General Nintendo sales/business discussion topic (previously: The Wii U Thread)

[Blue Blood]

Not that Fatal Frame interests me, but this news definitely does. I really like idea of the Wii Nintendo having a more mature franchise as exclusive over Sony and Microsoft. And I still kinda wish they had exclusivity of Sonic...

[Tornado]

Silly Nintendo. That's not Pokemon Snap.

Besides, going from the past 5 years, that just means that Nintendo will give the series lavish love and attention. Unless you live outside Japan, at which point you'll never see it again.

[Scar]

And I still kinda wish they had exclusivity of Sonic...

[Spooky Mulder]

I bloody hope not. I don't want to have to give Nintendo my money to play a Sonic game.

[Blue Blood]

I bloody hope not. I don't want to have to give Nintendo my money to play a Sonic game.

Nintendo are my favourite of the big three, especially now they've got a console that doesn't belon in the previous Generations. Sonic always performs best on Nintendo platforms, everyone knows that. If Nintendo were interested in securing Sonic as an exclusive, I'm sure it would only spell good things for SEGA as a whole and the quality of the series. I wouldn't want Nintendo to have the rights to Sonic as an IP (unless SEGA were to finally bite the big one and go bust), just to have some sort of exclusivity deal signed with SEGA.

More realistically, I'm hoping SEGA put Sonic focus on the Wii U now. The U will likely be my main console for a while, so I want all sorts of good to come of it.

Edited June 21, 2012 by Blue Blood

[Sami]

I'd rather have Sonic on everything because I've found Nintendo to be pretty shitty at making consoles as of late. No matter how amazingly a Sonic game may push the limits of Nintendo hardware, it'll always look even better on Playstation.

Oh, and the Playstation controller is the only one I can really call "perfect" out of all the ones I've ever used before, so that helps as well.

[Detective Shadzter]

Nintendo are my favourite of the big three, especially now they've got a console that doesn't belon in the previous Generations. Sonic always performs best on Nintendo platforms, everyone knows that. If Nintendo were interested in securing Sonic as an exclusive, I'm sure it would only spell good things for SEGA as a whole and the quality of the series. I wouldn't want Nintendo to have the rights to Sonic as an IP (unless SEGA were to finally bite the big one and go bust), just to have some sort of exclusivity deal signed with SEGA.

More realistically, I'm hoping SEGA put Sonic focus on the Wii U now. The U will likely be my main console for a while, so I want all sorts of good to come of it.

Sonic 4: Episode 1 had the most sales on PS3. I personally would rather Sonic appear on all consoles, not just the Wii U.

On topic, I hope more publishers get on board with the Wii U soon. I know launch line-ups tend to suck anyway, but still, I'd like to see more original games making use of the system.

[Dobkeratops]

Nintendo now co-owns the Fatal Frame IP

This means we Europeans have a 50/50 chance of getting the series localized here now.

My condolences to american horror fans, though having to deal with dat NOA release strategy must be a terrifying perspective in its own way.

[Blue Blood]

Sonic 4: Episode 1 had the most sales on PS3. I personally would rather Sonic appear on all consoles, not just the Wii U.

I had meant to say "digital titles aside", but that's far from a surprise considering how terrible Nintendo's been with online.

But anyway, the launch line-up for the U isn't anything to scoff at...

* Pikmin 3

* Nintendo Land

* Rayman Legends

* Project P-100

* New Super Mario Bros U

That's just a few, and there's plenty more on the launch list if not arriving shortly afterwards in the holiday season.

[Scar]

Why do you hate Nintendo? Why does anyone hate any game company?

I can understand not liking Nintendo if they don't have games you like. That's fine. But being upset that they have exclusives you want because you "don't want to have to give Nintendo [your] money" as if somehow you're supporting some vile cause by doing so just seems fanboyish

I don't hate Nintendo, I just don't want to have to commit to a particular console, just to play a Sonic game. In the case of Nintendo, they have no games that interest me that Sony and Microsoft can't offer (I couldn't really care less about Mario, Zelda, Metroid etc.) so I don't want to pay them £300+ to play a game from a single franchise.

I don't hate Nintendo, they just don't interest me at all. If they continue on their ridiculous reliance on Mario (in particular NSMB), then they'll just sink further in my esteem.

Nintendo are my favourite of the big three, especially now they've got a console that doesn't belon in the previous Generations. Sonic always performs best on Nintendo platforms, everyone knows that. If Nintendo were interested in securing Sonic as an exclusive, I'm sure it would only spell good things for SEGA as a whole and the quality of the series. I wouldn't want Nintendo to have the rights to Sonic as an IP (unless SEGA were to finally bite the big one and go bust), just to have some sort of exclusivity deal signed with SEGA.

More realistically, I'm hoping SEGA put Sonic focus on the Wii U now. The U will likely be my main console for a while, so I want all sorts of good to come of it.

That's great and all, but I'm not certain I'm going to buy a Wii U, and I don't want to have to, to play a Sonic game. Exclusivity, extra focus and whatnot would mean I would probably need to spend money on something I'll never use - much like I did on the Wii.

Sorry, I'd rather that didn't happen.

Edited June 21, 2012 by Scar

[Patticus]

Exclusivity means that if you really like a certain game series, and wish to continue playing it, you have to buy a certain company's product. This is presently the case with many games and whole franchises; if I wanted to play AC: Liberation, for example, I'd have to buy a PS Vita, or if I wanted to play Resistance 3 I'd have to buy a PS3. I don't want to, but that's what would need to happen for me to own those games. I don't like it, but there it is. If Sonic games sold so disproportionately well on Nintendo systems that Sega thought exclusivity would bring real financial benefits, then it would happen, but they don't so it hasn't. Yet. I doubt it ever will.

[Blue Blood]

I'm trying to figure out why that off-topic remark about something barely theoretical drew such a response...

[Scar]

I'm trying to figure out why that off-topic remark about something barely theoretical drew such a response...

Meh, it wouldn't be a discussion board if it didn't happen every so often I guess.

[Tails spin]

I'm trying to figure out why that off-topic remark about something barely theoretical drew such a response...

Maybe cuz it's a fresh breath into a topic that has alot of sameness.

[-Mark-]

You know, I just realised yesterday; Similar to the Game Boy Player for the Gamecube, with the Wii U’s controller, Nintendo could actually make a DS/ 3DS player for the console. Hell, they could even add 3D support for 3D TVs. The only issue would be a case of how you actually plug the games in or how the add-on itself connects.

Hell, I’d buy one.

[G-Force]

You know, I just realised yesterday; Similar to the Game Boy Player for the Gamecube, with the Wii U’s controller, Nintendo could actually make a DS/ 3DS player for the console. Hell, they could even add 3D support for 3D TVs. The only issue would be a case of how you actually plug the games in or how the add-on itself connects.

Hell, I’d buy one.

If the Wii U has USB sockets, then a simple DS/3DS cart drive would do the trick.

[Patticus]

Doesn't the tablet pad have an SD card port, or did I just dream that?

[Nintendoga]

Doesn't the tablet pad have an SD card port, or did I just dream that?

Nope, it has a mini-USB port though.

[Solkia]

You know, I just realised yesterday; Similar to the Game Boy Player for the Gamecube, with the Wii U’s controller, Nintendo could actually make a DS/ 3DS player for the console. Hell, they could even add 3D support for 3D TVs. The only issue would be a case of how you actually plug the games in or how the add-on itself connects.

Hell, I’d buy one.

Honestly, that would work with most games, but some DS games require you to be looking at both screens at all times.

I can't even imagine playing Sonic Rush on WiiU.

[Marcello]

Saw this on NeoGAF

Nintendo is one of the most iconic companies in gaming, but it faces the real possibility of oblivion if it doesn't find a way to turn its fortunes around.

In October 2007, less than a year after the release of its blockbuster Wii console, Nintendo was worth $78.50 per share. That equated to a market cap of $85 billion -- double the value of Sony at the time.

However, Nintendo's fortunes have only gone south since then. With Wii sales cooling and mobile apps the hot trend in gaming, Nintendo's stock collapsed this month to $14.50 per share, leaving it with a market cap of just $14.8 billion, a fifth of its value in 2007.

Super Mario just isn't so super anymore.

Nintendo's been on a steady decline the last four years.

What happened to Nintendo, a company that has been around for 123 years? A variety of trends have dramatically changed the gaming industry over the last 5 years:

Mobile gaming is growing. Nearly half of smartphone users say they play a mobile game daily. That's great for Apple, but not so great for Nintendo, which has yet to release a game for iOS or Android.

Social gaming has grown into a multibillion dollar industry, though its growth is slowing.

Console gaming sales have collapsed across the board.

The Nintendo 3DS, the company's most recent handheld gaming device, failed to meet expectations, forcing Nintendo to cut its price to boost sales. Sales are now picking up, but it's simply not generating as much revenue as Nintendo had hoped.

The end result? Nintendo posted its first ever annual loss, losing $533 million during its last fiscal year.

Nintendo needs a 1 Up Mushroom

It's clear Nintendo is suffering, but how does it regain its mojo?

The company's first priority is the Wii U, its next-generation console due sometime during the holidays. It's an innovative device that includes a lot of unique game play, thanks to its iPad-like controller. I've tried it several times now, and I've come away impressed by its potential.

However, a hardcore gaming console simply isn't enough in a market that demands streaming video and greater connectivity. Microsoft has done the best job of expanding the Xbox 360 beyond gaming. The tech giant no longer considers its console a gaming device, but an entertainment platform. It streams Netflix, plays music, and even has ESPN (my favorite feature of the Xbox during college football season).

Microsoft doubled down on this strategy recently with the announcement of SmartGlass, a suite of mobile apps that lets you interact with the Xbox through a second screen. The result has been 29 percent year over year growth.

It's this type of strategy that Nintendo needs to learn from if it's going to make a comeback.

The Wii U cannot just be a gaming console -- it has to be an entertainment hub that can make money off of subscriptions as well as games. The Wii U GamePad has huge potential, but it needs to expand beyond Samus Aran (the protagonist of the Metroid games) and become the center of a home's entertainment universe if it's going to catch on. Most people can get their gaming fix from their iPhones, but the additional functionality will help push people over the edge and buy the console (depending on its price).

The other part of a Nintendo comeback has to come from mobile. The gaming giant recently announced the 3DS XL, complete with a bigger screen, better battery life, and more memory. It's an impressive device that should generate some movement on the company's struggling bottom line.

The bigger trend is clear though: dedicated handheld consoles are a dying breed. The Nintendo 3DS has sold only 17 million units, far less than the 150 million Nintendo DS units or 81 million Game Boy Advance units the company has sold. Meanwhile, mobile gaming is expected to become an $18 billion industry by 2014, driven by cheap, casual games available on smartphone app stores.

Nintendo has a few choices for its mobile strategy. It can try to convince more people in the market to become hardcore mobile gamers. It can add unique features to its handhelds that go beyond gaming (making them complementary devices to smartphones). Or it can embrace the mobile gaming trend and build games for Apple's and Google's platforms.

The harsh reality is that Nintendo has to do all these things if it is to survive. It needs compelling casual games on smartphones that can turn consumers into dedicated Nintendo gamers, and it needs to bring more entertainment features to its flagship consoles. The company must find a way to grow beyond its gaming roots and become an entertainment company of the future.

[Candescence]

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

OH GOD MY SPINE

Seriously, that article is retarded.

[MykonosFan]

The bigger trend is clear though: dedicated handheld consoles are a dying breed. The Nintendo 3DS has sold only 17 million units, far less than the 150 million Nintendo DS units or 81 million Game Boy Advance units the company has sold

I liked that part the best. Compare the sales of something a year and a half in to systems that were on the market for years and years longer.

Edited June 24, 2012 by Mykonos

[Scar]

WOW, can that even be considered an "article"

Reads more like a massively ill-informed forum post at best.

[Nintendoga]

I'm dying!

He actually compared the one year sales of the 3DS to the 7 year sales of DS and 11 year sales of GBA!

Someone nominate that man for a medal.

[Blacklightning]

Typical Pachter bullshit. Can't say I'm surprised.

...what? What do you mean "that wasn't Michael Pachter"?

EDIT: Oh wow, this was a real hoot:

What happened to Nintendo, a company that has been around for 123 years?

Yup, it's offical. Nintendo has been around longer than gaming has even existed. Edited June 25, 2012 by The Cheese