Technosphile

My team is playing in the Super Bowl for the first time in many years. You better believe I'll be watching.

However, I'll be disappointed to see Sony and Microsoft running actual TV commercials during the game, while Nintendo once again fails to take advantage of a massive marketing opportunity.

GO BRONCOS.

I thought this might happen. The game has sold a million and a half copies in Japan, there is very little risk here in a western release.

@Ben_Rage_V2 this.

It just seems like every bad decision Nintendo has made over the last 20 years is finally coming home to roost; and instead of facing the challenge head-on with a clear game plan, they're just flailing in all directions.

Can you fathom Nintendo limping along with the Wii U for the entirety of this generation? I will be honestly stunned if they're still supporting it three years from now.

Fire sale, everything must go, our (huge) loss is your gain.

Lifelong Bronco fan here. Irving's a good player, not an all-pro or anything, but he provides excellent depth. I remember him coming up with some big tackles this year.

He should be getting plenty of StreetPasses this week. I wonder if he plays Animal Crossing.

GO BRONCOS!!

None of this matters if it isn't TV top screen, Gamepad touchscreen. It's a terrible idea otherwise.

It took forever to get proper Nintendo action figures made, hence the reason people paid hundreds for that lousy Samus figure that was a Nintendo Power bonus back in the '90s. Now that Link, Pit, and Samus figma exist, fans have a real option.

But there were implications that Nintendo was being very stingy and difficult for Max Factory to work with at first. Then, I think, Nintendo saw the huge demand and have now loosened up: Max Factory will soon be releasing Mario and Luigi Nendoroid figures. The more Nintendo merch, the better, and I agree that it can and needs to be more than just Mario.

@SheldonRandoms are they seriously implying its going to work in some way other than this? If so, R&D needs to be shot.

TV=top screen, Gamepad=touchscreen. For gods sake, Nintendo, get it right for a change.

Saints Row? What the hell is wrong with you, Japan?

@onlyaman if you don't mind, how many shares, and how long did you have them?

Got a sealed copy today for $5. Having played the PS2 version, I'd say that's a good deal.

So they're dabbling in smartphones, but all the content will be free, they won't even be making any money off of it. I swear to god, Nintendo..

This clueless old bat I work with is playing Candy Crush on her phone every chance she gets. I'm thinking she would be interested in a Mario-themed slot machine game or something for 99 cents.

The big one for me is The 90's Arcade Racer, a game I was really excited for on Wii U, and now the guy hasn't updated about it since November.

Makes you wonder if some people are biting off more than they can chew. To make a quality console video game is not easy.

But what about online multiplayer??

@LDXD Yeah, sure you were.

@LDXD Mass Effect 3 definitely isn't Ubisoft's fault, chief

There is a lot of Ubisoft hate in this thread. Let's make something perfectly clear:

Ubisoft is the ONLY third-party to throw their full support behind Wii U. They developed an exclusive, AAA title for the system. The thought of even doing that at this point is basically unthinkable for anyone but Nintendo. They have also continued to port their major multiplatform titles to the U during periods of inexcusable software drought on Nintendo's part. Seriously, if not for Ubisoft, who in the hell would Nintendo have as a third party supporter of Wii U? "Sega"?!

If this rumor is true, then instead of punishing Ubisoft by no longer buying their games, how about you place blame where its due and throw it squarely on Nintendo? Nintendo has done practically everything wrong with this console. It has become a money pit for them; how do you think game publishers with substantially less capital feel when they see their games fail on the U largely because of Nintendo's stunning ineptitude?

Hypocrites, the lot of you. I bet most here haven't even played ZombiU, STILL one of the only reasons to purchase a Wii U.

X
Yarn Yoshi
Shin Megami Tensei X Fire Emblem
Smash Bros. U

Yknow, all the stuff they promised

@KARNOVsSTACHE polls would work better.

Gee, more terrible games on the Virtual Console.

Here's an idea, Nintendo: how about something like NES Pro Wrestling, or maybe another forgotten gem like Wild Guns? Enough with the trash nobody wants.

Super Mario Bros. and Pokemon Red/Blue on mobile: millions in profit, overnight.

@Artwark It means you'll be playing Mario on some kind of Apple product soon.

@JaxonH It doesn't take a Masters in Business to understand that a $335 million dollar loss in a year is very, very bad. Clearly many people within the company are making some extremely poor decisions, I'm not in the boardroom and you better believe I know that; its plain as day.

You say you'll start caring when Nintendo exits the console business. Well, with inept people like Reggie Fils-Aime and NoA's crack marketing department in charge, I think you'll care sooner rather than later.

I'm going to give you some recommended reading. I think this is a great glimpse into all we've been talking about: the gap between Kyoto and Redmond, the weird mix of powerlessness and arrogance in place at Nintendo of America, and just what kind of "challenger" Reggie really is. Given how similarly dire the Wii U situation is to the Gamecube's, I'll bet a dollar that nothing has changed in regards to the corporate mentality:

http://www.notenoughshaders.com/2013/08/15/the-struggles-of-marketing-the-gamecube/

@JaxonH "NoA is under strict orders from Japan. Japan micromanages the western strategy"

The western strategy is not working. Those strict orders should be being questioned, challenged. Instead, it's "Yes, sir!".

Look, I know you and others think Reggie is funny and charming. But he seems as much in a delusional bubble as everyone in Kyoto. NoA needs more decision-making power, and it starts with someone in charge with guts and gumption.

Nintendo of America is clueless, impotent, and pathetic. Reggie is a spineless yes-man, and NoA's idea of marketing is this kind of backwards stuff that looks awful to consumers. Those awkward, goofy commercials with nimrod adults playing Wii Party and the stupid hot buttered popcorn kid? You better believe those ads are on NoA, and people deserve to be fired over them. Starting with Reggie.

You know why Nintendo is getting crushed? Because they don't cater to the west, or understand what the western gamer respects and thinks is cool. The best possible thing Iwata could do is not to start making cell phone games, but to can his entire NoA staff and install Emily freaking Rogers as NoA President.

Kyoto has to give more freedom and power to Nintendo of America. Reggie needs to be replaced with someone who will aggressively cater to and work with western developers.

I would have never thought so 20 years ago, but the core of the industry now is in the west, specifically America. Nintendo cannot afford to keep shrugging off western 3rd party support, it is the lifeline of the entire video game business today.

Better be a western download, I regretfully bought Dr. Luigi but this is more up my alley..

The highlight here, to me, is Iwata saying they will increase the advertising budget. I should hope so, since its practically non-existent compared to Sony and Microsoft's blanketing of US television.

Free advice, Satoru: go to NoA and fire whoever is in charge of marketing. And make Reggie answer for that hot buttered popcorn ad.

I've convinced three people to buy a Wii U, including a girl who bought it for her son for Christmas (he wanted it anyway, so it was easy).

500k is definitely a huge month for a doomed console competing with two new rivals.

If he were a girl his costume would be altered so as not to offend sensitive western audiences

Just remove the stupid region lock, Nintendo..

The best thing Nintendo could do in the future is focus more on the western market, and take note of how Sony and Microsoft cater to western devs. Clearly, niche Japanese-y stuff like The Wonderful 101 does not sell consoles.

Couldn't hurt either to fire "The Yes Man" Reggie, and install someone at NoA with some guts and gumption, who can see what works in the West and guide Kyoto accordingly.

Way less offensive than Bravely Default, but still stupid.

Bought it to play online, went on the first day and got absolutely CRUSHED. I don't know how to play Dr. Mario..

Can't wait.

This is Rare/Retro now, people. Retro is finished. NLG is the western powerhouse dev for Nintendo now.

My greatest hope for Wii U Zelda is that it is similar to Dark Souls, with other players appearing in your game. They even sort of seemed to be testing this very idea with the StreetPass Shadow Links in A Link Between Worlds. It wouldn't even have to be a malicious thing either, what if a player could come in and help you through a dungeon, or in a boss battle, live?

What I'm saying is that Nintendo needs to find ways to incorporate online functionality into every single one of its games; Miiverse posting doesn't cut it. Mario 3D World is a fine game, but you're fooling yourself if you say that it's local multiplayer is as fun as an online version of the same mode would have been.

I most certainly do still want Nintendo to end this archaic practice once and for all, especially since next month is seeing the release of a major title with offensive censorship applied to it. Censorship in localized releases has always been my primary reason for importing.

When will we see some US numbers for December?

@vonseux Have a look at that top image and explain to me how, if children were being sexualized before, they are NOT now. I'll wait.

No, the issue here is not over child exploitation. They're 3D models in a video game, after all. The issue is that someone felt Western audiences would be offended, or couldn't handle it, or needed to be protected by THE EVIL BIKINI BOTTOM. Well, I am a fully grown adult with my own opinions and beliefs regarding cultural differences, sexuality, and censorship. And my response is that I will not be told what I can and cannot see. I will speak with my wallet. They had a sale before, and they lost it. I hope many, many people do the same.

And thus, I am not supporting this with a purchase, and neither should you. It is 2014, we are not children, and censorship is more offensive than any suggestive costume. Period.

I would also like to point out that the Japanese version of Bravely Default: For The Sequel, which is completely unaltered and presented in the uncensored manner which was intended, features an option to play the game entirely in English. While I don't care enough to import a JPN 3DS XL, perhaps if the cheaper 2DS is ever released in Japan, that and the uncensored Bravely Default: For The Sequel will be my first purchases.

Do not support censorship merely so you can play a video game.

@SahashraLA unfortunately Shenmue is not, was not, and will never be a "system seller". In fact, Shenmue on the U is a really terrible idea because all it would bring is more HURR DURR WII U=DREAMCAST hate.

I should have been playing Mario Golf already, and Nintendo's no-showing it since E3 is worrisome.

I love Shenmue. I was there, man...I had a Dreamcast at the time and bought Shenmue day one in the US. Imported the slowdown-plagued PAL version of Shenmue 2. I love Shenmue.

But the time has passed. Shenmue, a celebration of all things Sega, does not belong on a Nintendo, Sony, or (ugh) a Microsoft console. Shenmue 3 is best left a distant dream of a bygone era.

For awhile I would put the 3DS to sleep with Clive open while I StreetPassed just to spread the word. Bertil's a genius.

He has a Wii U devkit, what will he think of next?

I prefer Mach Breakers.

Also, there's a Namco Gals gashapon figure set with Sharon in it. So if you're a big fan..

I'm just going to ask, since I've never played Minecraft.

What is it that people see in this game? It's...atrociously ugly. I didn't think that was permissible in 2013.

eShop has been no-go for me since Christmas morning, Miiverse wasn't working on the U earlier today, and now there's no connecting to the 007 Legends server.

The hell, Nintendo.

Awesome. Cannot wait to see the holiday sales numbers for the US, and what I predict will be a very strong showing for Nintendo.

crosses fingers that this really is because Nintendo sold perhaps millions of Wii U and 3DS' for Christmas, and not because Nintendo is incompetent