The Death Of Nintendo Has Been Greatly Under-Exaggerated

jaz013

Banned
The 3DS is a 'failure' in Nintendo's own eyes. When's the last time they hit their sales forecast for the 3DS? Have they ever?

Any successful company would see as a 'failure' any product that doesn't sell as well as the predecessor.

But I don't see articles on how the ps3 is a failure for not achieving ps2 numbers. Or the doom of the xbox division because of the lack of profits. Or asking sony to drop the vita since it's trailing behind the psp.
 

Brera

Banned
Even I'm bored of discussing Nintendo is doomed. There basically sitting out the next 5 years or however long this generation is.

Our only hope is that Iwata learns some new tricks
 
I think there's a couple of fair points buried in the rubble that is that story. Particularly, I think the 2DS is an admission of failure in that it removed the very namesake and selling point gimmick of the original device. And in fact, it can only be done because Nintendo released a console whose main gimmick was optional, which kneecapped devs from doing anything interesting with it from a gameplay mechanics perspective in the first place. It's the same issue with Off-TV Play on the WiiU; by making that an expected feature for all games among the audience, they've made devs choose between the feature everyone clamors for and making the second screen an integral part of the game.

I don't really understand the BlackBerry comparision at all.
He's comparing the fact that they were/are both cash-rich companies (I guess? I don't know what Blackberry's cash situation is), and using them as an illustration that simply having vast reserves of wealth didn't mean anything for remaining a viable company. And he's right. People keep saying that Nintendo can weather several WiiU-level disasters because of their mountain of money, but that misses the point that they would be burning through their money and not replacing it, and when you factor in the catastrophic effect it would have on their share price and the opportunity cost of all the money they could be making but aren't, they really can't afford to weather a storm that bad. Few companies can.

You could also compare the two as being complacent in their markets as other competitors innovate and leave them behind, but that's more subjective.
 
The news over the past and current month is not going to get better, unfortunately.

Even I'm starting to lose hope :(

I lost hope. I just put the system up for sale and I've never ever done that with a Nintendo console before. I really feel as if they don't cater to my tastes anymore. I feel abandoned as a fan and so I'm abandoning them and putting my money somewhere else.

I really tried. I bought and played plenty of software for the Wii U but I can't say that I feel that anything is truly special. It just feels like an overpriced last gen game machine with a current library and currently known future library of games that aren't Metroid.

I'm not concerned if Nintendo is profitable or not. They always have been good with their money. The thing is that I should be wiser with my own money and stop investing in this machine.

I'm actually a bit sad and it pains me to do this but there's really nothing coming out within the near future that excites me. I'm better off just putting my dollars towards next gen.

RIP to my youth.
 
I knew that this would be posted on GAF when I saw it earlier today.

Time will tell if he's right (and I agree with him on some aspects) but if you're going to take the time to write an article you should at least try to get your facts straight. Or try not to be as condescending and obnoxious as this.
 
Any successful company would see as a 'failure' any product that doesn't sell as well as the predecessor.

But I don't see articles on how the ps3 is a failure for not achieving ps2 numbers. Or the doom of the xbox division because of the lack of profits. Or asking sony to drop the vita since it's trailing behind the psp.

OK then, we agree, Nintendo thinks the 3DS is a failure (so far). Why are people so upset that the author writes the same thing?
 

Mael

Member
No, but that doesn't excuse the limitations that crappy hardware imposes. That's a stupid deflection.

You're being stupid.
Nintendo's hardware team work with the software teams to provide them the hardware they want/need.
Look up interviews, they even say that it's when soft devs have done enough with the hardware that they try to push new hardware.
OK then, we agree, Nintendo thinks the 3DS is a failure (so far). Why are people so upset that the author writes the same thing?

If that was the only thing he said, this article would be less shit.
 

marc^o^

Nintendo's Pro Bono PR Firm
the 2DS is an admission of failure in that it removed the very namesake and selling point gimmick of the original device
Or it could be as they say, an entry level device meant for <7 years old kids, for whom Nintendo doesn't recommend 3D since day one.
 

Moosh

Neo Member
Their sales forecasts were ridiculous though. They were expecting it, and the Wii U, to be successes akin to the DS and Wii

Im guessing a sales annalyst lost his job back at HQ

I wonder if the WII U tanks to the point that nintendo discontinues it. Will early buyers ever get some kind of compensation?
 

Riki

Member
No one honestly thinks Nintendo is doomed. The WiiU however is doomed.
The author does, which is one of the many problems of this article.
Im guessing a sales annalyst lost his job back at HQ

I wonder if the WII U tanks to the point that nintendo discontinues it. Will early buyers ever get some kind of compensation?
It would cost too much in both money and consumer confidence for them to discontinue it early
 

apana

Member
I think there's a couple of fair points buried in the rubble that is that story. Particularly, I think the 2DS is an admission of failure in that it removed the very namesake and selling point gimmick of the original device. And in fact, it can only be done because Nintendo released a console whose main gimmick was optional, which kneecapped devs from doing anything interesting with it from a gameplay mechanics perspective in the first place. It's the same issue with Off-TV Play on the WiiU; by making that an expected feature for all games among the audience, they've made devs choose between the feature everyone clamors for and making the second screen an integral part of the game.


He's comparing the fact that they were/are both cash-rich companies (I guess? I don't know what Blackberry's cash situation is), and using them as an illustration that simply having vast reserves of wealth didn't mean anything for remaining a viable company. And he's right. People keep saying that Nintendo can weather several WiiU-level disasters because of their mountain of money, but that misses the point that they would be burning through their money and not replacing it, and when you factor in the catastrophic effect it would have on their share price and the opportunity cost of all the money they could be making but aren't, they really can't afford to weather a storm that bad. Few companies can.

You could also compare the two as being complacent in their markets as other competitors innovate and leave them behind, but that's more subjective.

Probably not, the 3DS and Wii U successors will likely go for profitability day one so I am not sure they would be burning through money. The real issue from my perspective is their decline in the home console space. Each generation more "hardcore" gamers grow ever more skeptical about buying a Nintendo home console.
 
You're being stupid.
Nintendo's hardware team work with the software teams to provide them the hardware they want/need.
Look up interviews, they even say that it's when soft devs have done enough with the hardware that they try to push new hardware.



If that was the only thing he said, this article would be less shit.
This.

People don't understand that Nintendo is a gaming company. And hearing these type of posts I now understand why the gaming industry is not going very well (not yours, the on you quoted).

It's like you'll buy the best TV possible but you only watch bad movies on it (I'm not saying HD or not on purpose). Nintendo may not have the best system but they try to produce the best games possible and it's what matters to me.

PS : and I'm not saying Microsoft or Sony are making "bad movies" but they're want to make spectacular "movies". Nintendo wants to make fun and entertaining "movies".
 

Concept17

Member
I agree that the Wii U is a giant turd that needs replaced. They tried to replicate the success of the Wii with another controller gimmick that was aligned with the popularity of the tablet market. It didn't work. The reasons it didn't work have been stated a million times over.

I'm all for them ditching the system and developing something gamers actually want from Nintendo.
 
Im guessing a sales annalyst lost his job back at HQ

I wonder if the WII U tanks to the point that nintendo discontinues it. Will early buyers ever get some kind of compensation?

At the very least they will stick it out through next year. They won't give up before releasing Smash and Mario Kart. I'm very interested to see how it does this holiday with the price drop and the barrage of software coming for it.
 

Riki

Member
I agree that the Wii U is a giant turd that needs replaced. They tried to replicate the success of the Wii with another controller gimmick that was aligned with the popularity of the tablet market. It didn't work. The reasons it didn't work have been stated a million times over.

I'm all for them ditching the system and developing something gamers actually want from Nintendo.
That would waste millions and millions. It is the absolute worst thing they could do right now.
 
Any successful company would see as a 'failure' any product that doesn't sell as well as the predecessor.

But I don't see articles on how the ps3 is a failure for not achieving ps2 numbers. Or the doom of the xbox division because of the lack of profits. Or asking sony to drop the vita since it's trailing behind the psp.
Really, you haven't? This sort of second guessing is not unique to Nintendo. It's not some sort of anti-Nintendo conspiracy.
 

Cheech

Member
Or it could be as they say, an entry level device meant for <7 years old kids, for whom Nintendo doesn't recommend 3D since day one.

I'm not sure who "they" are, but "they" are being incredibly disingenuous.

Fact is, the current 3DS is too close in price to an iPod Touch, whom Nintendo is actually competing with.

The 2DS is priced exactly right, and should sell bucketloads.
 

Anth0ny

Member
Im guessing a sales annalyst lost his job back at HQ

I wonder if the WII U tanks to the point that nintendo discontinues it. Will early buyers ever get some kind of compensation?

They won't discontinue it, it'll just be a short gen. They released the successor to the GBA after a mere 3 years, I can see them doing the same thing with the Wii U considering how poorly it's been doing. They have to put out Kart, Zelda and Smash Bros at least.
 
...I thought that the 3DS was doing well.
Still, the 2DS is a great strategy, and will boost the 3DS numbers for sure.

The WiiU is in a bad spot. With Wind Waker HD, it might get a few more sales going for it, but I don't expect a sudden change anytime soon. :/
 

SegaShack

Member
They have billions of dollars and 3DS is huge, they could have 5 completely failed hardware cycles of both handhelds and consoles and still be fine. I've heard that Nintendo will be bankrupt for many many years and it's all a joke and speculation.
 
They won't discontinue it, it'll just be a short gen. They released the successor to the GBA after a mere 3 years, I can see them doing the same thing with the Wii U considering how poorly it's been doing. They have to put out Kart, Zelda and Smash Bros at least.

Yeah if things keep on going very bad for Wii U we'll have an E3 2015 new system announcement and a launch in 2016 while PS4 and Xbox One will last for 3-4 years more.
Maybe for the better Nintendo should shift its launch cycles and launch in the middle of the two others product's life cycle.
 

Guevara

Member
No one honestly thinks Nintendo is doomed. The WiiU however is doomed.

Nintendo is doomed if they keep on this current trajectory. They pretty obviously need to change something. They way they are handling the Wii U right now is troubling but I think they are finally making the right moves with the 3DS. Basically: Nintendo is doomed if they don't learn anything this generation and keep making mistakes.
 

marc^o^

Nintendo's Pro Bono PR Firm
I'm not sure who "they" are, but "they" are being incredibly disingenuous.
Source
Reggie Fils-Aime, the president of Nintendo of America, told IGN that the 2DS' target audience is "that first-time handheld gaming consumer." Nintendo recommends that children be at least seven years of age to use the 3DS, so Fils-Aime says that the 2DS creates an opportunity for five- and six-year-olds.
 

Bizazedo

Member
Chû Totoro;80142757 said:
Yeah if things keep on going very bad for Wii U we'll have an E3 2015 new system announcement and a launch in 2016 while PS4 and Xbox One will last for 3-4 years more.
Maybe for the better Nintendo should shift its launch cycles and launch in the middle of the two others product's life cycle.

The only interesting question would be would they try and match current gen systems, exceed, or still shoot under with a high pricepoint?
 

apana

Member
Im guessing a sales annalyst lost his job back at HQ

I wonder if the WII U tanks to the point that nintendo discontinues it. Will early buyers ever get some kind of compensation?

Nintendo will have to keep the Wii U on the market for at least 4 years or it will have a serious impact on their reputation. I think 1 year has almost passed so that leaves 3 more. Besides they need time just to figure out what they want to do next. They can start transitioning in year 3 for a year 4 release, but that is the earliest I think. One of the reasons Nintendo has such a bad reputation in the console space is because people realize that their consoles have major droughts and that Nintendo is almost as eager to ditch their own consoles as third parties are.
 

Moosh

Neo Member
They won't discontinue it, it'll just be a short gen. They released the successor to the GBA after a mere 3 years, I can see them doing the same thing with the Wii U considering how poorly it's been doing. They have to put out Kart, Zelda and Smash Bros at least.

I am assuming you are talking about the GBA sp. The SP was almost exactly the same in hardware. I dont see Nintendo doing that for the wii u.

What can nintendo change about the Wii U in the next revision that will make it a success?
 
I am assuming you are talking about the GBA sp. The SP was almost exactly the same in hardware. I dont see Nintendo doing that for the wii u.

What can nintendo change about the Wii U in the next revision that will make it a success?

8GB DDR 5 lol

Edit : when I think about it I'm starting to cry because this is seriously what people are asking in most of these threads :(
I want my 8GB DDR 5 game !!!
 

Jonm1010

Banned
Chû Totoro;80140873 said:
This.

People don't understand that Nintendo is a gaming company. And hearing these type of posts I now understand why the gaming industry is not going very well (not yours, the on you quoted).

It's like you'll buy the best TV possible but you only watch bad movies on it (I'm not saying HD or not on purpose). Nintendo may not have the best system but they try to produce the best games possible and it's what matters to me.

PS : and I'm not saying Microsoft or Sony are making "bad movies" but they're want to make spectacular "movies". Nintendo wants to make fun and entertaining "movies".

This is such a horeshit argument. If anything it's been Microsoft and Sony that have truly made strides to provide the best environment for software designers. Going from studio to studio and asking what specs would be most beneficial and helping craft their hardware around the needs of the community. Nintendo does for Nintendo and little else.

And don't give me a dressed up version of that gamers who like gameplay play Nintendo crap. Nintendo rehashes the same franchises over and over again with new wrinkles. They are like the studio that constantly reboots the same superhero movies over and over again. Everybody loves them but cant we just get something different?? I can find more groundbreaking gameplay experiences on my steam front page or in the psn store then I can on the whole of nintendos output on the wii and wiiU.

Don't get me wrong, I loved my wii for what it was and will probably grab a wiiU one day but Nintendo is the classic safe company at this point when it comes to software. Reprinting the same franchises and then throwing a quirky bone in here or there to add a wrinkle or two. Then once in a while they make a pikimin or reach into the vault of characters created twenty years ago to make a game around them until the shuffle them back away. It's like disney if they just kept reusing the Micky mouse era characters forever.
 

Roto13

Member
...I thought that the 3DS was doing well.
Still, the 2DS is a great strategy, and will boost the 3DS numbers for sure.

The WiiU is in a bad spot. With Wind Waker HD, it might get a few more sales going for it, but I don't expect a sudden change anytime soon. :/

One game is never enough to "save" a console but they have some good stuff coming out monthly for the next while, so that's nice.

I'll likely be buying three Wii U games before the end of the year.
 

marc^o^

Nintendo's Pro Bono PR Firm
They won't discontinue it, it'll just be a short gen. They released the successor to the GBA after a mere 3 years, I can see them doing the same thing with the Wii U considering how poorly it's been doing. They have to put out Kart, Zelda and Smash Bros at least.
I expect them to make Wii U last instead. 3DS affords them to be patient, take the time it needs to get Wii owners upgrade, get new kids in, and have multi console owners PS4/xBox One owners get a Wii U down the road.

It may lose further 3rd party support, but they seem to rely on indie a lot to compensate, and as usual 1st party games will be the real reason why most people buy a Nintendo console.
 
Nintendo being better at designing games and being about gameplay is a bull shit fanboy argument.

Great games and gameplay has never been exclusive to Nintendo platforms.
 
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