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Nintendo is fucked


Mal
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I'm not even going to jump in on the mobile talk. Personally I think it's unconventional, and while there's hundreds of thousands of mobile devices, it doesn't translate to a large audience for Nintendo games. Anyone with a 3DS is getting a Nintendo game, but anyone with a smartphone doesn't have to, especially in a market littered with free or dirt cheap games.

 

I don't want to see Nintendo go the way of Sega. I've probably said this before, but you're basically asking for trouble rather than any salvation of a company you grew to love. Has Sega really being doing good for themselves? Then again, Nintendo always did have more to offer in the long run, but the times have changed.

 

Doom and gloom aside, because damn if we don't hear it all the time (maybe people get aroused by it), but it is true that Nintendo's chief problem is strategy. Something to consider is, well, rather than Nintendo being ignorant to the modern gaming conventions of other companies, they're actually ill-prepared to match said standards that have been established. It wasn't long ago when Eurogamer had an article when an unnamed party explained the difficulties they faced with developing their game on Wii U. The biggest problem was how none of the Nintendo representatives were familiar with the online infrastructure of PSN and Xbox Live. Literally knew nothing about them and asked to explain and so forth.

 

The 3DS isn't in hot water, and anyone who wants to argue it's failing is out of their mind. Nintendo has to be aware of how fortunate they are in the handheld market. It's like they must depend on it, but truthfully the company has the cash cushion to recover from failures. If the Wii U does fall away, though there are great games, Nintendo still has another shot. However, they need to really consider to match Sony and Microsoft in more regards. You don't have to replicate every damn thing, because innovation is still important, but other companies and developers are capable of laying groundwork for video game technology.

 

Sony was willing to copy you Nintendo, maybe take a look at their online services with proper account management. The eShop is literally on the verge of being in the same camp, but it still reeks of the Wii's Shop Channel. I know Sony and Microsoft are bigger companies with many other divisions, but you only have to worry about their video game aspect. If you noticed anything about the Xbone debacle it's that gamers still widely prefer their consoles to be gaming machines first, other functions optional. You're so close, but try to remember that the industry is constantly changing and what worked back at the turn of the millennium won't hold true a decade later.

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Here's the best article I've found about what Nintendo could or should do to get back in the black. It's far from perfect, but the author is much, much smarter about the games business than either the fanboy reactions or out-of-touch investor-targeted articles. 

 

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/446277/blog/nintendo-must-reinvent-itself/

Edited by Mr. GOH!
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I always find it interesting that a lot of people place most of the burden of the Wii U, and by proxy, Nintendo's failure on Iwata.  It seems reasonable to assume that it's mostly the old guard amongst the executives that are to blame.

 

I think Iwata's got what it takes to turn the situation around in the long haul, but he'll never do it if he's going to be too busy trying fighting off the suits around him.

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The stuff I've read from non-gaming and business-focused media suggest that Iwata and the old guard must all go. I tend to agree; Iwata presided over every single of the Wii U's failures, from the technological development, to third-party relations, and to the branding and marketing. Iwata was a poor leader any way you slice it; if he was preoccupied with battling the old guard, then it was his failure to keep them around and let them wreak havoc. If he agreed with the old guard, then he shares the blame for their terrible mismanagement.

 

He's really taking the only option he has, and that's to fire a lot of management and restructure. Better late than never, but we'll see if it improves or if he's truly as out-of-touch as many fear.

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Not my words but I agree with it. Nintendo got to come up with something if they want to remain in the console world and I honestly do not know what that is. Everything I've read seems more like bandages than anything. They could follow Sony and Microsoft but I don't think there is room. If there is, they'll have to fight for it.

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They really should just drop making home consoles and stick to handhelds from now on. In all honesty, they should just have made an hdmi cable for the 3DS so you could hook it up to your tv and called it a day. Its basically what the Wii U is anyways.

The 3DS already has a Mario Kart, a Zelda AND a Zelda port, and 2 Mario games which are VERY similar to the ones on the Wii U. Not to mention Smash Bros. is going to be on both systems. Sure, the games wont look as nice, but apparently Nintendo fans dont give a shit about graphics. So far every exclusive Wii U game could be perfectly done on a 3DS. It makes no sense to have both.

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Watch Dogs Wii U might be canceled. Bad sign that Ubi won't comment on these reports. It suggests it's still figuring out how it wants to make the announcement,

 

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/446613/wii-u-version-of-watch-dogs-rumoured-to-be-scrapped/

 

Edit: According to the hated Kotaku, US Gamestops are calling folks who foolishly preordered Watch Dogs on the Wii U to tell them the game is canceled. I'll link to a non-Kotaku source so as not to sully this pure forum with a link to the dastardly Gawker media property: http://gamesided.com/2014/01/24/report-watch-dogs-wii-u-pre-orders-cancelled-usa/

 

I guess Nintendo fanboys will have one fewer game to point to when they say that the Wii U has a decent library. 

Edited by Mr. GOH!
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eek, Ubi was one of the few third parties sort of semi supporting the Wii U. Who does that leave now? I think Sega are sort of still on board, though I'm not sure to what extent beyond the lost world game that was released a few months ago. I can't really think of any other publishers showing anything above apathy.

 

If Nintendo had any sense they'd have been using some of their cash to make sure these ports happened from the outset to show they were serious about changing though I think it's too late for that now the other two consoles are out.

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I love this thread title.

And I love my fist in your face!  :getoffmylawn:

 

Anyway, I don't see Nintendo in the "fucked" status yet. They can get there if they stay on the same path, but there have been many indications that Iwata is aware they need to change. The Wall Street Journal has a good comprehensive article from when Nintendo announced the Wii U loses.

 

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303465004579325760899958956

 

"The way people use their time, their lifestyles [and] who they are have changed," Mr. Iwata said. "If we stay in one place, we will become outdated."

Mr. Iwata also said Nintendo was considering a "new business structure," but declined to elaborate. The company plans to hold a strategy briefing on Jan. 30.

 

"New Business Structure" sounds more than just strategy, to the extent higher-ups could be finding themselves out of a job. Later this month maybe we'll hear what's what, don't know. Obvious skepticism isn't unwarranted:

 

Some industry experts are skeptical that Nintendo will change, pointing out that the company has a history of going its own way, and not listening to outside advice. "I hate to say this, but Nintendo is out of touch," said Yoshihisa Toyosaki, president of Tokyo-based information-technology consulting firm Architect Grand Design Inc. "It has a chance to change course, but I doubt it's going to take it."

 

There are still some third parties going along with Nintendo, notably Platinum Games who had Wonderful 101, which was well-received, and still has Bayonetta 2 to dish out. Of course, the majority of third parties have the PS4 and Xbone as platforms too, even the PS3 and 360 if desired. The Wii U does have a decent library; it's a library with strong multi-platform titles. The best exclusives are primarily coming from Nintnedo, so yeah.

 

Don't know if anyone wants to go over "Nintendo Fusion," the ultra-high tech console-handheld hybrid rumor. I'm sure Nintendo is already considering what their new console will be, but highly doubtful anything is even ready to have been leaked.

Edited by Atomsk88
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The "Nintendo Fusion" is what I would expect from Nintendo. It makes sense for their image.

In conjunction or alternatively, what if Nintendo went low key in the US and focus everywhere else? This way they don't have to fight two giants but one giant (Sony) and a wolf (MS). If Nintendo can get to the point of being able to tango with Sony everywhere else then maybe they can grow stronger in the States as well as they move forward. So more or less pull a Microsoft. Microsoft pretty much ignored Asia, did a bit at in Europe and went all out in the US with the X1.
Yes, it is insane to pretty much ignore the US market but to me it is an interesting idea.

 

Edit: This is assuming the position of having Nintendo survive in any shape or form in which they still have a console out. So yes, being same-y with Sony is fine (It be sad though). This is also playing the loooooooooooong game.

Edited by MaliciousH
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A lot of people are saying they need to make a Pokemon MMO for the Wii U but I really don't think they need to (or should) go that far.  I think if they just made a single player Pokemon knock-off of Ni No Kuni that it would tempt a lot of pokefans into getting a Wii U.  It'd have to be a real RPG, though.  None of this knock off hidden dungeon or colosseum bullshit.  

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My guess is that it will be a combo, if Nintendo is really going down this route. Some games may gets demos, while others get a sort of neutered not-demo, but not really a separate game kind of thing. 

 

This is exactly the sort of half-measure that I think will not work very well at all for the Wii U. Imagine if Candy Crush stopped you at level 10 and asked that you buy a $300 console to continue. Ridiculous. This might, however help the 3DS, though only a bit, I'd wager.

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http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2014-01-28-nintendo-denies-report-of-going-mobile

 

Nintendo denies it, it was a previously suggested idea but one they'd opted to not go through with. Which is great cos the described system would have been a half-ass to the extreme. (p.s not they said "we can confirm that there are no plans to offer minigames on smartphone devices.", so not ruling out games overall)

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