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

[VO.SUPER]

Nintendo are refusing to put same-sex relationships into Tomodachi Life:

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2014/05/07/nintendo-refuses-to-incorporate-gay-relationships-into-upcoming-video-game/

I'm disappointed...no...disgusted. There is absolutely no reason why they can't add same-sex marriage in, only that they don't want to. This is a perfectly good example of Nintendo being stuck in the past, not understanding the rest of the world, and being pretentious (not listening to the consumers). When fucking EA of all companies has gay characters in video games and embraces them, it puts Nintendo in a really bad light.

This is pretty much Nintendo nowadays, they refuse to cooperate with people outside of the company (http://uk.ign.com/articles/2013/09/03/bethesda-nintendo-needs-better-support-for-third-party-devs)l whether it be consumers, other companies giving advice, or third parties. They have a very large following in the LGBT community too, so they're pretty much giving the middle finger to them (and me) here.

Considering I'm LGBT, I'm really upset by this. Way to go Nintendo. Don't expect me to buy this game unless you add the option for same sex relationships.

 

Hey Will, while I don't necessarily agree with Nintendo's actions, I think the article is painting them more negatively than they've been letting on. I don't remember any quote phrased like, "We won't bow to pressures" or something like that. Nintendo has certainly not been that nastily blunt about the whole thing. 

Otherwise it's a very disappointing news, but hey, the fact that this stink is finally happening is good. I don't think an outcry like this has happened in forever with Nintendo by the gay community. So hopefully they'll listen with enough pressure.

[Salamander]

I absolutely agree that all sexualities should be represented in the game in question and any other - but in terms of the specific case we are discussing here, I can also see why Nintendo might consider altering the game to allow same-sex marriages to be more effort than it would be worth in terms of sales and PR.  It's a comparatively old game that I would imagine isn't projected to be a runaway hit, and let's bear in mind that none of us have any idea of how much work would be required to alter the game to allow same-sex relationships.  I would agree with the "let's hope this changes in future games" position; that strikes me as a realistic expectation.  Nintendo's statement on the matter outright states that they're taking this campaign as feedback for what happens in future games.  An achievement has been made here.

 

I also strongly suspect, though, that a presently very cautious Nintendo is terrified of anything that might cause an upset or compromise their family-friendly image in the west, which lest we forget is still deeply homophobic in many places.  Picture to yourself the spectre of a feature on Tomodachi Life on Fox News, breathlessly warning parents of how this seemingly family-friendly game from a safe but suspiciously foreign video games company is in fact indoctrinating children into committing their virtual selves to homosexual relationships - this is the kind of irrational bigotry that LGBT still faces as a mainstream force, and which Nintendo fears having to encounter. Their cowardice I find regrettable, but also predictable.  I'd like Nintendo to change before the world does, but I suspect that it's not going to happen that way around.

[VO.SUPER]

On another note: Never be surprised if NoA or NoE share the same stance as NoJ. These days, the folks over there are just mouthpieces to their Japanese counterparts instead of actual separate divisions that would actually go through the trouble of editing the game as a whole. This isn't the NES days where they would outright change Japanese games for here. 

[Carbo]

I'm not sure what's so disgusting about the Tomodachi PR comment when that is really the best kind of answer a PR spokesperson can provide given the circumstances. This is a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation. It's the only correct answer they can give, not just from a public perception standpoint but also from a developer standpoint. This "social movement" only started very recently and I don't think any heads are turning yet at NoJ about it, particularly for a game that came out eons ago.

There isn't some agenda at play here, and Nintendo aren't ignoring the community. Don't get your knickers in a twist by glorifying a non-response.

EDIT:

Also,

[Willsy]

I'm not sure what's so disgusting about the Tomodachi PR comment when that is really the best kind of answer a PR spokesperson can provide given the circumstances. This is a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation. It's the only correct answer they can give, not just from a public perception standpoint but also from a developer standpoint. This "social movement" only started very recently and I don't think any heads are turning yet at NoJ about it, particularly for a game that came out eons ago.There isn't some agenda at play here, and Nintendo aren't ignoring the community. Don't get your knickers in a twist by glorifying a non-response.EDIT:Also,

I guess. If the game has been out in Japan for a while I guess there's nothing they could really do about it. I think the PR perhaps could have iterated that the company aren't not supportive of LGBT rights or something to calm people down. This had me very worried at first, but thankfully a few members managed to calm my worries.

Here's hoping that if they make another game like Tomodachi Life (or a sequel), they put same sex relationships in. Also, that Animal Crossing screen really made my day!

[PSI Wind]

As I said though, this whole mess was fixed more for the corrupted data people were reporting on.

[Salamander]

I'm not sure if it's been posted on SSMB yet, but NoA's Bill Trinen discusses the gay marriage situation as it previously came to the fore in this article:

http://uk.ign.com/articles/2014/05/05/nintendo-on-gay-marriage-and-tomodachi-life?+main+twitter

There was a data transfer bug that, as I understand it, mixed up pre-existing in-game relationships and which actually corrupted save data, and they patched that out because it was a bug that altered and ultimately destroyed your save file.  And there was also the ability to make male Miis and set their gender as female (or vice-versa) to create the illusion of a same-sex relationship, and that is still there because that's how it's meant to work.

[VO.SUPER]

Well... now we know where some of the warchest money went. I think the title explains quite well what may have happened, though I don't expect anything to be revealed at E3.

 

http://www.gonintendo.com/s/227800-nintendo-spends-100-million-on-mystery-acquisition

[Mando-Whirl-Wind]

Well... now we know where some of the warchest money went. I think the title explains quite well what may have happened, though I don't expect anything to be revealed at E3.

 

http://www.gonintendo.com/s/227800-nintendo-spends-100-million-on-mystery-acquisition

Well what mid/niche game studios are worth 100 million? Treasure perhaps? 

[SuperLink]

Well what mid/niche game studios are worth 100 million? Treasure perhaps? 

It's not necessarily a studio, it's probably tech, most people are thinking it's QOL related.

[PSI Wind]

So, just found something interesting in Tomodachi Life

YOU CAN STILL DO WHAT CAUSED THE CORRUPTION ISSUE IN THE GAME

Basically, you just need to go in the Mii Maker and change the sex of the Mii to Female or Male. Now, you'll have to wear a skirt or shirt, but now you can have same-sex relationships in a sense.

[Ming Ming Hatsune]

So, just found something interesting in Tomodachi Life

YOU CAN STILL DO WHAT CAUSED THE CORRUPTION ISSUE IN THE GAME

Basically, you just need to go in the Mii Maker and change the sex of the Mii to Female or Male. Now, you'll have to wear a skirt or shirt, but now you can have same-sex relationships in a sense.

...while later the guy in a dress gets pregnant.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Red Cap]

...while later the guy in a dress gets pregnant.

 

That was part of the glitch before anyways, so nothing's really different besides the fact that it doesn't mess up your data anymore.

[Mando-Whirl-Wind]

well looky here

http://www.gonintendo.com/s/227831-nintendo-fy2014-upcoming-releases-lists

 

Nintendo FY2014 - Upcoming releases lists

May 07, 2014 by NintenDaan

[Candescence]

It's not necessarily a studio, it's probably tech, most people are thinking it's QOL related.

Of course, 'tech' could be pretty much anything. It'll be interesting to see what, though.

[VO.SUPER]

From the recent Fiscal Year briefing:

http://www.gonintendo.com/s/227830-nintendo-fy2014-briefing-details-completed

 

- Iwata saying Nintendo 3DS has hit 43 million, so it is time to reap the results
- Pokemon is helping a lot too 
- Tomodachi Life in June internationally
- Nintendo 3DS 3rd party titles to come include MH4G and Yokai Watch 2 in Japan
- With Wii U, Nintendo wants to regain momentum with two signature titles, which are Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
- System update is planned for June and this will speed up start up by 20 seconds
- First smart device app will by the end of the fiscal year 

- App is called Mario Kart TV, which will enable the sharing of game movies and rankings

- Starting June, Japanese users will be able to use SUICA transport cards for payments on Wii U using NFC
- On IP licensing, there is nothing to announce today but looking at joint agreement 
- Limited profit in this space, so looking at non-games usage
- Will launch figurine business called NFP (NFC featured platform)

- Showed Mario figure across many games being used including saves

- NFP game and figures will be shown at this year's E3

 

- Nintendo 3DS will also get IR NFP reader, so figures can be used across Wii U and 3DS. Nintendo 3DS will not happen until the first half of 2015 however.

- That is the end of the formal Iwata talk and there is now room for a Q&A
- Wii U target of 3.6 million units will need more manufactured than in current inventory
- There is no loss from the hardware any more and more games will be at E3
- NFP in development since last year
- They rather make not just a figurine, so it does more
- They hope to show related games in development at E3
- Iwata saying this fiscal year is to increase profits- 3/15, not grow dramatically in 3/16 but develop pillar for growth with growth in 3/17
- Pillar is around the QOL announced in January
- Iwata: we are preparing for next generation hardware as we are always doing. When are we release? Difficult to declare...
- Iwata: Not hopeless or at a loss in coming up with something new, but unless existing users are satisfied we cannot release our next hardware
- For QOL, does not think too narrow of Nintendo. ''We can make things fun, health services. We know how to get people hooked.''
- Iwata: Developers will move into the new building in Kyoto around E3, currently teams are separate so they will share more.
- They have established Business Development department with outputs like NFP, entering into new markets, use smart phone platforms etc
- Not pessimistic on games, but want other pillars as safety net for games business
- They are more of entertainment company
- Iwata: Need something special for emerging markets to reach mass market
- Not about localising existing products which have higher price
- Iwata: For emerging markets $30-60 game prices are difficult. Need something new, but won't be this fiscal year
- They are studying the changes in China
- Iwata: The WiiU forecast of 3.6 million is not the peak. Wanted to be more conservative this year.

 

[Tails spin]

From the recent Fiscal Year briefing:

http://www.gonintendo.com/s/227830-nintendo-fy2014-briefing-details-completed

 

 

Its obvious that the next Mario game will have this. but man I hope that there are options for you to play the game without figurines.

[Sami]

Smart for them to put it on 3DS. I don't have any interest in it personally, but it'll probably, at worst, turn a decent profit.

[Tails spin]

http://www.gonintendo.com/s/227841-iwata-says-many-more-3rd-party-titles-heading-to-3ds-including-unannounced-titles

 

 

Well at least developers are having more faith in the 3DS. Guess its probably its solid install base

http://www.gonintendo.com/s/227843-nintendo-says-unnamed-3ds-wii-u-third-party-titles-in-th-eworks

 

 

I love the fact that they are giving importance to Sonic Boom.

[VO.SUPER]

This graph shows the transitions of download sales until the last fiscal year.

As shown here, download sales had slowed down three-to-four years ago, but they have tripled in the last two years. I think this is because of the following efforts that we have undertaken in the past few years.

- Internet-connection ratios of Nintendo 3DS and Wii U are significantly higher than the past Nintendo platforms, and download-only games and services have been enriched

- Awareness of Nintendo eShop has reached a point where users periodically access it as a channel for video game information

- We started download sales of packaged software, which expanded our digital business

- We have expanded our range of payment methods, including POSA cards available in retail stores 

In particular, when we consider that we have made this progress while Nintendo’s overall business has not generally been expanding, I think further developing this business will be imperative for us to adapt to the changes in the business environment.

 

 

 

 

Coming from Satoru Iwata...

Today, please let me touch on the progress of some of these projects. However, regarding the medium-term goals, including the challenge of expanding into a new business area “to improve people's QOL in enjoyable ways” to be launched during the next fiscal year, I would like to disclose more specific information later this year.

With regard to “Taking Advantage of Smart Devices,” we are planning to release the first version of an application that specifically shows how Nintendo can utilize smart devices within this year.

[Mando-Whirl-Wind]

interesting little comment

http://www.gonintendo.com/s/227842-nintendo-to-show-software-only-possible-on-wii-u-at-e3-2014

 

Nintendo to show 'software only possible on Wii U' at E3 2014

May 07, 2014 by RawmeatCowboy | Comments: 0 | Show/Hide

Coming from Satoru Iwata...

At the Corporate Management Policy Briefing this January, I explained that the company would prioritize making and proposing Wii U software titles that can only be made possible with the Wii U GamePad. We are planning to disclose our progress on this at E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) in Los Angeles in June.

Link

 

also

http://www.gonintendo.com/s/227846-nintendo-hoping-to-share-ip-licensing-details-in-new-areas-by-the-year-s-end

 

Nintendo hoping to share IP licensing details in new areas by the year's end

May 07, 2014 by RawmeatCowboy | Comments: 0 | Show/Hide

Coming from Satoru Iwata...

In the January Corporate Management Policy Briefing, I talked about our policy of actively utilizing character IP. Since then, even more people than before with license and other associated business proposals using Nintendo character IP have contacted us. We are not at a stage where we can share the specifics with you today, but we are seeing possibilities in licensing character IP in areas Nintendo has never worked before. I expect to be able to discuss some of the details before the end of this calendar year.

Link

 

Ok, to top this all off, full NFP details

http://www.gonintendo.com/s/227847-nintendo-s-full-nfp-plans-detailed-in-english-e3-reveal-figurine-talk-nfc-usage-and-more

 

To establish new and growing areas through the active utilization of character IP, it is important for Nintendo to take risks ourselves and come up with interesting ways to use our character IP.

In other words, other than using character IP in Nintendo’s video game software, we need to start a new business that will someday become one of our core activities.

As Nintendo’s first step we have decided to release character figurines with built-in NFC functionality that are compatible with video games starting from this year-end sales season.

We are calling the figurines by their development codename, NFP, which comes from “NFC Featured Platform” and “Nintendo Figurine Platform.”

What is especially unique about NFP is that it is not classed as an accessory product of a certain software title but as a platform itself.

And it has been designed to be compatible with multiple software titles for Nintendo platforms.

In other words, the figurines, which consumers can buy and collect, are going to work with multiple software titles to be released in the future, and we are aiming to develop more software titles compatible with the figurines.

Nintendo has a lot of well-known character IP that has originated in video games, and we have been regularly releasing titles from game franchises that make use of this character IP. This is why I believe a brand-new type of platform will be born when the character IP becomes compatible with NFP.

NFP has a writer function as well as a reader function, so it can not only tell what character figurine is on the Wii U GamePad, but also a compact amount of data unique to each game can be written into it and read from it. That is to say, you will be able to customize your NFP to raise or train your own Nintendo characters, for example.

At E3 to be held in L.A. this June, we will announce which titles are compatible with NFP, display NFP products and disclose more specific information about NFP, which will be launched during this year-end sales season.

Currently, Wii U is the only video game platform with a built-in NFC reader/writer function. However, I understand that some of you may be worried that the market for NFP, a platform that will work with a number of software titles, will not grow large enough when it is compatible only with Wii U. If we can make a good use of Nintendo 3DS, which has already sold over 43 million units, however, this assumption will greatly change.

Nintendo has been developing an NFC reader/writer for the Nintendo 3DS family, as you can see on this slide, and we are planning to launch it in the first half of the next calendar year. This will make Nintendo 3DS compatible with the NFC reader/writer via infrared communication, and as a result, you will be able to read and write NFC data with the Nintendo 3DS device in the palm of your hand. That is to say, NFP is going to be compatible with Wii U software from this year-end, and compatible with both Wii U and Nintendo 3DS software from next year.

With the launch of this new product genre, NFP, which will be compatible with Wii U and Nintendo 3DS, is going to serve as the first example of actively utilizing our own character IP.

At the same time, there are not only going to be decorative boxes for video game hardware and packages for software, but also Nintendo character figurines displayed on store shelves. This will provide exposure for Nintendo, play a great role in raising our brand awareness and create more opportunities for consumers to play video games.

Link

 

bet there is a 50/50 chance MK8 will utilize this

[Salamander]

More games for which the GamePad is integral are pretty much a must if they want to sell it as an integral part of the console.  As a non-owner of the Wii U, right now it looks like it has nothing going for it except off-TV play, but I have a 3DS for that.

 

If they make NFP compatible with a huge number of titles, they might have something there.  It needs to be something that they're clearly committing to rather than just an obvious sideline, or else it'll just look like all those other one-off Nintendo peripheral devices (which is what the GamePad seems to be widely received as, for that matter).

 

So, just found something interesting in Tomodachi Life

YOU CAN STILL DO WHAT CAUSED THE CORRUPTION ISSUE IN THE GAME

Basically, you just need to go in the Mii Maker and change the sex of the Mii to Female or Male. Now, you'll have to wear a skirt or shirt, but now you can have same-sex relationships in a sense.

 

That's not what caused the corruption issue, as I understand it.  The corruption bug related to transferring characters from a previous (Japan-only) version of Tomodachi Life to the new version.  Setting a Mii's sex such as to create the illusion of same-sex relationships is - well, not intentional per se, but not a bug, it's a feature.

[SuperLink]

Interesting sidenote from Nintendo's stuff https://twitter.com/gibbogame/status/464220384271675392
 

Iwata- not hopeless or at a loss in coming up with something new but unless existing users satisfied we cannot release next hardware

I can see why people may disagree with this kind of thinking, but this kind of thing is what sets Nintendo and the old SEGA apart. Nintendo are determined to fulfil customer satisfaction with their 8th gen systems, and won't release new hardware until consumers are satisfied with their current offerings or have their full money's worth of it.

 

While some are calling for Nintendo to release new hardware asap, this kind of thing will be much better for Nintendo's long-term image and consumer trust. SEGA fucked up by releasing 32X, Saturn and Dreamcast in an unpredictable fashion, regularly screwing over early adopters when things didn't go right for them, but Nintendo are willing to see through the Wii U situation for the consumer even if it means less success for a little while. It'll probably give them more time to plan ahead too.

 

This kind of thing is part of why I like Nintendo, their work ethic. One of the main reasons I'd worry about being eager to toss out Iwata and old-guard management is that 90% of other Japanese companies are currently made up of people who only want to make (bad) AAA games or mobile games. Would getting rid of Iwata really help if the board of shareholders or directors just called for someone to turn Nintendo into the next Square/Capcom/SEGA instead? Would people really prefer a wannabe-AAA/mobile dev company over what Iwata is doing now?

 

I know I stick up for Iwata a lot, but that's because in today's game industry (including Japan) he's one of the few leaders who is still determined to deliver the kind of honest fun-for-fun's-sake experiences I'm interested in. I have no faith at all that the next leader chosen would be "right" for Nintendo when 9/10ths of Japanese companies are getting that so wrong lately.

 

People want Nintendo to become a Sony in how they treat their game division, and that's great, but given most Japanese devs atm, and considering Nintendo's investors are obsessed with this smartphone thing, calling for Iwata's head on a plate is going to be done with the ulterior motive of getting Nintendo to do what those investors want. Getting rid of Iwata wouldn't turn Nintendo into a Sony of gaming crossbuy genius, it would turn Nintendo into the next Capcom or Square or SEGA because that's what investors want Nintendo to become, and investors and board members are part of the same ilk. Ultimately, if Iwata goes, they make the next big decisions.

 

I hope you're all ready for that to become reality if Iwata goes.

[Doctor MK]

In slightly more positive news for Nintendo, their digital sales have trebled in the last two years, making them around $235 million in the last financial year:

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/462696/nintendo-digital-sales-have-trebled-in-two-years/

[Sami]

I don't agree with most of what you've said mostly as a result of my distaste for Nintendo's current corporate culture under Iwata, but I do acknowledge that simply pulling the rug out from under the Wii U instantly would be an even bigger disaster. I'm still of the opinion that the best course of action is to slowly pull support of the system over the course of the next two years, in the meantime releasing a successor to the 3DS and diverting game development resources towards a potentially more profitable venture such as that.

Actually, if what he says about unifying their hardware structure is true, it's very much possible for them to find a happy medium in which they can support both consoles by using dual releases for new games.

As for Iwata's resignation making way for an even worse leader... that statement just kind of sheds light on how "doomed" Nintendo is in my eyes. Doomed to be a shadow of their former selves for me, back in the days of the N64 and SNES. I know and respect that they have a lot of really dedicated fans, but it makes me sad that in the worst case scenario, I'm essentially forced to pick my poison between the incompetent Iwata and a mobile-crazed corporate suit.

What a sad state of affairs. I hope they pull through.