Topic: North America Wii U Virtual Console Discussion

So it's very clear for awhile now that NoA's Virtual Console strategy is much worse than Europe's and we get the same complaints in the Nintendo Download articles for things such as "Where is Zero Mission?" while Europe has had it for over 4 months now. A discussion saw on twitter made me think of "Why?" from a different perspective.

It's common knowledge that nostalgia takes over everything with regards to games so maybe NoA was eliminating the nostalgia choice in hope that people would buy indie games instead but instead resulted in just a load of angry fans. NoE doesn't really have that choice for full indie game usage because the USK rating process is anti-indie and so instead puts up lots of classics instead as a replacement.

I'm interested to see your views on this theory.

Where's GameCube Virtual Console games?! Where's the Last Story on VC?! Just, ugh....

I think it's just apathy on NoA's part. It's possible to have a healthy ecosystem where several titles can be released in the same time frame and all be successful. There's no need to withhold a VC game because an indie is releasing in the same week. People who want the VC will buy the VC. People who want the indie will buy the indie. People who want both will buy both.

The reason that North America gets 1st party VC games months after Europe is because NoA just can't be bothered. I really don't see another possible scenario.

@Blast: I'm thinking they need a big new attraction for the Virtual Console later on, so they are saving Gamecube games for later. We're getting Wii games now probably due to there not being any emulation costs involved, the Wii U already plays Wii discs. I think if the Wii had been powerful enough, we would have gotten GameCube VC games because the Wii played GameCube discs.

It could also be who they have onboard overseeing the content releases. Don't forget: Our old top editor, James Newton, is the senior Online content editor over in Nintendo of Europe, while NOA's team is apparently really into indie games.

I have pretty much given up on Nintendo's VC. I just buy the old games and systems I want to play. Yeah it's a bit more expansive but I am tired of waiting for games that will never come to the service for whatever reasons.

The problem here is that the well will dry out just like it did with the Wii. It may actually dry out within weeks if Nintendo doesn't have third parties on board this generation.

At this point I have completely given up on NOA Virtual Console, not having a whole 2 sections completely gone in the US and 20 plus games not in the US E-Shop was the last straw. I have complete resorted to emulation because Reggie do not want my money for some reason.

I just plain out can't figure out why they don't give us the same games EU is getting. That being said I don't understand business. I just want some VC games!

4-5 games will end the well by September and everyone will return to beating the dead horse in the corner again

You really want a "continuous rate" for the NX?

@Tops: I'd much rather have all Wii U VC available at launch and then "NoA" slow for games that didn't make it to Wii U then have to wait years for games such as OoT again.

That sounds a lot like how the Wii U handled things. All Wii VC were available at launch (through the Wii Menu) then we had a slow release of a mix of games that did and didn't get released, then we also waited years for OoT again.

Nintendo of America said something to the effect that it takes time and resources away from other projects to get VC games done.

Ok.

Besides Super Mario Maker, what are all the people at Nintendo doing? Oh, that's right - working on Animal Crossing spinoffs and hiring Next Level to create Federation Force for us.

I think it's all just an excuse because Nintendo of Japan has waaaaaay more VC games than NoE and NoA.

I remember the comments back then. Many gamers felt otherwise.

I have a feeling this is the case. It seems this way when you compare indies in NoJ's area, vs. NoA's.

^Hm, Japan's not a good comparison because indies in Japan have a bit of a stigma attached thanks to the prevelance of H-Games among Doujin circles. So they have to use VC more often than any American company would. It's the same reason Sony Japan releases a lot more Classics on PSN, and give them much more attantion with lots of ads, sales, promotions, and even giving them away as part of PS+, none of which are common in the western PSNs. Indies just aren't as big in Japan as they are over here, and that's saying something...

I'd stick to comparing NoE and NoA for now.