Topic: What if Nintendo started a Steam-like digital platform on PC?

I don't know if anyone has considered the possibility, that instead of Nintendo going Third Party or continuing the usual way, they could go PC exclusive (maybe even Linux) and start a Steam-like service of their own!

This would allow them to control their own software and means of publishing, but forego the need to produce and market the hardware (and the need for consumers to buy costly niche devices, all they need is their PC!).
Nintendo could still sell their own controllers, and even continue the Wii brand and utilize the Wii U GamePad and the Wii Remotes on their digital PC platform!
And to keep the TV console tradition alive, have a Big Screen mode too.

I think my idea makes a whole lot of sense. What do you think?

nintendo is the most innovative videogame company left. making games for pc would kinda stop them from creating new ways of gaming. sure they still could make their own controllers but they always would have to implement some controllscheme for mouse and keyboard or people would be upset i think.
and many people do not want to go all digital.

I wouldn't feel too bad even if I was forced to buy and use a Nintendo exclusive controller, if I didn't have to pay extra $200 for the console.

I'm primarily a PC gamer. Put Nintendo games on the PC and I have little use for my Wii U anymore. Granted it wouldn't stop me buying their handhelds - but it would seriously hurt the Wii U even more than it is already.

This thread's idea is forward looking, not meant to be implemented right away, Geonjaha.
Of course Nintendo will try to invigorate the Wii U in every possible way, but instead of publishing another console in the generation after Wii U, what if Nintendo went full digital?

i totally forgot one point:

every PC has different specs. how would nintendo handle that? i dont like PC gaming because you have to buy a new graphic card every year or two and it seems way more expensive and complicated than console gaming. this is just not nintendos thing

Well, maybe not fully PC digital. I think the handheld department will be a vital part of Nintendo's business for at least a decade.

I think Steam is a pretty good model to emulate. But knowing Nintendo, they wouldn't be pushing the latest graphics anyway, so you should be fine with a more modest hardware.

If Nintendo can do this, I'm all for it.

Brilliant! Think, some games you can buy on your Wii, and download them from your computer in one purchase! Think of all the possibilities! I can buy Metroid Prime 4 and play with the gamepad, Wii remote and numchuck, pro controller, or a mouse and keyboard!

They won't, so there are no what-ifs.

If you think money and the lack of it matters, Sony would have went PC ONLY a long time ago. Sony was putting games on both the PC and the PS1 long ago, if no one can remember.

If they introduced an account system to give you access to your VC games I'd definitely be all for it.

You do realize that the concept of a what if is to speculate on remiagnings of past event's and things that probably won't happen, thus there are an infinte amount of what if' regarding Nintendo.

I see the point trying to be made here and while it is a possible future, it is unlikely. For Nintendo fans to transfer from a Home Console to a gaming PC is unlikely. I think a big targeted market for Nintendo is younger and less likely to be able to spend money on that type of hardware. If Nintendo did this then I would like to still see new controllers come from them and see almost all of their games supporting almost all of their controllers. It is all really unlikely. I think Nintendo would move to "micro-consoles" before going to PC.

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Beyond this world strange things are known

Or they could just publish on Steam.

Ya, that goes for anything, though. That's why I'm confused why Nintendo is the only company in discussion here.
We might as well discuss what would happen if Microsoft, Sony, AND Nintendo decided to just put their games on Steam.
No one will do that, because they all have a console to release games on.

What if Sony put their games on Steam, or had a Steam like service on PC?

You can what if anything, so what's the point?

Or at least you are aiming to make it that way. It was a simple question.

It could be a very effective advertisement for the Wii U and 3DS.

This is essentially what I think Nintendo would (and likely should) do if they did this idea.

well I like Nintendo the way it is.... and if they went for PC gaming I'd have to upgrade my PC more often than I change consoles and keep it working perfectly as PCs are known to break more often than consoles(at least in my hands) plus I'm one of those who love local mutiplayer and let's face it, PCs aren't made for local mutiplayer(at least not with only one system)... oh and I could go on all day about how the computer's architecture is different(not really I'm not that far in college, yet) the difference isn't so big in this new gen(WiiU, PS4 and Xbone) but it's still huge! and dedicated gaming machines are cheaper than the best Gaming PCs out there!