About this whole EA/Nintendo thing... does Nintendo need EA?

Baconsammy said:
Wii had the luxury of being lightning captured in a bottle. Wii U doesn't have the luxury of appealing to either the core or the casuals. Without an attractive reason to simply buy the console, casuals won't return. Without actual third party support, the core won't return. Nintendo, like the other 2, rely on third party licenses to make up a large part of their profits. Without third parties, their profits are going to take a huge hit. As for the portable business. It's not doing great.
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the question is not "without third parties", it's "without EA".

EA hasn't been able to figure out a Nintendo platform since the DS came out.
 
Tenki said:
Nintendo has never needed EA. Not in the past, not now and of course not in the future.

Has EA ever released a high-profile game focused on a Nintendo console?
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They got famous film director (and inspiration behind classic lucasarts point and click adventure The Dig) Steven Spielberg to work directly with them on an exclusive nintendo title for the wii?

some might say physics based jenga didn't really play to his strengths though
 
It hurts to lose them, but they don't *need* them, provided they can work out their own deals with some of the key licenses to get a NFL game for the US (this is the last year of Madden exclusivity and a renewal hasn't been announced yet) and a soccer game for Europe.

Also work out something with Disney for Star Wars games (although I find it hard to believe that EA wouldn't put those on Nintendo platforms out of pure spite assuming the Wii U userbase becomes respectable over the next 18 months or so).
 
gofreak said:
Depends what Nintendo wants to be, or where the goalposts are for them.

If they wanted to be that catch-all platform, 'one platform to rule them all', that some seemed to hope Wii U could be, then yes, absolutely they need them.

If they want to be a more niche platform primarily driving Nintendo software, then no, they don't need them. But even then it is a bit damaging.
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Ehh, I'm sure all of the big three hardware manufactures want to have the only box in everyone's house.

Nintendo's gonna be fine doing what they've always done--selling their own games on their own hardware. They missed out on all of EA's big games last gen, and the franchises that did make it over weren't REALLY big sellers on the platform.

I'm not an expert or anything, but from my perspective the only place this might hurt the Wii U a bit is in Europe due to the loss of FIFA, but even then I'm sure people who are serious about those games would jump on the PS4/Durango versions as soon as they can anyway.

It can't be said yet whether or not the loss of Star Wars games will suck, because Star Wars games have a history of not being that great anyway (save a handful).

Just my two cents. I know I didn't buy a Wii U to play EA's games, at least.
 
MrNyarlathotep said:
They got famous film director (and inspiration behind classic lucasarts point and click adventure The Dig) Steven Spielberg to work directly with them on an exclusive nintendo title for the wii?

some might say physics based jenga didn't really play to his strengths though
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Boom Blox
 
There's a reason EA titles don't sell on Nintendo platforms - EA don't have a clue about making titles that are appealing to the typical Nintendo owner.

If your only tool is a hammer then every problem looks like a nail...
 
MrNyarlathotep said:
They got famous film director (and inspiration behind classic lucasarts point and click adventure The Dig) Steven Spielberg to work directly with them on an exclusive nintendo title for the wii?

some might say physics based jenga didn't really play to his strengths though
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I loved Boom Blox, one of my favorite Wii games when playing with friends, but it's not a high-profile high-budget AAA game.
 
Waylon Drums said:
I hear this a lot but I have no idea what people are talking about. Have you used a Wii U? The online aspect seems (to me anyway) to work just the same and just as well as the online aspect of the PS3. I don't have a 360 so I don't know how the Wii U compares to that.
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What is an account system? Wii U doesn't have a proper one.
 
Tenki said:
I loved Boom Blox, one of my favorite Wii games when playing with friends, but it's not a high-profile high-budget AAA game.
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In EA's defense, it would be playing Russian Roulette (with 3 bullets in the cylinder) making a high budget AAA game on a Nintendo console. They just don't have that confidence.
 
If this was EA of old yes but right now nah. EA is a shell of their former selfs, even their biggest non sport IP they have they treat it like shiet
 
I think Nintendo should be upset, but EA has changed from publishing like 20 games a year, to like 8 or 9, and that's it.

None of those 8 have been huge sellers on any Nintendo console, and shit... it's not like my DS ever had any EA games other than henry hadsworth. 3ds is the same thing. Did anyone make a "EA is not releasing games for the DS or 3ds?" No, because both those consoles were / are killing it, and EA was the company who decided that they didn't want a piece of the pie, regardless how big that slice would be. The only reason this is a huge deal is cause it's Nintendo. People love shittin on Nintendo. EA hasn't had any focus on selling their software on Nintendo consoles for years, and now they are producing just two handfuls of games per year. It's whatever, IMO
 
krizzx said:
You do know that the bet selling sports games on Nintendo consoles are the ones made by Nintendo right?

Wii Sports? World record?

Now that i think about it, why didn't Nintendo just make a Wii U Sports?
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I've been wondering that myself. Only reason I can think of is Nintendo Land is the new Wii Sports.
 
I find the whole EA and Nintendo situation so weird. I know I don't own many EA games at all, but I remember going out and buying NBA Street V3 and SSX on Tour just because they had Mario in them, and as a consequence, ended up enjoying those series.

Weird how one console can make all the difference in the world between two companies.
 
I guess if you want to say that EA games always sold like crap on Nintendo systems that's a definitive no.

EA is probably wondering if anyone needs them. They certainly have a lot of lucrative licenses that people would miss but I'm not sure about their own creations and I do wonder if getting pegged as a licensed property developer in the end is what hurts them the most. In 20+ years I've bought maybe 3 games from them. I think as a non-sports/car/gun fan it's hard for me personally to care, I think many share the same sentiment in Nintendo communities.
 
Just making the Wii U into a weird Nintendo fan only platform.

Like or not, loosing one the biggest publishers in the world should a dramatic blow, but I don't think Nintendo fans care.
 
Nibel said:
Yup

It's still a pain in the ass for them, especially after that E3 conference



At this point, it seems like you're trolling. This adds NOTHING to the discussion and is below your standards
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I'm asking a serious question. Why on WiiU would anyone develop for Nintendo unless Nintendo money hatted them. Any 3rd party dev would know that there is zero chance of them getting their money back from sales. What would be the point.
 
I'd be comfortable with Nintendo dropping the console hardware business and just doing software and handhelds. Despite the success of the Wii, their last 3 console hardware offerings have been terrible overall.
 
Tenki said:
I loved Boom Blox, one of my favorite Wii games when playing with friends, but it's not a high-profile high-budget AAA game.
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I do too, it was more general snark that when a world famous director comes to you and says he would love to make a game for a platform he is currently playing and enjoying, you give him a B-tier team to make a fun but ultimately shallow physics test.

When Guillermo Del Toro went to THQ and said he'd love to make a game, they didn't stick him with some guys from the mobile division and suggest a Tower Defence game, for example.
 
teruterubozu said:
Madden would have been cool on the Wii U gamepad. Oh well.
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yeah playing up gamepad interaction for Madden and off-TV play for all their sports games seems like it'd be a sure bet. Guess EA doesn't think so, though.

not that I particularly care either way. I didn't get this system to play downports of stuff that I can play on PC, and it's unlikely that EA will be making exclusives for anything that doesn't have Origin on it.
 
Beermeister said:
EA can live without Nintendo but can Nintendo live without EA?
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Of course.

I'm suprised daily how people on GAF think Nintendo ever depended on 3rd party games, let alone one publisher (especially EA..). Not even during the NES days.

People have bought mainly Nintendo games on the NES and SNES and bought their 3rd party games on Playstation since the N64 days. Is it that hard to get?

The Wii was as big as it was because of one reason and one reason alone: Nintendo. Wii Sports, Wii Fit and Mario Kart Wii. The only other developer that made an impact on Wii was Ubisoft. And they are on board with Wii U.
 
AlphaStriker said:
Besides Most Wanted, which was a quality port, do any of you remember the last time you bought an EA game on a Nintendo platform?
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The last EA game on a Nintendo console was probably NHL 1999 on N64. It was bad. I had it on PC and it was better.

The last EA game that I bought was NHL 2000 on PC and that's it. This gen it will be the 3rd gen that I won't buy any EA game. I was looking to Sim City on PC and it was fiasco.

As for the topic, I don't think Nintendo really needs EA. I think Nintendo needs more Japanese 3rd party than western 3rd party. But as for EA in the long term, it could damage them.

What Nintendo needs to do is making sports games like the old days.
 
If Nintendo survived the departure of Rare and Squaresoft (N64 to most of GC), two companies that had a prominent following on Nintendo platforms, they can survive the loss of a company that doesn't.
 
cyberheater said:
I'm asking a serious question. Why on WiiU would anyone develop for Nintendo unless Nintendo money hatted them. Any 3rd party dev would know that there is zero chance of them getting their money back from sales. What would be the point.
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This is exactly what you've posted

cyberheater said:
At this point. Does anyone need Nintendo.
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It's something that can be easily perceived as something entirely else - trolling. Come on, son - you're better than this and should calm down a little bit

Things look bad for third-party developers, yes; but there is a bunch of first-party games announced that will probably push the userbase further. Can't say to what extend, but when the userbase is there, there will be enough reason to develop for Wii U and caring for Nintendo. Smash, 3D Mario and Kart have enough sell power that they could bring Wii U into a better and more flexible position
 
It's not about how good the games are. It's about the overall health of the platform and what the lack of publisher confidence means for its future.

If EA doesn't have the confidence to support Wii U, then other publishers have also got to be contemplating dropping it, too.
 
Nibel said:
This is exactly what you've posted



It's something that can be easily perceived as something entirely else - trolling. Come on, son - you're better than this and should calm down a little bit

Things look bad for third-party developers, yes; but there is a bunch of first-party games announced that will probably push the userbase further. Can't say to what extend, but when the userbase is there, there will be enough reason to develop for Wii U and caring for Nintendo. Smash, 3D Mario and Kart have enough sell power that they could bring Wii U into a better and more flexible position
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To be honest with you Nibel. I don't think the user base is going to increase that much with the launch of new titles. Once the new HD twins arrive. The media will be firmly focussing their attention on them.

Nintendo had a full year to make a significant dent in the market before PS720 arrives and they have pretty much done nothing. They have squandered their advantage and I feel that the market will not forgive them.
 
EA makes very few games worth my while and the quality of their games and business decisions have reached all time lows.

I buy Nintendo systems for Nintendo games. For the most part, any other game I want I can grab off of steam for pretty cheap. I really like to think Nintendo doesn't need EA.
 
They don't need EA, no. They got by perfectly fine without a lot of their big titles on the Wii making an impact.

That doesn't mean it's a good thing, though. As a console publisher like Nintendo you'd want to be on good terms with everyone, especially one of the biggest software publishers in the industry.
 
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