Nintendo has made a few surprising announcements along with its annual financial reports, but the news that The Legend of Zelda on Wii U will be the only playable Nintendo game at E3 is perhaps the most stunning of them all. After previously dropping conventional stage-based conferences already and adopting the popular Digital Event + Treehouse streaming format for the LA event, Nintendo is evidently now keen to switch up the formula again and put all the focus on this game and its IP's anniversary.
Of course, Nintendo may potentially have a video presentation with a broader focus on some other games around the time of the show, but the company's statement that "NX will not make an appearance at the upcoming E3 video game trade show" and will be "unveiled later this year" ahead of its March 2017 arrival is crystal clear - the June show is sticking with this generation and putting its eggs in Link's basket, despite the fact the Wii U version (and obviously the NX iteration) aren't coming until 2017.
It's bold and controversial, and has sparked a heated debate within the Nintendo Life team. Below you have the views of site editor Thomas Whitehead, editorial director Damien McFerran, operations director Darren Calvert, managing director Anthony Dickens and YouTube man Alex Olney. At the end you'll find polls and, of course, a chance to air your views in the comments.
Thomas
While I'll happily assess the merits and logic of the NX release window in a balanced way, I'm going to be blunt on this E3 decision. My personal view is that it's madness, a bizarre decision and one that could do the company damage in terms of its public perception with eager gamers.
It's worth acknowledging that platform holders and major publishers have been sharing unhappiness about E3 for a while, with the likes of EA trying to create its own events to distract from the LA showcase. It must be a pain for these companies, as E3 is like a black hole that sucks in reveals and press attention, forcing otherwise powerful corporations to adjust their plans to ensure they have demos, unveilings and a PR blitz to make the most of the occasion.
While companies may resist it, though, gamers evidently love it. It's a time of year when the industry goes into overdrive and we see new games, consoles and exciting things. The buzz can be electric (or toxic if the reveals fall flat) and it's a significant event. In my view Nintendo needed NX and a host of games for the new system, Wii U and 3DS to be on show, bombarding us with exciting content. I believe this is required because, frankly, Nintendo is lagging behind its rivals in the battle for publicity and the public's mindshare.
Yet not only will there be no NX, which is crazy, but the new Legend of Zelda on Wii U (not the NX version, obviously) will be the only playable game - this gives mainstream media an excuse to largely ignore Nintendo at the event. I've seen the argument that maybe NX isn't ready, but let's get real - it'll be ready enough that something could have been done, and while the new system is due in March 2017 the new Zelda is just due in the broad 2017 window. To be clear, if NX isn't at the stage where it can be demonstrated by June this year, then Nintendo has serious problems if it's planning to manufacture hardware and promote a big launch (with enticing games) early next year.
I also disagree with the idea that E3 is too far ahead of the NX launch to start building hype. Frankly, such is the state of Nintendo's current standing with a number of gamers that it can't start generating hype soon enough.
I don't understand this E3 decision and I think it's a shocker. Nintendo is showing up to the most influential gaming show in the world with one game on a system estimated to sell less than one million units in the coming year. Absolute insanity.
Damien
While it's true that Nintendo hasn't been approaching E3 in the same way as its rivals for a few years now, I think that the decision to withhold NX and only focus on a single game is a massive, massive mistake.
Say what you will about E3's relevance, the show is still the most effective way of building hype and connecting with dedicated gamers - the same gamers who influence other buyers and help spread the word of upcoming hardware and software. Not showing off NX could prove to be a disastrous move, and I'm not convinced that Nintendo is doing this totally off its own back - perhaps hardware or software problems have forced the company's hand here.
Every major hardware release in the past decade has had some kind of pre-release exposure at E3. Getting new consoles in front of attendees and industry types is a vital move when it comes to gathering support and generating anticipation. While the internet has indeed removed barriers and allowed people from anywhere in the world to "get in" on the E3 experience, the show is still a vital part of the gaming landscape; it's where the influencers go to get the latest news on the titles and consoles they will be shouting about for the next 12 months. The interest generated by E3 is evidenced by the fact that in terms of traffic, it's the biggest event in Nintendo Life's calendar.
While some have pointed out that tech companies like Apple, Samsung and HTC do things differently by announcing new devices and releasing them almost instantly, I don't think such an approach is compatible with the games industry at all. Smartphones and tablets are not games consoles - they tap into an existing ecosystem which means that the moment a new one is released, it has access to countless apps and games already. A smartphone and tablet is also doing the same things that its forerunners have done, from a technical perspective at least. NX is a new platform which needs new software support and new investment - unless Nintendo is planning on adopting a yearly update cycle and keeping the same OS for years to come, then the approach won't work. You also have to remember that smartphones and tablets don't rely on "brand new" software to sell them, either. By withholding info on the console until close to release, there's no time for Nintendo or third parties to hype up the machine's games - the games which will ultimately "sell" the machine to players.
Focusing on Zelda at E3 might sound like a bold move on paper, but to me it merely proves that Nintendo has planned badly and the cupboard is bare. The company has little to show on Wii U and 3DS and is refusing to show any NX games, and the end result is a showing which could prove to be so ineffectual it might as well not happen at all. Zelda is certainly a game which deserves to have a lot of attention focused on it, but even the most dedicated fan will admit that basing your entire E3 schedule around a single release is likely to be overkill.
Ironically - when you consider that it is refusing to show off NX - Nintendo faces the very real risk of showing too much of Zelda, and that could potentially impact interest in the game, a game which many have been waiting impatiently for since E3 2014. I know that it might sound like a good idea in principle, allowing Nintendo to "immerse" players in the title, but to me personally, I think it's a bad move - as is ignoring E3's potential as the first stop for the NX hype train.
Darren
Nintendo has been dancing to its own tune for a number of years now as far as its approach to E3 goes. With Sony's PlayStation, Microsoft's Xbox and other major publishers' massive marketing budgets it is understandable that Nintendo does not want to go toe-to-toe with them. It has suited them to speak directly to consumers via the slickly produced digital events, then hand it over to the Treehouse team to show off the games in great detail afterwards in livestreams.
Now that it has been confirmed that NX will not be making an appearance at E3 this year, let's be honest, it doesn't make much sense for Nintendo to waste resources and try to make a massive impression. They'll just want to put a brave face on things and show that they are not dropping the Wii U and the 3DS like a hot potato just yet.
Of course as one of the major platform holders, it wouldn't do for Nintendo to completely walk away from E3. Rather they will be there on their own terms. So focusing only on the new Zelda game seems sensible. It's a bold move for sure, but it goes to show what confidence Nintendo must have in the upcoming title. Now that has been confirmed as a simultaneous launch for both NX and Wii U at some point in 2017, having this as the sole focus of Nintendo's E3 efforts makes even more sense. It appeases Wii U owners who might feel a bit abandoned, yet it also should excite potential NX owners who have skipped the Wii U generation.
I think it's a sensible move on Nintendo's part to minimise their E3 activities this year. If they make a big fuss about what is a lacklustre lineup for 2016, they will be ridiculed by the media and the public in general on social media anyway. By taking this approach they can focus on the good times for next year instead.
Anthony
Okay, so obviously E3 is the traditional home of console reveals but we've seen Nintendo move away from this style of approach over the past few years. On the one hand it's a surprise that they aren't using the show as their opportunity to reveal the details of NX but on the other, for me, it makes some sense to reveal those details away from the noise of E3 and more importantly on a better timeline for the device's release.
Consumers don't like waiting 12 months between announcement and delivery, they've been spoilt by Apple's "and it's available to order RIGHT NOW [drop mic]" approach. So for me the ideal timeline is 3-6 months between the big reveal and launch, get those pre-orders in and shipped and condense the hype.
As for Zelda being the only game at the show, I'm assuming it won't be the only game they show in terms of a Nintendo Direct style broadcast - there must be at least a couple more big(ish) games coming to Wii U and 3DS, surely?!
Alex
So those are our thoughts, let us know what you think in the polls and comments below.
Comments 184
Nintendo must be high. This here tells me that Nintendo really has nothing for us. Even more so with Zelda being released on the NX, they want to focus on Zelda but no NX Zelda? They are really stupid here.Even more so if they use just directs or something like that to announce the NX... the only people watching will be their current fans. E3 at least reaches the world and they will be more seen but instead, they are going to market it to a dying fanbase... even more so with many of them not going to buy an NX for a while after launch because they don't want to get burned like they did on the Wii U, people such as myself. Of course, this will result in lower launch sales which in turn, we saw how sales affected the 3rd party support so well.. that may get shot too...
E3... I'll probably watch the Zelda trailer and a bit of game play and that's probably all. I usually have E3 running in the background from start to finish... now it seems like nothing special.
Seriously Nintendo, you shot yourself in the foot so many times now. Your run uphill to attract more people has just become so much harder.
yeah, zelda wii u is the only game playable, seems odd and disappointing. Nintendo must be Drunk in there mind or something xD
I agree with Damien. I'm also skipping E3. I have a bad feeling they're going to spoil the new Zelda game. The whole event on Zelda? I'm mean come on, it's going to happen and I'm avoiding it.
avoiding competition with ps4.5, ps vr, xbox next, oculus rift, and vivre may seem like a good reason, but unless all of those things disappear by march next year, they are just giving a bigger head start to whoever is left. it's like going to a gunfight without a gun because you don't want to fight, assuming you won't get shot.
The only playable game? Wow, I'm speechless.
This year, at least for attendees on the show floor, is gonna suck for Nintendo fans. Not everybody is interested in Zelda, especially with the open-world style being adopted in this iteration. What about the 3DS? The console has some great games coming out this year - and it's being totally ignored?!
I think they will actually show some trailers of incoming NX games in E3 2016 but not the console itself. There will be no playable demos for those games just because Nintendo wants to keep their new controller/handheld secret from competition.
I'm hugely disappointed right now as I was really eager to see the NX blow out at E3, but it doesn't really matter.
Nintendo can hold it's own event in September or so, give us all the launch details and show off the launch games and what will be coming in the year ahead. It might get a bit less mainstream press than it would have during E3, but Nintendo consoles always launch well. Even the collossal flop that is the Wii U had a great launch.
I'm just glad they did the smart thing and are going with reveal and launch in a short period. So many were insistent it was the Nintendo way to reveal and then launch 18 months later, but that doesn't work anymore.
@DarkJamD that would make sense ergo they won't do it.
RIP Wii u owners
I think Nintendo might be scorning E3, like saying it doesn't hold that much significance anymore.
Because if they did their own event sometime in the future, distancing it from E3, it would be insanely effective. Right before Sony releases ps4.5, would shift everyone's focus to the NX.
@RandomBlue Don't worry, we won't die.
I hope they have some third party options to show aside from Zelda (and of course, I'm pretty sure they're going to be celebratve about Zelda's brand by showing footage from many chapters of the series... disappointed, still).
This seems bad to me, but at the same time, I can't say I'm worried. It seems like Nintendo has some crazy stuff hidden up their sleeve for E3. Even if it's not for the NX. Maybe some unannounced Wii U and 3DS games.
Nintendo keep saying that they've learned from their past mistakes, well where's the evidence? All I see is history repeating, repeating, repeating, repeating, repeating.....
Seems like Nintendo is more or less waiting to see what Microsoft and Sony will be showing. Like they are waiting to do anything with NX until they know what PS 4.5 will be so they can adjust and surpass on some level?
I have a feeling we will get a 45 min E3 Digital Presentation which will show 15 mins of Zelda and a few Wii U releases for fall along with Mother 3 localization. 25 mins of 3DS content and then a little sizler reel at the end of NX software with an announced date for a direct in October for the full reveal.
Somehow, I have the firm belief we will actually see NX at E3. I think they are denying it just to draw attention and then they will suddenly drop the mic on everyone. Not like Nintendo has not done some marketing shenanigans before to drive sales (amiibo shortages, anyone? )
From the company who sells portable consoles without adapters, another brilliant decision! If their games weren't so amazing, I'd have jumped ship long ago.
Welp, there are plenty of games to play on my PS4
At this rate, Wii U might be my last Nintendo console for a long while.
Come on, people. You act like it's the end of the world because the release schedules didn't align with what you thought. This is what you get for setting expectations.
I like how there are still some fanboys defending Nintendo when I look at the poll results.
This is one of the worst days in Nintendo history and this will absolutely be Nintendo's worst year.
@Gerbwmu I completely agree. I think that's exactly what this E3 will be. You nailed it right on the head. Which in all seriousness, doesn't worry me at all.
The fact that so many people are so upset about the NX not coming out when they thought it was going to is just plain dumb. Like I'm sorry, I know a lot of the people are extremely negative and pessimistic, but come on. It's coming out a few months later then you thought and now you're saying this is going to be the worst year for Nintendo? Announcing the NX at E3 would kill the system. PSVR is going to be what the press focuses on at this year's E3. If the NX was announced, it would get pushed to the side and ignored by the press. That would kill the system before it even started for the mainstream gaming market. It's actually an incredibly sound tactic to wait. And Zelda U being the ONLY playable demo sounds fishy, like I'm sorry. It's either:
1.) That it is the only playable game and Nintendo has THAT much faith in it (which wouldn't be too surprising with how succesful Zelda games are)
OR
2.) Nintendo's lying. They're saying that so when there are several surprise games playable on the E3 show floor, the press and fans will go crazy for it all.
Glad im a big Zelda fan. sorry to those who aren't. I know I'd be massively disapointed if it was just focused on Pokemon myself for example.
Launching a console, especially one as important as this, isn't easy. Given the fact the NX was basically rushed doesn't help either.
Also, they never said they would talk about NX at E3; last year Reggie only said they would talk more about it in 2016. Anyway, we're getting NX news this year - it may not be E3, but it's still something to get hyped about this year.
Zelda is basically the last Wii U game I'm interested in, so if they're going to dedicate most of their E3 to it, I don't mind. I just hope the game lives up to the hype and is quite a grandiose experience.
"I think they will actually show some trailers of incoming NX games in E3 2016 but not the console itself"
I have so my doubts. If this console has yet another "innovative" controller, then they can't show footage without showing the controller. And they won't show the controller because that would be a early reveal....so no footage at all, I think.
On a side-note: I surely hope the staff of this site won't continue flooding this site with NX rumors for many months to come. I am so sick of it, I'll just wait till Nintendo is willing to give us information.
I am so sickened by this news that I actually feel sick to my stomach. if I wasn't working I would have a 30 page report on this already. Regardless I feel all of this is very very bad planning.
I agree with what Damien said. Nintendo needs to build some hardcore hype for this thing after the unfortunate failure of the Wii U ( I love my Wii U, but there's no denying it was a failure ). E3 is still the best way to reach the most gamers and build the most hype. With all the excitement at E3, the hype is multiplied by 10. I also believe that releasing it in the spring of 2017 is a mistake, as there really is no way to build hype for it. The Nintendo Directs are great, but they are only watched by the more hardcore Nintendo fans and won't reach the broad audience.
TLDR: Nintendo really needs to build some hardcore NX hype among the mass of gamers, and E3 is really the best way to do that.
EDIT: To be more specific, they need to build hype for the launch. Building hype a couple months after the launch will not have the same effect
Space World - November 2016
@SanderEvers I also feel E3 is becoming less significant as a whole in the industry. It is expensive, and costs dev time to build these demos for games that will more than likely change drastically from then to when they are released. EA and Activision are not going too and rather just show off their games at the Sony and Microsoft booth. They will also not have any press conferences and these are the two biggest western 3rd party publishers in the industry. Even smaller publishers like Disney Interactive are forgoing the event.
I mean it just makes more sense to instead show these games off at events like PAX where it is more a general public event than an exclusive industry event. I can also see Nintendo going the Apple route of just having their own press briefings where they control the narrative and do not have to worry about competing spotlight with anyone else.
Do I like E3 becoming just the Sony and Microsoft show? Of course not! Do I like it becoming just another boring press event rather than this big gaming news holiday. Hell to the no! Do I think more companies will abandon the event for more consumer based events and their own press events... unfortunately yes.
No NX at E3 is probably the worst decision Nintendo has made since settling on naming a console Wii U. I have no idea how they plan to generate buzz or hype for NX like this. They need a new marketing department, preferably not a bunch of yes man, people willing to stand up and say "that is a dumb idea."
"E3 is still the best way to reach the most gamers and build the most hype"
Remember Nintendo's stance "no mobile games at E3" (so they are aware many of us hate it). What if this NX is just a mobile, wich isn't unlikely. No wonder we see no NX games on E3!
From the sounds of it this will be the most rubbish Nintendo E3 of all time, probably the most rubbish E3 showing of any company. If they plan to show the NX games during a other event, they could also show Zelda there. Saves you Los Angeles flight tickets, mister Kimishima and co!!
Nothing makes sense anymore. Wtf is Nintendo doing over there?? Not showing NX, after they specifically told us it would be, is nothing short of a disaster. What are you going to show? Nothing, clearly. Nintendo might as well not even go to E3 this year. It sounds like they're one step away from doing just that.
What was always optimistic was that there was usually a chance at some sort of surprise, but with Nintendo projecting less than a million Wii U sales, obviously nothing significant is coming. Color Splash will come out in the Holiday window, and then we can officially say goodbye to Wii U, and put it in it's already dug grave.
After such a disastrous E3 last year, it's almost like something is seriously wrong within Nintendo's walls. I can't believe I'm saying this, but there's a chance that this will be even worse than last year.
This is among one of Nintendo's worst decisions.
I think this is a essentially Nintendo telling everyone it doesn't really care about E3 any more. The Nintendo NX reveal will be a globally streamed event toward the end of year through Nintendo Direct. Nintendo games will be playable at events that the general public can access.
Nintendo want E3 to become less important focal point of the industry.
This is all insane and extremely disappointing. I normally defend Nintendo's ideas and decisions ... but how can I defend this?
This is the dumbest move Nintendo has made in years!
@ROBLOGNICK They would not be the only publisher either. EA, Activision and Disney Interactive are skipping E3 this year as well.
So Uncharted 4 is coming out next month! So glad I own a PS4 =)
Something strange is going on.
If Zelda U is going to E3, why isn't NX? If they don't release at the same time, NX will release first, so one would assume it would get hyped at the same time or even earlier.
Nintendo has clearly given up on the Wii U, going by hardware sales predictions, so it seems unlikely that any worthwhile Wii U software surprises are going to drop.
So unless there's a lot worth talking about for 3DS, it seems there's little point in N being at E3 at all.
Unless it's got something up its sleeve... (we have to hope it has, otherwise it's all looking very ropey)
I guess this is the long-term result of "making a profit" these past few years by cutting costs, it's the only explanation. In order to appease investors (who, in all fairness, actually have put money into the company) they have neglected the very way they make more money in the future (by making gamers happy). I have heard that tech giants like Sony and Microsoft themselves are struggling to make a profit but Nintendo has no choice not to make a profit from gaming--it's their main source of income and it seems like they are trapped. I hope for something amazing, that we are interpreting this wrong, that many amazing things will happen in the near future but right now it seems like the facts don't support anything like that. Perhaps the worst part is now with the limited Wii U install base taking the hit so that in the future the NX will be better, but missing the holiday selling season and not promoting your product when everyone is looking seems beyond illogical. It leads me to believe they just have not invested in future games. That is the biggest tragedy to me--the less Nintendo games out there and we are all worse off. I hope Nintendo recovers from this, but with decisions like these...
We have that artwork for Link, though. It still counts as news on the development.
I've always been one to laugh at the screams of ''nintendoomed'' and such, but after everything I've read today I can kind of see the ship sinking myself.
Yeah, I think I'll just grab my copy of Zelda U on March and run away before Nintendo fails miserably with NX and devolves into full mobile/pachinko.
I'm a big Nintendo fan but I'm not into Zelda games......and supposedly I'm supposed to wait around another year for anything to reward my patience. This is a piss take, I'm taking a break from Nintendo and the relentless bad news for a while. Wake me up when there's a reason to smile for a change guys......
Whats the issue here? Everything Nintendo is working on now, other than Zelda, is for nx. Theyre not showing nx, so obviously cant let you play the games on it. Therefore Zelda is the only playable game. Dont see the problem here.
The only game they are going to talk about at E3 isn't going to come out for almost a year.
Dire.
@LetsGoRetro Obviously enough, the problem is not showing NX in the first place.
Why exhibit at all if you haven't got anything to exhibit?
Nintendo is hiding something from us, I'm sure of it. This is a very small piece of information they provided us today.
Also, E3 wouldn't be the same without Iwata
If Zelda is somehow an MMO, then u can see it worth all the attention, it must be pretty amazing to only focus on one game! Trying to be optimistic here.
So anyone who doesn't like Zelda can just leave right? That's how it sounds to me. Man this is disappointing. I wanted to see some hype NX game trailers. Oh well, at least I have Mass Effect and Final Fantasy to look forward to.
Sigh... more disastrous decisions from Nintendo... With the NX not being shown, all the attention is going to be on the PS4 Neo and updated Xbox One, which will most likely be released this holiday. The NX won't be able to compete with them! Even worse, now they have no ace in the hole for the Wii U this holiday without Zelda U and the hype will be gone for it because it has been delayed so often and it completely misses the anniversary. If Nintendo wants to destroy themselves, they can go ahead, because, frankly, I think people are starting to not care about Nintendo and the horrible mistakes they make.
Space world anyone?(and if they skip that to well......)
Oh my god what the hell are they thinking?! This is maybe the worst bad idea nintendo has ever had.
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I fear that the NX may be the last home console Nintendo ever releases. I love Nintendo to bits but they've been making terrible decisions relating to their home consoles for a number of years and they now just seem too out of touch to get themselves back on top.
Sad as I would be to see Nintendo leave the console making business it would at least mean I could play their games on a different console including other 1st and 3rd part titles. I just hope they don't follow Sega into becoming less relevant as a developer as well as leaving the console making business. Although they have always been a far superior developer to Sega.
Of course, the NX could be amazing and bring lots of 3rd party developers on board and sell like hot cakes and they could be back at the top of the pile again, but I just find that really hard to see. They have essentially made three failed consoles in a row (although I love the Gamecube it didn't exactly compete with the PS2), they were just lucky that their 'Make it appeal to everyone' approach with the Wii sold a billion consoles to families and old people's homes. Sadly most of those people never bought any games and all 3rd party developers ran for the hills.
@B238ben They'll still be at E3 with, I think, the same floor space so they won't be saving money. The last two years people cited cost cutting as the reason behind the Direct-style video, but they still rented out the theatre for different reasons.
They're trying new things, which I think is good. If it doesn't work, swing and a miss. I'm not an investor so I don't really care either way.
Games will probably still be playable behind closed doors for select press members. They just won't be available to every Xbox blog writer, Gamestop manager, etc.
"Absolute insanity."
That's it. Zelda being the only playable game proves that there's not much left for Wii U. How can they not show NX at E3?! This is disastrous. Only time will tell what impact this move had on its sales and overall public perception, but E3... Nintendo's E3 is ruined. It's gonna be as bad or worse than last year's. I'm sure Zelda is gonna be awesome, but that's it.
@BionicDodo Not going to lie, lately I've been wishing that nintendo would just go third party. It saves me from having to get another console.
Nintendo just wants the world to know that they are only working on 1 game. That's their new motto: 1 game at a time.
All their workforce, every engineer, programmers and even janitors are betting on this one game. Nintendo maybe losing and going bankrupt soon but they can proudly tell the world they have Zelda, the one game they held in their hands when they were buried.
So, NX won't be at E3? Odd...but I don't want to jump to any conclusions in THIS case, certainly. They're going to want to promote NX somehow.
But hey, at least the most disappointing E3 announcement is already over.
Only one Nintendo game playable at E3, no NX info or detail, no EA or Sega booth. Will it does sound like a very boring E3 huh. Either that or maybe people forgot that it's still April and there's two more months until E3 2016. Besides it's one game playable at E3, not one game announce and I'm sure Ninty is going to wrap up whatever games left they have for Wii U this year before they could jump ship to this so call NX console which probably may not even be named that.
So the announcement says NX won't be shown at E3. Maybe that can mean a similar approach to what Sony did with the PS4. It was named at an event in February, and games and tech demos were shown off. It wasn't actually shown, the design and such, until E3.
Maybe Nintendo will give it a name and show off games at E3, but won't talk about the hardware at all until later? Maybe that's also why only Zelda will be playable. Because the NX won't be there, all the other games they talk about cannot be playable.
Also, on that same point, they simply said that only Zelda will be playable. That doesn't mean that they won't be showing much more that.
This is probably all high hopes. I remember having similar high hopes last year only to have them all come crashing down hard.
@ThomasBW84 I understand your pointa, but are you insinuating that Nintendo's going to be like "Welp, for E3 you'll only be playing Zelda. Enjoy?" at E3? That's just wrong. Yeah, I don't agree with the number of playable games (and yes, it's close to insane), but who's to say Nintendo isn't going to show more stuff at E3? Nonplayable stuff, but still?
To be honest, I'm not going to complain much because I was never going to E3 in the first place...
Why are people in such a rush for NX? I've had my wiiu for years now and I still am impressed with how much I truly enjoy it. Maybe it's because I'm older and appreciate the throwbacks such as mario maker and the quick unique fun I have with splatoon. The longer it takes for the NX to come out, the better it will be. I personally am ecstatic for it to come out in March. Maybe they will have more in stock since xmas will have come and gone which will give me a better chance to get one.
@joedick I'm not referring to saving money from floor space, but rather saving money by not investing in expensive games which costs far more. Cutting back on E3 would save them some money, but it is undeniable there have been game droughts on the Wii U, E3 last year was lackluster at best, and now this E3 there is nothing as well. Why is that? Because they saved money by not investing in new games when they could have earlier. My point was they made their profits higher by cutting costs, but now those cost cuts are being reflected in the upcoming sparse E3.
"there are still so many Wii U masterpieces to play I dont know why you people are complaining bla bla bla I'm still enjoying my Wii U."
MAYBE SOME OF US HAVE HAD THIS MESS OF A CONSOLE SINCE LAUNCH AND PLAYED ALL GAMES ALREADY? We now only have Paper Mario to look forward to and that is it.
At least give us 2 new Nintendo Wii U games to fill the gap... but no, they've moved everything to NX already.
@AyeHaley - please drop the profanity.
Isn't anyone considering Nintendo might be trying to revive the Space World concept, also known as Nintendo World in later small iterations, traditionally held as a summer-based Nintendo reveal event? They unveiled the GameCube in Space World 2000 this way. So, who knows how Nintendo are going to approach revealing their next platform this year between July and December.
Nintendo has learned nothing from their marketing and timing mistakes from the past, obviously.
Do they want the masses (they need) to forget all about nintendo?
So are we getting a new Zelda game for 3ds?
@Yasume Last year was pretty awful, especially their Holiday line-up. It's going to be even worse if their Holiday Line-Up only consists of Paper Mario Color Trash and nothing more. Nintendo keeps digging themselves a deep grave and I want to be positive for them but it seems as if it gets more difficult with announcement they have.
@OneBagTravel Same tbh. Heck, at this rate, I'm not even sure if I want to get the NX at this rate. With all of their **** ups in recent years, I'm considering just picking up Sony's next major console and Microsoft's next major console and calling it a day for next gen.
@HopeNForever I think those of us who believe that are grasping for the smallest pockets of air at this point, though I truly hope Nintendo does that so they aren't completely screwed.
@Dewtwo Though us dedicated Nintendo fans may enjoy it, it's been a commercial disaster and we all just want to see Nintendo make the right moves so they don't ruin the NX too
I hope that Nintendo still has a digital broadcast showing off some new games for WiiU and 3DS to tide us over until the NX. I believe that the logic for only having Zelda is this:
They have limited space on the show floor, and they want to make sure it's all dedicated to Zelda as that's going to be the big crowd drawer. They want -everyone- to be able to play it.
Nintendo obviously won't have too much in the way of big games, saving them for the NX, and it's obvious to me that the NX is going to get it's own Direct broadcast so nothing get's spoiled ahead of the show, like Mario Maker was a couple E3's back.
And the WiiU isn't completely empty coming up, with a new Paper Mario and Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE coming out later this year. I have to imagine Nintendo has at least one more trick up its sleeve.
@NotAUsernameHere Although I've enjoyed some Wii U games, at times I thought to myself "I should've just bought a PS3 or a PS4".
this choice is so weird i'm starting (forcing myself) that they are lying and have something up their sleeve
@DrRandle The Wii U was spoiled on the run up to E3 too, Project café was outed to have an screen on the controller
This is a ridiculous idea that will hurt fans and the NX. After last years E3, they need a good showing.
"shakes E3 up"
Yeah by shaking out everything that would have made it fun. They only have a SINGLE playable game. Those trailers for other games better be damn impressive if they want to do better than last year's lackluster E3
Don't follow the herd Nintendo. Do your own thing. 🎮🐑🎮🐑🎮🐑
No NX for E3,delayed..ok
Only Zelda Wii U playable at E3...it's even worse..
I really feel bad for Wii U owners,they have to wait one more year....just because of NX version launching...and during that time no AAA games.
There's no point playing the game at E3 and wait 9 more months,it kills the hype,they will kill Zelda franchise,even if the game will be great.....compares to Horizon on PS4...Zelda on Wii U will bite dust technically.
Sorry to say that but it's better to abort the game on Wii U,
all these delays will kill the sales because it's a dead machine!
I love Nintendo but come on...so much nonsense in their strategy...
And now i'm afraid and predict that they will announce in january the report of NX to next E3 2017...
Whatever they prepare with NX,it will be hard to convince the gamers ,no even a name for the console,the hype is dead!
My only concern with all of this is that the holiday season window will be completely missed by Nintendo. They are essentially giving MS and Sony all the sales this holiday season. Ive been around since the NES days and I can tell you that I see history repeating itself again like the last 3 consoles. I always have some hope that things will be different this time around but usually they aren't. I too am afraid that the NX may be the last of their home consoles. It makes me sad that they don't market their systems and games properly. I see this as a complete PR disaster.
@AyeHaley #74 That's a very reasonable point, I'd totally expect anyone who bought the console between launch and August 2013 to be really angry and annoyed by now.
Meh. To be honest E3 has become to mainstream to really care and be hyped up year after year. As we see with the other companies they're doing everything they can to keep people entertained and failing. Most of the people I've seen, heard, and talked to say that it's pretty boring when the stage shows are over and unless you're a journalist there isn't much to do but hang out on the floor. You might get to meet a dev or two, but even then it's just for a photo shot. Personally i don't mind that Nintendo only has Zelda as it's playable showcase.
Whew, the reactions to this... wow. The most negative I've seen in a while. Honestly, if Nintendo really do 'listen to their fans', as they say they do, they would quickly be reversing this decision.
I doubt that the NX is going to kill Nintendo (I mean, they are still making a profit, remember) — however, they will be damn close to killing themselves if the continue like this.
@AyeHaley - please refrain from the profanity - 2 of your posts have had to be edited today. It's against the community rules and repeated breaches can escalate to further action. Thanks muchly
Showing the wii u version of Zelda is the stupidest thing they have done. If the game was coming before the nx one this would make a little sense but it's launching at the same time.
When Nintendo showed off Wii (their most successful console) they showed off the Wii version, not the GameCube version, at e3. And the Wii version outsold the GameCube version. And the GameCube has double the base of Wii u. So this just makes no sense. And if they show to much and it is not a good part of the game they could destroy the nx before it starts.
They already killed all Wii u sales with this news. That was the one game that could have at least got them some sales. I didn't think it could happen but they are close to losing me. I really hope the nx is gamer good and not a system they try to use to get back any of those casual gamers that are now only on mobile.
I didn't think Nintendo would go mobile but they did. Now I am sadly wondering if they could go third party. Cause if the nx fails that will be what could happen.
When they show the system and the nx version of Zelda maybe I can get out of this negative place I see Nintendo going.
I think Nintendo is swerving both Sony and Microsoft, as those companies are planning their PS4 Neo/Xbox One.5 to come out this year. And Sony is also planning to release Sony VR this year also.
If you think about it, Nintendo's decision to release their next project in 2017 is actually a good idea if it's not to directly compete with Sony/Microsoft. Nintendo also (to my knowledge) hasn't said anything about a NX reveal at E3, but simply said they will speak about NX in "2016" so, that's why a lot of fans with high E3 expectations are kinda bitter.
This isn't new in regards to Nintendo. They never do the obvious. I remember a quaote from Nintendo last year stating, "they do not want their competition to take their ideas."
Just wait and see what happens.
I don't plan on watching this years E3 anyways because I think it may be mostly PlayStation VR and PS4 Neo/Xbox One.5 reveals, along with the new CoD and maybe a RE7 trailer. Idk....
Nintendo will not let the tail wag the dog guys. Good for them. Now, lets go out and witch hunt all the rumour mongers.
EA and Activision are both skipping E3 this year for their own shows.
Many other 3rd parties are also skipping the show as well.
This year's E3 will as usual consist of Microsoft showing off new AAA Blockbuster games and shooters.
Sony will show more AAA Blockbuster games and shooters all targeted at the Western "hardcore" gamer.
Ubisoft will go crazy with The Division, and any other AAA Blockbuster adventure/AC style games they have.
Bethesda will announce their next game and more Fallout 4 stuff.
And then Nintendo has a huge booth that will show Zelda and something else.
As with the past 10 years, the gaming press will whine about having to cover Nintendo games when they'd rather be at one of other booths and conferences. They will whine about how Nintendo doesn't throw an after party and give them tons of goodies.
The mainstream press will widely report heavily on the games shown while saying that Nintendo shouldn't be there due to them bring family friendly games with bright colors into a show for adult gamers.
Nintendo is better off holding it's own event and going to PAX in full swing. Nintendo is loved at PAX and is the only major gaming company to show most years and gets tons of positive press from it.
I mean Valve, EA, Activision, other smaller 3rd parties, Apple, Samsung, LG, HTC, etc.. all have their own events and get plenty of positive press without needing to go to a crowded shooter fest.
Also Sony does Playstation Events to show off it's non "hardcore" titles as in those that don't appeal to 15-35 Western Male. Sony says they do this to not to drive away that crowd like Nintendo does.
Microsoft does the same and for the Windows products too.
Lastly launching NX in March will put in line with many tech products that launch in March even many Apple products launch in March now.
It also makes it much harder for Sony and Microsoft to adapt to whatever useful thing Nintendo brings to the table.
To repeat E3 is shrinking each year as it has become a massive money pit and it is now just for 15-35 Western males who prefer AAA Blockbuster games and shooters.
You don't bring anything else to E3 or be laughed out Nintendo style.
It's intriguing to me how methodically Nintendo seems to be killing any hype or excitement people have for its products lately.
All I can say is that the new Zelda had better be something spectacular. It'll have a bad E3 regardless, but at least one genuinely amazing looking game without any weird design gimmicks or flaws would probably do a lot of good for its core fans, at this point.
@Joestar- Yeah. Nintendo makes some really enjoyable games. I grew up with a GameCube and a PS2 and found myself enjoying the Gamecube's games more (PS2 has some fun games as well but that's besides the point). But Nintendo has screwed up enough times in my eyes and bad enough on many occasions to the point where it's no wonder that Sony and Microsoft keep destroying Nintendo year after year when it comes to sales.
Emphasis on 'focus', not 'dedicated'. Yes, as their biggest game in the next 12 months, Zelda UX will be at the centre of their presentation. But that doesn't mean there will not be other games on show, not just from them but any potential third-parties who would probably be able to announce games for the NX without showing off the console. We also know there will be other games in the presentation because of Paper Mario: Colour Splash.
Then, there's also this year's World Championships (which will no doubt happen given last year's reception).
@the-madprofessor
You should know better than to stand in the way of gaming reactions.
I'm not sure what to think about this really. I mean on one hand just because we're not seeing it at E3 doesn't mean there won't be a presentation on the NX before the year is out. Maybe E3 is just not as big a deal as it used to be? That is the impression I've been getting in general over the past few years.
I really want the NX to wow me (and others) but I'm definitely feeling pessimistic about it at the moment.
Well, this is new- get your e3 disappointment before e3 even happens. I'm starting to really believe that Nintendo WANTS to fail. It's just been one poorly thought out move after another from them, for years now. The NX is going to have to be absolutely incredible to win me over.
I've been a Zelda fan for almost 30 years, and to be honest I barely even care about the new game at this point. I won't buy anymore remakes, either. I will no longer rebuy the same old games on new consoles. How many times should we be asked to (over)pay for the same content? How many times, including the original golden NES cartridge, have I paid them for the original Legend of Zelda? Way too many! I'm done, and Ninty will really have to hustle to get anymore dollars from me.
In the past, this announcement would have made me much more upset. I realized my relationship with Nintendo is not working. If a person was abusing me emotionally, I would leave them, so why do I keep coming back to Nintendo? I recently got a PS4, and I think I have spent more time on it in the last month than I have played my Wii U in the entire past year. Nintendo can do whatever they want, I guess, and they will. But I am not going to support this disfunction and the flippant way they treat the core fan base, as if we are a bunch of "marks" to take advantage of.
Nintendo, I don't love you anymore, I think we should see other people and I have been cheating on you with Sony.
Nintendo may have a lot of money, but that won't mean anything if they continuously alienate their fans. The NX better have third-party support and a serious online infrastructure among other things if they want to be taken even the slightest bit seriously. However Nintendo keeps showing that it's incapable of learning from it's mistakes and insists on being a special snowflake so even that's up in the air.
If Nintendo was in a difficult position already, now letting Sony and Microsoft show their future plans with no sign of Nintendo around but a Wii U game, is just madness. So Sony is coming with PS4Neo (totally compatible with PS4 and vice versa, so no big complaints here), PSVR (compatible with both). Microsoft must be planning something because of Sony's decisions, even though it is not ready to be shown yet, most probably a similar kind of "upgrade". Now what has Nintendo? A Wii U game? Miitomo?
Whatever NX is, it won't be a rival for Sony and Microsoft this year. When it launches next year, gamers will have already made their choices, if they have not already. If Wii U has ejected most of Nintendo's fans (Nintendo's worst selling console ever), this Wii U-NX bridge is making even more people to check PS4(Neo) or XboxOne+possible upgrade in the near future. What will they care about NX next year, after the lack of support for Wii U of every developer and of Nintendo itself, that is focused on the next hardware since quite some time now?
@GloryQuestor I think so as well. It seems crazy to release the NX without a showing it at E3
Nintendo......... Eggs......
One.......basket........ Link.........desperate.
@zool Cuccos... ...abyss... fly...... *-&,.,.;
Okay...this was a stupid decision. Look, I'm sure that Zelda U/NX will be amazing, and it'll be nice to see something other than grass, but...C'MON! This is just dissapointing. I mean, only one game? And no NX news? That's not gonna cut it, ESPECIALLY after last year's E3. Also, I have very...VERY low hopes for the Holiday season this year, now. I'm sorry, but the NX damn well better have an amazing launch lineup.
No Federation Force demo at E3?
@Dizzard
E3 has been losing major support as companies have pulled out.
EA was the latest company to leave E3 because it wasn't a good venue to show their games off anymore.
There are other trade shows Nintendo goes to, like Gamescon (Germany, August), PAX Main (U.S. and in Fall), GDC (U.S. in March), and PAX East in Boston during the April and May.
Nintendo also goes to Penny Arcade, the fighting game tourneys, The Pokemon Championships and a few other non gaming shows.
There is also CES in January where Microsoft takes Xbox and Windows stuff to show off.
E3 like I've said it mainly just for Sony, Microsoft, and Ubisoft to show off their "hardcore" games.
@VanillaLake There's leaks regarding "Xbox One Second Generation".
Going to E3 with one inferior "playable" game on a dead machine is the stupidest thing they ever made.
And worse than that,NX version could not be "superior",just anti aliasing and that's it.
By that time,Sony and Microsoft will sell more and more blockbusters games "Horizon,uncharted,Cod,fifa..and VR and consoles and so on..
Watching Nintendo's decisions these last few years has been like watching a drug addicted best friend constantly deny that they need to go rehab.
@VanillaLake
Actually Phil Spencer has gone on record saying that he doesn't want an Xbox 1.5 and doesn't plan to compete with PS4K anytime soon.
According to NeoGaf developers are unhappy with PS4K and have been giving Sony and earful.
But E3 this year lacks to of the biggest game makers and 3rd parties in the industry EA and Activision.
There has been rumblings of Ubisoft pulling out next year, due to the show being overcrowded and too expensive.
Nintendo walks into Sherwin Williams, dressed in suit, top hat and monocle, and says to the shopkeep, "My good man, I'm looking to huff some of your finest paint before my investor's meeting, what do you recommend?" This conversation happened as there is no freaking way Nintendo could think this is a good idea.
I think it's insane... and I think Nintendo are up to something. I have faith in the big N and I can't wait to see what's gonna happen.
@PikminSalad
Ironically that's what people have been saying about Microsoft and Apple on other sites.
Nintendo has undergone an emergency transition to a new CEO, restructured it's internal teams, and today they restructured into a Western style form of management.
This has happened in the last two years.
Add that to the fact that AMD is behind schedule with new CPUs and GPUs productions, it makes it even worse.
Add Sharp stuck in limbo due to takeover by one of it's competitors, then it makes it even worse. Though we will find out soon who won the takeover of Sharp.
AMD and Sharp are two of Nintendo's biggest suppliers of parts.
PS4 and Xbox are unaffected because they use older AMD chips and GPUs.
@MJKOP They HAVE to have something up their sleeve. They wouldn't make this kind of decision without something insane and wonderful hidden in the E3 presentation
Hoo boy. I can always rely on the crybabies of the internet to cry their crocodile tears, whilst they're busy preordering the NX.
This news was definitely a shock. And yes, I got mad.
For about five minutes. Then I got over it.
I assume most of the whiners are millenials who have no clue that - shock, horror - things change with gaming companies. Restructures happen. Priorities change. New goals are established.
Since their digital-only event in 2013, it's been clear that Nintendo has been moving away from the bloated and irrelevant E3 show. Of course, the sobbing babies back then cried 'Nintendoom', before conveniently ignoring the fact that both EA and Disney have now ditched the event all together.
E3 is needlessly expensive, and in the age of social media (and rival events like Gamescom, PAX, and Paris Games Show), it no longer holds the importance it once had.
Hell, I even said that Sony and Microsoft would eventually follow suit; and lo-and-behold, Sony have established their own dedicated event. I also expect Microsoft will eventually incorporate their Xbox events into the wider tech shows, as they merge everything under the Windows umbrella (another thing fanboys adamantly denied would ever happen).
It's clear that Nintendo is undergoing some major changes - and contrary to the hysteria - that doesn't mean it's going bankrupt, or that it has 'no gaems' in development.
I remember when Sony was basically rebuilt from the ground up a few years back (though I don't expect the ADD-addled 'gamers' of today even remember that far back). They lost billions. They sold entire divisions. They restructured practically everything. Yet, things are now stable. Playstation is doing great.
Even the almighty Microsoft isn't immune to necessary change; what with the upheaval of the Xbox and entertainment divisions.
Nintendo once held a dedicated game show called Space World. Did people proclaim their death when they ditched that?
The fact is, the business is changing. Nintendo is taking charge and making changes now, before they're left behind. Judging from the strong software sales and Miitomo downloads, people still buy their games. They just need to right the hardware ship (which, contrary to popular belief, isn't an impossible task). With stuff like My Nintendo and the whole executive shake-up, they're clearly doing SOMETHING.
I suppose at least Sony is breathing a sigh of relief. Everyone's forgotten about the PS4 NEO, now.
Incredible. They have literally nothing to show at E3 while they are in huge need of hype and they keep delaying a game they were talking about since 2014 in order to lure people buying wiiU.... It is almost a scam. It won't be a wiiU exclusive, a swan song and a "thank you" to passiomate fans, but is another way they milked out the fanbase till the very last, just to lure them to buy the Nx showing how cooler will be.
They should have released Zelda in 2016 for wiiU, offering then a free upgrade to NX version when will be out.
I am done with Nintendo, it is a joke of the company it was.
@Kage_88
Actually Microsoft incorporates Xbox into it's Windows 10 press events and marketing.
Xbox One is officially labeled a Windows 10 device and appears in all the marketing for it.
I can't wait for E3 to shrink massively or die, North America shouldn't be call all the shots in gaming news.
@Xenocity It's true, the main gaming community thinks of Nintendo as a joke. It must be why they're shying away from E3. At least from what I can tell
@arnoldlayne83
So you'd rather Nintendo release another "bad' Zelda like Skyward Sword, TP, WW, MM?
All of those were hated when they came out by everyone for not being as good as their predecessors.
I mean Zelda might beat the Last Guardian out!
I think people are overreacting way too much here. Mainly I am not surprised considering how Nintendo has been moving away from E3 in the past few years. Heck even companies like EA are starting to lose faith. I find it highly telling that several major publishers like Disney and Activison wont even have booths this year. Lets be real here E3 isnt the be all and end all of gaming events it once was. Also Sony and MS revealed their 8 gen system outside of E3 so I dont why Nintendo cant do the same
@Kris_Gunn
They don't view Nintendo as a joke.
They view Nintendo as family friendly, kiddie, "casual", women oriented instead of "hardcore" oriented like Playstation and Xbox.
This isn't anything new, it just blew up bigger when Sony and Microsoft focused nearly exclusively on the "hardcore" gamer.
I mean EA left this year, there are whispers of Ubisoft leaving next year, and others that could be leaving including hardware vendors.
Clearly they want to keep the NX features under-wraps even longer - but I don't see how that can actually change anything. This seems to suggest Dragon Quest XI will launch on NX, which would win over the Japanese market. I hope Nintendo engages their other market equally.
@Xenocity "A joke" was a poor choice of words on my part. Sorry about that, but yeah. That's how Nintendo is sadly seen. Which I personally don't think is right, but that's just how the mainstream "hardcore" gamers have been trained
Not showing the NX at E3 is questionable, but it could potentially work out for them. Nintendo might feel that they wouldn't get enough attention at E3, so they decided to show things off on their terms when the industry doesn't have anything else to distract it. I mean look at how much attention Nintendo Directs get, if they can pull off their own NX Direct that could turn heads. I'm not a fan of that March 2017 release date though, they really should target a holiday release.
Showing up to E3 with just one game, on the other hand, is absolutely unacceptable. You can't promote yourself as a major developer if you only have one game to show. So that much is reason enough to worry about what Nintendo's doing.
I think this is a really stupid move by Nintendo. This was gonna be such a big E3, but they've ruined it. No NX and the only playable game is zelda (what about all the other games this year which people are eager to try?). I understand that they are trying to build hype for zelda, but that isn't the only game that we are interested in. Nice one Nintendo!
Gamers are the customers and Nintendo don't listen anymore at all.
They manage their project and vision without the voice of customer.
They always want to create,they created so much that they lost the focus,delivering games "on time quality and on time delivery",and with the size of their company,no excuses.
Usually when developpers are used to know the hardware,the last ones are the better in all aspects...but take a look at Star fox Zero,good "ugly" game but not AAA and far from driving sales.
After these 4 years,we expect far better from a big franchise.
Nx has to deliver not 4 or 5 remake for launch but 10 big new ips at least!
I'm still shocked that they are only going to have one playable game. That is just incredible.
Maybe the NX will be playable at CES 2017? Aiming for a non-traditional market? E3 is really preaching to the converted gamer, who for the most part is not interested in Nintendo.
Of all of the bad marketing decisions and moves Nintendo has made in the last decade - and there have been many - this is probably the most asinine and telling. As I stated elsewhere, I'm moving my cash to the PS4 with no regrets. Zelda will probably be my only other Wii U purchase and until I feel like Nintendo stills values it's fan base, truly still wants to be a gaming company and has a viable platform that sells well and is marketed well, I'm not giving them any more of my cash. Maybe some 3DS releases will pull some coin from my pocket. But if I enjoy my PS4 as much I think I will, I'll be in jrpg heaven, playing Star Wars Battlefront and working on my stack of shame on other systems.
The only way this makes sense to me is if they have another ace up their sleeve, like a "Virtual Boy 2", and Zelda is the key title compatible with their VR platform. Hence being " fully immersed " in Zelda at E3.
Otherwise, I'm extremely disappointed they would miss such a vital opportunity to build mainstream hype for the NX.
Oh dear
@Grumblevolcano That Xbox One upgrade could be similar to PS4Neo. PS4Neo is like New Nintendo 3DS: same console, higher specifications. However, New Nintendo 3DS has exclusive games (all the SNES games, Xenoblade Chronicles 3D, etc.) while PS4Neo will not have any exclusive game, probably to not anger PS4 owners and not miss PS4 massive user base. Xbox One upgrade could be something like that.
It seems poor but I'm sure they will have some games playable at the Treehouse or is there no Treehouse ? Plus hopefully Nintendo will be showing future games aswell.
For the first time in years I can actually envision Nintendo going under. The NX will be a make it or break it choice for them and if they fail like they did with the Wii U then I guess I'll see what every damn fanboy from the other companies wanted, their demise.
I believe we are watching the attempted reboot of Nintendo before our eyes.
The voting options are not adequate
How I feel about no NX at E3:
Nintendo continues suicide into irrelevance with core gamers
What I think of Zelda Wii U only playable game at E3:
Oh, I think I stopped caring about re-hash of old Nintendo games with new paint jobs long ago. The only Nintendo games I am still interested in are Fire Emblem, and only because no competitor is making better games that are like that.
This was a very dumb move for Nintendo. Not giving info on the NX is a major mistake considering that E3 is the biggest event for gamers, and the Wii U isn't lasting any much longer. The NX is their next shot at impressing gamers who have moved on to XBOX or PS4. Not giving any details is like waving a white flag.
On top of that, dedicating your conference to one game is just as stupid. People are not going to give you the win based off of one game. Even then, its not a Wii U only release, so your giving people less of a reason to keep playing your system!
Nintendo. I really want to know what the heck are you doing. Not only are you not convincing people that the NX will be awesome but you are spending your E3 about a dual-release game. There are still people who want to keep playing their Wii U, but are giving them less of a reason to keep owning one. Your holiday season is awful, and unless your E3 pulls out a MAJOR game so big that it convinces people to get one this holiday, your're going to waste that money on Christmas ads, for a system that nobody is going to get because there is nothing to convice them.
As great Zelda will "perhaps" be on Wii U,
it has to be multiple times better technically on NX...not just Anti-aliasing...
And depending on the feedbacks at E3, if it's not great on Wii U, the worse is coming for the future sales of NX version.
So in other words, it's gonna suck like the last E3, got it.
E3 isn't what it used to be. Nintebdo knows this, EA knows this, Activision, Disney... Even Microsoft and Sony know it - are people forgetting the reveal of PS4 & Xbox One? Not at E3.
The event isn't designed for the public, it's for press, and to a certain extent, investors. It's a corporate 'show-and-tell', do people not remember the dull E3s when corporations used to love showing off statistics and sales data? It's slowly moved from that, to be more public facing... and Nintendo and other corps have been toying with other formats and events to release info in a consumer friendly way...
No NX at E3 isn't a big deal. Nintendo need to impress those that pump money into them... and those that buy those products to offer a return to those that give them money. Diverting NX to a separate event is a smart move, and restricting the E3 showcase to a product they've got faith in, offers at least something to the people in attendance... arguably, the presence there is a bit pointless, but it's something. After all, us watching can't play it, so what's the point?
I also don't remember reading E3 being all about Zelda. Isn't it Zelda being playable? They're not the same thing. I imagine we'll see other things to tide us over to 2017. Whether they're decent or not, is opinion.
Extremely disappointed in this.
I can't see how Nintendo can have any sort of E3 other than a terrible one. A large focus on one already announced game that's not even releasing this year suggests that Nintendo won't have much to share.
I'll still love the Zelda info, and we're bound to get some Pokemon Sun and Moon info, but it's still lacking. I really hope they still got some unannounced games for 3DS and Wii U.
Oh my god... I feel so betrayed. I hate the "double release" because if it is anything like the GTA V for both the PS3 and the PS4, we Wii U owners will be getting a far inferior version of the game, and the superior version is OBVIOUSLY the one that is causing the delay.
And as I have commented on every article here just vent out my frustration I will most definitely NOT be getting an NX.
@Yorumi Good point. That statement turned out to be just as BS as many people thought it was. -sigh- I miss being excited for nintendo instead of disappointed in them
Nintendo you have lost your mind.I even pinched myself to see if the is was a nightmare. Bad news it is real.
Now I hope the NX is a handheld device now.
I wouldn't show anything to be honest. No Zelda and no nx.
Zelda maybe the only playable game but they'll probably have other games to announce. There could be a few surprise titles in development. There's also the game from Retro Studios.
Wait, what? There's no option for "Not even surprised." Why's that???
Basically, Nintendo told us last year we were going to only get an announcement of the NX at most. Unfortunately, none of you wanted to listen. I just watched day in, day out as critics, editors and whatever else, falsely build the hype and fall on expectations that weren't even feasible. And look where it's gotten them.
As one of the few people who doubted it'd be released at all this year, Nintendo has just brought a little chuckle out of me - just because there are going to be more than a few people putting their hands up and admitting they were wrong the entire time. That their speculations were just that and nothing more.
If anything, I wouldn't be surprised if Nintendo saw all those hyped expectations and thought to itself; "Nah. Let them wait a little longer. Because why not?"
When I read this I was shocked. Bottom line if I don't know what the nx looks like, what it's price is, what it's REAL name is and it's release date by June, I guess I'll ditch Nintendo nx and go PS4VR. I'm sick of Nintendo doing this. If they were gonna do this, they never should have mentioned nx early last year like they did. I know they did that to not scare their fan base and future costumers away, but still the only ones who suffer are us. I was hoping that with a new president maybe they would make better decisions for their fans, but I guess not. Don't get it twisted though I have much love for iwata, but he should have stepped down last generation. R.I.P.
I was hoping for stellar swan songs and/or continued support of the 3DS while the veil remained in place across the NX and its potential peripherals so I think that part is fine. Teasers would still be good but the concept is probably intuitive and a teaser would basically give it all away.
The Zelda-only E3 is the problem. This year Nintendo's should be a big show full of pretty things that are unapologetically on-show and planned for release as a "farewell celebration" to the Wii U and/or the 3DS; give the impression that a great final year is building toward a huge NX evolution in Nintendo gaming.
Zelda should be a strong piece of that goal but only a piece. Hopefully the only PLAYABLE game will not be the ONLY game because it doesn't take prescience to know how very widely unpopular that will be (already is) with fans. Some for whom this may be a must-play may even wander away to avoid spoilers leaving them open to the sultry tones of a remade Final Fantasy VII at a vulnerable time.
With regard to the general media, if Nintendo does not paint the vision of an exciting transition that is backed by some great end-of-an-era reveals they will squander an opportunity to appear relevant at the very least. I actually think that Nintendo has the chance to, at the realistic best, display stability and momentum.
To spell it out as armchair PR (sic. fan-fantasy) they could take this opportunity to say, "The Wii U was a disappointment to many in some key areas and we hear you so our next hardware release will answer this generation as Nintendo always does: with innovation. The NX will be unmistakably Nintendo in character and this new hardware will bring you cutting-edge visual experiences backed by powerful processing. We're excited to show you more in the coming months but that's not all the coming months have in store. We are also still proud of the Wii U and are excited to send it off in style this year."
That's the message.
They probably don't have the goods to back up all of that idealism but I think it's really what has to happen in order for Nintendo to decidedly re-assert itself. Otherwise the NX really better be able to run its own press when the time comes.
So what I'm saying is that if Nintendo does nothing but show a delayed Zelda in June the NX had better be the world's first AI.
@VanillaLake @Grumblevolcano I think it's worth mentioning that Microsoft isn't in the best position themselves. While the Xbox One certainly isn't a failure, it's not exactly doing good either. Halo 5 didn't do much for them and the software sales were way down compared to Halo 3 and 4. Quantum Break appears to be a niche seller in the UK, which is one of the only two big markets for Xbox.
Sony isn't letting Microsoft breathe at all.
@IceClimbers PS4 has been a massive success because of Nintendo and Microsoft screwing it up. Xbox One is selling quite good now with 21 millions sold in 2 years and a half, which is better than Xbox 360 sales during its early years. True, PS4 has sold a whopping amount of hardware units with 40 millions in the same period of time, which is much higher than what Sony themselves expected. Wii U has sold very poorly at 13 millions in 3 years and a half.
Sony KOd Microsoft because Xbox One was more expensive at launch with Kinect being part of all bundles. Similarly, PS3 did not sell well unless Sony cut its launch price of €600. We'll see how it goes, but I'm pretty sure Microsoft is going to react to Sony's PS4Neo, specially now that Nintendo seems to be lost in limbo.
Honestly, I don't understand their reasoning here. But I'm sure they have a game plan and reasons for everything they do, even if I and others fail to recognize it.
At the end of the day, it's video games. A luxury of spare time, even a hobby. But I learned a long time ago video games are not worth getting in a tizzy over. The day some corporation over in Japan can throw me into a heated fit of rage, is the day I need to put down the controller for good.
So, as always, I'll just sit back, relax, and see what happens. Because regardless, I've got plenty of games to play. Across the board. And that will never change, regardless of what questionable decisions Nintendo makes.
Maybe they figured NX would not compare favourably next to Sony's NEO and PSVR because it's underpowered... again.
I'll watch E3 and probably get excited about PS4 games (which will no doubt be coming some time in 2018/19) so I'll get a PS4 at Xmas. Then I won't want an NX until 2018 or so - but at least there will be a few more games by then. Maybe.
I'm sure I'm too far down in the comments for anyone to see this, but...
I think it's smart to not show NX if it's not going to be ready for the holiday. Too long of a delay kills hype. Look at the 3DS. Most info was known in leaks in the months before e3. It debuted at e3 to rave reviews; the glasses-free 3D was the greatest thing since sliced bread. By the time it launched in March 2011, pretty much everyone had forgotten about it. The hype had dissipated.
And there's a pretty compelling case that e3 hasn't been helping Nintendo's message recently, either. Look at the Wii U. Announced at e3 2012, and the general public came away with the impression that Nintendo was releasing a new tablet accessory for the Wii. Sure, a lot of that is on Nintendo's branding, but the confusion resulted because there was little focus on a new console among the cavalcade of info at e3. I think this will come into play with NX too; Nintendo wants to control the message.
What thomas said is correct. I was just thinking last week about buying some Nintendo stock in anticipation of NX and Nintendo's great reversal. Now I'm back to thinking they are a bunch of **** ups who can't figure out what they are doing. Its like watching Blockbuster video slowly die because they haven't figured out what people want.
DUH NUH NUH NUH Link holds a pair of empty hands aloft
Trade shows are dying, and eventually—hopefully soon—E3 will die with them. There's nothing worse for publishers/developers than having to force announcements and show off products at a time when those products aren't ready to be shown off just so they can meet a schedule controlled by media groups. And I say this having been to the last four E3s. They're fun, but largely useless.
@BinaryFragger
Exactly.
Do I understand this decision? No. Does it appear to be a huge mistake for Nintendo? Very much so. But at the end of the day, nothing that happens in the consumer electronics industry is going to affect me emotionally.
It may end up proving to be a disappointing e3. Nintendo may never be successful in the home console industry again. They may just dig themselves into a deeper and deeper hole. If so, then so be it.
But I'm still going to keep playing games I enjoy, many if not most from Nintendo. I will continue enjoying their products, until the day they stop making games. And even then, I'll still like Nintendo.
I don't know what they're doing or what thee strategy is. And I'm beyond caring to be perfectly honest. I play games. Any fun games Ninty makes I will play. Be it 1 game a year or 20. I'm just so beyond caring about how good they do at e3, or how successful their console is, or any of that stuff.
If they don't put out many games this year I'll just spend my time playing others. It makes no difference to me. 3DS and PS4 has games stretching a mile long. #FE and Color Splash will just be cherries on top of that already exhaustive list. Even Vita is contributing with a game or 2 a year. Severed just released and it's incredible!
I think it's better to admit you're bringing one game than to promise the earth and deliver nothing. As long as Zelda is decent, I don't think this will harm them.
@buildz The 3DS can kiss my butt. It has gotten way more games and attention than the Wii U. Nintendo treated the 3DS like its crown jewel and the Wii U as a rusty rock.
"I think it's a sensible move on Nintendo's part to minimise their E3 activities this year. If they make a big fuss about what is a lacklustre lineup for 2016, they will be ridiculed by the media and the public in general on social media anyway. By taking this approach they can focus on the good times for next year instead."
But the thing is that this year shouldn't even BE disappointing . Because Nintendo is so bad at managing releases they have effectively left themselves with no heavy hitting titles for the fall for 2 YEARS IN A ROW! It is beyond idiotic! The Wii U is going to be dropped like a rotten piece of meat. Nintendo has never had a history of supporting systems long after the successor dropped (GC support from Nintendo ended in 06, N64 support ended in 01, Wii support ended in 2012). I can't say that I didn't see this coming. Definitely not buying an NX at launch until they PROVE that it has more sales power than the Wii U
@NintyFan I see a Nintendo Direct coming around the holidays showing off the system to somewhat(but not totally) derail some of the sales of the PS4.5.
I JUST had a thought!! March is PRIME season for tax returns!!! That's when EVERYBODY will be spending money like crazy in the U.S!!
Well let's face it. Like many guys said here, E3 is quickly becoming a thing of the past. Nintendo, Sony, and some other 3rd party companies are holding their own events. Traditional E3 nowadays is a barrier that keeps worldwide gamers from hearing what's new in the video games industry. With the social media rapid adaption, it's no wonder that on floor E3 is quickly becoming an old yet expensive way to showcase gaming news, while restrict it to only local people rather than everyone.
People, get over it already. Time has changed everything you know and love. you should get used to the change that's happening now.
A very strange decision. To have any kind of impact Zelda is going to have to stand out and drop jaws the way Mario 64 did in 1996. Basically it's going to have to tower above Mass Effect Andromeda, Horizon Zero Dawn, Doom and whatever else gets shown which seems a very tall order.
Meanwhile the lack of anything else is going to look like Nintendo waving the white flag. Bizarre.
I'll also add that if the reason for being so secretive about NX is hardware or software issues, we won't see it in March 2017.
It's not really Nintendo "Shaking Up" E3 as much as it is Nintendo not shaking anything at E3 and remaining still.
The last few years have seen Nintendo putting less and less focus and effort into E3, being the only major console company to no longer have stage shows, and less focus and effort into marketing to the core video games market in general honestly.
If Nintendo is going to skip E3, then they better plan to have a big NX press event in order to reveal and detail the platform. Ideally, the event would be held at around the same time as E3, but some time before/after E3 would be fine.
@Man-in-Green When did this website become so censored? My comment wasn't even bad. Rusty rock? Are you serious? I didn't write that. I didn't write butt either. Talk about lame. I barely ever comment on this site. Guess I'll stick with the MyNintendoNews comment section. They usually get updates before this site anyway.
Nintendo at E3 2015: We're only going to show games coming out in 2015.
Nintendo at E3 2016: We're only going to show a game that's coming out in 2017.
Seriously though, there's a difference between only having one PLAYABLE game and only showing one game. I'm sure they will be showing a lot more games than just Zelda.
@TheAdrock Not sure what I'm looking forward to more: The NX, the new Zelda, or the sequel to your avatar.
To be honest I couldn't care less about E3, but I can't help but feel Nintendo have screwed up their release schedule all over again.
Nintendo need a new Super Mario and Zelda to launch Wii U. I think we all know that Zelda is being held from Wii U owners in order to make it look like an NX launch exclusive...
Still perhaps Nintendo will advertise this thing? Wii U was brushed under the carpet by Nintendo before it even launched.
@Yorumi That's not entirely true. If all you have is a W-2 (and I would say that a vast majority of tax returns ARE that simple) then you probably will have a refund due because the W-2 withholdings usually don't take into account any above the line deductions or credits or what not. Obviously, it gets more complicated if you have other sources of income, like a self-employment, rental, investments, etc. Even then, people generally over-pay as that is better than having interest and fees due when you file your return. So there IS an increase in spending around tax season. Ask any car salesman and they will tell you the same.
@MegaAdam Yes, I agree. The days of having months and years between announcement and release are gone. I think the only reason PS4 and Xbox One were able to get away with their 9 months between announcement and release was because people were so desperate for a new gen after the previous one lasted so long. At the very least, pre-orders need to begin very soon after announcement.
@Man-in-Green At least the 3DS gets good games because of that! dies waiting for Kirby Planet Robobot
nintendo is an odd company
Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid...
I think that the more important issue is not having NX ready by the Holiday season.
I agree with the consensus on this one, especially with Damien.
This is crazy, only one playable game at E3??? That would have been an unthinkably abysmal showing back in the 90's and '00s. It's definitely a sign of Nintendo's current weakness. Five years ago, ten years ago, twenty years ago, I wouldn't have believed Nintendo could ever be in such a weak position that they'd ever only have one game to demo and show off at any E3, no matter what. It doesn't even matter that it's Zelda. This is just... unbelievable.
Having NX not be on display at E3 is also an enormous missed opportunity. I don't usually take the NintenDOOMED stuff to heart, but this time, I do genuinely think Nintendo has doomed themselves to having the worst E3 showing in years, if not setting it up to be their worst in E3 history. I don't think Nintendo has ever before voluntarily chosen to avoid a good opportunity to show off a new console at E3 before launch...
@ikki5 This applies to Nintendo so much right now:
Uh, Nintendo? You do realize not EVERYONE is into Zelda right? What do you expect those uninterested to do during your presentation?
@kingc8
Same here. From SNES to Wii I bought every Nintendo console at launch or as close as I could afford. Then I didn't bother with DSi at all, waited 8 months after launch to get a 3DS and 11 months for the Wii U. I don't really trust Nintendo to deliver any more so I'll be taking a wait and see position. Shame.
As I've said before, Nintendo, what are you doing?!
Thank you guys for calling it like it is and not trying to sugar coat it even though you are a Nintendo site. Honesty is always much better.
If anything I'm just confused. E3 is a time when everyone is looking in one direction. Hell, even mainstream news outlets report on E3. It's a time when games companies can take advantage of the period as they will get more attention for it than ever before.
It is things like this which only make me think further that Nintendo really doesn't have much of a clue at the moment. But we'll see.
@RandomBlue Wii U owners died? I think you mean " RIP Wii U", but I don't want to second guess a intellectual powerhouse such as yourself. Please tell me, AGAIN, if I'm right or not. Thanks!!!!
@beautifulstrong A look at your profile shows the last six or seven of your comments seem to be targeting a particular user in a negative fashion.
That's harassment as far as I'm concerned.
Please stop making comments in a fashion that could even possibly be interpreted as harassment otherwise you're likely to be banned.
Please have another read of the Community Rules to remind yourselves of the behaviour expectations around here. Thanks.
@gcunit I completely agree with you.
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