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Soundwave on 10 July 2014
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RolStoppable said:
Soundwave said:

Well you've been pretty vocal in the past that just recycling motion gaming, which is now a old hat idea (8 years old and available on practically every game machine) is the way to go. 

If you're saying they need to make a dramatically different console every time ... sure, but that's not easy to pull off. VR is one. A sex/porn console is probably another (laugh, but the old adage of sex sells isn't untrue). Outside of those two avenues I'm not realistically sure what Nintendo could've done. 

They're trying to serve an overserved market, the average gamer has way too many options/choices as is. 

I see, your usual mistakes. You assume that the Wii success was entirely due to motion controls and you also assume that "a console like the Wii" means banking everything on a controller gimmick or the sex idea you are obsessed with.

Here are some simple things that would differentiate Nintendo from everyone else:

1. Continue with motion controls: They proved to be a dead end for Sony and Microsoft, because they had no third parties to back them up. It was just the first parties against each other and that's a battle that allows Nintendo to leave Sony and Microsoft in the dust with ease, especially because the latter two would never put their top developers on such projects.

2. Don't be a machine to play dumbed down PC games: Changes the image of the system, its price and its library. Allows Nintendo to create a low cost system with higher profit margins and a more interesting selection of games.

3. Nintendo IPs: Look at what Sony, Microsoft and third parties make. What's there that tries to compete with Nintendo software? Virtually nothing. Nintendo differentiates itself from the industry by making the kind of games they always made, it doesn't get any easier than that. Nintendo doesn't need to become a fundamentally different company.

4. Most valuable back catalogue in video game history: Just needs to be offered in an appealing manner. Nintendo needs to overhaul their account system to make this work. If done properly, this is a big advantage.

5. Local multiplayer: Whereas everyone else shifts more and more focus towards online gaming, a proper couch multiplayer experience should not be neglected.

6. Be an anti-industry console: Who likes paid DLC, preorder DLC, timed exclusive content, microtransactions or patches that are several GBs in size? Make a console that is free of such bullshit or at the very least a system where such things are the exception instead of the rule.

The Wii was all of those things in one form or another. It sold because it was an alternative to everything else out there. It was a great product for everyone who thought that Sony's and Microsoft's consoles sucked. It was also a great complement to a Sony or Microsoft console. Wii was missing out on multiplats? No problem for the people who thought that those games sucked. No problem for the people who had a Wii as their secondary console. No problem for the people who already played PC games on a PC instead of a console.

The Wii was great. It was also 8 years ago, dude. Let it go. It's coming back in style like the Macarena is. No one is buying motion games anymore, and Nintendo was not the only even banking on that -- MS basically probably screwed themselves this gen thinking Kinect was a difference maker and that's horribly blown up in their face and probably gift wrapped this gen to Sony who wisely stayed away from any controller gimmick nonsense this time around. 

Also yes, it's nice that Nintendo is different, but different doesn't neccessarily gift you better sales. Sony has tried cartoony/family style games too the last few years and they've flopped so are things like Rayman. Just because you are trying to offer an alternative to the Call of Duty style gaming, doesn't meaning you're automatically entitled to an audience.  

What I think is happening to the industry is that the console is becoming the "Hollywood blockbuster" outlet for gaming, there's a market for home consoles, but the market is for big-screen 50-inch LCD, big budget experiences. The Watch Dogs, Destinys, CODs, Battlefields, and sports sims will continue to do well. 

The lower end of the market is being eaten alive by cartoony, colorful games ... the problem is these games are all breaking out on iOS and Android (Angry Birds -- blockbuster, Candy Crush -- blockbuster, Flappy Bird -- blockbuster, Plants Vs. Zombies -- blockbuster, Tomodachi Life -- not so much, Nintendo Land -- nope, LittleBigPlanet -- nope, Tearaway -- nope). 

So the game business is becoming this market of these two extremes where people are getting their fix of higher end, high budget experiences at home on the console and then their bite size gaming/entry level/cute gaming is taking place on their phone/tablet. And generally people seem to be happy/content with that. 

Mind you, I'm not saying these are market trends I personally like, but it's hard to deny that's what's happening. The "middle" of the business is being squeezed out, unfortunately that's the comfort zone Nintendo tends to like (not too casual, not too hardcore).