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

[Jolt_TH]

I know, that's why it's an option, that way a kid can still play it if their parents don't allow them to play online, or if they don't have a good enough Internet connection? The kid gets to play the latest Pokemon, Nintendo still get the revenue and everyone else gets to play OIne without any hassle

[Sami]

It wouldn't be an MMO if you had the option to appear offline-

 

Something more like Monster Hunter might work for Pokémon.

 

Not necessarily - the game everyone wants would be structured like a normal Pokemon game anyway; just with a lot more interaction between players.

[The Kid]

Fair enough, I suppose. Though I also think it has to be taken into account that Nintendo doesn't have the fallbacks that Sony does in the case of failure. If Nintendo lost as much on the Wii U as Sony did with the PS3 they'd probably go bankrupt, haha.

I just don't personally believe the man has much left to offer that could really turn things around. Especially if his current strategy (as shown by the 3DS and Wii U) is underpowered hardware with a gimmick that might catch lightning in a bottle.

 

Fallbacks? Isn't Sony projected to have over a 75% chance of going bankrupt in the next two years? I mean, I know that is an algorithm and not a doomsday prediction, but Sony as a whole isn't doing so well either. I was just curious if there was something I was missing? 

[Sami]

Fallbacks? Isn't Sony projected to have over a 75% chance of going bankrupt in the next two years? I mean, I know that is an algorithm and not a doomsday prediction, but Sony as a whole isn't doing so well either. I was just curious if there was something I was missing? 

 

Sony's in some really hot water now, but they were doing okay right before the PS3 came out. I don't know if they'd be able to take another failure on that level, but I still think the revenue they make from all their other branches enables them to play a much riskier game than Nintendo ever could.

[The Kid]

Sony's in some really hot water now, but they were doing okay right before the PS3 came out. I don't know if they'd be able to take another failure on that level, but I still think the revenue they make from all their other branches enables them to play a much riskier game than Nintendo ever could.

 

I thought all their other branches (television, cameras, etc.) were doing horrible besides the gaming division, that being the one that is actually profitable. It just seems like the rest of Sony is dragging them down.

 

Also, for comparison, Microsoft had 1% with that algorithm and Nintendo had 22%.

[SuperLink]

Also, for comparison, Microsoft had 1% with that algorithm and Nintendo had 22%.

As in likelihood to go bankrupt? I never imagined MS would have their finances so under control after their last decade.

[The Kid]

As in likelihood to go bankrupt? I never imagined MS would have their finances so under control after their last decade.

 

As in most likely to go bankrupt within the next two years, yes.

[Conando]

Sony is a mega conglomerate, so there's always the possibility that they can get rid of whatever dead weight they don't need, or even offshoot their Computer Entertainment entirely if they want. Nintendo is perhaps the biggest sole video game company out there, but they don't have nearly as many options to pursue as Sony and Microsoft. That's not to say Nintendo is screwed, though. I'm pretty sure anyone will tell you that's not the case. What would screw them is if they pulled a SEGA. What they're going to have to do, and what they probably will, is stick with the Wii U and just downscale their production of it.

[Sami]

Sony is a mega conglomerate, so there's always the possibility that they can get rid of whatever dead weight they don't need, or even offshoot their Computer Entertainment entirely if they want. Nintendo is perhaps the biggest sole video game company out there, but they don't have nearly as many options to pursue as Sony and Microsoft.

 

Exactly. The money Sony would make by axing their TV and camera divisions would be huge, and they've still got life insurance consistently bringing in a ton of money.

[Tornado]

Fallbacks? Isn't Sony projected to have over a 75% chance of going bankrupt in the next two years? I mean, I know that is an algorithm and not a doomsday prediction, but Sony as a whole isn't doing so well either. I was just curious if there was something I was missing? 

 

Sony falling back would be selling (or even shuttering) the garbage pit (albeit nowhere near the worst) that their home audio division has been for the past 10 years, or their movie studio arm which seems to only exist to make Spiderman movies and lose money on everything else, or their television arm which seems to accomplish nothing more than directly convert hundreds of millions of dollars into ash, or their smart device/PC arm which just spends tons of money on features even Apple would take notice of, then overcharging so drastically for them to the extent that no one wants them; then riding out the storm with their remaining cash on hand.

 

 

 

 

Or, since they are basically one of the Japanese companies and the Japanese government at various times seems to exist solely to be suborned by companies like Sony, they could just ask to be cut a check.

 

 

I'm not totally sure but I think the Gamecube was a pretty huge problem for them as evidenced by this huge article http://www.dromble.com/2014/01/07/dolphin-tale-story-of-gamecube/ I think they made pretty big losses with it all throughout its life, possibly cancelled out by the cheap-in-comparison and successful GBA. The Wii U is a money eater because of the "risk-taker" controller element, besides that it's very affordable tech which is why they did it.

 

Profit for the Gamecube was a huge problem because they were singularly incapable of competing on any measure except price; which was a problem because Microsoft was purposely losing so much money on the Xbox that there is a chance the green accents on the system were made from ground up $100 bills. The Gamecube itself was still very comparable in power yet far cheaper to make than the other two.

[8ther]

GameXplain on Nintendo's situation.

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yx_QtZLJEQA&feature=em-uploademail

[Dantemustdie00]

Jeez, sounds like all 3 systems companies are in some kind of trouble, weather it be big or small

 

Definately not a good start for this new generation, even with the Wii U having a head start. I mean, I will admit, I only bought the Wii U for Smash and Mario kart and nothing else unless something really catches my eye.

[PSI Wind]

Pachter - Nintendo should drop Wii U, put games on XB1/PS4 while they create a new console

 

"It is clear to us that the old Nintendo model of proprietary hardware supported by compelling proprietary software is broken. Nintendo's proprietary software continues to be first rate, but its console hardware is not competitive; the Wii U is under-powered relative to next generation offerings from Sony and Microsoft, and is not competitively priced (priced similar to current generation offerings from the competition). We don't think Nintendo should exit the console hardware business, but think it should consider getting out of the Wii U business, and consider going back to the drawing board on consoles. Nintendo has a console in the marketplace that isn't working, and if it continues to tilt at windmills, its software sales will suffer.

Under its current business model, if Nintendo discontinued the Wii U, it would sell no console software. We believe that it should reconsider its 'all proprietary, all the time' model, and should consider making its proprietary console software available on other platforms until it is able to release a new console. Once Nintendo has a new console on the market, we think it would make sense for the company to pull all of its software from the PS4 and Xbox One, and go back to being a proprietary software maker. In the meantime, we believe that the company has a problem that it is not acknowledging or addressing.

The company's handheld woes are far more complicated. The handheld business is not failing, but Nintendo handhelds have lost share to mobile and tablet games, and the company will have trouble getting that back. We believe that Nintendo would benefit immensely from embracing mobile and tablet, placing GBA games on those platforms for paid download ($4.99 - 9.99) and developing a broader audience, then releasing current games on the 3DS and exploiting its larger customer base by convincing them to buy a 3DS and a more expensive game. That's hard to pull off, but we believe that Nintendo has the IP to do so.

We don't believe that Nintendo's troubles are indicative of anything other than that it has an uncompetitive console in the marketplace and mobile is cannibalizing dedicated handheld sales. If Nintendo management addresses these problems, we think that the company has sufficiently strong IP to reverse course and become profitable," he concluded.

 

Oh Pachter. Doing that would be the ONE THING Nintendo would die from! Everyone who bought a Wii U or a Nintendo fanboy would stop supporting them, the casuals would just go to Microsoft or PS for Nintendo games, etc.

[Silencer226]

They're just gonna have to ride it out and make sure they're on their A game for the next generation. 

[Sami]

I think a mobile Pokemon game could pull in some good revenue, but yeah, even I think that's a moronic idea. 

[Solkia]

hahahaha what the hell

 

"Put games on the competitiors console while you make a new console that people will have even less of a reason to buy as a result"

 

Is he serious? I could understand him saying they should go third party (something I wish they would do but never will), but continuing to go first party after making a third-party move would be fucking stupid.

[RK64]

...I know Pacter is a smart guy, but his idea is really stupid. Nintendo becoming a 3rd party developer would just making things worse and be the easy way out for them; Mario and Zelda could be huge on Microsofts and Sony's systems and Nintendo giving support to Sony's troubled Vita would get Sony out of a jam there. But Nintendo could improve and get better if they get there heads out of the dam sand and look around them; things have changed and they need to adapt; have a proper account system (having to file a dam police report to get access to your digital games again if their system brakes/gets stole is really stupid...), a PS+ type service with the VC, fund some of the bigger 3rd party ports, get more classic Nintendo series out again (common man, get a new Star Fox and F-Zero out already!), and the like.....

 

If Nintendo were to make games on the competitions systems...Sony would be the best bet. Nintendo's line up on Sony hardware would be great for both parties; Nintendo's games selling like wildfire on a popular system and Sony having the best exclusive line up (and even using Nintendo's large library for PlayStation Now). And the handheld they would make would be amazing; the tech of a Vita matched with the line up of Nintendo......man, now that is something to dream about !.

[Wraith]

I think a mobile Pokemon game could pull in some good revenue

 

 

Do you know how fast 3DS sales would drop if the main reason anyone even buys Nintendo handhelds anymore was on phones

[Solkia]

If Nintendo became a second-party Sony developer, I would squee

Do you know how fast 3DS sales would drop if the main reason anyone even buys Nintendo handhelds anymore was on phones

 

But Capcom already put the Ace Attorney games on iOS

[VO.SUPER]

Nintendo won't just do something as simple as putting games on smart phones like some of you want, they're a crafty bunch who will think of something absolutely ridiculous, but may work better to their hardware needs.

Nintendo being exclusive to any console would be stupid. If they ever became third party (never), they should be multiplatform. Nintendo becoming anyone's 2nd party would destroy the balance between Microsoft and Sony hardcore.

But Capcom already put the Ace Attorney games on iOS

Doesn't someone wish they're clever.

[Dantemustdie00]

Yeah if nintendo went to either Sony or Microsoft, that system would instantly dominat and become king, 

 

 

Now I agree with Gamexplain that Nintendo needs to use better use of their other IP's cause they are milking Mario and Zelda to death, they don't feel at all special anymore nor do I get excited for them.

 

Feels like Capcom all over again with them milking boring old Street Fighter over their other series.

[Nix]

Kind of depressing to see how poorly Nintendo is doing, however I can't say they didn't have this coming.  I'm extremely curious as to what Nintendo plans to do over the next few years; should be interesting to watch.

 

But Capcom already put the Ace Attorney games on iOS

 

It'd probably help if they weren't shit on iOS.

[Conando]

Jeez, sounds like all 3 systems companies are in some kind of trouble, weather it be big or small

 

Definately not a good start for this new generation, even with the Wii U having a head start. I mean, I will admit, I only bought the Wii U for Smash and Mario kart and nothing else unless something really catches my eye.

 

Essentially. It's pretty easy to have a pessimistic outlook for this generation.

[Remynaka]

 I don't think they should go 3rd party. I think they should catch up to MS and PS. The hardware is out of date, and because of this 3rd parties aren't going to fully support it. I'm not one to go graphics times 100 but you NEED 3rd party support. It's been dry since Gamecube and hasn't picked up since. I mean when Mircosoft can rocket from last place to first and only fall behind to second place, while Nintendo is pushed back in 3rd for 3 gens. What the hell?! THey need to wake up and finally get back into the console race, and I think the only way to do THAT would be to finally do BETTER hardware. Get that 3rd party support instead of buying it. OR not caring cause the games don't fit your market. I swear they have the Capcom sickness right now. 

[Candescence]

Ignoring Patch because he's an idiot, while the IDEA of a Pokemon MMO sounds cool as hell, I can't see it working, especially on a console. It would be incredibly difficult to get right, and any development team taking up such a challenge would have to ask themselves these questions:

 

1. How do you make an MMO in an existing franchise that doesn't devalue the main series? World of Warcraft made a shitton of money, but Warcraft fans are still sore at the fact that they'll likely never see another Warcraft RTS ever again, especially since the continuity-based progression of WoW makes it virtually incompatible with sharing its canon with any future RTS titles while it is still alive. This is even worse with Pokemon, as an RPG, as its mainline RPG titles could be rendered redundant in the eyes of the majority of consumers, since the MMO will likely also receive much of the same content from new 'generations'. And, as we know, Nintendo would rather not give up all that money.
2. How do you make a Pokemon MMO in its traditional turn-based form without it looking incredibly ridiculous and unnatural? Can that even be done? This is probably the biggest problem. "Turn-based" MMOs are dime-a-dozen, but even they wouldn't look as bewildering as a turn-based Pokemon MMO. Just imagine two trainers standing there, staring at each other while their battle is in a separate 'arena', or, if Pokemon battles were visible, two trainers standing at a designated distance while their Pokemon take turns to wack each other. If you think that sounds boring and would look ridiculous and artificial, you get my point. A Pokemon MMO would likely have to take a very different route from the main games.
3. How can you extend the life of such an MMO across multiple consoles? PC MMOs have the advantage of being able to gradually improve without having to jump to a whole different platform at certain points - WoW was able to update its engine and visuals over time, though it's still something of a far cry from newer MMOs in terms of visuals, if mainly to accommodate people with crappy PCs. Consoles, on the other hand, have something of a worse logistical problem. Not to mention there's the fact that you can't just force players to jump to the new console to play an existing game, essentially in many ways limiting the game to the hardware capabilities of the system it began on.
4. How much would the regions have to expand/change to accommodate so many players? Let's not beat around the bush, in many cases, areas would likely have to be changed and/or expanded, depending on what kind of server setup you're going with (multi-server or single).

 

And there's likely other major issues, but they don't come to mind right now. What I'm getting at is that such a project could easily be a logistical nightmare, and very possibly not remotely worth it in the long term.

 

Before Nintendo can even consider a Pokemon MMO, they would also have to figure out solutions to the above questions and establish a formula that would both work in a 3D MMO as well as keep their other Pokemon titles viable for the average consumer.