If you take into account inflation, it's actually pretty much the same (~1.35 billion today). Still, given how huge a global phenomenon Go was, and that TCGP isn't even available in several big markets, it deftly demonstrates how much more TCGP players are probably spending. Impressive numbers!
That's incredibly cool, and exactly the kind of thing I'd buy if it were easily available. :')
Can't help it though: "... with StonedEdge squeezing a Wii into a Game Boy Advance SP case." Like, this is way too impressive as it is, but that description isn't true, is it? This is at least 50% thicker than an actual GBA SP - and pretty heavily modified. Again, ridiculously impressive, but no need to describe it as something that it isn't, right?
Wait, USB-C is included? But the Joy Con themselves seem to use microUSB. Do they 'click' into the included grip, which you can then charge through USB-C or is there something else going on here?
@TheFullAndy Yeah, I know! Very curious as to what its looks and specs will be like.
I really do buy Xbox consoles for their raw strength these days though: just recently I popped in Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts on my One X and was seriously blown away. Nintendo I buy for the hybrid nature of the Switch and obviously the 1st party content. PlayStation I buy for the exclusives, but that's it. Xbox though really is all about having access to the best versions of not just current gen games, but also my backlog. It feels amazing to play games that were plagued by framedrops and low dynamic resolutions in a stable 1080p/60 for example.
I'm not a graphics kind of guy, at all. Heck, I play more indies than anything else. But having older games accessible in a more stable form than anywhere else really helps the playability. Or at least helps the presentation, having gone from a 42" FHD to a 55" 4K TV. With Microsoft, I more and more know that my games library will travel with me through the generations and will adapt to bigger, sharper, better TV sets. That's of great value to me. Also the reason I have several CRT's for example; games ought to be played in the best possible way, and for retro games that's CRT, with 360/PS3 and onwards that's through upping the res and framerate. ^^
@TheFullAndy Heck, even I, after my entire speech, am having doubts about getting the Series X day one. 90% of the games I can just play on my One X, so I'm not excluding the possibility of getting the Series X sometime in 2021, then the PS5 after its first serious pricedrop.
I don't really have any specific exclusives I'm dying to see announced, but a new Banjo, Conker, Blinx, Blue Dragon or Jade Empire would go a long way. ^^
@TheFullAndy Totally get that. The Game Pass approach really works for me right now, both money and time wise. If you're more into buying separate titles though (something I pretty much only do on my Switch these days), I can understand that the lack of attractive exclusives is a big turnoff for you.
@TheFullAndy Yeah, I don't agree with your assessment about MS "going 3rd party" at all.
I've always gone for all three consoles, which during the 360/PS3 generation meant having two very similar consoles and the Wii. During the last gen, my Wii U and Switch gave me 1) respectively a lot of backwards compatibility benefits or a console/hybrid in one package and 2) Nintendo 1st party games. The Xbox One and PS4 were once again very similar.
But...things have really been shifting and when it comes to the PS5 and Xbox Series X, it's very easy for me to decide which one to get first.
Multiplatform games will most likely have their best showing on the Series X. I can play all of my Xbox One games, a lot of 360 games and even a selection of OG Xbox games. All of these with a better framerate, resolution, etc. I can play games on this console in the living room, then continue playing them on my cellphone or tablet wherever I please. Hell, I can even play multiplayer titles day one thanks to Xbox One controller support.
The PS5 will be basically what the Gamecube was back in the day: not the strongest console, hardly any unique features, not the best versions of multiplat games; for me it'll be a console I only buy for the exclusives, just like with Gamecube.
So yeah, if you combine the best specs (Sony's SSD will obviously not be of tremendous use for multiplat games), the backwards compatibility, xCloud, Game Pass, and the support for older hardware, I'd say there's a lot to like about Microsoft right now. Especially if the PS5 only supports PS4 backwards compatibility, doesn't support older hardware, has lesser specs, and doesn't have a similar service to Game Pass (with PS Now your cloud games have a different save file from you console games, for example).
@Mamabear Hahaha, yeah, I totally get the squirming part. There's some seriously dated jokes in there, but dammit, do the gameplay and presentation deliver! I bought FBW some time ago, it's next on the list - after all those games I previously mentioned. 😂
@Mamabear You've still got about two weeks left! And it's not all that long (and very linear), so I'd go for it if I were you. ^^
And yeah, I get what you mean. I don't finish all that many games in general, but the ones I have played in their entirety in the last year were Switch games (Pokémon, Luigi's Mansion, etc). Not even because of the option to play in handheld, but there's just something about that system that keeps me playing. 😅
Also finishing Wolfenstein: The New Order on my One X, and have finally started on Final Fantasy VII - got it for my Switch. After I've completed that one, I'll get started on FF7 Remake.
And of course I'll get to playing Wolfenstein: The Old Blood, New Colossus and Youngblood after I'm done with the first one. Taking full advantage of this self-isolation. :')
No mention of Return to PopoloCrois: A Story of Seasons Fairytale? I mean, we've had a similar crossover before, and I loved it. Amazing little surprise back in the day for me. Fingers crossed we'll at least get an English language version of this one. ^^
@YoshiAngemon I'm aware of all of those things. I hope you're also aware of the difference between "buying an originally multiplatform franchise and not closing off money sources (Sony and Nintendo in this instance)" and "allowing the competition to use a 100% exclusive franchise".
There's no Forza on PlayStation or Nintendo. No Gears of War. No Sea of Thieves. No Halo. Et cetera.
Minecraft is the exception, not the rule, and this is only due to the fact Microsoft bought the franchise when it was already present on the competitor's platforms.
@Cobalt Oh, I could totally imagine a Marvel/Sony situation for Nintendo and Microsoft. Nintendo's allowed to use Banjo Kazooie/Tooie in their original forms, handing over a sweet 40% or more of the profits to Microsoft.
Microsoft meanwhile can use the new interest in/enthusiasm for the Banjo franchise to announce a new title.
Not excluding this possibility at all, but I do find it somewhat implausible. But hey, stranger things have happened.
@Cobalt Goldeneye, Conker and Banjo are all impossible (or at least incredibly implausible) due to licensing issues.
As for the several people that mention Mario Party, it's no coincidence that the first game has never appeared on any Virtual Console platform or in the form of a remaster. The controversy over "blistergate" was simply too big and Nintendo always focuses on MP2 and MP3 over the first one.
@Heavyarms55 I'd say Animal Crossing has it beat. More games, bigger sales and a more recognizable brand.
Pikmin is quite popular among gamers, but doesn't really have a widespread appeal (only selling 1 tot 1.5 mil per game). Same goes for Xenoblade Chronicles.
It's a 720p screen. That's enough reason not to be interested. At all.
A "Switch Pro" though, with the same dimensions and connectivity, but a 1440p or 2160p display and a more powerful CPU/GPU would be very interesting indeed.
Own it for PS2, PS3, PS4 and Wii, will most definitely get this version as well as the Xbox One version (4K on my X!).
Simply my favorite game of all time, along with Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door. They also recently announced a limited edition vinyl release of the soundtrack, which looks amazing. <3
It looks like it'll also support conventional controls this time around. If that is indeed the case and there is online play, I'll double dip. Not full price though, that just doesn't feel right.
@Buizel Well, yeah, but that's mentioned nowhere in the source on which this article is based. Nowhere in the source are profits mentioned. Not even once.
That's Nintendo Life naming one source and then saying something entirely different from the source. That's... that's not how journalism works.
"Nintendo has collected enough gold coins to earn several hundred thousand extra lives in its first mobile Mario outing. According to Sensor Tower Store Intelligence estimates, Super Mario Run revenue from worldwide player spending has surpassed $60 million on the App Store and Google Play since launching on Apple’s platform in September 2016."
"Sensor Tower is now reporting that Super Mario Run has netted Nintendo about $60 million in profits from worldwide player spending"
They did no such thing. They reported $60 million in revenue. That is a major difference. Words mean something.
When reading the article this morning, I was pleasantly surprised. $60 million in profits is a huge amount. If you sell a million full price games, you'd only get around 60 mil in revenue; you can drop it to about 45, 50 mil after the retailers made their money and then you'd still have to subtract the budget and marketing costs.
So yeah, if this had been reported on correctly, I'd have also been somewhat shocked. These aren't exactly the most impressive of numbers.
@Bolt_Strike I can't agree with that assessment, sorry. Microsoft's made FPS big on consoles with Halo, is responsible for online console gaming being as huge as it is, has given us pretty much the best open world racers out there the last five years in the form of Forza Horizon, and worked with third party studios through the years on games as Gears of War, Ninja Gaiden, Mass Effect, Alan Wake, Lost Odyssey, Project Gotham Racing, Shadow Complex, Blue Dragon, Jade Empire, and so on.
And then there's their own franchises, such as the aforementioned Halo and Forza, but also Crackdown, Fable, Sea of Thieves, Ori and the Blind Forest, Crimson Skies, ReCore, et cetera.
Microsoft has gotten more new IP's out there (both their own and with other companies) in the last fifteen years than Nintendo could ever dream of.
They had one horrible show in '13. They completely slipped under the leadership of Mattrick. Their priorities at that time were completely wrong. There's no denying this. But to say "Microsoft has never been serious about gaming content" and is "more about services and multimedia features" is simply untrue.
I have, since the PS2/NGC/XB era, always had all three consoles and they all have had their strengths and weaknesses. But Microsoft has always been relevant and I'm incredibly glad they're a part of this industry.
@Bolt_Strike Why would you like to see Microsoft "knocked out of the industry"?
Is it their dedication to backwards compatibility? The cross-buy between all Xbox One/Windows 10 games? The 150+ games in Game Pass for 10,- per month? Their efforts regarding cross-play? The in-house development of a controller for people with disabilities? The free upgrades to higher frame rates, 4K resolution and more stable performance in general when playing Xbox or Xbox 360 games you already own?
Yeah, that's not going to work. With Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft selling dozens of millions of consoles right now, there's no room for a fourth big console. There's niche stuff like the Nvidia Shield (and the failed Ouya), but four major consoles? Not going to happen.
Also, what you need more than anything is a gatekeeper when it comes to console gaming. Granted, it's been slipping the last few years (Life of Black Tiger, anyone?), but at least Nintendo, Sony and MS know how to keep most of the shovelware off of their systems.
Google? Just look at the Play Store. Look at the Chrome add-ons and plugins. Look at the huge list of Chromecast-compatible software. Hell, look at the complete and utter chaos over on YouTube. In order to ensure a healthy gaming ecosystem, you need quality control and that's something Google has no experience in whatsoever.
@SomeWriter13 Yeah, I could have been somewhat clearer. With "becoming the norm" I really meant "just now on its way to becoming the norm". I happen to have a 4K TV, but most people in my environment don't. I think the US penetration rate is like... still sub 20% and they're (besides absolutely also relatively) the biggest 4K market. So yeah...
@NEStalgia Exactly. Streaming is a nice little bonus for older games - and something that wasn't technically possible before - but not in any way whatsoever a replacement. It's awesome to see the technological leaps of streaming games and I can't wait to effortlessly play 6th and 7th gen games over a stream. But to state the latest, most demanding games will be streamable? Utter nonsense.
Nah, not gonna happen anytime soon. I think you'll see streaming becoming a major deal, but as an added thing to the industry, not as a replacement.
Playing older 1080p games over a stream a la PlayStation Now? Sure thing. But having to stream games in 4K? Nobody has the bandwith for that. And 4K is now becoming the norm, who knows where we are in 10 years?
The problem is that while internet speeds are getting faster and faster, so are game files and visual fidelity getting larger and larger. In that sense the streaming of games will always be at least one generation behind what "proper" consoles can do.
Just like handhelds keep getting more and more impressive, but won't replace consoles, streaming will get more and more impressive, but not replace locally stored games.
@Chayshirin I assumed so, yes. But still, even then...
Then again, it's of course a company that doesn't make anything, as far as I know. They pretty much only license the Pokémon brand, meaning that not only does Nintendo get a cut on pretty much everything, but so do the manufacturers of the merchandise.
Still, I just... I just can't fathom these numbers. I believe I've read somewhere that the merchandise alone was responsible for more than 2 billion USD in revenue in '14 or '15. How do you go from 2 billion to less than 20 million?
Is it just me, or do net profits of 10-20 million per year seem a little bit... low, for a company like The Pokémon Company?
I mean, you have the TV show, the trading cards, the video games, the movies, the many, many, many toys and other merchandise. I don't know, I'd expect higher numbers.
@Tarolusa You see, I don't get this line of thought. Because you could just as easily take your comment and turn it into this:
"What I mean is that with Iwata; his major strength is that he was clearly passionate about gaming and you could tell that he absolutely loved his company and his work while his other strength was that he was amazing with handling the business and marketing aspect of the company, judging by how well Nintendo was doing during 2005-2011."
Yes, the Wii U was a failure. But the Wii and DS were their biggest success stories ever and they were also a part of Iwata's legacy. It just really bothers me that more and more people seem to paint Iwata as "bad at business".
If he had passed away during the Wii/DS era, we'd still be hearing about how ridiculously successful the company was thanks to him and that, because of his death, the Wii U was a failure.
Also, don't forget that Iwata was key in getting the Switch off the ground. So yeah, if the man was responsible for the Wii, DS, 3DS and Switch, I don't think anyone should use the Wii U as an example of Iwata being "bad at business".
@Anti-Matter So the Xbox doesn't offer some games you're interested in. That's not surprising, I have the same thing. I play different games on my XB1 than I do on my Switch than I do on my PS4 than I do on my PC.
That doesn't diminish the fact though that, as opposed to Sony and Nintendo, with the Xbox One you have access to multiple generations without having to pay for either an HD remaster, a streaming service or even an expensive barebones port.
It'll never have all of the original Xbox and 360 games, also due to licenses and whatnot, but it still shows Microsoft is working on it and it's still way more than the competition is offering at this point.
@brutalpanda Agreed. They're more and more moving towards the Xbox brand as a service, with it being available on PC's, perhaps phones/tablets at one point and the Xbox console.
Almost kind of like something like iTunes, with the service being available on a multitude of devices, but the "best" experience being offered by Apple itself on Apple TV.
@brutalpanda Yeah, it was similar to the PS3 in that regard, but I just don't see it catching up to the PS4 at all anymore. I mean, Sony's sold over twice as much as Microsoft has in the last four years.
Then again, it's still a way healthier industry than it was during the PS2/NGC/XB days... What was it, 120 million PlayStation 2's vs 20-25 for both the Xbox and Gamecube?
@brutalpanda This. Everybody's being as negative about Microsoft as they can, but they are by far the most pro-consumer of the bunch right now.
I own the PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and Xbox One, but it's the last I'm using the most right now. The PS4 is mostly for Sony exclusives and the Switch for its Nintendo titles and portable-preferred games.
The XB1 though? Its combination of Xbox, Xbox 360 and Xbox One games, its EA Access Vault and the Xbox Game Pass make it my console of choice right now. Being able to play through three generations, continue certain titles on my PC and actually own the Xbox 360 games that I get with my Gold subscription, is why I love that thing so much.
It's just such a shame that when Sony tried its best during the last few years of the previous generation, gamers responded to it. Everybody wanted in on PlayStation Plus and the availability of older titles through backwards compatibility/the PS Store. Microsoft is now doing something similar and gamers just don't seem to care. :/
@JayJ I'd say this is exactly the kind of game that'll take up as much space on Switch as on a PS4 or Xbox One. It's not a taxing game on the competition's consoles, so there's no need to downgrade any assets. And seeing how it's a 2D game that outputs at max. 1080p on XB1 and PS4 - the same as on Switch - there's honestly no space to be saved on.
If a title like Nioh would suddenly show up on Switch, that should obviously be smaller in size. A game like this though? I don't see how they could save on anything.
My god, those are some impressive numbers. The attachment rate for titles like Super Mario Odyssey is through the roof. This could truly wind up being Nintendo's next Wii/DS.
@NEStalgia While the Xbox (1) did have a whole host of amazing Japanese titles (Panzer Dragoon, JSRF, Shenmue, etc.), I wouldn't say that console was a safe haven for JRPG's. There were very little of those, actually. At least the Gamecube had Baten Kaitos, Tales of Symphonia, Paper Mario and some other stuff.
The Xbox 360 however, even though it's known for its many FPSes, did have a ridiculous amount of JRPG's. Tales of Vesperia, Eternal Sonata, Lost Odyssey, Blue Dragon, Infinite Undiscovery, Final Fantasy XIII, the list goes on.
It was during the (early) 360 days that Microsoft was pushing really hard to gain a foothold in Japan. It was to no avail however, and with the Xbox One we're back to quite a lot of fun Japanese games, but relatively few JRPG's.
Not an official "We want to buy Nintendo" statement, but still the head of the company (and back then way more influential) Bill Gates expressing his interest in buying Nintendo. That was a big thing back then. So big in fact that Nintendo responded officially by stating such a scenario would never occur.
Comments 209
Re: Pokémon TCG Pocket Pulled In Almost $1.3 Billion In Its First Year Alone
@slowpoke_tail Wasn't even aware of that! Yeah, that most definitely supports my suspicion of players simply spending more on average.
Re: Pokémon TCG Pocket Pulled In Almost $1.3 Billion In Its First Year Alone
If you take into account inflation, it's actually pretty much the same (~1.35 billion today). Still, given how huge a global phenomenon Go was, and that TCGP isn't even available in several big markets, it deftly demonstrates how much more TCGP players are probably spending. Impressive numbers!
Re: Random: Say Hello To The Wii SPii Portable, A GBA-Sized Console
That's incredibly cool, and exactly the kind of thing I'd buy if it were easily available. :')
Can't help it though: "... with StonedEdge squeezing a Wii into a Game Boy Advance SP case." Like, this is way too impressive as it is, but that description isn't true, is it? This is at least 50% thicker than an actual GBA SP - and pretty heavily modified. Again, ridiculously impressive, but no need to describe it as something that it isn't, right?
Re: Accessory Maker NEXiLUX Launches Its 'Joy-Con Alternative' Controllers For Nintendo Switch
Wait, USB-C is included? But the Joy Con themselves seem to use microUSB. Do they 'click' into the included grip, which you can then charge through USB-C or is there something else going on here?
Re: Nintendo Is "A Jewel" In The Industry And Has The Best First-Party Pedigree, Says Xbox Boss
@TheFullAndy Yeah, I know! Very curious as to what its looks and specs will be like.
I really do buy Xbox consoles for their raw strength these days though: just recently I popped in Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts on my One X and was seriously blown away. Nintendo I buy for the hybrid nature of the Switch and obviously the 1st party content. PlayStation I buy for the exclusives, but that's it. Xbox though really is all about having access to the best versions of not just current gen games, but also my backlog. It feels amazing to play games that were plagued by framedrops and low dynamic resolutions in a stable 1080p/60 for example.
I'm not a graphics kind of guy, at all. Heck, I play more indies than anything else. But having older games accessible in a more stable form than anywhere else really helps the playability. Or at least helps the presentation, having gone from a 42" FHD to a 55" 4K TV. With Microsoft, I more and more know that my games library will travel with me through the generations and will adapt to bigger, sharper, better TV sets. That's of great value to me. Also the reason I have several CRT's for example; games ought to be played in the best possible way, and for retro games that's CRT, with 360/PS3 and onwards that's through upping the res and framerate. ^^
Re: Nintendo Is "A Jewel" In The Industry And Has The Best First-Party Pedigree, Says Xbox Boss
@TheFullAndy Heck, even I, after my entire speech, am having doubts about getting the Series X day one. 90% of the games I can just play on my One X, so I'm not excluding the possibility of getting the Series X sometime in 2021, then the PS5 after its first serious pricedrop.
I don't really have any specific exclusives I'm dying to see announced, but a new Banjo, Conker, Blinx, Blue Dragon or Jade Empire would go a long way. ^^
Re: Nintendo Is "A Jewel" In The Industry And Has The Best First-Party Pedigree, Says Xbox Boss
@TheFullAndy Totally get that. The Game Pass approach really works for me right now, both money and time wise. If you're more into buying separate titles though (something I pretty much only do on my Switch these days), I can understand that the lack of attractive exclusives is a big turnoff for you.
Re: Nintendo Is "A Jewel" In The Industry And Has The Best First-Party Pedigree, Says Xbox Boss
@TheFullAndy Yeah, I don't agree with your assessment about MS "going 3rd party" at all.
I've always gone for all three consoles, which during the 360/PS3 generation meant having two very similar consoles and the Wii. During the last gen, my Wii U and Switch gave me 1) respectively a lot of backwards compatibility benefits or a console/hybrid in one package and 2) Nintendo 1st party games. The Xbox One and PS4 were once again very similar.
But...things have really been shifting and when it comes to the PS5 and Xbox Series X, it's very easy for me to decide which one to get first.
Multiplatform games will most likely have their best showing on the Series X. I can play all of my Xbox One games, a lot of 360 games and even a selection of OG Xbox games. All of these with a better framerate, resolution, etc. I can play games on this console in the living room, then continue playing them on my cellphone or tablet wherever I please. Hell, I can even play multiplayer titles day one thanks to Xbox One controller support.
The PS5 will be basically what the Gamecube was back in the day: not the strongest console, hardly any unique features, not the best versions of multiplat games; for me it'll be a console I only buy for the exclusives, just like with Gamecube.
So yeah, if you combine the best specs (Sony's SSD will obviously not be of tremendous use for multiplat games), the backwards compatibility, xCloud, Game Pass, and the support for older hardware, I'd say there's a lot to like about Microsoft right now. Especially if the PS5 only supports PS4 backwards compatibility, doesn't support older hardware, has lesser specs, and doesn't have a similar service to Game Pass (with PS Now your cloud games have a different save file from you console games, for example).
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (April 18th)
@Mamabear Hahaha, yeah, I totally get the squirming part. There's some seriously dated jokes in there, but dammit, do the gameplay and presentation deliver! I bought FBW some time ago, it's next on the list - after all those games I previously mentioned. 😂
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (April 18th)
@Mamabear You've still got about two weeks left! And it's not all that long (and very linear), so I'd go for it if I were you. ^^
And yeah, I get what you mean. I don't finish all that many games in general, but the ones I have played in their entirety in the last year were Switch games (Pokémon, Luigi's Mansion, etc). Not even because of the option to play in handheld, but there's just something about that system that keeps me playing. 😅
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (April 18th)
Animal Crossing, like everyone else. ^^
Also finishing Wolfenstein: The New Order on my One X, and have finally started on Final Fantasy VII - got it for my Switch. After I've completed that one, I'll get started on FF7 Remake.
And of course I'll get to playing Wolfenstein: The Old Blood, New Colossus and Youngblood after I'm done with the first one. Taking full advantage of this self-isolation. :')
Re: Sega Reveals Development Of Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD Is 70% Complete
No Gamecube-style octagonal joystick gate, no buy.
It's that little difference that makes the Gamecube versions of 1 and 2 such a joy, and all the other SMB titles so underwhelming.
Re: Doraemon Story Of Seasons Launches On Switch This June In Japan
No mention of Return to PopoloCrois: A Story of Seasons Fairytale? I mean, we've had a similar crossover before, and I loved it. Amazing little surprise back in the day for me. Fingers crossed we'll at least get an English language version of this one. ^^
Re: Random: Let's Find Kirby, A Where's Waldo?-Style Book, Announced For Japan
@Charlie_Girl Same. I really need to get my hands on this!
Re: Futuristic Survival Game JCB Pioneer: Mars Is Heading To Switch Just In Time For Christmas
An announcement trailer with a 480p ceiling? What year is this..?
Re: Last Year's N64 Trademark Has Finally Been Approved, N64 Mini On The Way?
@YoshiAngemon I'm aware of all of those things. I hope you're also aware of the difference between "buying an originally multiplatform franchise and not closing off money sources (Sony and Nintendo in this instance)" and "allowing the competition to use a 100% exclusive franchise".
There's no Forza on PlayStation or Nintendo. No Gears of War. No Sea of Thieves. No Halo. Et cetera.
Minecraft is the exception, not the rule, and this is only due to the fact Microsoft bought the franchise when it was already present on the competitor's platforms.
Re: Last Year's N64 Trademark Has Finally Been Approved, N64 Mini On The Way?
@Cobalt Oh, I could totally imagine a Marvel/Sony situation for Nintendo and Microsoft. Nintendo's allowed to use Banjo Kazooie/Tooie in their original forms, handing over a sweet 40% or more of the profits to Microsoft.
Microsoft meanwhile can use the new interest in/enthusiasm for the Banjo franchise to announce a new title.
Not excluding this possibility at all, but I do find it somewhat implausible. But hey, stranger things have happened.
Re: Last Year's N64 Trademark Has Finally Been Approved, N64 Mini On The Way?
@Cobalt Goldeneye, Conker and Banjo are all impossible (or at least incredibly implausible) due to licensing issues.
As for the several people that mention Mario Party, it's no coincidence that the first game has never appeared on any Virtual Console platform or in the form of a remaster. The controversy over "blistergate" was simply too big and Nintendo always focuses on MP2 and MP3 over the first one.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (September 8th)
Dragon Quest XI, some Dragon Quest XI on the side and a bit of Dragon Quest XI thrown in for good measure.
Re: Video: Super Rare Games' Physical Switch Releases Are A Joy
That "Super. Hot." line had me confused there. Thought for a second Superhot was actually getting a Switch release. Ah well.
Re: A Potential Wii U Splatoon Predecessor Was Scrapped Due To Leaked Information
@Heavyarms55 I'd say Animal Crossing has it beat. More games, bigger sales and a more recognizable brand.
Pikmin is quite popular among gamers, but doesn't really have a widespread appeal (only selling 1 tot 1.5 mil per game). Same goes for Xenoblade Chronicles.
Re: Rumour: A Hidden VR Settings Menu Appears To Have Been Found On Switch
@Rayquaza2510 Oculus Go would like to have a word with you.
Re: Rumour: A Hidden VR Settings Menu Appears To Have Been Found On Switch
It's a 720p screen. That's enough reason not to be interested. At all.
A "Switch Pro" though, with the same dimensions and connectivity, but a 1440p or 2160p display and a more powerful CPU/GPU would be very interesting indeed.
Re: Review: Okami HD (Switch eShop)
Own it for PS2, PS3, PS4 and Wii, will most definitely get this version as well as the Xbox One version (4K on my X!).
Simply my favorite game of all time, along with Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door. They also recently announced a limited edition vinyl release of the soundtrack, which looks amazing. <3
Re: Rumour: Go Vacation For Switch Might Include Online Play Based On eShop Listing
It looks like it'll also support conventional controls this time around. If that is indeed the case and there is online play, I'll double dip. Not full price though, that just doesn't feel right.
Re: Nintendo Download: 5th July (Europe)
Go Vacation's going to be 49,99? Yeah, that's a pass.
Such a shame. Would've totally double dipped for the conventional controls alone. I'll just wait until it's around 19,99.
As for Okami, I now own it on the PS2, PS3, PS4 and Wii, but really feel like also buying it on XB1 and Switch. It's that good. <3
Re: Super Mario Run Has Made Just Over $60 Million To Date
@Buizel Well, yeah, but that's mentioned nowhere in the source on which this article is based. Nowhere in the source are profits mentioned. Not even once.
That's Nintendo Life naming one source and then saying something entirely different from the source. That's... that's not how journalism works.
Re: Super Mario Run Has Made Just Over $60 Million To Date
@Killak-00 Nope. Read again.
"Nintendo has collected enough gold coins to earn several hundred thousand extra lives in its first mobile Mario outing. According to Sensor Tower Store Intelligence estimates, Super Mario Run revenue from worldwide player spending has surpassed $60 million on the App Store and Google Play since launching on Apple’s platform in September 2016."
Re: Super Mario Run Has Made Just Over $60 Million To Date
"Sensor Tower is now reporting that Super Mario Run has netted Nintendo about $60 million in profits from worldwide player spending"
They did no such thing. They reported $60 million in revenue. That is a major difference. Words mean something.
When reading the article this morning, I was pleasantly surprised. $60 million in profits is a huge amount. If you sell a million full price games, you'd only get around 60 mil in revenue; you can drop it to about 45, 50 mil after the retailers made their money and then you'd still have to subtract the budget and marketing costs.
So yeah, if this had been reported on correctly, I'd have also been somewhat shocked. These aren't exactly the most impressive of numbers.
Re: Rumour: Google Is Creating A Gaming Platform To Rival Switch, PS4 and Xbox
@Bolt_Strike I can't agree with that assessment, sorry. Microsoft's made FPS big on consoles with Halo, is responsible for online console gaming being as huge as it is, has given us pretty much the best open world racers out there the last five years in the form of Forza Horizon, and worked with third party studios through the years on games as Gears of War, Ninja Gaiden, Mass Effect, Alan Wake, Lost Odyssey, Project Gotham Racing, Shadow Complex, Blue Dragon, Jade Empire, and so on.
And then there's their own franchises, such as the aforementioned Halo and Forza, but also Crackdown, Fable, Sea of Thieves, Ori and the Blind Forest, Crimson Skies, ReCore, et cetera.
Microsoft has gotten more new IP's out there (both their own and with other companies) in the last fifteen years than Nintendo could ever dream of.
They had one horrible show in '13. They completely slipped under the leadership of Mattrick. Their priorities at that time were completely wrong. There's no denying this. But to say "Microsoft has never been serious about gaming content" and is "more about services and multimedia features" is simply untrue.
I have, since the PS2/NGC/XB era, always had all three consoles and they all have had their strengths and weaknesses. But Microsoft has always been relevant and I'm incredibly glad they're a part of this industry.
Re: Rumour: Google Is Creating A Gaming Platform To Rival Switch, PS4 and Xbox
@Bolt_Strike Why would you like to see Microsoft "knocked out of the industry"?
Is it their dedication to backwards compatibility? The cross-buy between all Xbox One/Windows 10 games? The 150+ games in Game Pass for 10,- per month? Their efforts regarding cross-play? The in-house development of a controller for people with disabilities? The free upgrades to higher frame rates, 4K resolution and more stable performance in general when playing Xbox or Xbox 360 games you already own?
Yeah, no, you're right. Sod 'em.
Re: Rumour: Google Is Creating A Gaming Platform To Rival Switch, PS4 and Xbox
Yeah, that's not going to work. With Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft selling dozens of millions of consoles right now, there's no room for a fourth big console. There's niche stuff like the Nvidia Shield (and the failed Ouya), but four major consoles? Not going to happen.
Also, what you need more than anything is a gatekeeper when it comes to console gaming. Granted, it's been slipping the last few years (Life of Black Tiger, anyone?), but at least Nintendo, Sony and MS know how to keep most of the shovelware off of their systems.
Google? Just look at the Play Store. Look at the Chrome add-ons and plugins. Look at the huge list of Chromecast-compatible software. Hell, look at the complete and utter chaos over on YouTube. In order to ensure a healthy gaming ecosystem, you need quality control and that's something Google has no experience in whatsoever.
Re: Ubisoft CEO Believes The Next Generation Of Consoles Will Be The Last
@SomeWriter13 Yeah, I could have been somewhat clearer. With "becoming the norm" I really meant "just now on its way to becoming the norm". I happen to have a 4K TV, but most people in my environment don't. I think the US penetration rate is like... still sub 20% and they're (besides absolutely also relatively) the biggest 4K market. So yeah...
Re: Ubisoft CEO Believes The Next Generation Of Consoles Will Be The Last
@NEStalgia Exactly. Streaming is a nice little bonus for older games - and something that wasn't technically possible before - but not in any way whatsoever a replacement. It's awesome to see the technological leaps of streaming games and I can't wait to effortlessly play 6th and 7th gen games over a stream. But to state the latest, most demanding games will be streamable? Utter nonsense.
Re: Ubisoft CEO Believes The Next Generation Of Consoles Will Be The Last
Nah, not gonna happen anytime soon. I think you'll see streaming becoming a major deal, but as an added thing to the industry, not as a replacement.
Playing older 1080p games over a stream a la PlayStation Now? Sure thing. But having to stream games in 4K? Nobody has the bandwith for that. And 4K is now becoming the norm, who knows where we are in 10 years?
The problem is that while internet speeds are getting faster and faster, so are game files and visual fidelity getting larger and larger. In that sense the streaming of games will always be at least one generation behind what "proper" consoles can do.
Just like handhelds keep getting more and more impressive, but won't replace consoles, streaming will get more and more impressive, but not replace locally stored games.
Re: Pokémon Company Profits May Be Down, But They're Still Riding The Pokémon GO Wave
@Chayshirin I assumed so, yes. But still, even then...
Then again, it's of course a company that doesn't make anything, as far as I know. They pretty much only license the Pokémon brand, meaning that not only does Nintendo get a cut on pretty much everything, but so do the manufacturers of the merchandise.
Still, I just... I just can't fathom these numbers. I believe I've read somewhere that the merchandise alone was responsible for more than 2 billion USD in revenue in '14 or '15. How do you go from 2 billion to less than 20 million?
Re: Pokémon Company Profits May Be Down, But They're Still Riding The Pokémon GO Wave
Is it just me, or do net profits of 10-20 million per year seem a little bit... low, for a company like The Pokémon Company?
I mean, you have the TV show, the trading cards, the video games, the movies, the many, many, many toys and other merchandise. I don't know, I'd expect higher numbers.
Re: I Grew Up With Nintendo And Will Respect Its Traditions, Says New President Shuntaro Furukawa
@SimplyCinnamon53 It was understood from the beginning that he'd probably be temporary. See: https://www.cnbc.com/2015/09/14/nintendo-appoints-tatsumi-kimishima-president-amid-mobile-push.html
Re: I Grew Up With Nintendo And Will Respect Its Traditions, Says New President Shuntaro Furukawa
@Tarolusa You see, I don't get this line of thought. Because you could just as easily take your comment and turn it into this:
"What I mean is that with Iwata; his major strength is that he was clearly passionate about gaming and you could tell that he absolutely loved his company and his work while his other strength was that he was amazing with handling the business and marketing aspect of the company, judging by how well Nintendo was doing during 2005-2011."
Yes, the Wii U was a failure. But the Wii and DS were their biggest success stories ever and they were also a part of Iwata's legacy. It just really bothers me that more and more people seem to paint Iwata as "bad at business".
If he had passed away during the Wii/DS era, we'd still be hearing about how ridiculously successful the company was thanks to him and that, because of his death, the Wii U was a failure.
Also, don't forget that Iwata was key in getting the Switch off the ground. So yeah, if the man was responsible for the Wii, DS, 3DS and Switch, I don't think anyone should use the Wii U as an example of Iwata being "bad at business".
Re: Rejoice, Fortnite Fans: Switch Battle Royale Title Crazy Justice Is Shaping Up Nicely
Cautiously optimistic. I love playing Fortnite, but if this offers online split-screen (like Black Ops 2 did back in the day), I'm all in.
The frame rate takes a horrible dip during split-screen though, but it's still early days.
Re: Agatha Knife Is A Satirical Adventure Game Where You Create A Meat-Eating Religion
Sounds like a pretty compelling criticism of both religion and carnivorism (which actually already is a thing). Interested in how this works out.
Re: Nintendo Download: 12th April (Europe)
Oxenfree for only 4,99? I already own it on my Xbox One, but that is very, very tempting.
Re: Switch Helped Nintendo Grab 22 Percent Of The Games Market In 2017
@Anti-Matter So the Xbox doesn't offer some games you're interested in. That's not surprising, I have the same thing. I play different games on my XB1 than I do on my Switch than I do on my PS4 than I do on my PC.
That doesn't diminish the fact though that, as opposed to Sony and Nintendo, with the Xbox One you have access to multiple generations without having to pay for either an HD remaster, a streaming service or even an expensive barebones port.
It'll never have all of the original Xbox and 360 games, also due to licenses and whatnot, but it still shows Microsoft is working on it and it's still way more than the competition is offering at this point.
Re: Switch Helped Nintendo Grab 22 Percent Of The Games Market In 2017
@brutalpanda Agreed. They're more and more moving towards the Xbox brand as a service, with it being available on PC's, perhaps phones/tablets at one point and the Xbox console.
Almost kind of like something like iTunes, with the service being available on a multitude of devices, but the "best" experience being offered by Apple itself on Apple TV.
Re: Switch Helped Nintendo Grab 22 Percent Of The Games Market In 2017
@brutalpanda Yeah, it was similar to the PS3 in that regard, but I just don't see it catching up to the PS4 at all anymore. I mean, Sony's sold over twice as much as Microsoft has in the last four years.
Then again, it's still a way healthier industry than it was during the PS2/NGC/XB days... What was it, 120 million PlayStation 2's vs 20-25 for both the Xbox and Gamecube?
Re: Switch Helped Nintendo Grab 22 Percent Of The Games Market In 2017
@brutalpanda This. Everybody's being as negative about Microsoft as they can, but they are by far the most pro-consumer of the bunch right now.
I own the PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and Xbox One, but it's the last I'm using the most right now. The PS4 is mostly for Sony exclusives and the Switch for its Nintendo titles and portable-preferred games.
The XB1 though? Its combination of Xbox, Xbox 360 and Xbox One games, its EA Access Vault and the Xbox Game Pass make it my console of choice right now. Being able to play through three generations, continue certain titles on my PC and actually own the Xbox 360 games that I get with my Gold subscription, is why I love that thing so much.
It's just such a shame that when Sony tried its best during the last few years of the previous generation, gamers responded to it. Everybody wanted in on PlayStation Plus and the availability of older titles through backwards compatibility/the PS Store. Microsoft is now doing something similar and gamers just don't seem to care. :/
Re: Review: Night In The Woods (Switch eShop)
@JayJ I'd say this is exactly the kind of game that'll take up as much space on Switch as on a PS4 or Xbox One. It's not a taxing game on the competition's consoles, so there's no need to downgrade any assets. And seeing how it's a 2D game that outputs at max. 1080p on XB1 and PS4 - the same as on Switch - there's honestly no space to be saved on.
If a title like Nioh would suddenly show up on Switch, that should obviously be smaller in size. A game like this though? I don't see how they could save on anything.
Re: Nintendo Releases Stunning Third Quarter Financial Results, Confirms Switch Sales Have Overtaken Wii U
My god, those are some impressive numbers. The attachment rate for titles like Super Mario Odyssey is through the roof. This could truly wind up being Nintendo's next Wii/DS.
Re: Rumour: Get That Pinch Of Salt Ready, Apparently Microsoft Is Preparing To Buy Electronic Arts
@NEStalgia While the Xbox (1) did have a whole host of amazing Japanese titles (Panzer Dragoon, JSRF, Shenmue, etc.), I wouldn't say that console was a safe haven for JRPG's. There were very little of those, actually. At least the Gamecube had Baten Kaitos, Tales of Symphonia, Paper Mario and some other stuff.
The Xbox 360 however, even though it's known for its many FPSes, did have a ridiculous amount of JRPG's. Tales of Vesperia, Eternal Sonata, Lost Odyssey, Blue Dragon, Infinite Undiscovery, Final Fantasy XIII, the list goes on.
It was during the (early) 360 days that Microsoft was pushing really hard to gain a foothold in Japan. It was to no avail however, and with the Xbox One we're back to quite a lot of fun Japanese games, but relatively few JRPG's.
Re: Rumour: Get That Pinch Of Salt Ready, Apparently Microsoft Is Preparing To Buy Electronic Arts
@Travan @fragred I was referring to this:
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/news040804gatesnintendo
Not an official "We want to buy Nintendo" statement, but still the head of the company (and back then way more influential) Bill Gates expressing his interest in buying Nintendo. That was a big thing back then. So big in fact that Nintendo responded officially by stating such a scenario would never occur.