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Splatoon - Nintendo's next smash bros?

OuterLimits

Member
While I don't think it will be a huge seller, hopefully it does well enough that it maintains a player base for a good amount of time.
 

rhandino

Banned
I think Splatoon has the options to be very big. Will Nintendo market it well?
Surprisingly yes, they are betting big in this one... from the top of my head:

1) Special reveal at E3

2) They had the massive boots in E3

3) They have showed the game since said reveal in all their direct with a good time

4) This one is funny, but on gaffer said that in a Mall they are showing and letting people try the game and asking them questions about the feel of the game, characters and gameplay...

5) The rumor that is going to be at APEX in playable form.

All of those and more make me a little optimistic that if the game don't sell gangbuster at least they want to grow the brand in the future
 

entremet

Member
Not even close.

I hope Nintendo doesn't kill the franchise though. I can't see it doing well doubly due to the poor install base of the Wii U.
 

JCX

Member
It'll do decently well enough to set up Splatoon 2 (Splatwoon?) as a launch title for their next console.
 
This game definitely won't flop. It has all the makings of a successful new IP. The Wonderful 101 is the definition of niche, Splatoon has a wide appeal.
 

AdanVC

Member
Maybe... at least it's starting to do lot's of noise on Tumblr. People there are literally in love of the character design in this game and if it's marketed properly and by properly I mean putting it EVERYWHERE, then it would become something big. Not as big as Mario Kert or Smesh but still. It is going to be super fun to play I'm sure. Can't wait till may
 
I'm more concerned about whether Splatoon can match the basic gameplay depths and fun of Smash. I mean, I'm hoping, but I've not played it.
 

Azure J

Member
You bet your ass that even if this thing comes out with lukewarm reception, Nintendo is going to aggressively push it in any venue they can get it. I wouldn't be surprised to see Nintendo start hosting events in the distant future with Mario Kart, Smash, Splatoon, Pokemon, Kid Icarus Uprising and whatever else to say these are their competitive franchises.

That said, I really believe that it'll be far from a flop. It's not doing any wild numbers like Wii ___ last gen based on the reality of the Wii U but it'll do well enough.
 
Why everyone is so certain about Splatoon flopping? I doubt it will if turns out to be a great game and Nintendo actually put an effort into advertising it (something they play it safe a lot, especially with new IPs).
 

JoJoSono

Banned
Not without local more than 2 player multiplayer. Splatoon's non 4 player multiplayer really turned me off. What has the WiiU valuable to me is local multiplayer. Mario Kart and Smash of course the big hits, but those all allow for more than two people. So groups of people come over to play WiiU. Having just 2 player won't be appealing.
 

Neiteio

Member
You bet your ass that even if this thing comes out with lukewarm reception, Nintendo is going to aggressively push it in any venue they can get it. I wouldn't be surprised to see Nintendo start hosting events in the distant future with Mario Kart, Smash, Splatoon, Pokemon, Kid Icarus Uprising and whatever else to say these are their competitive franchises.

That said, I really believe that it'll be far from a flop. It's not doing any wild numbers like Wii ___ last gen based on the reality of the Wii U but it'll do well enough.
Bring back Space World and make it a combination of competitive Nintendo titles and a "second E3."
 

SmithnCo

Member
It's definitely an interesting take on the MP shooting genre and has the potential to engage more players that aren't as good at precise aiming.
 

rhandino

Banned
Not long ago people were certain that things like Toad Treasure Trackers and Tomodachi Life were going to flop...

I mean, this can be a flop but until now they have very good word of mouth, the gameplay looks easy to grasp and fun to master, has that singleplayer content to catch those not interested in the online aspect of it... if anything is this flops I would no blame Nintendo because they are hitting all the right notes.
 

guek

Banned
Not long ago people were certain that things like Toad Treasure Trackers and Tomodachi Life were going to flop...

I mean, this can be a flop but until now they have very good word of mouth, the gameplay looks easy to grasp and fun to master, has that singleplayer content to catch those not interested in the online aspect of it... if anything is this flops I would no blame Nintendo because they are hitting all the right notes.
How well did toad do?
 
I remember when I first saw Splatoon I immediately thought that it could have a competitive scene around it since the objective of the game begs for coordinated teams and in depth tactics. Despite this it also looks like a fun game for anyone to play. I doubt it would reach even a fraction of Smash or Mario Kart's success, but as a game that appeals to everyone it looks at least on par with those games.

Here's hoping it sells well (well enough I mean).
 

rhandino

Banned
How well did toad do?
In Japan it has sold 132k to date and in the last NPD thread the numbers showed were not bad for a budget title but I don't remember the exact number, let me check or if someone have it at hand =D

Tomodachi Life is the most surprising one since I believe that it surpassed the million mark outside Japan.

Edit: Found it, 250k in United States for Treasure Trackers.
 

Aerogamer

Neo Member
If it made a debut during 2007-2009 it would have been a huge hit with the right marketing push. If it is a success relative to the Wii U then it can still have hit franchise potential down the line. (Not close to Smash hype though)
 

guek

Banned
In Japan it has sold 132k to date and in the last NPD thread the numbers showed were not bad for a budget title but I don't remember the exact number, let me check or if someone have it at hand =D

Tomodachi Life is the most surprising one since I believe that it surpassed the million mark outside Japan.

Edit: Found it, 250k in United States for Treasure Trackers.
Not too shabby. I wonder if it will eventually break a million world-wide
 

Big One

Banned
It entirely depends on the marketting for the most part. If it's marketed as hard as Nintendo possibly can market it ala they did with Dragon Quest 9, it might do some really solid sales.
 

Nickle

Cool Facts: Game of War has been a hit since July 2013
I think it would find great success on PC, but their aren't enough people with a Wii U to make the Splatoon online community truly great. I imagine that it will be loved by current Wii U owners and ignored by everyone else.
 

Nilaul

Member
All the cards are in Nintendo's hands. They really just need to market it like it was the next big supersmash/zelda.
 

rhandino

Banned
Unlocking Amiibo related clothes and perhaps weapons is a safe bet.
Eh! They could make it awesome, like:

- Mario amiibo: Unlock F.L.U.D.D.

- Luigi amiibo: Unlock the Poltergust.

- Samus amiibo: Unlock the Power Suit.

- Link amiibo: Unlock the beetle
 
Unlocking Amiibo related clothes and perhaps weapons is a safe bet.

weapons?

yeah, no thanks

I think it would find great success on PC, but their aren't enough people with a Wii U to make the Splatoon online community truly great. I imagine that it will be loved by current Wii U owners and ignored by everyone else.

could have also been a big hit if they had come up with this idea for the Wii
 

GamerJM

Banned
I think it would find great success on PC, but their aren't enough people with a Wii U to make the Splatoon online community truly great. I imagine that it will be loved by current Wii U owners and ignored by everyone else.

I think it would do really well as a F2P PC title
with microtransactions
and mildly well within its own genre (alongside stuff like Garden Warfare) if it was a one-time purchase release that goes on sale frequently.
 

MilesTeg

Banned
Splatoon has loads of gameplay potential. The only problem is Wii U. It's truly unfortunate this game has to release on this console.
 

Chmpocalypse

Blizzard
Oh whoops, I'm on mobile and accidentally hit post instead of closing the tab. Was going to make this topic but thought better of it. Uh...


Well maybe i should write something better in the case this thread doesn't get locked...

Basically, we know it won't reassemble smash in terms of using Nintendo characters but it is the first major new IP from Nintendo in a long time in a traditionally competitive and hardcore genre, much like smash. And like smash, splatoon has the potential to bridge the gap between the casual and hardcore in ways we generally don't see in the shooter genre.

Can Nintendo position splatoon to do for them with the shooter genre what smash did for them as a fighting game?

It's cute, but no. Unlikely to ever break out. Too niche.
 

Crocodile

Member
smash bros has a bunch of nintendo characters fighting on nintendo stages with nintendo items and nintendo music playing

splatoon does not

Well technically Splatoon does because all the characters are Nintendo characters, all the stages are Nintendo stages and all the items & music are Nintendo in origin. Since you know the game is being made by Nintendo

:p
I understand your overall point though
 
A lot of it will depend on how Nintendo handles patching and DLC. Shooters rely quite a bit on those to maintain or boost their popularity. CSGO would've died had Valve just released it and left it as is. But they kept working on it until they got it to a point where competitive players enjoy it, now it's one of the most consistently popular games on Steam. Over the course of two years after launch they'd released more than 60 patches for it. And you see that for others shooters as well. CoD, BF, Team Fortress etc. Developers can't just release a shooter and leave it alone. They have to be on what players are saying. Whether that be balance problems, maps etc.
 
I don't think it'll ever become that popular, but I've had more fun playing it than I ever did with Smash Bros. (Note: I played it at E3, that's all)
 

Chmpocalypse

Blizzard
Splatoon is that one Wii U game that won't just pop up and disappear after awhile. I have a feeling they will keep pushing it and slowly grow its audience because this is the future of AAA games and the genre has huge potential.

Maybe the next gen sequel takes on an f2p model, maybe they'll start integrating established Nintendo characters if the hype dies down, but yeah I don't think this will simply come and go no matter how badly it sells.

Splatoon is the future of AAA games?

Lololololol
 

guek

Banned
Eh! They could make it awesome, like:

- Mario amiibo: Unlock F.L.U.D.D.

- Luigi amiibo: Unlock the Poltergust.

- Samus amiibo: Unlock the Power Suit.

- Link amiibo: Unlock the beetle

Splatoon makes me wish you could order custom Amiibos :-(
 
If it doesn't work out they can always fan service it into Super Mario Paintball to truly give it Smash cross over appeal next gen.
 

Cronox

Banned
The next Smash Bros in terms of it being a major Nintendo release with (hopefully) good online multiplayer? Yeah.

A far as success, I think it'll do well, proportional to its install base. Splatoon has great sales potential as a continuing franchise.
 

Shaanyboi

Banned
It looks cool, but... huh? I mean it's maybe possible to be successful and stuff, but it'd also be really presumptuous to assume it can or will be as big as Smash as a competitive game.
 

ffdgh

Member
Eh! They could make it awesome, like:

- Mario amiibo: Unlock F.L.U.D.D.

- Luigi amiibo: Unlock the Poltergust.

- Samus amiibo: Unlock the Power Suit.

- Link amiibo: Unlock the beetle

Why leave out the obvious character? Bowser jr unlocks a paint brush. :p
 

shaowebb

Member
I already get a strong sense that Splatoon is going to be a mega hit for both casual and hardcore players of arena shooters. I can quickly see it becoming something enormous. Just imagine what will happen if they incorporate the Team Fortress equivalent of hat monetization...oh wait...didn't they make character customization a core part of the world?

Yeah...things are shaping up for this one :)
 

rhandino

Banned
Why leave out the obvious character? Bowser jr unlocks a paint brush. :p
Oh, I still don't get the why the Final Smash of Bowser Jr. is that Ink Mario... Sunshine related? =P

The only thing I know of FLUDD is the attack in Smash Bros.

---

Also, I think we need to see this from other perspective, I don't think that Nintendo would consider this game a failure if they don't get that sweet COD money, also the development cost of this game could be very low (word is Nintendo can actually manage a budget) so even if it not set on fire the charts I like to think that the game would not be considered a failure and they can try again in a more successful platform... The New 3DS LOL
 

guek

Banned
I already get a strong sense that Splatoon is going to be a mega hit for both casual and hardcore players of arena shooters. I can quickly see it becoming something enormous. Just imagine what will happen if they incorporate the Team Fortress equivalent of hat monetization...oh wait...didn't they make character customization a core part of the world?

Yeah...things are shaping up for this one :)

The chances of it becoming a break-out monster hit are notably small but I too think it's in the realm of possibility. Like others have said, much depends on how nintendo markets and supports the game. A tournament at APEX would go a long way to show they want the game to be played competitively. Conversely, they might try to push it as yet another family friendly party game, in which case I doubt it'll feel unique enough to gather more than a niche following.
 
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