I think it's pretty representative of the general market attitude toward the DSiWare platform. I agree with some of his assertions but not with others. For the record, I do think that DSiWare has been in decline throughout the latter half of 2010, with Nintendo barely supporting their own platform. I think there needs to be more original content released and fewer ports of PC freeware. Enjoy!
I only have a DS lite and don't think I will be purchasing the 3ds at launch (though I change my mind every other day), but there have only ever been a few games I have wanted on the dsi service. That is why I am happy that the service will be available on the 3ds when it all comes available because that way I can invest in the few games worth exploring (mostly Mario Vs DK) without needing to fork out money for the dsi or dsi xl.
I'll probably get a DSi anyways and transfer it over when I get a 3DS. Mostly because I can't wait to play Shantae and the DSi will be way easier to save up for/beg for Christmas.
Terrible article. It's all opinion, with not a single fact, quote or source to back it up. I've read better "articles" on this here forum.
On top of that, the dude makes this claim without once considering the fact that the reason DSiWare has failed is simple - there are more attractive platforms for developers.
The DSi has something like 10% of its install base online. Contrast with the iPhone, which produces similar-quality of games, with its entire uservase online.
Contrast this with PSN Minis, which are available to both PSP and PS3 owners, and don't struggle with the same strict licensing model of Nintendo's and pricing model for DSiWare.
Contrast this with XBLA, which has a dedicated indie games section that is easy to make games for and relatively easy to make a profit for. And is now available via Windows Phone.
The DSiWare is a closed, expensive and difficult format to produce games for. That's why it failed.
I'm happy with the games I got out of it. The only way it could've failed is if it cannibalized retail sales. Disagree with the comments that it's been on the decline lately, there's probably been a couple decent games every month.
I totally agree with you. As a developer myself, the Apple i devices are far more attractive - you get a better share of the sales, it's less expensive to develop for (not just equipment costs there's also the cost of getting DSi software rated by ESRB, PEGI and USK (and OFLC if you want to add Australia)), there is more of the hardware in circulation, the user experience on the iOS devices is better making it a more simple process for downloading and therefore making it more likely you'll get sales.
Unfortunately, I can't see it getting any better with the 3DS.
Director of Four Horses. Developer of Digger Dan games.
On sale on the Nintendo 3DS eShop from 19th May 2016.
www.fourhorses.co.uk
I disagree very strongly with this article. It could be argued the DSiWare has not gone over all that well as far as install base and sales go. But to say that there is a lack of great content on the service is absolutely false. There are SO many great DSiWare games available. I have downloaded over 100 games on my DSi and have been very satisfied with at least 90 percent of them. Plus there are even more on the service that I don't own that are great. I really really love DSiWare and feel the problem was more in the structure, not in the content.
@DiggerDan: I wouldn't say that. Nintendo has already shown snippets of the eShop and it looks absolutely fantastic and 100 times smoother than on Wii or DSi. It will have the whole DSiWare catalog, new 3DS games, a virtual console, as well as videos and demos for some downloadable and retail products. Plus Nintendo has stated that it will be much much easier to find content and even window shop with this new structure. think the 3DS's shop interface will be an immense improvement on Nintendo's past shop interfaces.
@Digger Dan The eShop looks really good, so it wouldn't do to have the same problems as the DSiWare Shop. Don't go to Apple, though! We like your games!
@WaltzElf Yeah, most articles are opinion. Look at articles on the 3DS right now. 95% are just opinion.
It's poor journalism, that's what it is. I'm glad for NintendoLife - its 3DS coverage has been really good, and not full of trite like this article.
@DiggerDan: I wouldn't say that. Nintendo has already shown snippets of the eShop and it looks absolutely fantastic and 100 times smoother than on Wii or DSi. It will have the whole DSiWare catalog, new 3DS games, a virtual console, as well as videos and demos for some downloadable and retail products. Plus Nintendo has stated that it will be much much easier to find content and even window shop with this new structure. think the 3DS's shop interface will be an immense improvement on Nintendo's past shop interfaces.
The end user experience isn't really the problem - it's irritating, but ultimately it's a hurdle that can be overcome. It's the experience developers and publishers have with doing business with Nintendo via the online portal that's the problem. In short - it's the worst experience out of any hardware license holder. Nintendo is the most expensive - that's a well-known fact, the potential audience is actually smaller (10% of Wiis, compared to something like 70% PS3s/ PSPs and Xbox 360s, and 100% iPhones/ iPads - the huge Wii install base does not count online), it's a more restrictive environment (file size limits and Nintendo's little rules about saving to SD card/ online play etc), and it's a less competitive environment.
It's just not worth most developer's time to bother. You really just need to compare DSiWare to the excellent PlayStation Minis service to realise just how far Nintendo is lagging with online shopping, and simply making a faster and prettier shop front isn't going to fix that for developers and publishers (ie, the ones who decide which games go where).
That said, I don't know if Nintendo has changed its policies in regards to dealing with 3rd parties for online publishing. It might have, in which case the 3DSware still has potential.
@Waltz: Excellent PSP minis service?? I don't know what minis service YOU are looking at but last I checked (about a month ago) That particular section of the PSN was rather lacking. Even far more then DSiWare IMO. I was under the impressions that Sony's new "minis" extension was quite poorly received and had very little worthy content on it.
Terrible article. It's all opinion, with not a single fact, quote or source to back it up. I've read better "articles" on this here forum.
On top of that, the dude makes this claim without once considering the fact that the reason DSiWare has failed is simple - there are more attractive platforms for developers.
The DSi has something like 10% of its install base online. Contrast with the iPhone, which produces similar-quality of games, with its entire uservase online.
Contrast this with PSN Minis, which are available to both PSP and PS3 owners, and don't struggle with the same strict licensing model of Nintendo's and pricing model for DSiWare.
Contrast this with XBLA, which has a dedicated indie games section that is easy to make games for and relatively easy to make a profit for. And is now available via Windows Phone.
The DSiWare is a closed, expensive and difficult format to produce games for. That's why it failed.
Terrible post. It's all opinion, with not a single fact, quote or source to back it up. How did you come up with 10% of the DSi's install base online?
Just kidding.
I'm pretty sure that most of the video game articles are based on opinion. Game reviews are completely opinion for example. Some articles aren't meant to be anything more then editorials.
@Digger Dan The eShop looks really good, so it wouldn't do to have the same problems as the DSiWare Shop. Don't go to Apple, though! We like your games!
Awww, that's nice. I'm already on my way to Apple, though. The iPhone/iTouch/iPad version of Digger Dan is coming along nicely. I would like to work on the 3DS, though, but it's not really up to me.
When I said that the situation that won't improve with the 3DS, I was referring to the costs associated with development. One additional cost I forgot to include was the cost of localisation. Nintendo makes you support at least 5, maybe even 6 languages and professional translations don't come cheap.
I also think it may be the case that if you add content to the game (and therefore submit an updated build), you have to go through the ratings process again and this will incur an additional cost. This is probably why there are no (or few?) content adding updates to DSiWare games unlike iOS games. I'd love to add content to Digger Dan, it is something we will definitely do with the iOS versions, but I just can't see it happening for the Nintendo version(s).
To make DSiWare/WiiWare/3DSWare really work, Nintendo need to do the following: Stop making these games go through ratings processes - keep ESRB & PEGI for boxed releases, but use your own ratings service for the download games like Apple do. Allow developers to add features and languages to the game post release. Let them get a bit of money in before making them pay for localisation. If they choose not to support a particular language because their market research says it's not worth the investment, let them make that decision. Open up development to smaller, but experienced developers. Not necessarily open to anyone who wants to do homebrew, that just floods the online stores with crap, but people who have a proven track record in the games industry already should be able to get access to the development tools. Ban any "My Pet Amoeba Farm On The Moon" type games immediately!
Director of Four Horses. Developer of Digger Dan games.
On sale on the Nintendo 3DS eShop from 19th May 2016.
www.fourhorses.co.uk
I honestly don't think DSiWare is any worse than WiiWare, but the games tend to be cheaper and obviously you can't expect a whole lot for the 200-point games. If there is a problem, it's that the games are even more limited in size than on the Wii, so I'm not too sure how many of the games actually utilize the extra memory/faster processor of the DSi when they have to be so simplistic. It feels like a bit of a waste that they came out with the DSi when maybe they could have just released a DS cartridge with flash that would allow people to download games and play them on their DS systems.
I would say there are plenty of good games on DSiWare, you just need to know how to find them (which hopefully the 3DS shop front will remedy). Wayforward's MFC and Shantae, Art Style, Aura Aura Climber, etc. There are actually a fair amount of good games and the exclusives are top notch. The ratio of good games to shovelware is no worse than the app store, there are just fewer games overall.
As for the overall limited selection. Waltz has it spot on - Nintendo's business practices/environment are not friendly to smaller devs. That's why you see so many iPhone->DSiWare and not the other way around (on the plus side, if a game isn't successful on the app store, there's not going to be the $$ to port to DSiWare, so that limits shovelware somewhat). There's also the factor that 3DS dev kits were obviously going out to companies about a year or so after the DSi released.
I think Nintendo's main goal for DSiWare was to have a nice selection of downloadable titles already available when the 3DS released. I would say they accomplished their mission (too bad they don't have their crap together to have the shop actually available at launch).
Seriously, only 10% of DSi's are connected to the internet? That would surprise me. Why not just get a DS Lite if you're not going to use the shop?
I am way too lazy to think of something clever. My Backloggery
@Token Girl: I agree with you. I honestly don't think Nintendo was being too serious and I don't think they expected DSiWare to REALLY catch on. I think that they only made DSiWare so that future owners of the REAL next Nintendo portable (3DS) would have a fair selection of downloadable software right out of the gate. If the eShop is shaping up anything like I hope it will, I think a lot of developers that have seen little success with their DSiWare projects will be pleasantly surprised with a re-juvination in sales after the eShop launches.
i think one of the main reason people are staying away is when your system breaks your out all of your cash (cant transfer any games to another system) unless you send it in to nintendo... unlike what sony and msft does
@Waltz: Excellent PSP minis service?? I don't know what minis service YOU are looking at but last I checked (about a month ago) That particular section of the PSN was rather lacking. Even far more then DSiWare IMO. I was under the impressions that Sony's new "minis" extension was quite poorly received and had very little worthy content on it.
I have around 40 minis, and as a rule of thumb, they're better than DSiWare. There are a lot of games on there that are not possible on DSiWare, and the environment is friendlier for indies and startup developers.
It's not perfect, but Sony's on the right track in providing a platform for those smaller games on its PSN.
Seriously, only 10% of DSi's are connected to the internet? That would surprise me. Why not just get a DS Lite if you're not going to use the shop?
Sorry, I should have qualified that - I don't think it's 10%, that's a number I pulled from thin air. What I do know, from conversations with them, is Nintendo is massive disappointed with its online userbase (in terms of numbers), and that Nintendo lags way behind the other two (three if you include Apple) hardware guys.
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Topic: An Interesting Article on the Wasted Potential of DSiWare
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