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Nintendo lowers forecast from ¥55B profit to ¥25B loss [3DS 18M->13.5; WiiU 9M->2.8M]

It's basically what they did with Gamecube. Relied on major partnerships with 3rd parties and dramatically cut back on large scale games that weren't already far along in development. Although I expect a more dramatic cut-back for the Wii U, seeing as it's doing a lot worse than the Gamecube was, and is actually coinciding with the company's first major losses.

Not to mention that said large-scale games cost considerably more to develop than their GC counterparts, and would thus need to sell significantly better in order to turn even GC-level software profits.
 

Tenki

Member
At this point, Nintendo has to go into survival mode.

Bankrolling major projects just to be sent to die on the Wii U doesn't make much financial sense.

It's basically what they did with Gamecube. Relied on major partnerships with 3rd parties and dramatically cut back on large scale games that weren't already far along in development. Although I expect a more dramatic cut-back for the Wii U, seeing as it's doing a lot worse than the Gamecube was, and is actually coinciding with the company's first major losses.

Halting or not greenlighting any game more wouldn't result in a Gamecube-like catalog. If the Wii U catalog would end up similar to Gamecube's there wouldn't be any problem, but what all of you are suggesting is a very, very poor catalog. What is it? The first year games, Mario Kart, Smash, Zelda and four or five games more?
 

royalan

Member
It sold 3.7m, which is good for any game, let alone a system that all but the most devout users had abandoned by November 2011. It's also arguable that Wii's chance to be 'jumpstarted' had long since passed by then. The first HD Zelda (Wind Waker port notwithstanding) should be a bigger deal. I don't expect it to beat those sales unless the game is truly staggeringly good, but I do expect it to draw major media and consumer attention to the system, something there hasn't been a great deal of until 3D World came along.

I don't disagree that a Wii U Zelda will get media attention; but I don't think Zelda is a strong enough franchise to get people to go out and buy a dead system. I mean, Skyward Sword barely pushed 4 million on a platform that had sold 90+ million by the time it released. And yeah, a lot of people had moved on from Wii by that point, but the fact remains that Nintendo couldn't even sell a Zelda game to a significant number of people who already had the system to play it on sitting in their homes.

Honestly, nothing is going to get more attention for Nintendo than a brand new, AAA IP aimed at gamers at this point. Their staple franchises have been milked dry; none of them feel new anymore.
 
The few million people who have bought the Wii U aren't going to be the key to future success in the home console market. Prolonging the Wii U's demise to placate them isn't sound.

Also, regarding discontinuation; I don't think anyone is suggesting Nintendo go up on a podium and announce that they're moving some current projects to the next system, canning any that aren't worthwhile to move, halting production of the Wii U indefinitely and/or permanently and no longer greenlighting any software for it.

But it's what they should be doing behind the scenes if they're planning to launch a new system sooner rather than later, and they should be.For all the praise it garnered, 3D World sold about 570K and the Wii U still ended up sub-GCN for December in the US. Zelda, a weaker brand, isn't jumpstarting anything.

3d world isn´t what the Wii U needed @ this time (Mario 64 successor). And i think nintendo should be very carefully, when it comes to their next console. dumping the Wii u too soon would be really bad for their image too. But something like releasing zelda for WiiU and the next console simultaniously wouldn´t bother me and it worked out just fine with TP..
 
Halting or not greenlighting any game more wouldn't result in a Gamecube-like catalog. If the Wii U catalog would end up similar to Gamecube's there wouldn't be any problem, but what all of you are suggesting is a very, very poor catalog. What is it? The first year games, Mario Kart, Smash, Zelda and four or five games more?
Whatever's been announced already. It doesn't matter how poor the Wii U's catalog ends up. It's a failed project and will continue to be a failed project. There's no point sending software out to die on it unnecessarily.
 

Neff

Member
The few million people who have bought the Wii U aren't going to be the key to future success in the home console market. Prolonging the Wii U's demise to placate them isn't sound.

Also, regarding discontinuation; I don't think anyone is suggesting Nintendo go up on a podium and announce that they're moving some current projects to the next system, canning any that aren't worthwhile to move, halting production of the Wii U indefinitely and/or permanently and no longer greenlighting any software for it.

But it's what they should be doing behind the scenes if they're planning to launch a new system sooner rather than later, and they should be.For all the praise it garnered, 3D World sold about 570K and the Wii U still ended up sub-GCN for December in the US. Zelda, a weaker brand, isn't jumpstarting anything.

It won't do it by itself, but it's the kind of software Nintendo needs to start getting money out of Wii U.

Hardware design and production is incredibly expensive, but a necessary piece of Nintendo's business model. They've sunk billions into Wii U, and it hasn't paid off yet. And honestly, they've barely tried, placing way too much faith in stunningly unsuccessful branding loyalty, Mario, and not much else. Software production, relatively speaking, is much, much cheaper than hardware r&d. And when it works, it's massively profitable. It's how Nintendo makes its dough. It makes much more sense for Nintendo to at least attempt to revive a costly project and broaden its footprint with must have software, vs the NeoGAF proposition of bottling software projects and throwing more billions at new hardware and possibly alienating the fanbase that they do have. Nintendo know what they have to do and have always known, they just haven't done a very good job of it yet, riding a wave of complacency and hubris that's wiped out and left them dry. But at least now reality is staring them in the face.
 

Tobor

Member
Not a cheap Nintendo designed handheld, and especially not without a lot of work.


They managed to sell a million copies of 3D World on that dead system. That's $50,000,000 in revenue. Even if the system will never be a success, it still has a chance to break even while they're working on their next thing. Which, again, will probably surface within the next 18 to 24 months.

If all we're talking about is another cheap Nintendo designed handheld, then they might as well shut it down and go third party. It's now or never, they have to really nail this next platform.
 

Tenki

Member
If all we're talking about is another cheap Nintendo designed handheld, then they might as well shut it down and go third party. It's now or never, they have to really nail this next platform.

So just like every other Nintendo handheld? Should Nintendo have gone third party when they launched the Game Boy, the Game Boy Advance or the DS?

There's no point of making a high-end and more expensive handheld, especially when they have to compete with smartphones, something everyone has. What makes you think they would have sold more if the 3DS had better specs (and possibly a bigger price/lower profit)?
 
I don't disagree that a Wii U Zelda will get media attention; but I don't think Zelda is a strong enough franchise to get people to go out and buy a dead system. I mean, Skyward Sword barely pushed 4 million on a platform that had sold 90+ million by the time it released. And yeah, a lot of people had moved on from Wii by that point, but the fact remains that Nintendo couldn't even sell a Zelda game to a significant number of people who already had the system to play it on sitting in their homes.

Honestly, nothing is going to get more attention for Nintendo than a brand new, AAA IP aimed at gamers at this point. Their staple franchises have been milked dry; none of them feel new anymore.

I agree wholeheartedly with this.
 

jmls1121

Banned
If all we're talking about is another cheap Nintendo designed handheld, then they might as well shut it down and go third party. It's now or never, they have to really nail this next platform.

Because beefed-up dedicated handhelds like the Vita and Game Gear sell gangbusters.
 

wsippel

Banned
If all we're talking about is another cheap Nintendo designed handheld, then they might as well shut it down and go third party. It's now or never, they have to really nail this next platform.
"Nailing it" means creating something affordable and stylish, and marketing it well - not starting another arms race they can't win. They need to carve out a new niche, and that niche certainly isn't in the high end space. $150 or less at launch is where it's at, and you don't get best in class performance and top of the line ultra high resolution displays at that price point.
 
I don't disagree that a Wii U Zelda will get media attention; but I don't think Zelda is a strong enough franchise to get people to go out and buy a dead system. I mean, Skyward Sword barely pushed 4 million on a platform that had sold 90+ million by the time it released. And yeah, a lot of people had moved on from Wii by that point, but the fact remains that Nintendo couldn't even sell a Zelda game to a significant number of people who already had the system to play it on sitting in their homes.

Honestly, nothing is going to get more attention for Nintendo than a brand new, AAA IP aimed at gamers at this point. Their staple franchises have been milked dry; none of them feel new anymore.
This last point cannot be stated enough. Yes, there are other publishers within the industry that release new versions of games each year, but Nintendo isn't one of them (since the year Mario Parties stopped, anyway). And even though Nintendo isn't doing this, it feels like they are given the number of mainline Marios we've receivoed over the last few years. I used to buy them all but just stopped after I bought NSMB 2 and felt like it was too much of the same. Yet more Mario/Kart/Smash/Zelda is only going to satiate the crazy Nintendo fans. It'll also lead to the drop off of people that thought they were Nitendo crazies because they've just become disillusioned by the same titles over and over. This just isn't going to cut it anymore for Nintendo.
 

Tobor

Member
So just like every other Nintendo handheld? Should Nintendo have gone third party when they launched the Game Boy, the Game Boy Advance or the DS?

There's no point of making a high-end and more expensive handheld, especially when they have to compete with smartphones, something everyone has. What makes you think they would have sold more if the 3DS had better specs (and possibly a bigger price/lower profit)?

I'm not asking for the moon here. I'm talking about a handheld targeting late 2015 and Wii U level graphics. I was told above the system would be too cheap for that. If that's true, I don't think they can compete. To be 100% honest, I'm not sure they can compete with hardware no matter what they do. It's not an easy proposition.

Anyway, what I'm proposing they do is a handheld powerful enough to act as a hybrid. The reverse of the Wii U. The tablet/handheld can also transmit to the TV. They consolidate to one platform and try to make a stand for the market they have left.
 

legend166

Member
Give me 50 free VC games of my choice and I don't care if they drop the console.

Then again, I was able to get it for a clearance price ($175) so I'm not as fussed.
 
I seriously can't see how fucking the fans by not releasing games could help Nintendo. I'm sure people who have paid $300 for a Wii U and see how not even Nintendo makes games for it would be excited for the next console. Paying $300 (or even more) for a console with just a year of games support.

The Wii U has lost money for Nintendo despite their premiere IP from last gen getting on the system (Wii Sports + Wii Fit + Wii Party U + Donkey Kong Country + 2D Mario + 3D Mario + the promise of Mario Kart + the promise of Zelda U + the promise of Smash Bros.)

What are the solutions to this dilemma that involve propping up the Wii U?


1) Bite the bullet on a major price cut? Hell no. Nintendo is already losing money with every Wii U sold...this is significantly cutting into their profit margins. At this stage they can't afford to significantly loss-lead with the console. And, they already slashed prices by $50 in key territories a few months ago.

2) More major games? More major games means more greenlit projects which means more overhead which means more 100+ person teams...and yet, what is Nintendo going to get out of it? MAYBE the Wii U will have a slight recovery? MAYBE it will end up somewhat like the GameCube? Or, Nintendo could use all that time and money in starting with something fresh, something properly designed and attuned to the modern market...instead of pursuing mediocrity.

3) Keep the console alive "for the sake of the fans" into 2016 or 2017? Not practical. Investors are irate NOW. Investors want change NOW. We are sick and tired of -35 billion JPY operating losses and the third consecutive year of no performance-based dividends. Nintendo needs to make money in their core business NOW and the avenue that will allow the company to do that while taking into account their unique corporate culture and situation in the industry...should be achieved as soon as possible. The Wii U is not that avenue. Also, the 3DS isn't getting any younger. Pretty soon we're going to need a successor to take over the reigns.

4) Discontinue it slowly? This is the best option. Nintendo is knee-deep into its current Wii U projects (Mario Kart 8, Zelda U, Smash Bros. U, Hyrule Warriors, etc.) To immediately cancel those makes less business sense than finishing them up, releasing them at retail and pray they end up mitigating some of the losses the hardware generates.
 

Tenki

Member
I'm not asking for the moon here. I'm talking about a handheld targeting late 2015 and Wii U level graphics. I was told above the system would be too cheap for that. If that's true, I don't think they can compete. To be 100% honest, I'm not sure they can compete with hardware no matter what they do. It's not an easy proposition.

Anyway, what I'm proposing they do is a handheld powerful enough to act as a hybrid. The reverse of the Wii U. The tablet/handheld can also transmit to the TV. They consolidate to one platform and try to make a stand for the market they have left.

The next handheld will probably be a Vita+ in terms of power, the next step in the Nintendo handheld improvements. They need a cheap device to compete, as they have always done (GBA at $99 or DS at $149 speak for themselves).

A Wii U-power like handheld which can stream to the TV should stream at least at 720p, and it wouldn't be cheap. Nobody want a $250 handheld again. It'd be a very expensive handheld or a very low-powered console. Worst of both worlds.
 

royalan

Member
^^ A handheld capable of outputting Wii U quality visual would cost a hell of a lot more than $250, even 2-3 years from now.

Not to mention would likely have a fucking awful battery.
 

wsippel

Banned
I'm not asking for the moon here. I'm talking about a handheld targeting late 2015 and Wii U level graphics. I was told above the system would be too cheap for that. If that's true, I don't think they can compete. To be 100% honest, I'm not sure they can compete with hardware no matter what they do. It's not an easy proposition.

Anyway, what I'm proposing they do is a handheld powerful enough to act as a hybrid. The reverse of the Wii U. The tablet/handheld can also transmit to the TV. They consolidate to one platform and try to make a stand for the market they have left.
It would be expensive, and there won't be a hybrid device. Really. It's a fucking stupid idea, and you'll most likely come to the same conclusion once you actually start thinking about it.

Yes, "Wii U quality" is certainly possible on a cheap handheld - at 360p. But 360p isn't enough for a hybrid, because it would look like rotten balls on your HDTV set. Wii U quality in 720p - 1080p on a $150 handheld isn't going to happen anytime soon.

The solution is to not compete in the hardware space. At all. Ever. With anyone. It doesn't work. It will never work. There is no point.
 

Tobor

Member
It would be expensive, and there won't be a hybrid device. Really. It's a fucking stupid idea, and you'll most likely come to the same conclusion once you actually start thinking about it.

Yes, "Wii U quality" is certainly possible on a cheap handheld - at 360p. But 360p isn't enough for a hybrid, because it would look like rotten balls on your HDTV set. Wii U quality in 720p - 1080p on a $150 handheld isn't going to happen anytime soon.

The solution is to not compete in the hardware space. At all. Ever. With anyone. It doesn't work. It will never work. There is no point.

Then they need to shut it down and go third party.
 
The Wii U has lost money for Nintendo despite their premiere IP from last gen getting on the system (Wii Sports + Wii Fit + Wii Party U + Donkey Kong Country + 2D Mario + 3D Mario + the promise of Mario Kart + the promise of Zelda U + the promise of Smash Bros.).

What are the solutions to this dilemma that involve propping up the Wii U?


1) Bite the bullet on a major price cut? Hell no. Nintendo is already losing money with every Wii U sold...this is significantly cutting into their profit margins. At this stage they can't afford to significantly loss-lead with the console. And, they already slashed prices by $50 in key territories a few months ago.

2) More major games? More major games means more greenlit projects which means more overhead which means more 100+ person teams...and yet, what is Nintendo going to get out of it? MAYBE the Wii U will have a slight recovery? MAYBE it will end up somewhat like the GameCube? Or, Nintendo could use all that time and money in starting with something fresh, something properly designed and attuned to the modern market...instead of pursuing mediocrity.

3) Keep the console alive "for the sake of the fans" into 2016 or 2017? Not practical. Investors are irate NOW. Investors want change NOW. We are sick and tired of -35 billion JPY operating losses and the third consecutive year of no performance-based dividends. Nintendo needs to make money in their core business NOW and the avenue that will allow the company to do that while taking into account their unique corporate culture and situation in the industry...should be achieved as soon as possible. The Wii U is not that avenue. Also, the 3DS isn't getting any younger. Pretty soon we're going to need a successor to take over the reigns.

4) Discontinue it slowly? This is the best option. Nintendo is knee-deep into its current Wii U projects (Mario Kart 8, Zelda U, Smash Bros. U, Hyrule Warriors, etc.) To immediately cancel those makes less business-sense than finishing them up, releasing them at retail and pray they end up mitigating some of the losses the hardware generates.

You forgot option 5.

5. Release the successor to the Wii U in 2015, make all 2015 Wii U games cross generation releases and work with third parties in the creation of the unit to ensure full support from day zero like Sony and MS. End Kyoto's policy of splendid isolation.
 

royalan

Member
You forgot option 5.

5. Release the successor to the Wii U in 2015, make all 2015 Wii U games cross generation releases and work with third parties in the creation of the unit to ensure full support from day zero like Sony and MS. End Kyoto's policy of splendid isolation.

Return of the Third Pillar
 

Sinnick

Member
The way I see it, Nintendo's biggest problem by far is their marketing. It's an even bigger issue than the lack of 3rd parties supporting their platform(s). The company has relied way too much on a "build it and they will come" philosophy and selling products via word of mouth. Nintendo has failed to adequately communicate to the public their design philosophy, how its products are superior to others (and thus, worthy of a premium price), and why any perceived flaws are irrelevant.

Unless Nintendo creates another Wii-like phenomenon, there's no point in releasing a new platform and accompanying games unless you're willing to hammer into the public's skulls why they should buy them. If I could give the Iwata and the Board of Directors any advice, it would be to really think about Nintendo is all about as a company & use whatever life remains in the Wii U and 3DS to create an overall marketing strategy that

a) allows them to accurately gauge the size of their audience.
b) starts to resonate with the general public even if it doesn't translate into a massive upswing in sales.
 

wsippel

Banned
Then they need to shut it down and go third party.
No!

Because there is a huge ass market the PS4 doesn't serve, and the Xbone doesn't serve, and the iPad doesn't serve. A market potentially bigger than all of them combined. That's the market Nintendo needs to serve, because nobody else can.
 

Tobor

Member
You forgot option 5.

5. Release the successor to the Wii U in 2015, make all 2015 Wii U games cross generation releases and work with third parties in the creation of the unit to ensure full support from day zero like Sony and MS. End Kyoto's policy of splendid isolation.

Working with third parties on the hardware doesn't change anything. They still have serious branding and demographic issues. If those aren't also addressed, the hardware is irrelevant.

No!

Because there is a huge ass market the PS4 doesn't serve, and the Xbone doesn't serve, and the iPad doesn't serve. A market potentially bigger than all of them combined. That's the market Nintendo needs to serve, because nobody else can.

Can you elaborate? You just described a market that doesn't exist.
 

royalan

Member
The way I see it, Nintendo's biggest problem by far is their marketing. It's an even bigger issue than the lack of 3rd parties supporting their platform(s). The company has relied way too much on a "build it and they will come" philosophy and selling products via word of mouth. Nintendo has failed to adequately communicate to the public their design philosophy, how its products are superior to others (and thus, worthy of a premium price), and why any perceived flaws are irrelevant.

Unless Nintendo creates another Wii-like phenomenon, there's no point in releasing a new platform and accompanying games unless you're willing to hammer into the public's skulls why they should buy them. If I could give the Iwata and the Board of Directors any advice, it would be to really think about Nintendo is all about as a company & use whatever life remains in the Wii U and 3DS to create an overall marketing strategy that

a) allows them to accurately gauge the size of their audience.
b) starts to resonate with the general public even if it doesn't translate into a massive upswing in sales.

For marketing to be effective, you have to have a product that the general public sees a use for. If not, you're basically just arguing the best shade of lipstick to put on a pig.

A $300 console with no 3rd party support that's barely more powerful than last gen and featuring a tablet controller that nobody could give a shit about if they tried is not something the public sees a use for.
 
No!

Because there is a huge market the PS4 doesn't serve, and the Xbone doesn't serve, and the iPad doesn't serve. A market potentially bigger than all of them combined. That's the market Nintendo needs to serve, because nobody else can.

Do you believe they know how to? What makes you believe it? If you say "Wii and DS," what made them forget how to do it with Wii U and 3DS?

I'm serious. I see a lot of blind faith in Nintendo because they got it right before. But the same Nintendo has also repeatedly gotten it incredibly wrong before. If Nintendo could be counted on to crank out successes, they wouldn't have made the Wii U, and frankly they wouldn't have made the 3DS.
 
StarFox, F-Zero and Metroid is one positive step forward. I agree with those stating about the likes of Mario being milked dry, it would be great to see some new ip, maybe a western style RPG or maybe working with another third party to create something.
 

Dave Long

Banned
Wii U was the first console released in the current generation. Much like Xbox 360, it came out one year before the competition.

Did Microsoft give up on 360 because the Wii and PS3 came along? No. They continued on their path and ultimately did ok.

Nintendo would be stupid to abandon the Wii U now. The generation has quite literally just begun. They have plenty of time to sell more Wii U systems. Just as Microsoft and Sony have plenty of time to fuck up with their consoles and/or succeed with them.
 

wsippel

Banned
Can you elaborate? You just described a market that doesn't exist.
It does exist.


Do you believe they know how to? What makes you believe it? If you say "Wii and DS," what made them forget how to do it with Wii U and 3DS?

I'm serious. I see a lot of blind faith in Nintendo because they got it right before. But the same Nintendo has also repeatedly gotten it incredibly wrong before. If Nintendo could be counted on to crank out successes, they wouldn't have made the Wii U, and frankly they wouldn't have made the 3DS.
I don't think they know, and I agree, 3DS and Wii U are proof they don't. But they did manage to get closer than anybody else more than once.
 
Wii U was the first console released in the current generation. Much like Xbox 360, it came out one year before the competition.

Did Microsoft give up on 360 because the Wii and PS3 came along? No. They continued on their path and ultimately did ok.

Nintendo would be stupid to abandon the Wii U now. The generation has quite literally just begun. They have plenty of time to sell more Wii U systems. Just as Microsoft and Sony have plenty of time to fuck up with their consoles and/or succeed with them.

Many people don't see it as a current gen machine. I don't personally either.
 
You forgot option 5.

5. Release the successor to the Wii U in 2015, make all 2015 Wii U games cross generation releases and work with third parties in the creation of the unit to ensure full support from day zero like Sony and MS. End Kyoto's policy of splendid isolation.

Yup. Either this or third party or the only viable options for Nintendo if they want to continue making home console games.
 
Nintendo's problem is their god awful marketing.

Also anyone still expecting the hybrid? That would be so expensive.

Yup. Either this or third party or the only viable options for Nintendo if they want to continue making home console games.

They can't release a console next year, this takes tons of time, it won't happen.

Also they would need a change of architecture and dropping BC too.
 
Presumably it's the "family entertainment" /party game market that's being referred to.
It's Nintendo's traditional strength.

But there's no reason the XB1, or the PS4, or the iPad can't serve this market. During the PS2 and PS1 eras, they were the mainstream/family console. Late in the seventh gen, someone would probably go get their family an 360 with Kinect.

Meanwhile, just a heads up.
heads%20up.jpg
 

Phediuk

Member
Wii U was the first console released in the current generation. Much like Xbox 360, it came out one year before the competition.

Did Microsoft give up on 360 because the Wii and PS3 came along? No. They continued on their path and ultimately did ok.

Nintendo would be stupid to abandon the Wii U now. The generation has quite literally just begun. They have plenty of time to sell more Wii U systems. Just as Microsoft and Sony have plenty of time to fuck up with their consoles and/or succeed with them.

Specious comparison. The 360 has sold over 80 million units and ended up in 1st place in the US and UK. It's, what, the 5th best selling game console of all time worldwide (behind only the Playstations and the Wii)? It's also sold something like 700 million software units. "OK" is a gross understatement.

And you're comparing the 360 to the Wii U? Really? A console which won't even reach 20 million unless there's a huge turnaround? A console that major retailers are already dropping? A console that will probably have fewer than 100 retail games released for it by the end of its lifetime?

The Wii U is not the next GameCube. It's the next Saturn. It is a catastrophic fall from grace almost without precedent in this industry.
 

Dave Long

Banned
Many people don't see it as a current gen machine. I don't personally either.
Those are the same people who didn't think the Wii was a "current gen" machine. Look up what that sold.

Frankly, Nintendo doesn't need you, and speaking personally as a Wii U owner who has really enjoyed the system and many of its games? I don't want you. Go away and play your AAA brown and grey games. Good riddance to all the bad rubbish. Take your worthless opinions of what they should do along with you. You wouldn't buy their system regardless of what it was capable of in the first place.

This is what makes the whole business of what Nintendo should or shouldn't do so maddening. Most of the people who want them to change don't want them around in the first place because they represent everything they don't want gaming to be anymore. They want the kids and families to go away so they can sit on their high horses playing Call of Duty and The Last of Us while proclaiming their maturity.
 

royalan

Member
Wii U was the first console released in the current generation. Much like Xbox 360, it came out one year before the competition.

Did Microsoft give up on 360 because the Wii and PS3 came along? No. They continued on their path and ultimately did ok.

Nintendo would be stupid to abandon the Wii U now. The generation has quite literally just begun. They have plenty of time to sell more Wii U systems. Just as Microsoft and Sony have plenty of time to fuck up with their consoles and/or succeed with them.

The Xbox 360 (and PS3) had something that the Wii U could never hope to count on:

3rd Party support.

Despite how slow-going the first year of those platforms were, MS and Sony could count on getting a steady stream of content when 3rd parties ramped up their software. And that's exactly what happened.

Not so for the Wii U. Not only is the Wii U getting the best Nintendo games it's going to get already, but the dismal 3rd party support it's getting now is only going to get worse from here on out.

The Wii U has likely already had its best year, in regards to software.

Frankly, Nintendo doesn't need you, and speaking personally as a Wii U owner who has really enjoyed the system and many of its games? I don't want you. Go away and play your AAA brown and grey games. Good riddance to all the bad rubbish. Take your worthless opinions of what they should do along with you. You wouldn't buy their system regardless of what it was capable of in the first place.

Actually, Nintendo does need us. Needs us desperately, in fact.
 
Tey can't release a console next year, this takes tons of time, it won't happen.

Also they would need a change of architecture and dropping BC too.

If they use a similar APU as found in the ps4 and xbone, would it really take much time? Honest question, I'm no hardware engineer. Just slap some DDR4 in there and BAM, you got a console that can be part of the same software ecosystem as the other two.

And both last generation and this new one have shown that most consumers don't give a crap about BC. If people aren't bemoaning the loss of ps3 and 360 BC, then I can assure you that dropping Wii U BC won't register on the radar at all.
 
They can't release a console next year, this takes tons of time, it won't happen.

Also they would need a change of architecture and dropping BC too.

If they release a real tablet next year with Vita+ graphics, Wii U would quickly become irrelevant. Release Zelda for Wii U around the same time and let it be the console's swan song.
 
I think you're all missing the biggest problem here.

Third parties HATE Nintendo.

It's not "oh, we don't want to work with them". EA, Activision, Capcom, you name it. They all want Nintendo out of the hardware industry.
 

royalan

Member
I think you're all missing the biggest problem here.

Third parties HATE Nintendo.

It's not "oh, we don't want to work with them". EA, Activision, Capcom, you name it. They all want Nintendo out of the hardware industry.

Want some vodka with that kool-aid you're drinkin?
 

Sinnick

Member
For marketing to be effective, you have to have a product that the general public sees a use for. If not, you're basically just arguing the best shade of lipstick to put on a pig.

A $300 console with no 3rd party support that's barely more powerful than last gen and featuring a tablet controller that nobody could give a shit about if they tried is not something the public sees a use for.

No. In general, a company releases a product and then through effective marketing convinces the public why it's 'useful' or worthy of purpose and why disadvantages (a), (b), and (c) don't matter. If the product was inherently useful and its strengths were blatantly obvious to the consumer, the company wouldn't need to effectively market it. They could come up with just about any sort advertising campaign and the product would sell.

Nintendo's biggest problem is that they don't consistently highlight the strengths of the company & its products. A simple example would be how they handled Wii Music in the US. When they debuted it they failed to adequately explain the title and at one point highlighted its multiplayer, quite literally the worst aspect of the game. I think they did this at E3 (which I think resulted in a post conference do-over) and again on at least one national morning talk show. The fact that Nintendo demoed a music title by having people get together and create 'music' that ranged from awful to almost listenable shows that they don't know what they're doing when it comes to marketing.
 

Phediuk

Member
This is most likely bullshit, but I thought I'd put this in the thread for the sake of discussion. What's everyone's opinion on the specs behind this rumor (not the rumor itself)?

http://www.nintendonews.com/2014/01/nintendo-fusion-could-be-nintendos-next-gen-hardware-name/

That "rumor" reads like a Nintendo fan's daydream, along the lines of people who expect Nintendo to announce a new Startropics, a new F-Zero and a Pokemon MMO each year at E3.

I wouldn't give it much credence, if any.
 
If they use a similar APU as found in the ps4 and xbone, would it really take much time? Honest question, I'm no hardware engineer. Just slap some DDR4 in there and BAM, you got a console that can be part of the same software ecosystem as the other two.

And both last generation and this new one have shown that most consumers don't give a crap about BC. If people aren't bemoaning the loss of ps3 and 360 BC, then I can assure you that dropping Wii U BC won't register on the radar at all.

They would have nothing ready for the next consle, add no BC and you have something as bad if not worse than the first 9 moths of the Wii U.

Nintendo isn't going 3rd party, but I fear that all this negative talk about them might br making people not buy the Wii U or whatever Nintendo.

I really hope Nintendo announces some Wii U games soon so people stop thinking they are dropping it.
 

leroidys

Member
I think people need to accept the fact that Nintendo's consumer trust is already somewhat in the toilet. The proof is in the sales (not that many consumers to piss off, to be honest). They also did a number to it when they cut the 3DS price down by a third within its first 6 months, and that was on a much more success platform with more consumers to piss off.
Yeah, so why not just go for broke, right?
Basically, my point is Nintendo has to make SOME drastic moves at this point, and they can't be concerned about pissing off their loyal fans, because they'll do nothing but stay in the same place. The sales of the Wii U are beyond awful, and I don't think they're going to hold out the 3-5 years until the die-hard fans who have already bought in deep it appropriate to move on. The die-hard fans aren't enough to keep this ship afloat.

No, they don't. Not releasing any software for the next two years is the worst thing they could possibly do. There's a large difference between releasing break even products, and living off your reserves for two years with no income.

Then there's the mindshare aspect. People forgot all about nintendo and Wii because they didn't release shit for Wii towards the ends of it's life, so people moved on to other hardware or activities. By the time Wii U came out, nintendo's casual audience was no longer paying attention. Even if they aren't going to sell millions of units of software, it's worth it to placate current owners and keep them interested, and keep a slow trickle of new ninendo users coming.
 

Vormund

Member
They would have nothing ready for the next consle, add no BC and you have something as bad if not worse than the first 9 moths of the Wii U.

Nintendo isn't going 3rd party, but I fear that all this negative talk about them might br making people not buy the Wii U or whatever Nintendo.

I really hope Nintendo announces some Wii U games soon so people stop thinking they are dropping it.

Yeah I agree, lack of BC would hurt them more, and Nintendo has a great back catalog to draw from. They can use emulation, just check how good the Dolphin emulator is. With their own knowledge of the systems it should be even better. They need to fix their online system too. Shove as many games for download on to the eshop.

I personally think they should just ride out this cycle and support WiiU as best they can. With the before mentioned emulation they can use it to strengthen their game catalog for the next system.
 
Iwata is all about trying to follow the next fad to make a quick buck, so look for him to try to do vr in their next console.

Here's the new virtual boy and powerglove combo

virtual-reality-helmet.jpg
 
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