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

[PSI Wind]

I see. I think what Iwata means though is how Nintendo was back in the 80s and 90s. TV Shows, comics, etc weren't video games.

[Solkia]

We aren't doing too hot in consoles, but we can't give up! What should we do?!

 

I'VE GOT IT!

 

 

MEMES

[Sami]

I see. I think what Iwata means though is how Nintendo was back in the 80s and 90s. TV Shows, comics, etc weren't video games.

 

It sounds to me more like he's trying to chase that sweet, sweet blue ocean once again. Hence QoL.

[Mr Loopone]

Entertainment is a broad word, even something terrible can be considered entertaining to someone. I can understand what Iwata meant that during the Yamauchi era, Nintendo were licensing merchandise and entertainment to companies meaning that 3 Mario cartoons, a Zelda cartoon, Mario anime, Donkey Kong Country cartoon, Pokemon anime, various Mario comics, Zelda comics, even Star Fox/F-Zero comics plus Captain N could be considered one were all produced. They might have not been the highest quality and in most cases, the original members weren't there to supervise but at least they provided enjoyment to people while being aware of their products. During Iwata's era though, there haven't been as many projects with only the Japanese only Animal Crossing film/manga and continuation of Pokemon that I can of and only managed to get Bowser in Wreck-it-Ralph. The Kirby and the F-Zero ones might have been during the transitional phase (plus Iwata was part of HAL who did do the Kirby games) though...

 

Pre-gaming Nintendo in the 1970s were also a toy company sort of like Hasbro/Parker Brothers/Waddingtons however it is probably hard to go back towards that market with only a few workers in the company that can remember that era unless Nintendo could think of the next product so it basically meant coming up with a Wii success everytime and it is very hard to pull off since some toys don't sell very well.

 

With Iwata's QoL scheme though, it doesn't sound like entertainment for younger people but more like the demographic on who bought Brain Training, Cooking Guide, Wii Fit, etc. Even then people have tablets/phones to do some of those things via apps so it has to be unique. Strange since Iwata said that they wanted to focus on younger people... Unless it means educational software and that is very hard to be made entertaining and learning (it can be done like how people remember Spy Fox or Pajama Sam). If it takes off, it will mean that Nintendo will cut down their gaming work to focus on QoL since it would be hard to mantain three or more different projects (3DS, Wii U, QoL, next Nintendo R&D console) at the same time. It won't disappear unless everyone at Nintendo doesn't what to make games anymore that doubt will happen and probably will end up like their card products with only a limited amount per year.

 

On other news, I did find something unusual but good news while looking online. Went onto ASDA Direct (UK supermarket) out of curiousity and noticed that they are going to stock Mario Kart 8 (at a higher price than some places but lower than RRP), this is unusual since ASDA mostly pulled out of selling Wii U games after launch apart from one Just Dance game. It also seems odd when retailers are reducing the amount of games sold (e.g. Sainsburys have now stocked the current gen twins PS4/Xbone while reducing by 3/4ths of the PS3/360 stock in their smaller stores with only larger selected stores stocking Nintendo stuff as well as removing online selling, Tesco seemed to reduce the Nintendo stuff and Morrisons is a joke of a games section with just the odd 360/PS3 game there). Game and Grainger Games still sell Nintendo games but their sections are smaller than Sony's or Microsoft's.

[SchemingMinor]

I do recall from my EXPcon 2010 panel with Martinet, that when asked about the question of there being a Mario cartoon, Martinet responded that Miyamoto tends to want to stick with storytelling in the games. I dunno if Shiggy changed his mind by then, but if Nintendo is thinking of expanding into other forms of media ( assumption from Iwata) then he would have to by this point.

[PSI Wind]

We aren't doing too hot in consoles, but we can't give up! What should we do?!

 

I'VE GOT IT!

 

 

MEMES

Oh come on, that isn't bad. I actually chuckled a bit when I saw that.

[JaidynReiman]

I don't think the fact that Nintendo hasn't really allowed cartoons or other media based on Nintendo IP's has anything to do with Iwata. I think its moreso the fact that the original Nintendo-based cartoons were so bad that Nintendo basically decided "screw this, we don't want anyone to mess with our characters anymore."

Yeah, they've lightened up a bit, but they're still very tight on it and being very careful about how to approach other brands and other companies using their characters. I think it'd be nice to have more Nintendo IP's represented outside of video games to increase marketing, but Nintendo will need to keep a tighter leash on things so as not to allow things to get out of hand and to portray characters out of character.

[Solkia]

Oh come on, that isn't bad. I actually chuckled a bit when I saw that.

 

It doesn't matter if you found it funny.

 

Using memes to advertise your shit is not only bad marketing, it's stupid marketing. It's the lowest common denominator you can resort to to sell a product.

 

This shit reeks of "Desperate". It has reeked of that ever since E3 2012 and the stench is wearing out its welcome.

[Dejimon11]

The only Nintendo cartoon and mangas are still running is the pokemon amine and manga. You'd that Nintendo that would do more of that with their IP's

[Your Vest Friend]

The only Nintendo cartoon and mangas are still running is the pokemon amine and manga. You'd that Nintendo that would do more of that with their IP's

Super Mario-kun hasn't ceased printing, has it?

[Dejimon11]

Super Mario-kun hasn't ceased printing, has it?

Oh right that I forgot that existed

[-Robin-]

That's kind of the problem though. If we're questioning if Super Mario-Kun is still ongoing or not, it shows that its existence isn't readily known in the first place, unlike Pokemon Special and the anime. Nintendo can do with stepping it up with making non-software IP-related content, and marketing it.

Remember how quickly Pokemon Origins made rounds in the internet when it was first announced? Nintendo could try more of that. Make an OVA of Super Metroid divided into 4 episodes for each of the four areas + Torian, that would garner attention.

Then there's the TCG genre. Pokemon's got a foothold there too, but Fire Emblem also got into the mix for a few years before it was discontinued in 2006, with the cards ending with Fire Emblem Jugdral characters. It would be cool to see that revived and covering all the casts of all the games and localizing it, especially with a revived interest in the series proper thanks to Awakening. Fire Emblem could also take the OVA route, especially since an OVA of the first FE was made before being discontinued (and Marth's VA for that OVA is still being called in for the Smash Bros. series, so Nintendo's keeping with consistency at the least).

 

 

These are small steps, yes, but it would be a start.

[Tornado]

Surely, a lot of people around the world must think ‘Nintendo is a company that is just for video games,’ about us, and I believe that there are more and more of our own employees who've begun to think like that.

 

I can't imagine how over 15 years (greatly exacerbated after Iwata took control of the company from the comparatively indifferent Yamauchi) of Nintendo purposely going out of their way to deny the use of their systems for anything but gaming while Sony (and to a lesser, but probably increasing extent with the Xbone, Microsoft) directly chased after making their systems a cornerstone of a household's living room has led to the stigma that Nintendo devices are pretty much useless without a game in them.

[azoo]

It doesn't matter if you found it funny.

 

Using memes to advertise your shit is not only bad marketing, it's stupid marketing. It's the lowest common denominator you can resort to to sell a product.

 

This shit reeks of "Desperate". It has reeked of that ever since E3 2012 and the stench is wearing out its welcome.

 

I don't know, thinking like that seems kind of pedantic, don't you think?

 

I mean, if Sony was doing what they're doing now but added whatever jokes/memes they could find (without them being any really forced or awful ones) we'd most likely be laughing at their association with their fanbase/userbase and how they threw them a couple of silly little bones. 

 

Sure you could argue it looks more awkward and ridiculous for Nintendo who's trying to cater to a crowd that isn't all on their side, but its a little joke made on an advertisement to a $15 minigame collection. It's not like they're doing this for the next big Metroid, for example. :v

[Sami]

I don't know, thinking like that seems kind of pedantic, don't you think?

 

I mean, if Sony was doing what they're doing now but added whatever jokes/memes they could find (without them being any really forced or awful ones) we'd most likely be laughing at their association with their fanbase/userbase and how they threw them a couple of silly little bones. 

 

Sure you could argue it looks more awkward and ridiculous for Nintendo who's trying to cater to a crowd that isn't all on their side, but its a little joke made on an advertisement to a $15 minigame collection. It's not like they're doing this for the next big Metroid, for example. :v

Sony's parodied GAF memes before, actually. Shu did the Banderas thing.

I'm indifferent, though I am kinda just tired of "my body is ready". The Metroid thing was fine.

[Indigo Rush]

The only reason "My Body Is Ready" isn't funny anymore is because they fail to use it in a clever way. Tomadachi Life trailer? That was fine. Wii Fit U demo? Predictable, but a huge missed opportunity if left unsaid.

 

Mario saying it at E3 for Smash 4? Felt too forced. And likely any other use of the meme will seem unfunny unless they find some clever spin on it. I can't think of anything in particular right now, but I'd wait a bit for it.

 

As for Metroid can't crawl, that was kind of funny. But it was funny once. Anything beyond that image will be pushing it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

why am i talking about humor in the business thread

[Salamander]

They can't handle two at once. A great year for 3DS leaves barebones support for Wii U, and vice versa. The same is unfortunately true for Sony Computer Entertainment, but then, that fact is one of the many reasons why there probably won't be a Vita successor.

 

One more reason why I hope that Nintendo integrate their next handheld and console.  If they can't handle two at once, then just have one that can be used two ways.

 

Edit: Two "days"?  Typo fixed.

[Sami]

One more reason why I hope that Nintendo integrate their next handheld and console.  If they can't handle two at once, then just have one that can be used two days.

Yeah, the architecture needs to be similar enough that games are very easily scalable for porting. That way they can try to do as much cross-platform stuff as possible, with a few exclusives on both sides to try and tempt consumers to buy both.

[Badnik Mechanic]

So... this happened.

 

During the IGN Nintendo Voice Chat between IGN editor Jose Otero & Co-Founder Peer Schneider. 

 

"They're absolutely going to show new hardware this year," the outlet's co-founder, Peer Schneider added. "No doubt in my mind that something... 'Cause I've heard from multiple people now. I've heard from someone who used to be at Nintendo; I've heard it from somebody on the third-party front."

 

Possible things it could be.

 

*That fitness thing which was rumored a while back.

 

* Redesigned 3DS.

 

* Redesigned Wii U (Most likely).

 

* Mobile platform.

 

http://www.gamerevolution.com/news/rumor-nintendo-revealing-new-hardware-at-e3-25585?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

[azoo]

Either the QOL or a new Wii U model. Gotta be one of the two. Mobile is straight up unlikely and 3DS has already had its family completed.

 

Actually for real would love a new Wii U model.

[Sami]

They're not going to announce a revision right after announcing a major bundle though? Odd timing.

[Red Cap]

Hmm... it could be that new hybrid console/handheld thingy Iwata was talking about back in January/February. If anything it probably is QoL, but it would be really cool if that potential "Nintendo Fusion" is shown off at E3.

 

For those unsure of what I'm talking about:

 

[Sami]

Interesting. I dunno how long it takes to act on a patent though.

[PSI Wind]

Considering these are the same guys who thought the 3DS was going to have 3G and thought Project Cafe would have some sensory thing where you could feel what you touch and used the same argument to back them up, I doubt it.

[Spin Attaxx]

Am I alone in thinking it'll just be another iteration of the 2DS or something?