Nintendo's Plans for DLC and Microtransactions Point to Changed Priorities

[Wii]

Talking Point: Nintendo's Plans for DLC and Microtransactions Point to Changed Priorities

 

Previous ethics and standards are being stretched

 

 

We're in the midst of changing times for Nintendo, perhaps of a turbulent nature, and the sands are shifting in multiple ways. In the past couple of months we've seen Nintendo partner up with DeNA to move towards bringing its core IPs to smart devices, bringing a resultant boom in share prices, while Nintendo was essentially forced - with public perception in mind - to confirm that its next gaming hardware (codenamed 'NX') will be revealed in 2016. Club Nintendo is being shuttered to be replaced by a cross-platform (Wii U, 3DS, smart devices) membership programme implemented with DeNA's expertise, and all of this is on top of the usual Nintendo priorities - games, Wii U, 3DS (and New Nintendo 3DS), amiibo and more.

 

It's perhaps easy, with so much to think about, to look past the steady shift in some Nintendo policies that we've seen in recent weeks, in particular. In this case we're referring to DLC and microtransactions, which are not only becoming more relevant and vital to Nintendo's business - which is not only becoming more relevant and vital to Nintendo's business - which is no surprise - but slightly more worrying.

 

Let's consider some key reveals from the most recent Nintendo Direct, kicking off with those for Super Smash Bros. on Wii U and 3DS. The high-profile news is that Mewtwo will arrive this month, free to those (from 15th April) that splashed out on both versions and registered them on Club Nintendo, and on sale to everyone else from 29th April. The pricing is interesting, as it's $3.99 / €3.99 / £3.59 for one version, or $4.99 / €4.99 / £4.59 for both. Considering the game itself is typically $60 and has 49 characters by default (including unlockables, while Mii Fighters add to the number), that's a fair chunk of change for one extra character that has previously featured in Super Smash Bros. Melee on GameCube. Also considering the fact that the process for buying both is to simply give you a download code for the second game, it would have been rather Nintendo-like to simply include both at the lower rate, but instead it's capitalising on demand. $1 isn't much extra, yes, but it's a reminder that Nintendo is not above prioritising extra cash over a modest gesture.

 

 

Ultimately, our issue is less with the pricing of Mewtwo, however, and more with the varied character outfit DLC. At less than a dollar each it may seem frivolous to grab some extra Mii outfits, as limited and restrictive as they are; you can buy a pack for one platform at $6.00 / €6.32 / £5.52, or pay $9.20 / €9.52 / £8.72 for both. To focus on value again, nearly a sixth - or fifth depending on your territory - of the recommended retail price of the game for eight superficial costumes.

 

Our question here is simple - if it's Capcom, Ubisoft or EA releasing outfits or entirely cosmetic extras in one of their major releases, is the reaction different to how we perceive Nintendo's offering? We regularly see these aforementioned companies slammed for cheap extras like this, yet Nintendo's jumping right in with the same basic concept. Let's also observe that goofy outfits are unlockable as free DLC in Capcom's Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, even if we are trolled with some ludicrously tough quests to access some of those goodies.

 

 

Then we have Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer, a particularly surprising reveal in the most recent Nintendo Direct. When the company discussed amiibo cards earlier in the year we envisioned them as a great way to supplement stock of existing figure ranges, an affordable option to access more amiibo features in games. In the rather vague reveal for Happy Home Designer, however, they emerged as a tool to unlock challenges in this 3DS game - we can only imagine, at this stage, that the game will be free-to-play, or perhaps can be bought with an initial set of cards. Scanning cards for a simplistic game of decorating houses and watching characters walk around is cute, though just how much of a game that really represents is interesting. We're big fans of Animal Crossing: New Leaf, but are still scratching our heads with this spin-off.

 

Nintendo has been considering free-to-play Animal Crossing for some time, but it'll be interesting to see how the balance of this card-driven game works out. Will one card randomise a character's demands each time or be fixed? How many cards are needed to really make the experience tick? On the initial tease it looks like a fairly underwhelming app, and is counter - in this writer's view - to comments made by Satoru Iwata way back in late 2012; he stated that the prospect of paying money for items to influence and change the core gameplay is "unwholesome". Even though we're not directly - it seems - buying 'items' with amiibo cards in this new app, the principle feels relevant. We need to see much more of Happy Home Designer, but on first impressions it seems setup to flog amiibo cards to us, and we're unsure of how the balancing will play out.

 

Microtransactions are the key current experiment on 3DS, overall, with Pokemon Shuffle leading the way recently. You can certainly beat the game without spending much - or anything at all - though it certainly deploys some monetisation that's downright sneaky; the worst value proposition it makes is to exchange a jewel for just five moves when you fail a level. Pokemon Rumble World is next up and seems to have a similar overall approach - we'll see how it pans out, and whether it comes down on the right side of providing fair and decent value in exchange for occasional payment. With these games the gamer is in control, of course, but the fact is that this model is designed to try and blend fun with manipulation, and the balance of fairness is difficult to find; Shuffle, aside from some iffy moments, arguably has a decent level of balance.

 

 

These are interesting times, though, with these upcoming releases bringing varying degrees of suspicion. On the flipside we've had examples where DLC value is excellent - Hyrule Warriors has some standalone costumes that were original pre-order bonuses, yes, but the main packs and season pass offer a lot of content. Mario Kart 8, meanwhile, is a shining light for DLC value - the season pass for the first two packs essentially adds another 50% of content in tracks, along with some characters and vehicles. Both of these titles enhance the experience with DLC, on top of an original product that serves up enough content to justify the retail pricing. Similar positive arguments - and counter-arguments - can be made about amiibo, which provide collectible toys and features across multiple games.

 

So we have some contradictions kicking in, which are perhaps inevitable as Nintendo experiments further. We'd suggest, however, that we should all consider how the most recent reveals of free-to-play and DLC - such as those Smash Bros. extras - would be viewed as produced by Nintendo's rivals. If there's an argument that costume packs and manipulative microtransactions are a blight on modern gaming, the big N's upcoming exploits should be judged on the same score. When it comes to Super Smash Bros., in particular, we think there's an argument that what we have is somewhat "unwholesome" profiteering, rather than an attempt to maintain interest and sales while expanding games in meaningful ways. Mario Kart 8 and Smash Bros. DLC are very much opposite sides of the coin.

 

 

Ultimately, though, it's down to gamers to vote with their wallets. Perhaps DLC that seems questionable to some will be downloaded by hundreds of thousands or even millions of gamers, or there's the possibility that it'll flop and, as a result, prompt Nintendo into a re-think. The power is ultimately with the players, and it should be recognised that minor DLC in the form of costumes, along with microtransactions as a whole, wouldn't be so visible if they weren't a successful way of making money.

 

As we've said previously, DLC and products like amiibo are important for Nintendo in keeping fans happy, especially with a modest trickle of new releases on Wii U and 3DS. Quite whether all of the planned DLC, microtransactions and free-to-play ideas play into the 'Nintendo way' is up for debate.

 

Perhaps times, and the definition of "unwholesome", have changed.

 

http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2015/04/talking_point_nintendos_plans_for_dlc_and_microtransactions_point_to_changed_priorities

 

This is something I worry about. What path have Nintendo gone down and are leading us along with them? I have very little time for amiibo and do wonder if it's a Trojan horse and a stepping stone into the murkier waters of DLC and microtransactions.

[Hero-of-Time]

Great article. I read it last night and found myself agreeing with a lot of it.

 

Myself and lostmario were discussing this very thing the other day and we were saying how Nintendo have embraced DLC both digitally and with Amiibo.

 

The Splatoon Amiibo unlocks really hit home to me how Amiibo are really just expensive DLC. Having missions as well as costumes locked behind the toy will really annoy some people. It works out fine for myself because I collect them but for those wanting access to the missions it's going to cost them £10 and that's if they can find find the toys.

 

The RFN guys were on about Amiibo this week and Jonny was saying how the Splatoon stuff is essentially just like Capcom done when it had the DLC on the disc already. He was saying he imagines the stuff is on the Splatoon disc and then your Amiibo just unlocks it. Interesting point.

[Goron_3]

Great article. I read it last night and found myself agreeing with a lot of it.

 

Myself and lostmario were discussing this very thing the other day and we were saying how Nintendo have embraced DLC both digitally and with Amiibo.

 

The Splatoon Amiibo unlocks really hit home to me how Amiibo are really just expensive DLC. Having missions as well as costumes locked behind the toy will really annoy some people. It works out fine for myself because I collect them but for those wanting access to the missions it's going to cost them £10 and that's if they can find find the toys.

 

The RFN guys were on about Amiibo this week and Jonny was saying how the Splatoon stuff is essentially just like Capcom done when it had the DLC on the disc already. He was saying he imagines the stuff is on the Splatoon disc and then your Amiibo just unlocks it. Interesting point.

 

It's a shame they've resorted to this, although what I find more disappointing is that they aren't being called out on it by the mainstream press. This is probably because most journo's are writing with one arm behind their back but still.

 

I wholeheartedly recommend that people listen to this weeks episode of RFN; their discussion around the price of the Mewtwo DLC was spot on.

[dazzybee]

On the one hand I find it very exciting as they have done some amazing DLC which really fleshes out the experience. The pricing for smash bros though is way way too much. I worry about the free to play direction though, greatly.

 

As for amiibo, tricky one, I don't see the problem with them to be honest. They should release cards though for people to buy to use instead of the figures, but then does that devalue the figures?!

 

I'm quite liking this experimental phase for nintendo and just hope they don't take the easy money and establish a good way of pricing their stuff.

[Ronnie]

How much value do you guys place on the figures themselves? Let's assume they offered no in-game content whatsoever and they were just little figurines, how much would you expect to pay for them in stores? I would say about ten quid, same price they are now. To me, you're buying something to put on your desk, the in-game content is a bonus. I don't see it as expensive DLC at all.

 

And frankly let's face it, Nintendo's finances aren't exactly in the healthiest of states, if this helps them get back into the black, then I'm all for it, especially since mainstream gaming seems to have moved on.

[dazzybee]

Yeah, I see them as figurines first, the other stuff is just awesome bonuses.

 

It's hard to say how I'd feel if I didn't want the figurines though, I probably would be a bit annoyed. But it;s not as bad as Disney Infinity which escaped criticism it seems, in that game you have to buy an additional figure from every single game just to play 2 player. 2 player is locked behind purchasing figures!! And like I say you have to buy a second figure from each world!! Now that is fucked up!

[Wii]

Yeah, I see them as figurines first, the other stuff is just awesome bonuses.

 

It's hard to say how I'd feel if I didn't want the figurines though, I probably would be a bit annoyed. But it;s not as bad as Disney Infinity which escaped criticism it seems, in that game you have to buy an additional figure from every single game just to play 2 player. 2 player is locked behind purchasing figures!! And like I say you have to buy a second figure from each world!! Now that is fucked up!

 

Aren't some of Nintendo's games just as guilty? Like Mario Party 10, there's modes in that game that are completely locked unless you have an amiibo. The same goes for the upcoming Splatoon and Kirby. And don't these games have the content locked on the disc? So it isn't like it's post launch developed content.

 

Also, as lame as it is, there's a lot of people who can't play the Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker DLC because there's a shortage of Toad amiibo.

[Ashley]

How much value do you guys place on the figures themselves? Let's assume they offered no in-game content whatsoever and they were just little figurines, how much would you expect to pay for them in stores? I would say about ten quid, same price they are now. To me, you're buying something to put on your desk, the in-game content is a bonus. I don't see it as expensive DLC at all.

 

And frankly let's face it, Nintendo's finances aren't exactly in the healthiest of states, if this helps them get back into the black, then I'm all for it, especially since mainstream gaming seems to have moved on.

 

I'm completely the opposite. I would rather have the DLC (and the option to just buy it itself) and I don't care about some plastic figures that clog up a shelf (or more likely, a cupboard).

 

And as you're asking, if I was going to buy plastic figures I'd put them more in the £5.99/6.99 range akin to the Scribblenauts ones. I'm aware those are smaller than some of the amiibos, but it comes down to me not caring about owning them in the first place

[Sheikah]

And as you're asking, if I was going to buy plastic figures I'd put them more in the £5.99/6.99 range akin to the Scribblenauts ones. I'm aware those are smaller than some of the amiibos, but it comes down to me not caring about owning them in the first place

 

I'd agree with this, I think £10 is quite expensive for what they are (size/quality wise). I've also literally no impulse to own these, I'm all about quality games really.

[Dcubed]

I think there are some points to be made for both sides, but I do think that there are some distinctions to be made here that are being lost in this article...

 

Firstly, the way that Nintendo has been approaching DLC in general has been very different to pretty much everyone else. They have always gone out of their way to provide a high level of value with their DLC and that still hasn't changed (pretty much nobody here would argue that you're not getting your money's worth with MK8 or Hyrule Warriors or the DLC packs for any of their retail titles - in fact it often feels like a steal!)

 

In the case of Smash Bros though, I do think that the value on offer here with Mewtwo is being underappreciated though. There is a substantial cost in adding a new character into a fighting game and especially with Smash Bros (given the vast array of interactive stages and characters that they have to do a huge amount of bug testing and QA work on each one; far more than a typical fighting game) but especially in this case because the Wii U and 3DS games are totally different (they're not just two versions of the same game like with other multiplatform fighters - they're effectively making this character from scratch twice over; and with all the balancing and QA work that comes with it).

 

Yet despite that, they still offer it for free for people who've bought both the Wii U and 3DS games... They absolutely didn't have to do that at all (it's an incentive to buy both obviously, but it's still a lot of value to give away like that). As for the Mii costumes? There's nothing really outlandish about the pricing at all really - pretty typical (and they shouldn't really be expected to give them all away for free... Even though they're relatively simple to make, there is still design work that goes into them - not to mention that both Smash 4 games are already bursting with content out of the box anyway)

 

As for Amiibo... There are two sides to this... On one hand, yes at a fundamental level they are basically On-Disc-DLC, but on the other hand, they do have inherent value in of themselves; being physical figures. They also do act as memory cards as well and do perform gameplay related functions (particularly in MARIO Party 10) and that value is not to be ignored. You could say that it is a bit of a money grab, but there is still a large amount of value here (and the figures are high quality too... Well, unless you get a bad one of course! They are hand made, so mistakes do happen!)

 

And then there's their F2P efforts which do stand out as being surprisingly generous... Outside of what The Pokemon Company do (which is more akin to the rest of the industry - but they should be considered apart from Nintendo proper, because they are a seperate entity and Nintendo have just allowed them to do their own thing as they always do... even though it feels like they're damaging the brand in the long run here...). Nintendo's own F2P games are all really very fair and all very consumer friendly (even in the case of Collectable Badge Shop, you're getting items that would otherwise have actual monitory value, because they are 3DS themes that would otherwise be sold on the eShop).

 

So this far I don't take issue with their DLC/F2P/microtransaction efforts. I think they've been very fair and they continue to focus on providing value for fair compensation. The Pokemon Company's (and Genius Sonority's) recent shenanigans on the other hand...

[Hero-of-Time]

I personally thought the Amiibo stuff in Mario Party was absolute garbage and completely pointless.

 

The issue with the Amiibo on disc DLC is that some people may just want the DLC without the clutter or hassle of getting an Amiibo. Yes, it's good value for those who collect them anyway but for those who don't it's a bit of a kick in the nuts that certain things are locked behind the toys.

 

At the same time though I see dazzybees argument in that if you offer the DLC separately then you risk devaluing your Amiibo line.

[Ronnie]

I think there are some points to be made for both sides, but I do think that there are some distinctions to be made here that are being lost in this article...

 

Firstly, the way that Nintendo has been approaching DLC in general has been very different to pretty much everyone else. They have always gone out of their way to provide a high level of value with their DLC and that still hasn't changed (pretty much nobody here would argue that you're not getting your money's worth with MK8 or Hyrule Warriors or the DLC packs for any of their retail titles - in fact it often feels like a steal!)

 

In the case of Smash Bros though, I do think that the value on offer here with Mewtwo is being underappreciated though. There is a substantial cost in adding a new character into a fighting game and especially with Smash Bros (given the vast array of interactive stages and characters that they have to do a huge amount of bug testing and QA work on each one; far more than a typical fighting game) but especially in this case because the Wii U and 3DS games are totally different (they're not just two versions of the same game like with other multiplatform fighters - they're effectively making this character from scratch twice over; and with all the balancing and QA work that comes with it).

 

Yet despite that, they still offer it for free for people who've bought both the Wii U and 3DS games... They absolutely didn't have to do that at all (it's an incentive to buy both obviously, but it's still a lot of value to give away like that). As for the Mii costumes? There's nothing really outlandish about the pricing at all really - pretty typical (and they shouldn't really be expected to give them all away for free... Even though they're relatively simple to make, there is still design work that goes into them - not to mention that both Smash 4 games are already bursting with content out of the box anyway)

 

As for Amiibo... There are two sides to this... On one hand, yes at a fundamental level they are basically On-Disc-DLC, but on the other hand, they do have inherent value in of themselves; being physical figures. They also do act as memory cards as well and do perform gameplay related functions (particularly in MARIO Party 10) and that value is not to be ignored. You could say that it is a bit of a money grab, but there is still a large amount of value here (and the figures are high quality too... Well, unless you get a bad one of course! They are hand made, so mistakes do happen!)

 

And then there's their F2P efforts which do stand out as being surprisingly generous... Outside of what The Pokemon Company do (which is more akin to the rest of the industry - but they should be considered apart from Nintendo proper, because they are a seperate entity and Nintendo have just allowed them to do their own thing as they always do... even though it feels like they're damaging the brand in the long run here...). Nintendo's own F2P games are all really very fair and all very consumer friendly (even in the case of Collectable Badge Shop, you're getting items that would otherwise have actual monitory value, because they are 3DS themes that would otherwise be sold on the eShop).

 

So this far I don't take issue with their DLC/F2P/microtransaction efforts. I think they've been very fair and they continue to focus on providing value for fair compensation. The Pokemon Company's (and Genius Sonority's) recent shenanigans on the other hand...

 

Great post

[somme]

I'm very much in the camp of preferring to just buy DLC outright and not have ridiculous figurines taking up space. Luckily none of the WiiU games I own rely on having an amiibo to unlock anything, at least not yet. Hopefully this amiibo stuff will only last this generation.

[markderoos]

I think they should offer both: amiibo unlocking stuff in multiple games but also offer the same unlockable features through DLC.

Just as long as it's worth the money/small stuff.

 

That way amiibo are still worth something more than "just the figurine/card" and customers who don't want the hassle still have the choice to pay for small added value.

Edited April 8, 2015 by markderoos

[Glen-i]

I was about to say how people don't seem to realise how much work must have gone into Mewtwo. Sakurai has said it's a long and arduous process.

But @Dcubed beat me to it.

 

As for Ronnie's question about how people value Amiibo.

I bought the Smash Bowser amiibo quite a while back. The only time I ever use it is when I decide to play Hyrule Warriors.

 

I didn't buy it for Hyrule Warriors and this was long before we learned that there would be a Mii costume it unlocks in Mario Kart.

 

I bought it because I think it looks amazing!

I want the Greninja one because it's one of my favourite Pokemon.

I want Yarn Yoshi because it looks freaking adorable.

If thet turn out to be useful in future games, great! If not, I don't mind.

[Zechs Merquise]

Firstly, it's fair to say that the DLC Nintendo have offered so far is incredible and offers great value for money. I have Pikmin 3, Hyrule Warriors and Mario Kart 8, the DLC for all three of these is great value and adds a lot to the game - especially for the amount you pay. Hyrule Warriors adds an entire new map, main game missions, characters and costumes, I don't believe any other company offers anywhere near that value with their DLC.

 

Compare Nintendo's DLC with the crap people are buying for Destiny, and I would certainly say that Nintendo are doing DLC the right way.

 

Secondly, Amiibo. I think Amiibo can't be seen as DLC, as they're not. They have a physical value and they are collectable figurines before they are extra content. What's more, whilst the they do in some cases allow extra content, it seems to be minor and adds nothing to the game - costumes, extra rupees etc.

 

I would have a problem if they started locking serious content behind the Amiibos. But so far, I feel they have walked a fine line with them and done it well.

[Hero-of-Time]

Firstly, it's fair to say that the DLC Nintendo have offered so far is incredible and offers great value for money. I have Pikmin 3, Hyrule Warriors and Mario Kart 8, the DLC for all three of these is great value and adds a lot to the game - especially for the amount you pay. Hyrule Warriors adds an entire new map, main game missions, characters and costumes, I don't believe any other company offers anywhere near that value with their DLC.

 

Compare Nintendo's DLC with the crap people are buying for Destiny, and I would certainly say that Nintendo are doing DLC the right way.

 

Secondly, Amiibo. I think Amiibo can't be seen as DLC, as they're not. They have a physical value and they are collectable figurines before they are extra content. What's more, whilst the they do in some cases allow extra content, it seems to be minor and adds nothing to the game - costumes, extra rupees etc.

 

I would have a problem if they started locking serious content behind the Amiibos. But so far, I feel they have walked a fine line with them and done it well.

 

I do agree that their season pass offerings have been fantastic. Mario Kart and Hyrule Warriors both offered a great amount of content for a very reasonable price, especially the latter.

 

If you had said what you said about Amiibo last week then I would have agreed with you. However, with the Direct came the news that Splatoon would have costumes ( no big deal and quite a welcome bonus ) and also missions as well that would be unlocked by Amiibo. Of course we don't know how meaty these missions are but if they are substantial and are locked behind the toy then it is a bad case for those who want to play said mission but don't want the Amiibo.

 

One thing is for certain though, their DLC packages are getting me to play games that I had shelved. I was watching the Direct again last night and was tempted to put Smash Bros on after watching it.

[Fused King]

I think it's pretty cool that you can use 1 Amiibo to unlock things in a lot of different games.

[Jimbob]

Out of all the gaming companies, i believe Nintendo are doing DLC right. Most, if not all the DLC they offer isn't already on the disk (like other companies do) then charge a premium to "unlock" it. Looking at the Mario Kart 8 DLC, 16 tracks, 8 characters and various new karts/accessories for a price of £11.99 for both. That's 1/2 a game they are releasing for an absolute bargain.

[dazzybee]

No ones mentioning Mario Golf which also had incredible DLC.

 

Amiibo is so tricky isn't it, people are talking about it not offering enough for them to get involved with the amiibo train, but then if it was substantial then people would complain they're locking good stuff. Personally, I'm happy with all these mini uses. In fact, amigo is probably better than I ever thought it was going to be.

 

Cut their free to play mobile tactics and I'll be happy with everything!!!

[Glen-i]

Cut their free to play mobile tactics and I'll be happy with everything!!!

 

You wanna take that up with The Pokemon Company first and foremost.

I do not like the road they're taking...

[Ashley]

You wanna take that up with The Pokemon Company first and foremost.

I do not like the road they're taking...

 

They should try the road to Viridian City.

 

[Glen-i]

[Grazza]

I'm glad Nintendo Life brought this up, because something about that last Nintendo Direct really did feel a bit "off" to me. More sad than bad. I basically believe in free market economics, so if Nintendo believes there's a demand for something, it can charge whatever it thinks it can get. Mewtwo in Smash Bros? Honestly wouldn't make a difference to me whether they charged £10, £20 or £50.

 

And as many people have pointed out, Nintendo was never going to reveal loads of games two months before E3. It's more the apparent shift in focus that bothers me. With any hobby, there's a need to believe the companies you follow are working on something great, and I'm less and less convinced that's the case with Nintendo.

 

It's also an accumulation of things. None of this was terrible on its own, but add it all up - extra fighters in Smash Bros, costumes in Smash Bros, amiibos, amiibo cards, StreetPass Premium, extra games in StreetPass Plaza and (the least controversial, admittedly) new tracks and vehicles in Mario Kart. Taken as a whole, it felt like a hard sell. It's as though they've decided to take advantage of their most loyal fans, who will get the biggest kick out of having, for example, Link on a bike in Mario Kart or an Earthbound character in Smash Bros.

 

Nintendo seemed a more generous company not long ago in 2011. I got so many free things on my 3DS, it felt like I hardly ever had to pay for anything! Excitebike, Kid Icarus, Four Swords, Letterbox, Ambassador games... of course, this is because we were early adopters of the hardware, but this felt like a more natural way for me - get people to shell out for genuinely-exciting hardware, then reward them for doing so.

 

This also comes hot on the heels of the Zelda news, and with that I think the thing that's really disgruntled people is not the delay in itself, but that they're not going to show it at E3. It feels like they don't want us to get any ideas about it until they've decided what they're doing with the game. Nintendo is a pretty crafty company at times and knows what to show people to give their console a boost - Twilight Princess for GC in 2004 (not yet named back then), Zelda at E3 last year, or even that amazing Zelda demo from E3 2011. Yeah, it was just a tech demo, but the intention was clear - get people excited, make a strong suggestion about what's going to be on the platform. Four years later, I don't think we've had anything that even nearly fulfils the potential of that tech demo. With this in mind, the mountain of DLC for simpler titles can seem even more frivolous.

 

Many of us were drawn to Nintendo because of the deft way they pushed both the technical and the artistic - dramatic sunsets in Ocarina of Time, hostile snowscapes in Metroid Prime, a vast sea to explore in Wind Waker and horse-riding through the melancholy fields of Twilight Princess. I actually don't think they've done anything in that league since the GameCube. Heck, look at the ideas we've had on here for a revamped Ice Climber. Compared to that, when they introduce a new fighter in Smash Bros, all I see is bash-bash-bash! They all look the same!

 

Anyway, as I say, I don't object to Nintendo making a bit of money. E3 is coming soon. Maybe there'll be Metroid, F-Zero... who knows? I don't want them to lower their DLC prices or stop making amiibos, I just want reassurance that their heart's still in the right place.

[dazzybee]

Well articulated, but I don't agree with much of it. I can understsnd the fear of all the dlc, amiibo and freemium stuff, but personally I embrace it. How is it s bad thing to get more characters/levels/courses etc in games you love? I'm delighted about mario kart dlc and want even more, I think the strategy is amazing and pleased I get more value out of these games.

 

As for haven't done anytning amazing. Obviously subjective, but is Wii sports not a real moment in gaming? The motion controls in skyward sword? The sheer majesty and genius in mario Galaxy? Even something like splatoon, shaking up a genre like it is.

 

Nintendo are in struggling mode. The whole industry is figuring itself out - it's audience, it's distribution, it's pricing. It's an experimental phase, and maybe Nintendo are holding back a little for the next hardware. But either way, I personally still find it exciting.