Sakamoto Wants to Know Your Metroid: Other M Thoughts

[Demotruk]

Helios said:

I can't. There are far too many contingent factors for any of us to make an accurate assessment - which was my original point.

As for my 'explanation'; you may dissagree, but I feel that simply equating the lesser sales of a particular title with a lessened userbase in total is irresponsible and incongruous for a number of reasons.

For one, 'niche' titles such as the Wind Waker and 3D Mario have their own appeal (the consumer bases interested primarily in 2D or 3D Mario are, realistically, neither inclusive nor exclusive). By catering to people that enjoy such titles, Nintendo is not just profiting of the games themselves, but in effect expanding their userbase.

Furthermore, 'original', 'experimental' or 'artistic' titles might bring good will for the entire company. Sony's Team ICO comes to mind, here.

There is also the fact that game developers are more apt to create good games when they are passionate about the games they make. Kind of basic, but also very true.

Now, do you have any rebuttals to these points?

So what was the problem with my post then if you can't argue against it not being good advice? Is it not true, as I said initially that in general a series should aim to grow and not to decline. And the direction of Wind Waker is a way that Zelda has declined.

 

None of your three statements are wrong, but they do not impact on what I was saying. It's absolutely true that there is an audience for games like 3D Mario and Celda that can and should be catered to. However these titles do not happen in a vacuum. It was not the case that Mario 64 was made along with 2D Mario 5. To Nintendo, Mario 64 was Mario 5, 3D (and the change in game values that went with it) was a direction the series went in, not a divergence. Similarly, Wind Waker was the Gamecube Zelda, not a spin-off. Both of these were taking the consumer expectations associated with a franchise but giving a different kind of game (or the same kind with different values).

In order to make these titles expand the userbase, they have to be done as spin-offs or as a new franchise in addition to continuing the series in the direction of customer expectations, otherwise the effect is less customers not more.

 

A value has to be put on good will. If games like Wind Waker or 3D Mario created good will within Nintendo, was it worth the cost of a series decline?

 

Your third point is also true, but it can only go so far. If it gets to the point where developers are only passionate about making games that are going to decline the series, then that also may not be worthwhile.