I stumbled across this post on another certain gaming forum today. It made me laugh, but I'd be lying if a said that I also didn't agree with most of it. I don't think even hardcore Nintendo fans can really deny that the poster is making some pretty fair points.
The trouble with Nintendo
Here's some thoughts I've had about what's wrong with Nintendo.
1) Cheapskates.
Spend some money. Open more studios. Hire some new talent. Maybe set up a few studios in the West.
I don't know why this isn't happening. Nintendo have a great selection of IP. Titles like Zelda, Metroid and Mario, Mario Kart, Mario Golf, Mario Tennis, New Super Mario Bros, Starfox and of course Pokemon seem to do pretty well for them. These titles offer lots of different playing opportunities and conceivably mean Nintendo could offer something for everyone.
A lot of these games are so well established everyone knows what's going to happen before they play the game. Zelda? Hookshot now is it, oh no, my mistake, I'm getting the Boomerang now. I liked learning the spin attack again. No wait, it's a completely different game because in this one you ride about on a rhino instead of a horse.
Nintendo need not expend it's “magic” on these titles. Get them farmed out (like the GBC Capcom Zeldas or Namco's GC F-Zero) or hire more developers to make these games. They're guaranteed moneyspinners, and the formula is so well defined that it doesn't make sense to waste valuable talent on developing them. Instead, they should use their development superstar(s) to come up with new ideas and have them realised in exciting new pieces of software.
The Legends are always coming. Get the games made and on the shelves!
Nintendo have got so much IP that if they wanted to, they could release a fan favourite title every month for years. WiiU would have been THE console to have. Who could resist a launch with Mario, Metroid, Zelda and Mario Kart? Why don't they do it? Because they haven't got enough staff to make the games? They don't want to crowd out 3rd parties? Enjoy your big franchise title in 2 years time - the title that you bought a console on the strength of. The Legends Are Coming! What are Nintendo doing? Where are the games? Why do they take so long to release them? People would buy two Metroids, two Zeldas two whatever else's over the course of a console's life. As is, you get neither, loyal purchaser. Not for years. The legends ARE coming. Get third parties making your games and you're not choking them out either. As an aside, when did Nintendo stop development of games for Wii? It's not like they worked on Wii software until the WiiU was released was it? What are they doing? What have they been doing? Making top notch experiences like MiiVerse?
2) Cheapskates.
Why don't Nintendo make hardware that represents an advancement of the form? With the 3DS it's not so bad, but with the WiiU they've shot themselves in the foot in a big way. Got an Exclusive WiiU title coming, Ubisoft? Seen those Sales figures? They're terrible, aren't they? Fortunately for you, Nintendo created a console that's about as powerful as the ones that came out 7 years ago so you'll be able to port it across to the other consoles without too much bother. Nintendo have got the resistive screened beauty into people's hands, and they've done it a year before the next round of hardware releases occur. A full year to build up a massive userbase. No games. No Games. Why? Because they're being held back to simultaneously release on PS360, 3 months before those consoles have successors on the shelves. What about first party games though? No games. No Games. Why? Too slow to make them, not enough developers. Well, with this old tech the system must be nice and cheap, right? NO! They've packaged every single one with a controller that costs more than any other, not communicated why the controller is amazing and now nobody wants to pay extra for something that looks the same as the much better supported systems elsewhere in your favourite retailer's shop.
3) Cheapskates
Let's invest in new IP. They'd have to hire more developers, OBVS (not allowed - $$$) but assume that they have new people onboard. Here's a Nintendo press conference: Miyamoto strolls out and says “I am pleased to announce these brilliant new minds that I have been working with. They have brilliant games for you, I have been overseeing their ideas and I love them.” They get the Miyamoto Seal Of Approval and their games will be out before the PS4 is on shelves. PANDEMONIUM. Miyamoto says these games are amazing?!!? Who knows games better than he?! I cannot wait. What does Miyamoto do now? Is he fully onboard with many games? How long until he retires? Nintendo need to get their eggs out of that basket and start promoting for the future.
Imagine a release schedule like this:
January: Metroid
February: New Miyamoto approved IP
March: Mario
April: Zelda
May: StarFox
June: Smash Bros
July: New Miyamoto IP
August: Mario Tennis
September: Rayman Legends (An authentic third party title, just for fun!)
October: Pikmin
November: F-zero
December: Pokemon Hue of Choice
Bit Better than
January: Relax, post Christmas
February:
Rayman (Delayed)
March: Cancelled.
April: Port of last year's PS360 hit with controller gimmick tacked on.
And so on, Isn't it?
Not possible? Why? Get the games made and out on shelves. Hey, Capcom, fancy making some money? Knock us up a Starfox will you? People want to buy it.
4) Cheapskates
Why is everything always cheap with them? Tiny battery when there's room for a big one. I've got to charge it up every ten minutes now. Oh, I can't be bothered. Why's the web browser on 3DS so bad? Like worse than a £100 smartphone bad. Why's the screen always so bad on Nintendo stuff? Like worse than on a £100 smartphone bad. Why does their hardware match last gen's specs? Why do purchases/downloads take forever in the E-shop? How much money did you save on that battery, the slow processor and the crappy screen? Was it worth making a product that irritates? Why bother putting a web browser in 3DS if it's that bad? Just don't do it.
5) Tight arses
How old's this game now? 25 years. How many times have people bought it now? About 5 times each. Hmm. How much shall we sell it on the E-Shop for? £12? Hmm. Let's go for £13.99. Nintendo sell everything from their back catalogue at “it'd be rude to” prices. Who wants this stuff enough to pay real money for them? As in, in significant numbers? Do I want to buy their system when I know I'm going to be paying top price for everything all the time? I'm not so keen. Will I get to keep those purchases? No, the account doesn't transfer and they want to charge me again later.
I think Nintendo need to invest in their future. Refusing to do so has screwed over the WiiU, the people who've bought it and the developers who've started work on games for the platform.
If they want to ignore the rest of the world I don't know why they don't do it properly, they could go completely self sustaining and only have Nintendo games on their platforms.
And that's some of what I think about Nintendo.
But yeah, we all know what the only thing that can save the Wii U is: The Shnemue License ;-)