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[Tripon]

http://fortune.com/2015/06/24/nintendo-reggie-fils-esports-vr/

In both cases, Nintendo abandoned eSports and virtual reality in favor of creating console and portable games around iconic characters like Mario, Donkey Kong, and Link. But Nintendo is still keeping an eye on both markets.

“We have a long and deep history with VR with Virtual Boy, and we also have a history with augmented reality because there’s AR in Nintendo 3DS,” Reggie Fils-Aime, president of Nintendo of America, says. “We know the tech and we know how the tech has evolved. For Nintendo, we always go beyond the tech to make sure that the experiences we do are fun and they’re social, and I think those are the two key opportunities today on the VR/AR space. Are they both fun and social? I don’t think that’s there yet. So we’re going to continue to stay close to the technology. We’re going to continue to do our own internal experiments, but we don’t believe it’s ready for prime time yet.”

But what is ready for prime time is eSports. Nintendo stepped back into that arena last year at E3 with the Super Smash Bros. Invitational and this year brought back the Nintendo World Championships to kick off E3 2015.

“We saw success last year with the Smash Bros. Invitational, and Smash Bros. has always been a game in the eSports community,” Fils-Aime says. “What we’re really gratified to see is that the community has now embraced Super Smash Bros. for Wii U because it has the speed and customization they like. We’re also seeing them embrace Mario Kart 8, as well as Splatoon, in a competitive environment. We’ve always been close to the eSports space and will continue to be.”

According to Fils-Aime, eSports is a great way for fans to get hands on time with new games like Mario Kart 8 and Splatoon. While Nintendo hasn’t committed to another World Championships, Fils-Aime says the company learned a lot in executing this tournament and has plenty of experience to create these types of events.

“We’re fortunate that we’ve got the range of content to pull it off in the here and now, and we’re really gratified to see the reactions,” Fils-Aime says. “All of that is going to go into the mix as we think about proper opportunities, future E3s as well as potentially taking the idea outside of E3. So it’s something we’re going to be looking at really hard.”

It is interesting how VR is talked about, but each major platform holder has also tried to move more into eSports in their own way. MS has Halo, Gears, and to a lesser extent, Killer Instinct. Sony is betting all of their eSports budget on Street Fighter V, and Nintendo is the one company to host their own tournament wholly on their own. Of course the rules for the tournaments were wacky, and for the 2nd year did not offer a cash prize.

If Nintendo is serious about eSports, they need to set up a structure that rewards players for training and entering. Also, just as important, they need to gear their games towards making it easy to play and to watch. While I loved the Nintendo World Championship, games like Splatoon and Mario Kart can be hard to watch competitively due to issues such as not knowing who is on what team, interaction with the crowd, etc. It's just the little things that can go a long way. Creating a competitive mode for each game can go a long way.

 

[Tagg9]

Nintendo has one single competitive event and now they're strong supporters of eSports?

/Edit: I realize Reggie explicitly mentions Nintendo as a supporter of eSports but I think that's a stretch given Nintendo's lack of activity in the space during the last several years.

 

[iBlue]

So Nintendo knows support "esports" because they were trying to promote their newest game?

 

[Sesuadra]

Nintendo has one single competitive event and now they're strong supporters of eSports?

this.

one event is not betting on eSports.

 

[Cipherr]

Nintendo has one single competitive event and now they're strong supporters of eSports?

this.

one event is not betting on eSports.

Competitive gaming was around a long time before Twitch and the brand of "E-Sports"


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_World_Championships

http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/World_Championships

 

[Trace]

Until there is a competitive circle for a game that allows you to play it and earn a healthy salary, the game is not "esports".

 

[VariantX]

Nintendo has one single competitive event and now they're strong supporters of eSports?

You mean a sliver of a competitive event. There wasn't a damn thing competitive about it until the last two people were there.

 

[Mariolee]

Nintendo has one single competitive event and now they're strong supporters of eSports?

They've added Smash Melee and Wii U to EVO and are one of the main sponsors now, have created the Smash Bros. Invitational and Nintendo World Championships wholly on their own, plus they've partly maintained the Pokemon Video Game World Championships annually.

Sure it's not League of Legends, but they are definitely in support of eSports and competitive gaming in some sort of format, even it is a bit more (I hate to use this word but it seems to fit) "casual".

 

[dickroach]

was the Nintendo World Championship more far reaching than we thought? I can't imagine that anyone who wasn't already planning on watching live E3 coverage tuned in

 

[nubbe]

There were no Wizards found during 2015

Nintendo could be big, they have the games
But not the know-how

They need to recruit some people from Valve

 

[Vena]

Hasn't Nintendo/GameFreak been running Pokemon competitive tournaments for years now? Obviously they don't follow the Smogom rule-sets and ban-lists but they've been doing it for a long time.

 

[Silvard]

Competitive gaming was around a long time before Twitch and the brand of "E-Sports"


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_World_Championships

Yes, but we're talking about the here and now and the near future.

 

[Omega]

Yeah, I see Splatoon replacing CSGO for ESL and Dreamhack as well.

 

[iBlue]

They've added Smash Melee and Wii U to EVO and are one of the main sponsors now, have created the Smash Bros. Invitational and Nintendo World Championships wholly on their own, plus they've partly maintained the Pokemon Video Game World Championships annually.

Sure it's not League of Legends, but they are definitely in support of eSports and competitive gaming in some sort of format, even it is a bit more (I hate to use this word but it seems to fit) "casual".

Do you realize that this is all about promoting their games right?

 

[SmithnCo]

Blast Ball is the next big esport.

 

[Crayon]

Long and deep vr history. With virtual boy. Hmm.

 

[jediyoshi]

Competitive gaming was around a long time before Twitch and the brand of "E-Sports"


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_World_Championships

NWC is esports like miniwheat is to daigo

 

[Mariolee]

Yes, but we're talking about the here and now and the near future.

But here and now and the near future they ARE supporting competitive gaming, even if it's not in the way you are envisioning.

 

[Cipherr]

Yes, but we're talking about the here and now and the near future.

Doesnt matter if its 1990 or now. I added another link Pokemon championships yearly since like 1999. They have absolutely been doing competitive gaming in some form for a very long time. Shine up on that gaming history mane.

 

[Mihael Mello Keehl]

Blast Ball is the next big esport.

And the next big MOBA mark my words

 

[Mariolee]

Do you realize that this is all about promoting their games right?

So?

 

[Mensrea]

Until we see Melee Hd, or another smash with similar depth to Melee Nintendo will not really break into the esport world.

 

[vinnygambini]

Hasn't Nintendo/GameFreak been running Pokemon competitive tournaments for years now? Obviously they don't follow the Smogom rule-sets and ban-lists but they've been doing it for a long time.

Nintendo could learn a few things from TPC in general.

 

[Cipherr]

Do you realize that this is all about promoting their games right?

Any and all official support of competitive gaming going back to the late 80's has generally helped promote the games involved. And it's the same today; so what?

 

[Tempy]

More like betting 1 chip on Red at the Roulette table.

 

[Sesuadra]

Competitive gaming was around a long time before Twitch and the brand of "E-Sports"


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_World_Championships

http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/World_Championships

thank you but it is about today, the now.

Also, I know all that. I was part in germany of the whole pokemon stuff.

 

[iBlue]

So?

Nintendo is not interested in the whole esports stuff, if they were smash would a competitive game instead of a party game. Before you bring the "its a fighting game" in their eyes its a party game.

 

[Goldenmoney]

If the Nintendo world championships and smash tourney last year are Nintendo's idea of esports, then holy shit they are more behind the times than I thought.

 

[Cipherr]

thank you but it is about today, the now.

Also, I know all that. I was part in germany of the whole pokemon stuff.

The Pokemon thing is Annual, and the last two years they didn't the tourneys at E3. Jesus the NWC they held was just weeks ago and this article is about that very showing.

So you clearly aren't talking about the here and now, because they are actually doing that stuff here and .... now.


Edit: I think I get it. I don't think many of you watch e-sports at all. Some of these posts make absolutely no sense. I have seen official E-Sports tourneys played out of living rooms and backrooms in what appeared to be pool halls. If you think NWC was far from E-Sports, you just don't watch enough, or you only watch the large events at Blizzcon or LoL WC's or some other crap. Thats fine, but theres more to E-Sports than just the banner events.

 

[SalvaPot]

They are doing it now and they clearly liked it, they are supporting EVO this time, and Pokkén Tournament is on the way.

If the NWC is here to stay then I welcome it with open arms.

 

[Nanashrew]

Until there is a competitive circle for a game that allows you to play it and earn a healthy salary, the game is not "esports".

Even though the prizes for Pokemon tournaments are scholarships it is still very much an esport and officially held by The Pokemon Company International in many regions across the globe.

EDIT: And winners of their respective region are flown out for the international championships.

 

[The Abominable Snowman]

I wouldn't quite call it betting on eSports. It's not woven into the fabric of any of their games. They sponsor a few tournaments in exchange for prolonged promotion of their game(s).

 

[Mariolee]

Nintendo is not interested in the whole esports stuff, if they were smash would a competitive game instead of a party game. Before you bring the "its a fighting game" in their eyes its a party game.

Intention doesn't negate the fact that they are getting into eSports as the article has mentioned. Just because they use eSports to promote their titles doesn't mean they're not interested in eSports. They're interested BECAUSE it makes them money in addition to building a better relationship with fans.

And only Sakurai has ever mentioned Smash Bros. was designed as a party game, but just because it is designed to be one thing doesn't mean it can't become something else entirely. To say that Smash is not a competitive game is fairly ignorant of the wide Smash competitive community around the world. Hell, I'm part of a Facebook group that every hour argues about certain tech or tournament rule drama because they are incredibly into the competitive side.

I suppose I'm simply not following your line of reasoning.

 

[Tripon]

Nintendo also said they had 5 million views of the NWC within 4 days. It was a popular event.

 

[GameGuru59]

More like Nintendo is betting on displaying their games in a public forum. Its merely a way to keep their customers involved with their brand and staying relevant.

 

[VariantX]

If the Nintendo world championships and smash tourney last year are Nintendo's idea of esports, then holy shit they are more behind the times than I thought.

Seriously this. NWC was the most anti-competitive thing ive ever seen. Random teams, games with random elements turned on, putting people in the tournament itself for their internet celebrity, and keeping all the damn games secret. Its entertainment for sure, its a good way to promote their products, but its not competitive.

 

[C.Dark.DN]

I didn't know you had to choose between them. Ok..

 

[Nanashrew]

Seriously this. NWC was the most anti-competitive thing ive ever seen. Random teams, games with random elements turned on, putting people in the tournament itself for their internet celebrity, and keeping all the damn games secret. Its entertainment for sure, its a good way to promote their products, but its not competitive.

It's a gladiator tournament. You may know their games and have even played some of them but you can never prepare for them because of their huge back catalog of games.

 

[Ozzy Onya A2Z]

Wait, how exactly is Nintendo the one console company doing their own tournies when MS/343 have done the Halo Global Championships and currently run the Halo Championship Series for multiple seasons?

Don't get me wrong I'm glad to see Nintendo World Champs again but spare us the PR bullshit please.

 

[Toxi]

They've added Smash Melee and Wii U to EVO

I didn't realize Nintendo raised nearly 100,000 dollars for breast cancer research.

 

[Man]

Their two main competitors are way larger within eSports.
'Long history of VR due to virtual boy'... christ.

 

[Tripon]

Wait, how exactly is Nintendo the one console company doing their own tournies when MS/343 have done the Halo Global Championships and currently run the Halo Championship Series for multiple seasons?

Don't get me wrong I'm glad to see Nintendo World Champs again but spare us the PR bullshit please.

I just checked and it looks to me that ESL runs the Halo Championship series.

 

[Deleted member 125677]

Smash is the only truly competitive game they have as it is right now. Splatoon could become one, if they tweaked it a bit (added a competitive mode, with custom lobby setup).

It also would be a lot easier with a better account system, where you could log into any Wii U and keep your personal setup.

 

[Neoxon]

Until we see Melee Hd, or another smash with similar depth to Melee Nintendo will not really break into the esport world.

This is sadly the truth. I don't foresee any scenario where Smash 4 outlives Melee. The only way Melee will be retired is if Nintendo gives us another Smash game like Melee. And while I love Smash 4 to death, I doubt Daddy Sakurai will ever give us that.

 

[Based Calla]

If Nintendo wants to enter the eSports market, that's fine by me. Just please add a Twitch app to the Wii U. You made me download all those other apps, why not give one that eSports fans will use to show how serious you are about it.

 

[Mariolee]

I didn't realize Nintendo raised nearly 100,000 dollars for breast cancer research.

Not sure if this is supposed to be a sly sarcastic remark about how Nintendo almost pulled the game from that EVO and that they didn't actually raise the money themselves, but the money was raised as far as I can tell purely by the Melee community. Nintendo really messed up in the PR dept that year.

 

[Joeshabadoo]

kinda disingenuous calling it 'esports' but I mean technically it's not wrong

 

[Tripon]

That money was raised from all corners of the Smash community including Melee, Brawl and 64.

 

[James-Ape]

Virtual boy is the same level of VR as the View-Master

 

[Fisty]

Long and deep vr history. With virtual boy. Hmm.

Lol that one got me too. Thats like saying MS has a long and deep history with Japanese devs.

"Yeah remember we tried that one time... didnt work too well, so we just kinda just moved on."