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[DragonSworne]

Great article and really highlights how screwed Nintendo is.

Sticking with Wii U is the worst decision to make and Nintendo is going all in with the disaster. Full steam ahead toward irrelevancy!

 

[Riki]

Let me preface this by saying that I don't think Nintendo is doomed, or on the way towards a collapse. However, to all the people facepalming and lol'ing at the idea that Nintendo has not put out great hardware in years, let me say this: he's right. The DS came out in November 2004, nearly 9 years ago. The Wii sold like hotcakes, but it was not great hardware, it was a gimmick. How many of you have a Wii that has been collecting dust for the last 3 or 4 years? Sure, you'd break it out for that occasional first party release, but that was it. Hell, many of the people that picked up a Wii U have complained that it's already collecting dust next to their TVs. The 3DS was a decent iteration on the DS, but for all the talk of how great the library is, I haven't really touched the thing in ages. This could be me not paying enough attention to 3DS releases, but where are the great titles? Additionally, where are the great titles that really use the 3D to their benefit? Enter the 2DS; this may not be for me, but I can't see this thing selling much after the initial batch that gets picked up for kids alongside a Pokemon game.

It is definitely you. This year has been amazing for the 3DS. Best of any system this year by far.

 

[Gemüsepizza]

The thing Nintendo should be concerned about imo is the time after the 3DS. Right now they can rely on it, but they will be under incredible pressure to not screw up a successor. And it will be hard in a world where smartphones are absolutely everywhere.

 

[JoeM86]

A point he brings up that I really never dwelled on before, is that the release of the 2DS admits that the 3D in the 3DS was a mistake.

I think that Nintendo probably agrees with that; they marketed the 3D feature as the major reason to buy it and now that it failed to take off they release a cheaper version without it.

In the end, I love the games on my 3DS but I can't help but think it would have been a better and cheaper system without the 3D.

Nintendo made the same mistake as TV manufacturers and movie studios...they thought that consumers actually cared for 3D, when they never really have.

 

[Diddy Kong]

Not even worthy of a click.

 

[axisofweevils]

The announcement of the 2DS really has brought a lot of the "Nintendo should make games for iPhone" analysts out of the woodwork.

They fail to realise that the 2DS is just a cheap version of the 3DS - it is no more an admission of failure than Apple releasing the iPhone 5C.

Yes, the 3DS is selling far less than the DS, true, but the DS is the second best selling console of all time. By that metric, every single dedicated gaming device ever released apart from the PS2 is a failure.

The fact that the 3DS is only 20% behind the DS, despite the rise of smartphones and cheap 99c games, the controversial 3D effect which put many people off and the constant "Nintendo is doomed" mantra from certain sections of the media is a massive achievement.

Pokemon X&Y this year alone will make Nintendo more money than a sub-par iPhone game ever would.

 

[Fantasmo]

They could survive for a bit, but not for a protracted length of time. The surplus they have would deplete fast with such a loss. Even with the 3DS back to profitability, they're still barely making a profit, and still with an operating loss. For them to lop a further $100 off the Wii U, it could be catastrophic.

Let's say they do that. Let's assume the Wii U is breaking even now (even though it's not). Let's say they still fail despite the price cut and only sell 1m units. That's still $100m lost on the console.

Part of the reason Nintendo's losses in 2011/12 were so big was because the 3DS took off at its new price. It'd be far worse and would irreparably damage the company.

I highly doubt that. I don't have their financials to prove it but for the past ten years they've been stingy beyond all belief. They've got piles of cash.

And considering how weak they are in the console space, they really should take drastic measures. Waiting it out is not going to move units either. For $100 more I can have a PS4 and some F2P games. That should scare Nintendo, although it doesn't seem to be doing so.

The only reason that I would consider WiiU is if some really compelling software came out, or I had kids. That too should worry Nintendo. Systems aren't moving from shelves into homes. Many current Wii U owners are frustrated, and non owners have little reason to become interested. Its time to make some big changes.

 

[sgt jumpy]

Isn't Nintendo an island floating in an ocean of cash? Wii and DS, greatest selling consoles--home and portable--of all time, right? Also, 20% behind the GOAT handheld isn't all that bad, is it?

I'd like a Wii U, but 300$ seems a bit too much to ask for, considering the hardware and shallow library.


Did the Wii sell more units than the PS2?

 

[TheSpaceBetween]

Sure, you'd break it out for that occasional first party release, but that was it.

Naw dawg, there were TONS of great third party games for Wii. People just like to ignore them. There is a thread about it somewhere.

 

[eojoko]

In 2013, Nintendoomed articles are clickbait. I would be embarrassed to have an article like this on a website I worked for.

 

[Screamapillar]

Saw this earlier, was going to post this. He raises some good points

And compares Nintendo to Nokia and Blackberry. lol. Didn't really put too much stock in the rest of what he said after reading that part.

Nokia and BlackBerry don't have a dozen extremely durable IP's that are the envy of Disney.

 

[redcrayon]

I don't know, I find this kind of thing a bit odd. The PS4 has to prop up the Vita as much as the 3DS has to prop up the Wii U, surely? I don't see why the situation is that different that you'd phrase one more favorably than the other.

Sure, absolutely. But in terms of directly comparing the Vita and 3DS, it's different, that's all I was saying.

If I was to expand a bit, The WiiU is a much bigger problem as Nintendo were relying on it taking off in a far bigger way, but they can't just slowly cancel their major development resources on it, they are tied to supporting it for at least another four years so at best can aim for a small profit, a huge loss of marketshare and an even greater lack of a home console functional relationship with major western developers. Sony didn't have their main teams working on Vita stuff in the first place, so they don't have quite so much invested in it- it won't affect their bottom line in quite the same way.

Both aren't doing well but I just think meeting every negative 3DS article with 'what about the Vita!' kinda misses the point, that the 3DS is doing just fine but the misconception exists that 80% of DS sales is somehow bad. Personally I think retaining 80% sales in the face of mass smartphone and tablet take up by first world countries is a decent achievement on it's own if we look at it from another point of view, and aiming the 2DS model at the playground crowd with streetpass functionality for pokemon, animal crossing and miiverse, before they get hooked on their parents old iPhone, is a great idea. If it works, it will have cost them very little but gained them a precious bulwark against losing the future business of one of their most loyal customer groups.

 

[kitsuneyo]

Sensational trash like this would really be better ignored. There's nothing useful here, just a cry for attention.

 

[watershed]

It can be argued very well that the release of the 2ds is Nintendo admitting that the 3d feature on the 3ds has been a failure or at least is completely unneccessary and has not been a good selling point for the system. But to say that the 2ds proves the 3ds is a failure as a product is ridiculous.

 

[michaeltraps]

He sounds like he wants that to happen. So much hate.

I've spoken to a number of people in my day-to-day that "Love Love Love Nintendo" as this guy does, but ultimately want to see it fail. Why? So they don't have to buy more than one system. I can't tell you the number of times I've heard "I wish Nintendo just made software so I could play Zelda on my 360" or "Why doesn't Nintendo just release Pokemon on Vita too?"

There are a significant amount of main-stream gamers out there that grew up on Nintendo, but now view Nintendo hardware as kiddie and something not worth purchasing. Though, if the software were on a console they've already gotten behind (360, PS3, Vita... soon to be XBone and PS4), then they'd make the purchase.

The number of times I've stared at people in response to this, my mouth agape, frightens me.

 

[DragonSworne]

It is definitely you. This year has been amazing for the 3DS. Best of any system this year by far.

It's definitely not him.

3DS is lacking the great third party titles that DS had.

 

[qumo]

WiiU is dead in the water right now but there's no way 3DS is a failure, that's just ridiculous.

 

[Maedhros]

3DS is lacking the great third party titles that DS had.

I agree with this... in first party it's doing great... third... not so much, I guess. SMT4 isn't really up my alley.

 

[wsippel]

John Gruber actually wrote a great piece addressing that over the weekend:

http://daringfireball.net/2013/09/nintendo_in_motion

It's actually not a great piece at all. iTunes for Windows is the same thing as Miiverse for Windows and smartphones, and that actually exists. Final Cut, Logic and fucking OSX isn't on Windows PCs. Only the enabler stuff Apple gives away for free.

 

[peanutbutterlatte]

It's definitely not him.

3DS is lacking the great third party titles that DS had.

When the first party titles are really good, it only matters so much.

 

[tmarques]

People are STILL saying Nintendo needs to drop the WiiU? Do they expect Nintendo to develop, manufacture and release a new console and games for it in a couple of months? Has everyone forgotten what happened to Sega when they decided to cut their losses early time and again?

 

[TheSpaceBetween]

It boggles my mind how people can't comprehend how much damage it would do to Nintendo to simply give up on the Wii U now. It might take a while, but once they can get the price down and a good library of games it will most likely be ok.

 

[Pie and Beans]

Short term, Nintendo isn't doomed. It always annoys me when people use that idea of IMMEDIATE DOOM.

The Nintendo that is looking pretty doomed right now is the 20 years later version where they have no home console market and dedicated handheld market has potentially evaporated to an unsustainable niche.

 

[H_Prestige]

Protip: Siegler is a TechCrunch writer who doesn't specialize in games, but does specialize in rather incendiary articles and opinions (his supremely pro Apple stance is rather legendary)

He's... Not very interesting now

When you have no response to the article, attack the author instead.

 

[freezamite]

It's the same argument Vita guys keep saying and people tell them off anyway.

Not even close. What people criticize about Vita is the lack of EXCLUSIVE games, being them indie or not.
Toki Tori 2 is a semi exclusive title (exclusive during months and now only shared with the PC) and Nano Assault a completely exclusive title.

If you wanted to play with those games, you had to pay for a WiiU.

Obviously those games don't count since they're small, niche, non-AAA titles. What's wrong with you?

And they actually require the player to learn and to have patience. I really don't know what I was thinking when I mentioned them XD

Regarding the article, it's a complete nonsense from top to bottom. Calling 3DS a failure...

 

[ArjanN]

Wii U is doomed = Maybe.
Nintendo is doomed = Nah.

 

[Stuart444]

Honestly, with the WiiU, I do agree it's pretty dead right now and if sales don't improve considerably after this holiday season (so by Feb-ish) then it probably won't get any type of massive revival like the 3DS did...

But when he started going on about the 3DS... just wow. The 3DS is anything but a failure now. It's selling well every month and has plenty of games coming out for it including Pokemon next month which will sell gangbusters.

This is one of the most poorly written articles that wouldn't look out of place on a message board honestly and it's shocking that someone actually gets paid to write that.

 

[Maedhros]

When the first party titles are really good, it only matters so much.

That's not true after all. Some people like the different type of gameplay the third party brings. I would never buy a platform based only on the first party at all.

 

[peanutbutterlatte]

The Nintendo that is looking pretty doomed right now is the 20 years later version where they have no home console market and dedicated handheld market has potentially evaporated to an unsustainable niche.

First off, it's impossible to predict how things will be going twenty years in the future. Twenty years ago Nintendo had a stranglehold on the console market, had incredible third party support, and had no idea of where there future would go. If you told somebody from back then Nintendo's most succesful system to date would involve waving wands at your TV, they would have laughed at you.

Secondly, the 3DS's success shows that it's not quite at the unsustainable niche level yet.

That's not true after all. Some people like the different type of gameplay the third party brings. I would never buy a platform based only on the first party at all.

It's not though; it's got some really good third party titles, and the indie push on the 3DS is great too. I mean one of the strongest 3DS titles this year is Batman Blackgate Origins, and I know so many people looking forward to SMT4, Ace Attorney 5, and Monster Hunter 4.

 

[BronsonLee]

When you have no response to the article, attack the author instead.

Dude, when I was reading TechCrunch heavily for like 3 years, this is ALL THAT HE DID.

I don't give a flying toss about Nintendo, but dude's got no credibility in my eyes whatsoever, and he never will. He's one step above someone's personal Tumblr. I expect more from tech journalists, hence why I went to other sites.

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

Coincidentally, I finally met someone that owns a Wii U yesterday aside from myself.

 

[Interceptor]

Games journalism... We should ban this word. Most of the time it´s just a bloated fanboy blog. They get some money from ads and if they are capable of writing 2 sentences they switch to some PR department later on. The problem is: They want to be more. They want to be film critics, they want to be on the red floor, they want to be in the spotlight. They want to cover a medium which is socially accepted. Like movies or music. Nintendo doesn´t fit in their limited view of the world. It disturbs them. You can´t brag in a cheap bar about writing an articel about Pikmin. Or Mario. Not enough gore. Not mature enough. If i use all my hobby psichyatrist powers i would boil it down to this. They wan´t to get laid. Nintendo won´t help them. They think a fedora and a vita will. It won´t. And they blame Nintendo. They have to leave.. or become 3rd party.

 

[H_Prestige]

Dude, when I was reading TechCrunch heavily for like 3 years, this is ALL THAT HE DID.

I don't give a flying toss about Nintendo, but dude's got no credibility in my eyes whatsoever, and he never will. He's one step above someone's personal Tumblr. I expect more from tech journalists, hence why I went to other sites.

Ok, so what?

Honestly, with the WiiU, I do agree it's pretty dead right now and if sales don't improve considerably after this holiday season (so by Feb-ish) then it probably won't get any type of massive revival like the 3DS did...

But when he started going on about the 3DS... just wow. The 3DS is anything but a failure now. It's selling well every month and has plenty of games coming out for it including Pokemon next month which will sell gangbusters.

This is one of the most poorly written articles that wouldn't look out of place on a message board honestly and it's shocking that someone actually gets paid to write that.

The 3ds is a failure compared to the ds. It's selling less and making less money. That will not change. Had nintendo put two neurons together during R and D and realized 3d is not a market changing feature and never will be, they could have launched the system as the "2ds" and not lose so much money.

 

[KennyLinder]

Imagine Nintendo teaming up with Sony lol. Imagine NeoGAF

 

[Wickerbasket]

It's not though; it's got some really good third party titles, and the indie push on the 3DS is great too. I mean one of the strongest 3DS titles this year is Batman Blackgate Origins, and I know so many people looking forward to SMT4, Ace Attorney 5, and Monster Hunter 4.

Third party support is really poor in comparison to the DS, there's really not a lot of choice if you don't like the few big games that come out every few months.

I'm hoping the situation will change, as I remember the DS facing a similar problem when it was first released.

 

[Asd202]

Definition of failure:

20% behind the most successful product in the history of your industry.

About most successful, didn't PS2 sell more than DS? I remember them being close but I think PS2 had an edge.

 

[gngf123]

I am really goddamn tired of hearing this.

What is it about Nintendo that makes people think they are going to die. Even during their massive peak in popularity with the Wii/DS combo we had people screaming for their doom.

Nintendo are fine for a long time, and the 3DS is far from a failure.

About most successful, didn't PS2 sell more than DS? I remember them being close but I think PS2 had an edge.

Yes, but there really isn't much in it. Only about 2m units or so.

 

[BronsonLee]

Ok, so what?

...So the author has no credibility, and thus neither does his article...?

You've lost the plot here, methinks. Hell, look at the damn title of the article. The dude can't write. I had to read his dreck for years, I'm pretty steadfast in the opinion that he's terrible

 

[Omegasquash]

Wii U is doomed = Maybe.
Nintendo is doomed = Nah.

Truth post.

 

[Anoregon]

The thing Nintendo should be concerned about imo is the time after the 3DS. Right now they can rely on it, but they will be under incredible pressure to not screw up a successor. And it will be hard in a world where smartphones are absolutely everywhere.

That's true. I wonder what the next Nintendo handheld will look like. I've loved the clamshell design since the GBA SP came out, but maybe they will change it up and release something that hopefully isn't quite as grotesque as the 2DS.

 

[hardcastlemccormick]

Ok, so what?

"The author can't be shit; this article fits into my confirmation bias too much!"

Or maybe he's just a bad author who makes no good points in this article, and those criticisms are actually pertinent.

 

[EloquentM]

It's always interesting how the same Nintendo trolls are for these silly, clearly biased articles. I wonder what a negative Sony article would look like on this forum these days.

 

[peanutbutterlatte]

Third party support is really poor in comparison to the DS, there's really not a lot of choice if you don't like the few big games that come out every few months.

I'm hoping the situation will change, as I remember the DS facing a similar problem when it was first released.

What are some big third parties that aren't supporting the 3DS that did the DS? I guess Square Enix have dialled it back a bit since KH3D/Theatrhythm didn't do so well. You had the occasional outlier like Chinatown Wars.

Third party support is really poor in comparison to the DS, there's really not a lot of choice if you don't like the few big games that come out every few months.

I'm hoping the situation will change, as I remember the DS facing a similar problem when it was first released.

Yeah everybody conveniently sort of forgot that during the 3DS's first year.

 

[wsippel]

Great article and really highlights how screwed Nintendo is.

Sticking with Wii U is the worst decision to make and Nintendo is going all in with the disaster. Full steam ahead toward irrelevancy!

What's the alternative? Giving up on Wii U and having no presence in the home console market at all for two or three years while their customers lose all confidence in the brand? Sticking with Wii U is the only thing they can do.

 

[Pie and Beans]

First off, it's impossible to predict how things will be going twenty years in the future. Twenty years ago Nintendo had a stranglehold on the console market, had incredible third party support, and had no idea of where there future would go. If you told somebody from back then Nintendo's most succesful system to date would involve waving wands at your TV, they would have laughed at you.

Secondly, the 3DS's success shows that it's not quite at the unsustainable niche level yet.

I personally predicted back during the N64 days that Nintendo's home console business was on the slide and they weren't going to ever do enough to keep it healthy. They did manage a completely unsustainable blip with the Wii, but now its back to business as usual and sub-Gamecube sales. The slope.

3DS's "success" will at this current rate be their lowest selling handheld to date, and with the PSP marketbase disappearing into the night, its clear smartphones and tablets have severely eaten into the market.

Theres a pretty clear downward trajectory for Nintendo as a company and it doesnt help that they are almost entire decades behind in current expectations of tech and services. Other companies aren't standing still, so that only continues to get worse by the year.

 

[Herb Alpert]

The guy may have a point, cause right now, Nintendo is, with the WiiU, in deep shit. And I hope they have now understand that the system will never sell. I hope they will learn the lessons from this failure but, you know...

Apart from this, the article is incredibly unprofessional, it seems more like a blog or something like this.

 

[chaosblade]

Great article and really highlights how screwed Nintendo is.

Sticking with Wii U is the worst decision to make and Nintendo is going all in with the disaster. Full steam ahead toward irrelevancy!

So if Nintendo should drop the WiiU and cut their losses, what else should they do in your opinion?

Work on a new console to launch in 2016 or so and just not have any presence in that market until then? Leave the home console market altogether right now and focus on portables?

Edit: Kind of beaten, I made this point on the first page though.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

The problem that the Wii U has had is one of the worst droughts in video game history, but that's over now and sales have picked up as a result.

No they haven't.

 

[RionaaM]

3DS is a failure? Now I've seen everything. But yeah, Nintendo is doomed.

They have failed to make great products for a number of years now.

This sounds like something someone who hates Nintendo would say.

Now that I think about it, this must be the worst ran company ever. For over 100 years they've been on the brink of disappearing.

 

[mantidor]

http://twitter.com/michaelpachter/status/375590192955916288

hmmm is he being sracsstic? an article with phrases like "bu-bu-but profitability!" can never ever be called well written. Or maybe he isn't and that would explain so much.

Short term, Nintendo isn't doomed. It always annoys me when people use that idea of IMMEDIATE DOOM.

The Nintendo that is looking pretty doomed right now is the 20 years later version where they have no home console market and dedicated handheld market has potentially evaporated to an unsustainable niche.

But isn't kind of insane to make such predictions in an industry as unpredictable as this one? look at the last 10 years alone. Predicting where a company will be 20 years from now seems just impossible.