Satoru Iwata Shares Confidence in Hitting Targets, Mii-Focused Smartphone App to be Announced in Q2

I wouldn't mind more mii style options for 3DS and Wii U first...

As long as they don't make smarthphone game,I'm fine with it.

@Undead_terror

Ditto. Given Nintendo's reputation for fantastic colours and attractive art styles etc. the Mii aspect of Wii/Wii U/3DS has always been thoroughly underwhelming. If you don't have distinctive features (e.g. glasses, hat, moustache, beard etc) then your Mii just looks incredibly dull and pointless. At least let us customize the clothing a lot more, even if they then have to revert to the basic stuff when used in-game (MK8 etc.)

@Randomname19 Even if they did, it still won't help them much because its about convincing people to buy their products.

"I believe the Wii U business still has considerable room for growth".

Translation the replacement is still some time away, and Iwata knows a lot of us would be pretty peeved if they dropped support for our console now or in the next 18 months. At this moment in time I believe the Wii U to have the best choice and class of games a system ever has, but they're designed for me and my niche group, not the general populace of the planet earth who want to shoot things and play sports games.

In Iwata we trust

I still find it astonishing that there is no Nintendo app whatsoever in 2015.Especially considering their home market,as Iwata said,is dominated by smartphones.If you search for Nintendo on the Play Store all you get is a list of emulators,that should be hugely embarrassing for them.When you think back to the Wii with it's Nintendo Channel,Mii Contest Channel,Everybody Votes Channel etc,as basic as they were,you would have thought they would have evolved eventually into a single app for Android and IOS but if anything they've gone backwards on that side.Other than Miiverse the Wii U has nothing similar really and the fact that we have to access Miiverse through a browser (only recently at that) kind of says it all about how far behind they are with this.How Iwata can stand up there with a straight face and convince these likely concerned investors that a Mii App is Nintendo making a progressive step into the smartphone market is beyond me.

Still haven't announced when they'll release a mobile app of Miiverse. Oh well, at least I can still go on it by the internet browser.

@OorWullie : I agree. My question is always, why is this taking so long? Iwata for me has begun to represent regression. He recently mentioned that the Wii U has more games coming. I suppose he means more platformers, or more Nintendo mascot themed games, or more Amiibo. Unfortunately, none of that interests me anymore.

Boy, if the idea of an app is to use your Mii on FB, then please try harder.

@MrGawain

It might benefit you to learn that there is more than "shooting things" and "sports" titles out there in non-Nintendo world. Nintendo is missing out on way more than just those two, very basic, types of games. And the Wii U does not offer the best of anything in any category, even in Nintendo's own history. The NES, SNES, and GameCube had far more diverse libraries, not only first and second party, but also third party.

Nintendo does not have a library of first or third person shooters.
Nintendo does not have a library of shmups.
Nintendo does not have a library of professional or licensed sports games.
Nintendo does not have a library of fighting games.
Nintendo does not have a library of sim games.
Nintendo does not have a library of strategy games.
Nintendo does not have a library of racing games.
Nintendo does not have a library of beat-em-ups.
Nintendo does not have a library of horror games.
Nintendo does not have a library of RPGs, especially WRPGs.
Nintendo does not have a library of MMOs.
Nintendo does not have a library of action games.

Literally, about the only things Nintendo has in surplus are platformers and numbers of games all featuring the same mascot on the cover. And hell, Sony and MS have large number of platformers. Well, then again, there is a large number of puzzle games on the 3DS, and an unprecedented glurge of shovelware from indies on the Wii U.

Nintendo's only remaining strength is their exclusives that appeal almost entirely to a small, niche, core fanbase--and Sony has far more exclusives coming this year.

I wish they'd hurry up and reveal this QoL nonsense so we can see exactly what kind of boondoggle is heading our way. Maybe they should hurry up and reveal the replacement for Club Nintendo, or maybe come up with ideas to sell their hardware to someone outside of Nintendo fans.

@Cyberbotv2

I feel about the same way concerning Iwata. He does not inspire confidence, and is becoming a mascot for irrelevance.

Mii's are cool and all in the realm of Nintendo but not outside of it. Nintendo seems to be focusing on all the wrong things concerning smartphone apps. Mii's don't really bring awareness like he thinks they will. I for one am not using my Mii for anything non Nintendo related.

As time goes on I find myself less and less interested in Nintendo's offerings.

I fear for them as a games company under Iwata's leadership.

At least its something. But then again I'm with @datamonkey. I'm losing interest in Nintendo as well. I also agree on what he says "I fear for them as a games company under Iwata's leadership."

"before emphasizing the range of games on the way in 2015"

Well, I'm very excited for 2015, but surely, even Iwata must realise that at this point the chances for games to make a meaningful difference to the overall performance of the WiiU is basically zero. If there was still a chance for this to happen, it was last year, but even MK8 and SSB couldn't make a real difference in the end.
The market is all about momentum and the WiiU has no momentum. I think it is great that they keep supporting a system that failed to perform for them, but I hope Nintendo is not in any kind of denial about what's going to happen. They should take what they feel are necessary steps to keep their customers happy, but they should focus on what's next. And before anything else, they need to understand what went wrong, and really that something did went wrong.

I'm glad they are confident in meeting their very modest sales goals, as opposed to last year when their goals were so ridiculously high that they had to embarrass themselves in reducing projections.

They need an app but this is pretty dumb. The Wii U has a great 2015 lined up but it still has no mainstream appeal. It will be lucky to pull GameCube numbers which I guess counts as room to grow.

Oh god someone get rid of this man!

If that means further going towards a good unified account system, like Google or Apple, go for it!

@Quorthon Meanwhile, Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony do not have a library of 3D platformers. They do not have a library of JRPGs. The fact that Sony and Microsoft have to rely on indies for platformers in general is pathetic if you ask me.

The only genres that get major support these days are 1st person shooters, 2D platformers, racing games, sports games, WRPGs, and 3rd person cover shooters. It's an industry wide problem that needs fixed.

I'm afraid I think they are crazy not to release old games on smartphones, NES, GB, GBC, GBA. The sheer number of emulators and illegal rom sites shows there is demand there, but there are still many people that would gladly pay to have legitimate copies. An official Nintendo branded Bluetooth controller with a real quality d-pad would help with playability. I don't see that this would hugely undermine the 3DS which has a fantastic library of its own optimised games.

Failing that, at least produce some original content that is of sufficient quality to warrant the Nintendo name, but is actually designed for smartphone use. If a guy can make money out of Flappy Bird, then Nintendo can do better!

I think what they are really worried about is that every other mobile platform has an account based digital store, which means they only get to sell the game once and it runs on all the devices anyone owns. They want to continue in a world where digital download software is treated like a physical product that you buy and buy again for each device or platform, and I can't see this model being sustainable for much longer in these days of Apple, PSN, Netflix and Kindle, however good the games are.

@Quorthon : Nintendo does not have a library of...is exactly what I'm thinking. The gamecube inspired me with Resident Evil remake, 0, and 4. With the Wii U, we've had RE Revelations and Zombi U. I look over the pond and see horror games left and right on competing consoles and PC. What can Nintendo themselves do to rectify that? Release Eternal Darkness HD, make a deal with Capcom to get RE games and their horror library on Nintendo consoles, or do nothing? They've elected to do the latter, and this applies to every genre it seems.

In regards to the subject of phones or phone apps, I don't I can comment on the situation, given I've never bothered to have a phone to this day. Still, I at least understand that such things are important to many people, and the idea of a Mii based app sounds interesting at least.

This comment section seems to be rather depressing in it's overall mood. Certainly, while I do not see the Wii U's fortunes turning dramatically, I'm still optimistic that it has a chance to at least do decently, and at the very least, continue to provide much enjoyment. I'm still loving the system, I've plenty to look forward to on the system at the moment, and I hope there will be plenty more to look forward to on the system in future.

I think Nintendo should really focus on making a more diverse set of games. Even tho platformers are one of my favorite type of games. I really enjoy hack and slash, adventure games, 3rd person shooters. I would love to see a Diablo style game with Nintendo characters with Amiibo support. Imagine playing as Link tapping a Mario Amiibo and having him help you out on tough spots. Or a Tomb Raider/ Uncharted adventure with Zero Suit Samus trying to get her Power Suit back. I dont need Mature games to enjoy my game time but I do want choices and right now Nintendo isnt getting any help from 3rd party.
And with the whole Mii thing, I wouldnt even have one if they if I wasnt forced to make one.

@midnafanboy Why would that really solve the situation they are in, at times like this men like Iwata are what you want leading a company.

@datamonkey @Ralek85 I've been on that train since the GC. This is the 4th time I've sided with Sony (Just recently bought a PS4), vs the 3 times i've bought a Nintendo console (NES, SNES and GC).

I don't know what it is? But I can't see myself ever buying a Nintendo console. Maybe its because I've been so engrossed with the PS brand and the variety games they've offered me or that they've been there for the most part of my life growing up i.e. high school, college, workforce, friends...

IMO They've got to open up that war chest and start creating 1st Party Studios that can create games and fill the void left by 3rd Parties. They might not be able to catch up to Sony in this 8gen war, but they can still pull a PS3 and work damm hard to win back the hearts and minds of some gamers who have left them, when they release their next console. One thing that still befuddles me is that they don't have their very own Racing Sim. They're usually G Rated and its one of the console games you can make, that can push the limits of the console and showoff its tech... shrugs

It worries me because the smartphone gaming area is a big scum of the Earth area with bare-minimum gameplay and microtransactions abound. I'm already worried about the Pokemon Shuffle thing. Delving deep into the smartphone arena can lead to trouble.

@IceClimbers

If it's pathetic for MS and Sony to rely on indies or third parties for platformers, does it then mean that it's mega super ultra hella pathetic that Nintendo has to rely on just indies to fill literally every other genre that isn't a platformer?

The rest of your comment is kind of funny, as it reads as "the only genres that get major support anymore are all kinds of genres."

Some genres will... Wait. I was going to say some genres are unlikely to ever get major support due to their niche statuses as is, but then it dons on me that Sony actually did put major support behind the very-niche shmup genre with games like Resogun and Super Stardust. And for that matter, they have lots of Ratchet & Clank action platformers.

And actually, if JRPGs are your thing, you should really buy a Playstation--be it a PS3, PS4, or Vita. JRPGs have been a staple of Sony's libraries for a long time. Hell, the Vita is flush with Japanese games, including JRPGs.

@AbsolutSnake - Agreed.

I have been a very long time Nintendo fan since the NES and owned all of their consoles since, however since around the GC era they have slowly been alienating me to the point now where all my money goes to Sony on my PS4/Vita. I have used each successive consoles since Wii less and less.

With things like Amiibo, QoL and their potential entry into education, I can't see my buying habits changing any time soon either.

If Nintendo did what you said and opened up their warchest, invested in more first parties and created more choice of games then I could see myself regaining interest, but somehow I doubt that will happen and it seems Iwata would rather look at different businesses altogether than try and save their existing videogame business.

Like I said before, I fear for Nintendo's future as a games company the way things are going.

@Quorthon Indies give the Wii U which genre? 2D platformers.... a genre Nintendo already has covered.

Point is, genre diversity is an industry wide problem.

Edit: I own a PS3 and a PS4. Those in combination with my 3DS and Wii U fulfill my gaming needs.

@datamonkey I fear for the gaming industry as a whole. The fact that devs have to rely on nickel and dining customers with microtransactions and DLC that was cut content (see: Evolve and it's $130 worth of DLC that's not part of the season pass) in AAA games makes me question the industry as a whole. If they have to continue to do this then the industry will collapse as people will eventually get fed up with it.

@IceClimbers

I don't think it's as much of a problem as you think it is.

The problem is, and this may not specifically be you, but is quite prevalent among a lot of Nintendo fans, is seeing everything from an first-person perspective as just a bunch of Call of Dutys.

Not every first-person or third-person shooter is the same. Uncharted and Gears of War are both, essentially, TPS games, but they aren't even remotely alike. Far Cry, Fallout, Elder Scrolls, Call of Duty, GTAV, Mirrors Edge, Portal--all first-person games, all very different titles and genres.

You say there's a lack of 3D platformers, but Mirrors Edge and Portal can fall into platformer categories. Ratchet & Clank and Sly Cooper are platformers. God of War is half platformer. Crackdown, Infamous, and Sunset Overdrive have insane platformer roots. You just want a bunch of clones of Mario 64? What would be the point? You'd just have a different kind of sameness. Platformers aren't under-represented--clones of Super Mario 64 are, and no doubt you'd look upon such a game unfavorably anyway as an "inferior Mario wanna-be."

Yes, there are a lot of shooters, because they're popular and they sell. No different than the platformer-heavy NES era, the shmup-heavy TG-16, or the JRPG-heavy Playstation or platformer-heavy N64.

We actually have way more variety than we've ever had in gaming. Almost literally every genre is available and relevant these days from a variety of developers and on a variety of platforms.

To be perfectly frank, if you think there's a lack of variety, it's because you choose to. We are closing out the richest and most variety-laden generation in the history of gaming, and mobile, the X360, PS3, DS, and Wii delivered more variety and options than ever before. This generation is now kicking fully into gear, and the PS4, Vita, XBO, mobile, and 3DS--maybe even the Wii U--are once again set to offer up a wealth of options.

Yes, yes, the sameness of a lot of shooters is frequently rife for mockery--but that's no different than the frequency of overly similar platformers in the 8 & 16-bit years, or the JRPGs of the PS1 and PS2. Of course you'll see the most popular stuff the most, but that doesn't mean the rest of this stuff is lacking. Do you have any idea how many shmups are on the Xbox 360? How many JRPGs graced the PS3 and PSP? Because those numbers are staggering.

@Quorthon

What I said was:
'At this moment in time I believe the Wii U to have the best choice and class of games a system ever has, but they're designed for me and my niche group'.

My love for the Wii U is a personal opinion. I've tried quite a few PlayStation games and I find them to be flashy but a little hollow (personal opinion!). Most of the game types you listed don't interest me, besides RPGs and action games which Bayonetta 2 and Hyrule Warriors have sufficed me. For me it's not about quantity, it's quality, and Pound for pound I've played more on the Wii U than any other system AND enjoyed my experience.

I love the Wii U, and in reality it doesn't bother me if other people do or not because I wouldn't change it just for Nintendo to sell more consoles.

@Cyberbotv2

I was super excited when the GameCube launched and the games that had been announced for it--Resident Evil, Eternal Darkness, Pikmin, Metroid Prime, etc. I was one of those foolish "Metroid should be 2D" buffoons before I played Prime, and within minutes, I realized I had been wrong. Metroid needs to evolve with the technology, as Nintendo does, and as they appeared to be doing during the GC era. I was thrilled that Nintendo seemed to be growing up, and sure enough, my GC library is dominated by M and T-rated games over the colorful cartoons of Nintendo's past. I thought that Nintendo finally got it and was growing up from the problems of the N64 and their constant kiddie image.

But they failed to maintain or capitalize on any of that, and they still look like a company for kids. I want more variety to my games, more experiences that seem to appeal to me as an adult. I don't think they care about that, and the rest of the industry seems to agree.

@MrGawain

I've illustrated before that the quality over quantity argument is no longer valid when defending Nintendo's console, particularly in an era when the competitors have both quality and quantity. To that end, it's selective memory when you choose to ignore Nintendo's numerous low-quality titles, such as Game & Wario, Pokemon Rumble U, Wii Party U, or all those "Wii Whatever" games from the last generation. Every time someone tries to pull the "quality over quantity" crap, the first things to come to mind are Wii Music, Pokemon Rumble U, and Other M. There was more quality to be found in the two wonderful hours I spent with DLC Quest on the X360.

You are attempting to back up your totally subjective opinion with a pithy catch-phrase, and that catch-phrase is meaningless in the face of reality. And that phrase certainly didn't describe the shovelware-packed Wii.

They came out on top as a publisher for 2014 concerning their overall average Metacritic score. In previous years, they have regularly been bested by EA, Ubisoft, and Take Two, and are generally no different from Sony or MS.

If you don't own anything other than the Wii U, it's no wonder you've played that the most. That's a little like saying Tombstone pizzas are the best pizzas without ever buying any other pizzas, eating only those pizzas, and having no other pizzas by which to measure quality.

Don't be afraid to actually challenge your own opinion.

@Quorthon

I don't like pizza. But should I continue to shovel it in my face in a hope one day I will like it?

I like pie.

Mmm. Pie.

@Yoshi_Prime That is my biggest concern, Nintendo seems to have 2 choices:

• Continue what they've done in the past and keep making great consoles and games along with it, sales may not be great.
• Only focus on handhelds and make them glorified smartphones, potential huge money bank but completely ruins their image for non-casuals.

I always hoped they'd stick with the former though as I've said plenty of times, the most recent Direct featuring stuff like Pokémon Shuffle and Puzzle & Dragons makes me really think they've changed direction and are going full force into the latter option.

@MrGawain

Well, I hope the new3DS helps boost sales enough so Nintendo reaches its targets. This has been a good year so far, but it can be better (financially speaking)

If Nintendo's best idea for a mobile app is faffing around with Mii's... Yeah, it's better if they do steer clear of mobile outright, better be unknown than known for rubbish...

The only thing worse than doing nothing on mobile (An immense market however you look at it) is half-assing it, then the association that the general public will have with Nintendo is "Those guys of the balloon-headed boardgame-pawns app" (Mii's don't really have much by way of personality)

@MrGawain

I'm tempted to report your post. Everybody likes pizza. Saying otherwise is the sure sign of a troll!

Different! Different!

By the way, you can actually train your body to like different foods.

@Quorthon : the gamecube was a wonderful console, where I thought Nintendo was finally branching out a little. I recall the huge turning point was Zelda Wind Waker. The game was great, but a lot of those kids that had played Zelda as a child wanted to see that next iteration which was an adult Link, something akin to The Witcher, or Elder Scrolls. Instead I felt gamers looked at what Nintendo was doing and slowly walked away. They tried to go more realistic with Zelda on Wii, but they were already too late. Most Sony and Microsoft console owners were probably big on the N64 and early gamecube but became dissatisfied with the direction. I used to jam to WWF No Mercy, Goldeneye, All Star Baseball on N64 and with gamecube I had timesplitters, NBA Courtside, RE, etc. The Wii U has zero variety when compared to those days. Right now, I'm waiting for a good bundle on PS4 and I'll swoop in on that. I miss my sports games( I recently tried out Super Mega Baseball...woah), horror, rpg and so much more.

@MrGawain
My thoughts exactly. Not every product has to set the world on fire to exist.

I love the Wii U. Hands down the best console Nintendo's ever made, and I dare say my favorite of all time- and I own them all ( and when I say all, I mean exactly that). The quality of the software just can't be matched. A lot of games on past consoles were good to great, but almost every single Wii U game is the best its series, or close to at the very least.

On PS4 and X1, about 90% of the games don't interest me (getting really sick of realism) and of the other 10%, only a handful keep my interest. They're worth owning to be sure- all consoles are, but I've enjoyed my Wii U more than all my 3rd party consoles and handhelds combined. All the party games in the world can't detract from the excellence of their core titles. Take what you like and leave the rest, that's what I always say. I certainly do on the other consoles...

@Cyberbotv2

Isn't the Last of Us bundle still available? I swear I saw that the other day in Target.

@Quorthon Fair enough. I think I'm just tired of shooters being the forefront of the industry. I want a different genre to become more popular. There's a reason people are saying that they want JRPGs (or some other genre) to "make a comeback" after all.

@IceClimbers

The first-person focus is because that's the current best way to "put the player in the game." Everything is seen from their perspective, and interacting with the environment is more natural from there.

Shooters just happen to be what feeds the competitive nature of human beings the best, while MMOs and other shooters feed both the competitive and cooperative natures.

Personally, there's so much variety now I don't really care what's on top, so long as the variety continues. Maybe it's time for clever developers to come up with hotly competitive games that do something different and fill or create a new niche missed by online sports games, fighting games, MMOs, or shooters. My girlfriend and I played #IDARB a couple days ago, and that game is intense and super entertaining. I'm not sure about it's prospects to really make an online audience, but it's quite different.

Incidentally, despite the dumb name, #IDARB has the best credits sequence ever.

@electrolite77

Totally agree with your point on the GameCube and Nintendo's backwards understanding of why it wasn't a bigger seller.

To the other, I'd like to add that all the sports games on the N64 highlights how drastically differently (and poorly) Iwata and Reggie handle things compared to the "olden days." The N64 only got those sports games because Howard Lincoln actively sought out support from EA and built a deal with them to get the games on the system. Back then, Nintendo actively sought and worked with 3rd parties.

Not like today with Iwata's seemingly lazy "let's try to inspire them to come back." No, get off your butt, and work for it. Sell your console.

To all the people saying that Iwata is in denial because he shows optimism...what are you expecting him to say?

He is the CEO and "figure head" of a company, and it is his responsibility to promote the company, no matter what state they are in.

I've never known a CEO, VP, etc. of any company to say in a public press release:
"Yep, this product x that we have is terrible and is completely trumped by our competitors’ products, you should totally not buy it.”

What kind of an example would that set for potential customers and investors to see him say that his company makes inferior products? It should be up to each individual consumer and investor to take an honest look at the company and say "Hey, this comapny is on the right track, lets invest in them and/or buy their products." Not just the word of an executive.

Also, this press statement, in my opionion, is in no way, a found basis to say he is in denial. As I said before, the side we see of Iwata out in the public spotlight might not exactly reflect his statements that he makes inside the company's walls.

And, to those that ask why is it taking so long for them to develop a "Nintendo App", that's what happens when a company decides to break away from industry trends, and their plan does not work...

They need to invest lots of time and money in R&D (Research and Development) to build a product, and that generally is not done in one fell swoop or a short amount of time.

Now, if the situation hasn't improved this time next console generation, then, there will be cause for concern...
My 2 cents anyway...

I disagree that there is much more for the Wii u. I bet there is no galaxy successor, no animal crossing, no third party beyond the few exclusives that are left. I love what I do have on the Wii U, but it was a huge mistake doing the second screen on the gamepad...

And please Nintendo, a new SMG or
Mario 64 style game, no gimmick's, just pure platforming fun.

I love 3d world, but it's not the same, much slower feeling.

@datamonkey

I agree 100%.

Any other business would get new leaders...

Nintendo does not need to be different with its hardware from sony and MS, in the end it gets us the Nintendo player the shaft.

Nintendo needs to go mainstream with hardware, the difference needs to be software.

@DanMan82

To be fair, if they don't improve the situation with this generation, they'll be starting from a losing position next time, which is not where you want to be when building a game console.

Nintendo didn't improve things with the N64, and despite being a fantastic and clearly superior piece of hardware (to the mentality behind the N64), the GameCube still struggled and sold worse.

The same thing happened with Sega and the Saturn. They failed to repair the damage during the lifespan of the Saturn, and despite positive initial hype, the Dreamcast was launched from a losing position and had too many odds against it.

Meanwhile, Sony took the ailing PS3, turned things around during the lifespan of the console, and launched the PS4 from a stronger position, having repaired much of the damage caused by the PS3.

Nintendo needs to fix things now or it doesn't matter how good the next console is. No one will care.

To your other point on Iwata being optimistic, and that he should be--do you find some irony in that? This is the same guy who said over and over again, "we failed" to both investors and the public, and opened many of his speeches and videos with an apology.

@Danrenfroe2016 Please point to another industry where there are three big players as an example that Nintendo being just like Microsoft and Sony will succeed. Heck even point to a time in consoles where there were more than two dominate players and a bunch of "and also's".

Nintendo's problem is that by being adverse to CD Media they allowed other players to overtake their position and regulate them to "And Also" status. The marketing/spin machines of Microsoft and Sony kicked in and went for the jugular on this weakness. Remember, this was at a time when the Gamecube was the technical superior machine, but Sony had momentum from the PS days and Microsoft had an easy platform to develop for (Direct X).

Nintendo was justified in attempting to shaking up the market with the Wii because they needed to be disruptive to knock someone off. Their would have succeeded had they not failed to realize that HD was going to take off, and "HD" graphics was going to matter to everyone. That is evident by the fact the Wii took off and Microsoft and Sony had to do something to look like they also could have the new "cool" on their console. That meant that once the flash was gone (everyone was doing it) there was little left that appealed about the Wii outside of Nintendo games.

Nintendo bet big again on the Wii U concept, but this time they failed to properly show how the gamepad could work outside of some limited concepts. Now I love Off-TV play, but that doesn't justify the added expense. This whole conversation might have been different had the gamepad not been included and instead they put a Wiimote Plus and Pro Controller in the box along with New Super Mario Bros. U.

Smartphone apps is not going to fix the underlying problem. A new console will not fix the problem. The only thing that will save Nintendo from being what they are currently is inventing the "Next Thing (TM pending)". I am not sure they can do that.

The other thing is realize they are more than just a Japanese company serving the Japanese people. They need to become an international game company that develops games for the international markets they serve.

For me, it's the Off TV play that sold the Wii U. The fact that I can play in any room in my house is fantastic, combined with a very good 1st Party software line up, makes the Wii U my favourite console.
Why Ninty don't use Off TV Play as a hook, I don't know. I think when the Wii U first released in the UK, they did advertise this, but they were forced to stop advertising this because, at the time, not every game had Off TV Play, I think someone (or some company) complained that it was false advertising.
EDIT: Could have also been due to some people not getting a strong enough signal in their home

@Cyberbotv2 I feel the same with the other guys. Sure there are like tow games on PS4 which my brother and I will not be picking up because there is no point in buying one just for a couple of games. Other than Final Fantasy 15 and Persona 5 there is nothing else that really catches my eye. We also have an Xbox One but we dont even use it at all nor have any games for it the same thing I feel about the games on PS4 I feel the same with Xbox One there is nothing that catches my eye there too. I used to go buy sports games like FIFA until I started to notice that the games all looked the same just look prettier like an example EA released FIFA 11 then they released FIFA 12 right out the door but FIFA 12 looked exactly similar to FIFA 11 all they did was they added roster changes and made it look prettier. EA could have added those changes with DLC but they did not. I have seen some other companies that are guilty with this too. You may not be interested in Wii U but ever since I got mine I have been having loads of fun with mine my brother too and even my friend he got convinced in buying one. Its where I can just sit on my chair and just play.

@Danrenfroe2016

Unfortunately, Miyamoto has basically written off doing another major Mario platformer a la Mario 64, Mario Galaxy, etc. for the Wii U. He fully stated that another major Mario platformer might not happen until the next console.

@Ootfan98

Smart selling of off-TV play, or bonus elements of the GamePad would have done well for them. For instance, selling it for a dorm room where one guy wants to watch Walking Dead, but the other guy wants to play Mario, but it's a dorm, with only one TV. Or showing players each, effectively, having their own screen for online Call of Duty play--things like this.

But in the end, off-TV play is a rarely used anomaly, and not really a selling point. No one buys a home console to play it on a small portable screen. We buy home consoles for the big-screen and surround-sound experience.

At the end of the day, if the best the GamePad can offer is just a different screen and zero actual important gameplay innovations, the device is an unnecessary and expensive handicap crippling a console that should've been a return to form for Nintendo.

No games exist on the Wii U that could not have happened anywhere else, and that is the most damning point for the GamePad.

Despite that there are a couple of awesome looking exclusives coming to Wii U this year, the competition has just as many (if not more) and a huge library of 3rd party games coming too. The Wii U is going to get absolutely destroyed this year. The last great Nintendo console (imo) was the Gamecube, its been all downhill since. In fact I would say that the U is the worst Nintendo home console of all time. Bugger all variety in the game library, which is just not good enough. Nintendo barely seem like theyre trying anymore, just keep plopping out games with the same cutesy artstyle (which is really getting old)
I wont be jumping on Nintendo's next home console right away, if at all. And Ive been a Ninty fan since the NES. Sorry guys, but youve just lost the freaking plot.

@Quorthon Just in case you didn't see the UK advert that was banned

wiiudaily.com/2013/01/wii-u-ad-banned-in-uk-for-being-misleading/

@Quorthon You make a good point about them not repairing the state of the console during, but they didn't do much to revive the GC either but look at what the Wii did.

Also, can you give me a link or source on when Iwata ever said, "we failed"? He did say they "failed to meet sales projections", but that's not the same as saying "our product is bad." I tried looking, but couldn't find anything.

And also, if I remember correctly, his infamous "please understand" apologies were about things like not doing more to bring 3rd parties in, etc. not directly talking about the quality of the product. My google foo skills could not produce a list of quotes or else I would talk about this more, so I could be wrong..

@MrGawain this is pretty much how I feel. I have an Xbone... I like it but love my wii u. That said, Nintendo does need to expand its line up quickly. Nintendo doesn't need to sell people like us. Side by side, tho, most people will go the other route over the Wii U for exactly the reasons stated. A lack of games, not the presence of quality...

@kereke12 Since recently, me too. They are giving in to stupid fan requests, and not their longtime loyalists, like you and me. If they keep going down this road, I fear I will drop Nintendo. Release the Gamecube 2 and so many people will flock to them. I'll buy 10.

That's cool, now when the games comin?

@Ichiban It isn't possible for me to agree more with you. GCN was the last outstanding console. The edgy marketing, the wobbly, (but still good), connecting with the GBA, the experimental games, and the perfect console and controller design hit the spot. Sales meant NOTHING. Wii was the worst, first they started to cater to Mommy and Daddy, along with Grandma and Grandpa, and after that they're catering for the little tykes, also I have the liberty to say this as the Wii was my first console. If their next generation doesn't go back to their roots, like with the N64 and Gamecube, I SERIOUSLY fear for their future. I'm scared, and you should be too.

miiverse app is much needed and it will help the Japanese market because they can stay connected when away from their console.

@DanMan82

Yeah, well the Wii was a fluke, and in the end, did not benefit them at all, aside from helping pad the bank account a little. They should've taken an approach like Microsoft did.

The GameCube struggled with 3rd party support, even though it was a huge improvement over the N64. The point was that Nintendo was rebuilding relationships with regular gamers (beyond a core fanbase) at the time, and they should have worked on a way to capitalize on that.

Instead, they ran away, tail between their legs, put minimal effort into a new console and tried to sell a gimmick. It worked--for a while. They made a lot of money, but ultimately fell flat with consumers, regular gamers felt downright abandoned by the company, and the weak hardware ultimately burned several of the remaining bridges with third parties.

If the Wii was so good, then why did they end up in a worse situation after it?

Each preceding console impacts how the following console performs--this is easily measurable and is pretty logical in an consumer sense. Consumers who have strong, positive opinions of a product are more likely to buy the next version of that product--you see this with massive sales of things like iPhones and Samsung Galaxy products--satisfied customers returning and boosting the next piece.

People were unsatisfied with the N64, and this damaged the GameCube which, had it followed a strong console, would have sold far better. The Wii was even more damaging for Nintendo's public image because the Wii U is performing worse than the GameCube.

Sure, the Wii was a temporary, fleeting, casual success--while we shouldn't ignore that, we also should never ignore that despite its sales, the Wii was arguably the most damaging product ever to Nintendo's public image. Casuals didn't come back, gamers didn't come back, it had no longevity, it had 1000 fewer games than either the PS3 or X360 (a pathetic end result for such a high-selling console), it was behind the times in every aspect. It was such a poor overall console that the 7th Generation of video games is the first with no clear winner--sure the Wii sold the most, but the X360 and PS3 sold almost as well--without reliance on gimmicks, both the X360 and PS3 had more games, and the X360 was the market leader in quite literally every other standard--controller design, achievements, online functionality, and the Xbox 360 was the leader in sheer development as most multiplatform games were made there first, and then ported elsewhere. On lists of "best games of the generation," Nintendo titles routinely fall short of games like GTA, Mass Effect, Fallout, and the like.

I also doubt you did any actual searching, because all it takes is to type "iwata we failed" into Google to find a number of articles with quotes like "We failed to make the Wii U a proper successor to the Wii" and "We failed to meet sales projections."

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-we-have-failed-to-establish-wii-u-as-a-worthy-wii-successor/1100-6415888/

http://business.time.com/2014/01/17/nintendo-chief-we-failed/

The point is, this guy is more comfortable fitting the word "failed" into a speech and apologizing than speaking with energy and confidence. This does not paint a positive public image, regardless of his context, and a man of his stature should have a speech-writing/marketing staff who understands this. I know some people find it humbling and honest, but the vast majority of people see a failure who knows he's a failure.

Microsoft spent much of the generation with silly spin on numbers and sales figures, frequently omitting certain facts to sound better, but that's just it--only people like me who are constantly skeptical and who question those numbers at every turn would even notice that. For the most part, consumers and gamers saw a strong company with positive sales news--and that just leads to more sales.

Would you want to buy a car from an auto maker that was all hum-drum and wishy-washy, who opened his sales spiel with "well, we failed to make money back last year" or "we failed to make a good successor to last year's Mazda?" Would you eat at a restaurant that, after after seating you, left you waiting for 45 minutes then arrived, not to take your order, but to say "please understand, we're sorry, but keep waiting."

HELL NO YOU WOULDN'T! No reasonable person would tolerate this, and no reasonable person would feel comfortable doing business with these wishy-washy losers. The only reason people are defending this, is because they blindly love that "Nintendo" logo on the box.

I love Nintendo, too, but I'm sure as hell not blind to these issues.

@MrGawain
I hear you, man. Some people really don't care for PS4 etc., games. They just like Nintendo games. Yes, there are not many of them going from the poor sales of the Wii U, but they exist none the less.

For example nothing exclusive on the Xbone interest me at all. Couldn't care less for it.
MS won't miss my money.

The Wii U on the other hand is viewed exactly the same way by many gamers.

On Topic:
Unless Nintendo makes a sudden change and develope games that cater to the much larger majority PS4 and XB1 gamers, they only have their fans to work with. I don't think it is currently in their capacity to change their gaming genre.

The only growth that I can conceive Iwata is talking about is mainly software, and having to totally support the consoles themselves I don't see that much growth there either.

Iwata can say what he wants but he has said all sort of things in the past that never materialised. E3 will give a much clearer indication of the Wii U's future.

If it's sales fall sharply this year there is little chance of significant growth and all chance of a new console sooner rather than later.

@DanMan82

Sorry, I forgot to elaborate (shocking in a post that long, I know), what Microsoft did was work slowly and methodically to build relationships with customers and gamers while establishing a strong branding behind "Xbox." And it worked brilliantly. The Xbox 360 sold over 4 times better than the original Xbox. Sony has spent years cultivating "Playstation" as a brand, which is why the PS3 was able to weather it's terrible launch, and why they were able to turn it around so the PS4 could be a fast success.

Instead, Nintendo ignored the gamers, ignored the fans, and attempted to do something different because they no longer had the confidence that they could compete. It led to brief, fleeting, temporary success--and ultimately hurt them even worse.

They are now sitting on a brand that went from popular fad--"Wii"--to dead duck in less than a generation, while the Xbox and Playstation brands are stronger than ever.

@Quorthon Good enough for me. Just wanted to make sure you knew what you were talking about and not just pulling facts out of you know where...

As I said in my previous post, I only did a quick search, as I was doing about five things at once, most of them things for school.

Also, I think you should reread my previous post. I specifically said the only stuff I could find was for sales projections, but you bring it up in one of your references as if I never mentioned it.

I seem to sense a bit of a tone in your posts. I'm not sure if you're just passionate about the subject or if you think I have a tone because I don't. I only wanted to start a healthy discussion and didn't intend to offend you. I could really care less if I'm "right" on this to be honest. Just wanted to see what others would say.

i can agree with a few people here that nintendo seems to just not get with the times. It feels like the whole company is trying hard to catch up but never does and there is lack in communication with the younger workers or something because there doing things that should have been done a few years ago.

They need so many apps not only online but on the WIi U or like a main app that you can find on the app store were you can see the nintendo direct,visit miiverse etc in just one main app linked together or something. It would at least get more people using it and seeing the other parts of what is going on with nintendo.

Other then that just unique games... i would come up with a first person shooter type game(think battlefield) mix characters from nintendo like samus or the girl from splatoon and just make it a full multiplayer game im sure just that would sell. It could have different stages and modes to play it worked in hyrule warriors did it not? now add voice chat to that game and it should be a fun game it could start bring back those other games that like first person shooter games that are only found on the other consoles.

Just release an app similar to the PlayStation one, where you can preorder predownloads, browse player data etc. I like the PS one, and have hoped for Ninty one since they announced it OVER A YEAR AGO now!

@DanMan82

I'm always passionate about video games. This is a topic that is endlessly fascinating to me on all levels.

To clarify, my points on Iwata's "we failed" and "please understand" stuff pertains mostly to his mannerisms, speech content, and general representation. He'd rather look like a humble failure and speak in terms that reinforce this than speak with strength and confidence.

From a marketing standpoint, that man is a trainwreck that fell into the ocean and knocked an iceberg into the Titanic. From that, Reggie feels like a puppet, and Miyamoto isn't even remotely a part of the real world. Iwata is also the only CEO of the three console makers that seems to be banking on concepts that aren't even fully realized and expecting people to just be supportive of vague concepts--notably, QoL.