Topic: 2016 Nintendo Directs Discussion - September 1st 3DS Direct Confirmed!

I posted this on the Live Coverage Page, but I'll put it here too:

To those of you saying they showed nothing, they actually showed a few things if you're quick enough on the pause button. After the "In 2016" thing pops up you can see: Fire trucks and pickup trucks with people and Pokemon in them; Concept art of either a Pokemon center or Gym (Not sure which); A new, mansion like building; And the wireframe of a new Pokemon.

I wonder if Gold/Silver/Crystal will come to VC this year too. They mentioned how Sun/Moon is all the generations coming together, since thise games are now the only ones you can't get Pokemon from, will they release them on VC with Pokemon Bank support?

@SfaFreak: Yeah they gave enough for GameExplain to have at least one 30 minute show.

Oh boy, wireframe models and concept art of building as seen through video of someone's computer screen.

Pokemon fans are satisfied by the most mundane stuff

What I learned from this Direct is that Nintendo needs to ask the Pokemon Company to hook them up with their marketing firm. That Pokemon commercial (and the similar Super Bowl spot) felt to me like exactly what Nintendo advertising needs to be. Ninty's marketing, especially in western territories, is abysmal.

@VelvetElvis: that's exactly how I think, commercial like the one from today is actually more effective in the western eyes !

I sure hope so, I love pokemon Crystal!

It completely banks on nostalgia. That's something Nintendo needs to AVOID doing. Their old userbase is a group that will only grow smaller over time. What they need to do is capture new userbases from other consoles, new markets, and new kids.

@iKhan, not to get too far off topic, but I disagree on a few counts. I think that Nintendo would be very wise to leverage nostalgia — we live in a nostalgia obsessed world (so much so that people who were hardly alive in the '90s readily jump on to the '80s and '90s nostalgia train). Sure, over-reliance on nostalgia isn't good, but it'd be remiss for the company to ignore its history — history is one of the best things Nintendo has going for it.

I'd also contend that those spots don't completely rely on nostalgia — both the Superbowl ad and the new Pokemon Direct piece do something that's really tricky: They're inclusive of all ages (and pretty gender/culturally inclusive) without being corny or pandering. Of course, it's a subjective argument, but I feel as though the Pokemon Company's adverts would be more likely to appeal to new kids than NoA/NoE's typically bland and rote "white commercial families playing video games and the game world invades the real world (AGAIN)" advertising.

On one hand, you've got marketing that's so banal, "vanilla" is too kind a word. On the other hand, you've got marketing that manages to evoke nostalgia in adults and make kids say "this is something I want to be a part of." I just can't think of the last time Nintendo's own marketing resonated the way these TPC pieces have.

They likely did the Direct because it's the 20th anniversary and a live-streamed announcement would have more of an impact than a simple press release. Wether they had gameplay footage ready or not was probably irrelevant in the decision.

Splatoon?

Well of course Nintendo's marketing is abysmal. It does not appeal to me, who already would have bought their products

Sorry for the late reply, but @DefHalan, I agree. My wording of "when was the last time" wasn't the best choice — effective marketing campaigns for the western branches of Nintendo seem to be few and far between, but Splatoon's (love it or hate it) was effective. And it had results, too.

And yep, @TingLz, marketing isn't gonna sway me one way or the other on Nintendo — like most folks on this board, so I know what games/products I'm interested in well ahead of time via previews and such. But I gotta give kudos to TPC's recent efforts, because I'm not a Pokemon guy — I haven't played Pokemon since the original game, when I was in the sixth grade. But their ads really caught my attention, and their quality is quite a contrast to (most of) Nintendo's own stuff.

New Direct tomorrow booooooyssss!!!!!! Fates Europeans release date top of the musts!

You win @rjejr

I personally thought the next Direct would be early April because of how packed March is. Maybe Groose will be announced for Hyrule Warriors tomorrow and Skyward Sword coming to the eshop!

Good, another Direct. Hopefully we get a release date for DQ7. A new announcement would be nice as well.

Maybe we can get some idea of what "Torte City" is?

Also, a release window for SMT x FE would be nice.

Looking forward to it. Get 3ds and wii u mostly out of the way so e3 can focus mostly on nx.

i was expecting a week or 2, not sooner xD
(maybe well get a release for that Rumor Paper Mario? kinda interested to see what there planning)

If Mother 3 VC release is this week that'll be so great but I'll still be p***** at the people who 'leaked' it a few weeks ago.

@TheLastLugia I thought they said that it would happen during June? But yeah, if it happens, f*** Emily. That would've been such a good surprise, and she ruined it.