Support NeoGAF

[Alex Scott]

In a chat with HipHopGamer, former PlayStation boss Shawn Layden heaped a ton of praise on Nintendo, saying the company really knows how to give their fans what they want. He even went so far as to say that no one has their finger on the pulse of their fans better than Nintendo, and that includes PlayStation.

"I think Nintendo's been very intentional in what lane they play in. And I'm not being dismissive about that at all. I mean, I think they're very focused on who their fans are and what their fans want.

No one is more in touch with their fan base than Nintendo. Even PlayStation was never this in touch with the fan base as Nintendo is. They know who their fans are. Look at it this way. During the pandemic, when we saw revenues in video gaming rising significantly because we're all locked inside and can't go out, a lot of companies hired a bunch of people because they thought this curve is: 'All numbers go up. Let's chase that number. Let's go, go, go. Throw some more gas on the fire.'

Well, actually, Nintendo knew that would happen. So, they're like the one team that stayed just in position. They stayed on course. They had their plan. They're moving their plan. So they didn't have to suffer the peaks and valleys so much as if you're chasing the opportunity. They just know what their opportunity is. They see it. They understand it better than anyone else. And they go for it and they do it really well."

 

[struggler_guts]

 

[Gamer_By_Proxy]

I'm just sitting here waiting for punch out, excite bike, wave race, star fox, etc. since they are so in touch.

 

[Dacvak]

Sorry GAF, they said "fan base", not "cynical aging millennials and Gen Xers"

 

[Barakov]

 

[VGA-Games]

Agreed!

I'm a Nintendo Fan

 

[lh032]

thats why Nintendo charge a welcome demo, they knew their fans gonna buy it lol

 

[ReBurn]

I'm just sitting here waiting for punch out, excited bike, wave race, star fox, etc. since they are so in touch.

Have you tried Nintendo Switch Online?

 

[Fake]

Also Playstation:

'Lets make another Concord.'

 

[BennyBlanco]

He's right. Nintendo is basically self sufficient. They are about to have the best selling console ever almost completely on the back of their first party software.

 

[Kacho]

This is gonna rustle some jimmies but he's right.

 

[Sanepar]

He is 100% right.

 

[semiconscious]

no one's target audience has remained as stable as nintendo. & if adults like their games too, that's just fine with them...

 

[mitch1971]

Agreed!

I'm a Nintendo Fan

 

[Gamer_By_Proxy]

Have you tried Nintendo Switch Online?

Didn't think I had to specify new ones.

 

[Danjin44]

The biggest reason I like Nintendo because they still continue make the game I want while Sony completely stopped and jut more interested with western market.

 

[Tams]

 

[adamsapple]

Burning bridges with former employer, are we Sean?

 

[ungalo]

It's the fanbase that's trying to stay in touch with Nintendo no matter what they do.

 

[IAmRei]

Burning bridges with former employer, are we Sean?

or maybe he wants to be hired by N?

 

[SALMORE]

someone wants a job lol

 

[Itchy Tickles]

Nintendo abuses their customers (like most companies) but gives them like 3 games from beloved series each gen (probably even ported to the next) that seems to make them satisfied with the abuse. A lot of other companies get shit on and made to pay the price for failures, but Nintendo always get a pinch of the cheek and a head pat.

I wouldn't say they were the most in touch, but they can exploit their fans easier. As a business I'm sure thats great for them, but acting like they actual care about anyone else is a joke.

 

[Topher]

He's right. Nintendo knows exactly who they are and what their fans want. Can't say I'm a huge Nintendo fan, but this seems pretty obvious to me.

 

[Variahunter]

Glad to hear that F-Zero, Earthbound remake, Mother 3 localization, Pokemon with good graphics, Golden Sun 3D open world, Metroid 3D 3rd person action platformer, Wario Land 3D and 2D, StarFox without shitty gimmicks, Zelda Alttp 3D remake, DK 3D with a great art style and atmosphere from Rare episodes, are finally coming.

Also glad to hear they didn't sell Rare and Monolith is finally making that medieval RPG instead of Xenoteens.

I feel so heard.

 

[Topher]

Burning bridges with former employer, are we Sean?

What bridge?

 

[SomeNorseGuy]

I agree, they're the best in the business at keeping their heads cool and not kneejerk-chase trends in hopes for a golden goose. And keeping costs down makes them somewhat insulated from potential flops affecting them too much.

Just wish I enjoyed more of their mainline games, but that'd more of a me problem.

Gatekeeping access to their backlog selections behind an active Online sub can fuck right off though. Just let me buy them.

 

[adamsapple]

What bridge?

The one designed by The Professor

 

[Buggy Loop]

Burning bridges with former employer, are we Sean?

?

Naw I'm sure PlayStation team knows 100% full well like Layden that Nintendo is in a special spot.

Decades of franchise building. They have strong pillars of multi generational franchise recognition and don't hesitate to continue pushing those pillars while also trying new things.

Meanwhile Sony :

Article:

Shawn Layden, the PlayStation exec who led the platform through its most successful era, said that there was some internal resistance to bringing back Ratchet and Clank on the PS4. The iconic action-platforming duo had a minor hiatus before the PS4 was breaking records, but eventually returned with a 2016 release that served as both a reimagining of the very first game in the series and a tie-in to the big screen movie that came out that same year. Speaking to HipHopGamer, Layden says that giving it a thumbs up wasn't always easy. "Look, I greenlit Ratchet and Clank on the PS4, and at the time, the sales and marketing people were going, 'No one wants to play that old game Ratchet and Clank.'"

Source: https://www.gamesradar.com/games/ratchet-and-clank/former-playstation-boss-says-he-greenlit-ratchet-and-clank-on-ps4-despite-sony-saying-no-one-wants-to-play-that-old-game/

 

[nial]

'Former PlayStation boss', when? Lmao.

 

[adamsapple]

?

Naw I'm sure PlayStation team knows 100% full well like Layden that Nintendo is in a special spot.

Decades of franchise building. They have strong pillars of multi generational franchise recognition and don't hesitate to continue pushing those pillars while also trying new things.

Meanwhile Sony :

Article:

Shawn Layden, the PlayStation exec who led the platform through its most successful era, said that there was some internal resistance to bringing back Ratchet and Clank on the PS4. The iconic action-platforming duo had a minor hiatus before the PS4 was breaking records, but eventually returned with a 2016 release that served as both a reimagining of the very first game in the series and a tie-in to the big screen movie that came out that same year. Speaking to HipHopGamer, Layden says that giving it a thumbs up wasn't always easy. "Look, I greenlit Ratchet and Clank on the PS4, and at the time, the sales and marketing people were going, 'No one wants to play that old game Ratchet and Clank.'"

Source: https://www.gamesradar.com/games/ratchet-and-clank/former-playstation-boss-says-he-greenlit-ratchet-and-clank-on-ps4-despite-sony-saying-no-one-wants-to-play-that-old-game/

Oh sure I don't doubt Nintendo's thing.

Just this is the kind of thing you don't really expect someone whose spent so many years to say.

Like, you don't have Major Nelson out there saying PS and Nintendo are doing something Xbox isnt'.

 

[analog_future]

?

Naw I'm sure PlayStation team knows 100% full well like Layden that Nintendo is in a special spot.

Decades of franchise building. They have strong pillars of multi generational franchise recognition and don't hesitate to continue pushing those pillars while also trying new things.

Meanwhile Sony :

Article:

Shawn Layden, the PlayStation exec who led the platform through its most successful era, said that there was some internal resistance to bringing back Ratchet and Clank on the PS4. The iconic action-platforming duo had a minor hiatus before the PS4 was breaking records, but eventually returned with a 2016 release that served as both a reimagining of the very first game in the series and a tie-in to the big screen movie that came out that same year. Speaking to HipHopGamer, Layden says that giving it a thumbs up wasn't always easy. "Look, I greenlit Ratchet and Clank on the PS4, and at the time, the sales and marketing people were going, 'No one wants to play that old game Ratchet and Clank.'"

Source: https://www.gamesradar.com/games/ratchet-and-clank/former-playstation-boss-says-he-greenlit-ratchet-and-clank-on-ps4-despite-sony-saying-no-one-wants-to-play-that-old-game/

I mean, unfortunately Ratchet & Clank does not sell well. So they weren't exactly wrong.

I think they're great games but they aren't big sellers.

 

[LiquidMetal14]

An easy statement to make. Right up there with Pachter, at times.

I think it's true. Doesn't make their offerings the best but for their market of kids, it works.

 

[mdkirby]

Sonys pulse oximeter slipped off years ago, but Karen from HR has been covering it up and fudging the reports.

 

[Kacho]

Oh sure I don't doubt Nintendo's thing.

Just this is the kind of thing you don't really expect someone whose spent so many years to say.

Like, you don't have Major Nelson out there saying PS and Nintendo are doing something Xbox isnt'.

Layden has been pretty candid since leaving PlayStation. He clearly doesnt care but also isn't saying anything controversial.

 

[MayauMiao]

Also Playstation:

'Lets make another Concord.'

'..and remake the remaster of the last gen.'

 

[Kacho]

PlayStation was killing it when this guy ran things. I wonder where they'd be now had he not been fired. I'm guessing he wasn't playing ball with the GAAS future Sony wanted whereas Jim Ryan was.

 

[Topher]

Layden has been pretty candid since leaving PlayStation. He clearly doesnt care but also isn't saying anything controversial.

Same for Yoshida.

 

[DreamcastSkies]

I'm just sitting here waiting for punch out, excite bike, wave race, star fox, etc. since they are so in touch.

I have faith a big Star Fox game is in the works for the Switch 2. I'd really like to see Nintendo do more with Kid Icarus as well.

 

[fersnake]

the fan base

 

[Gamer_By_Proxy]

I have faith a big Star Fox game is in the works for the Switch 2. I'd really like to see Nintendo do more with Kid Icarus as well.

Yea. That's the one I could do without if I had to cause of wildblue coming soon.

 

[Kacho]

Same for Yoshida.

Yeah, good call. He's been doing it a lot lately.

 

[Team Skoda]

 

[DreamcastSkies]

I see Layden's point but I think this upcoming console exclusive anime Marvel fighting game might be one of the most in-touch things Sony has ever done with their fanbase though.

 

[Buggy Loop]

PlayStation was killing it when this guy ran things. I wonder where they'd be now had he not been fired. I'm guessing he wasn't playing ball with the GAAS future Sony wanted whereas Jim Ryan was.

Jim Ryan really did a number on Playstation with years of impacts, for the worse.

 

[Liopleurodon]

I mean, they definitely are - for most part they are giving their fans exactly what they want.

If Sony was like them, they would have kept, protected, and nurtured franchises which started from PS1, such as Crash, Spyro, Ape Escape, Tomb Raider, and each PS console would have had at least one of entries of those.

 

[kevboard]

I don't think "being in touch" is the right terminology.

I think Nintendo is just consistent, stays true to itself, has an insanely stable roster of dev teams that aids and make the 2 previous points possible, and they aren't really chasing trends.

chasing trends is a gamble, staying true to yourself is not.
and it helps that the "true" self of Nintendo is being innovative. so by staying true to themselves, they not only cater to their fans, but also move forward with new and interesting ideas while doing so.

 

[Rran]

I wouldn't say no one as I'm sure some smaller devs make fewer baffling decisions than Nintendo. But out of the big main hardware companies, absolutely.

 

[Dr. Wilkinson]

Have you tried Nintendo Switch Online?

He clearly means new installments in long-dormant series. Which you know, of course.

Heaven forbid anyone makes a salient point without getting cheek for it.

 

[Pop]

This mofo is a professional yapper. I see an article of him saying something almost every other day

 

[Dr. Wilkinson]

I don't think "being in touch" is the right terminology.

I think Nintendo is just consistent, stays true to itself, has an insanely stable roster of dev teams that aids and make the 2 previous points possible, and they aren't really chasing trends.

chasing trends is a gamble, staying true to yourself is not.
and it helps that the "true" self of Nintendo is being innovative. so by staying true to themselves, they not only cater to their fans, but also move forward with new and interesting ideas while doing so.

I sometimes think along these lines. But it ebs and flows. They know when to occasionally give some of their most hardcore fans a great big wet kiss on the cheek, even if it won't make them tons of money, but just some. Most recently was the TTYD remake. No, it wasn't going to do more than 3 million. And no, it wouldn't even be the best-selling Paper Mario on Switch (even though it's the best one). But they did it anyway because they know a small legion of 2-2.5 million people adore that game. And that was awesome. I think the tie ratio of that game to people who owned the original on GameCube was perhaps as close to 1:1 as a ratio could ever be. Pretty remarkable.