They may still announce some things that take my fancy for later this year, but today has really drained my hope.

 

..like Mario Amiibo Party or Amiibo Land..?

 

I predict we'll see at least one of those, with the latter being free to download with attractions locked behind amiibo..

[Falcon_BlizZACK]

Nintendo be like:

 

 

Nintendo dun goofed.

[liger05]

When asked why Nintendo wasn’t launching the NX in time for this year’s big holiday season, Kimishima explained that Nintendo wanted to make sure there were games to go along with the NX.

 

Source:http://kotaku.com/nintendo-new-nx-co...017-1773312629

[Kav]

Games to go with it? What have they been doing the last few years?! They've not been hard at work making games for WiiU!!!

[Falcon_BlizZACK]

Source:http://kotaku.com/nintendo-new-nx-co...017-1773312629

 

Bad excuse... Q1 2017 is still the launch window if it released in Q4 2016. And I would like to think Nintendo have a bag full of near complete games that have bypassed the Wii U.

[Hero-of-Time]

Games to go with it? What have they been doing the last few years?! They've not been hard at work making games for WiiU!!!

 

*insert Kyle Bosman Meanwhile at Nintendo gif*

 

They had better have a good launch. I'm sick of empty promises of lessons learnt and no delays or droughts.

 

Courtesy of Gaf.

 

Iwata says Wii will avoid major droughts that plagued GameCube. (March 2007)

 

“When we launched GameCube, the initial sales were good, and all the hardware we manufactured at that time were sold through. However, after this period, we could not provide the market with strong software titles in a timely fashion. As a result we could not leverage the initial launch time momentum, and sales of GameCube slowed down. To avoid repeating this with Wii, we have been intensifying the software development, both internally at Nintendo and at developers outside the company, in order to prepare aggressive software lineup for Wii at and after the launch.” says Iwata. He then says, ”We believe it is important to provide the market with strong software without a long interval in order to keep the launch time momentum.”

 

 

Iwata promises that 3DS will avoid major droughts that plagued Wii and DS. (January 2011)

 

“It’s important that you be able to supply software with no pause,” said Iwata. “With the DS and Wii, following the titles that were released at launch, the momentum dropped when there was a gap in software releases. We’re making plans so that this type of thing won’t happen.”

 

 

Iwata promises that Wii U will avoid major droughts that plagued 3DS and Wii. (October 2011)

 

“ As we learned a bitter lesson with the launch of the Nintendo 3DS, we are trying to take every possible measure so that the Wii U will have a successful launch. The company was unable to launch much-anticipated first-party titles for the Wii nor for the Nintendo 3DS in a timely fashion in the first half of the term. In the game platform business, creating momentum is very important, but the momentum was once lost, and it has had a large negative effect on our sales and profits.”

 

Iwata apologizes for Wii U drought in January and February. (January 2013)

 

“I apologize to those supporting Wii U about the lack of titles in January and February.”

 

BONUS COMBO BREAKER - Reggie promises no drought in 2014

 

“The way we’re going to be different is, we’re gonna certainly have a steadier pace of games – both for Wii U and for 3DS.”

“The marketing activity is going to be constant throughout the entire year. You tease me a little bit that ‘boy the first half [of 2013] was a little quiet,’ and y’know what, you look back and it was. We’re not going to be making that same mistake in 2014.”

__________________________________________________________

[Kav]

That whole post there @Hero\-of\-Time is why I do not, for one second, trust anything Nintendo say anymore!

[Retro_Link]

Are Nintendo going to have 3DS games playable? did they just mean only Wii U game?

 

Because surely Federation Force needs some positive hands on impressions of the final build, plus they announced a strong 3DS line-up in their last event.

 

It's very strange they won't have Paper Mario there. Expecting a bad press reaction from it?

[Ashley]

It definitely says "the only playable title" so if they meant Wii U they screwed up on checking copy!

[killthenet]

I'm just going to try and put my Nintendo brain to sleep until September.

 

"Please understand"

 

That Games Radar article has made me see thing in a new light. Let us hope that short term disappointment leads to long term enjoyment.

[Hogge]

Really, if Nintendo want to avoid droughts, they have to grow a will to step out of their comfort zone.

 

And as per usual, Nintendo are wasting opportunities to do so. This month Sony decided to shut down the Driveclub dev. Perfect opportunity for Nintendo to get experienced developers capable of creating some games with western appeal. But no. Codemasters stepped in and bought them out instead.

[liger05]

Really, if Nintendo want to avoid droughts, they have to grow a will to step out of their comfort zone.

 

And as per usual, Nintendo are wasting opportunities to do so. This month Sony decided to shut down the Driveclub dev. Perfect opportunity for Nintendo to get experienced developers capable of creating some games with western appeal. But no. Codemasters stepped in and bought them out instead.

 

Great point.

 

Nintendo just don't do things like that. Nintendo needs racers and that would of been the perfect studio to make them one.

[Ramar]

When will Nintendo stop bullshitting their fans. Wasn't this Zelda game meant to be out in 2015?...

[dazzybee]

This is said games radar article. Very good too. Sense in a sea of despair - http://www.gamesradar.com/stalling-the-nx-to-2017-and-skipping-e3-is-the-smartest-thing-nintendo-has-done-in-years/

[Ashley]

BONUS COMBO BREAKER - Reggie promises no drought in 2014

 

“The way we’re going to be different is, we’re gonna certainly have a steadier pace of games – both for Wii U and for 3DS.”

“The marketing activity is going to be constant throughout the entire year. You tease me a little bit that ‘boy the first half [of 2013] was a little quiet,’ and y’know what, you look back and it was. We’re not going to be making that same mistake in 2014.”

 

For reference North american releases:

 

Wii U

 

2012 (i.e. November and December) - 43

2013 - 75

2014 - 127

2015 - 159

 

3DS

 

2012 (total) - 94

2013 - 75

2014 - 70

2015 - 103

 

Combined

2012 - 137

2013 - 150

2014 - 197

2015 - 262

 

Weird both the Wii U and 3DS had 75 releases in 2013!

 

Slowly making improvements.

[Julius]

Well, I mean, a lot of the information on Pokémon Sun and Moon (or much rather the serious lack thereof) seems to be pointing to something at E3, so I wouldn't rule that out just yet either!

[liger05]

For reference North american releases:

 

Wii U

 

2012 (i.e. November and December) - 43

2013 - 75

2014 - 127

2015 - 159

 

3DS

 

2012 (total) - 94

2013 - 75

2014 - 70

2015 - 103

 

Combined

2012 - 137

2013 - 150

2014 - 197

2015 - 262

 

Weird both the Wii U and 3DS had 75 releases in 2013!

 

Slowly making improvements.

 

Yep we've heard it before. I do have faith it Emily Rodgers though and what her sources has said is the NX software library will be a different level to the Wii U so maybe Nintendo have learnt.

[Retro_Link]

This is said games radar article. Very good too. Sense in a sea of despair - http://www.gamesradar.com/stalling-the-nx-to-2017-and-skipping-e3-is-the-smartest-thing-nintendo-has-done-in-years/

It's an ok article. I kinda like where it's coming from and intensions lie.

 

I think it underplays the fact that fans have somewhat lost faith in Nintendo. Sony fumbled with the PS3, Microsoft fumbled the XB1's launch year... Nintendo screwed up with the Gamecube, ditched the Wii after a couple of years, badly marketed the 3DS and then there's the Wii U... all the while ignoring online gaming, putting out the same slim line up of games over and over again on their virtual consoles etc... etc... there's a difference.

 

However. I agree. Nintendo take your time. I'd much rather that. We got reports of dev kits in the hands of developers only a few months ago, and some saying they hadn't received them. Quality third party launch line-up/support seemed unlikely if that were the case; the usual rushed games, experiments, mini-game compilations, ports could surely only result.

 

I'm happy to wait for Zelda, I'm happy to wait for NX. Fingers crossed.

[killthenet]

However. I agree. Nintendo take your time. I'd much rather that. We got reports of dev kits in the hands of developers only a few months ago, and some saying they hadn't received them. Quality third party launch line-up/support seemed unlikely if that were the case; the usual rushed games, experiments, mini-game compilations, ports could surely only result.

 

That's one of the things that concerns me though. We've already heard that some third parties are hitting a brick wall when it comes to finding out more details on the NX and being able to start development. If Nintendo had shown the NX off at E3, then there would be no issues with NDA's and Nintendo holding off on giving smaller teams dev kits in an attempt to avoid leaks. I understand the rationale behind keeping things under wraps for as long as possible and that a March release would have been harder to justify if the console had been unveiled at E3, but the decision to hold back seems like it could cost Nintendo games from smaller developers at launch.