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Soundwave on 03 February 2014
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padib said:
Soundwave said:

I think really you know deep down where Nintendo is going with this. 

The "super console" idea is always going to be wishful fantasy from Nintendo fans, but Nintendo turned from that path a long time ago. 

Scalability won't work if the gap between hardware is too large and it renders the whole R&D savings thing moot. 

Also a Wii U level handheld/tablet platform will bail Nintendo out of a big problem too -- they likely have already sunk a lot of $$$ into development of Wii U titles that are not going to yield them big profit. 

Being able to quickly port those games over to a new shiny handheld platform (ahem Zelda U) solves that problem. 

The next Nintendo gaming platform is going to be all about bringing all the Nintendo games people like from the NES days right on up to Mario Kart 8 and making that playable in a form factor (tablet like, portable) that fits a person's lifestlye today ... play where you want, when you want, from "low end" simple games like those on tablets/Virtual Console to "real" modern versions of Mario and perhaps even Calladooty and what not. 

That's gonna be their sales hook. 

Nintendo hasn't abandoned the concept of a home console though. When going back to the Corporate Strategy meeting of Jan 2012, Nintendo intends to use this unification to create even new hardware platforms, so as to offer their games on an array of hardware platforms. With that in mind I see no reason why they should abandon the higher-powered console. Also, bear in mind that a successor to the U would no longer need to bundle a gamepad (much like the U didn't bundle a Wiimote), so they can reasonably price it this time around.

All the more reason that they would go ahead with the strong console and drive upgrades, all the while driving interest in their console offerings.

I still think you're right about the handheld, but I also see them continuing their home console due to the reasons I mention here.


I think they are putting on a brave face but they know internally the Wii U is a dud and home consoles in general are a dead end for them. 

They can't compete against Sony/MS, as a matter of fact I wouldn't be shocked if Yamauchi basically made Iwata swear to never go down that path. I think it's telling that they would rather devote an entire division to seniors/fat soccer moms that try to double down again against MS/Sony. They just don't have that fight in them (and perhaps for the best as it's likely a foolish fight for them to get into). 

The technology is finally here where mobile chips can provide Nintendo with a level of tech that might not make 'I need a 4K consolez for grapjix!' happy, but can finally allow them to make even the higher end Zelda/Metroid games at full scale for their own needs in any form factor. 

Nintendo is never going to make a $100 million dollar Zelda or Metroid game, partly because it's way too risky, anything that gets them Wii U level visuals and perhaps can go even beyond to 1080P is good enough for Nintendo IMO. They'll be very happy with that. 

They need to open up themselves so that 80 million+ audience that's still willing to buy a Nintendo handheld can buy those higher end Nintendo titles (ie: Zelda U, DKC: TF, X, etc.) and they're not stuck on a rotting console platform that only appeals to about 20 million Nintendo fanatics and no one else.