If the game does come to the Wii U, Nintendo should give it the ZombiU treatment (with special bundles, ads, and everything in between), because it would be a really important third-party title for the Wii U.
Actually I find cloud storage to be very useful in iOS and OS X. When you type a document in Pages it will automatically save it to iCloud and you can automatically get access to it on your Mac without having to sync or do physical transfers; and you can do the same with all other iOS and OS X devices.
I think cloud saving can also be useful between the Wii U and 3DS in the future, especially (if the rumours are true) since virtual console is starting to unify on these platforms. This feature would also be nice for games like Monster Hunter Tri which is on the 3DS and the Wii U.
We will see how cloud gaming takes hold as Sony gives it a try using their Gaikai service (which is supposedly the fastest cloud service in the world). Personally, I have been impressed by the technology behind both OnLive and Gaikai.
However, I think Iwata is making good call on this one. Purchasing a cloud based gaming company at this stage would be too big of a risk and there is currently no applicable killer feature that warrants cloud gaming (sure you can play the games anywhere but imagine what your mobile bill will be if you constantly stream and send information to the cloud while playing a game like Zelda on the go). Furthermore, with internet speeds and bandwidth the way they are right now, I really do not think the world is ready for cloud gaming.
Nintendo should focus more on maturing other aspects of Nintendo Network. Also, some cloud storage to hold save games would be nice though.
The Wii U is made of custom hardware and software so it is difficult to precisely measure its performance with other consoles and developers can do a lot with the hardware if they take the time to optimize their games. For example, one of the developers behind Metro: Last Light complained about the Wii U's slow processor clock speeds, but what he did not talk about was how the Wii U's architecture is better geared for parallel processing than the other systems on the market (with its out-of-order design and high bandwidth and large cache between its cores). Also, I think it is fair to mention that the Playstation 4's specifications are not as good as Sony is making them out to be, but third-parties do not complain because they have an established and profitable place in the Playstation eco-system.
Furthermore, Nintendo is no longer developing consoles that put the majority of focus on computational power because it did not give them the best results with the Nintendo 64 and it did not at all work for them with the Gamecube. It does not matter how powerful Nintendo makes the hardware if big third party companies have a negative perception about the console ecosystem.
Case and point, Epic brought over Unreal Engine 3 but they said they were not going to support the Wii U with their own games. EA is not supporting the system despite the fact that it can run many of their games. Many other companies are doing quick rush jobs with their games. The problem with these third parties is not that the console is not powerful enough, it is just that they believe that they cannot make a profit on Nintendo systems and so they are coming up with excuses not to develop games (like Konami's excuse that they did not know how to use the Gamepad for Metal Gear Solid).
They should do an almost full release of every system available on the Wii VC every month for the Wii U. For example, April could be the month of NES, May could be SNES, June could N64, July (with Sega's help) could be for Genesis (Mega Drive). By 2014, they should start releasing new systems on the Wii U's VC (namely Saturn, Dreamcast, and Gamecube). By late 2014 (assuming Wii has been discontinued and retail games are being discontinued) Nintendo should release Wii titles on the VC service.
There is a lot of confusion over this matter. Nintendo said that they will not do a large E3 event because they do not have new hardware to show off. Instead they are going to focus on software for the 3DS and Wii U in smaller E3 conferences still held at the Nokia theatre and they will also put a greater emphasis on the Nintendo Directs. Nintendo also said that aside from doing smaller conferences, they will still bring their games and demoes to the E3 show floor.
I personally think smaller conferences (like the software showcase they did for the 3DS last year and the Nintendo Directs) are better suited for software oriented shows because they can show what they have ready rather than boring the audience by trying to put filler content in a big conference (like their 2008 conference).
This is good. Nintendo of Japan can now better communicate with Nintendo of America (assuming the change is approved at the investors meeting on June 27). Nintendo of America's previous CEO and chairman Tatsumi Kimishima seemed more like a middle man that slowed communication down.
The 3DS had the same problem (many believed it was a system meant to play DS games in 3D). Nintendo addressed the problem with the 3DS when they re-advertised the system after they had more games and dropped the price.
Nintendo will re-advertise the Wii U between late summer to early fall after a small price drop and when more software (as well as announced software) is ready. There is no point in advertising a console that does not currently have all of its features or many games, which is why they will wait until they have more games and more features so that when they do a slight price drop and re-advertising they can sustain momentum.
This is how I see it:
June: Nintendo announces new games and features at E3 for Wii U. Hype starts to build.
August: Nintendo and key third parties release titles for the console which brings the systems title library to an acceptable level (at least acceptable for system in its first year). By this point (maybe earlier) the summer Wii U update will be ready brining more features and stability to the Wii U's System Software
September-October: Nintendo will shave $50-$70 off the Wii U's price (this step is optional because Nintendo could opt to sell fewer consoles but make a profit, but this short-term profit runs the risk of the Wii U not getting enough momentum). Nintendo will announce new Wii U bundles. They will launch a new set of ads.
October - December: Nintendo and third-parties will release a slew of key software for the all important Holiday season which will sustain momentum for the holiday period. Beyond the holidays it is Nintendo's responsibility to ensure that momentum continues to hold.
Risks:
-Nintendo prematurely makes a price cut before games and features are ready and/or re-advertises the system too soon hence failing to keep up sales momentum (unlikely)
-More third-party cancelations will occur (possible)
-Nintendo delays key software for the holiday shopping season (Fall - Winter) (unlikely)
-Nintendo does not make the slight price cut (possible)
-Other next-gen systems will be priced between ($250-$350) (unlikely)
-Other next-gen systems will offer something completely different that will quickly capture the minds of the casual market (I cannot predict this one)
-Nintendo gets a premature management change (unlikely but edging towards possibility in 2013. I expect that Iwata will leave by early 2014 because his 100 Billion Yen operating income commitment is unrealistic for a company that is going through a generational transition; Iwata's operating income targets might also prevent him from making a price cut which might be good for short-term profits but not good for the Wii U in the long-term.
Not knowing who Uncle Scrooge is not really disturbing to me. However, kids needing cutscenes to show them they need to explore is a bit disheartening, although I think that the developers are overreacting a bit I am sure kids will start looking for different paths once they get a hint in the game that they exist (for example walls that might not look as if they blend with the rest of the environment or weird ceilings that appear to have something above them, etc).
This looks great. I just hope they do not rely on the touchscreen for fighting and walking. I would much rather they use the bottom screen as an inventory system (hence clearing off the top screen from any clutter distracting from the game).
This is a good (and much needed) update. I hope the summer update will bring more features though. I am personally hoping for a media player which can play back videos and music from an SD Card, i also would appreciate them making the Wii U video chat service system wide (being able to chat with friends would anywhere in the system would be very cool). Folders (like on the 3DS) would also be handy.
There maybe a couple reasons for this not being announced for Wii U.
1. Nintendo and Sega will announce it during E3 (as a third party showcase) or a Nintendo Direct for Wii U, and they will stick a U somewhere in the title of the game and say they have made platform specific enhancements. This is most plausible because Sega and Nintendo have been known to make such secretive agreements (like when Sonic Generations 3DS was announced close to the E3 and after its console counterparts). Sony and Sega will probably do the same with this title for the Vita. This I believe is the most plausible explanation.
2. The game that made the game is Sega Australia whom Sega recently shutdown. The game might have been in development prior to the release of the Wii U and the Wii U and Vita versions of the game might have been canceled after the studio was shutdown or (more plausibly) these versions of the game are now being handled by another one of Sega's internal or external devs and they are simply not ready yet.
3. Sega does not want to support the Wii U due to the game not fitting the platforms audience or because of low install base. This is the least plausible explanation because the lower user install base is purchasing software and software is also being purchased on the eShop. For example, despite the low user base Sonic & Sega All Stars Racing Transformed on Wii U is selling on par with the Xbox 360, and PS3 versions of the game (both of which have a much larger audience). Secondly, it would be a bad business move on Sega's behalf to not bring a light-hearted nostalgic remake to a console that has nostalgic fan base and is known for family friendly entertainment.
Verdict: I believe that the game will come to the Wii U and it will be announced at a later date during a Nintendo oriented event, unless Sega shutdown Sega of Australia prior to the game being finished and they have no resources and (after the Gearbox and Aliens Colonials Marines incident) no will to get another dev to finish the project. I think it is encouraging that Sega's press has not come out and denied a Wii U port (like they did with Sonic 4 Episode II on the Wii).
I really like Kickstarter because it has allowed some of my favourite developers (many of whom have made good fan games up to now) to create some really excellent titles. I do agree that when publishers jump in and invest the results can be a bit sketchy (though many times it has good effects as well for example the developers will be able to benefit from the resources that the publisher has).
I think that some of the freshest ideas in the video game industry comes from indie developers or companies just entering the entertainment business which is why I think that the industry should work towards making it easier for indie developers to make games.
This add-on might be more worthwhile if Nintendo allowed the 3DS to be used as a Wii U controller (the buttons on it almost bring the 3DS to parity with the Wii U Gamepad). The top screen of the 3DS can be used to display games as if it were being displayed on the TV and the bottom screen could be used as the Gamepad. I know not all games could support such a feature (as some require the Gamepad to be moved around in order to interact with the TV), but for those that could this would be a cool feature.
I think Nintendo really needs to give the 3DS's successor the same compliment of inputs and buttons as they did with the Wii U (including clickable circle-pads, two triggers [analog triggers would be nice for racing games], NFC sensor, and magnetometer). On a side note, nicer camera's would also be nice (5 Megapixel camera sensors have become really cheap now due to their wide use on phones).
The channels were fun but I feel if you really want to check the news or weather on your TV you can do it through the console's web browser. As for the Wii Message Board services (which I found was very convoluted) and the various fun Mii Channel, I think they have been succeeded by Miiverse (which not only combines the services but also makes them easier and more logical to use).
The developers behind many EA games are fantastic and creative individuals, I can easily say that EA hold some of the best studios in the industry. The people who operate EA as a publishing company are vile and terrible. There are many problems with EA's publishing business, which I will go over:
1. EA purchases smaller companies and IPs that might compete with their own software, they do not use the IPs nor do they sell them back to the original developers so that they can be used again; also often in these situations they lay-off the entire studio that worked on the IPs. There are countless sports IPs which EA has bought and no longer allows the use of (nor do they use it themselves) in order to protect their EA Sports games.
2. They have monopolistic practices. For example, when Sega launched the Dreamcast, EA refused to support them because they wanted Sega to make EA's sports games the only sports games available on the platform (Sega of America's then President refused to do so). In this case, they are refusing to support Nintendo because Nintendo did not give them rights to control the Wii U's digital eShop.
3. EA does not treat their developers properly, and they often take over creative control of the game. EA has been named the worst company to work for, and over the past few years (I remember from 2008) they have been close to top of the chart in terms of worst companies to work for.
4. They plan on increasing video game prices through micro-transactions and generally increasing the price of boxed retail titles by another $10 (this was stated by one of their executives), this is despite the fact that video games costs have not increased since 2006 (and in many cases they have even decreased due to developers now knowing how to program for shader based graphics systems). This practice can make console gaming very unsustainable especially if other developers follow through.
I think that Nintendo should try to have a dialogue with EA in order to patch up the relationship, but based on EA's track record I do not believe that they will listen or change their mind (they might do so when the Wii U has a higher install base, but even then I doubt they will bring over many of their important titles). Thus, it might be better for Nintendo to work with other third-parties and internal studios to close the rift that a lack of EA games will cause.
I do not think we will see a third entry in the storybook Sonic series (games like Secret Rings or Black Knight) because the Black Knight did not sell well enough and it received very poor review, also Sega delisted both Sonic and the Secret Rings and Black Knight in 2010 before the release of Sonic Colors and Sonic 4.
I personally think that Sonic Team will develop a new mainstream 3D Sonic game (like Colors and Generations) and release it on a mix of current gen and next-gen systems (including Wii U).
I agreed with most of this. However, the part where he said Metroid is dead and Zelda is no longer enjoyable is just opinion. The portion of the article that states there is a difference between a game that sells and a game that developers want to make is also incorrect, because Nintendo has always focused on making unique games even if no one has requested them and this is how some of their key franchises became popular. I do agree completely with the fact that Nintendo needs to push third parties, they must create development incentives for them in order to regain their trust and respect.
The game-to-menu loading is much improved, it is not really an issue to me anymore. I hope they also improve the menu-to-game loading as well as the loading of the notifications app (although Nintendo said that one loading update will come in April and the other will come in summer, so maybe the summer one will improve the other loading issues)
I think the Gamepad and PS4 touchpad will make the game easier to play on traditional consoles because they can bring proper mouse controls using these touch methods. However, I do not really think that any traditional console will work well for this game, even the touch enabled ones (though the game will work better on touch enabled systems). The touch controls still do not bring it close enough to a mouse and keyboard combo (which works very well for this type of game) and the Battle.net online play is missing which was a key part of the original. I do not think any traditional console will work for this game.
I really like Nintendo consoles. I love the fact that they focus on unique gameplay, simply fun and immersive games, and a low price point. In fact, the Wii became my favourite console this generation for the reasons above, and now I am really enjoying the Wii U. The redesigns that Nintendo makes also do makes sense, sometimes they take something away that is no longer necessary but they compensate for it by adding something else. The Wii Family Edition removed the GC port (which made sense because GC games were no longer being sold or published and getting a used GC is pretty cheap now), but they made up for it by offering great bundles. The DSi removed GBA backward compatibility but it added an online store for mini games and a camera. The GB Micro removed GB and GBC compatibility but it added a better screen.
The Wii Mini on the other hand is terrible. It cannot output video at 480P because it cannot use component cables (this is something that the decade old Gamecube can do), it has no method of file transfer, Wii games that require two USB accessories do not work, no Wifi means no WiiWare, online play, or Virtual Console (VC for me was the biggest online feature of the Wii), they did not include the Skyward Sword Save Fix channel so if you happen to run the Skyward Sword glitch you have to send your system to Nintendo, they did not even bother redesigning the Wii Menu (which is the same, except for the fact that a few options are lazily removed), and it is not even that mini (aside from the features).
Now some people will say that the Wii Mini is justifiable because of the price. I say no, because I have seen Wii Family Edition bundles (with two games and two Wiimotes + Nun-chucks) being sold here in Canada for just a bit more than the Mini and you can buy a used Wii (which has Wifi, 480P support, etc) for around $40-$60. The Wii Mini also gives the Wii brand more bad reputation because of its omissions, and this could be very bad for the Wii U as well since it is using the same branding.
If I were Nintendo I would discontinue the Wii Mini immediately. I would create a redesigned Wii hardware with the disk drive and Wifi included. I would allow users to connect a portable HD to the console and I would offer Wii games and GC games (along with VC games and WiiWare titles and things like Netflix and Amazon Instant Video [which are already on the Wii) online. I would also build in a RF communications chip and bundle a Wavebird-like Gamecube controller for GC and VC games. Users who have the original GC and Wii games on disk will also be able to play it on the system. I'd call the system the Mini Arcade, include a Wiimote Plus + Nunchuck and a Wavebird controller plus a copy of Wii Sports or maybe $20 eShop card.
One of EA's executives said that game prices will increase by $10 again this generation once all next-gen consoles are released, which is going to be brutal to everyone in the traditional game market if it happens. Although I believe Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft will try to keep software prices down because it would detrimental for their hardware business if it increases again this generation.
Patcher's analysis is moronic and here are a few reasons why:
Firstly, he got the PS4's graphical and CPU power all wrong. The PS4 is running on a 8 core Jaguar processor @ between 1.6 GHZ - 2.2 GHZ with 4 FPUs (which means that these are more like 4 cores with 4 additional integer calculating cores), AMD has said that the Jaguar will be featured on their cheap low-end APUs for low-end compact desktops or for laptops. Furthermore, AMDs current high-end "8" core processors are being beaten by both Intel's high-end Core i7 and even the mid-range Core i5 (you can search up the benchmarks on Google), so I doubt the low-end version of these series is going to be powerful at all. Furthermore, Sony said that the combination of the PS4's GPGPU with the CPU will achieve around 2.5 Teraflops of power (the graphics card will achieve around 1.84 teraflops), you can get a PC graphics card for around $250-$300 which will offer 2.5 Teraflops alone in graphical processing capabilities (not even counting the CPU). Patcher clearly does not understand hardware and he is just basing his opinion on what he is being told by Sony's marketing team (who are lying by the way, because you can make a PC system more powerful than the PS4 for $450, and the PS4 is using PC parts anyways; so this console is not the powerhouse that the PS3 was at launch). The Wii U is less powerful than PS4, but not to the same degree as Wii and PS3. Furthermore, because Nintendo creates its own graphics API, it can ensure that all of the Wii U's graphical features are made use (which means the tessellation units and compute shader capabilities of the Wii U's R770 graphics card can be used, which means the Wii U's GPU is almost on par with the PS4 in terms of features, the PS4's GPU is only a bit faster). I am not condemning the PS4 for not having powerful hardware (I personally believe that lower power consumption, unique gameplay, and higher system reliability is more important for consoles) but I am condemning both Sony and Patcher for making the system more than it actually is.
Secondly, Patcher is anticipating that the unannounced next-gen Xbox is going to outsell the Wii U and sell on par with the PS4. When we do not know the console, Microsoft's strategy, games, price, or anything else for that matter.
Thirdly, he is predicting that companies will sell 30 million - 95 million units and then exit the video game hardware market. This is a moronic sentiment, because why would you exit out of a market after such high sales.
Fourthly, Patcher seems to be avoiding the point that last-gen Wii games sold the highest by a high margin when compared to previous generations, which means that there are people who will potentially upgrade systems when their favourite franchises from the Wii era arrives on the Wii U. He is also dismissing the fact that by the time PS4 and the next-gen Xbox arrive the Wii U will probably be priced lower then it is now, which will make it a big hit for christmas shoppers on a budget (the Wii U already sold more than 3 million units this Christmas, and it outdid the preceding generation (excluding the Wii) during its launch christmas, and it will have more games and perhaps more bundles.
Lastly, Patcher said that Wii would fail and Nintendo would not be able to compete in the 7th generation (it did not happen, Wii has now sold 99 million units), he said that MS Kinect would fail (it did not happen, Microsoft has sold more than 25 million Kinect sensors), he predicted 3DS would fail (did not happen, it is now the fastest selling system in Australia and Japan and has sold close 30 million units in its first 2 years and it has consistently dominated the hardware charts (always in first place in Japan, and second-first place everywhere else), he predicted that PS Vita would outsell the 3DS upon launch because of more multimedia features and better graphics (does this look familiar to the chart above, also it did not happen). Based on his wrong and narrow minded predictions in the past (in fact I cannot think of any correct predications off the top of my head), I can say that I will not put much stock in his most recent predictions. I know that Patcher is an analyst, but I do not think he is good analyst; based on his statements he has a clear bias against Nintendo and he does not look at all aspects of the consoles; moreover, he makes high sales predictions on consoles that have not even been revealed yet.
I know in Canada we always get everything last and usually at higher prices. Nintendo of America cares about all of America except for us Canadians. I've talked to a EB Games owner who told me that they will bring the cards from September - October.
@outrun2sp The Vita is not going to have the 3D effect. And Nintendo can easily make the 3DS sell more this coming holiday by either bundeling a game or lowering the price (or both). Moreover, one of the things that has turned off the people whom I have spoken to about the Vita is that there is only backwards compatibility with certain titles that are only available via the Playstation Network. The 3DS's backwards compatibility was one of the key reasons that made me choose it over the Vita. But I will agree with you on the fact that people who enjoy higher end graphics will indeed choose the Vita because its graphical capabilities are quite amazing.
As for the Wii U controller, after actually feeling one myself I can say that it is actually quite comfortable. In fact, it felt like a GameCube controller just a bit wider which really did not make a difference.
Comments 133
Re: Rumour: GTA V Has Been Tested On Wii U Dev Kits For Some Time
If the game does come to the Wii U, Nintendo should give it the ZombiU treatment (with special bundles, ads, and everything in between), because it would be a really important third-party title for the Wii U.
Re: Satoru Iwata: Nintendo Has No Plans To Adopt Cloud Gaming
@SCAR392
Actually I find cloud storage to be very useful in iOS and OS X. When you type a document in Pages it will automatically save it to iCloud and you can automatically get access to it on your Mac without having to sync or do physical transfers; and you can do the same with all other iOS and OS X devices.
I think cloud saving can also be useful between the Wii U and 3DS in the future, especially (if the rumours are true) since virtual console is starting to unify on these platforms. This feature would also be nice for games like Monster Hunter Tri which is on the 3DS and the Wii U.
Re: Satoru Iwata: Nintendo Has No Plans To Adopt Cloud Gaming
We will see how cloud gaming takes hold as Sony gives it a try using their Gaikai service (which is supposedly the fastest cloud service in the world). Personally, I have been impressed by the technology behind both OnLive and Gaikai.
However, I think Iwata is making good call on this one. Purchasing a cloud based gaming company at this stage would be too big of a risk and there is currently no applicable killer feature that warrants cloud gaming (sure you can play the games anywhere but imagine what your mobile bill will be if you constantly stream and send information to the cloud while playing a game like Zelda on the go). Furthermore, with internet speeds and bandwidth the way they are right now, I really do not think the world is ready for cloud gaming.
Nintendo should focus more on maturing other aspects of Nintendo Network. Also, some cloud storage to hold save games would be nice though.
Re: Nintendo Outlines Developer Support, and a Goal to Address the "Misconception" of Wii U's Capabilities
@bigskidboy
The Wii U is made of custom hardware and software so it is difficult to precisely measure its performance with other consoles and developers can do a lot with the hardware if they take the time to optimize their games. For example, one of the developers behind Metro: Last Light complained about the Wii U's slow processor clock speeds, but what he did not talk about was how the Wii U's architecture is better geared for parallel processing than the other systems on the market (with its out-of-order design and high bandwidth and large cache between its cores). Also, I think it is fair to mention that the Playstation 4's specifications are not as good as Sony is making them out to be, but third-parties do not complain because they have an established and profitable place in the Playstation eco-system.
Furthermore, Nintendo is no longer developing consoles that put the majority of focus on computational power because it did not give them the best results with the Nintendo 64 and it did not at all work for them with the Gamecube. It does not matter how powerful Nintendo makes the hardware if big third party companies have a negative perception about the console ecosystem.
Case and point, Epic brought over Unreal Engine 3 but they said they were not going to support the Wii U with their own games. EA is not supporting the system despite the fact that it can run many of their games. Many other companies are doing quick rush jobs with their games. The problem with these third parties is not that the console is not powerful enough, it is just that they believe that they cannot make a profit on Nintendo systems and so they are coming up with excuses not to develop games (like Konami's excuse that they did not know how to use the Gamepad for Metal Gear Solid).
Re: New Wii U Virtual Console Titles Confirmed By Nintendo UK
This means I can start upgrading my games from Wii VC to Wii U VC.
Re: Nintendo Download: 26th April - Virtual Console (North America)
They should do an almost full release of every system available on the Wii VC every month for the Wii U. For example, April could be the month of NES, May could be SNES, June could N64, July (with Sega's help) could be for Genesis (Mega Drive). By 2014, they should start releasing new systems on the Wii U's VC (namely Saturn, Dreamcast, and Gamecube). By late 2014 (assuming Wii has been discontinued and retail games are being discontinued) Nintendo should release Wii titles on the VC service.
Re: Nintendo Download: 26th April - Virtual Console (North America)
I actually really like the Panaroma View, I just wish the videos were longer.
Re: Talking Point: Nintendo's Changing the Media Game at E3
There is a lot of confusion over this matter. Nintendo said that they will not do a large E3 event because they do not have new hardware to show off. Instead they are going to focus on software for the 3DS and Wii U in smaller E3 conferences still held at the Nokia theatre and they will also put a greater emphasis on the Nintendo Directs. Nintendo also said that aside from doing smaller conferences, they will still bring their games and demoes to the E3 show floor.
I personally think smaller conferences (like the software showcase they did for the 3DS last year and the Nintendo Directs) are better suited for software oriented shows because they can show what they have ready rather than boring the audience by trying to put filler content in a big conference (like their 2008 conference).
Re: Satoru Iwata Taking Over CEO Role of Nintendo of America
This is good. Nintendo of Japan can now better communicate with Nintendo of America (assuming the change is approved at the investors meeting on June 27). Nintendo of America's previous CEO and chairman Tatsumi Kimishima seemed more like a middle man that slowed communication down.
Re: Talking Point: The Wii U's Identity Crisis
The 3DS had the same problem (many believed it was a system meant to play DS games in 3D). Nintendo addressed the problem with the 3DS when they re-advertised the system after they had more games and dropped the price.
Nintendo will re-advertise the Wii U between late summer to early fall after a small price drop and when more software (as well as announced software) is ready. There is no point in advertising a console that does not currently have all of its features or many games, which is why they will wait until they have more games and more features so that when they do a slight price drop and re-advertising they can sustain momentum.
This is how I see it:
June: Nintendo announces new games and features at E3 for Wii U. Hype starts to build.
August: Nintendo and key third parties release titles for the console which brings the systems title library to an acceptable level (at least acceptable for system in its first year). By this point (maybe earlier) the summer Wii U update will be ready brining more features and stability to the Wii U's System Software
September-October: Nintendo will shave $50-$70 off the Wii U's price (this step is optional because Nintendo could opt to sell fewer consoles but make a profit, but this short-term profit runs the risk of the Wii U not getting enough momentum). Nintendo will announce new Wii U bundles. They will launch a new set of ads.
October - December: Nintendo and third-parties will release a slew of key software for the all important Holiday season which will sustain momentum for the holiday period. Beyond the holidays it is Nintendo's responsibility to ensure that momentum continues to hold.
Risks:
-Nintendo prematurely makes a price cut before games and features are ready and/or re-advertises the system too soon hence failing to keep up sales momentum (unlikely)
-More third-party cancelations will occur (possible)
-Nintendo delays key software for the holiday shopping season (Fall - Winter) (unlikely)
-Nintendo does not make the slight price cut (possible)
-Other next-gen systems will be priced between ($250-$350) (unlikely)
-Other next-gen systems will offer something completely different that will quickly capture the minds of the casual market (I cannot predict this one)
-Nintendo gets a premature management change (unlikely but edging towards possibility in 2013. I expect that Iwata will leave by early 2014 because his 100 Billion Yen operating income commitment is unrealistic for a company that is going through a generational transition; Iwata's operating income targets might also prevent him from making a price cut which might be good for short-term profits but not good for the Wii U in the long-term.
Re: DuckTales: Remastered Focus Testing Reveals That Kids Don't Know Jack These Days
Not knowing who Uncle Scrooge is not really disturbing to me. However, kids needing cutscenes to show them they need to explore is a bit disheartening, although I think that the developers are overreacting a bit I am sure kids will start looking for different paths once they get a hint in the game that they exist (for example walls that might not look as if they blend with the rest of the environment or weird ceilings that appear to have something above them, etc).
Re: New Legend Of Zelda Title Confirmed For Nintendo 3DS, Due Late 2013
This looks great. I just hope they do not rely on the touchscreen for fighting and walking. I would much rather they use the bottom screen as an inventory system (hence clearing off the top screen from any clutter distracting from the game).
Re: Wii U System Update Coming Next Week
This is a good (and much needed) update. I hope the summer update will bring more features though. I am personally hoping for a media player which can play back videos and music from an SD Card, i also would appreciate them making the Wii U video chat service system wide (being able to chat with friends would anywhere in the system would be very cool). Folders (like on the 3DS) would also be handy.
Re: A New Yoshi's Island Title is Coming to 3DS
Looks great but I am not a fan of a the pre-rendered art style I liked the drawn art style of the originals much better.
Re: SEGA Reveals Castle of Illusion HD But There's No Mention of Nintendo Versions
There maybe a couple reasons for this not being announced for Wii U.
1. Nintendo and Sega will announce it during E3 (as a third party showcase) or a Nintendo Direct for Wii U, and they will stick a U somewhere in the title of the game and say they have made platform specific enhancements. This is most plausible because Sega and Nintendo have been known to make such secretive agreements (like when Sonic Generations 3DS was announced close to the E3 and after its console counterparts). Sony and Sega will probably do the same with this title for the Vita. This I believe is the most plausible explanation.
2. The game that made the game is Sega Australia whom Sega recently shutdown. The game might have been in development prior to the release of the Wii U and the Wii U and Vita versions of the game might have been canceled after the studio was shutdown or (more plausibly) these versions of the game are now being handled by another one of Sega's internal or external devs and they are simply not ready yet.
3. Sega does not want to support the Wii U due to the game not fitting the platforms audience or because of low install base. This is the least plausible explanation because the lower user install base is purchasing software and software is also being purchased on the eShop. For example, despite the low user base Sonic & Sega All Stars Racing Transformed on Wii U is selling on par with the Xbox 360, and PS3 versions of the game (both of which have a much larger audience). Secondly, it would be a bad business move on Sega's behalf to not bring a light-hearted nostalgic remake to a console that has nostalgic fan base and is known for family friendly entertainment.
Verdict: I believe that the game will come to the Wii U and it will be announced at a later date during a Nintendo oriented event, unless Sega shutdown Sega of Australia prior to the game being finished and they have no resources and (after the Gearbox and Aliens Colonials Marines incident) no will to get another dev to finish the project. I think it is encouraging that Sega's press has not come out and denied a Wii U port (like they did with Sonic 4 Episode II on the Wii).
Re: Nintendo Of Korea Embroiled In Twitter Drama Over Alleged Sexist Comment
LOL! It was probably North Korea hacking the Twitter account. They are a bit mad for not getting all the good games.
Re: Talking Point: The Blurring Lines of Kickstarter Fundraising Goals
I really like Kickstarter because it has allowed some of my favourite developers (many of whom have made good fan games up to now) to create some really excellent titles. I do agree that when publishers jump in and invest the results can be a bit sketchy (though many times it has good effects as well for example the developers will be able to benefit from the resources that the publisher has).
I think that some of the freshest ideas in the video game industry comes from indie developers or companies just entering the entertainment business which is why I think that the industry should work towards making it easier for indie developers to make games.
Re: Hardware Review: 3DS Circle Pad Pro XL
This add-on might be more worthwhile if Nintendo allowed the 3DS to be used as a Wii U controller (the buttons on it almost bring the 3DS to parity with the Wii U Gamepad). The top screen of the 3DS can be used to display games as if it were being displayed on the TV and the bottom screen could be used as the Gamepad. I know not all games could support such a feature (as some require the Gamepad to be moved around in order to interact with the TV), but for those that could this would be a cool feature.
I think Nintendo really needs to give the 3DS's successor the same compliment of inputs and buttons as they did with the Wii U (including clickable circle-pads, two triggers [analog triggers would be nice for racing games], NFC sensor, and magnetometer). On a side note, nicer camera's would also be nice (5 Megapixel camera sensors have become really cheap now due to their wide use on phones).
Re: Nintendo to Pull the Plug on Several Online Wii Channels
The channels were fun but I feel if you really want to check the news or weather on your TV you can do it through the console's web browser. As for the Wii Message Board services (which I found was very convoluted) and the various fun Mii Channel, I think they have been succeeded by Miiverse (which not only combines the services but also makes them easier and more logical to use).
Re: Talking Point: Nintendo Should Make EA Co-operation a Priority
The developers behind many EA games are fantastic and creative individuals, I can easily say that EA hold some of the best studios in the industry. The people who operate EA as a publishing company are vile and terrible. There are many problems with EA's publishing business, which I will go over:
1. EA purchases smaller companies and IPs that might compete with their own software, they do not use the IPs nor do they sell them back to the original developers so that they can be used again; also often in these situations they lay-off the entire studio that worked on the IPs. There are countless sports IPs which EA has bought and no longer allows the use of (nor do they use it themselves) in order to protect their EA Sports games.
2. They have monopolistic practices. For example, when Sega launched the Dreamcast, EA refused to support them because they wanted Sega to make EA's sports games the only sports games available on the platform (Sega of America's then President refused to do so). In this case, they are refusing to support Nintendo because Nintendo did not give them rights to control the Wii U's digital eShop.
3. EA does not treat their developers properly, and they often take over creative control of the game. EA has been named the worst company to work for, and over the past few years (I remember from 2008) they have been close to top of the chart in terms of worst companies to work for.
4. They plan on increasing video game prices through micro-transactions and generally increasing the price of boxed retail titles by another $10 (this was stated by one of their executives), this is despite the fact that video games costs have not increased since 2006 (and in many cases they have even decreased due to developers now knowing how to program for shader based graphics systems). This practice can make console gaming very unsustainable especially if other developers follow through.
I think that Nintendo should try to have a dialogue with EA in order to patch up the relationship, but based on EA's track record I do not believe that they will listen or change their mind (they might do so when the Wii U has a higher install base, but even then I doubt they will bring over many of their important titles). Thus, it might be better for Nintendo to work with other third-parties and internal studios to close the rift that a lack of EA games will cause.
Re: SEGA Still Committed To Wii U Despite Aliens: Colonial Marines Cancellation
@19Robb92
I do not think we will see a third entry in the storybook Sonic series (games like Secret Rings or Black Knight) because the Black Knight did not sell well enough and it received very poor review, also Sega delisted both Sonic and the Secret Rings and Black Knight in 2010 before the release of Sonic Colors and Sonic 4.
I personally think that Sonic Team will develop a new mainstream 3D Sonic game (like Colors and Generations) and release it on a mix of current gen and next-gen systems (including Wii U).
Re: Talking Point: An Open Letter To Nintendo
I agreed with most of this. However, the part where he said Metroid is dead and Zelda is no longer enjoyable is just opinion. The portion of the article that states there is a difference between a game that sells and a game that developers want to make is also incorrect, because Nintendo has always focused on making unique games even if no one has requested them and this is how some of their key franchises became popular. I do agree completely with the fact that Nintendo needs to push third parties, they must create development incentives for them in order to regain their trust and respect.
Re: Best Buy Employee On A Mission To Save R.O.B.
Wow this could be the basis for Toy Story 4.
Re: Video: Wii U Menu Speed Upgrade Cuts Waiting Time By More Than Half
The game-to-menu loading is much improved, it is not really an issue to me anymore. I hope they also improve the menu-to-game loading as well as the loading of the notifications app (although Nintendo said that one loading update will come in April and the other will come in summer, so maybe the summer one will improve the other loading issues)
Re: Diablo III May Not Be A Sony Exclusive After All
I think the Gamepad and PS4 touchpad will make the game easier to play on traditional consoles because they can bring proper mouse controls using these touch methods. However, I do not really think that any traditional console will work well for this game, even the touch enabled ones (though the game will work better on touch enabled systems). The touch controls still do not bring it close enough to a mouse and keyboard combo (which works very well for this type of game) and the Battle.net online play is missing which was a key part of the original. I do not think any traditional console will work for this game.
Re: Wii Mini Generating Little Interest in The UK
@WingedFish
It was first available in Canada (which is located in North America).
Re: Wii Mini Generating Little Interest in The UK
I really like Nintendo consoles. I love the fact that they focus on unique gameplay, simply fun and immersive games, and a low price point. In fact, the Wii became my favourite console this generation for the reasons above, and now I am really enjoying the Wii U. The redesigns that Nintendo makes also do makes sense, sometimes they take something away that is no longer necessary but they compensate for it by adding something else. The Wii Family Edition removed the GC port (which made sense because GC games were no longer being sold or published and getting a used GC is pretty cheap now), but they made up for it by offering great bundles. The DSi removed GBA backward compatibility but it added an online store for mini games and a camera. The GB Micro removed GB and GBC compatibility but it added a better screen.
The Wii Mini on the other hand is terrible. It cannot output video at 480P because it cannot use component cables (this is something that the decade old Gamecube can do), it has no method of file transfer, Wii games that require two USB accessories do not work, no Wifi means no WiiWare, online play, or Virtual Console (VC for me was the biggest online feature of the Wii), they did not include the Skyward Sword Save Fix channel so if you happen to run the Skyward Sword glitch you have to send your system to Nintendo, they did not even bother redesigning the Wii Menu (which is the same, except for the fact that a few options are lazily removed), and it is not even that mini (aside from the features).
Now some people will say that the Wii Mini is justifiable because of the price. I say no, because I have seen Wii Family Edition bundles (with two games and two Wiimotes + Nun-chucks) being sold here in Canada for just a bit more than the Mini and you can buy a used Wii (which has Wifi, 480P support, etc) for around $40-$60. The Wii Mini also gives the Wii brand more bad reputation because of its omissions, and this could be very bad for the Wii U as well since it is using the same branding.
If I were Nintendo I would discontinue the Wii Mini immediately. I would create a redesigned Wii hardware with the disk drive and Wifi included. I would allow users to connect a portable HD to the console and I would offer Wii games and GC games (along with VC games and WiiWare titles and things like Netflix and Amazon Instant Video [which are already on the Wii) online. I would also build in a RF communications chip and bundle a Wavebird-like Gamecube controller for GC and VC games. Users who have the original GC and Wii games on disk will also be able to play it on the system. I'd call the system the Mini Arcade, include a Wiimote Plus + Nunchuck and a Wavebird controller plus a copy of Wii Sports or maybe $20 eShop card.
Re: Pachter: Wii U Will Sell Between 30 to 50 Million Units During Its Lifetime
@Hamispink
One of EA's executives said that game prices will increase by $10 again this generation once all next-gen consoles are released, which is going to be brutal to everyone in the traditional game market if it happens. Although I believe Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft will try to keep software prices down because it would detrimental for their hardware business if it increases again this generation.
Re: Pachter: Wii U Will Sell Between 30 to 50 Million Units During Its Lifetime
Patcher's analysis is moronic and here are a few reasons why:
Firstly, he got the PS4's graphical and CPU power all wrong. The PS4 is running on a 8 core Jaguar processor @ between 1.6 GHZ - 2.2 GHZ with 4 FPUs (which means that these are more like 4 cores with 4 additional integer calculating cores), AMD has said that the Jaguar will be featured on their cheap low-end APUs for low-end compact desktops or for laptops. Furthermore, AMDs current high-end "8" core processors are being beaten by both Intel's high-end Core i7 and even the mid-range Core i5 (you can search up the benchmarks on Google), so I doubt the low-end version of these series is going to be powerful at all. Furthermore, Sony said that the combination of the PS4's GPGPU with the CPU will achieve around 2.5 Teraflops of power (the graphics card will achieve around 1.84 teraflops), you can get a PC graphics card for around $250-$300 which will offer 2.5 Teraflops alone in graphical processing capabilities (not even counting the CPU). Patcher clearly does not understand hardware and he is just basing his opinion on what he is being told by Sony's marketing team (who are lying by the way, because you can make a PC system more powerful than the PS4 for $450, and the PS4 is using PC parts anyways; so this console is not the powerhouse that the PS3 was at launch). The Wii U is less powerful than PS4, but not to the same degree as Wii and PS3. Furthermore, because Nintendo creates its own graphics API, it can ensure that all of the Wii U's graphical features are made use (which means the tessellation units and compute shader capabilities of the Wii U's R770 graphics card can be used, which means the Wii U's GPU is almost on par with the PS4 in terms of features, the PS4's GPU is only a bit faster). I am not condemning the PS4 for not having powerful hardware (I personally believe that lower power consumption, unique gameplay, and higher system reliability is more important for consoles) but I am condemning both Sony and Patcher for making the system more than it actually is.
Secondly, Patcher is anticipating that the unannounced next-gen Xbox is going to outsell the Wii U and sell on par with the PS4. When we do not know the console, Microsoft's strategy, games, price, or anything else for that matter.
Thirdly, he is predicting that companies will sell 30 million - 95 million units and then exit the video game hardware market. This is a moronic sentiment, because why would you exit out of a market after such high sales.
Fourthly, Patcher seems to be avoiding the point that last-gen Wii games sold the highest by a high margin when compared to previous generations, which means that there are people who will potentially upgrade systems when their favourite franchises from the Wii era arrives on the Wii U. He is also dismissing the fact that by the time PS4 and the next-gen Xbox arrive the Wii U will probably be priced lower then it is now, which will make it a big hit for christmas shoppers on a budget (the Wii U already sold more than 3 million units this Christmas, and it outdid the preceding generation (excluding the Wii) during its launch christmas, and it will have more games and perhaps more bundles.
Lastly, Patcher said that Wii would fail and Nintendo would not be able to compete in the 7th generation (it did not happen, Wii has now sold 99 million units), he said that MS Kinect would fail (it did not happen, Microsoft has sold more than 25 million Kinect sensors), he predicted 3DS would fail (did not happen, it is now the fastest selling system in Australia and Japan and has sold close 30 million units in its first 2 years and it has consistently dominated the hardware charts (always in first place in Japan, and second-first place everywhere else), he predicted that PS Vita would outsell the 3DS upon launch because of more multimedia features and better graphics (does this look familiar to the chart above, also it did not happen). Based on his wrong and narrow minded predictions in the past (in fact I cannot think of any correct predications off the top of my head), I can say that I will not put much stock in his most recent predictions. I know that Patcher is an analyst, but I do not think he is good analyst; based on his statements he has a clear bias against Nintendo and he does not look at all aspects of the consoles; moreover, he makes high sales predictions on consoles that have not even been revealed yet.
Re: Game Freak Reveals The Origins of Rhythm Hunter: HarmoKnight
I was initially skeptical of this game, but I saw the new trailer in the eShop and it is really looking good. I will try to eventually purchase it.
Re: Ninterview: The Blake Robinson Synthetic Orchestra
Great interview. I really enjoy Blake's orchestrations (especially his work on Zelda: Skyward Sword), I cannot wait to see what he orchestrates next.
Re: Nintendo Europe's Official Statement About eShop Cards
@weirdproq
I know in Canada we always get everything last and usually at higher prices. Nintendo of America cares about all of America except for us Canadians. I've talked to a EB Games owner who told me that they will bring the cards from September - October.
Re: Miyamoto: "Wii U is an Attractive Environment for Developers"
@outrun2sp
The Vita is not going to have the 3D effect. And Nintendo can easily make the 3DS sell more this coming holiday by either bundeling a game or lowering the price (or both). Moreover, one of the things that has turned off the people whom I have spoken to about the Vita is that there is only backwards compatibility with certain titles that are only available via the Playstation Network. The 3DS's backwards compatibility was one of the key reasons that made me choose it over the Vita. But I will agree with you on the fact that people who enjoy higher end graphics will indeed choose the Vita because its graphical capabilities are quite amazing.
As for the Wii U controller, after actually feeling one myself I can say that it is actually quite comfortable. In fact, it felt like a GameCube controller just a bit wider which really did not make a difference.