Nintendo Switch

[blimpsgo180]

I've read a lot of this thread and there are some really good points being made (especially by Chris).


My two cents: history is prone to repeating itself more than anything else I know. Look at SEGA. Remember what a great system the Genesis was? And the Dreamcast? And Saturn if you lived in Japan. Then they said they were going third party. What's SEGA like today? Not the same company putting out Dreamcast games...


SEGA thought they could rush the next console generation with the Dreamcast. So did Nintendo with the Wii U. SEGA thought they'd rebound after a flop like the Saturn. So does Nintendo right now post-Wii U. SEGA thought they didn't have to court third party publishers (EA, Activision...) with the Dreamcast and survive on first party revenue. Hi Nintendo.


It's a little different with Nintendo, seeing that they're sitting on a ton of cash from the Wii and DS. But the Wii U is a Dreamcast level flop. They're "dipping their toes in the water" with mobile but only because they can afford to make another console. Mobile means going third party, and an indication Nintendo's ship is sailing.

 

[DaMummy]

I don't know, I still wait patiently for every zelda game....

 

[Klumpen]

They should just release a console that is completely backwards compatible to all previous Nintendo games on consoles and handhelds with a bad ass gamepad with a traditional but versatile layout,


release a Mario Kart game in HD that has all the old tracks of the previous games included (I love the SNES maps in the Wii Mario Kart),


a remake of "A Link to the Past", get all those excellent and innovative indie devs from the fine modern HD platformers on PC/Xbox on board and they'd be good, possibly even interesting to me again (only if 100% offline possible and DRM-free of course).


Seeing what they've done in the last years, this won't happen until the management is replaced by actual gamers though...

 

[gunrock]

A company as large as Nintendo would fail massively if run by "actual gamers". Fan service is all well and good, but they need to capture new customers (i.e people who now play mobile phone or tablet games, especially the ones who are growing up not playing or even knowing about Nintendo IPs).

 

[Jumpman]

A company as large as Nintendo would fail massively if run by "actual gamers". Fan service is all well and good, but they need to capture new customers (i.e people who now play mobile phone or tablet games, especially the ones who are growing up not playing or even knowing about Nintendo IPs).

I agree with your statement in part, as "gamers" would probably make choices based on what they may want, and not what the company needs. But the other side of that coin would be "gamers" who actually know what and where the industry is headed, and make solid decisions that lead to improved business and market down the road.


There is no reason why any system should be region locked at this point, there is also no reason why anyone in the gaming industry shouldn't have a proper account system that allows for multiple games across several devices in one family, there is also no reason why EVERY multiplayer game should not have proper online play options, and voice chat with the standard options to allow or block certain features based on the players age.


So where a "gamer" may not be good in certain ways, I would like to believe my biggest issues with "N" currently would be long gone if an actual gamer was running the show. As always, "N" is just now implementing things that have been around for at least 2 generations, and will probably be approaching the 3rd by the time they get a clue.


The biggest issue they have had in the past, and continue to have to this day, is their inability to acknowledge and give credit to others for innovations in the industry. 30+ years ago, when they resurrected the industry, it was fine to have a very inward way of thinking, as they where the only game in town(every new thing they did was an innovation). They innovated a lot of great things that the industry still uses today. Sadly, as the industry has continued to evolve, and more players have entered the ring, "N" continues to think they they can operate in the same ways, and continue to grow.


Sadly, they would rather implode and go down in flames, than to follow the pack, EVER! Innovations is great, and I'm all for introducing new ideas that move the industry forward, but in recent years, "N" has seemed more concerned with the next BIG thing(like motion controls & 3D), than they are with actually producing quality games. Now I'm not saying they are making bad games, as their worst efforts are better than most, but the basic games they release every system cycle are the same ones we played the last gen, and the gen before that. 


Chris

 

[WizardStan]

I reject the notion entirely.  "Gamers" cannot run a company because there is no consistent definition of "gamer".  A gamer is simply someone who likes playing games, beyond that is a world of in-fighting, about everything.  There'd be fights about graphic direction, there'd be fights about genres and stories, there'd be fights about monetary plans.  There are gamers that are vehemently against DLC, there are those that actually like the idea; there are gamers that are legitimately against fundamental changes, and there are those that praise Nintendo and think they need to experiment with input devices even more; there are gamers that are perfectly happy buying yet another NHL game even though the only real difference is an update of the team roster from last year, and they will spend hundreds of hours playing it and be content with that, and then there are gamers that are upset when one game is vaguely similar to another game, like can't anyone come up with original ideas anymore?


You can't say that "gamers would make choices based on what they want" because the idea that "gamers" are unified enough to know what they want is absurd.


To make my point by addressing one example directly

no reason why EVERY multiplayer game should not have proper online play options, and voice chat

I am very, very grateful that Splatoon doesn't have voice chat.  I don't care if it were optional and I could turn it off, the fact that it doesn't exist at all literally changes the flow of the game and the way players interact: if voice chat existed it would not have exactly the same game play, and it is my opinion that such a change would be for the worse.

 

[Jumpman]

To make my point by addressing one example directly


I am very, very grateful that Splatoon doesn't have voice chat.  I don't care if it were optional and I could turn it off, the fact that it doesn't exist at all literally changes the flow of the game and the way players interact: if voice chat existed it would not have exactly the same game play, and it is my opinion that such a change would be for the worse.

My son has Splatoon, and loves it, I personally tired to play it, and couldn't come to grips with the controls. It looks rather fun, and a creative take on a multiplayer shooter, but not wanting or having voice chat is your opinion, and your entitled to it. There are many other players who would love to have it, if for no other reason to have it when playing with friends online.


In my honest opinion, it's all about options/choices. "N" has ALWAYS made those choices for the consumer and delivered options they find to be best, that doesn't make it so. The same way they thought Cartridge was better than CD, the same way they thought Standard TV was better than HD, and the same way they think Region locking is better than not.


"N" are control freaks plain and simple, and if they don't like an idea, they will fight tooth and nail to get their point across, and often that comes at a loss of business as their history has fleshed out.


Chris

 

[WizardStan]

but not wanting or having voice chat is your opinion, and your entitled to it.

Exactly my point!  Your post suggested that "gamers" would at least know what direction games needed to go in to be successful, and then later stated that every multiplayer game should have voice chat.  I countered that by pointing out one instance where it is entirely my opinion that voice chat, even optional voice chat, would be a detriment to game play, and thus your entire thesis breaks down: either one of us is not a "gamer", or there is no such thing as "the correct direction" to go in, least of all one that "gamers" could agree upon.

 

[Klumpen]

I reject the notion entirely.  "Gamers" cannot run a company because there is no consistent definition of "gamer".  A gamer is simply someone who likes playing games, beyond that [...]

And that's entirely what I meant. I don't believe that the heads of Nintendo are playing video games in their free time and probably never have in the last 10 years, or they wouldn't just ignore the whole evolution of video gaming and "invent" things that are common everywhere else for quite a while and would at least get the basics right before they add their silly gimmicks.

 

[vcoleiro1]

Looks like the Nintendo NX goes on sale in March 2017. Apparently Nintendo announced it. See here: http://www.engadget.com/2016/04/27/nintendo-nx-launch-march-2017/

 

[Jumpman]

Yeah, the only game they are showing at this E3 is Zelda for the U, and nothing else(so it has been stated). No word on when they will reveal the NX, but it doesn't really matter at this point. The Wii U is dead, and the NX will be DOA.

Chris

 

[vcoleiro1]

Yeah, the only game they are showing at this E3 is Zelda for the U, and nothing else(so it has been stated). No word on when they will reveal the NX, but it doesn't really matter at this point. The Wii U is dead, and the NX will be DOA.

Chris

I'm going out on a limb and guessing your friends call you Mr Optimistic

 

[Wrath Of Khan]

I wonder- Nintendo must have seen the VR/AR writing on the wall. What kind of new experience will they concoct.
I'm curious though I never buy Nintendo systems, save for the old gba.

 

[levi]

I'm not convinced that strapping a headset on and exiting the real world has any real part of Nintendo's plan, and though they did try with the Virtual Boy in the past. I suspect that approach died with Gunpei Yokoi, if not before. Nintendo's always been about the family playing together, and a headset would get in the way of that. AR might have more of a future in their plans, but not full VR I suspect. I still suspect the people that are willing to cut themselves off from those around them to play a game is a minority of all gamers, but I guess time will tell.

 

[Klumpen]

I still suspect the people that are willing to cut themselves off from those around them to play a game is a minority of all gamers, but I guess time will tell.

That's what most gamers do regardless of a VR-headset or not.

 

[rygD]

That's what most gamers do regardless of a VR-headset or not.

And most of the interaction they have with others while playing will probably still be available with VR.

 

[Swordfish II]

Nintendo would NEVER use android. It's just not them. It would just be another generic spamdroid box then... BORING.

Nintendo know that people expect something unique from them and not the same old hat, and what an old hat it is.

I could see them doing it as a way to break in to a new market. If it is android then any android should be able to play their games meaning more game purchases.

 

[rygD]

If it is android then any android should be able to play their games

Maybe not. Some games don't work on older versions of Android. I don't know if there are also hardware requirements for many games.

 

[Klumpen]

Maybe not. Some games don't work on older versions of Android. I don't know if there are also hardware requirements for many games.

Making their games only able to play on devices with a certain ID wouldn't be a problem at all and what they are doing already anyway - put some additional hardware DRM on it (Amiboo...) and Bob's your uncle.

 

[rygD]

Making their games only able to play on devices with a certain ID wouldn't be a problem at all and what they are doing already anyway - put some additional hardware DRM on it (Amiboo...) and Bob's your uncle.

I meant CPU and RAM. Also, maybe screen resolution.