padib said:
It's not all about short-term sales! It's about brand-image and catering to a vocal audience, so as to ensure system longevity and long-term platform relevance and consumer confidence, what Nintendo doesn't have and is in desperate need of. Of course Uncharted doesn't sell like Mario Galaxy, but 3.5 Million is nothing to laugh at. Also, it is a dearly loved franchise, maybe even more so than Mario. Mario feels like Nintendo doing a great job, but also Nintendo making money. Uncharted feels like Sony making a game that follows the latest trends and is taylored to be culturally relevant. Mario is not culturally relevant, I'm desperately sorry. That's what makes Sony that good, and that's what Nintendo isn't seeing, and it kills me. That's why Square, Konami and Capcom left them years ago, and they are only inching at getting back some support. Man if I could run Nintendo for a day, it would be a shitstorm in-house.
Why was Sony able to get Naughty Dog to change Uncharted from a Medieval game to a modern-day hollywoodesque shooter/action game? Because they adapt. Why is it so much to ask Nintendo??
I don't care what they intended it to be, it's what it should be that matters. When Metroid Prime came out, it was a hallmark for the Gamecube. There were no graphics like it! It released alongside Halo as a system exclusive. Though it started very strong, almost as strong as Halo, eventually Halo passed it, and is now the highly valued exclusive it is today. Why? Marketing, Online and a culturally relevant story, though sci-fi. How hard is that to add, after you've spent countless hours making a great game? It's the 20% effort that gives you the 80% return.
Definitely unfortunately. Why do you say hopefully they will make another groundbreaking franchise? Demand it and argue with that in mind. Otherwise you're just talking. They can do unique all they want, but what they desperately need is culturally relevant, then add in the unique which they already have. Why focus on your strengths when you have a crippling weakness??! |
Here it would appear you are really unaware of how Nintendo operates and you want them to be like Sony.
Why create things culturally relevant when you can create culture? There is a reason to this day many refer to video games as Nintendo games their is a reason many of Nintendo's franchises sell 5+ million. You say short term which is very funny because Mario has been consistently selling 5+ million copies since the 80's. Brand image and consumer confidence, have you seen a stronger brand in video games then the word Nintendo? Have you seen more confident fans then Nintendo's loyal fanboys who support Nintendo to the bitter end, when all the fans of other companies desert them Nintendo has a loyal following.
Its funny you mention Mario is not culturally relevant, Mario was culture. Donkey Kong and Mario who were originally one and the same created gaming culture as we know it. It was a point where Nintendo created culture they influenced the whole world and changed the way games would be made for ever. Nintendo did that again with Zelda to a much smaller extent. But then Nintendo did it again with Pokemon while Sony and all the third parties were trying to create games relevant to the culture Nintendo was creating the culture. Pokemon changed the culture in the 90's in a massive way. Then with Wii and DS once again Nintendo changed culture without even using a single game to do so.
While Sony tries to make games adaptive to the culture, Nintendo tries to create the next cultural phenomena. Sony for a little while was also trying to get ahead of culture to create it. They had David Jaffe among other developers who were capable of creating culture who were capable of creating the next big thing. But guess what Sony clipped Jaffe's wings he made Twisted Metal and it was amazing something new and unique something that had potential to change gaming. But Sony budged in and tried influencing his creation, he went on to create God of War but during the second one Sony tried again to change the game to fit with current culture.Today Jaffe has stated time and time again that Sony interferes and prevents him from creating the game he wants to, the game he thinks could change culture. Each time Sony tries to make his titles culturally relevant. How is anyone at Sony supposed to create the next trend the next cultural phenomena when they are always ordered to create games that are currently relevant.
Its funny you point to Sony imposing change on Naughty Dog to change Uncharted to a modern third person shooter from a medievil title. To be hollywoodesque and adapt to current culture. But how do you know that Naughty Dog's original Uncharted couldn't have had a profound impact on culture itself? Maybe that game had more potential then Sony saw, but Sony was to obsessed with being culturally relevant to allow their developers to create a unique and brand new experience. An experience which could have altered the outcome of the console war for all we know.
Look at the titles that made Nintendo a success, were any of them made to copy another cultural phenomena? Nintendo created their own culture. Look at Halo which everyone mentions, Microsoft saw its potential but they didn't think it would be massive they thought Munch's Odessy was going to be their killer app. They thought Munch's Odessy was culturally relevant and while they saw potential in Halo they did not see it as the game changer it ended up being. But Microsoft took a gamble and that FPS shooter the one that had potential but was not seen as their big title. That title went on to shape culture.
Sony is never going to get anywhere if they don't try to shape culture rather then adapt to it. Their constant attempts to mimic their competitors or Hollywood to follow current trends, that is useless. You need to be a step ahead of culture a step ahead of trends.
Nintendo's franchises almost all impacted culture. Those franchises you say today aren't culturally relevant. Well they played a big role in creating today's culture. The titles continue to sell very well and Nintendo is just biding their time till they create the next big cultural phenomena.
Yes Nintendo may fail some times with smaller titles like Pikmin. But remember for every title that fails to change culture to innovate a create the next big thing for every Custom Robo their is an Animal Crossing.
Its funny you say demand the next big cultural phenomena the next big franchise. When I said big franchise I was talking Mario, Pokemon etc...etc... I have no doubt Nintendo will create another one but to demand they do is funny. As if me a fan can possibly demand that Nintendo change culture like it is a task just anyone can do. Sony Computer Entertainment hasn't created a single piece of software that changed culture. Not a single piece of software that rivals Mario or Pokemon, not one that today comes close even though you don't see either title as culturally relevant.
You have the gull to suggest Uncharted "is a dearly loved franchise, maybe even more so than Mario" I'm sorry but culture and the gamers of the world say otherwise. Nintendo's methods are not out dated, they are just different. While all the other game companies and console manufacturers play by their rules Nintendo does what they want. Nintendo goes against the grain they take risks they change culture they always try to stay ahead of everyone. They don't follow and they are always trying to be creative and create new experiences.
I think 50 years from now, people will still know the name Mario. But will they still know Drake? How is that for brand recognition and consumer confidence. They say Mario is the second biggest mascot or icon in the world second only to Mickey Mouse. Do you think with Sony's current model that they could ever produce an icon a brand as strong and as well known as Mario?
-JC7
"In God We Trust - In Games We Play " - Joel Reimer
