The news that Nintendo has reduced its hardware sales projections for this financial year and expects to make a loss has come as quite a blow to dedicated followers of the company, and has led some critics to repeat claims that the firm needs to move away from making its own hardware and embrace rival systems.
However, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has insisted that the quick fix of moving famous Nintendo games to smartphones is not as easy as it sounds.
Speaking in a press conference today, he said:
We are thinking about a new business structure. Given the expansion of smart devices, we are naturally studying how smart devices can be used to grow the game-player business. It’s not as simple as enabling Mario to move on a smartphone.
We cannot continue a business without winning. We must take a sceptical approach whether we can still simply make game players, offer them in the same way as in the past for ¥20,000 or ¥30,000, and sell titles for a couple of thousand yen each.
It's clear that Iwata is thinking of new strategies to give Nintendo the kind of profits it is used to, but it remains to be seen what plans he has in place. Let us know your personal predictions by posting a comment below.
Image credit: Cult of Mac
[source bloomberg.com]
Comments 130
allow DS & 3DS digital download games to work on the WiiU that would be great
I guess they will use smart devices as an extension of their consoles.
I think all this little by little VC games strategy isnt helping any either. Release as much as possible and people will look for the games they want to play.
Nintendo needs to stop piracy by giving people the option to purchase games legally on smart phones.
Yes, this is a disaster of epic proportions, but why is it that Nintendo has to keep reminding people that they'll never put their core lineup on smartphones? Why can't these people get it into their thick skulls that to do so would be suicide for the company?
^ NO to ds/3ds on Wii U lol.
They need to push a far greater catalogue of NES, SNES, GBA, GBC, GB, Gamecube and N64 games pushed to the eshops.
They need to bring back core franchises that are still absent along with more new IP's
They need a new fresh Mario series not more NSMB or sort of port with enhanced feats that is SM3DW. Or a sequel to Sunshine.
It's asking a lot I know but it needs to be done, they're on the right tracks with upcoming line but it needs a lot more a lot sooner.
Stay away from smart phones besides adverstising on them.
Put every single Wii VC game on Wii U's.
Refresh the IPs that haven't seen a game in 5+ years.
Give Mario a break outside of sports titles.
Get Smash and Mario Kart 8 out ASAP. All people should be working on these 2 games over all else.
NES and SNES titles for free in VC; Steam-like discounts; Downloads linked to the account and not to the hardware; N64, GBA and GCN titles in the VC...
@FullbringIchigo yeah, stop holding back functionality that we know is available. And the virtual console is so bad it's laughable.
So when is the vc going to stop being pathetic?
When it's your marketing department going to start working? Hmmm..
We can all debate over what Nintendo SHOULD do, but what WILL it do?
It's missed the hardcore market. So what, Casual has a broader audience. So how can they add to that audience without alienating the Hardcores as well?
Answer: Smash bros. , Mario Kart, Diet F-Zero, Zelda.
Kyoto has to give more freedom and power to Nintendo of America. Reggie needs to be replaced with someone who will aggressively cater to and work with western developers.
I would have never thought so 20 years ago, but the core of the industry now is in the west, specifically America. Nintendo cannot afford to keep shrugging off western 3rd party support, it is the lifeline of the entire video game business today.
Nintendo needs to dip into their enormous wallet, hiring more man power in order to churn out some AAA nintendo games on the double. give IPs we are all clamoring for to a fresh team, and have them take a crack at it. Imagine if internally, Nintendo had all their major franchises going at once? late 2014 and 2015 could be the year or Nintendo if every month they had a new AAA game out or something, that would make me get a Wii U for sure! More of the same though for MK8 and SSB (which looks like a high res brawl to me, they didn't even really change the character models!) isn't enough to sell the system. I want something that feels more fresh. Thats why i'm looking forward to the new Zelda so much. If it does what they say its going to do, it might be a system seller for me.
Just invest in a new epic monster hunter. Boom, sales profits.
It's extremely frustrating when Nintendo consistently ignores common sense, and when they struggle they say they need a "new strategy". No, you just need to start being smart. It's equally frustrating when other companies insist that they need to abandon their model altogether. But Nintendo didn't get in this mess because Mario isn't on smartphones. They got in it because they barely have any games, they're not using the gamepad they paid so dearly to manufacture, their next-gen machine lacks most features present in consoles we've had for nearly a decade now, they're doing some ridiculously confusing things with the VC, and they won't give us games from the IP's we're all screaming for. Yet they want to think of a new strategy! Humbug.
What's bad for Nintendo isn't necessarily bad for us. If the Wii U had killed it with its fairly weak (for Nintendo) first party offerings they might just release Smash, Mario Kart and Zelda and call it a day except for a few attempts to win casual gamers over. Now they have to put their software where their mouth is rather than just show us potential.
People are calling the Wii U launch a disaster but the only thing that seems like it would have helped was waiting til there was software ready to release with it. No matter how much hype they tried to build, it would have been 'one-upped' by MS or Sony and the mainstream sites like IGN would still be pretty much worshiping Sony like it saved their life. If they had waited for that year they wouldn't be up to 5M units now but would still have spent loads of money on RnD and marketing and would be buried under 'next-gen' hype. I see their botched launch as something of a blag. They've got up to a reasonable number of units, the bad publicity is pretty much free publicity and in a few months, the game that always gives Nintendo's sales their respectability will be launched. (MK8). If they genuinely market MK8 as well as they did MKWii they will beat gamecube unit sales with one game.
I love how almost every "suggestion" is expanding the VC...
I do find it a tad ironic, that people are getting mad at the prospect of Nintendo wanting to go after mobile games instead of them. Nintendo already did this once with the Wii. A lot of people that loved the N64 and the Cube felt Nintendo just cast them aside because they could make more money by selling fitness games to soccer Moms.
A mobile game can be brilliant if it's built with that platform in mind. What does not work is trying to force console games onto touch only devices. I think a lot of people on here are automatically against mobile gaming because it's eating away such a huge chunk of the handheld market, but really, give it a chance.
I'd NEVER want to see console or handheld games replaced by touch-only games, but they can work as a 'third pillar' to use a term that Nintendo was once quite fond of. Just a way to bring in extra money if nothing else. The main hurdle a mobile game faces is how to get noticed. Any Nintendo game immediately jumps that hurdle. They could put out low-cost developed games made by a couple of people and make millions on each one. Surely there are many people within Nintendo that can come up with creative, small projects, so that barely any resource is taken away from the console and handheld.
@DarkwingLz Not expanding the VC, just release SMB3! Problem solved
@Hyperstar96 True. This news from Nintendo are generating more scandal/controversies/pessimism than the 78% of probability of Sony to go bankrupt in 2 years article that was going days ago. It shows how really the majority of people just like to bash Nintendo with the "doomed" thing...
Glad to see him talking about "change" however he wants to phrase it, but I can't read the word "Winning" w/o thinking of a drugged up Charlie Sheen. I kind of hope "winning" was a loose translation and he simply meant "making a profit". That needs to be the companies focus - making a profit, not winning any fanboy console war or anything.
No one knows crap about crap. Industry is not something predictable. You can predict industry as well as you can predict what the weather is going to be like ten years from now.
The only thing I would like on my smart phone from Nintendo is being able to get on eShop to download games/apps on my 3DS/WiiU when I'm not home.
Nintendo is working hard to release these freaking games. Just leave them alone so they can do their job. VC is not of major concern for them because they have more important things to do. Not to mention some serious clean-up with pokemon bank and flipnote. There are buckets of new games on the way. The poor sales are not Nintendo's fault, it's gamers' fault for being blind to the greatness that the Wii U brings!
It's tough. Nintendo has made affordable but technically inferior (in most cases) hardware and great software and profited off of both, but they are where they are right now because of that. This mindset and practice was brought about by the great Gunpei Yokoi, creator of the Game Boy. Do they abandon this thought and produce a technically advanced hardware system that they could potentially lose profit over and lay down at the feet of third-party development companies while saying "we're sorry" and "look what we made for you?!"
In my opinion, if Nintendo wants to get back on the right track they need to get the third-party developers back to the NES/SNES days where everyone and anyone WANTED to make games for Nintendo. Perhaps third-parties want more powerful hardware, perhaps they want Nintendo to beg them to make games for their hardware, perhaps it's something else completely. I could make suggestions based off the rumors heard on the internet, but I don't do rumors; I only heed facts. In any case, change is definitely needed on the third-party front.
I love the Wii U, although I wish it had more games, but I also realize Billy next door loves FPSs and Sports games, which the Wii U can't accommodate as well as the PS4 and XB1. It's things like these Nintendo needs to think about. They need to provide for the masses while also giving the most dedicated fans what they want as well. It's sad, to me, because games are such a great medium, but most gamers play shooters and sports games. Nintendo needs to cater to them. 10 years from now the majority of casual gamers might be into some other genre, or a completely new one, and Nintendo will have to cater to them. Staying a step ahead of the casuals will help Nintendo succeed, but there are other things that need to be done as well.
I also realize Billy can't afford every console like I can, or perhaps he's not into gaming as much as I am to even want to purchase every console. Nintendo needs to be the one console that provides every type of game for the gamer, in the quality Nintendo fashion. Obviously they can't do it all themselves, so this goes back to getting back third-party support. Anyhow, a lot needs to be done. This is just a good start, in my opinion.
@Damo "We are thinking about a new business structure."
Yeah, how about advertising for once?
I think, ever since the N64 era, Nintendo has been horrible at it. I remember growing up and seeing tons of PSX ads on tv, in the movie theater, on billboards, online... No Nintendo ads, nowhere. And it went on and on like through PS2 and PS3 era. With the Wii, they did have a brief stint where they could advertise the wow-factor of the controls. Also word of mouth here helped a lot.
Now with Wii U it's the same thing. The tablet doesn't have that wow-factor (even though I think it's an amazing controller, and off-tv play is the best thing to happen since the NES)... Advertisement is nowhere to be seen. My cousin came over for x-mas and when he saw the wii u he uttered "I've actually never seen this before" and this is coming from a family who grew up with Nintendo since the NES days and had every single console since, including a Wii
I know people say it's not as simple as that, but honestly, does anyone believe that advertising wouldn't help?
Ninten-Phone anyone?
I just want them to do one thing and one thing only. Release games that we want to play, this includes new and old IPs (F-Zero, Sin & Punishment, Fire Emblem, Star Fox, Wave Race, Kirby, Kid Icarus, Advance Wars, Earth Bound, etc.), even though most of them won't be out in a year or two, at least give some sort of announcement for them ahead of time so to give us some hype on the Wii U's future rather than leaving us guessing and hope all the bleak moment would turn around. Also try to get some 3rd party exclusives for the Wii U as well, we know the main Final Fantasy and Street Fighter games will never come back for Ninty's console but those are craps now so at the very least get us some new No More Heroes, Okami, Shenmue, Guilty Gear, KOF, Dragon Quest, Tales games, etc.
@APHughes Valve always said piracy is a service problem. (They seem to have basically got rid of it).
@retro_player_22 Whatever they do they have to make a profit all the time like they used to. Otherwise they will start spending more and more trying to reverse the trend and fail still. (The 80 million $ wasted on advertising would have been better spent stopping the loss being as great).
@DerpSandwich I agree with pretty much everything, except the "they aren't giving games in the franchises we want" part. Mario, Zelda, Smash Bros and Donkey Kong have always, ALWAYS sold better than Metroid, Star Fox and F-Zero. That is really not where the problem lies.
Give us an account model. Give us a booming Virtual Console with multiple exciting releases every week. Give us MORE first-party games. And give us third-party EXCLUSIVES, forging partnerships like they were starting to do with Sega last year. Can you imagine a similar deal with Capcom, announcing new Monster Hunter and Mega Man games exclusively for the Wii U?
Nintendo absolutely shouldn't join Sony and Microsoft in the race for 1 million first-person shooters. They have their franchises and IPs, and those are the most valuable in gaming, and they have the opportunity to excel by being unique and different while the next-gen twins battle it out. They just need to man up and seize the day already.
@King47 The thing about the VC is if Nintendo steps it up then it will mean none of the 2nd rate indies will succeed on the eshop. (They are not the cream of the crop anyway so I am not bothered but it seems to be something they desire).
Another problem is all the negative publicity on the internet. Sure, they are the vocal minority, but their words reverberate throughout social media and eventually the industry if strong enough. I feel that even if Nintendo were to turn things around there would still be the typical Nintendo hate going on. 70% of the population are idiots, but people still hear them, and it's more likely than not the person who heard the nonsense is an idiot as well. Something has to be done by Nintendo to change this perception, and then something needs to be done by gamers themselves. Whoever thought console wars and hate towards a gaming company was a good idea should be murdered.
Another thing to remember is a lot of the so called "dedicated" Nintendo gamers loved the GameCube, which didn't sell well, and originally loathed the Wii, which sold like hotcakes. Sure, a lot of people came around to liking the Wii, but the question remains, what is the difference? Third-party-support and casual gamer support. Casual gamer support being the major difference in this case. So to those saying "we don't need no FPS!" (don't get me wrong, I too think CoD is terrible and that sports games are a waste of time) but Nintendo needs some of those people to survive in this day and age. More casual gamers = profit = more games we dedicated fans want.
@ricklongo While you've got a point about Star Fox and F-Zero (though I think they could sell well with the right treatment; Star Fox in particular doesn't sell well, but only because Nintendo keeps trying to change the formula), but the Metroid Prime games sold pretty well. It's also about having compelling and mature games on your system. Stomping goombas and penguins is fun, but even as a Nintendo gamer I still want something deeper sometimes.
You're totally right about everything though. The VC in particular confuses me. The fact that they didn't have the entire Wii VC catalog at launch and start releasing Gamecube games from there is baffling. Nintendo has the potential to dominate, but they just can't get themselves to make the right decisions to do so. It's harsh, but I think the management is just really inept.
@Yorumi Big sellers or not the fact is they will get another sale of most of the other big sellers from me but only when I really want something. (I think they will ruin the difficulty of Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze which for the Wii one was 100% perfect for me just right). They have nothing else that interests me. (All Stars Racing Transformed is more like what Mario Kart should be. Make skill somewhat relevant / Brawl I am indifferent to I liked Melee though. Don't like anything where button bashing is a good tactic). They is about 7 other games I will get when I get the system. (If they make something that I want immediately then they win in that respect).
£300 for a system and a few games. Should have something perfect for me before I bite.
@Hyperstar96 I have yet to see a respectable piece of video game journalism on this. Once in a while you get an article or two but they disappear without much debate very quickly.
I would really have to think about it for awhile. I have faith in Nintendo. They have been around for over 100 years, so they know and understand the test of time. They will rebound from this and continue to dominate.
@unrandomsam
That's a fair point. But from what I hear Sony's PSN offerings aren't as sad as Nintendo's VC, and yet indies do well there.
This whole thing is so that we don't go buy the good games and skip over bad vc games. I don't care for a tennis game from the mid eighties. I want Link to the Past, GBA games, Gamecube games and more.
Smartphones? NEVERRR!! You would like that, wouldn't you, you mindless, ignorant, jump-on-the-bandwagon, mainstream fish
All I can say is, never listen to these analysts. Many of them don't have good reasoning, lack true instincts for this department, have bad predicting skills, even no logic, and thus rely heavily on the "what's-currently-hot" factor.
The only thing I would suggest Nintendo do, is hurry up with some of the VC games. Surprise us a little. We know the Karts and the Smash are coming, so I can only hope for some totally unexpected surprises that Nintendo are typically known for. Major surprises at that. Dr. Luigi is nice and all, caught me off guard, but we need something on a grander scale imo..
Then some aggressive advertisement, and voila. But hey, Nintendo know best, and I have faith in them. Just look at their past what they've proven to us fans and non-fans alike.
These analysts, however, can [do something insultingly nasty and/or degrading, take your pick].
Iwata is the hero that nintendo needs... Everyone is calling him to resing. but the last thing nintendo needs right now is an unestable leadership
Where's @MAB with the year of panic sign?
@King47 Sony provides a version of XNA (Which most of the good indies use even though it was originally a Microsoft thing). Unity on the other hand is designed for making the type of mobile games that look good but are worthless when it comes to everything else.
@Pittoo I agree about the Virtual Console thing. I've been recommending that they hurry the games on the VC to match and/or exceed what the Wii has. People are tired of these one game a week deal. However, I can't say what it takes to bring an old game to 60hz. I want to say it's easy, but I have no clue. Still, Nintendo is making games in 1080p at 60fps, so it can't be that hard for them.
People, do you really think that the solution to Nintendo's problems is the VC? Hundreds of millions of losses and you think old relatively cheap games are the way to go...
Nintendo needs new IP's or revolutionary aproaches to some of the existing ones but primarily new IPs.
And probably a marketing push and cut the expenses where possible.
Edit: I forgot. They also need to make people buy third party games on their devices. Until then they are going to miss most multiplatform games and that is killing WiiU.
Moving to smartphone would be a suicidal move. If you thing hardware sales are low now, just wait. Secondly, all software they sell through Andriod / iPhone would have a greatly reduced profit margin because of a significantly lower price point. I say stay the course, we haven't even gone through the PS4 / XBox 1 catalogue drought that plagues all new systems. Throw in Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Bros and we could easily see the same rebound we did with the 3DS.
Doing a Sega will not help them in the long run. The Xbox and PlayStation area is overcrowded with hyper realistic shooters and driving sims. The reason I'd buy a One or PS4 is to mainly play third party games. Most of the world buy Nintendo consoles to play Nintendo games, this already gives them an edge.
Smartphone gaming is a huge market only because not everyone wants to haul around a 3DS or Vita and everyone already has a smartphone. I don't personally see the appeal beyond playing some Candy Crush, but there's a lot of variety on iOS and Android in the gaming market that are free making it even bigger.
@Prof_Elvin_Gadd I agree with your post. Nintendo just has a terrible time appealing to the west, especially to PS4 and Xbone Gamers who either want Nintendo to fail or for them to go 3rd party because all they care about for the most part is graphics rather than gameplay. I also love how Xbone Sales are similar to Wii U sales over their first few weeks since release and everyone is defending that like heck. People that think that Titanfall and Destiny are system sellers are wrong, Xbox One Titanfall may have the highest amount of pre-orders, but in the longrun, it doesn't mean anything, most of them are likely the hardcore Xbox One Fans. For the most part, people would likely go for previous generations of said games because they already own the system. They don't seem to be taking the casual gamer into account who is likely to buy the Xbox 360 version. Wii U has the advantage because of exclusives, Mario Kart 8 appeals to both the hardcore and casual crowd, just advertise the heck out of it and you should see Wii U flying off the shelves. People supporting the Xbox One now despite Microsoft being confident in DRM going as far as to say get a 360 to those that don't want it. Gamers only seem to only care about graphics for the most part which saddens me, they could simply put DRM back on. I wouldn't trust Titanfall either, especially what happened with Battlefield. 3rd Parties are benefitial, but it just seems that whatever Nintendo do, they are doomed anyway, even if Sony and Microsoft screw up, they will look to back them up somehow (Don't own a PS4 but respect Sony), to me it just seems that aslong as the gamers get their shooters and great graphics, they don't care how much they would get screwed over, I just feel that this is being ignorant. And to people that say that Mario is the same every year like COD, it's not. Different Genres, so much character shown in the games. A lot of things about the franchise is great, 3D Mario, Mario and Luigi, Luigi's Mansion, Mario Kart, Paper Mario. All great! Just improve 2D Mario though. I'm not saying that Nintendo is a perfect company, they have made a fair share of mistakes, I'm saying people talk more trash about Nintendo than they need to.
Nintendo needs to get a good chunk of Franchises out there to sell the system regardless. Mario, Zelda, Pokemon, Kirby, Wii Series, Metroid/StarFox and Pikmin with the occasional Donkey Kong, Wario and others. All of those seem like a good set of first party games to stick to. 3D Platformer, Adventure, RPG, Strategy, 2D Platformer and FPS/Shooter. If Platinum Games comes in as 1st party, then Bayonetta as a Hack and Slash and Wonderful 101 as another strategy (please let there be a W102.) Now all we need is a survival horror.
@Darkcooledge
Thats for the people that have already invested in a WiiU and/or 3DS...so yes, I do believe that all those little transactions would go along way.
Yeah, the Big N needs a hard look in the mirror right now. Things are too fractured - it's handheld business is doing well against the phone/tablet juggernaut while the Wii U seems to be simultaneously self destructing. Personally, I think a more robust eshop/VC (along with a real account system) would be a big plus. I don't think Nintendo should get out of the hardware business, but it might need to consolidate its efforts. I also agree with those who think that some kind of tablet-with-physical-controls handheld/console hybrid might be the future of Nintendo hardware. Maybe a 7" tablet with physical controls (kinda like the gamepad) with a card slot for retail games and some sort way to output to a television in HD resolutions (scifi?). I would buy one.
@DarkwingLz The VC has so much untapped potential. For anyone who grew up with Nintendo, nostalgia is difficult to ignore. By releasing a wider variety of VC titles from past consoles it might help remind disenfranchised gamers what drew them to Nintendo in the 1st place and introduce a new generation to some of the classics that helped build this company.
Fans asking for a stronger VC shouldn't be mocked as the service itself has become a frustrating joke. I don't care about Nintendo making a leap to my smartphone because even an old Droid can run an SNES emulator. Getting into the tablet market isn't the answer, but strengthening their Virtual library is a GOOD suggestion. Cross-buy is a GOOD suggestion. Revisiting dormant franchises is a GOOD suggestion.
Nintendo fans are glad to tell Nintendo what they'd like to see and a lot of these ideas pop up frequently here and on Miiverse.
Perhaps if NOA was given more freedom to respond to a US audience we would see some of these positive changes.
Why is it that everyone here has better ideas than the guys running Nintendo? Maybe it is time for a change.
How about a subscription based service like Sony's PS Now. It doesn't even have to be as good as their service. Just include all VC games. I would probably pay $10 a month for the rest of my life if it gave me access to all of the Wii VC games on my 3DS and Wii U. Then they could just continue to add to the list.
@DestinyMan Agreed.
@Angelic_Lapras_King One phone to rule them all...
@Chris720 Making Pachinko machines seems to be something that if you have memorable IP you cannot lose doing. (It is working very very well for Sega/Sammy and SNK).
If all of the repressed weirdos who just want to shoot one another online all day would seek therapy, Nintendo would be much better off.
Sell more Wii u' s and more games will get made and sold.
Keep the Wii u simple and cheap. Forget the gamepad and sell the Wii u with a pro controller and that's it. Make more single player games and stop making games that 'all the family ' can play.
I almost didn't buy Super Mario 3d world, it was advertised on TV as a family game' four controls and four players, what fun the family can have.Enough to put serious gamers off Mario.
If the Wii u with a basic controller can sell for under £ 200 and there is a reasonable amount of Nentendo or exclusive third party games being released the Wii u will sell. Forget the gimics.
The fact that they have an awesome back catalog but won't put it on their current consoles is a big problem. They can't even get games that finished development over 2 decades ago released when promised, how are they going to get modern games out? The Super Mario 3 fiasco is a big example of how Nintendo is failing to meet deadlines. There are others, but if you can't put out a 20 year old game on time, there is no hope for your company.
while I agree they have some amazing first party games, I don't think a new Metroid is going to sell systems. some new amazing ip's would. something that can compete with these hardcore games. because that is what the market has become, hardcore. hack and slash, run and gun. that's sadly what sells now. and some new hardware wouldn't hurt. I love my wii u but my ps3 can pretty much keep up with it, my ps4, well... let's not even go there
@chris720
you said it exactly. the reason I own a ps3 ps4 and 360 is for 3rd party titles. why did I buy a wii u?, something unique. something I could play and be able to say I've never done that before and I had a blast. Nintendo by far has the very best first party. if third party titles wormed their way in AND brought dlc and features that other consoles have. I believe the U would be fine.
What I think Nintendo needs to do is to look at the PS4, Xbone and even the Vita and see what they have that the Wii U could improve on. All those video add-ons like Machinima, Game-trailers, Crackle with gamepad support. Some type of media player for both 3DS and Wii U since a lot of game consoles now are the all in one entertainment. Cross-buy for virtual console (Buy it on 3DS get it on Wii U). Most important is more Second party developers for Nintendo I still think the SNES and N64 times were the best for Nintendo with games like Banjo Kazooie, Goldeneye, Conker and even some Nintendo franchises as well.
Fix the VC(what a joke its been!), and tie purchases to a unified account(not the systems themselves).
@Yorumi Heh, I couldn't have said it better myself. This is a giant pet peeve of mine.
Don't even get me started the notion that these same people are the ones playing "mature" games. Yeah, right.
I think that Nintendo needs to ditch the idea that people want to keep buying the same games everytime a new console comes out. I shouldn't have to keep repurchasing Super Mario Bros. 3 with every new console iteration.
I would like to see them move to some sort of unified handheld/console that utilizes a "Steam-like" account system. One of the major benefits to PC gaming is that I don't have to buy a game more than once. I think if Nintendo did this with their next console, then everyone would be interested in buying it.
I would love to see their next console evolve the idea of the tablet controller. The whole console would be the tablet. It could come in various screen sizes (10", 8", and 6"). The hardware would be indentical across all of them. you would be able to use all of the controllers from the Wii and the Wii U.
Since all of the hardware would be in the tablet controller, you would be able to take it anywhere; this would satisfy the Nintendo fans that want a handheld. If you wanted to use it with your television you could either sync it wirelessly, or connect it directly via HDMI. For local multiplayer you could sync all of the controllers that you can sync with the Wii U and Wii. I think that controllers have reached a point where there isn't much more innovating that needs to be done, so I don't see the point in wasting resources in that area.
I definitely do not think that this idea is very feasible right now, as the hardware would be too expensive, and the battery life would suffer for the power required. I do think that by the time that Nintendo is ready to put out a new console this will be a very viable option, as the CPU power consumption to processing power ratio is advancing at a considerable rate. If you look at the newer Intel Atom processors, they are starting to become fairly powerful and they use very little power.
Sorry for the long post. I have been a Nintendo fan since the NES and would love to see them continue to put out excellent games for years to come.
They need new blood that thinks outside the box.
@Yorumi That my friend is the casual market. COD, Fifa and the like are all casual games these days... sadly... Atleast most Nintendo Games have replayablility. Like Pokemon, Mario, Zelda, Starfox. Mainly for nostalgia, high scores or to transfer up to the latest installments.
@Jmastab why would Nintendo look at the Vita? LOL.
Personally, I find this as great news. From my understanding, Nintendo is starting to accept that they may need to change some things. This is good; of course, it's hard to know how effective their solution will be but considering Nintendo has been quiet a stubborn company, maybe now they'll see they just keep moving in their own direction and ignoring industry changes. As quality as their games are, their have continued to lag behind the standards in the industry for awhile now, and apart from us hardcore fans, this has affected them a lot. The GameCube and Wii U both can attest to that (despite my love for the systems, I can't deny the subpar sales and consumer interests). The Wii was a lucky strike, that's it, they managed to hit a chord with the casual market and thought they could use that market, but it's quite a fickle demographic for games. Of course, the 3DS recovered fine but honestly, Nintendo is already on the thrown in the handheld market, it'd take a lot for them to lose that. I still believe the Wii U can be saved but it'll take a good effort on their part unless they want to coast by like the GameCube, and I doubt in this economy they have any desire to do that. Point is, they at least seem aware that they will have to suck it up and change, they need the core gamer market if they don't want to drop down to third party (which they insist they don't).
My money is ready to buy the WiiU.... JUST FIX THE ACCOUNT SYSTEM!!!!
This is either going to change Nintendo forever, for the good or the bad. No matter what, it's all on Iwata. He's the guy that is running Nintendo into the ground right now. He's the guy that botched two straight product launches and continues to be behind in the times. The Gamepad was a stupid idea, plain and simple. It's too expensive, has little range, and is running on old tech. Who would buy this, other than Nintendo die-hards such as us? No one. His passive attitude is going to destroy this company forever. This article sounds like Nintendo is headed straight down the tubes. Are they just going to adapt a model for smartphones or something, making F2P crap and ditching the home console and handheld market?
There was nothing lucky or flukey about the Wii. It is a great console that appealed to a lot of people. People are so happy with it that they don't need to buy another one yet which hurts Wii U sales.
@Peach64
I think all the people here screaming "NO SMARTPHONES" are refering only to possible suicide moves like bringing old Mario's games on smartphones (like 'suggested' in the article pic).
That apart I agree with you and afterall Nintendo already started to enter the smartphone market with the pokedex 3D, the idea of them considering to make more apps/games builded specifically for smartphones it's surely already in their "to consider" list (even if I bet that list must be EXTREMLY long right now... poor Iwata >.>; ).
@Yorumi Hardcore did used to have a meaning that is different to now or at least I thought it meant something different. (I have never thought of myself as that. Part of it for me is already having mastered the game prior to it even being released in English.) You can tell with systems with achievements the ones I will never bother with are the hardcore ones. (1% or 0.5% depending on the game have them when I have looked). So that is 1 in 100 or 1 in 200. The ones that you can only get by being very good not by some type of guide or anything.
Why not just put VC games on iOS and the like? They clearly aren't a selling point on the Wii U and 3DS; just look at how poorly the service is handled on those systems.
You can still play with buttons on the Wii U and 3DS, and I have a feeling people are going to go for those versions over touchscreens. This just allows for them to make way more money, since they expand their audience while also advertising their franchises.
I think they should just make 1 console combined instead of 2. They usually lose money on consoles anyways, and if someone already owns a console, they're more likely to buy a decent game, which nintendo has a TON of games that are good but not system sellers (Pikmin 3, W101, etc.). Home consoles will be obsolete in the next 15 years anyways.
@dumedum
The Vita has Cross-Buy with certain games with the PS3 and the vita has some simple features like being able to play MP3 and MP4 files. I'd like some extra features like mp3 and mp4 support for 3DS and a media center app for the Wii U.
@moomoo The problem isn't necessarily where the Virtual Console games are sold, but for how much. $5 for most NES games is too high. Especially when your purchase is locked to a device and not an account.
Look, they've got the casual market on lock, at least, as much as it can be for a console manufacturer. And that's good- they need them. Games like Wii Fit U not only benefit that segment of gamers, but people like me too- core gamers that just like an entertaining way to work out. That's all cool. But in my opinion, it's time to bring back the lost franchises... It's time.
Millions of gamers are young, impressionable, and will never consider Nintendo regardless. BUT, there are still millions who are intelligent, rational gamers who have no issue gaming Nintendo if they see what they like. So, bring back the lost franchises. Bring some of those Sony/MS gamers into the fold. Start advertising the system as cool, fun and appealing to GAMERS, not just families. Not saying stop the current ads, but a different segment of gamers must be targeted in addition to.
@RobbySuave
Actually, the games ARE now tied to your account now that the NNID system is fully in place. It's the NNID that's tied to the hardware, but make no mistake, the games are tied to the NNID. Because of this, Nintendo can in fact deactivate your NNID, and allow you to set it up on a new console, which in turn allows you to retrieve all your previous downloads in the eShop (games appear under download history), whether the game is still for sale or not.
It's a hassle, yes. Is it ideal? No. But it's not as primitive as some would have you believe.
I believe that links are a no no here so I remind that people go check out and article over at IGN called "Does it Really Matter if the Wii U Fails?" Its actually quite a positive article about how while things look bad for Nintendo, the company is still doing pretty well.
@JaxonH It's still basically tied to the console though. It's certainly better than the original Wii, where you'd have to send in your system to get your old DLC put on it. But what about signing into someone else's Wii U and being able to access my content there? I loved being able to do that on Xbox 360. Rock Band is a good example of that. I've got about 800 songs downloaded, but my friend bought about 30 songs that I don't have, so he can sign into his account on my Xbox, and then we can play mine and his songs. I realize Rock Band doesn't exist on Wii U, and maybe there isn't or won't be a game that has an extensive amount of DLC content, but still, it is pretty primitive. And it's crazy that Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 were doing it from the start, and Wii U can't even do it, even after the endless requests for more sophisticated online stuff.
I'm guessing Nintendo will make a phone w/ buttons and exclusive games in similar vain to the Nook Tablet, but in the form of a 3DS.
@JaxonH Actually I Think Smartphone's Got the Casual Market
The Only Thing I Need Nintendo to do with a Smartphone is Make a Miiverse app and Maybe a Nintendo Eshop App where you can play VC Titles and DEMOS
@Skyfox2000
So do I. That's why I said "for a console manufacturer". Nintendo has captured as much of the casual market as is possible for a dedicated gaming device manufacturer/developer.
@RobbySuave
Understood. I was simply reiterating that it's not AS primitive as some would like you to believe.
@VincentV Nintendo could call their's a Tom Nook...
@FullbringIchigo Allow people to play any of their DS/3DS games on the Wii U.
Another thing I want to point out is that Nintendo usually made games or innovative games with their products in mind. Super Mario games take advantage of the d-pad and analog stick, Pokemon with the link cables, Super Metroid with the shoulder buttons, Mario Kart 64 and Super Smash Bros. with the four player controller slot, fighting games with six buttons, Metroid Prime Hunter with the DS and its touch screen, 1080 and Mario Kart Double Dash!! with the LAN adapters, and Skyward Sword with Motion Plus just to name a few. The only problem with games on the Wii U is that most didn't take full advantage of the Wii U Game Pad that feels like it's not innovating anything for consumer to buy, it feels like a cool looking device that does nothing.
Also games that could really benefits the Game Pad for some reason wasn't made, like at all (except for maybe UbiSoft with their ZombiU and Rayman Legends). Remember the Four Swords Adventure, Pac-Man Vs, or Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles games where you had to own a GBA to get a second screen for inventory, menu, etc., in multiplayer. Well the console that could do all that and make it work better without having people to waste a stash of cash for is here, it's called the Wii U, so my question is why aren't they making those kind of games? A Four Sword Adventure 2 or a true Crystal Chronicle console sequel (not those Crystal Bears or My Life as a someone craps) would be great. I mean the GameCube doesn't even had controller with a screen but it got games like those.
Why is this gen is so messed up? Why not make those kind of games when you had a console that could handle that kind of feature very well? A console that could handle a feature very well but doesn't had those kind of games (Wii U), games that are release on bigger more faster powerful storage format yet they are incomplete (PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbone), games that are non-physical and could only be play on the cloud but company are trying to make that the standard (PS4, EA, OnLive), devs releasing games on platforms that could hardly last more than three hours on the go (tablets and mobile devices)? Arg, it's like we're living in an idiotic world now.
It,s dangerous on western market Nintendo, take this! ( Nintendo got tons of new IP,s )
They could always do what Sega did, and by that I don't mean to software only. I mean they went and got their own major sport franchises through 1st and 2nd party efforts. The 2K sport series was born on the dreamcast, and look how popular it is now? Visual Concepts took on EA Sports and really made some solid NBA and NFL games that were noticeably superior to the NBA Live and Madden series of games at the time that were becoming quite stale. Before that, Sega had their own Soccer series on the Saturn that was quite good as well. It didn't go so well in the end for Sega, we all know that, but they never had the money in the back either that Ninty does.
So many things that are possible to do to reverse their fortunes, but Nintendo constantly swing the other way. We need to be able to make friends with whomever we choose online without having to go to forums for friend codes. I can't even comment on miiverse to randoms on 3DS. It's a joke. They are a laughing stock.
@TheAdza
that sports idea could be great. i'd play a nintendo developed sports game
A lil' short story
When the first rumors about the successor to the wii were surfacing, i was wondering what could fit for nintendo, from a marketing, gameplay, and profit perspective. I thought of various things. And i have to say, when they announced Wii U, i went over its strengths as well as its weaknesses, and thought it was a good and competitive fit for the gaming community(that includes "casuals") of the next 6-7 years. It was Unique, relatively cheaper than what was expected by the competition, and was semi-using the wii as a footstep to rise. That footstep was backwards compatibility, not only for games, but with controllers and accessories too. So many people who had a wii would see the wii u as a natural extention. I thought that the wii u was a great idea, and i find very high value in it.
Having those said, What's up with the negative articles and sales?
Well, i have 3 main reasons.
1)From the nintendo perspective, consumer confusion and hype slowdown by unrealistic ads. And i dont mean the name. i think thay name's OK. Anyone remember the Zapper? Mario with miis? Black-and-White-Checkers-Minigame-Thingy played on the gamepad? NFC?!-where was that? TVii not for everyone? What about that most mysterious thing on earth noone knows about under the gamepad connector?!? ...I think that when you advertise like that but dont deliver as much, you're raising questionmarks(seen above) about your hardware. And thats not helping those who dont know you, and maybe neither those who do, buy your stuff. I find great value on the wii u, but i think that i could have found more.
2)the media. Ooof... I dont like the media too much. good reputation gets you better reputation, and bad reputation gets you worse. When a consumer is considering to buy a console and goes online to check some info cuz hes spending some 300$ and he want to spend them good, and he sees one or two nintendoomed articles, hes gonna reconsider, and that means he might change his mind. So the wii u wont sell that unit this year, so that will bring bad rep, and when that person considers again let's say, next christmas, then he will see that the console is lacking some titles (either third party, or first party who are delayed, because the console does not have momentum), so he wont buy again and blah blah blah. The circle is terrifying to watch.(or read for that matter)
3) The market. you know, busnesses are run from humans who, you know, can't predict EVERYTHING! So, there is always that financial risk thingy, or let's say, a percentage of luck involved. there are expectations, but there is always a standard deviation which, let's say, like Gauss' function for normal distribution can take values a lot different than the median(aka what you expect).
So yeah, its not nintendo only, or media only, but a matter of circumstances mixed with decisions.
That
Also, i hope they announce metroid prime 4 this e3 lol
I really don't understand why everyone is bringing up the VC as the savior for the Wii U. I think the release scedule of the VC is just fine as it is. Nintendo and everyone complaining about the VC should realise that they need to invest in NEW games. VC is a nice bonus, but you want people to buy a Wii U, not a NES or SNES.
So just make people excited about the Wii U. There are a lot of games coming that people are excited for. Mario Kart 8, the new Donkey Kong Country, the upcoming Smash Bros game. And people were excited for Pikmin 3 and Super Mario 3D World that got great reviews. Keep making those games, invest in some great third party games. Really looking forward to Watch_Dogs myself. Invest in getting those big names. And don't forget the Wii U Ware service with smaller, innovative games and make it easy for the indies to make games for the system.
Second you should advertise the hell out of the Wii U. I live in the Netherlands and I haven't see much tv ads for Wii U titles. They really need to pick this up. I bet most "normal" people don't know the difference between the Wii and the Wii U. Let alone that they even know what new and exciting games they can play with it.
I can dig dis. but wait, so is this like making their own smart device, or like making it on android or apple? also i kinda skimmed this atricle, so i may no know what im even saying
The VC just seems so add-on. Cross-buy, accounts, & a much stronger 3rd-party relationship(like the SNes: the SNes had only one game w/o the Nintendo seal, meaning Nintendo cleaned house regarding 3rd-parties on SNes).
I am going to get a WU eventually(I wanted SM3DW for Christmas, & thank God I got it. I also want Smash, & maybe Kart when they come.) I know I'm going to wanna play/own a WU for the Nintendo ips. Also, I like the idea of SM3DW being multi - that's great for families.
Nintendo needs to make the 3rd-party thing happen. No one solution is the "cure-all".
Did everyone miss what Iwata is saying? He's saying that the current strategy of making dedicated gaming consoles for $200-300 and selling $50-60 games isn't working because times are changing. By 'new strategy,' it sounds like he's suggesting that they stop using that model and do something else.
The problem is, that model IS NOT failing, its just failing for Nintendo because no one wants the WiiU when they can buy a stronger, better console in PS4 or XBO. PS4 and XBO are selling just fine, Iwata. The issue isnt the console model, its Nintendo's way of doing said model.
But hey, if they'd rather make smartphone games than admit they're wrong and make consoles that gamers actually want, so be it. I'll just buy a PS4 and a Vita and move on without Nintendo i guess.
I earnestly hope that this is not the case, but changes are coming, people. Let us hope that they are good ones.
It's as simple as this for me: If that article picture ever becomes a reality, and my only way to continue to be a Nintendo gamer is through crappy touchscreens, then I'll cease to be a Nintendo gamer (except as a Nintendo retro gamer).
All these calls from people who are non-gamers for Nintendo to release games for smartphones/tablets, blah blah blah, are beyond foolish. Even those of you who do find iOS/android games outside of simple Angry Birds-like stuff: Try to imagine Super Mario World touchscreen-only. If that were to become the only way to play Mario, Zelda, Metroid, etc. Nintendo would indeed not follow in Sega's footsteps. It'd follow in Atari's, right into the video gaming abyss, since many of the games Nintendo has become known and loved for would become unplayable on touchscreen, and Nintendo would see an exodus of fans away from them (including myself).
Let's see if the more foolish of Nintendo's investors, and their wallets, would be pleased with that outcome! Maybe they'd be able to afford Nintendo's Angry Birds Mario clone for $2.99. It's about the only Mario iOS game that'd be remotely playable. Maybe add Dr. Mario. Beyond such simplicity, forget it.
I know some of you are iOS/Android gamers. No offense, and power to you! But, from where I stand, this craze is destroying gaming, financially, and creatively. Need a glimpse at a Nintendo smartphone future? Look at SquareEnix, and how their almost single-minded focus on smartphone gaming, with money grabs like Final Fantasy: All the Bravest, has damaged the Final Fantasy brand, and the company itself!
We just need a Nintendophone!
@FluttershyGuy Try playing both the 3D Classics version of Sonic 1 and the Android version (With a decent controller on a tablet). The Android version is the best version.
To join the armchair CEOs...
1. Spend some money to buy interest in a few other good independent studios, both Japanese and Western. A good example is Platinum Games and High Voltage Software (Conduit).
2. Hire more development teams internally to fill in gaps. They need in addition to the the 2nd party companies, to produce at least 1-2 games in a genre (not IP) per year. So yes that means hunt the developers of Illusion of Gaia, Alundra, Landstalker, and Oasis to make some WiiU Action RPGs to tie us over in between Zelda games.
3. Don't expect third party companies to port to Wii-U, they have their systems (PC-Twins), they are the competition. Instead invest in talented independent developers to make the AAA titles needed by the WiiU.
This is the end. N is doomed
1.They need to listen to their fans more.
2.Expand VC quicker and allow an eshop game purchased on one system to be played on any.
3.Online play for their top games. Why Super Mario 3D World doesn't have it is anybody's guess. And add a Real Friends List.
4.Innovate but also match competitors.
Commen Sense actually.
OMG THAT SUCKS!!!
Nintendo smartphones plz, and make them different than the current smartphones maybe, or make apps to be used with consoles.
@maggerbee This answers your question regarding SM3DW online, https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2014/01/nintendo_left_online_out_of_super_mario_3d_world_to_deliver_the_nes_experience
As a Nintendo player through many many years, I can certainly subscribe to there being some thinking needed.
The 3DS and Wii U are both doing very little new, both in terms of hardware capabilities and the actual games we are seeing released.
I feel much more "let down" but Nintendo this time around than with Wii and DS, which I felt both fully embraced Nintendo's tradition of doing something hitherto unseen. These years, they're struggling to impress anyone with their games, even their most devoted fans.
Games and advertisement. Problem solved.
Revitalize old IPs, invest in new ones, and fork over some dough for the occasional multiplat.
More ads about the Wii U and, more importantly, more "Only on Wii U" commercials.
If Nintendo wants a good 2014, E3 needs to be a Nintendo Direct on steroids with some Mountain Dew and pop rocks.
@sneaker13
Its not that VC is the savior of the system, but a robust VC library would trive during game droughts. There are so many nintendo, super nintendo, nintendo 64, even gamecube games that i would love to own on my 3DS that have not been released.
I say 3DS because i love gaming on the go, but the WiiU would be just as good.
@kyuubikid213 Flushing money down the toilet on advertising is a waste of time. (How many games could they have made for the 80 million $ they spent on advertising that didn't work). You only need lots of advertising/marketing when the product is garbage.
@Sneaker13 When they make Wii U games with the same more reasonable difficulty then that might be an option. (I hope don't ruin Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze like they have anything else).
@Pod Nothing new is being tried. (Gamecube had Luigi's Mansion and Pikmin when was the last time something was tried like that.)
I love these conversations
@zionich Nintendo's problem isn't the 3DS. After they have dropped the price, they started to release great games for it. Both retail as download titles, both first party games and third party games. So the 3DS is fine.
The VC should always be a bonus on any device, not it's main selling point. People who buy a new console don't do that to play NES, SNES or N64 games. I love the Nintendo for adding backward compatibility to there handheld and consoles in this and previous gens. But in the end, you buy a new console to play new games.
Nintendo will get there with the Wii U. But it's worrying to me that they made the same mistake twice in a row. The 3DS and Wii U took sometime to get great new games. But the 3DS got there and the Wii U have a great line up so far for 2014.
Sorry, but I don't think Nintendo's future is in the Smartphone / Tablet market.
In my viewpoint, I prefer smartphone games that are made just for smartphone touchscreens (like Angry Birds and Infinity Blade). I just don't think that Mario or Zelda would work well in this format. I hope Nintendo continues to hang in there and keep doing what they are doing. They've survived quite a bit in the past, they will survive this.
@GloryQuestor Nintendo could just release their own controller and it would be fine. No different to buying a wiimote or pro controller if necessary to play something properly. Sega more than likely will update all their stuff to support the proper controller API (They did on Android for the lot after release). I much prefer playing the Android Sonic 1 with a controller to the 3DS one. (Music is closer to what I remember / Screen is bigger).
They could use the existing Wii U Pro Controller over Bluetooth (I suspect it is a profitable thing to sell).
All I say is that if they do anything on mobile devices I just hope they're original games that take full advantage of the hardware. I feel like their games could give people a little taste and it might entice them to go to the Wii U for the full console experience.
What they need is NEW IPS. I think it will be stupid if Nintendo goes a puts there games on Smart Phones. They need to build a better DS and Wii.
VC could do with a much faster turnaround, and why not n64 and gamecube stuff. Pursue indie games much more than they are, pressure notch for minecraft, get spelunky. Show us some teasers at least of Zelda U, get some hype going
"We Cannot Continue Without Winning, But It's Not As Simple As Moving Mario To Smartphones, Insists Iwata"
"Winning" can be interpreted in slightly different ways but this I absolutely agree with.
@edhe So what you're saying is that Ubisoft can make millions of dollars with its Rayman franchise on the mobile markets with Rayman: Jungle Run - attracting the mobile markets to its console counterparts of the Rayman franchise for maximum profits - yet, for Nintendo, it would be financial suicide to do something similar with the Mario franchise?
The days of mom and dad buying Nintendos for the kids is over, mom and dad are likely the main gamers in the house now and what appeals to them will be what they buy, and what their kids end up playing on. Only ever putting on ads during kids shows doesn't do Nintendo many favours as the adult is just likely to buy their kid a cheaper alternative (3DS, Xbox 360, PS3, original Wii, tablet) rather than spend around £300 on something they won't be using themselves.
There's loads of people I know of who used the excuse of buying an Xbox One/PS4 'for the kids' for Xmas when it's actually more for their own use.
@sneaker13
For sure. But alot of "free" games make their money off of micro transactions.
The VC is the 3DS micro transaction and to not utilize that revenue stream to the fullest is a major oversight.
Like i said, its about when there are game droughts and youve beat everything.
To the people telling F-Zero, Metroid etc sold too poorly to be considered system sellers or something like that. True that, but you need to develop a perception Nintendo has more to offer than cutsey graphics and same-old Mario. And if Nintendo is abandoning every franchise not doing 1 or 3M: have fun with all the reiterations of Zelda and Mario. This Hyrule warrior game is the first sign of demise: this should have been a new IP with awesome visuals, bumb mapping, dynamic lighting everywhere and big fat broadswords covered in blood (I'm exagerating), instead it's an ugly zelda spin off. Enough of this cheap game development, what's Nintendo actually doing?
I don't think many gamers use smartphones the same way as a real gaming device, a smartphone can be great to have if you're stuck somewhere without acess to any other entertainment. You can play a quick round of something like Doodle Jump or Temple Run in just a minute or two and there's certainly a place for those kinds of games, but that's not what Nintendo is about. They make huge deep games that encourages taking your time and exploring and those games do not belong on smartphones, and they certainly don't belong on any system that doesn't have buttons. What I would rather see is: 1. Better 3:rd party suport (maybe giving them more exposure, and maybe help with marketing/publishing more often?) 2. More 1:st party games from the less safe and familiar franchises. We all love Mario but there are still thousands of fans that are waiting for more F-Zero, Star Fox and Punch-Out 3. More small projects. Of course we want the huge fantastic Mario and Zelda games but the excellent eShop has opened up great possibilities for the kind of crazy experimentation that we all love from Nintendo, and with smaller budgets these games don't need to be million sellers to be a sucess. 4. Why not combine the first two points and let more 3:rd parties develop games in 1:st party franchises (under Nintendo supervision of course) it worked out amazingly for games like Luigi's Mansion 2, Punch-Out for the Wii and Excite Truck and I bet there are many other developers who would give anything to get a crack at one of Nintendo's legendary franchises.
The day I see Nintendo's games on other platforms again, that's the day gaming dies for me. I'll give up on all new consoles after that and just stick to PC.
It just wouldn't be the same, especially if they would have to lower themselves to mobile phone games, mobile phone games are for swiping and gyro games, no real proper games can be played without physical controls, it's horrible to have a virtual thumbstick and buttons on a touch screen.
I will and always will support Nintendo in all they do. I also have a ps and xbox as well. The biggest difference between them all is the fact that Nintendo is a gaming system-FIRST and foremost. They don't have to be connected to the web for socializing-what ever happened to having friends come over to play? or watching movies-Dvr's or dvd players anyone? I don't own a smartphone or a tablet because I choose not to. My phone is just that-a phone. Computer as well. In conclusion-my vote for console winner for 2013-14 is the WII U-NOT the ps4 or xbox one. I wanted a GAMING system and I got one-the BEST one!
If I were Nintendo, I could have made the Wii U a mere gaming tablet and not a clunky console. Also, I would just be a developer for gaming PCs.
The new business structure is to get ALL this iOS/android games on their platform!! Minecraft nearly single handedly killed a lot of potential consumers.. it's like Nintendo gave up the GBA/DS to their competition..
I really hope this pushes Nintendo to make a console that blows PS4 and Xbox One right out of the water. They need the graphical prowess and functionality of their competitors if they want to grab the attention of anyone besides their faithful following. If Nintendo can make a console that is better than MS and Sony's AND include the Nintendo difference they will reach industry highs like they did back in the SNES days. Bluray player included please.
@unrandomsam
I believe Nintendo has done many many new things since what you mention. My point is that nothing is being done right now that feels particularly new. Some of the ideas in NintendoLand are quite novel, the same in Wii Party U, but the presentation in both seems stale and unable to attract much attention from anyone.
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