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[Speevy]

It seems that as more stuff gets revealed, Nintendo's old habits show themselves once again (delays, relaxed emphasis on technical graphics, etc.) but at this moment, it would appear that the hardcore gaming community (for lack of a better term, that means us) perceives Nintendo in a much better light than they do MS.

And what I mean by this is that the possibilities, among us forumers, among the press, among developers even, seem limitless. Nintendo's market share may not be guaranteed next year, but even the insanely partial Hideo Kojima has praised the Revolution over the 360.

Now MS has managed to improve the perception of its console bit by bit, there is still a relatively mixed bag compared to what has been said about Nintendo.

I don't think this happened even once last generation. That's why I find it so remarkable. From the TGS unveiling of Shenmue 2 or the announcement of Ninja Gaiden to the release of Halo 2 and even into this year, people have had higher expectations for the Xbox than the Gamecube. Now it's completely reversed. Nintendo can do no wrong, while MS is forced to put up or shut up.

How do you think Nintendo is doing in framing a revolution in the consumer's mind?

What are the most important things Nintendo can do to keep its console image positive over the next year?

Does our current intrigue regarding the Revolution have any real implications outside of a message board?

 

[bitwise]

i dont think the average consumer even knows there's a new nintendo console on the horizon.

 

[Unison]

Well, the common perception, at least around these parts, seems to be painting the 360 as the also-ran console with nothing to distinguish it from the other two. This assumes that the PS3 is so inanely powerful that it makes kids laugh at the 360, of course, but obviously Sony hype is more powerful than Microsoft hype. Nintendo gets the wildcard / underdog momentum that Microsoft had last gen.

 

[Speevy]

i dont think the average consumer even knows there's a new nintendo console on the horizon.

Well yeah, that's obvious. And if they did, I'm sure Joe Casual would say "WTF is that?!"

But within the industry and among its most avid fans, I haven't seen Nintendo applauded so many times since Zelda OoT.

 

[Shard]

Well, the common perception, at least around these parts, seems to be painting the 360 as the also-ran console with nothing to distinguish it from the other two. This assumes that the PS3 is so inanely powerful that it makes kids laugh at the 360, of course, but obviously Sony hype is more powerful than Microsoft hype. Nintendo gets the wildcard / underdog momentum that Microsoft had last gen.

See also the Dreamcast getting crushed by the hype of the (then overrated) PS2 back in 2000.

 

[Slo]

The average person on the street has absolutely no clue that Nintendo is releasing a new console soon. And they probably have a very limited idea that MS is releasing one soon too. That's probably worse for MS than Nintendo at this point in time.

Once they find out about it, I'm willing to bet that it's perceived as weird, gimmicky, and unnecessary. I think the perception from most jaded internet types is that the Rev controller is the Holy Grail sent from Jesus himself, and will open up new worlds of gaming, but I'm not convinced Joe Sixpack wants or needs the industry to be turned on it's side. Honestly, I'm not sure the stereotypical American PS2 or Xbox gamer want the type of innovation that Nintendo is going to offer in Rev. Something just tells me that the average buyers of GTA and Madden are perfectly happy with their standard controllers, and are just looking for movie CG level graphics and familiar controls.

 

[Gaybrush Threepio]

Slo - you're absolutely right, but that audience is not who we are aiming for with Revolution - the aim is to expand the games industry to people who don't currently play videogames, not to try and win over the GTA and Halo fans - although hopefully a few of those will go for Revolution as their second console, as it offers such a different way to play than 360 or PS3.

 

[MadOdorMachine]

I've heard nothing but possitive things about Revolution from people I work with. Most people I know plan on passing up 360 for PS3, however, alot of them plan on getting the new Nintendo as well. I think the casual gamers still see NIntendo as a kid console. A few things I think they need to do to be successful.
1. Completely shed their kiddy image and target adults. So far the system looks slick, very "Apple" like and generally appealing for adults to look at and play. They're on th eright track as far as hardware looks.

2. Market their IP in a nastalgic way. Many people grew up playing Mario and Donkey Kong. The need to use that more effectively.

3. Games, games, games. They need to come out hitting hard. Mario, Smash Brothers, and hopefully a shooter by Retro, Treasure or Zoonami in the first year. Third party support has to be strong. IMO if RR6 or RE5 makes it to 360 & PS3, but not Rev, it's over before it even starts. If they can't get the big games, people will pass up their system.

4. Their advertising needs to be better. Reggie needs to fire whoever is doing their advertising now and get someone better. He needs to push to have thier budget increased for advertising and really puch the "Different is Cool" image.

 

[Unison]

What are the sales for Madden or GTA vs. total PS2 sales in North America?

There's a pretty huge difference ...

PS2's userbase is too big to be defined by one franchise. I don't think you can assume that all PS2 users like a specific type of game at all.

 

[johns all like]

The average person on the street has absolutely no clue that Nintendo is releasing a new console soon. And they probably have a very limited idea that MS is releasing one soon too. That's probably worse for MS than Nintendo at this point in time.

Once they find out about it, I'm willing to bet that it's perceived as weird, gimmicky, and unnecessary. I think the perception from most jaded internet types is that the Rev controller is the Holy Grail sent from Jesus himself, and will open up new worlds of gaming, but I'm not convinced Joe Sixpack wants or needs the industry to be turned on it's side. Honestly, I'm not sure the stereotypical American PS2 or Xbox gamer want the type of innovation that Nintendo is going to offer in Rev. Something just tells me that the average buyers of GTA and Madden are perfectly happy with their standard controllers, and are just looking for movie CG level graphics and familiar controls.

i think thats a good point, and a group of high school kids that play football every day and just want madden and gta aren't gonna wanna play with some new remote. But, i dont think ninteno is looking at that demographic. They want to pull in people that lost interest after the SNES days or never had any interest at all. This new system is at a hope to bring them back in with something they can understand. I think that as long as it's cheap and as easy to control as people are saying, that nintendo could eat up some market share, but it wont be from the same market share that MS and Sony are taking.

 

[Slo]

What are the sales for Madden or GTA vs. total PS2 sales in North America?

There's a pretty huge difference ...

PS2's userbase is too big to be defined by one franchise. I don't think you can assume that all PS2 users like a specific type of game at all.

What's your point? Mine is that most American gamers probably want the same shit they played last year, with a new coat of paint and an oversized spoiler. Do I really have to look up numbers to prove that big, overmilked franchises like Need for Speed, Tony Hawk, and WWE sell better than forum favorites like Katamari Damacy, Disgaea, and Psychonauts? One of those groups is new and interesting, and the other group sells well.

 

[Lord Error]

Ninten - what?

What - tendo?

What-What??

 

[Unison]

What's your point? Mine is that most American gamers probably want the same shit they played last year, with a new coat of paint and an oversized spoiler. Do I really have to look up numbers to prove that big, overmilked franchises like Need for Speed, Tony Hawk, and WWE sell better than forum favorites like Katamari Damacy, Disgaea, and Psychonauts? One of those groups is new and interesting, and the other group sells well.

I think it's clear that there is always the potential for something like The Sims or Nintendogs which reeks of novelty yet has enormous mass-market appeal. I'm sure that Nintendo's hoping that the Rev. falls more along those lines... and they're not exactly insane to think that it's possible.

 

[Slo]

Very true, but I remain skeptical. Those are good counter examples to my point. The Sims can sell 5 Mil units to people with $500 Dells, and Nintendogs can sell 300k+ DSs, but I wonder if this oddity can sell 20+ Mil consoles.

 

[Ruzbeh]

Well yeah, that's obvious. And if they did, I'm sure Joe Casual would say "WTF is that?!"

:lol No. That would be the reaction of a hardcore gamer. Joe Casual would probably say "Ah, a DVD player" upon seeing the 'remote' and 'external drive'.

 

[Rawk Hawk]

The average person on the street has absolutely no clue that Nintendo is releasing a new console soon. And they probably have a very limited idea that MS is releasing one soon too. That's probably worse for MS than Nintendo at this point in time.

Hmm... I don't know, I mean I live on a college campus and I'm willing to bet 95% of the people I pass know about it. It all depends on who you are talking about. I think anyone in the target age for the consoles has an idea that "Hey this systems been around for a while, probably a new one in a year or so" without even reading up the data. (Excluding XBOX fans who got to use there system for like 4 years before the XBOX 1.5 will launch.) I can understand that like my parents don't know about the new systems coming out, but then again they aren't in the market for them so does it matter?

 

[vitaflo]

But within the industry and among its most avid fans, I haven't seen Nintendo applauded so many times since Zelda OoT.

Well how can you not applaud them? The system has great potential, and while I'm sure many are cautiously optimistic, anything that may change gaming for the better is of course going to be lauded by the industry and fans.

 

[Parallax Scroll]

The average person on the street has absolutely no clue that Nintendo is releasing a new console soon. And they probably have a very limited idea that MS is releasing one soon too. That's probably worse for MS than Nintendo at this point in time.

The word is out there at least a little bit on the 360 with those every10minutes commercials. And the Rev controller seemed to get more mainstream news coverage than anything else at TGS. But you're right, most people are still pretty clueless about both systems right now.

 

[Triumph]

Nintendo still makes games? I thought that was a newfangled dvd player, what with the REMOTROLLER and all.

 

[Slo]

Hmm... I don't know, I mean I live on a college campus and I'm willing to bet 95% of the people I pass know about it. It all depends on who you are talking about. I think anyone in the target age for the consoles has an idea that "Hey this systems been around for a while, probably a new one in a year or so" without even reading up the data. ...<snip>.... I can understand that like my parents don't know about the new systems coming out, but then again they aren't in the market for them so does it matter?

So what's the target age for the Rev? College age?

 

[Rawk Hawk]

So what's the target age for the Rev? College age?

Well I would include College age in the target age. But I wouldn't limit it to just that.

 

[John Harker]

In America?

Everyone knows Xbox, naturally assume there will be an Xbox 2.

You go up to people and ask if they are excited about the Revolution, they look at you cockeyed and said - explain?

Nintendo's next system.
They still make systems??

 

[FiRez]

at least on GAF:

MS = Evil company, probably employ childrens
Nintendo = Savior of the gaming world, they love us so much

 

[Geek]

Hmm... I don't know, I mean I live on a college campus and I'm willing to bet 95% of the people I pass know about it.

Unless you only pass people in the computer science buildings, I'll bet you a dollar the inverse is true.

One of the reasons why "everyone" is praising the Revolution, giving it a better message board perception than the Xbox 360, is that forumites only have fantasy potential and brand nostalgia on which to base these warm fuzzy feelings. The Xbox 360, on the other hand, has the crushing reality of actual software at this point. It is an also-ran at this point, because no one else has shown anything but the current untouchable ideal.

 

[Firest0rm]

at least on GAF:

MS = Evil company, probably employ childrens
Nintendo = Savior of the gaming world, they love us so much

Yes they do employ children. They use them as the perfect marketing tools on message boards like this.

 

[krypt0nian]

Potential is always sexier than "solid, about to launch".

Once the reality of the situation hits, and sales numbers come in, along with the majority of the games being DS-esque gimmicks, mindshare will flip on Nintendo again.

And its already been said that the regular everyday gamer will not have this pie in the sky opinion of the REV's controller. Quite the opposite.

Unless that silly Xavix system sold huge numbers, we already know what the marketshare of teh REV will be....Hardcore Nintendo Fans and little else....like the Gamecube.

 

[snatches]

First of all, this is an intelligent thread so TROLLS STFU.

Secondly, I think MS has much better brand awareness and momentum than Nintendo right now in terms of mind share. Now with this new controller, Nintendo is clearly trying to expand the market, and I am certain that titles will be released that will push the limit of what can be defined as "game" software. Titles in the spirit of Nintendogs and Brain Training will be popular, and will reach new audiences.

The strength of the Revolution will be in playing the actual console, and the word of mouth that will spread from those that have played it. People like us who are (somewhat) familiar with the tech involved won't be as shocked by the experience, but if some noob picks up the controller and is like WTF? How the fuck did they do that? This is incredible!!! That person will tell there friends and so on. If Nintendo can get the message out with marketing and such as well, than this is a whole new ballgame in 2007.

They will appeal to hardcores like us with a whole new interface that we have to try, and software we need to play (mario, zelda, metroid, etc.) and free online gameplay, as well as a potentially staggering catalogue of hits to draw off of.

MS, on the other hand, as excited as I am for the 360(I'm hardcore, after all), isn't offering anything new to attract any new audiences. Let's face it, the person that is paying for xbox live in 2006 is not a non-gamer now. It's quite possible that the person playing Mario Kart Revolution online in 2K6 and taking there Nintendog to an online park and hanging with friends is absolutely not playing games now, and might never have had the desire.

In short, good question, lets ask it again one year from now and see what's changed.

Laterz

 

[Dr_Cogent]

The average person on the street has absolutely no clue that Nintendo is releasing a new console soon. And they probably have a very limited idea that MS is releasing one soon too. That's probably worse for MS than Nintendo at this point in time.

IAWTP.

Most average consumers, from my experience at least, don't know shit about either the Revolution or the 360 for that matter.

 

[dorio]

M$ is the embodiment of evil. You know it, I know it.

Only Nintendo and Sony can save us.